Oilcloth Cosmetic Bag Tutorial

I love making cosmetic bags and purses,I usually make them using cotton fabric (as you can see here in my Etsy shop)but I have also made them in the past using oil cloth or PVC which works especially well for wash bags and cosmetic bags. Here is my simple way of making one…

2 pieces of oilcloth or pvc 22 x 17 cm
2 pieces of fabric for the lining 22 x 17 cm
20 cm zip
cooking oil
scissors
sewing machine and thread

1) take one piece of oil cloth and lay face upwards then take one piece of your lining fabric and place it face down on the oil cloth and machine stitch along the top long edge about 1 cm in from the top then repeat with the other piece of oil cloth and lining fabric

2) flip the fabric so the right sides are facing outwards and gently iron the fabric on the lining side.This will give you a nice straight and flat top edge ready for your zip

3) attach your zipper foot to your machine and with the right side of the zip and the right side of one of your oilcloth fabric rectangles sew one side of the top edge of your material onto the zip and then repeat for the second side of the zip with the remaining material.To make the oilcloth easier to sew I apply with the tip of my finger a little cooking oil to the underside of the zipper foot and on the oilcloth where I am going to sew.

4) open the zip by about 3 cm,then fold the fabric/oilcloth together so that the oilcloth is facing oilcloth and lining is facing lining

5) making sure all four edges are lined up.Allowing a 1 cm seam allowance,machine sew all around leaving a 7 cm gap along the long side of the lining (so you will able to turn it right side out)

6) then turn the cosmetic bag right side out so that the lining is on the outside then hand stitch up the gap

7) now you need to create the box corners by folding the lower corner into a point so that the side seam is centred at the apex and aligned with the bottom seam.Measure about 2 cm down the seam from the apex and rule a straight line across the corner and then machine sew along this line.Repeat on the other side.



8) turn the bag in the right way and you have a handy dandy cosmetic bag


Thanks for popping by I have to rush off as my two are due in from school/sixth form and no doubt will be starving !!! Tabitha 🙂