These little sack packs are so popular around here right now.
I've made several and decided to share my pattern with you today.
Here is what you'll need to make one bag that finishes at about 15" by 20" (not including the straps):
1/2 yard of outside fabric
1/2 yard of lining fabric
4 yard of 1/4" or 3/8" cording for the straps
Cutting instructions:
Cut a 2 1/2" strip by width of fabric strip off your outside fabric. From this strip, cut (2) 15" strips for the casings. So you will have (2) 2 1/2" by 15" strips of your outside fabric.
Trim the remaining outside fabric down to 16" by width of fabric. Cut the selvedges off of the outside fabric, if you haven't already.
From one short (16") side cut a 3 1/2" by 16" strip. Trim this down to 3 1/2" by 14" to be used for the tabs.
Measure your outside fabric. It should be 16" by 38" to 40". Whatever it measures, cut your lining fabric the same size as the outside fabric.
On to the sewing part! All seam allowances are 1/4" unless otherwise stated.
Step 1. To make the casings: fold the short end of each casing piece over 1/4", twice, and press.
Then top stitch them down.
Press them in half, lengthwise, with right sides out.
Center each casing piece along the top edges (shorter, 16" sides) of the outside bag fabric. Align raw edges of the casings with the raw edge of the outside fabric of the bag.
The outside of your bag should now look like this.
Step 2. To make the tabs: press your 3 1/2" by 14" piece in half lengthwise.
Open this back out
and fold each side so that the raw edge is lined up on the pressed fold. Press.
Then fold this in half again along the first pressed fold.
Topstitch along both long edges. Cut this in half so that you have two 7" long tabs.
Step 3. Fold your outside fabric in half, wrong sides together. Lay it on your cutting surface or table with the fold closest to you and the two short ends (16" sides) furthest away from you. Make a mark two inches up from the fold on either side. Fold the tabs in half. With the raw edges of the tabs aligned with the raw edges of the side of the bag, place your tabs above this mark, with the bottom of the tab touching the mark.
Baste in place using a 1/8" seam allowance, but only sew through one side of the bag.
You only have it folded in half so you can get the tabs placed properly.
Step 4. Fold the outside fabric with the casings and tabs attached in half, with right sides facing. The fold will create the bottom of the bag. Stitch the two side seams together using a 3/8" seam allowance. Backstitch over the tabs for reinforcement. Zig zag stitching in the seam allowance over the tab ends provides extra reinforcement on this stress point. I recommend this if you plan to carry anything heavy in your bag.
Turn this right side out and set it aside for the moment.
Step 5. Fold your lining fabric in half, with right sides facing. The fold will create the bottom of the bag. On one side, place two pins about 3" apart near the bottom of the bag. Stitch the two side seams together using a 3/8" seam allowance, but do not sew between the pins. This will be your opening for turning the bag right side out in the next step. Do not turn the lining right side out!
Step 6. Place the outside fabric piece inside the lining piece. These should be right sides facing. Align the two side seams of the outside and lining and pin them together. You may want to put a few more pins along the top edge as well.
Stitch the lining and outside together along the top edge.
Step 7. Turn the bag right side out through the opening in the lining you left in step 5.
Press the seams to the inside of the opening and topstitch this closed using matching thread.
You can also whip stitch the opening closed by hand if you prefer.
Topstitch around the top edge of the bag.
I've made several and decided to share my pattern with you today.
Here is what you'll need to make one bag that finishes at about 15" by 20" (not including the straps):
1/2 yard of outside fabric
1/2 yard of lining fabric
4 yard of 1/4" or 3/8" cording for the straps
Cutting instructions:
Cut a 2 1/2" strip by width of fabric strip off your outside fabric. From this strip, cut (2) 15" strips for the casings. So you will have (2) 2 1/2" by 15" strips of your outside fabric.
Trim the remaining outside fabric down to 16" by width of fabric. Cut the selvedges off of the outside fabric, if you haven't already.
From one short (16") side cut a 3 1/2" by 16" strip. Trim this down to 3 1/2" by 14" to be used for the tabs.
Measure your outside fabric. It should be 16" by 38" to 40". Whatever it measures, cut your lining fabric the same size as the outside fabric.
·
Cut the cording in half so that you have (2) 2 yard pieces. |
| All my cut pieces |
On to the sewing part! All seam allowances are 1/4" unless otherwise stated.
Step 1. To make the casings: fold the short end of each casing piece over 1/4", twice, and press.
Press them in half, lengthwise, with right sides out.
Center each casing piece along the top edges (shorter, 16" sides) of the outside bag fabric. Align raw edges of the casings with the raw edge of the outside fabric of the bag.
· Baste in place using a 1/8" seam allowance.
Step 2. To make the tabs: press your 3 1/2" by 14" piece in half lengthwise.
Open this back out
and fold each side so that the raw edge is lined up on the pressed fold. Press.
Then fold this in half again along the first pressed fold.
Topstitch along both long edges. Cut this in half so that you have two 7" long tabs.
Step 3. Fold your outside fabric in half, wrong sides together. Lay it on your cutting surface or table with the fold closest to you and the two short ends (16" sides) furthest away from you. Make a mark two inches up from the fold on either side. Fold the tabs in half. With the raw edges of the tabs aligned with the raw edges of the side of the bag, place your tabs above this mark, with the bottom of the tab touching the mark.
Baste in place using a 1/8" seam allowance, but only sew through one side of the bag.
You only have it folded in half so you can get the tabs placed properly.
Step 4. Fold the outside fabric with the casings and tabs attached in half, with right sides facing. The fold will create the bottom of the bag. Stitch the two side seams together using a 3/8" seam allowance. Backstitch over the tabs for reinforcement. Zig zag stitching in the seam allowance over the tab ends provides extra reinforcement on this stress point. I recommend this if you plan to carry anything heavy in your bag.
 |
| The circled area shows the back stitching and zig zag stitching I do for reienforcement |
Turn this right side out and set it aside for the moment.
Step 5. Fold your lining fabric in half, with right sides facing. The fold will create the bottom of the bag. On one side, place two pins about 3" apart near the bottom of the bag. Stitch the two side seams together using a 3/8" seam allowance, but do not sew between the pins. This will be your opening for turning the bag right side out in the next step. Do not turn the lining right side out!
 |
| This shows the lining sewn with the opening left for turning |
Stitch the lining and outside together along the top edge.
Step 7. Turn the bag right side out through the opening in the lining you left in step 5.
Press the seams to the inside of the opening and topstitch this closed using matching thread.
 |
| The area I stitched closed is right underneath my blog address in this photo |
Topstitch around the top edge of the bag.
Step 8. Using a bodkin or safety pin attached to one end of one of the cording pieces, feed the cording through both casings.
Run the cording through the tab on that side of the bag and tie the ends together with a knot.
Feed the other piece of cording through both casings, but start and end on the other side of the bag. Again, run the cording through the remaining tab and knot the ends together.
Step 9. Enjoy your new cinch sack back pack!
The kids around here use these as school back packs. They also make great dance bags or karate bags or sleepover bags.
If you have any questions, ask them in the comments. If you are a no-reply blogger then I will not be able to answer you directly, but I will answer your question with another comment. So if you ask a question, but don't get an email answer from me within a day or two, it's because you are a no-reply blogger and I can't respond to you personally. You'll need to check the comments on this post for my answer to your question.
2 comments:
Great tutorial! I bet my grandkids would like these. Thanks.
Very cool. I love it, and I love the autism fabric.
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