Sewing a corduroy bag: With our guide and free pattern, you can conjure up the corduroy bag of your dreams!
The most important things at a glance
- With this guide, you can sew a practical corduroy bag
- It is perfectly suited as a fabric scrap project
- My tip: You can sew the bag using corduroy scraps from the AIVIE corduroy dress pattern
- You can download the free sewing pattern in this post
- Sewing level: easy/intermediate
- Sewing time: 1 afternoon
An outfit is only truly perfect when the accessories match, right? That’s why my colleague Eve developed the ASGER bag for you. Especially cool: you can conjure up ASGER using fabric scraps from the AIVIE corduroy dress. Or you can simply sew the cross-body bag out of the fabrics you already have on hand. Or even out of fabric scraps.
Whether it’s easy-peasy for beginners without any bells and whistles, or elaborate with zippered pockets and a custom strap in the patchwork scrap version—either way, the cross-body bag offers plenty of space for your belongings, keeps your hands free because you carry it casually across your shoulders, and is the perfect partner for your outfit. Or the perfect accessory for your partner? Because the ASGER cross-body bag is suitable for both women and men.
YouTube tutorial: How to sew a corduroy bag
What is corduroy?
Corduroy is a woven cotton fabric that you can recognize by the velvety ribbed structure on the surface. It is firm and exceptionally robust. That is why it is often used for work trousers, bags, and jackets. Classic carpenter trousers, for example, are sewn from black corduroy fabric.
Can I sew a corduroy bag as a beginner?
That depends on the version. As a beginner, I clearly recommend sewing the easy-peasy version without any bells and whistles. It’s very simple and you will get a feel for the bag. And once you’ve fallen in love and want to expand your collection, you can add more features. An outer zippered pocket, an inner zippered pocket, and you can quickly make the strap yourself at the end, too.
What do I need to sew a corduroy bag?
Primarily, non-stretch fabric. ASGER was designed specifically for corduroy. But you can also just experiment. The main thing is that the fabric doesn't stretch. Canvas, faux leather, or coated cotton also work for the outer fabric.
Here is a small overview of fabrics that you can use for the ASGER bag:
| Fabric type | Pros | Cons | Notes & tips | Source |
| Corduroy/fine wale corduroy | velvety ribs and surface, robust fabric, creates a nice, subtle pattern |
should be finished, lints when cutting (the vacuum cleaner is your best friend here) |
process with an 80-90 universal needle |
Order corduroy* |
| Canvas | very robust, gives the bag more structure and stability |
seam intersections and multiple layers of fabric are somewhat harder to sew for sewing machines and beginners | does not necessarily need to be reinforced with fleece, good and sharp fabric scissors are very useful |
Order canvas* |
| Faux leather | Sophisticated look, water-repellent and robust |
seam intersections and multiple layers of fabric are somewhat harder to sew for sewing machines and beginners | does not necessarily need to be reinforced with fleece, good and sharp fabric scissors are very useful |
Order faux leather |
| Denim | firm, strong, and robust | multiple layers of denim are harder to sew | sew with a denim needle or 90-100 universal needle |
Order denim* |
| Coated cotton | water-repellent, robust, and wipeable | due to the coating, it is more difficult for the presser foot. For this, there are special Teflon presser feet. They glide well over coated fabrics. | process with a 70-90 universal needle, does not need to be reinforced |
Order coated cotton fabrics* |
As lining fabrics, I recommend a simple cotton woven fabric. If the outer fabric cannot be ironed, you can also iron the fusible fleece onto the lining fabric. Additionally, the cross-body bag won't become too thick.
And if the outer fabric is too thick and robust, you should resort to pre-made webbing and not necessarily try to sew the strap yourself. There will be too many layers of fabric in some places, making it difficult to sew.
Sewing a corduroy bag: Required accessories
- Fusible fleece H630* or Style Vil Fix*
- if needed, webbing* 1.5 m (but in the guide, I also show you how to make the strap yourself)
- 2 D-rings and 1 strap adjuster (ladder buckle)*
- 1-2 zippers* approx. 25 cm as needed
- matching sewing thread*
- matching sewing needle (I recommend an 80 universal needle)
- Pins* or fabric clips*
- Ruler*
- Marking pen* or tailor's chalk
- Fabric scissors*
- Thread snips*
- Sewing machine
Instead of Vlieseline H630, you can also use fusible foam fleece, e.g., Style Vil Fix*. It further stabilizes your bag and gives it even more structure.
How much fabric do I need for the corduroy bag?
With a fabric width of 140 cm, you need:
- 70 cm outer fabric (for the outside and strap)
- or: 50 cm outer fabric + a pre-made strap
- 50 cm lining fabric
How big is the finished corduroy bag?
The bag is large enough to hold a slim A4 folder.
Its dimensions are: 27 x 35 x 8 cm
Where can I find the free sewing pattern for the ASGER bag?
The free sewing pattern is available exclusively to newsletter subscribers. Here is how it works:
- Sign up for the SewSimple newsletter
- Click the newsletter confirmation link in the confirmation email: Yes, I want...
- Once you receive the SewSimple welcome email, you are officially a sewing mail subscriber
- Create a customer account using the same email address
- Log in
- Click on download or go to the sewing pattern via the freebook section of your customer account.
It may also help to clear your cookies and cache, use a different browser, or use a different device. It often works on a PC or laptop if it doesn't work on your mobile 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. :)
DOWNLOAD ASGER sewing pattern (free)
What must my sewing machine be able to do to sew the ASGER corduroy bag?
You can sew the bag with any household sewing machine. You need a straight stitch for sewing the pattern pieces together. For finishing the edges, you need a zigzag stitch or another serging stitch. Use a universal needle. I prefer an 80 size. Additionally, you need a zipper foot to sew in the zipper.
By the way, you can also use an overlocker to finish the pattern pieces.
How is this tutorial structured?
-
Overview of materials
I will give you an overview of the cutting and materials.
-
Sewing the outer bag
Next, the outer bag is sewn. This includes the front and back including the zippered outer pocket.
-
Sewing the inner bag
The inner bag follows. With iron-on fleece and zippered inner pocket.
- Sewing the webbing strap
- Finish
Conclusion
What a beautiful, absolutely relaxed bag! The ASGER corduroy bag is a flexible unisex bag with the character of a casual pouch.
What I especially like: You can sew it in many different ways. Either super easy from just one piece of fabric without zipper pockets, or a bit more elaborate with all the zipper pockets.
You can of course also contrast the base and only sew one zippered inner pocket. Or add handles to ASGER like on the black model. Or with a detachable webbing strap. Soooo many possibilities! Try it out and sew ASGER to fit every occasion and every outfit. We hope you have fun conjuring this up! :)
Happy simple sewing,
Eve & Sabine
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you sew corduroy?
What to sew out of corduroy?
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