Lunch Bag Tutorial
I found this awesome free lunch bag tutorial from Ayumi of the Pink Penguin Blog while looking for project ideas for my sewing students. The lunch bag is absolutely adorable. Much more fun than a basic lunch sack. And it’s a project that is purposeful.
As usual, I try to test out online tutorials before offering them to my sewing students. This helps to determine that not only the tutorial/pattern works, but that it is a good project for kids to make. Ayumi’s tutorial is great! If you’re making one yourself, then I would follow hers. I did want the kids to use a larger seam allowance and have fewer steps, so I adapted her tutorial for my sewing students.
First thing I changed was to add an interior pocket for utensils. I also added some extra visual help to my tutorial that I think kids may need. It’s pretty close to Ayumi’s original, but made to be a little more simplified in construction. I think it’ll be a fun project for the kids to make.
Here’s my example of the lunch bag project to share with the class. I used several fat quarters from RJR- Home, Sweet Home collection by Dan Morris. There are so many fun prints in this collection!
Since I made several changes, I needed to make a tutorial that I can print and have kids use during class. Using written instructions helps students to learn to sew from a pattern, but without photos it can be confusing. I thought would share the tutorial that I created for kids here for any other sewing teachers others who are looking for projects for their kids to sew.
This project does have a lot of steps, so it takes a bit longer than most of my kids sewing projects, but none of the steps are too difficult. I think kids would love to make their own lunch bag to take to school!
Supply List: (basically 5 fat quarters will make a bag)
- 1 fat quarter for the outside
- 1 fat quarter for the inside
- 1/4 yard (or 1 fat quarter) for the cover
- 1/4 yard (or 1 fat quarter) for the handles
- 1/4 yard (or 1 fat quarter) for the top band fabric
- 1/2 yard of sturdy fusible interfacing (Pellon 808 )
- 1 1/2 yard of craft cord (light-weight cord for drawstring)
- Jeans/Denim sewing machine needle
Cutting Instructions
Bag Piece: 1 – 12 1/2″ wide X 18″ long
Lining Piece: 1 – 12 1/2″ wide X 18″ long
Top Band Pieces: 4 – 12 1/2″ wide X 3″ long
Handles: 2 – 4″ wide X 12″ long
Cover: 2 – 12 1/2″ wide X 8″ long
Optional Spoon/Fork Pocket: 5″ X 6″
Interfacing:
1 – 12″ X 17 1/2″ for bag piece
2 – 12″ X 2 1/2″ for 2 band pieces
2 – 12″ X 1 1/4″ for handles
Sewing Instructions
1/2 inch seam allowances unless otherwise instructed.
Lining
1. Fold the spoon pocket in half with right sides together and it measures 5″ x 3″. Sew around all sides, leaving an opening along 1 side for turning.
2. Cut diagonally at the corners.
3. Turn it right side out and use a corner turning tool to poke out the corners. Press and sew the opening closed.
4. Pin and sew the pocket to the right side of the lining, 2″ down from the top edge and centered. Make sure to leave the top edge unsewn.
Outside Bag
1. Cut a piece of interfacing 17 1/2″ x 12″ and fuse it to the wrong side of the bag piece. Make sure to center it on the fabric.
2. Fold the fabric in half with right sides together and sew the side edges.
3. Repeat step 2 for the lining. No interfacing is needed for the lining.
Box the Corners
1. Open up the lining at the corner and flatten it to make a triangle at the corner. Press it flat with an iron.
2. Place the ruler so that 1 line is even with and straight on the seam line and mewasures 2 1/4″ from the tip of the triangle. Draw a stitching line and sew on the drawn line. (I moved the ruler slightly before drawing my line, so don’t go by the measurements in the picture 🙂 )
3. Sew another row of stitches just inside the first stitching line and cut off the corner.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for the remaining corner on the lining and both corners of the bag.
5. Turn the bag right side out. Place the lining inside the bag, with wrong sides together. Pin and sew along the top edge, 1/4″ from the raw edge.
Set the bag aside.
Handles
1. Fold handles lengthwise with right sides together. Pin and sew the long edge of each handle.
2. Cut 2 pieces of interfacing 12″ X 1 1/4″ and fuse it to the wrong side of the handles. placing the interfacing beyond the stitching and seam allowance, close to the folded edge.
3. Turn the handles right side out and press them with an iron. (If you’re one of my students: use the Flippy-Dippy trick to turn the handles right side out)
4. Optional: Topstitch the handles.
Top Band and Handles
1. Cut 2 pieces of interfacing 12″ x 2 1/4″ and fuse the interfacing onto the wrong sides of two of the top band pieces.
2. Pin each side of the handle 3 1/2″ from each side on the top edge of the band piece. Pin and sew it in place. Make sure to pin and sew on the edge with the interfacing as shown below in step 3.
3. Repeat steps 1-2 for the second hand on the other band piece.
4. Pin and sew the band pieces right sides together with the handle sandwiched between them. Repeat for the other handle and band pieces.
5. Press the seams open.
6. Sew the 2 band pieces right sides together at the sides. Press the seams open.
7. Fold and press it, so the wrong sides are together. Topstitch along the top edge, so the handles are sticking up.
8. Baste the bottom edges together. Set the top band aside.
Cover
1. Mark 2″ down from the top edge along both sides.
2. Pin and sew the side edges, with right sides together and leaving the top 2″ unsewn. (start sewing at the marks you made)
3. Pink the raw edges of the seam allowances and press the seams open, continue to press the unsewn section as well. [I didn’t realize this would be needed until my example bag was all done and the raw edges on the cover were bothering me.]
4. Sew the folded part along the sides at the top (that unsewn part).
5. Fold and press the top edge 1/4″ toward the wrong side.
6. Fold again 3/4″ and press. Sew around the top edge to make a casing.
Putting the Bag Together (make sure to use a Jeans/Denim needle – I used size 14)
1. Pin and sew the band to the bag, with right sides together. Sew close to the top raw edge and sew slowly with a larger stitch length.
2. Pin and sew the cover onto the main bag, with the right side of the cover facing the right side of the bag.
3. Pull the cover and band up. Push the cover all the way into the bag.
4. Press the seam where the band and bag meet from both sides.Start by pressing the right side (outside of your bag facing up at you).
Turn the bag inside out and press the seam from the other side.
5. Leave the bag inside out and sew 1/2” below the seam, where the cover and the band are joined.
Drawstring
1. Turn the bag right side out and insert 2 drawstrings into the casing in the cover. Place a safety pin on the end of the cording and feed it through until it goes all the way around and comes out the same side as it went in. Trim and knot the ends together.
2. Repeat for a second drawstring, starting on the opposite side, feeding the cording all the way around until it comes out the same side as it went in, and tying the ends together on the opposite side.
It’s all done.
I think I may make another for myself using insubright. Ayumi used a vinyl coated fabric for her lining, so spills wouldn’t leak through. Be sure to check out more great tutorials on her blog: the Pink Penguin Blog! She’s got some amazing projects and is very talented.
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