Make a Chic DIY Bag From One Rectangular Piece of Fabric
DIY bags are always popular and fun to make.
Today’s pattern is for a slouch bag and it uses my easiest technique yet.
Make sure the fabric you choose is strong but also soft enough to gather and tie into a knot. Canvas for example wouldn’t be suitable for this style. I used dressmaking weight faux leather.
Tools and materials:
- Piece of faux leather, vinyl or thin, strong fabric measuring 19.5 inches by 49.25 inches (50 cm by 125 cm)
- Fabric marker
- Measuring tape
- Fabric clips or pegs
- Sewing machine with roller or walking foot
- Size 14 or 16 leather needle
- Heavy duty or polyester thread
1. Create the knotted handle
Cut the fabric to size and place it flat in front of you in landscape mode with the right side uppermost.
Pick up the center section of the fabric about 6 inches (15 cm) from the long edge nearest to you and fold it in a pleat towards the middle line.
Grasp a similar sized piece from the furthest side and hold the pleat.
Bring the folded edge on top of the first section and smooth it flat.
Pick up the center gathered section with both hands.
Make a loop with the fabric over one of your hands and pass the other side of the fabric over your hand.
Pull the end through the loop to make a loose knot.
Slide the knot until it’s in the center of the fabric.
Smooth out the folds on top of the knot and adjust the gathers on either side of it.
Check that you have an equal amount of fabric on each side of the knot.
When you’re happy with the effect, pull the knot as tight as you can.
2. Sew the main bag section
Place the wider sections of fabric on top of each other with the right sides facing.
Line up the side and lower edges.
Use fabric clips or pegs to hold the side edges together.
Measure and mark 8 inches (20 cm) up each side seam from the bottom.
If you’re using faux leather, use a size 14 or 16 leather needle and swap your normal pressure foot for a roller or walking foot, so the fabric feeds smoothly.
Increase your stitch length to 3 or 3.5. Hand tying your threads instead of backstitching at the beginning and end of the seam will give a more professional finish.
Sew each side seam from the bottom up as far as the mark.
3. Top stitch the seams
Turn the fabric right side out and open the seam allowances flat.
Starting at the bottom edge again, top stitch on the right side close to the seam on one side. Make sure the seam allowance remains open and flat as you sew.
When you reach the end of the seam, turn the fabric under by the same width as the seam allowance and continue stitching.
Get as close to the knot with your stitches as you can.
Turn the fabric 180 degrees and starting at the knot, top stitch the other side of the seam.
Top stitch the second seam in the same way.
4. Bag base
Turn the bag wrong side out.
Place the two seams together in the center and clip the bottom of the bag together.
Sew a plain seam without top stitching.
Lay the bag flat and measure and mark 2.75 inches (7 cm) from the side edge along the bottom seam and 2.5 inches (7 cm) from the stitch line up the side edge.
Join the two points with a straight line.
Repeat on the other side edge of the bag.
Clip the side edges below the lines to stop the fabric from slipping.
Sew along both lines from the side to the bottom edges.
Cut off the corners close to the stitches.
Turn the bag right side out.
DIY bag from a rectangular piece of fabric
This is a lovely DIY bag that looks great with all your casual outfits.
I love the slouch shape and this is the easiest technique I’ve found to make it.
Faux leather is a great fabric to use because it doesn’t fray and doesn’t need lining.
The bag won’t carry a lot of heavy items, but you can’t beat it for style and wow effect.
Please let me know what you think of it in the comments. And for more great patterns like this, follow my TikTok channel as well: @tugbaisler
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