9 Duffle Bag Pattern Options To Make You Want To Travel
Have you ever noticed that when you shop for an overnight or weekend duffle bag, you find just a few options, usually a simple nylon bag with a sports brand printed on it? I don’t know about you, but when I like my traveling items to have a little personality.
In this post, we will discuss creating a weekend bag from a duffle bag pattern. I will also show you some wonderful weekend bag patterns that I think you will love.
What Fabric Is Used For Duffle Bags?
Typically, sporty duffle bags are made from woven nylon fabric. Vera Bradley bags are made with 100% cotton and are popular for traveling.
However, what if you want to make your own Vera Bradley-inspired weekend duffle bag? For many of us (myself included,) the idea of creating our traveling bags from a duffle bag sewing pattern is tempting and intriguing.
When choosing fabric for a travel bag, you want something that will be sturdy and strong with little to no stretch. This will ensure the bag keeps its shape and won’t tear or fall apart.
If you want to make your duffle bag, I suggest using one of the following fabrics to ensure your bag will last a long time and hold up to the inevitable trials and tribulations of travel.
- 100% Quilting Cotton
- Canvas
- Denim
- Corduroy
- Leather
How To Make a Duffle Bag
I plan on doing a full tutorial later on, but right now, I’ll give you some basic steps to create a duffle bag from scratch. I am a big fan of the style of Vera Bradley bags. However, most of the prints just aren’t my style. These steps will help you create your quilted duffle bag for travel.
Step 1: Choose a pattern
There are hundreds of duffle bag patterns available on the market. Here are some things to consider when choosing a pattern.
- How many pockets will the bag have?
- How is it enclosed?
- Does it have separate compartments?
- What is the skill level?
- Does it come with templates?
- Will the bag have a lining?
Choose a pattern that fits your set criteria regarding skill level, functionality, and style.
Step 2: Follow the pattern instructions.
Any pattern you choose will have instructions on cutting and piecing the fabric. If you select a pattern that doesn’t include quilting the outside of the bag and want to have that extra design element, I suggest cutting out the individual pieces, quilting them, and then piecing the bag together.
To quilt the individual pieces, take the bag fabric, batting, and a “backing” and make the quilt sandwich. Quilt as desired. Straight line quilting looks great on large bags and gives it a beautiful, modern look.
Tip: I suggest using muslin for the backing because it is cheap and sturdy. It will add a layer of strength to the bag’s structure.
Once you have quilted the pieces you want quilted, continue following the pattern instructions to complete the shell of the bag.
Step 3: Create the lining and inside of the bag
Again, the pattern should have the instructions for adding pockets, compartments and lining to the bag. If you don’t want a lining in your bag and just want it to be a large open bag, you can skip this step entirely.
Step 4: Add the straps
Create your straps via the pattern instructions and add them to the bag. If the bag has a lining, you will need to make sure when you add the straps that, you conceal the raw edges inside the lining.
If there is no lining, fold the ends of the straps and attach them to the bag, ensuring that the raw edges are concealed under the strap.
And there you have your completed bag! Enjoy!
How Long Should a Duffle Bag Strap Be?
The length of the straps for your duffle bag will depend on where you will attach the straps and how tall you are. As a good rule of thumb, duffle bag straps should be around 30” long.
The great idea is to use a fabric measuring tape and drape it over your shoulder to see where 30” lands on you. Depending on where it hits, you can add or subtract a few inches to make it the perfect size.
9 Easy Duffle Bag Sewing Pattern Ideas
I searched across the interwebs to find nine unique patterns that I think would make beautiful weekender bags. I tried not to include bags that look incredibly similar to give you various style choices. Enjoy!
Here is an in-depth sewing tutorial on making this beautiful zipper duffle bag. This tutorial shows you how to piece the bag together, add zipper pockets, and two types of solid leather straps. You can easily use this tutorial to create a unique quilted weekend duffle bag that will last for years.
The finished size of the bag is 15 ½”x 23 ½”.
If you love quilts, you will love this quilted duffle bag from The Sewing Chick. She used Simplicity pattern #2600 to create this beautiful bag. The designer made some tweaks to the pattern, which she documents in her blog post, and added plenty of fun, quilty goodness to the design.
The finished size of this bag is 12”x24”.
Here is an extremely detailed, well-written tutorial on making this adorable duffle bag. This bag was designed to fit the carry-on luggage handle, making it perfect for travel. This bag has multiple pouches and pockets to store everything you need for your next trip. The tutorial also includes comprehensive photos of each step if you are more of a visual learner.
The finished size of this bag is 12”x18”.
Here is another fabulous free tutorial + pattern from Sew4Home. This is a slightly smaller duffle bag than the other we’ve looked at so far, but sometimes you don’t need a massive bag for an overnight stay. This tutorial includes free printable templates and instructions on creating decorative straps with your sewing machine.
The finished bag will measure 15”x8 ½”.
Jeni Baker from In Color Order created this beautiful duffle bag. She purchased the pattern Holiday in London Duffle Bag by Bari J to construct this bag; however, she did make some changes to the original pattern to accommodate using quilt-as-you-go methods to make this patchwork design. She goes through the details of how she made each bag part, and I think it looks great!
Here is a beautiful free pattern from Anna Graham of Noodle-Head.com. This pattern includes easy-to-follow instructions with detailed images of each step to help you along the way. Anyone can use this pattern, from a confident beginner to a seasoned professional sewist, and it will make a fun project for everybody.
The finished duffle bag will measure 18”x11”.
Melissa designed an adorable round duffle bag from Polka Dot Chair. This is an excellent beginner duffle bag project and can be put together in just a few hours. The pattern includes three sizes to choose from including:
- Small- 14”x7”
- Medium- 16”x9”
- Large- 19”x11”
It would be SO cute if you made “mommy and me” duffles for you and your little ones!
The designer of this classic duffle bag used a modern wide striped black and white fabric that gives this duffle a classy vibe. With the link provided, you will find a printable template and YouTube video tutorial that will take you step-by-step on how to make this fun bag. I could not find the exact measurements of the final bag, but it looks like a large duffle bag from the photos and video tutorial.
This gorgeous duffle bag made by Brienne Moody is jaw-dropping! She used the free pattern from #6 of our list to create this beautiful bag but put her spin on it using leather for the bottom and side gusset pockets. She did such a great job making the pattern her own; I just had to share this one!
There we have it! Nine beautifully unique duffle bag pattern ideas to inspire you to create something for your next out-of-town vacation. I know I want to make one now! How about you? Which pattern caught your eye? Let me know in the comments below, and have a beautiful day!
Interested in making some fun toys for your cats? Check out my post on DIY Felt Cat Toys!
Happy Stitching!
2 Comments