Hip bag — the anti-fanny pack

hip bag 069I think we can all agree that fanny packs aren’t the most stylish look. But sometimes you really do just need a hands-free way to tote along your ID, some money and your phone. Please, please don’t turn to a fanny pack. Try making a cute little hip bag instead. Feel free to alter the size to suit your needs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplies

Togo Stone Denton (tutorial shows Cloud Stone Denton)
Togo Stone Denton (tutorial shows Cloud Stone Denton)
Zoom Zoom Stone / Denton
Zoom Zoom Stone / Denton
D-rings (2) -- I used 1".
D-rings (2) — I used 1″.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Craft Fuse interfacing
Craft Fuse interfacing
Magnetic snaps - I used 2 tiny ones
Magnetic snaps – I used 2 tiny ones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You’ll only need small amounts of fabric and interfacing, two small magnetic snaps and two 1″ D-rings.

Pattern

Hip Bag – main piece
Hip Bag – Flap

PLEASE NOTE: I realized after the fact that I forgot to write on the Main pattern piece that the little lines on the upper sides of the pattern are for the placement of the straps.

Using the patterns above, cut two of the bag pieces out of each the outer fabric, the lining fabric and the interfacing. Cut one each of the flap out of the main fabric, lining and interfacing.
Cut two strap pieces measuring:
Big strap — 2-3/4″ x “your length” — This will vary depending on the size of your hips. I guess I think I’m either super skinny (ha!) or 5 years old, because I made mine a bit too short. I made mine 26″ and could have used a bit more, especially if I wanted it to sit a few inches lower on my hips. If you make it too long, though, you will have a lot of extra strap flopping around. So keep that in mind.
Small strap — 2-3/4″ x 5-1/2″

The Process

Please sew using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

 

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First, make the two straps using our Non-Turn Strap Tutorial. You’ll make one long strap and one short strap. The long strap will need one finished end, which means that you’ll turn under and press 1/4″ when making the strap. The other end of the long strap and both ends of the short strap can be left raw.

 

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 Fuse the interfacing to both outer bag pieces.

 

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Thread both D-rings through your short strap and fold the strap in half. Baste the raw ends to the edge of the outer bag piece, using the guide from the pattern for placement.

 

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 Then stitch close to the D-rings so they can’t flop about.

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 Baste the unfinished end of the long strap to the other side of the outer bag piece.

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 On the same outer bag piece (the one with the straps), mark the placement for your magnetic snaps, using the pattern markings as a guide. This will give you a center dot. Then mark the prongs to either side of that.

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Insert the other side of your magnetic snap onto the lining side of your flap piece. Then place the flap pieces right-sides together and sew around the sides and the edge that is closest to the magnetic snaps (Yep, it’s wrong in this photo. I had to redo.). Trim the corners so they turn more easily. Then turn the flap right-side out, push out the corners gently and press the whole thing.

 

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 Baste the flap to your back outer bag piece as shown. (Lining/magnets facing up.)

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 Now sew the outer bag together. Leave the flap pointing up for now, but tuck all of the straps between the two fabrics, which are facing right-sides together.

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 Sew the sides and bottom. Those little cutouts on the bottom remain open. You will use these to box the corners in the next step.

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 If you open up the seams, you can start closing that open hole …

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Basically, the side and bottom seams are lined up.

 

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 Sew a 1/2″ seam across.

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 Now you’ve got a bag with boxed bottom corners. Just set this aside for now.

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 Sew the lining the same way, only just sew the bottom seam a small amount on either edge and leave a large hole for turning the whole thing right-side out in a few minutes.

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 Turn your outer bag right-side out and leave your lining inside out. Place the outer bag inside the lining (right-sides are together). Tuck the straps and flap inside.

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 Pin the top raw edges of the bag and lining after lining them up nicely. Sew around the top edge.

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 Turn the whole bag right-side out through the hole in the bottom of the lining. Turn under the seam allowance at the hole and sew closed from the outside.

Other views

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