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Sewing a soap bag: Quick DIY guide

08.12.2020 by Sabine Schmidt

Seifensäckchen nähen: Schnelle DIY-Anleitung

Sewing a soap pouch: A great beginner project that is ideal for fabric scraps. Includes a free downloadable pattern.

The most important things at a glance

  • In this tutorial, I'll show you how to easily sew a soap pouch
  • The soap pouch saves soap and therefore promotes sustainability
  • Sew using scraps of cotton fabric and terry cloth
  • You can download the pattern for free here in the post
  • Sewing time: Approx. 15 min.

Since I started focusing on "sustainable sewing," I've made a lot of changes in my household and my sewing room as well.

Less packaging, more "naked" groceries, sewing makeup remover pads, sewing shopping bags, homemade DIY detergent, sewing gift bags, and much more...

In the meantime, I also like using good old-fashioned washcloths and soap again. To save soap, I find these cute soap pouches made of terry cloth and cotton fabrics perfect. They don't take up much space in the washing machine, dry quickly, and are ready for the next use in no time.

How are they sewn? I'll show you in this tutorial.

You can also easily sew them with an overlocker. This saves you from having to finish the edges separately because everything is sewn in one go.

My tip: Combined with a set of self-sewn makeup remover pads in a nice fabric bag or storage basket, these soap pouches make the perfect gift for a friend! Click here if you also want to sew a drawstring bag. Read more here about the topic of sewing gifts. Of course, you can also find a free pattern here on the blog to sew a practical storage basket for safekeeping.

What do you need a soap bag for?

You can use soap bags like normal washcloths or as reusable makeup remover pads. You can use them with solid soap or hair soaps.

The good thing about it is that you can use even the smallest pieces of soap and manage mini-scraps well. Overall, less soap is used when it's inside a soap pouch. This is sustainable because it protects the environment.

Soaps are also usually more environmentally friendly than shower gel & Co. because they contain fewer polluting ingredients.

Which fabrics are suitable for sewing the soap pouch?

Depending on the type of fabric used, the soap pouches have a soft side or a more exfoliating side.

The following fabrics work well for this sewing idea, for example:

Read more here if you are curious about what and how to sew with cotton fabric.

Important materials

Download soap pouch pattern

Download: Soap pouch pattern (PDF)

Dimensions of the pattern pieces:

  • Pattern piece 1: 127 x 152 mm
  • Pattern piece 2: 127 x 127 mm

Note: A seam allowance of 1 centimeter is included in the pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to sew a soap pouch?

Actually, you only need a fabric for the back, a piece of cotton tape, and some cotton fabric for the front.

Which fabrics are suitable for the soap pouch?

Cotton fabric scraps in combination with terry cloth, waffle piqué, or bamboo microfiber are ideal. The microfiber fabric made from bamboo is very soft and is sustainably produced.

How long does it take to sew a soap pouch?

Even as a beginner, you can sew the soap pouch in about 15 minutes.

Links marked with * are affiliate links: If you make a purchase through them, we receive a small commission. The price remains the same for you.

Step-by-step instructions

Sew a soap pouch

Soap bag made of terry cloth and cotton with a hanging loop — a quick zero-waste beginner project with a turning gap.

  1. Step

    Get your materials ready

    Get your cut pieces and the cotton tape ready:

    • 1 pattern piece from terry cloth
    • 2 pattern pieces from cotton fabric
    • 15 - 18 cm cotton tape
    Get your materials ready
  2. Step

    Pin the hanging loop in place

    Mark the centre of the short side of the terry cloth piece.

    Pin the folded cotton tape with its open edges at the centre of the terry cloth.

    Pin the hanging loop in place
  3. Step

    Press the hem on the cotton pieces

    Press one side of the cotton pieces over 2 x 1 cm to the wrong side.

    Press the hem on the cotton pieces
  4. Step

    Pin and sew the hem

    Pin the hem in place with a pin.

    Edgestitch the hem in place with a straight stitch.

    Pin and sew the hem
  5. Step

    Pin the cotton pieces onto the terry piece

    Pin the cotton pieces right sides together, edges aligned, onto the terry cloth piece. The pressed edges face towards the centre.

    Pin the cotton pieces onto the terry piece
  6. Step

    Sew all the way round the pouch

    Sew all the way around the soap pouch once with a straight stitch. The seam allowance is 1 cm.

    Then finish the seam allowance with a zigzag stitch.

    Sew all the way round the pouch
  7. Step

    Turn and shape

    Turn the soap pouch right side out and shape the corners nicely. I use the tip of my scissors for this.

    Now you can press the pouch.

    Turn and shape
  8. Step

    Fill with soap

    Then fill it with your favourite soap and enjoy!

    Fill with soap

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About the author

Sabine

I come from Siegen-Wittgenstein, where I spent my childhood breaking in cows, jumping off haystacks and scraping a D- in needlework class.

Today, being creative feels like indescribable happiness to me – and it grows even more when I can share it with others. Since 2016 I have been celebrating my passion for sewing on this blog, and I love that sewing connects so many people.