Super Easy Boxy Bag
It’s almost that time of year again - the time when we start counting down the days we have left to create all the things before Christmas! I like to make gifts when I can, and if I don’t get started early enough, those gifts better be easy.
This week, I was looking through my stash of mini charm packs, and I thought a little zip pouch might be a cute way to use one up. These charm packs usually have (42) 2½” squares, and this boxy bag uses 35, so that’s just about right.
I laid the squares out in a grid, seven across by five deep. I sewed them into rows, and then sewed the rows together. The whole thing came out 14½” x 10½” once sewn.
I added a backing and batting and quilted it with my typical ¼” lines all the way across. I cut a length of zipper 10½” long. It’s best to use a polyester zipper so you can cut it to size without worrying about metal zipper teeth.
Sew the zipper in place face down along one of the short sides of the quilted panel. Then, fold the quilted panel back and topstitch along the zipper to give it a crisp finish.
Repeat that same zipper stitching process on the opposite short side of the quilted panel, so both short ends can be zipped together as shown.
I tend to keep everything, and this measuring tape ribbon is a prime example. I don’t know why, but I think it’s cute and I've used it for all kinds of things. For the bag handle, I cut two lengths about 9” and sewed them to each other, wrong sides together.
I turned the quilted panel inside out and pinned the ends of the handle to the outer edge, about 1” on either side of the zipper. I tucked the handle down between the layers and pinned the end closed.
I sewed across both ends and backstitched really well at the zipper on both ends.
Now for the box ends. Unzip the zipper and grab one corner of the bag from inside, pushing it out like a triangle, as shown. I matched the side crease with the bottom seam to get a good square end. Draw a line across the corner 1¼” from the outer point. Stitch across the corner along the line.
Repeat this same corner process with all four corners.
Turn the bag right side out and finger press, or use an iron to crease the edges, creating the box shape. This took no time at all and would make a great quilter gift or even a little cosmetic bag!
Happy Sunday, everyone,
Krista
Follow all my quilty adventures on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Visit my YouTube channel for free tutorials and tips. If you like my patterns, you can buy them on Etsy and here on the website.
