Sewing a hexagon bag is an ideal project for beginners. With our instructions, the pattern, and plenty of tips, you can create a beautiful bag with a hexagon base and a zipper.
The most important things at a glance
- In this post, I will show you how to sew a practical bag with a hexagon-shaped base
- You will learn which fabrics are suitable and what you should pay attention to during construction
- The bag has a hexagonal base that turns out perfectly with a little trick
- Hexagon bag HEXA is designed entirely for woven fabric.
- The pattern for this hexagon bag is available for free to Nähpost subscribers
- Sewing level: easy
- Sewing time: 1 afternoon
Sewing bags is incredibly fun because you can hold a finished result in your hands so quickly. It's especially great, of course, when you can try out different variations of your favorite bag pattern (and HEXA definitely has what it takes to win your heart in no time at all).
The originator and creator of HEXA is Anna Forca from the SewSimple Facebook group. One day, she showed her attempts there to create something new from our "Quietschvergügt" tote bag tutorial by narrowing the bag segments and adding a hexagonal base. The enthusiasm was so great that Anna and I decided to make a freebie pattern out of it. In this post, I also show you many of Anna's HEXAs in small galleries. She especially loves the versions sewn from fabric scraps.
You can sew the HEXA with an interior zipper pocket, which is quite easy. For the closure, you can sew a zipper panel and then sew the bag with the inserted zipper. Extremely practical and high-quality in appearance.
If you like, you can also use our patchwork techniques to sew the bag. In this way, you not only use up your fabric scraps – you actually elevate them! 🙂
Browsing tip: Click right through our inspiring sewing tutorials!
YouTube video: Sewing the HEXA hexagon bag
How hard is it to sew a hexagon bag?
If you aren't sure whether your sewing superpowers are enough for this bag: Relax. I explain everything step-by-step in the picture tutorial and the video. My tip: Don't choose fabrics that are too stiff or thick for the beginning. And keep to the thinner but still sturdy side for the interfacing as well. Then nothing can go wrong.
READING TIP: Sewing bags: My top 25 tips (by the way, there is also a great podcast of ours on the topic of bags!)
What do I need to know as a beginner if I want to sew a hexagon bag?
Basic sewing knowledge is sufficient for the HEXA hexagon bag. Not sure if you're missing a few basics? Then I recommend my online sewing course “The SewSimple Sewing License”. In this 2.5-hour course, you will learn everything you need to know about materials, machines, and techniques to get started.
If you have not worked with sturdy fabrics (i.e., woven fabric) before, you should take a look at my blog post on sewing cotton fabric. In it, you will learn everything you need to know about working with woven fabrics.
What does my sewing machine need to be able to do to sew a hexagon bag?
A standard household sewing machine is absolutely sufficient for this bag project. It should be able to sew forward and backward. This is important to lock the stitches. We reinforce all fabric parts with iron-on interfacing, so you don't necessarily need an overcasting stitch. Most people use a zigzag or an overlock stitch for this. The adhesive dots in the interfacing stabilize the fabric edges and prevent them from fraying.
Which stitches are suitable for sewing bags?
Because we reinforce the backs of all the fabrics used for this bag, the fabric edges are protected from fraying. They therefore do not need to be overcast. This means you really only need to use the straight stitch.
You can experiment with stitch length to see what looks best. I use a stitch length of 2.5 mm for "normal" connecting seams. For topstitching, I increase the stitch length to 3.5–4 mm, as this gives the seam a nice, uniform look.
A longer straight stitch is also perfect for topstitching Style-Vil.
Which needle is suitable for this bag project?
A universal needle in size 80 or 90 is particularly well-suited for woven fabric. You should sew a test seam beforehand to see if the needle creates nice stitches. Otherwise, insert a new needle before you start sewing.
You can also use a topstitching needle for the topstitching; it creates particularly even topstitching.
If you want to work with heavy canvas, as I do, I recommend a jeans needle in size 110. If you have a jeans foot* for your sewing machine, you should use it. It makes working with sturdy fabrics much easier. I bought such a jeans foot for my Bernina 770 QE and I'm really thrilled because it ensures such great fabric feeding.
Reading tip: Everything about sewing machine needles
Which sewing feet for sewing a hexagon bag?
For this sewing project, you need a zigzag or straight stitch foot. If you also want to sew a zipper panel into your bag, you will need a zipper foot. For the version with piping, I recommend using a piping foot. Read more about sewing piping here.
READING TIP: If you would like a little refresher on sewing feet, you are in the best hands with my blog post Sewing feet and their use. 🙂
Where can I find personalized labels and tags?
Do you also love decorating your bags with personalized tags? Then I have a hot tip for you, because I spent a long time looking for a manufacturer that offers great labels for customization.
I eventually came across Dortex, a label manufacturer based in Dortmund.
First of all, I noticed these beautiful and highly diverse labels. And then I read the fine print. And I found that very appealing: Produced in Germany, many materials are 100% organic. Individual consultation, production even in very small quantities, and the whole thing is actually very affordable. Unfortunately, I just had to go for it.
What is really great is that for various labels that are already pre-punched, you get the matching book screws directly. So you don't have to search for a long time to find the right thickness or diameter.
Anyway, I've now ordered a handful of every type to keep in stock. It always looks cool, even on blouses, shirt pockets, or jackets.
So, to make a long story short: Really good stuff.
And for people who don't have the nerve to develop their own logo, there are also ready-made label sets that look really cool. I ordered some of those for myself too. You never know when you'll need them, right?
Which fabrics can you use to sew the hexagon bag?
There are so many incredibly great fabrics you can use to sew bags and shopping totes. That's why I'm giving you a small overview in the form of a table here. You can also combine different fabric types with each other, for example, canvas and poplin or faux leather and linen.
| Fabric type | Advantages | Disadvantages | Notes & tips | Source |
| Canvas | sturdy, robust weave, practically indestructible | – makes the bag slightly heavier – seam transitions or multiple layers of fabric can be a challenge for the sewing machine (and for beginners) |
– sew with a jeans needle or a size 90–100 universal needle | Order canvas* |
| Cotton poplin | practical all-rounder fabric, robust, easy to work with, particularly suitable for beginners | – should be reinforced beforehand (Vliesline H200 or H250), otherwise the bag will be too soft | – work with a size 70–80 universal needle | Order poplin* |
| Kokka fabrics | firm and robust, easy to work with, particularly high-quality and aesthetic |
– sometimes fray a little – multiple layers of fabric are a challenge for some sewing machines |
– sew with a jeans needle or a size 80–90 universal needle – does not need to be reinforced |
Order Kokka fabrics* |
| Cotton batiste | fine but still firm fabric that doesn't wrinkle easily | – back of the fabric should definitely be reinforced beforehand, otherwise the bag will be too soft and lose its shape - perfect for reinforcing: Style-vil, Style-vil fix or Thermolam |
– work with heavy, sharp scissors – sew with a jeans needle or a size 90–100 universal needle |
Order cotton batiste* |
| Coated cotton | water-repellent, wipeable, robust | - can be a challenge for beginners because the sewing foot sticks to the material | – work with a size 70–90 universal needle - does not need to be reinforced |
Order coated cotton fabrics* |
| Linen/linen blend | refined, sustainable, natural, with a beautiful wrinkled look | – fabric edges fray easily – fabric is not as firm and is often woven somewhat unevenly - suitable for reinforcing are, e.g., Thermolam, Style-vil, Vlieseline H630, H640 or S320 |
– reinforcing with Vlieseline reduces fraying of the fabric edges – work with a size 70–90 universal needle |
Order linen* |
| Denim | firm, strong and robust | – multiple layers of denim are often difficult to sew - light to medium reinforcement is sufficient, e.g., Vlieseline G770 or H250 |
– sew with a jeans needle or a size 90–100 universal needle – denim thread for the topstitching is a good option |
Order denim fabrics* |
| Fine cord/corduroy | beautiful, velvety surface, robust fabric, ages very beautifully | – note the nap direction when cutting: the nap must feel rough downwards e.g., Vlieseline G770 or H250 |
– process with a size 80–90 universal needle | Order corduroy* |
You can also underlay individual panels with Style-Vil and add topstitching lines; this looks really sophisticated and makes the fabric look "alive." Topstitching individual motifs is also a wonderful alternative.
Where can I find the fabrics used?
You can order all the fabrics I used to sew my HEXAs directly from Simone. Here are a few examples of great canvas fabrics that are particularly well-suited for this bag.
Anna mainly made use of fabric scraps, combining them in a wild and colorful way. For this, you can use the quilt-as-you-go method, for example.
Heavy Canvas
100% cotton - heavy washed canvas
Width: 145 cm wide
Weight: 475 g/m²
Cotton Fabric Solids
100% cotton
Width: from 110 cm wide
Cotton Fabric Fantasy City
Motifs: Silke Leffler
Pattern design: acufactum
100% cotton Oeko-Tex® Standard 100
Produced in Europe
Weight: 145g/m²
*Canvas Begonia Maculata
Design: Simone Fuchs-Schulz for Nähcafe am Wasserturm, in-house production
100% cotton (Oeko-Tex Standard)
Width: 1.55 m
Weight: 290 g/m²
Color: green, orange, red, cream,
Background color: sage, green
How should I pre-treat the fabric?
Before you start sewing, you should wash, dry, and iron your fabrics. And do so at the same temperature you intend to wash the finished bag. Be sure to observe the care instructions from the fabric manufacturers.
If you are short on time, you can also simply iron the fabric with high steam. Remember to also steam the zipper so it has a chance to shrink.
Reading tip: Wash fabrics before sewing?
Hexagon bag fabric consumption
You can sew Hexa from many different fabric scraps and quilt the side panels beautifully. Or you can sew it inside and out from a single fabric design. No matter which option you choose: your HEXA will be a true one-of-a-kind, wanna bet?
With a fabric width of 110 cm you need:
- 75 cm outer fabric
- 75 cm lining fabric
With a fabric width of 150 cm you need:
- 50 cm outer fabric
- 50 cm lining fabric
You also need:
- 1 m interfacing (depending on fabric type, see table)
- 1 m Style-Vil
- 2 x 75 cm webbing, 3-4 cm wide
How large is the finished hexagon bag?
HEXA is a medium-sized bag with a wide base for good stability.
- Height: approx. 29 cm
- Width (measured at the base): approx. 40 cm
- Depth (measured at the base): approx. 29 cm
To make it smaller or larger, you can also print the pattern at a percentage smaller or larger.
How can I close the hexagon bag?
In the instructions, I show you how to sew the bag with a zipper panel. Alternatively, a bag closure with a snap button is also practical.
- Sewing a bag with a zipper: in this case, the bag can only be used on one side; you can sew the zipper in as I demonstrate in the instructions for the Portobella cosmetic bag pattern; however, further down in this post, I will also show you how to sew a zipper panel into a bag.
- Bag with LOXX fastener: Simone used this version on the blue bag. In a separate tutorial with a video, I show you how to attach a LOXX fastener.
- Closing the bag with a snap: Snap fasteners, whether punched in or as a magnetic version that is simply sewn on, are a great way to close the bag. In a detailed tutorial, I show you how to attach snap fasteners.
Reading tip: All about bag fasteners
Free Hexagon Bag Pattern
You can download the pattern for the HEXA bag for free in our freebie section.
Sharing the pattern is prohibited, as is commercial use.
Print the pattern at 100% without page scaling. The printer should be set to “print document and all markings” so that the labels are also transferred to the pattern.
A seam allowance of 1 cm is already included in the pattern.
How can I get the free pattern?
Would you like to sew the hexagon bag? Great! To gain access to this and over 100 other exclusive freebooks and free patterns, the best thing to do is follow these steps:
- Sign up for the SewSimple newsletter
- Click the link in the confirmation email: Yes, I want to...
- After receiving the SewSimple welcome email, you are officially a sewing mail subscriber
- Create a customer account with the same email address
- Log in
- Click the download link or go to the pattern via the freebook area of your customer account.
It may also help to clear your cookies and cache, use a different browser or incognito mode, or try a different device. It often works on a PC or laptop if it doesn't work on a phone.
It is also always a good idea to check if your browser is up to date or if your browser settings are preventing a download. :)
- Please understand that I cannot send the pattern by email. Unfortunately, I cannot answer requests for this. It is therefore all the more important that you follow the instructions above for downloading correctly.
- For questions regarding your customer account, definitely take a look at the FAQs!
- If the freebook area is not displayed on mobile, it helps to open the page on a PC. You can also swipe left in the mobile view to see the download link. 🙂
- If you have received the newsletter previously but forgot to confirm your subscription (this can happen for technical reasons), it helps to unsubscribe using the "unsubscribe link" at the bottom of the newsletter, sign up again, and then confirm your subscription.
Sewing the HEXA Hexagon Bag: Required Accessories
- matching sewing thread*
- Style-vil or Style-vil fix* to reinforce the outer fabric
- Vlieseline S 320* or H200* to reinforce the lining
- 2.5-4 cm wide webbing*, 150 cm
- if applicable, 50 cm continuous zipper with slider*
- possibly a label*
- suitable sewing machine needle
- pins*
- Fabric clips*
- Ruler*
- if applicable, corner & edge shaper* for shaping the bag corners
- Trick marker*
- Fabric scissors*
- Thread snips*
- Sewing machine
Conclusion: One bag, 1000 possibilities
It’s been a long time since I’ve had this much fun sewing a bag. In part, this was due to the extraordinary shape, which looks incredibly good. But also because HEXA really invites you to get creatively carried away. Whether with subtle piping (which I actually made myself for the brown-green bag!) (more on this in the post Sewing piping), with decorative Style-vil quilting lines (wow, how beautifully they pop!), that really bring the fabric to life, made from wonderfully matte heavy canvas fabrics (I am eternally grateful to Simone for this tip), or even with self-sewn bag handles – there are no limits to the imagination here.
I hope you have just as much fun with HEXA as I did, and I am already looking forward to admiring your HEXA in our Facebook group or on Instagram.
@Anna Forca: Dear Anna, thank you very much for the great sewing idea and the magical HEXA photos! I hope you are proud of the result. Personally, I think HEXA is simply heavenly and am already looking forward to sewing many more copies of it.
Happy simple sewing, your Sabine
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