Quick & Pretty Makeup Bag

I'm very particular about my shampoo and always drag the full size bottle along on my travels.  It never fits in a standard toiletry bag, so I decided to make myself a custom size and I love it!  This makeup bag is a simple gusseted zip pouch with lining. If you are nervous about sewing zippers, this is a great first project.

Also, if you do the lining in oilcloth, a makeup bag is a great way to store crayons! A common refrain in our house is currently "ME COLORING!" and ziplocs full of crayons can be found at random locations, including melted in the trunk of my car! Turns out that with a little treat of a bag to tote them in, crayons seem more special and no longer get lost.

Get the DIY Makeup Bag Tutorial after the jump...

DIY Makeup Bag Pattern

1. Pre-wash and cut your fabric.  For the makeup bag I used my amazing City Craft stash, but the fabrics are available online here: Joel Dewberry Lodge Lattice in Golden Rod (outside) and Joel Dewberry Antler Damask in Tarragon (lining).  For the crayon bag I used Alexander Henry Good Earth Poppies Brite (1/2 Yard).  You'll need two pieces for the lining and two for the outside, as well as a zipper.  You want to cut a trapezoid shape that extends a 1/2 inch beyond your zipper on each side.  Mine is 9" at the top and 12" along the bottom, 10" tall, with an 8" zipper.


2.  Lay one outside piece face up.  Lay your zipper facedown with the zip to the left with the top edge of the zipper lined up to the top edge of the fabric.  Now lay a lining piece facedown on top, with top edges lined up, like so:

Sew in place with your zipper foot:


3.  Now fold your piece with wrong sides facing, it will look something like this:

Lay your other top piece right side up:

Now lay your zipper and assembled pieces with the outside fabric face down and the lining fabric facing up as pictured.  The zipper will be face down with the zip to the right this time.  Make sure all the top edges are lined up:

Now lay your other lining piece right side down on top, also lining up the top edge and pin in place:

Sew it on:


4.  Now flip it around so the outside pieces are right-sides facing and the lining pieces are right-sides facing like so.  At this point UNZIP YOUR ZIPPER so you can turn it inside out after sewing:

Leaving a hole at the bottom center of the lining, sew with a straight stitch all the way around, across the zipper, back stitching at the beginning and end:


5.  Turn the whole piece inside out through the hole you left in the lining:

Sew the hole in the lining closed with a straight stitch:


6.  Now we want to make our gusset.  You want to push the outside into the lining so your bag is inside out.  Iron it flat:

Pull the two bottom corners together into a point, which will require turning your piece so the seam is in the top center:

This is what it looks like from the side:

Across the tip of each point draw a three inch line, making sure each line is in the same place on both points, nice and even.  Sew across that line on each point (don't sew your two points together), then snip the top of the point off:

Turn your bag right side out, you're done!  Such an easy and rewarding project!