Yoga mat bag

By Spotlight

A practical project for summer sewers & one that can be easily adapted for other uses.

Final Result

Materials

• 40cm x 112cm wide printed cotton fabric
• 61cm dress zipper
• 2m x 23mm wide grosgrain ribbon/tape
• sewing machine
• matching Gütermann thread
• scissors
• hand needle
• tape measure/ruler
• pins
• iron

Step 1

Cut 2 rectangles of fabric 38cm x 66cm. Cut 4 circles of fabric each with a 14cm diameter.

Place one rectangle right side up with the shorter sides on the left and right.

On the left-hand side measure 19cm in from the edge and 6cm down from the top and pin one end of the grosgrain ribbon, to this point centered.

Continue running the ribbon down the fabric and pin to the fabric again 5cm from long bottom edge.

Measure 70cm from this point along the ribbon, loop around to make a strap and pin onto the right-hand side of fabric 19cm in from right side, 5cm up from bottom edge.

Run the ribbon back up the fabric, pinning again 5cm from top edge.

To make other strap, measure another 70cm and loop around, pinning to where the ribbon first began.

Trim ribbon allowing 2cm to fold under and place over the raw edge of the ribbon at the start. Pin in place.

Top stitch ribbon to fabric, 2mm in from both side edges of ribbon, stopping at pins (5cm from top and bottom edges).

Step 2

With right sides together, align both of the long top and bottom edges of the fabric and sew a 2.5cm seam in from both side edges with a 1.5cm seam allowance.

Press the seam allowances open, and the remaining seam allowance along the whole long edge on the 61cm gap in between.

Sew in a 61cm zip along the gap between the two short seams.

Step 3

With right sides together and using a 1.5cm allowance, sew a circle of fabric to each of the open short ends of the bag. Trim and clip seams.

Press seams towards the body of the bag and turn right side out.

Topstitch on the body of the bag 3mm in from this seam at both ends.

Step 4

To make the lining repeat steps 2 & 3 with remaining pieces of fabric but do not insert a zipper.

Without turning the lining right side out, insert into lining into bag so the wrong sides of the fabric are together.

Pin pressed seam allowance to back of zip and slip stitch into place.