The evening bag sew along.

Download your free pattern by clicking the link below – simply print the pages on your regular printer and stick together to form the bag pattern!

Free pdf evening bag pattern 4 x A4

This is a lovely project, not as simple as it first appears, for the free PDF pattern please download the file from the link above.

You will need to gather together…

Bag main fabric- 55cm in length and 37 cm wide
Bag lining fabric – the same quantity as above
1 zip- minimum 28cm long – you may need to buy a 30cm zip, don’t worry if you have a longer zip as it can be trimmed back.
Matching thread
Contrast or matching fabric for a strap – 4 cm wide and 50cm long
Some wadding if you want to pad the strap a little

Cutting out

The pattern piece can be cut as one whole piece as pictured here on the lining fabric, I chose to have a seam on the main bag piece as I wanted to place the print of the fabric in the best position I could. The main bag pattern piece can be cut in the same way as the lining if you are using a plain fabric.

Cut 1 bag pattern piece in main fabric
Cut 1 bag pattern piece in lining fabric
Cut one strap piece 4 cm x 50 cm – this is variable and depends on your personal choice, the strap can be in a contrast fabric or the self fabric, it can also be padded with piping cord or wadding as I have chosen to do.

Lets sew the bag together

We will start with the lining – place the right sides of the lining together and stitch the side seams taking 1 cm seam allowance.

Pop the lining to the side for now and we will work on the main bag.

The main bag construction – inserting the zip

The first step is to place your zipper foot on the machine.

Pin the zip tape to the seam allowance at the top edge of the bag and sew across. Press the zip in position.
Place the other edge of the zip at the opposite top edge of the bag opening and sew across.
Press.

The loop straps

The straps are very much up to you. You could use cord, or ribbon, or contrast fabric.

I chose to make straps in the bag fabric and pull some wadded filament through to pad the strap.

The straps now need to be attached to the bag each end of the zip

One last step – before the lining in attached to the main bag

The bag opening needs to be completed before attaching the lining to the main bag

Now follow the same steps you took to sew the lining, sew the side seams and the base. You may not be able to sew right to the top of the bag as the straps are quite bulky if you padded them, but this can be completed by hand if you want to.

Lining the bag

Now all that remains is to attach the lining to the bag at the zip seam allowance. Most of this can be done by machine, but you will need to leave a gap to turn the bag through and that can be finished by hand.

Firstly place the lining inside the bag as it would lie when finished, pop a couple of pins there to hold it in place.

My completed bag! – they are ideal as gifts or lovely as a wedding or special occasion bag.

Why not add some design details such as a lovely fabric flower, keep posted and I will show you how!

Making A Lovely Evening Bag – Great Project For Small Pieces!