More and More Lunch Sacks Tutorials!!!

I promise these are the last lunch sack tutorials…for this year at least.  At the end of this post, I’ve included some sketches of some more ideas and options with the basic lunch sack I started with.

I have to give credit where it is due, and so while I was at Pine Needles, I saw this cutest mushroom house backpack. The picture flashed up on my computer screen a few days ago and I thought, “That would make a really cute lunch sack!!!”

And of course, I would LOVE to make the entire thing out of laminated fabric or some great oilcloth, but my funds are lacking.  You can insulate it if you’d like.  Which I would also love to do someday.

What You Will Need:
-Mushroom Flap Pattern
-10” x 11.5” rectangle—one each of outer fabric, inner fabric, and stabilizer.  **For the outer on this bag, I used cotton.  On my other lunch sacks I’ve used a canvas like fabric.  Both kinds have worked fine.  For the inner I’ve been using PUL, but on the owl I just used cotton since I won’t be using it as a lunch sack for my daughter.  I’m sure you can use a thick fusible interfacing if you’d rather not use the stabilizer.  The stabilizer is just cheap, so that’s why I’ve used it.  Some people say don’t use PUL with food, so use at your own discretion.
-10” x 11.5” with the mushroom flap (or owl) cut as a continuous piece of the 10” x 11.5” (explained with pics below)
-2” velcro
-5” webbing (I’ve also seen it called belting)—alternately you can make your own handle
-circles for mushroom top (you can use the circles from the pattern you downloaded)
*all seams are 1/4” unless otherwise stated*

I used a 12” x 12” scrapbook paper to make my rectangle measuring 10” x 11.5”.  Cut out the mushroom around the gray portion. 

First cut out the 10” x 11.5” of the outer, inner, and stabilizer.

Mark the center 5” on that piece of paper.

Tape the mushroom onto the center, as follows:

Now you can cut your outer, inner, and stabilizer with the flap on, like this:

First sew the stabilizer onto the wrong side of the outer fabric pieces that match using a basting stitch, making sure to pin together first since the flap doesn’t line up easily without pins!  Baste it close to the edge so your sewn lines don’t show on the rest of the bag.  If using thick fusible interfacing, iron onto the wrong side of the outer fabric.

Pin the circles to the flap wherever you want them.   

I set my stitch width to 3, my length to 1 and zig-zagged around the circles.   

Mark a line 1” from the top of the bag edge.

Pin the webbing along that line and sew just along either end of the webbing.

Also sew a line along the top edge on the other side of the webbing.

Mark in from the sides and bottom 2.25” and sew along the lines, making sure to backstitch where the lines meet.

Sew the velcro onto the center of the piece without the flap, about 4” down.

Lay the right sides together, pin, and sew along the sides and bottom of the bag.
 

Pinch the corners like this:

Sew along the line that is already marked there and cut off the excess.  Repeat with other corner.  Turn right side out and set aside.

Take the inner fabric (in my case, the PUL), and repeat the above steps starting where you mark in 2.25” from sides and bottom.

Sew velcro about 5” from edge, onto the flap part, as shown below.

So this is what you should have now:

Insert the outer bag that is turned right side out, into the inner bag, with right sides together.

Pin the tops of the bags together, matching seams.

Leave a gap while sewing so you can turn the bag right side out.  Start at one of the points I’m showing, and end at the other point I’m showing.

Before turning, clip the corners as shown below (where the top of the bag and the flap meet).

When turning, you need to stick your hand into the flap and push out all the sides and corners.

Topstitch around the flap.  Note how in the next two pictures I kind of have to shimmy the fabric to get it all the way out on the flap portion.  Don’t sew over the webbing.
  

Pin the rest of the bag at the top.  Tuck in the opened portion.  Topstitch around the rest, still leaving the webbing alone. 

You might have to take off this part of your machine so you can fit the bag around to topstitch (what is it called?):  

Updated to add:  I just added some tips on finalizing your bag and making it even more sturdy.  You can add the step right now, if you’d like.  I highly recommend it!  Click here to be directed to the helpful information!
Done!
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Owl Flap Pattern.
**If you don’t want the back of your flap to look like mine, then you need to sew on the felt pieces before sewing the bag together.

I just used this embroidery thread for the owl.  I put 6 strands thick on the wings, and the rest 3 strands.

To have a longer strap, just sew the webbing on the edges.  Make sure you pin the strap in as pictured so it doesn’t get sewn into something it shouldn’t.

Cut the eyes, ears, beak, and wings from the downloaded pattern.  Pin them on, and start stitching them!
      

Here are just a few more options to make with the same concept.

***Tips for sewing on PUL, laminated fabric, or vinyl:  you can dab cornstarch or baby powder onto the shiny side, or use tissue paper. ***