With the wide variety of patchwork and quilted bag and tote patterns available for every skill level, why not go in style and “travel handmade” with your own sewn bags.
Here are 8 quilted and patchwork bag patterns to inspire you.
Photo via Craftsy member Jodi Nelson
Market Tote
A simple bag made with fabric strings and additional yardage, the Market Tote pattern provides a stylish way to use up your scraps and leftover strips of fabric. Get the pattern.
Photo via Fig Tree & Co.
The One Piece Bag
The One Piece Bag by Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree & Co. is a great bag pattern for beginner sewists and quilters. This bag is extra roomy in size and is works well as a carry-on for flying or as a overnight bag for a weekend getaway. Because of its simple shape and design, the bag can be completed, start-to-finish, in an afternoon. The pattern uses a fusible fleece interfacing and doesn’t call for any quilting, but quilting can be added for extra stability and durability. Get the pattern.
Photo via A Quilting Life: Creating a Handmade Home
The Every Day Bag
This is another wonderful bag pattern created from simple patchwork squares. A charm pack can be used, or the patchwork squares can be cut from fabrics in your scrap bin. Simple straight-line quilting is all that is needed to give this medium-sized tote a finished look. A finished top edge created with binding also gives this bag a professional look. Pattern found in A Quilting Life: Creating a Handmade Home.
Photo via A Quilting Life: Creating a Handmade Home
Hexagon Tote
This is a fun medium-sized tote that can be created from a charm pack and just a little additional yardage for lining, top bands and handles. Since this bag uses machine pieced hexagons, using the dot-to-dot sewing technique, the pattern is best for intermediate quilters, but with a bit of practice, even a beginner can master the hexagon piecing technique to make this fun tote. Pattern found in A Quilting Life: Creating a Handmade Home.
Photo via Patterns by Annie
Carry On! Travel Bag
The Carry On! Travel Bag from Patterns by Annie is large enough to carry a travel-sized sewing machine or necessities for a weekend getaway. While this bag pattern is definitely for intermediate sewists and quilters, the instructions are clearly illustrated with lots of details and pattern tips. All quilting for this bag takes place before the pieces are put together, and every edge and seam is professionally finished. The pattern includes clear instructions for inserting zippers, and the pattern designer also provides video tutorials for the zipper installation on her Web site. Get the pattern.
Photo via Dog Under my Desk
The Essential Wristlet
The Essential Wristlet pattern from Dog Under My Desk is the smallest handmade bag in today’s roundup. This small catch-all bag is perfect for carrying a phone, keys, lipstick and a little cash. The fun-to-sew downloadable PDF pattern has full-color illustrations and step-by-step directions from start to finish. A terrific zipper technique is also introduced, which eliminates bulk during the zipper construction process. Several pattern variations include different sizes and options for a one zipper bag or double zipper bag.
Photo via Craftsy member Jodi Nelson
Quilted Knapsack
Use your small patchwork squares to craft this fun-to-make and practical backpack that’s perfect for a day outing. With simple patchwork piecing, this bag is ideal for the beginner quilter or sewist.
Note: Jodi has stopped selling patterns temporarily, we’ll add a link when she is back.
Learn to master the quilt-as-you-go technique while making a wide assortment of bags in the Craftsy class Quilt-As-You-Go Patchwork Bags, taught by Tara Rebman.
Come back to the Craftsy blog tomorrow for a report on quilting trends from the Sewing Summit in Salt Lake City!