Tote bags decorated with embroidery and beads

1 Use the stencils to transfer the designs to the tote bag. Two shooting stars are drawn here - the lower one is mirrored by turning the stencils over. Start by drawing the star.

2 Now draw the stripes one by one. Do not draw inside the outline of the star.

3 Now embroider the star. The easiest way to do this is by using the embroidery frame. Loosen the screw and pull apart the frame. Place the inner ring inside the bag under the design.

4 Place the outer ring over the design and squeeze it around the inner ring.

5 Pull the fabric taut and tighten the ring with the screw.

6 Cut a piece of embroidery thread around 50 cm long and tie a knot at the end. Pull the needle down over the loop in the needle threader and pull the thread through the loop. Now pull the needle up over the thread to thread the needle.

7 Start from the back, i.e. from the inside of the bag, and pull the needle up through the fabric. Thread a bead onto the thread and insert the needle back down a little further away, so that there is room for the bead.

8 Continue all the way around the star. Alternate between 1-2 beads on the thread each time.

9 Secure the end on the back by sewing up and down through the previous stitches.

10 Cut the yarn.

11 Remove the embroidery frame. Thread a new colour of thread, tie a knot at the end and start from the back. Now pull the needle up and down through the fabric to form stitches along the lines. Keep one hand inside the bag to keep the fabric slightly stretched out and to avoid sewing through both layers of fabric.

12 To sew on sequins, thread a sequin onto the needle and sew it on with small stitches as shown.

13 Continue with the green and blue stripes in the same way.

14 Fasten off the ends on the back by pulling the needle through the stitches a few times. Cut the yarn.

15 Here is another version with embroidered flowers.