How to Sew a Fabric Gift Bag

These Fabric Gift Bags are quick and easy to sew. They are great for using up fabric scraps and will make your gifts look fabulous.

What You Will Need

To sew these cute little gift bags you will need some fabric, something to cut it with and something to sew it with.

Woven fabrics will be the easiest to work with but if you have your heart set on using a particular stretch fabric then go right ahead, it will be worth it.

Personally I love my rotary cutter, mat and ruler. It makes cutting fabric quickly and accurately an absolute doddle. You can measure and cut fabric with a plain old pencil, ruler and sharp scissors, it will just take longer.

These gift bags will be quicker and easier to sew with a sewing machine and I also like to use my overlocker for a neat finish. But you can totally sew these by hand if you wish.

Cutting the Fabric

For the main part of the gift bag cut a piece of fabric measuring 10″ x 13″.

Cut two straps each measuring 3″ x 12″.

You can adjust these measurements to suit a larger (or smaller gift). The finished gift bag will be just a bit smaller than the largest piece of fabric folded in half. You can lengthen or shorten the straps too if you wish.

These measurements will make a bag about 6″ wide by 8″ tall.

How to Sew the Straps

Fold each strap in half along the length with the right sides of the fabric together.

Sew the two sides together along the long side.

Turn the straps the right way out.

Press each strap. I like to press them so that the seam line is in the centre of the strap.

How to Sew Fabric Gift Bags

Mark the large piece of fabric 1.5″ in from both edges along the longest side. You also need to mark it 1.5″ in from the middle of the fabric. If you haven’t adjusted the size of the gift bag this will be 5″ in from each edge. These marks are where you will position the straps.

Pin the straps in place. The left side of the strap should butt up against the first mark at 1.5″. The right hand side of the other end of the strap should butt up against the second 5″ mark.

The second strap should be positioned in the same way on the other side of the fabric.

Sew the straps in place. I like to run the edge through my overlocker. It secures the straps and neatens the edge all in one quick and easy stitch.

Don’t worry if you don’t have an overlocker or even a sewing machine. Just sew the straps to the fabric.

Fold this top edge over and press it in place. If you haven’t overlocked the raw edge you’ll need to fold it over just a fraction of an inch and then fold it over again to hide the raw edge.

Next fold the bag in half right sides together. Sew along the side and bottom seams.

Turn your bag right side out.

Finally sew the top hem in place with a row of stitches about an inch from the top of your bag. Make sure that the bit if fabric you folded over is caught at the back of the stitching.

I hope you have found this free quick and easy fabric gift bag sewing pattern useful.

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Pin It Now, Sew It Later

I do hope my fabric gift bags have inspired you to have ago at sewing your own.

Pop this free sewing pattern in your Pinterest board so you can find it later.

A Little Bit About Me . . .

Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of the interweb. I’m Bridie, mum to two small humans, full time homemaker and full time craftaholic – which totally explains why I’m always short on time!

I’ve included links to my favourite retailers for the products I’ve used to make my crafts. Click on any of the product images and links for full details. If you decide to buy any of these products I may get a small percentage of what you spend. There’s no cost to you at all.