20 Minute Makeup Bag Sewing Tutorial- Perfect For Teens, Tweens & Beginners

Looking for a fabulous sewing project for beginners? This 20 minute makeup bag sewing tutorial is easy to follow and leaves you with a fabulous handmade gift! 

This post is sponsored by the amazing team at Fat Quarter Shop.

Today I’m going to share with you my sewing confession… I love to sew, but I don’t know how to sew using a sewing pattern to save my life! More often than not, when I have a project that I would like to sew in mind, I look for a pattern or tutorial, read it, get overwhelmed and then decide to just create one of my own. 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve flipped something inside out to see how it’s sewn together or drawn out an idea of something that I would like to make on a piece of paper and then played with paper cutouts to try to figure out how to make it on my own. 

Because I’m so intimidated by patterns and complicated instructions, all of my sewing projects on Hello Creative Family are super easy to make! I also like instant gratification, so all of my sewing projects take 60 minutes or less to make. I’m a visual learner so I try to include as many step by step photos as possible so that you can see what’s going on every step of the way. All of these things make my projects ideal for teens, tweens and other people who are just learning to sew. 

A few months ago, my daughter took back the travel bag that I had stolen from her to store all my makeup. I went into my bathroom one day to find my makeup spread out on the counter and the bag missing. She was going on an overnight trip and needed her bag back. I decided that it was probably really time that I had a bag of my own, so I decided to sew one. I went on Pinterest for inspiration, but every bag I saw had a zipper! I didn’t have any zippers at home, and confession #2… I’ve never sewed a zipper into a project before so I decided to work with what I had on hand, pull out some paper, pencil and a ruler and design my own bag! 

The finished result was so fabulous and easy to make that I knew I had to share it with you all and Fat Quarter Shop agreed! 

One of my favorite places to buy fabric for my sewing projects is Fat Quarter Shop. Not only do they have amazing customer service, they also have a fabulous assortment of fabrics and sewing kits! I could honestly spend hours browsing through their site.  I love how easy they make it to find coordinating fabrics in one line and buy them in one bundle. I always get caught up in cute fabric designs for the main part of my projects and always forget to think about the fabric that coordinates with the primary print that I selected. 

At Hello Creative Family our motto is that creative parents raise creative kids. We want to inspire that next generation of creatives. Sewing is a hobby that I learned from my mom. I still remember my first sewing machine, a vintage Singer sewing machine that my mom and I found at a garage sale that she had refurbished for me. I think that sewing is a wonderful project for parents and kids to do together and Fat Quarter Shop is right there on the same page as me! They carry fabric designs that will appeal to all ages!  

I can’t tell you how many moms that I’ve talked to who have told me that they have a sewing machine in the closet that they’ve never used because they are too intimidated to start. Today’s project is the perfect project for you. Have a teenager or a tween? Grab them and have them sew one up with you! 

Teens and tweens, you are going to love this project! Make the first one for yourself then make a ton more for all of your friends! 

Together with Fat Quarter Shop I want to encourage more people to start sewing! 

I thought I’d share some of my favorite fabric bundles from their site to inspire you! 

This is the Wonderland Fat Quarter Bundle that I used for my 20 Minute Makeup Bag Sewing Tutorial. 

This Chipper Fat Quarter Bundle was another serious contender that I considered for my makeup bag. 

This Glamper-licious Fat Quarter Bundle has my heart all aflutter for summer camping! 

I also adore the pretty florals in this Abloom Fat Quarter Bundle.

Fat Quarter Shop also sells fabric by the yard, Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes, Charm Packs, Jolly Bars, patterns, notions and more! How would you spend your $100?

Read on for your chance to enter the giveaway along with my 20 Minute Makeup Bag Sewing Tutorial which is perfect for teens, tweens and beginners!

Want to cut your fabric using your Cricut Maker? Check out this post! 

20 Minute Makeup Bag Sewing Tutorial- Perfect For Teens, Tweens & Beginners

Materials:

-2 pieces of coordinating fabric cut 12 inches by 19 inches (2 fat quarters works perfectly for this project! I used the Wonderland Fat Quarter Bundle)

-coordinating thread

-iron

-sewing machine

-pins or wonder clips

-compass or other large circular object (alternatively you can use a pencil, thumbtack and string and use this method to make your curve)

-fabric ruler

-fabric scissors

-snap press and coordinating snaps or velcro (I use Kam Snap Press Pliers and Snaps)

Directions:

Step 1: Cut your fabric to 12 inches by 19 inches. During this process I like to pay special attention to the design and where everything is going to lie on the makeup bag. For the pink interior fabric, the design is a smaller repeating pattern without a main focal point so I just cut the piece from the edge of the fabric. For the outer fabric, I really wanted to have the white rabbits centered on the makeup bag and wanted to make sure I got the caterpillar on the mushroom in the bag as well. I cut my outer fabric from the center of the fabric. Not ideal for making more projects out of the fabric, but SO WORTH IT for the end result. 🙂 

Step 2: Think about the orientation of your fabric. Does it have an up and a down? Lay your fabric out the way it will look as a bag (see picture above).  If your fabric has a direction, you will want the outer fabric to be oriented so it’s upside down, and the inner fabric so it is right side up. The curve we cut in the next step will be at the top of both pieces of the fabric as it is pictured below. 

Step 3: Find the center of the width of your fabric (should be 6 inches in), measure down 7 inches and set your compass to 7 inches. Put the point of your compass at 6 inches in, 7 inches down. Use your compass to draw the curve that will be turned into the curve for the flap of your bag. Alternatively if you don’t have a compass you can use a pencil, thumbtack and string and use this method to make your curve, or find something large and rounded at home to trace for the rounded part of your bag. 

Fold the fabric in half, and using fabric scissors cut along the curved line you drew. The end of my curve meets the edge of my fabric 3 inches down. Repeat on your second piece of fabric. 

Step 4: Lay your two pieces of fabric on top of each other so that the printed sides of the fabrics is sandwiched in the middle. Line up all your edges and pin in place. 

Step 5: Using a 1/3 of an inch seam allowance, sew up one side of the fabric, around the curve and back down the other side of the fabric, leaving the entire length of the bottom straight edge open. 

Step 6: Flip your fabric so the design is right side out. Use your iron and press your fabric, making sure to push the push the seams out to get your bag nice and flat. I use a chopstick to push at the seams of the bag from the inside as I press. 

Step 7: Take the bottom, open area of your bag (right hand side of the below photo) and fold the edges in by 1/2 inch, leaving a finished edge. Press in place with your iron. 

Step 8: Sew along this pressed seam to close the bottom of the bag,  using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Step 9: We’re almost there! This is where your bag really comes to life! With the right side of the fabric facing out, fold the bottom part of your bag up so it reaches the top of the curve of the top of your bag. Pin into place.

Note: I designed this bag with the seams showing on the outer edges. Using coordinating thread, I think it’s a cute look. If you prefer to have your seams on the inside of the bag, simply follow the same instructions as above but have the liner of your bag facing out, then flip your bag right side out after step 10. 

Step 10: Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, sew up one side of the bag, around the curve, and down the other side of the bag. 

Step 11: Now it’s time to finish the bag! Pick out coordinating snaps for your bag! 

Use your snap pliers and add snaps to your bag so you are able to close it. Alternatively you can apply velcro to keep your bag closed. 

That’s it! Your bag is done and all in 20 minutes! Pack it full of your makeup, travel essentials, or even use it as an envelope purse! These little bags make great gifts for the women in your life and would make lovely gifts for Mother’s Day, Teacher Appreciation, Christmas, and bridal shower gifts! 

Like this post? I’d love for you to pin it for later:

Tell me… What kind of fabric would you use to make this makeup bag and who would you give it to? What sewing project would you like to see us tackle next? 

Want more sewing inspiration? Make sure to check out our sewing category and to visit my profile on AllFreeSewing.com! 

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