Sign up for 10% off your first order

Spend £85 for free shipping

Visit us - Make an Appointment here
Bag Sewing Patterns

Bag Sewing Patterns

Bags are the antidote to fitting. Nothing has to sit right on a body, nothing needs a toile, and you can use the good fabric you've been saving because a metre goes a long way. This is a compact collection of bag sewing patterns covering totes, backpacks, purses, pouches and holdalls, mostly from Noodlehead, whose designs are well drafted and clearly written. Visit our bag making essentials for the hardware.
View as:

Bag making tends to convert people. It's the one area of sewing where the result can genuinely look shop-bought, because there's no fit to give it away: a bag either hangs well and holds its shape or it doesn't, and both come down to construction rather than measurements. It's also satisfyingly quick, and forgiving of using up remnants and leftovers you'd never get a garment out of.

Noodlehead makes up most of this collection, with a Merchant & Mills design alongside. It's a small, curated selection rather than a sprawling one, chosen for patterns that are properly drafted and clearly explained, which matters more in bag making than it does elsewhere, since the construction order is often counterintuitive and a vague instruction leaves you genuinely stuck. Between them the patterns cover everyday totes, backpacks, cross-body bags, zip pouches and larger holdalls.

Structure is everything

The single thing that separates a bag that stands up from a bag that flops is interfacing, and beginners almost always use too little. Bag patterns will specify what they want, and it's worth following exactly rather than substituting what you have to hand. Fusible fleece and foam interlining give body and a padded feel; heavier fusible interfacings give crisp structure; and many patterns use more than one type in the same bag, with different pieces getting different treatment. Fuse carefully, let everything cool flat, and don't be tempted to skip the layers you can't see.

Sewing through the layers

Bags get thick fast, particularly at seams where several interfaced layers meet. Use a heavier needle than you'd use for a garment, a longer stitch length, and slow right down at the bulky points rather than forcing the machine through. Clips are better than pins on anything laminated, coated or cork-backed, since pins leave holes. A walking foot earns its keep here. Topstitching is doing structural work as well as decorative work on most bag patterns, so don't treat it as optional.

What to make a bag in

Sturdy cloth: canvas, cotton drill, denim, waxed cotton and heavier linen all work well, and cork is a good alternative wherever you'd otherwise use leather. Quilting cottons are fine for pouches and linings but need real interfacing behind them for anything larger. Waxed cotton and cork both shrug off rain, which is useful on an everyday bag. Check what your pattern recommends, and order a sample if you want to feel the weight before committing to a length.

Everything else you'll need

The bag making essentials collection covers zips, clasps, rivets, handles and webbing. For fabric, see canvas, denim and cork, and don't skip the interfacing.

Are bag patterns good for beginners?

Very. There's no fitting involved, so the main sources of first-garment frustration simply don't apply, and a bag is quick enough to finish in a sitting or two. The skills you do need, accurate cutting, careful topstitching and getting the interfacing right, transfer usefully to garment sewing later. Check each pattern's stated difficulty, as some of the larger bags are more involved.

What fabric should I use to make a bag?

Something sturdy: canvas, cotton drill, denim, waxed cotton or heavier linen. Cork is a good option too, and behaves much like a light leather while sewing on a normal machine. Quilting cottons work for pouches and linings but need proper interfacing behind them for anything bigger. Each pattern lists what it recommends.

Why does my bag flop instead of standing up?

Almost always not enough interfacing, or the wrong type. Bag patterns specify what each piece needs for a reason, and substituting a lighter interfacing, or skipping it on pieces that don't show, is the usual cause. Fusible fleece and foam give body, heavier fusibles give crisp structure, and many patterns deliberately use more than one type in the same bag.

Do I need a special machine to sew bags?

No, a domestic machine handles most bag patterns. What helps is a heavier needle, a longer stitch length and slowing down where the layers stack up at the seams. A walking foot is a worthwhile addition if you make bags regularly. If your machine is struggling, it's usually the needle rather than the machine.

Where do I get the zips, clasps and handles?

Our bag making essentials collection covers the hardware, including zips, clasps, rivets, handles and webbing. Each pattern lists exactly what it needs in its product description, and it's worth reading that before you start rather than discovering a missing part halfway through.

Join 30,000 Makers

Get 10% off your first order

Be first to see new arrivals and limited fabrics before they sell out.

No spam. Just beautiful fabrics.

Join 30,000 Makers