Vinyl Project Bag Tutorial

Hello Everyone! Today I want to share a tutorial for making a vinyl project bag. These bags are not just for cross-stitch projects, but can be used for embroidery, applique, English Paper Piecing or holding your finished quilt blocks. You can read more about the origin of the bag here and with links to YouTube tutorials with similar bags. I added quilting, accent fabric and binding. What can I say, I’m a quilter, the more fabric the merrier!

If you have no interest in making your own bag, but would like to have one for holding your project, I’ve made four and have added them to my Esty shop.

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These are just a trial to see if they sell. If they do, I may add 4-5 every two to three weeks. They are a great way to use some of my fabric stash.

Now for the tutorial. My bag measures 13 1/2″ x 13 1/2″, but you can make it any size you need.

Vinyl Project Bag Tutorial

Pin this for reference!

Edited to add binding information (Sorry I left that out)

Fabric Requirements for 13 1/2″ x 13 1/2″ bag.

• Vinyl – 1/2 yd
• Front/Back fabric – 1/2 yd or 2 fat quarters
• Accent fabric – 15″ x 15″ fabric piece
• Binding fabric – 1/4 yard
• Batting – 15″ x 15 ” piece
• Fusible Interfacing – 15″ x 15″ piece
• Zipper – 16″ or longer. I like to use the zippers found in quilt shops because they have a little wider zipper tape than the ones found at Jo-Anne’s or Hobby Lobby.

** It would be helpful to use clips (such as Clover Clips) to hold bag pieces in place.

Cut Fabric (for 13 1/2″ x 13 1/2″ bag):

• Front – 14 1/2″ x 14 1/2″
• Back – 14 1/2″ x 14 1/2″
• Fusible Interfacing – 14 1/2″ x 14 1/2″
• Batting – 14 1/2″ x 14 1/2″
• Accent fabric – cut (3) 4″ x 14″ strips
• Binding – (2) 2 1/2″ x WOF (or 64″ x 2 1/2″)
• Vinyl – 13 1/2″ x 10 1/2″

Step 1: Cut front and back one 1″ larger than bag size, for my bag, 14 1/2″ x 14 1/2″. Fuse interfacing to wrong side (WS) of back fabric.

Step 2: Lay back right side (RS) down, interfacing side up. Then lay batting on top of back, then lay front fabric on top of batting, RS up.

Step 3: Quilt as desired. There needs to be just enough quilting to hold the layers together. Think about using one of your decorative machine stitches as your quilting.

Step 4: Trim quilted piece to desired size, 13 1/2″ x 13 1/2″ for my bag.

Step 5: Fold each accent piece in half wrong sides together (WST) and press.

Step 6: On one accent piece, fold each raw edge under 1/4″ towards WS and press.

Step 7: Lay the zipper RS up on a table with the zipper tab to the left. Place one accent piece on top edge of zipper tape and accent piece with 1/4″ folds on bottom of zipper tape. The folded edges should be next to the zipper as shown above.

1/4″ folded edge on bottom

Use the lines on the zipper tape for guides to place the accent fabric. Pin the accent fabric in place on the zipper tape.

Step 8: Using a zipper foot if necessary, edge stitch the folded edge on the zipper tape for both the top and bottom.

Step 9: Place the zipper unit at the top edge of front unit and last accent piece along bottom edge with raw edge of accent piece on the bottom. Clip in place to hold. Measure from 1″ above the bottom of the zipper unit to the bottom edge of front.

Step 10: Cut vinyl to width of front and height from Step 9 measurement. For my bag, cut vinyl to 13 1/2″ x 10 1/2″.

Step 11: Place vinyl on top of the front, lining up both the bottom and side edges. Center the accent piece on top of vinyl. The accent piece will be slightly wider than front and vinyl. Clip bottom of vinyl and accent piece together. Remove from front and pin in place on top of the accent piece for extra security.

Step 12: Edge stitch along folded edge of accent piece and vinyl only. Leave raw edge unsewn.

Step 13. Place vinyl unit on front, lining up with the bottom and sides of front. Lay zipper unit on top of vinyl unit, lining up the raw edge with the top of the front and making sure the zipper tab extends off the left edge of the front. (See Step 11 picture)

Step 14: Place top edge of vinyl between the bottom, pressed edges of zipper unit. Re-adjust vinyl if needed to make sure bottom and sides of vinyl unit are still lined up with front and vinyl lays flat. Clip edges to hold in place. Zipper unit should slightly hang off each edge. Pin vinyl to zipper unit only.

Step 15: Edge stitch along 1/4″ pressed edge of zipper unit, making sure to catch back edge.

Step 16: Place vinyl/zipper unit on top of front, lining up vinyl on side edges and raw edges of accent pieces on top and bottom. Clip around all edges to hold the units together. Open zipper part way as shown.

Step 17: Sew 1/8″ around the edge of the entire bag.

Step 18: Trim all edges, cutting off excess zipper and accent fabric.

Step 19: Make binding. Sew binding to back of bag, using 1/4″ seam and mitered corners.

Step 20: Fold binding to front and clip all edges, mitering corners. Stitch edge of binding to front, keeping zipper open. *If binding needs to be pressed, press from back. Vinyl will melt!

Let me know if you have questions or problems with the directions. If you make this bag, please give me credit and link back to this post. Tag me on Instagram, @thequiltingnook, #thequiltingnook.

These are two smaller versions of the bag I made for my daughter. The construction is the same, you just need to adjust the sizes.

Thanks for stopping by!