How to Sew a Messenger Bag

A messenger bag is a great way to organize your purse or school books. The versatility of the bag is endless. This bag has many parts but is easy enough for someone with basic sewing knowledge. There is also room for personalization of the bag.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fabric
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Magnetic snap

Cutting the Fabric

1. Decide the dimensions that you want the bag to be. A messenger bag can be any size that you want it so it really dependent on how large or small you want the bag to be. You will need to determine how width, height and depth of the bag.

2. Cut out the fabric. Use the dimensions that you choose in step 1. You will need a front and back, a flap, two sides, and a bottom section that are the size you want the bag plus 1 inch add to both the height and width. This will give you the seam allowance. So if you want the bag to be 12 inches tall, 12 inches tall and 4 inches, you will need a back and front 13 inches by 13 inches, a flap that is 13 inches by 13 inches, two sides and a bottom that are 5 inches by 13 inches.

3. Measure and cut out the shoulder strap from the fabric. You need to decide how wide you want the strap and to double it as well as determine the length and add a 1 inch seam allowance.

4. Pin together the front, back, sides and bottom of the bag together so that it forms the bag. Make sure that the right sides of all the fabric is facing inward and the wrong side of the fabric is what you see when you sew.

Sewing the Messenger Bag

5. Sew together all the pinned seams from step 4. Iron the seams flat when you're done.

6. Pin and sew three sides of the flap.

7. Turn down and pin the top of the bag that is not sewn. Pin the flap to the top of the back panel of the bag.

8. Stitch around the top of the bag. Make sure that the flap is pinned so that the right side of the fabric will show when you flip it over the bag.

9. Fold the flap in half so that the wrong sides are facing and pin it together. Sew down the length of the strap.

Finishing the Bag

10. Turn the strap right side out and iron is flat.

11. Attach the strap to the sides of the bag by pinning the strap to the inside of the bag and sewing an X in a box in the fabric of the side of the bag and the strap.

12. Sew the two sides of the magnetic snap to the inside of the flap and the outside of the front of the bag.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also attach pockets to the front and back of the bag. Simply cut the pockets that you want on the bag, with 1 inch added for a seam allowance. Before you begin sewing together all the sides of the bag together, attach the pockets to the sections that you want them on. Fold the edges of the pocket inward toward the wrong side of the fabric, pin the pocket and front, or back, section together with the wrong sides facing and sew around the three edges of the pocket.
• If you want to line your bag, simply cut out a second set out pieces from another piece of fabric. Line the two matching sections of the outer bag and lining together with the wrong sides facing then pin and stitch around the four edges. Follow the steps from step 4 onward to assemble the bag.