Estimated reading time: 5 min

Sewing a tote bag: Quick & easy without a pattern

02.11.2019 by Sabine Schmidt

Stoffbeutel nähen: Schnell & einfach ohne Schnittmuster

Sewing a fabric bag: My shopping bag in the Japanese style is quick to sew and offers room for a really big shop! With the photo tutorial, even beginners can do it with ease!

The most important things at a glance

You can easily sew this fabric bag without a pattern from a square of fabric
The side length of the square is 1 meter
In this tutorial you will also learn how to sew very simple mitered corners
I will guide you through the process step by step, which makes the bag a great beginner project
Sewing time: approx. 45 min.

Sewing a fabric bag for plastic-free shopping

If you, like me, love sustainable sewing ideas, then you will surely like this tutorial for a simple unlined fabric bag.

For my plastic-free shopping at the weekly market, I needed a nice spacious bag. It had to be significantly larger than a normal fabric bag. And it should not be flat but three-dimensional.

I sewed a variation of my Japanese bag.

The two are very similar in how they are made. However, in this model, the corners are not sewn shut and hidden inside the bag:

They are topstitched firmly on the outside with just a few stitches. This not only gives them structure and support: they also look great and give the bag the beautiful origami look that I really like!

In general, these sewing ideas in the Japanese style just won't let me go. Recently, a pattern for a stunning rice bag was also created, which I think is simply great (and very practical)!

So, by the way, I also show you in this tutorial how to sew very simple mitered corners.

By the way, you can also use this technique perfectly for table mats, tablecloths or napkins!

These fabrics are suitable for sewing the fabric bag

For this bag, I think large-scale patterns on strong fabrics look very nice.

The stronger the fabric, the firmer and more stable the bag will be!

Cotton knitwear^* (e.g. Chambray fabrics^* or Kokka fabrics^*)
Linen fabrics^*
Corduroy fabrics^*
Denim fabrics^*
Canvas^*
Decorative fabrics^*

If you, like me, love Kokka fabrics, I highly recommend you take a look at Etsy^*. There is a huge selection of the most delicious and rarest Japanese fabrics!

If you have never sewn with Kokka fabrics before: give it a try! They are incredibly easy to work with and simply look phenomenal. :)

Sewing a fabric bag

What other materials do I need?

1 x 1 meter non-stretch fabric
2 x 76 cm Webbing^* (width of your choice)
Trick markers^* or Chalk pen^*
Sewing thread^* (also gladly in a contrast color for topstitching!)
Rotary cutter^*
Fabric scissors^*
Patchwork ruler^*
Sewing machine and/or overlocker
Pins^*

A little extra tip: The bag itself is quite clever but beautifully simple in its cut. If you want to give it a touch of extra glamour, you can trim it with glitter webbing^*!

Very cool: a solid-colored bag and a colorful patterned webbing. I also discovered very beautiful colorful webbing^* at Hemmers!

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to sew a fabric bag?

You need 1 x 1 meter of fabric and approx. 1.50 m of webbing. And of course a sewing machine, sewing thread and pins.

How long do I need to sew a fabric bag?

For this simple fabric bag you need approx. 45 min.

What accessories do I need to sew a fabric bag?

In addition to fabric and webbing you need a ruler, a fabric marker, iron, scissors and sewing machine.

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.

Sew a fabric bag without a pattern

Simple fabric bag made from a rectangle – with sewn-in mitred corners for neat inside seams. No pattern needed.

Step

This is how to prepare the bag. Straighten the fabric edges of your cut bag piece.
Step

Finish all four edges with the overlock or with a finishing stitch on your sewing machine.
This saves you from folding the hem twice when you hem it afterwards.
This is what it should look like now:
Step

Sew simple mitred corners

Now press the hems of the bag 2.5 cm to the inside all the way around. The wide hem gives the bag stability and structure.
To press the hems, I use my metal hem gauge. It conducts the heat of the iron. This reduces pressing time and I get on faster with long hems like these. :)
This is what it should look like now:
Step

Use a fabric marker to mark the creases made by pressing on the wrong side of the fabric:
Step

Transfer the creases of the corner to the right side of the fabric as well.
Fold the corner to the wrong side of the fabric so that the lines meet exactly.
Secure the corner with a pin.
Press the folded edge of the corner.
Step

Now open the corner up.
Mark the new diagonal crease on the wrong side of the fabric with the fabric marker again.
Step

Fold the corner right sides together so that the two diagonal lines lie on top of each other.
Sew the corner along the diagonal line with a straight stitch.
Step

Trim the seam allowance to 1 cm and press it open.
Step

Turn the mitred corner so that the right side is on the outside.
Shape the corner and press it.
Step

Repeat this for the remaining three corners.
Then pin the hem all the way around.
Step

Edgestitch the 2.5 cm wide hem all the way around.
This is what it should look like now:
Step

How to sew the fabric bag

Fold the fabric bag in half, right sides together.
Mark 23 cm up from the fold.
Pin the side together.
Repeat this step on the second side.
Step

Sew the 23 cm seam with a straight stitch, close to the edge just inside the hem seam.
Repeat this step on the second side as well.
When you open the bag now, it looks like this:
Step

Lay the bag so that the two seams you've just sewn are in the middle.
Pin the remaining open edges flush on top of each other.
Here too, measure 23 cm up from the fold on both sides and sew.
This is what it should look like now:
Step

Fold the seams open and press them so they lie nice and flat later.
Turn the bag right side out.
Step

Now fold the corners over one after the other.
The corner should lie exactly on the seam.
The tip of the corner lies at the start of the 23 cm seam.
Repeat this step for the remaining three corners.
Step

Secure the corners with a short seam.
Make sure you only sew the corner onto the seam without catching the rest of the bag.
This is what the seam should look like now:
Step

Repeat this step for the remaining three corners.
Step

How to attach the webbing

Mark 2 cm at the top and bottom of the webbing.
Step

Pin the webbing to the bag diagonally to the corner and fold it over at the mark.
Step

Sew the webbing in place at all four corners with a straight stitch.
This is what it should look like now:
Step

Done! :)
Now I'm going to use the fabric scraps to sew a few sustainable fruit and vegetable bags!

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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.