Here's how to sew a shopper bag from an old jacket: cut the pieces, sew the outer bag with a squared-off bottom, attach the handles, add the lining, and finish with a drawstring.
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Things you will learn
The bag is sewn from a padded (batting-lined) part of the jacket, such as the sleeves or the back, cut into two rectangles — the pictured version measures 35x50 cm.
When stitching the pieces together around the perimeter, two 1.5 cm sections on both sides near the top are left unstitched, and the corners are boxed to form the bag's bottom at the width you want.
The handles are made from 45 cm lengths of wide tape, and the lining is joined to the outer bag by stitching around the top twice; you turn the bag right side out through an unsewn gap left in the lining's side seam.
The drawstring channel is formed with two parallel lines of stitching across from the side gaps, and narrow tape is threaded through in both directions so the bag can be cinched shut.
What you'll get
A drawstring shopper bag made from an old jacket — with a soft, padded body, a lining, and woven-tape handles.
Materials and tools
Materials
A men's or women's jacket, The bag's base material; use the batting-padded part, and skip the jacket's own lining.
Fabric for the lining, For the bag's interior lining.
Wide tape for the handles, Two handles, 45 cm long each.
Narrow tape for the drawstring, For the bag's drawstring channel.
Cut the jacket pieces
Break down the jacket into pieces
Cut the sleeves and collar off the jacket, and cut along the seam to separate the front and back. Cut the sleeves open along their seam too. Discard the jacket's lining — you'll need the batting-padded shell instead.
Cut out two rectangles
From whichever pieces work best (the sleeves or the back), cut 2 rectangles — the size is up to you; the pictured version measures 35x50 cm.
Sew the outer bag
Pin the pieces and mark the measurements
Pin the pieces right sides together, then measure 5 cm down from the top, and mark another 1.5 cm below that.
Stitch the perimeter and box the corners
Stitch around the perimeter, but do NOT stitch the two marked 1.5 cm sections on either side! Make a lining piece the same size as the bag, leaving an unsewn gap in its side seam for turning the bag right side out later. On both pieces, box the corners — stitch across them to the width you want for the bag's bottom.
Attach the handles
Make the handles from tape and pin them on
Make the handles from the wide tape — each one 45 cm long. Pin them to the right side of the bag, as shown in the photo.
Join the bag to its lining
Insert the lining and stitch around the top
Turn the bag inside out, insert the finished lining, and stitch around the top twice to join the outer bag and the lining together.
Turn the bag right side out
Turn the bag right side out through the gap in the lining. You can close the opening by hand or on the machine.
Make the drawstring channel
Mark the drawstring lines
Mark 2 lines on the right side of the bag, directly across from the 'gap' left in the sides.
Stitch the lines and thread the drawstring
Stitch along the marked lines. All that's left is to thread the tape — one half from right to left, the other from left to right. Pull the drawstrings tight.
The bag is ready
Our drawstring bag made from an old jacket is ready!
Finish and variations
Finish
Check that the drawstring works smoothly
Before using the bag, cinch and loosen the drawstring a few times to make sure the channel moves freely and the tape isn't twisted.
Variations
Combining two kids' jackets
You can even sew the bag from two children's jackets, if you combine them thoughtfully.
A different bag size
You can adjust the rectangle size for the bag as you like — the pictured version measures 35x50 cm, but the proportions are easy to scale.
After stitching the pieces together, there's no way to turn the bag right side out.
Likely cause
No unsewn gap was left in the lining's side seam.
How to fix it
Always leave an unsewn gap in the lining's side seam — that's exactly what you'll use to turn the bag right side out.
The drawstring channel won't cinch shut
Problem
After stitching the drawstring channel, the tape won't let you pull the top of the bag closed.
Likely cause
The 1.5 cm sections near the top edge weren't left unstitched when sewing the perimeter, so no 'gap' formed for the drawstring.
How to fix it
When stitching the perimeter, be sure to leave the two 1.5 cm sections on either side unstitched — that's where you'll thread the drawstring tape through later.
The handles are attached unevenly
Problem
The finished handles sit at different heights or angles.
Likely cause
The tape for the handles was pinned on without marking a symmetrical placement first.
How to fix it
Before attaching them, pin both handles to the right side of the bag using the photo as a guide, and check that they're placed symmetrically before stitching.
?FAQ
What do I need for a shopper bag from a jacket?
A men's or women's jacket, fabric for the lining, wide tape for the handles, and narrow tape for the drawstring.
What size is the bag in the photos?
The pictured version measures 35x50 cm, but you can adjust the size as you like.
How long should the handles be?
Make the handles from wide tape, 45 cm long each.
How do you turn the bag right side out after sewing?
Through the unsewn gap in the lining's side seam — you can close the opening by hand or on the machine afterward.
How do you make the drawstring channel?
Mark 2 lines on the right side across from the 'gaps' in the sides, stitch them, then thread the narrow tape through — one half from right to left, the other from left to right — and pull it tight.
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