Welcome to this super cute and practical lunch box bag sewing pattern and tutorial! If you’re looking to make a versatile, stylish, and eco-friendly bag for carrying your lunch or snacks, you’re in the right place. This lovely lunch box bag with an adorable fabric design and unique drawstring cover will keep your meals secure and add a personal touch to your routine. The step-by-step instructions provided will make the whole process enjoyable, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced sewist. So, gather your materials, and let’s get started on crafting your very own lunch box bag!
After skipping for a week from the tutorial update, I am back with a bag sewing pattern and tutorial. Here it is, a lunch box bag with a drawstring cover. The drawstring cover acts as the bag closure and will prevent the contents from falling out. The drawstring makes the lunch bag easy to open and close too. In addition, pay attention to the base of the bag, it is not the normal rectangle base, read on to see it. You may add an insulated lining to make a thermal lunch box bag. The bag lays flat when not in use, so it won’t take up much space for storage.
Even though I categorized it as a lunch box bag but I think you can basically use it for anything you want to carry around. I would say it is nice to carry a small craft project when you are on the go, for example, crochet, knitting, tatting, small hand-sew patchwork, etc….
There are another 2 needle felting patterns and tutorials in the queue waiting to be written and published, but I have to put them aside to author this lunch box bag tutorial as a priority. This is due to loads of feedback (I love the requested feedback, please pour again!!!) I received emails and messages requesting to share the lunch box bag when I previewed the work in progress on Craft Passion’s Facebook Page, so I am happily cutting in line, especially for you.
I was slow in updating for a week because I was busy preparing for my son’s birthday. He really wanted to celebrate with his classmates before they moved on to formal education. He asked me to make goodie bags for each of his 14 classmates, plus one for himself and one for his sister. I ended up sewing a total of 16 lunch box bags in just 2 days! Each bag has a name tag made of washable craft paper so the kids can write their names on it. I also baked and decorated some cookies in animal shapes (recipe), and packed them with treats and stationery items. Feel free to check out the items in the bag, which I have posted on Facebook.
To complete his birthday, I baked 20 cupcakes and decorated them with fondant icing (you can see it here) a day before his birthday. I also made a fondant mouse as the cupcake topper just for him, and everything was all set for the big day. I’m so happy that his classmates loved everything I created for the party. When we arrived at the kindergarten, the kids surrounded the table and kept on expressing their amazement as I set up the birthday display. They were so adorable! Even the moms wrote on the kindergarten’s Facebook page to express their amazement. Thank you all for creating such wonderful memories for my son. It was a truly special moment for us!
LUNCH BOX BAG SEWING PATTERN
After skipping for a week from the tutorial update, I am back with a bag sewing pattern and tutorial. Here it is, a lunch box bag with a drawstring cover. The drawstring cover acts as the bag closure and will prevent the contents from falling out. The drawstring makes the lunch bag easy to open and close too. In addition, pay attention to the base of the bag; it is not the normal rectangle base, read on to see it. You may add an insulated lining to make a thermal lunch box bag. The bag lays flat when not in use, so it won’t take up much space for storage.
Enjoy sewing them!
Actual bag dimension excluding handles is approximately 5.5 (W) x 6 1/2 (H) x 4 (D) inches
Download and print the SEWING PATTERN for drawing the fabric separately.
Materials
- Fabric, for bag – 10 1/2″ x 19″
- Interfacing (medium weight) – 10 1/2″ x 19″
- Fabric, for lining – 10 1/2″ x 19″
- Fabric, for drawstring cover – 2 pcs. of 10 1/2″ x 6″
- Fabric, for handles – 2 pcs of 3″ x 14″, or use webbing tape 3/4″ width 2 pcs of 14″
- Drawstring cord, 2 pcs of 24″
- Drawstring beads or stopper, 2 pcs. optional
Tools
- Sewing machine
- Sewing kits
- Pencil or Erasable fabric marker
- Ruler
- Scissors or roller cutter
- Cord threader
- Iron
Instructions
Gather all the materials and tools needed as listed above. Download the sewing pattern sheet for the dimension and cut the fabrics according to the pattern sheet.
Fuse interfacing webbing to the wrong side of the bag fabric with a warm iron. Make sure it is properly fused and no trapped air bubbles between the fabrics.
The bag fabric with interfacing attached. Set aside.
Fold the lining fabric into halve with right side facing each other.
Sew both side edges with 5/16″ seam allowance.
Pinch the vertical centerlines of both front and back piece, open up the lining, bring center to side and seam lines to center. Align the front and back seam lines, the bottom reverse triangle must be perpendicular to the seam lines. Measure 4″ horizontally across the bottom of the triangle of the front corner and sew. Repeat the same at the other corner of the bag. [Update: it is not 4″ from the tip of the triangle, it is 4″ perpendicular to the sewn line, which is also the length that you are going to sew.] Cut away the extra with 5/16″ seam allowance.
The lining should look like this after the seams return to its side position. Set aside.
Fold the long edges of the handle toward the center, leaving about a 1/4″ in between them. Press with the iron to set the crease lines. Fold it into half and press with an iron. Sew a line near the edge on both sides. Repeat the same to the second handle. Set aside.
Place 2 pieces of drawstring fabric with right side facing each other. Sew the short side of the edges till the 1 1/2″ marking. Press seam open.
Topstitch about 1/8″ from the seam line at both sides.
Double fold the top edge to the wrong side to make a 5/8″ pocket for the drawstring. Topstitch 2 lines. Set aside.
Fold the bag fabric into halve, fold the bottom 2″ up. Sew the side with 5/16″ seam allowance.
Turn the bag right side out, expand the base of the bag to have 4″ on the sides and roughly 6″ on the front & back.
You may press it flat like this by simply push the bottom into the bag.
Attach the handle 4 1/2″ apart (inner space), stitch it on about 3/8″ from the top edge. Repeat the same to the other handle.
Turn the drawstring fabric to the wrong side and slip it onto the bag, with drawstring pocket facing down.
Insert the bag and drawstring pieces into the lining piece. Align side seams. Change the facing of the seam allowance if needed to avoid thick fabrics on the same spot.
Sew around with 1/2″ seam allowance, leaving a 3″ to 3 1/2″ opening for turning right side out.
Turn the bag right side out from the opening.
Press the top seam neatly and sew 4 lines within 1 inch from the top edge.
Thread drawstring cord and install stoppers (optional) to complete the lunch box bag. Install name tag to bag if you wish. I used faux nubuck leather aka washable craft paper or kraft paper fabric, you may use felt as an alternative. I stamped the grass and dragonfly by using StazOn Multi-Surface Inkpad, Stone Graystazon. You may lay the bag flat when not in use.
Notes
Seam Allowance: 5/16″ (included in the pattern), otherwise as indicated.
If you are using canvas or upholstery fabric for the bag, you may omit the interfacing.
Get the full article at https://www.craftpassion.com/lunch-box-bag/
Charley
Monday 30th of September 2024
I love this lunch bag, I made it in some lovely bright colours and get constant compliments on it. The pattern was very clear and easy to follow. However, it's a bit too small for my usual lunches so I now use it as a snack bag and am making a larger one for my proper lunches :)
Jacqueline
Monday 29th of April 2024
Love making it and it came out great!
Diane
Saturday 30th of March 2024
I absolutely love my lunch bag. My mom saw mine and I'm now making a larger one for her! Thank you :+)
Craft Passion
Saturday 30th of March 2024
That's wonderful to know this! So sweet of you to make a bigger one for your mum in return.
Fran
Wednesday 13th of December 2023
This tutorial is excellent; thank you so much. I have a hospital visit coming up, and I used this tutorial to make a shower bag to take with me. I used coated cotton so that it is waterproof, and the drawstring top is just perfect for making sure things don't fall out if I'm a bit clumsy after my treatment.
I also wanted to mention, because it's something that I notice a lot: thank you so much for putting the turn-through gap in the top of the lining rather than in the sides. It never makes sense to me when designers put it in the sides, especially if you are instructed to top-stitch the top seam anyway, which would naturally close up that gap, as is the case with your design. It just seems to me that in such an instance, putting the turn-through gap in the side (or in some cases, the bottom) creates an unnecessary step.
Anyway, thank you again; your tutorial is fantastic.
Amanda
Friday 18th of August 2023
How can the fabric pieces be 19" and the total bag height is 12.5"? If I took 19 and halved it for a 0" depth bag, it would only be 9.5" with no seam allowance.
I looked at the pattern pdf, 19" doubled would make a lot more sense, but then the directions should say 2 pieces of 10.5" X19" or 1 piece 10.5" X 38". Or maybe not, I'm not sure how common measuring a folded piece of fabric is.
I'm looking to modify the height to about 7", so 19" total for me would actually be about accurate, plus an inch or two for seams.
Even though I figured it out, commenting anyway in case someone else is/ was confused about the 19"
Amanda
Sunday 20th of August 2023
@Craft Passion,
Oh! Thank you so much, I feel so silly. I've been sewing for years but not so much with patterns, I didn't even think to include the handle height. Looks like I will have a very tall bag then! I already cut my pieces at 13" for a total of 26“. Oh well! I'll know for next time, as I am making a bag for myself and also a coworker. Mine first for all the silly mistakes.
Craft Passion
Saturday 19th of August 2023
Hi Amanda, sorry to keep you guessing. The dimension indicated here is including the height of the handles. I have updated the information with the height that excluded the handles height. Hope this explained.