Simple Makeup Bag
April 26th, 2007 by Jen Love
I made about a dozen of these little bags for the Craft fair. I have had fun choosing the fabrics, embellishments, and buttons and they are so quick to whip up! They are great for makeup bags or I like to put my phone, keys, and cash in it and then put it in my larger diaper bag. I cut a pattern out of a cereal box. It measured: the narrow end/ top = 6 1/2″, the wider bottom = 8 1/2″, height = 6″.
I wanted to make these bags stiff (as I asked about in a previous bag post) so I bought no-sew bond, cut it out using the pattern, and ironed it to the lining. Then you peel away the paper and iron it to the outside fabric. At this point I decide if I want to attatch a stripe of ribbon or trim. Use can use the no-sew bond to attatch this also or sew across the trim with the sewing machine. I also added in a short strap on some of the bags.
Then I cut a piece of velcro about 2″ long, folded over a 1/2″ hem, centered the velcro strip and sewed 2 lines, one across the top and botton of the velcro across the width of the bag. This works well too if you want to attatch the trim along the bottom seam for the velcro. Then I turn the bag wrong side out and sew up the sides. I cheat; I sew through the no-sew bond since my fabrics were not very thick. I like the stiffness it gives the fabric. Then I make a gussetted bottom by making a triangle horizontally at the each corner about 1″ down from the edge and sewing across this triangle horizontally. (sorry this is a little hard to describe in words)
Such a quick and easy gift or I love having a girly bag inside my big, plain diaper bag!
April 26th, 2007 at 3:33 am
These look so quick and easy. I think I might try to make one for my summer swap buddie.
April 26th, 2007 at 6:26 am
super duper cute!!
April 26th, 2007 at 8:12 am
You are STILL too clever for me! I STILL wanna BE you! I can’t sew~terrible, huh? So I try handsewing aprons, but they fall apart. ARGH! (((((HUGS))))) sandi
April 26th, 2007 at 8:46 am
Those are so cute and clever. Love the fun fabrics.
April 26th, 2007 at 8:55 am
thats a great Idea I might have to steal it. I could make one for my diaper bag.
Oh I love the bobby pin fabric so cute and fun.
April 26th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Very cute bags! How did you get a nice finished edge at the top of your bag? I tried making a purse the other day, but couldn’t figure out how to finish off the top of the inside of the bag. (Make since??)
April 26th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Karen-
Since the 2 layers of fabric are heat bonded together I didn’t turn it over twice and make a hem like I normally would. Since they are bonded I turned it over once, making a hem the same height as the velcro. It shouldn’t really fray much, maybe a strand or 2 of the fabric and then the bond is holding them together. I just didn’t worry with making a perfect turned under seam inside. (Sometimes if the outside looks nice, I move on!)
I don’t do zippers yet but that would also make your top look really finished, or you could use magnetic snaps.
I love my find of the bobby pin fabric for makeup bags!! I want to look too for some girly boutique/makeup/vintage kind of fabric. Does anyone have a favorite fabric to share?
April 27th, 2007 at 8:44 am
Oh how wonderfully cute! I’ve had a bit of geisha fabric floating around in my stash and I think this is the perfect project for it.
April 27th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Those are WAY WAY too cute!! I want one! Were they easy to make?
April 28th, 2007 at 6:49 am
Love the fabric Jen, Such a great idea! So springy. Thanks so much for mine. I love it!
April 30th, 2007 at 4:03 am
[…] Makeup Bags, Gift Pouches, Shoe Bags, Drawstring Bags, Wristlet Bags and Origami Pocket Pouches […]
April 30th, 2007 at 4:57 am
Randi-
I have mastered the art of watching TV and sewing so I cut my fabric with my rotary cutter on the coffee table, lay my ironing board flat on the floor and iron my peices and hems, then run over to my machine during a commercial and sew the seams. So, it is probably about a half hour project. Pretty easy and not much sewing skill is needed!
May 5th, 2007 at 12:08 am
[…] Idee per la festa della mamma: due simpatiche viste oggi. Un porta foto con fil di ferro colorato, e la ricetta per fare il pane in mini contenitori fornendo tutti gli ingredienti in un sacchetto. E se invece vi va di cucire un po’, un porta cosmetici semplice semplice, o un copri macchina da cucire. […]
May 7th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
So darling! That bobby pin fabric is fabulous, what a great find!
May 15th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
oh my goodness that little button is sooo cute, i just stumbled onto your site and i love it! where did you get that flapper lady button? is it vintage? i have seen badges with the same kind of illustration but never a button!
May 15th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
I actually got that button at Joann fabrics. I love it! Candace picked up some that were similar but red and white and a different era girl at Hobby Lobby, I think. So I am hoping there is a whole series that I can find. Amazing what cuteness you can get for a dollar!
July 10th, 2007 at 2:33 am
You make very handy Simple makeup bag
August 30th, 2007 at 4:57 am
[…] Crafty Daisies » Blog Archive » Simple Makeup Bag (tags: crafts howto patterns sewing Inspiration) […]
September 25th, 2007 at 6:57 am
I love this bag. I am very new to sewing and thought this looked and sounded easy enough. I tried to make one the other day and it ended up like a triangle. What am I doing wrong? can you email me with some more instructions? Or maybe a pattern you use? I would love to make these for christmas gifts. I made one with the dimmensions you said, it looks about right. Thanks for the help.
Allison
October 23rd, 2007 at 1:55 pm
I love this idea, and I want to make one for my mom for Christmas… However, I am fairly new to sewing and would like to know how you did the inside and the top? I don’t know if I should bond the fabrics (and if so, how??) or if you just sew the inside fabric to the outside fabric? Also, do you make the bag an inch or so larger and then just fold the top down to create a nice, thick, finished top?
I know these are alot of questions, but since I’m new to this it takes awhile to sink in!!! lol! Thank you very much!
October 27th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
What did you use for the trim? Ribbon, bias, or ???
March 19th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
I found your website yesterday and immediately prepared the pattern and got to work. I had some 30 year old fabric that was just waiting for this project.
I had a few “duh” moments but it really turned out well….once I realized the pattern was cut on the fold of the fabric and the “bag” was actually one piece with the lining.
Lots of fun and I am looking forward to making more! Thanks!
March 19th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I forgot - here is my photo: http://ouryellowrides.blogspot.com/2008/03/little-yellow-bag.html
March 25th, 2008 at 8:13 am
This is such an adorable makeup bag! I can’t wait to try my own!
May 20th, 2008 at 5:53 am
We are having a golf benefit for a young girl paralyzed in a tragic car accident. She is now a quadriplegic and we are trying to send her to Project Wallk in Calfornia. I have attached documentation of the event. We would like to know if you could donate any items or samples that could be used as raffles prizes? If you are willing and able please contact me. Thank you for your consideration.
Liza Riedel
2738 SW District Ave
Port St Lucie, FL 34953
(H)772-336-7317
(C)407-415-5579
May 24th, 2008 at 12:18 am
These bags are cool and looking great. The combination of colors choosen is well suitable here.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:47 am
About the cute little bags…I was wondering if you sell these? I do not sew however, I was looking to give make-up bags away to my 6 bridesmaids for my wedding in Dec. I am making their necklaces and earrings for them to wear and wanted some type of bag to put those in. These would be perfect. Please let me know. Thanks
June 10th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Jana,
I have taken orders for bags and done them for bridesmaids. Please contact me at
jennilee.love@gmail.com
i would love to!!
July 9th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
A LITTLE MORE DIRECTION!
First of all I should have explained in my post that the measurements I gave in the first paragraph are actually double. Draw and cut out a pattern with the measurements given, then fold your fabric along the wide end of the pattern and cut out. You do this twice making an outside and a lining piece. (If you fabric is directional, cut 2 pieces and sew a bottom/middle seam. It will work out the same.)
2) Then I iron the pieces wrong-sides together with the no-sew bond (optional step).
3) Lay the piece (now together) out flat. It should look like - narrow end, wide middle, narrow end. Fold each end down 1/2″ -1″ and iron toward what you want the lining to be. This makes a finished top edge. Now is where you pick up my instructions to sew on velcro strip or embellishments, before you sew the sides up. I sometime use snaps too.
4) Once you have sewn down the 1″ that you folded over (and attached velcro, ribbon, etc.) then fold with right sides together, line up at the top and sew down right and left sides, starting from top. You can square the corners or leave them pointy. (See “How to Square Bags” post for pictures on how to do this.)