And here we go. May I introduce my latest pattern.
The Easy Duffle Bag.
Bag Making has never been this easy!
EDIT. Join the self paced Sew Along as we make a Duffle together! Sign up here + get everything you'll need sent right into your inbox.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Quilty goodness meets bag making!
You truly get the best of both worlds. Squishy quilty texture plus the cutest bag out there.
A Duffle Bag like no other! Your new favourite make.
But let me share a little more with you...
All the time I get asked if my patterns are too hard? Too hard for beginners? How tricky are zippers? Or 3D projects are just outright scary to folks.
And the answer is always NO!
You can totally make it all. This pattern is designed with beginners in mind. You can totally do it. Pinkie promise.
You will make the cutest bag. And that's a fact!
“It is possibly my favorite pattern of hers yet. As always Laura takes ingenious concepts and walks you through them in a very simple way. Everything I know about bag making I learned from her patterns and if I can do it SO CAN YOU!" Lexi, United States
And here's the best part!
The Easy Duffle is fully lined with no raw edges and no binding on the inside (yes, you've heard that right). And don't panic - I won't ask you to sew your lining in by hand either. It's all done by machine and it's ohh so quick. Wahoooo!
In fact. The actual construction of the bag is so quick - you'll be surprised you're already done!
But. You want to invest some time into choosing the right fabric. Maybe even piece your panels from scrap and make a patchwork version (you may want to have this free tutorial where I show you how to create some amazing patchwork panels from scrap). Quilting it for the most amazing structure.
Just have a look at this.
“This duffle MIGHT, quite literally be THE single cutest think I have EVER made.” Amanda, United States
"I keep looking at my bag when I’m in my sewing space because I’m super impressed I made that. Such a great pattern as expected from Laura! If I can make it so can you!!" Mary, United States
EASY DUFFLE BAG IN DETAIL
But let me give you a couple more details.
You ready?
The pattern is absolutely scrap friendly, suitable for beginners (obviously) and best of all... it comes in two sizes. But let's break it down a little more.
- There are two versions! You can either make the whole cloth version (aka the outside of your bag is made of only one print) or go patchwork (aka using all your fave scraps to piece the outside panel).
- I show you how to insert a zipper with ease!
- How to box out corners (again... easy!).
- And finally, best of all - you can also watch the free video tutorial right here (see below).
Make sure to follow me on YouTube for more!
You see... making the Easy Duffle is super straight forward.
And this is what you'll need
Now let's talk about the materials a little more.
Shall we?
First of all - you will need your copy of the pattern which you can find in my shop. Remember, it's a measure and cut pattern, meaning all pattern pieces are cut using a rotary cutter, cutting mat and ruler. There's no need to print the pattern unless you wish to do so. So you can start straight away picking your fabric!
Fabric
You will need fabric. Obviously. I like using quilting cotton (I yet have to make one using Liberty *eeeep*) but of course other fabric works as well. Whatever you have on hand. Ohhh... and for the patchwork version, this is a great chance for you to use up some of your most precious scraps. No need to buy anything new really. Just sayin'!
Interfacing
I recommend using Soft and Stable for your Easy Duffle! It gives your bag great structure without being too bulky at the same time (but of course, you can also use some leftover quilt batting or fusible fleece for a softer, more flexible bag). Soft and Stable can be a little tricky to quilt though, as your fabric tends to shift a little (glue spray may be helpful here).
Hardware
You will need some hardware. More specifically two D-rings, two swivel hooks and a slider for your adjustable shoulder strap (I can highly recommend them - see the pink swivel hook on the left in the picture below). I also got some from this shop on Etsy but I found them a little too small and they are maybe better for lanyards etc (see the one on the right in the picture below).
And of course - you can also use metal hardware (I love the gold ones).
PS. You can find out more about the scrappy shoulder strap right here on my blog. I show you in detail how to make a strap from scraps. Just grab the FREE pattern and watch the video tutorial here.
Zipper
The Easy Duffle comes in two sizes. For the Mini you'll need a 15" zipper (or longer) and for the Large Duffle it's an 18" zipper (or longer).
And now the tip: buy them in bulk! I order mine all the way from the US but they are here in absolute no time, super cheap if I buy a pack of a 50 or more and the colour choice is amazing (cotton candy pink, bubble gum pink and gray are my faves if you were wondering).
Thread:
You will need thread. For the construction of the duffle, I am using Aurifil 50wt. That's for all the seams that are not visible later on but have to last.
And for quilting and topstitching along the zipper, I am switching over to Aurifil 28wt. That's for all the seams that are visible later on. The result looks super neat!
Find out more about thread and when to use which thread weight over on my blog post here.
Basic Quilty Notions:
And finally, you'll need some basic quilty notions. You probably have most of them already at home.
Make sure you have a large enough cutting mat, a ruler (an extra square one comes in handy for this project and is always used in my studio) and rotary cutter. And for marking your quilty lines, I would highly suggest to get a hera marker. It only ever leaves creases and no nasty stains behind! Ohhh... and of course glue spray comes in super handy!
And that's it. All you really need.
“It was a really good sewing experience and has a lot in common with her boxy pouch pattern so if you liked that, you’ll like this.” Melissa, United States
And that's a wrap, my friend. I hope you'll love the Easy Duffle as much as I do. It's seriously the one pattern I would tell my bestie to make.
It really doesn't get any better than this!
Any questions or comments. Please feel free to contact me via email (laura@sweetcinnamonroses.com) or leave a comment below. I am only an email away!
And as always - please tag me on your socials using #easydufflebag so I can see what you came up with. So excited. Wahooooo!
With so much love, Laura xx
EDIT. Join the self paced Sew Along as we make a Duffle together! Sign up here + get everything you'll need sent right into your inbox.
This blog post contains affiliate links, specifically I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. I will never post a link to a product I do not personally recommend. If you click on an affiliate link and then proceed to purchase something from that affiliated website, I receive a small commission. This helps me continue to provide high quality, free content. Please send me an email to laura@sweetcinnamonroses.com if you have any questions.
