Toy Bag Tutorial

(remember, this is for personal use only.  contact me if you'd like to become a licensed seller)

I was inspired to create these bags for my kids who are constantly asking me for plastic bags to put toys into. I'm big on eco-friendly thinking and decided they needed something more reusable than a plastic sandwich bag. So, not only are these very cute, but very functional and environmentally friendly too! (NOTE: this kind of vinyl is not food-grade and I wouldn't recommend using these bags for food!)

Here's what you need:

2 pieces of clear vinyl - 6.5" x 7" (I used a mid-weight, not sure what gauge)
2 pieces of fabric - 6" x 7"
3" piece of hook and loop tape (aka velcro)
1/2" double fold bias tape (store bought or make your own, good tutorial here)


I found that making a template and drawing a pattern was an easy way to cut the vinyl. I tried just cutting with my cutting mat and ruler and it kept slipping around.
Next, take your fabric and fold it in half, matching the shorter sides, so you have a rectangle that is 7" wide by 3.25" tall. Press.
Open, and fold down the long sides 1/2". Press.
Open up the folded fabric and center the hook and loop tape about 1/2" from the top. Sew in place making sure you sew through only 1 layer of fabric ie. you should be able to re-fold the fabric and not see the seam lines on one side.
Open up folded fabric (bag top) and align raw edge with the 7" side of a vinyl piece. Sew across, with seam allowance just short of 1/2".
Turn so that the seam allowance and raw edge of the vinyl is sandwiched between the fabric top.
Topstitch along the top and bottom.
OK, now grab your bias tape, we're almost done.

Take one end of the bias tape and fold the edge to the inside. Press, refold, and press again to create a finished end.

Starting at the top end (fabric end) of one side of the bag (sorry, I didn't get a photo of this part), sew all the way down to the bottom.

When you get to the bottom, turn the bias tape 90 degrees as pictured.


Fold the tape over again and create a mitered corner. Sew along the bottom and repeat for the next corner.
When you get to the top of the bag, cut the tape and make a finished end as you did at the start. Just make sure you leave enough bias tape so that when you fold the end, it still comes all the way to the top.

Done! Fill with toys and enjoy.

Travel Packs

We are leaving for a week long vacation this weekend and I decided the kids need a good travel pack. I bought this amazing pattern at Made by Rae and I'm hooked!

The pattern is great and these bags came out amazing. As usual I made a few tiny modifications. I did the polka dot bag first and didn't use any kind of interfacing, just did it according to the instructions. For my son's I decided to fuse a mid-weight interfacing to all the pieces except the bottom piece and really loved the result. So I went back and fused interfacing to my daughter's already sewn together pack. It helped give it more structure, but I definitely prefer the result when I interfaced the pieces before sewing.

I also added a little ribbon to the zipper for a zipper pull. Definitely makes it easier for those little fingers. I already have another pack cut out as a big brother present for a friend and I might add a little tab at the end of the zipper to hold onto when opening and closing. Check back if you're curious how it comes out.

I also made some fun pack accessories.

I love the "no-cash" wallet from Amy Karol's, Bend the Rules Sewing. I did mine with velcro instead of a snap. I have a hard time sticking to a pattern....

I also made these fun toy bags, inspired by my kids constantly begging for ziploc bags to put toys in. I'm hoping to have a tutorial for these done before I leave.


Did I mention how much my kids love these backpacks? And, how I can't stop taking photos of them....

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

inspired by soulemama