How to Make a Lunch Bag

Use a more environmentally friendly alternative to a brown-bag lunch.

Lunch on the go often requires you to dispose of unwanted trash, such as brown bags, aluminum foil, plastic wrap and disposable utensils. Try a green-living alternative by designing and making your own permanent lunch bag -- one you can reuse over and over again. Customize and paint it to your liking to look stylish and reduce waste.

Things You'll Need

• Brown craft paper
• Ruler
• Fabric
• Scissors
• Iron
• Fleece
• Clear vinyl
• Velcro
• Interfacing
• Matching thread
• Sewing machine
• Fabric paint

Instructions

1. Lay out your pattern pieces. You can use a prepackaged pattern or create your own using some brown craft paper, a ruler and a pencil. Trace and cut out a 9- by 10-inch square (bag body), a 5- by 10-inch rectangle with rounded corners for a long oval shape (lunch bag bottom) and rectangle that's 4 inches by 10 inches (straps).

2. Lay out the front fabric piece of the lunch bag and straps on interfacing, with the shiny side of interfacing facing wrong side of fabric. Pin and cut out the pieces. Then use a hot iron to fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of fabric.

3. Trace a shape with a cookie cutter or stencil on contrasting fabric. Cut out and pin it in place. Using zig zag, stitch the shape to the front panel of lunch bag.

4. Lay the front pieces of the lunch bag on top of fleece, right side up. Then pin and cut it. Stitch fleece backing using a quarter-inch seam allowance around all pieces to secure them. The fleece acts like an insulation for the inside of your lunch bag.

5. Lay out and cut clear vinyl pieces for your lunch bag, using lining pieces. Stitch around the vinyl and fabric using a quarter-inch seam allowance on each piece.

6. Cut and attach long stripes of Velcro 2 inches from the top portion of each side of the lunch bag lining on the vinyl side.

7. Stitch the lining of the bag together. Start by placing the two panel pieces right side together. (Right side equals vinyl side.) Stitch down each side, leaving the top and bottom open. Then place the bottom piece, right side up, facing the right side of panels (vinyl matching vinyl) of lining and stitch around bottom.

8. Stitch front pieces of your lunch bag together. Place front panel pieces right sides together and sew down each side. Then, place the bottom piece, right side facing the right side (fabric matching fabric) of bag and stitch around. Reinforce the bottom of the bag by stitching around twice.

9. Fold strap pieces in half lengthwise. Fold in one-half inch on the raw edge side. Stitch down side of strap. Stitch down the folded side of strap for unity. Repeat for the second strap.

10. Pin the strap on the front side of bag, going in about an inch on each side of the bag. Stitch strap ends in place.

11. Slide lining up over the front of the lunch bag and stitch around the top. Keep the right sides together. Leave a 4- to 5-inch opening between the straps for turning.

12. Turn the lunch bag right side out.

13. Fold in opening and stitch completely around the top of lunch bag, using a quarter-inch seam allowance.

14. Personalize the front of your lunch bag with fabric paint.

Tips & Warnings

• Use tissue paper or wax paper when stitching vinyl.

• Once your lunch bag is finished, turn inside out and run a bead of hot glue down the seams to seal your vinyl from food leakages.

• Vinyl will stick to the bottom of your machine and cause your machine to stitch incorrectly or shear needles if you don't use some type of paper or fabric on each side.

References

• Green Upgrader: Handmade Reusable Lunch Bag