Sewing a jersey cosmetic bag: Here's how!

Sewing a cosmetic bag from jersey: This is a great idea for jersey scraps! To sew beautiful bags out of stretchy fabrics, there are a few tips you should keep in mind.

The new shirt is finished. But: What to do with all those lovely jersey scraps?

By the way, I discovered this beautiful jacquard jersey^* at Stoffe Hemmers.

My tip: Use scraps of stretchy fabrics to sew beautiful cosmetic bags!

A neatly sewn cosmetic bag makes a wonderful gift. It’s always worth having a few ready to go. ;)

The fact that apparel fabrics often have larger patterns than decorative or specialty bag fabrics creates interesting effects on the finished bag.

Which fabrics should you use to sew cosmetic bags from stretchy materials?

Great options include, for example:

• Sweatshirt fabric^*: A versatile and sturdy material that you can also use for color-blocking effects, for example, by cutting the individual pattern pieces from different colors of the same quality.
• Jacquard jersey^*: A jersey with a dense knit structure that is very easy to work with. Why is that? The fabric barely curls at the edges, if at all! It is also great to sew with both a regular sewing machine as well as an overlocker or coverstitch machine. Due to its firm structure, it drapes nicely and doesn't "cling" to the body. Definitely one of my favorite fabrics!
• Quilted fabric^*: Whether made of jersey or sweatshirt fabric, the quilted structure adds an extra eye-catching detail!
• Knit fabric^*: Gives your new cosmetic bag an especially rustic look!
• Nicki (velour) fabrics^*: For incredibly cozy, cute bags!

Because Nicki behaves a bit differently than, for example, jersey, I have created a separate tutorial. In it, I show you my 8 tricks for sewing cosmetic bags from Nicki. :)

Materials you need for sewing a jersey cosmetic bag

• Vlieseline H 250^*
• reinforced cotton fabric^* for the lining
• alternative: quilted bag fabric as lining^*
• Zipper^*
• Fabric clips^*
• matching sewing thread^*
• Tailor's chalk^*
• Sewing machine or overlocker
• Rotary cutter^*
• Fabric scissors^*
• for decoration: beads, e.g., made of glass^* or gemstones^*

A word on decoration: I love decorating bags with high-quality glass beads^* or gemstone beads^*. That upgrades every bag tremendously! The beautiful beads have a unique texture and thus complement the overall look with an interesting detail.

It looks sophisticated when the color tone of the beads harmonizes with that of the fabric:
^***

What should you watch out for when preparing the fabrics?

Here is the most important tip: Reinforce stretchy fabrics before you sew bags out of them.

Why should you do that?

Because you achieve three things with it:

1. You prepare the fabric optimally for cutting. Specifically jersey, but sometimes sweatshirt and Nicki fabric too, tend to have their cut edges roll up. This makes a clean finish, which is simply necessary for bags, virtually impossible. If the fabrics are reinforced, they lie beautifully flat, and you can cut them cleanly.
2. The handling of stretchy fabrics that have been reinforced beforehand is many times easier than without reinforcement! Clean seam starts, a uniform stitch pattern, and consistent feeding even without a walking foot: the advantages of reinforcement are clear.
3. Thanks to the fusible interfacing, the bag keeps its shape very well: Stretchy fabrics are made to be processed into clothing. That’s why they are supple and soft—they are meant to adapt to the body’s movements. If you want to sew bags from them, you should give them the necessary structure with fusible fleece.

Set the iron's heat according to the manufacturer's instructions for the interfacing, not the ironing temperature of the fabric. Why should you do that? Because otherwise, the plastic in the interfacing won't get hot enough to melt, meaning it won't bond, or will bond unevenly, with the fabric fibers.

Be prepared for the fact that with coarse fabrics (for example, my jacquard jersey), it takes longer for the fleece to bond with the fabric. Give the fabrics time to bond with each other.

And let the fabric cool down lying flat afterwards.

Which fabrics are suitable as lining?

For the lining, I would use a simple cotton fabric, for example. You should reinforce this beforehand with batting, such as Vlieseline H630.

My tip: Try using bag fabrics that are already quilted. They provide the bag with extra structure and volume and ensure that the lovely piece doesn't collapse like a soufflé. :)

What should you keep in mind when cutting the fabrics?

Very important: Reinforce a sufficiently large piece of fabric. And only cut it afterwards. Stretchy fabrics tend to "swim" if you try to reinforce them after cutting. They stretch out and don't hold their shape.

Fabrics that have been reinforced beforehand can be cut out cleanly and without any problems. And as you know: clean cutting, clean result. ;)

What needles should you use to sew cosmetic bags from stretchy fabrics?

After reinforcing with fusible interfacing, it is not necessary to sew the bag with jersey or stretch needles. A completely normal size 80 or 90 universal needle is perfect!

Which stitch should you use to sew bags from stretchy fabrics?

Since the fabric is no longer stretchy after being reinforced with Vlieseline H250, you can sew the bag with a perfectly normal straight stitch.

What thread should you use to sew jersey cosmetic bags?

An all-purpose thread is perfectly suitable!

What else should I pay attention to when sewing the jersey cosmetic bag?

Bag patterns are designed for bag fabrics. Sweatshirt fabric, jacquard jersey, and even some quilted fabrics are considerably thicker than normal cotton or bag fabrics.

Therefore, wherever possible, you should make your cosmetic bag seams nice and flat. Pressing seam allowances open is a good idea. But notches in the seam allowances, for example, next to the zipper, can also help give the bag a nice shape.

What does the finished jersey cosmetic bag look like?

I think it turned out incredibly beautiful. And it feels just as cozy as it looks! :)

For the pattern, I used the Rae bag in size 3. The bag is lined with a bag fabric from Swafing^*.

How do you like sewing my jersey cosmetic bag?

Write me in the comments if you like!

Happy simple sewing,

yours, Sabine