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    Home » Sewing

    Canvas & Fabric Lined Zip Bag Pattern

    Updated: Apr 2, 2022 by Melissa Mortenson · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 3 Comments

    Create a set of cute and useful zip bags using our free instructions. These bags feature canvas bases and flat bottoms, which make them sturdy and useful. This bag is simple to sew and is the perfect weekend sewing project!

    two nautical zip bags on beach

    If you’ve followed me here for a while then you know that I LOVE to make zip bags. They are so easy to make once you know the “trick”. You can seriously make one in an hour once you get the hang of it.

    Table of Contents
    • Zippered Bag Pattern Options
    • About the Fabric
    nautical zip bag on beach

    Zippered Bag Pattern Options

    I love that there are so many ways to change a simple zip bag pattern to customize it. If you’ve never made a zip pouch (or make-up bag) before, I recommend starting with this simple pattern. There’s even a step-by-step video for the bag on my Instagram profile. Just look for the “Bag Sew Along” highlight.

    green nautical zip bag on beach
    nautical zip bag on beach

    The zip bags featured in today’s tutorial feature a flat bottom and a canvas base. The canvas base gives them a nice shape and makes them a bit more sturdy. (If you’d like to carry heavier items).

    You can sew these bags out of laminate fabrics as well, which would make them “wipeable.” If you’d like to do that, just read through the changes you’ll need to make when sewing with laminates and follow the directions below.

    The bag pattern is in two sizes. Both sizes have the exact same directions. You just start with different pattern pieces.

    About the Fabric

    fabrics in circle on white table
    hand holding stack of colorful folded fabrics

    The fabric on these bags is from my new fabric collection with Riley Blake Designs, Ahoy! Mermaids.

    The bags are sewn using 100% quilting cotton. Quilting cottons are wonderful to use for bags because they have a high thread fount. They also have a “sizing” applied to them during the manufacturing process which gives the colors a bright pop and the fabric a nice sheen.

    The base of the bag is sewn from canvas. I just used Navy blue canvas that I purchased by the yard at my local fabric store. If you think the canvas is too stiff to work with you can prewash it. Otherwise, I do not prewash any of my fabrics before I sew.

    I sew on a BERNINA sewing machine and have not ever had any problems sewing canvas on my home machine.

    two nautical zip bags on beach

    Fabric and Canvas Zip Bag Sewing Pattern

    Melissa Mortenson
    This fabric and canvas zip bag features a flat bottom and boxed corners. The pattern includes directions to create a small and large bag.
    5 from 5 votes
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    Prep Time 30 mins
    Total Time 30 mins

    Equipment

    • Sewing Machine
    • Basic Sewing Tools
    • Rotary Cutter
    • Cutting Mat
    • Small Sharp Scissors

    supplies

    • 1 Fat Quarter Fabric For Bag Outside
    • 1 Fat Quarter Fabric For Bag Lining
    • 1 Zipper 7" zipper for the Small bag. 9" zipper for thr Large Bag
    • ½ yard 20" Wide Fusible Fleece or another lightweight interfacing
    • 1 piece Canvas at least 12" x 12"

    Instructions
     

    Cutting Directions

    • For Large Pouch Cut:
      From Fabric:
      2 pieces 10" wide x 8" tall for outside
      2 pieces 10" wide by 10" tall for lining
      From Canvas:
      2 pieces 10" x 3"
      From Fusible Fleece:
      2 pieces 10" x 10"
    • For Small Pouch Cut:
      From Fabric:
      2 pieces 5" tall by 8" wide for outside
      2 pieces 8" tall by 8" wide for lining
      From Canvas:
      2 pieces 3" x 8"
      From Fusible Fleece:
      2 pieces 8" x 8"

    Step One: Prep

    • Apply the Fusible Fleece interfacing to the wrong side of the bag outside and bag lining pieces.
    • Sew the canvas piece to the bottom of both of the bag outside pieces. Press seam open and topstitch on both sides of the seam.
      gray and blue zip bag illustration
    • Using a quilt ruler, draw a 1" x 1" square in the bottom corners of the canvas. Cut out.
      gray and blue zip bag illustration
    • Using the same technique, cut a 1" x 1" square out of the bottom of the two lining pieces.

    Step Two: Zipper

    • Pin the right side of the zipper to the right side of the bag outside piece (if your bag has a front and a back, start with the front piece).
      gray and blue zip bag illustration
    • Place the bag lining piece on top of this piece so that the wrong side of the zipper is facing the right side of the lining.
      gray and blue zip bag illustration
    • Using a zipper foot on your sewing machine, stitch. Your seam allowance should be between ¼" – ⅜" depending on the width of your zipper. Make sure you don't sitch too close to the zipper or you will not be able to unzip the bag.
    • Repeat with the other bag outside and lining piece on the other side of the zipper.
    • Press the fabric away from the zipper (be careful, metal zippers get very hot when ironed). Top stitch down both sides of the zipper.
      gray and blue zip bag illustration

    Step 3: Assembly

    • Unzip the zipper.
    • Bring the two bag outside pieces together, right sides facing. Pin. When you pin make sure the teeth of the zipper are folded twoards the lining.
      gray and blue zip bag illustration
    • Pin the linig as well.
    • Stitch around the perimeter with a ½" seam allowance. Make sure that you do NOT sew over the metal zipper. Leave a 2" opening in the bottom of the lining fabric. Do not sew inside the squares.
    • Pinch the squares so that the seams are on top of each other. Sew with a ½" seam allowance. Repeat for all 4 squares.
      hand holding corner of zip bag
    • Turn the bag right side out though the opening you left in the lining.
      zippered pouch tutorial in progress on cutting mat
    • Press well and either hand stitch or machine stitch the opening in the lining closed.

    Notes

    You can make these zip pouches ANY size that you like. The only thing to keep in mind is that the zipper needs to be the same width as the bag outside and lining pieces.
    Sometimes I like to start by picking the zipper first, measuring it then cutting out and designing my bag based on that.
    If you want your bag taller, make the bag outside piece or canvas piece taller. If you want it smaller, do make the pieces shorter. It’s pretty easy to customize this bag once you get the hang of it.
    Just remember, you can not sew over a metal zipper. You also need to be careful when pressing metal zippers since they get very hot when ironed. 
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    Tried this tutorial?Let us know how it was!

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    About Author

    Melissa Mortenson

    Melissa Mortenson is a blogger, designer, and content creator. She is the Polka Dot Chair blog founder and has been sharing fresh and creative ideas with readers since 2008. She is the author of “Project Teen, Handmade Gifts your Teen will Actually Love.” Her work and designs have been featured on HuffPost, TODAY, Pioneer Woman, HGTV, BuzzFeed, Better Homes & Gardens, and many other established publications. Her first fabric line, “Derby Style,” debuted in January 2015 through Riley Blake Designs.  Additional fabric collections have followed it in subsequent years. A mom of 3, she considers herself lucky to be living in Kentucky.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alecia says

      May 27, 2022 at 12:03 pm

      Dear Melissa, while we are on holiday it’s marvellous to just page and read your interesting projects. Can’t wait to get home to dust and oil my machine again. Our quiting group is having a ‘mystery PP-project. I’v read your ‘kite’ project and have an idea. Will have to exercise before we have our group meeting.
      Look forward to keep in touch.
      Alecia.

      .

      Reply
    2. Jonquelle Carter says

      December 02, 2022 at 3:30 pm

      Hello, I have a question about the zipper bag with canvas bottom. Am I applying the fusible fleece to the 2 outside mag peices and the 2 lining pieces? It only said to cut out 2 peices of fusible fleece, both 10×10

      Reply
      • Melissa Mortenson says

        December 03, 2022 at 3:40 pm

        No, just to the lining.

        Reply

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    I’m Melissa. I like to design things, like fabric, printables, and projects.

    I’m also a Mom and a Maker. I am like most of you, just trying to do my best every day. Some days I succeed, many days I fail.  I find joy in creating, if you do too, then I hope that you find something here bring a little “happy” to your life.  Find out more about me here.

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