Makeup Bag Tutorial August 23, 2011 – Posted in: Sewing, Tutorials
Thanks for entering the giveaway, everyone! Congrats to the lucky winner, I’ll be sending the makeup bag off today or tomorrow!
For the rest of you, I put together a tutorial so even though you didn’t win, you can make your own! That’s almost as good, right?
The finished dimensions of this bag are:
4.5″ tall, 6″ wide across the top, 4.5″ wide across the bottom, and 2.5″ deep.
To make your own, you’ll need:
2 pieces of fabric cut 13″ by 7.5″
1 piece of lightweight fusible interfacing (I used Pellon 808)
1 7″ zipper
Start by applying your interfacing to the back of your outside fabric.
Then using the same technique from my cosmetic bag tutorial, sew the zipper to one short end.
Fold the sides back and press flat. Top stitch along that side.
Fold the outer fabric up so the bottom is even with the other side of the zipper.
Flip it over and do the same to the lining piece.
And sew the zipper along that side.
Turn it right side out and press along the zipper. Top stitch.
Decide how much bag you want above your zipper and measure to make sure it’s straight. I left about an inch.
Then at the bottom, make a square, measuring 1″ from the bottom and 1.25″ from the side.
Cut the corners.
Now turn the bag inside out. I don’t care how hard I try, I can never make my inner fabric the exact size of my outer fabric, so I decided to use it to my advantage.
Cut the lining along the bottom, make it 2 pieces.
Sew along the bottom you just cut, leaving a hole about 2″-3″ in the middle to turn the bag through.
Then sew down the sides with a 1/4″ seam allowance, stopping 1/4″ from the bottom.
Pinch the bottom together to make a corner. First the outer piece,
then the inner piece, and holding them together, sew closed with a 1/4″ seam allowance. They’ll be sewn to each other, which will help hold your lining piece down inside the bag.
Then turn the bag through the hole in the lining, poke out your corners, and sew the hole closed.
That’s it! They take me about 30 minutes to make, start to finish, and sew up so nicely! Enjoy!
46 Comments
Leah August 23, 2011 - 11:10
Great tutorial! Thanks so much for taking the time to do this for us it is wonderful!
Sarah Beth August 23, 2011 - 13:43
I am so excited to get my bag in the mail!!!!
Vanilla September 02, 2011 - 10:26
Thanks for the great tutorial!!! I posted it in my blog (under the Tutorials page). Hope to make one soon.
Töskur « Samstarf September 04, 2011 - 10:45
[…] sem eru til á heimilinu og gömlum fötum. Ég fann þessar ágætu síður til að fara eftir Saumaðu eins og mamma og þessi er samansafn af allskonar humyndum frá mörgum síðum. Það væri gaman að hafa […]
rachel September 07, 2011 - 10:37
I adore the flowered fabric! Do you know who makes it?
Stacy Sews - Diary of a Fabric Junkie » Blog Archive » Linky Thursday September 08, 2011 - 05:41
[…] Need a little bag to tote around your makeup? Try this cute cosmetic’s bag. […]
Dailene September 09, 2011 - 16:03
Cute bag! What are the finished dimensions?
Roberta September 16, 2011 - 11:30
Where did you buy that beautiful pink bird fabric? I love it! Thanks for offering these tutorials.
Roberta in CNY
Nina September 26, 2011 - 16:06
Hello! This is a very sweet little bag, but I’m a bit lost with the instructions after you cut the lining in 2 and then sew it up again… I don’t see the outer fabric getting sewn together at the sides at any point. And then I’m totally confused as to how the corners are being made – even though I have sewn a number of lined bags with the same kind of corners before, yours seem to be done a different way…
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[…] Make-up bag @ Sew Like My Mom […]
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[…] […]
Heather Hughes November 14, 2011 - 21:04
I found this on Pinterest & thought I definitely better try it. I’ve just began sewing & got my first sewing machine.
It turned out great & this was a great tutorial. I’d definitely recommend it to a beginner. 🙂
Lilian November 28, 2011 - 06:45
Thanks for this tutorial!!! I can never get the lining the exact size too!
Jess December 12, 2011 - 17:46
Maybe I am just really dumb, but I have been working on this tutorial for HOURS and have not been successful. If you took the pictures in a way that showed both the lining and the outside fabric so I knew where they were in relation to each other I think that would help a lot. It is a really cute bag, but I am having an extremely difficult time figuring it out.
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rachel January 10, 2012 - 10:41
i am in love with this fabric. who makes it? i neeeed it for my kitchen curtains!
Jen of Quality Sewing Tutorials January 14, 2012 - 19:47
Great tutorial! You’ve been featured on the Quality Sewing Tutorials blog.
We hand select only the best free tutorials and patterns for home sewers.
DawnOfYesterday January 26, 2012 - 00:00
I’m also confused about the lining vs. the outter fabric when it comes to cutting the lining and then sewing the corners. I agree with Jess and Nina, that this part is quite confusing and the photos seems to almost be missing a step. Since Nina’s post was back in September and there still hasn’t been a response, I’m guessing we won’t get one from Sew Like My Mom, but has anyone else actually made this using this tutorial that could help clear things up a bit?
DawnOfYesterday January 26, 2012 - 00:31
Okay! I figured it out. I looked very closely as the photos and it’s apparent that the lining is on the wrong side out when the side seams are being sewn. This part kind of threw me, but when I turned my lining to look just like hers, it became clear finally how to do it. The lining and the outside fabric side seams are both being sewn at the same time even though that doesn’t reallly show in her photo. That’s why the ‘hole’ is left in the bottom of the lining…so you can turn it back inside out through that hole and then you actually have to kind of do that again, only through the opening of the zipper. I know my explanation is not entirely clear, but maybe it will help someone else! 🙂
Judy B. February 26, 2012 - 16:24
I just made the bag. If you look at the tutorial for the cosmetic bag, like this tutorial recommends, making this bag was much easier for me. And the comments above were helpful, too. The only thing I will do different is make the length a couple of inches longer.
Thanks for a great idea
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anony March 14, 2012 - 18:00
So should the the lining be unfinish- or raw edged on the interior?
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Jessica at SewSet November 20, 2012 - 07:25
Wow, love this bag! So thankful for Pinterest that I stumbled across it and your site! I would be honored if you would consider uploading a photo of it (and any other sewing pattern or tutorial you might have) into SewSet, an on-line sewing pattern & tutorial search engine.
I would love for others to be able to find it when looking – amazing!
Thanks so much for sharing! Love it!
kay December 08, 2012 - 09:27
I love this! I made a cuple for little gifts. Thanks for the tutorial.
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Liliana May 27, 2013 - 22:56
The bag comes out really small. I think there is no need to cut the squares at the bottom of the bag, you can sew the bag just through all the border, and then, from the inside fold a corner, sew to give the depth of the bag and cut the excess.
Melissa May 28, 2013 - 00:41 – In reply to: Liliana
That’s the point! It’s supposed to be a small bag, perfect for a few small items. 🙂
Nicole May 29, 2013 - 11:54
Very clear tutorial, I love how you end up with a purse that is neatly lined. I used your tutorial to make a wristlet, without the boxed corners but with a wrist strap. Worked well!
Lizzie blatt August 09, 2013 - 20:52
The perfect make up bag – just the right size. Can’t wait to make it.
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Robin Corddry October 01, 2013 - 10:30
Love this bag. I think it’s great that you gave it to us and can’t wait to start mine.
Diane October 06, 2013 - 05:26
Would like to have a copy of pattern & tutorial.
Thank you your tutorials are great, I’m hoping to share them with only those that come and stay with my friend and in a respite care in our home, to be able together or help do craft and rest would be of real benifit.
Most of all they will know they are loved it is only on short time staying and perhaps revisits.
sandra January 19, 2014 - 08:43
I tried to make this but don’t know where I went wrong as it won’t turn out after doing the corners 🙁 Any chance of a video tutorial please as they are so cute and would love to make one. Thanks x
Sandra (UK)
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[…] Makeup Bag Tutorial – Sew Like My Mom | Sew Like My Mom – Makeup Bag Tutorial August 23, 2011 . Thanks for entering the giveaway, everyone! Congrats to the lucky winner, I’ll be sending the makeup bag off today or tomorrow!… […]
talissa December 08, 2014 - 09:31
thanks for the sharing 🙂 i like it. all the best for you
bajurajutwanita December 08, 2014 - 09:33
Awesome. Thanks for the tutorial, it’s really lovely 🙂
Norma July 10, 2015 - 13:48
Is there a video? I’m so confused on the outer and the lining. I’ve tried sewing in different ways but I feel like there are pictures missing. I’m getting lost between the cutting of the bottom and the corners… I’ve made many similar cosmetic bags but I thought I would try this. Please help.
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