A pretty homemade lunch bag to sew

Do you love crafts? Sign up for CanadianLiving.com's craft newsletter, Get Crafty!

Click to view a larger image

The handles are an extension of the main part of this bag, which you can use to easily tie the bag closed. The bag is also reversible. It’s easier to assemble if you use a piece of thick fabric for one side and a thin fabric for the other.

Finished measurements
6" x 14 1/8" x 4"

Materials
Cotton (solid): 10 3/4" x 29 1/8"
Cotton (striped): 10 3/4" x 29 1/8"

Cutting the fabric
Dimensions include the seam allowance. All seam allowances are 3/8" unless otherwise indicated in parentheses. (See diagram)

Instructions
See the diagram for steps 1 - 4
1. Fold the solid fabric in half widthwise, right sides together. Align the edges and sew 3/8" from the edge along both sides. Repeat for the striped fabric, leaving a 2 3/4" opening on one side.

2. Make gussets for each bag by folding each corner and trim the tip, leaving a 5/8" seam allowance.

3. Press open the seams on both sides and cut away any protruding seam fabric at the top of the handles.

4. Place the solid bag, right sides together, inside the striped bag. Sew 3/8" from the edge all the way around the top. Trim the seam allowance to 3/16". Turn the bag right side out. Fold the edges of the opening in the striped fabric 3/8" to the wrong side, press and hand stitch the opening closed.


See a larger image of the lunch bag!

Check out more of CanadianLiving.com's sewing projects.

---

Excerpted from Linen, Wool, Cotton, copyright 2005 by Akiko Mano. Used by permission of Random House, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.