Tag: free sewing pattern

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Make a Peg Bag with our free sewing pattern!

Learn How to make a marvellous peg bag with our free PDF sewing pattern. It’s super easy, is very handy and makes a lovey gift!

Have you enjoyed our Free Eye Mask Pattern? Oh, you have? Jolly good! Well today I’m sharing my peg bag pattern. You see I like pretty things but they do have to be practical. Things you touch and use everyday should not be ugly or annoying. I really took that William Morris quote to heart.

“If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

William Morris

And who doesn’t like their washing drying outside while wafting in the gentle breeze of a summers day? So, it’s very handy that I’m sharing this with you in December. Now, I know not everyone can or wants to hang their washing out to dry, no judgement here, so this just may not be the free sewing pattern of your dreams but it is still quite handy for storage of those odd bits and pieces.

The Peg Bags actually turned out to be a really popular thing as a gift. The handle is big enough to hang over your arm and grab a peg with ease and the popper means you can actually hang it off the washing line for full hands-free freedom.

It’s also a great little skill builder and the perfect project if you are new to sewing and just want to get used to sewing on your machine without having to worry about fitting a garment. The pattern makes a lined/reversible bag, but you could make it unlined by cutting a single layer and just binding the raw edges to finish. And to be very Eco-conscious you could use up scraps of fabric by adding seams (don’t forget to add the seam allowance!) to the pattern so you can use up those smaller bits of fabric. And feel free to embellish your peg bag with embroidery or appliqué to make a really lovely personalised gift.

THE PEG BAG - free sewing pattern. Maven Patterns

How to Make a Peg Bag with our Free Sewing Pattern

Tools

  • The Peg Bag PDF pattern – download your free sewing pattern here. It prints on either A4 or US letter paper and there are only 4 pages. You can find the tile layout diagram and test square on page 1 of the pattern. See our Printing Tutorial here.
  • You will need all the usual sewing stuff…a sewing machine, iron, decent scissors, pins, tape measure etc.

Suitable fabrics

MAIN FABRIC Any stable woven fabric will be fine, so have a good rummage through your stash but keep in mind it will need to be sturdy enough to hold its shape reasonably well. I’d suggest Denim, linen, quilting cotton, those kinds of fabric.

LINING/INNER FABRIC you could use the same as your outer fabric or if you have quite a heavy main fabric balance it with a lighter weight contrast fabric. I’m imagining a denim outer with a cotton lawn contrast lining.

Fabric Requirements & Haberdashery

MAIN FABRIC (for outer shell): 1 piece x 50cm deep x 60cm wide (20″ x 24″) 

CONTRAST FABRIC (for lining/inner shell): 1 piece x 50cm deep x 60cm wide (20″ x 24″) 

IRON ON INTERFACING: 1 piece x 28cm deep x 60cm wide (11″ x 24″) 

LARGE PRESS STUD – mine is 2cm (3/4″) but use what you have or you could do a button and buttonhole

MATCHING SEWING THREAD – I’ve used a contrast so it shows in the photos

Abbreviations

RST: right side together / RS: right side / WS: wrong side / WSU: wrong side up / SA: seam allowance

01. Prepare your pattern.

Tape your pattern together and cut your pattern out using the black line. The grey line is the stitch line.

You will need to join the interfacing pattern together.

02. Cut

PATTERN A – Cut 2 in main fabric for the outer shell

PATTERN A – Cut 2 in contrast fabric for the inner shell/lining

PATTERN B – Cut 2 in INTERFACING

TIP: At each notch remember to make a small snip in the seam allowance (SA)

03. Apply the interfacing

CONTRAST FABRIC – place interfacing to wrong side (WS) and iron into place to reinforce handle and top edge

04. Time to sew!

Press as you go! I can’t stress this enough for any sewing project but taking the time to press anything you stitch will give you a much better result.

MAIN FABRIC/outer shell – place with Right Sides Together (RST) and stitch with 1cm seam allowance (SA) around the bucket. Press the seam.

Trim the SA down to 6mm (1/4″) at the curve so it will lay flat when turned to RS.

More to Sew …

05.

CONTRAST FABRIC/inner shell – place with Right Sides Together (RST) and stitch with 1cm SA around the bucket STOPPING at the notches to leave an opening in the base. Press the seam.

Trim the SA down to 6mm (1/4″) at the curve so it will lay flat when turned to RS.

06.

Turn the shells through to RS and press seam.

07. JOIN INNER & OUTER SHELLS TOGETHER

Turn the inner shell inside out so WS is facing you.

Slide the outer shell inside the inner shell so RST, aligning the raw edges, notches and at the seams.

Stitch with a 6mm SA. Press the stitch line.

TIP: If you’ve taken a slightly bigger seam allowance on the curve of the strap or have bulky fabric trim the SA down to a scant 6mm (1/4″) at the curves so it will lay flat.

08.

Turn through to Right Side (RS) by pulling the outer shell out through the hole left at the base of the inner shell.

The straps can be a bit fiddly to turn through but you can use a chopstick or something similar to help poke them to the RS.

09.

If you are making a reversible bag the seam should sit exactly on the side so it neither favours the inner or outer shell. If you are making it as a lined bag roll the inner shell lining slightly to the inside of the bag.

Press the seam.

I’d normally do an understitch to help hold the lining but it’s quite fiddly so I’m happy to skip it on this occasion and just give the seam a good press.

If your fabric doesn’t press well, giving you a nice sharp edge, or doesn’t stay flat, consider edgestitching/topstitching around the opening and handles.

10.

Close the opening in the base of the inner shell with a slipstitch.

free sewing pattern - attach a popper

11. Stitch the press stud securely in place. Or use a button and buttonhole if you prefer.

A quick final press and you’ve finished!

You’re going to make someone very happy with your lovely handmade peg bag!

I really hope you’ve enjoyed making your peg bag. Have you seen our other free sewing pattern – The Eye Mask PDF Pattern? Take a look HERE.

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free sewing pattern - free peg bag pattern
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How to make an eye mask with our free eye mask pattern

Learn How to make an eye mask with our free PDF eye mask sewing pattern. It’s super easy and makes a lovey gift!

I do love a handmade gift, don’t you? The fact someone has chosen to spend their time on making something special for you is just such a wonderful feeling isn’t it? And to make something special for a friend who will appreciate it always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Before I started Maven Patterns, I used to make these little eye masks and other fabric based gifts a lot for friends and family at Christmas (look out for the free peg bag pattern I’ll be sharing with you soon) and while I was moving some stuff around in the loft the other day I found my old patterns. Things being what they are in the world at the moment, environmentally and economically, it seemed like a really good time to share them.

You can download your FREE eye mask pattern HERE and learn how to make an eye mask or sleep mask with this free sewing tutorial. An Eye Mask or Sleep Mask could be that perfect little gift. Not only are they an easy make, making it a great beginner sewing project, but they are also really quick to make, 30-60 minutes depending on how quick you sew. And not forgetting, they a perfect scrap busting project for using up those left over bits and pieces. You could even join smaller pieces together creating a patchwork of your favourite scraps. I’ve included how to cover the elastic with a scrap of fabric which looks lovely, but it’s an even speedier make if you skip that step.

The Eye Mask would be a great addition to The Simone Set, I’ve used an old scrap so mine co-ordinates with our sample. For the younger (or older!) family members … why not adapt the pattern slightly to create a superhero eye mask!

How to Make an Eye Mask with our Free PDF Eye Mask Pattern

Tools

Suitable fabrics

MAIN FABRIC Silks, satins, cotton lawn, double gauze, soft jersey knits – any soft woven or knitted fabric in your stash will be fine but keep in mind it will need to be comfortable without irritating the delicate face and eye area. TIP: Slippy fabrics such as silk can be block fused with some interfacing to make them easier to manage.

BATTING FABRIC to help block out the light we will add an inner layer – again, if you’ve been sewing a while,  try to use what you have. I’ve used some quilting batting that was hanging around, but alternatives could be wadding, felt, fleece, you could even try a remnant of sweatshirting (I’m now fondly remembering an old Ikea fleece blanket that would have done nicely!)

Fabric Requirements & Haberdashery

MAIN FABRIC (Outer layer that faces the world): 1 piece x 22cm long x 11cm wide (9″ x 4.25″) – I’ve used a scrap of Mind The Maker viscose left over from The Simone Set.

CONTRAST FABRIC (Inner layer that faces your face): 1 piece x 22cm long x 11cm wide (9″ x 4.25″) -I’ve used a scrap of cotton lawn left over from The Wendy Smock.

BATTING: 1 piece x 22cm long x 11cm wide (9″ x 4.25″) – I’ve used a scrap of bamboo batting.

*OPTIONAL FABRIC COVERED ELASTIC: Cut a strip of fabric 60cm (24″) long x 4cm (1.5″) wide

NARROW ELASTIC: A soft narrow elastic 6mm (1/4”), if you have 1cm (3/8″) elastic that’ll work just fine. As a guide you’ll need between 34cm – 40cm (13-16”). I’ve used 38cm (15”) of our 6mm organic elastic, but all elastics and comfort levels are different so we’ll fit as we go!

BIAS BINDING: 60cm length of binding. I’ve used our cotton pre-made neon binding (HERE) for ease and speed but if you fancy making your own we have a Binding Tutorial.

MATCHING SEWING THREAD

01.

Cut 1 in main fabric

Cut 1 in contrast fabric

Cut 1 in batting (or similar)

Remember to make a small snip in the fabric at each notch to mark the elastic placement.

Optional – Cut the strip of fabric to cover elastic.

02.

Place the 3 pieces together, with the batting layer sandwiched in the middle and the outer fabrics with their right sides (RS) facing outward. Pin to hold.

03. STAYSTITCH

Stay stitch close to the raw edge to hold the 3 layers together.

04. FITTING THE ELASTIC

As a guide you’ll need between 34cm – 40cm (13-16”). I’ve used 38cm (15”). All elastics behave differently so you may need to adjust the measurements for differing elastics and your personal preference.

Cut the elastic a bit longer than you need and safety pin in place to try on and see how comfortable it is, with the aim to hold your mask securely in place but not be too tight on your head. Then make a note of it for next time!

PLAIN ELASTIC OPTION- With inner side of you mask facing you, place your elastic at each notch and stitch securely in place. You can now skip ahead to binding your mask.

05. COVERED ELASTIC

Take the strip of fabric to cover the elastic. With Right Sides Together, align the raw edges and fold the casing in half lengthwise. 

Stitch with a 6mm (1/4”) Seam Allowance. 

Press seam flat. 

06.

Use a loop turner or attach a safety pin to one end and turn the strap through to Right Side and press flat.

Attach the safety pin to the elastic and insert into the fabric tube. Pull through the tube so the elastic is enclosed, being careful to hold onto the free end so you don’t loose it in side the tube. Stitch through all the layers at each end to hold the elastic inside the fabric tube.

07.

Place your elastic to the inner side of you mask at each notch and stitch securely in place.

08. Attach the binding

Unfold the binding. 

Fold one end of the binding back on itself to create a finished edge.

On the front of the mask and with Right Sides Together align the raw edge of mask and the binding and pin into place all the way around the outside edge of the mask.

09.

Overlap the binding to finish and trim off the excess.

10.

Stitch in the fold of the binding to attach. Be careful not to catch the elastic as you stitch the binding.

Gently press the stitch line.

11.

Fold the binding over the of mask, enclosing the raw edge and covering the stitch line with the binding.

Use small stitches and slipstitch by hand to hold the binding into place. Be careful to make sure your stitches do not show through to the front of your mask and that you keep the elastic out of the way.

TIP: you could stitch the binding in place using a sewing machine, if you prefer, but I found it very pleasant to slow down and stitch by hand and it was just easier to keep the binding neat and tidy on the curved sections.

Give your Eye Mask a final press and Voila! You’ve made a beautiful gift for a special person!

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