How to Make a Fabric Lunch Bag

Make a fashion statement with a handcrafted fabric lunch bag lined with plastic. Pretty fabric and a beaded handle will make packing a lunch to school or work a pleasure. Handy for traveling as well, make an extra one or two to give as gifts to friends or co-workers.

Things You'll Need

• Medium weight fabric 1/2-yard by 44-inches (bolt width)
• Contrasting fabric - 6-inches by 8-inches
• Double fold binding tape - 1/2-inch wide,coordinated color with medium weight fabric
• Lightweight clear plastic 1/2-yard
• Marker
• Sewing machine
• Coordinated thread
• Scissors
• Measuring tape
• Beaded handle
• Needle (to hand sew with)
• Decorative button 1-inch diameter
• Iron

Instructions

1. Fold the contrasting fabric piece (6-inches by 8-inches) in half lengthwise, right side in. Sew a seam with the sewing machine on two sides 1/4-inch from the edge, but do not sew the opening closed. Turn right side out and press with hot iron. Fold the open end in 1/2-inch and press with hot iron to make a neat finish. Put aside. This is the top flap of the lunch bag (to be attached in Step 8).

2. Lay the 1/2-yard fabric piece, right side down. With a marker and measuring tape, mark a strip of fabric 22-inches long by 6-inches wide. Cut the fabric with scissors.

3. Place the fabric (cut in Step 2) on top of the 1/2-yard of clear plastic to use as a guide. Cut the plastic with scissors the same size as the fabric. Put both pieces aside. These pieces are the front, back and bottom of the lunch bag.

4. Fold the remainder of main fabric piece, right side in, and mark 9-inches by 4-inches to cut two identical pieces. Cut the fabric with scissors. These are the sides of the lunch bag.

5. Hold the 22-inch long piece of fabric, right side out, and align one of the 9-inch by 4-inch pieces against it at the top so that the wrong sides of both pieces are in. Slip them into the double-fold binding tape and straight stitch a seam to secure the fabric pieces inside. Continue all along the edges of the fabric pieces (down the side of the front, along the bottom of the lunch bag, then up the back). Cut off excess binding tape at the end. Proceed the same way with the other side of the lunch bag.

6. Make the plastic liner for the lunch bag by straight stitching the front, bottom and back piece of the plastic piece to the two side pieces cut out in Step 3. Slip the plastic liner into the fabric bag.

7. Secure the top of the plastic liner to the outside fabric of the lunch bag by straight stitching the double-fold binding tape on the two sides and the front, but not the back. Cut off excess binding tape.

8. With scissors make a 1/4-inch slit on each crease of the top flap at the opening of the lunch bag created in Step 1. Fit this flap over the back of the lunch bag, both the fabric and the plastic liner. Straight stitch all the pieces securely 1/4-inch from the edge of the flap.

9. With needle and thread in an overcast stitch, sew on the beaded handle on both sides of the fabric lunch bag securely. Sew on the decorative button on the front of the flap, centered.

Tips & Warnings

• Beaded handles are available at craft shops, ready to attach to a bag. If desired, velcro circles, 1-inch diameter, can be sewn on the lunch bag to keep the flap shut.