Amazing! How To Sew a Sling Bag: Your Fun & Easy DIY Project

Hi everyone! Are you ready to make something super cool and useful? Today, we’re going to learn how to sew a sling bag! If you’ve ever wanted a stylish bag that’s just the right size for your essentials, this DIY project is perfect for you. This isn’t just any bag; it’s a fun, functional crossbody sling bag that you can proudly say you made yourself.

This special sling bag is about 10 inches tall, 7 inches wide, and nearly 3 inches deep. It’s packed with great features like a handy front pocket, a secure zipper to close the main part, and even more pockets inside – one with a zipper and another with elastic! Plus, the strap can be made longer or shorter, so you can wear it in different ways.

Don’t worry if you’re new to bag making. I’m Yoan, and I’ll guide you step-by-step. We’ll keep things simple and clear, so you can enjoy making your very own sling bag. Let’s gather our supplies and get started on this exciting sewing adventure!

What You’ll Need to Sew Your Sling Bag

Before we start sewing, let’s get all our tools and materials ready. Having everything in one place makes the process much smoother. Here’s a list of what you’ll need for this DIY sling bag project:

Having these items ready will make learning how to sew a sling bag a breeze!

Getting Started: Your Pattern and Fabric Prep

First things first, we need to get our pattern ready and cut out all our fabric pieces.

Printing and Assembling the Pattern

You’ll start by printing out the template for the main body of the bag. This usually comes in two pages. Make sure your printer is set to print at “actual size” or “100% scale” – don’t let it shrink or enlarge the pattern! There should be test squares on the pattern to help you check if it printed correctly.

To join the pattern pieces, you’ll fold along a marked line on one page and overlap it onto the other page, matching up any guide marks or shapes. A little bit of tape will hold them together perfectly. Now you have your main pattern piece! You might have separate smaller pieces for other parts too. You can trace these onto tracing paper or cut them directly if you prefer.

Cutting Your Fabric Pieces

Once your pattern is ready, it’s time to cut your fabric. This is where your DIY sling bag starts to take shape! Using your main pattern piece, you’ll cut:

• Two pieces from your exterior (outside) fabric.
• Two pieces from your interior (lining) fabric.

If your fabric has a design that goes in one direction (like animals standing up), pay close attention so your design isn’t upside down! Use sharp fabric scissors or a rotary cutter. You’ll also need to transfer any markings from the pattern to your fabric. These little snips or marks help you line things up later.

Next, you’ll cut interfacing and stabilizer:

• Cut one piece of fusible woven interfacing for the front exterior panel. This gets ironed onto the wrong side of the fabric to give it a bit more body.
• Using another pattern piece (Template 2 from the video), cut two pieces of midweight stabilizer. One gets fused (ironed on) to the wrong side of the back exterior panel, and the other to the wrong side of the front interior panel. Stabilizer gives your bag good structure so it doesn’t flop over.

Always follow the instructions for your specific interfacing and stabilizer on how to fuse them – usually, it involves a hot iron and some pressing.

Sewing the Front Pocket: Adding a Handy Feature

Let’s start sewing by making the front pocket. This pocket will have a nice pleat detail.

1. Cut two rectangles for the pocket (one exterior, one interior). Fuse interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior pocket piece.
2. Place the exterior and interior pocket pieces right sides together. Sew along the top edge and the two side edges with a 3/8-inch seam allowance (that’s the distance from the edge of the fabric to your stitching line).
3. Clip the top corners (snip off a tiny triangle of fabric near the stitching, but don’t cut your stitches!). This helps the corners look sharp. Turn the pocket right side out, poke out the corners gently, and press it flat with your iron. Topstitch along the top edge for a neat finish.
4. Now, we’ll install the male part of your button snap. Measure down from the top edge (the video says 2 1/4 inches) and mark the center. Install the snap here.
5. To make the pleats, you’ll draw a few lines on your pocket piece as guides (the video uses 1 inch and 1 1/2 inches from the side edges). Fold the fabric along these lines to create a small pleat on each side. Press these pleats well with your iron so they stay crisp. Clip the pleats at the top and bottom to hold them.
6. Sew along the bottom edge of the pocket with a 1/4-inch seam allowance to secure the pleats at the bottom.
7. Take your front exterior panel (the one with interfacing). Find the center bottom. Line up the center bottom of your pocket with the center bottom marking on the front exterior panel. The pocket should sit on the right side of the exterior panel. Clip the pocket in place.
8. Sew the sides and bottom of the pocket to the front exterior panel using a tiny 1/8-inch seam allowance. Make sure to backstitch (sew back and forth a few stitches) at the top edges of the pocket to make it strong.

Your front pocket is done! That wasn’t too hard, was it?

Making and Attaching the Flap

The flap will cover your front pocket.

1. Cut two flap pieces (one exterior, one interior). Fuse stabilizer to the wrong side of the exterior flap piece.
2. Place these two pieces right sides together and clip them. Stitch all around the sides and bottom with a 3/8-inch seam allowance, but leave an opening (about 3 inches) at the bottom edge for turning.
3. Clip the corners. Turn the flap right side out through the opening. Poke out the corners. Fold the raw edges of the opening inwards by about 3/8 inch and press the whole flap really well.
4. Topstitch along the sides and the bottom edge of the flap. This will also close the opening you used for turning.
5. On your front exterior panel, measure down from the top edge (the video suggests 2 1/2 inches) and make a mark in the center. Find the center of the top edge of your flap.
6. Line up the center of the flap with the mark on the front panel. The flap should be positioned so it will fold down over the pocket. Pin or clip it in place. You can use basting tape here too. Make sure it looks straight!
7. Sew along the top edge of the flap with a 1/8-inch seam allowance to attach it to the front panel.
8. Now, measure on the flap where the female part of your snap should go so it lines up with the male part on the pocket. Install the female snap.

The front of your crossbody bag is looking good!

Creating the Interior Pockets: Keeping Things Organized

Inside our sling bag pattern, we’ll add two types of pockets: an elasticated one and a zipper one.

The Elasticated Pocket

This pocket is great for holding things snugly.

1. Cut your fabric for the elasticated pocket. Fold it in half lengthwise, right sides together. Sew the top long edge with a 3/8-inch seam allowance.
2. Press this seam open. Turn the pocket piece right side out and press it flat.
3. To make a casing for the elastic, sew along the top folded edge with a 1/2-inch seam allowance.
4. Cut a piece of elastic (about 8 inches long). Attach a safety pin to one end. Thread the elastic through the casing you just made. Be careful not to lose the other end of the elastic – clip it to the fabric edge.
5. Once the elastic is through, remove the safety pin and clip that end too. Stitch across both short ends of the casing (about 1/4 inch from the edge) to secure the elastic in place. The fabric will gather up.
6. Take your front interior panel (the one with stabilizer). Position the elasticated pocket on the right side of this panel, about one inch up from the bottom edge. Line up the side edges and clip.
7. The bottom of this pocket will also have some small pleats to give it shape. Mark where these pleats should go. As you sew the bottom edge of the pocket to the interior panel (with a 1/8-inch seam allowance), create small 1/4-inch pleats, folding them towards the sides. Then, sew up the side edges of the pocket to attach it fully.

The Zipper Pocket

A zipper pocket inside your bag is perfect for valuables.

1. Prepare your pocket panel fabric. On the wrong side of this fabric, draw a rectangle for your zipper opening. Make sure it’s centered.
2. Take your back interior panel. Position the zipper pocket panel onto the right side of the back interior panel, about 2 1/2 inches down from the top, with its right side facing down. Center it and pin.
3. Sew all around the rectangle you drew.
4. Carefully cut down the center of the rectangle, and then cut V-shapes into the corners, getting close to the stitching but not cutting it.
5. Push the pocket panel fabric through the opening to the wrong side of the back interior panel. Press this opening neatly.
6. Now, you’ll install your zipper behind this opening. You can use basting tape to hold the zipper in place. Topstitch around the rectangular opening to secure the zipper and create a neat finish.
7. Once the zipper is in, fold the pocket panel fabric up to create the pocket bag and sew around the three open sides of the pocket bag. (The video links to a more detailed tutorial for this specific type of zipper pocket if you need extra help).

Your interior panels are now pocket-packed! This is a key part of how to sew a sling bag that’s truly functional.

Prepping the Strap Holder and D-Ring Tabs

These little pieces are important for attaching your strap later.

Strap Holder (Upper Top Panel)

1. Cut two rectangles for the strap holder (one exterior, one interfaced interior).
2. Create an angled shape on the short ends of these pieces according to the pattern (the video shows measuring and cutting).
3. Fold the top long edge of each piece towards the wrong side by 1/4 inch and press. Topstitch this folded edge.
4. Lay the outer and inner strap holder pieces right sides together, clip, and sew the angled side edges with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
5. Turn right side out, press, and topstitch along the side edges.
6. Take your back exterior panel. Center this strap holder piece along the top edge, with the wider side of the holder facing up. Clip and sew with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Trim any excess fabric that sticks out.

D-Ring Tabs

1. Cut two small pieces of webbing (about 2 inches long each, for 1-inch wide D-rings).
2. Thread a D-ring onto each piece of webbing.
3. Position these D-ring tabs on the back exterior panel, about 1 inch up from the bottom edge on each side. Secure them with clips.
4. Sew them in place with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

Now, take your back interior panel (with the zipper pocket) and lay it wrong sides together with the back exterior panel (which now has the strap holder and D-ring tabs). Match up all the markings and edges. Clip them together and sew all around with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Do the same for the front exterior and front interior panels, sewing them wrong sides together. These are now your completed front and back bag units.

Assembling the Zipper Panel and Bottom Gusset

The gusset is the part of the bag that gives it depth. It’s made of a zipper panel and a bottom panel.

Zipper Panel

1. You’ll need a 14-inch long zipper (that’s the length of the teeth). If your zipper is longer, you can trim it later, or use zipper by the yard. Hand-stitch a small fabric “zipper extension tape” or tab at the start of the zipper if needed.
2. Cut two small fabric rectangles for zipper tabs. Fold them and sew them to each end of your zipper tape, making the total zipper construction (including tabs) about 16 inches long. Trim the tabs to be the same width as the zipper tape.
3. Cut two exterior zipper panel pieces and two interior zipper panel pieces. Fuse interfacing to the wrong side of the exterior pieces.
4. Lay one exterior zipper panel piece right side up. Apply basting tape along one long edge. Place your zipper right side down onto this, aligning the edge of the zipper tape with the fabric edge.
5. Apply more basting tape on top of the zipper tape. Lay an interior zipper panel piece right side down on top, creating a “zipper sandwich.”
6. Sew along this edge with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
7. Turn the fabric pieces away from the zipper teeth and press well. Topstitch along the fabric next to the zipper.
8. Repeat these steps to attach the other exterior and interior zipper panel pieces to the other side of the zipper tape.
9. This whole zipper panel unit should measure about 3 1/2 inches wide. Trim it evenly on both sides if it’s too wide.

Bottom Panel and Creating the Loop

1. Cut one exterior bottom panel piece and one interior bottom panel piece. Fuse interfacing to the exterior piece and stabilizer to the interior piece.
2. Lay the bottom exterior panel right side up. Lay the zipper panel (from the previous step) right side down on top of it, aligning one short end of the zipper panel with a short end of the bottom panel.
3. Now, lay the bottom interior panel right side down on top of that, aligning the edges. Clip and sew this seam with a 3/8-inch seam allowance.
4. Open this out. Finger press the seams, pushing the bottom panel fabric away from the zipper panel. Topstitch along this seam on the bottom panel side.
5. You’re now going to make a loop. With the zipper panel facing right side up, bring the bottom exterior panel around to meet the other short end of the zipper panel. Flip it to the wrong side and bring the bottom interior panel around to meet that same end of the zipper, making another sandwich. Align all the edges and sew with a 3/8-inch seam allowance.
6. Open this out. You should have a fabric loop! Finger press and topstitch this second seam as before.
7. Finally, sew all along both long raw side edges of this loop, stitching the exterior and interior layers together with a 1/8-inch seam allowance. This is your completed gusset.
8. Find and mark the center points of the zipper panel (top and bottom of zipper) and the bottom panel (center of the flat bottom part) by snipping tiny notches.

Putting It All Together: Main Bag Assembly

This is the exciting part where your DIY sling bag really comes to life! We’re going to attach the gusset (the loop you just made) to the front and back bag panels. This can be tricky with curves, so go slow!

1. Take your front bag panel, right side facing up. Take your gusset loop and turn it wrong side out.
2. The video suggests having the start of the zipper on your left. Position the gusset (right side facing down) onto the front panel (right side facing up). Match the center top snip of the zipper panel with the center top marking on your front panel. Pin or clip.
3. Match the center bottom snip of the bottom gusset panel with the center bottom marking on your front panel. Pin or clip.
4. Match the side seams of the gusset (where the zipper panel meets the bottom panel) with the side markings on your front panel. Pin or clip.
5. Continue pinning or clipping the gusset all around the front panel. When you get to the curved corners, you might need to snip into the seam allowance of the gusset panel (not the bag panel!) every so often (about 1/8 inch deep). This helps the fabric ease around the curve without puckering.
6. For very curved corners, hand-basting (making long, temporary hand stitches) can be very helpful to hold the layers together perfectly before machine sewing.
7. Once everything is securely pinned/clipped/basted, sew all the way around with a 3/8-inch seam allowance. A walking foot is your best friend here, as it helps feed all the layers evenly. Go slowly, especially around curves.
8. After sewing, snip into the seam allowances around the curved areas (again, don’t cut your stitches!) to help the bag turn nicely.
9. Important: Open the main zipper all the way!
10. Turn the bag so the gusset is now right side out, but the front panel is still attached. Take your back bag panel, right side facing up.
11. You’re going to attach this back panel to the other raw edge of the gusset in the exact same way you attached the front panel. Match all the center points and side markings, pin/clip, ease the curves, hand-baste corners if needed, and sew all around with a 3/8-inch seam allowance. Remember those D-ring tabs will add bulk, so clips might work better than pins there.
12. Snip the curves on this side too.

Finishing Touches: Binding and Strap

We’re almost done learning how to sew a sling bag!

Binding the Seams

If you want a really professional finish inside your bag, you can bind the raw seam allowances you just sewed.

1. Turn the bag wrong side out again (through the open zipper).
2. Use pre-made bias tape (or make your own). Wrap it around the raw edges of the seams where you attached the gusset to the front and back panels.
3. You can stitch this binding by machine or by hand. Since it’s inside the bag, machine stitching is fine. This covers all the raw edges and makes the inside look neat and tidy.

Making and Attaching the Adjustable Strap

1. Turn your bag right side out through the zipper. Neaten all the seams and corners. Give it a gentle press, being careful around hardware and the zipper.
2. Cut your webbing to your desired length (the video suggests 50 inches for a 1-inch wide strap).
3. Take your adjustable strap slider. Feed one end of the webbing up through one slot of the slider (from wrong side to right side) and then down through the other slot (back to the wrong side). Leave about 1 1/2 inches of tail.
4. Fold the raw end of this tail under by about 1/2 inch and then fold it again over the center bar of the slider. Stitch this down securely (a small box or a few lines of stitching will do).
5. Take the other end of the webbing. Feed it through your swivel hook.
6. Now, bring this end back to the slider. Feed it up through the slot that doesn’t have the webbing stitched to it, going over the stitched part, and then down through the other slot. Pull it through. Make sure your strap isn’t twisted!
7. Take the bag. Insert the raw end of the strap (the one you just pulled through the slider) into the strap holder on the back of your bag. Push it in about 1 1/2 inches.
8. Draw a line about 3/4 inch from the edge of the strap holder. Sew along this line, and then you can sew a reinforcing box or X-shape to make it super secure. You might want to stitch this a couple of times.

Clip your swivel hook to one of the D-rings on the bag. And… voila!

FAQs

Your Amazing DIY Sling Bag is Complete!

Congratulations! You’ve just learned how to sew a sling bag from start to finish. Look at that fantastic, functional bag you made with your own two hands! From cutting the fabric to installing zippers and hardware, you’ve created something truly special.

This project might have seemed like a lot of steps, but by taking it one piece at a time, you did it. Now you have a custom crossbody bag perfect for your adventures, and you’ve gained some valuable sewing skills along the way.

What do you think? Did you enjoy this sling bag tutorial? I’d love to see your finished bags or hear about your experience! Share your thoughts or any questions in the comments below. Happy sewing!