I’ve recently fallen in love with box bags. I received one in a swap from the owner of Heidimonkey and it has been holding my Gilda Scarf WIP. I also received a smaller one in another swap and have been using it as my workout pouch to hold my keys and ID when I go to the gym. Seeing as how I have a good number of projects needing bags and I have an odd obsession with bags in general, I figured it was high time I made one myself.

The following is a tutorial on how to make a pretty large box bag that has an intact image along the zipper instead of the back of the bag. It will hold at least two skeins of red heart acrylic to give you an idea of it’s finished size. But the great thing about box bags is that they are hightly customizable. If you want it smaller, cut the layers smaller, if you want it longer, cut them longer.

Materials:

24″x15″ cut of outter fabric
24″x15″ cut of inner fabric
24″x15″ cut of interfacing (choose the weight you want… a thicker interfacing will make a more sturdy bag)
22″ zipper
2 – 2.5″x10″ strip of inner fabric (for handle)

First thing’s first, sew the handle together.
1) sew down both long sides, then turn right side out and top stitch down both sides.

The bag.
1) I had decided that I liked the pattern on the fabric and I wanted it to stay intact on the zipper side of the fabric so my first step was to cut down the middle of the fabric parallel to the short sides. Mark which edges belong together so that when you start sewing you will be able to align the two edges.

2) lay the inner fabric right side up on the interfacing (I used a denim like fabric for my interfacing) with the long side running horizontal to you. Place the zipper ontop of the inner fabic as shown, with the top and bottom of the zipper extending beyond the fabic and the right side of the zipper lined up with the right side of the inner fabic.

3) now take one of the outter fabric pieces, turn in wrong side up and place it over the zipper making sure that the marked edge (the one that is the center cut from step 1) is aligned with the right edge of the zipper, pin and sew along the right side of the zipper.

4) turn the fabrics so the front of the zipper is showing and top stitch along the zipper.

5) take the other edge of the inner fabric and interfacing, fold it back on itself and align the edges under the left edge of the zipper.

6) place the outter fabric, wrong side up ontop of the zipper, making sure that the pattern matches up with the right side of the zipper, and line it up with the left side of the zipper. Pin, sew and turn.

7) unzip the zipper and then top stitch the other side.

8) place the two outter fabrics together, right sides together, and seam the back.

9) turn the bag so that the outter & inner fabrics and the interfacing are all together. You should have a tube.

10) now turn it inside out. Place the zipper in the middle of the bag (it should line up nicely with the seam you made in step 8). Sew the bottom of the bag together, back stitching along the zipper for added support. Then trim the edge (including the zipper) and zigzag stitch to keep the whole thing from too much.

11) repeat with the top but be sure that the zipper pull is inside the bag before you start.

12) here’s where you make the corners that shap your box bag. Start at the top of the bag. Reach inside and open up on corner so the side and top seam touch each other and the seam is facing away from the zipper. Pin together.

13) turn to the right side of the bag and place one side of the handle into the corner, making sure that it is straight.

14) sew a line that is about 2.5″ away from the zipper and runns parallel to the zipper along the corner.

15) repeat 12-14 for the other side, making sure that you use the other side of the handle. I lined up the first seam with the machine so I was sure I was sewing the same distance for the second seam.

16) repeat 12-14 for the last two corners but omit the part about adding the handle. Trim all corners to a 1/4 inch seam allowance and zigzag stitch each raw edge.

17) trim threads, turn right side out and enjoy!

1. CouponWebz | UPrinting Coupons Says:
   April 27th, 2010 at 10:38 pm

   Wow the finished box bag looks really good! I’m not really a fan of box bags (yet), but I think my friend’s really gonna love this I won’t be surprised when I go to their house next time and see so many box bags with different designs.