Featured: Messenger Bag by Ecolution
Originally created for hard-working couriers, the classic Messenger Bag has been in circulation for several decades. Known for its long-lasting rugged durability and distinctive “envelope” styling, the classic Messenger has been adopted around the world as the everyday all-purpose carryall. Make a simplified version for yourself in hemp, similar to the featured tote from eco-friendly, Ecolution.
You will need:
- 1 ¼ yds. [1.2 m] of hemp or organic cotton canvas, 54″ [137 cm] wide.
- ½ yd. [0.5 m] of cotton sateen lining, 54” [137 cm] wide
- 1 ½ yds. [1.4 m] of fusible interfacing, 45″ [114 cm] wide.
- 1 closed zipper, 12” long *
- 1 buckle slider, 2” inner dia. *
- 1 belt tip hardware, 2” wide *
- matching cotton thread
- grid paper
* Match zipper to colour/metal of hardware.
BAG DIMENSIONS: approximately 4″ x 11.5″ x 14″.
[10 cm x 29.5 cm x 35.5 cm]
PATTERN
Scale: 1 square = 1 inch (25mm)
Add seam allowances to all pattern pieces.
CUTTING
Bag Body – cut 1X self; cut 1X fusible
Shoulder Strap – cut 1X self
Strap Tab – cut 1X self
Flap – cut 1X self; cut 1X fusible
Flap Facing – cut 1X self; cut 1X fusible
Zipper Facing – cut 1X self; cut 1X fusible
Bag Lining – cut 2X lining
Patch Pocket – cut 1X lining
Pocket Bag – cut 2X lining
ASSEMBLY
1. Iron fusible interfacing to back (wrong side) of bag pieces following manufacturer’s directions, except for strap pieces.
2. Make up bag straps. With right sides together (RST), fold strap pieces in half lengthwise and sew along long edge. Press seam open. Align the short ends so that the seam is centered in the middle of the strap width. Stitch across one end only. Trim corners. Turn straps RIGHT SIDE OUT. Press flat with long seam at center. Topstitch around perimeter of straps if desired. On open end, attach a metal belt tip on long strap and a buckle/slider on the short strap. Set aside.
3. Prepare bag lining. On the patch pocket, turn under the top edge ¼” [6mm] and press. Turn top edge once more: ¾” [20mm] and stitch down. Turn and press seam allowance on remaining three sides.
With one of the bag lining pieces FACE UP, center the patch pocket and edge-stitch along pocket sides and bottom.
With RST, center-align and match flap facing to top of body lining piece.
With RST, align and match remaining bag lining piece to this lining section. Stitch side seams and press open.
Stitch 2” [50mm] on each end of the bottom seam; then align the side seam to the bottom seam and sew across the seams to create a miter. Set aside.
4. Prepare flap pocket. Begin by aligning the zipper facing with the top of the flap, right sides together. Stitch an outline of the pocket opening equal to the length of the zipper teeth X half the zipper’s width.
(eg. 12 inches X ⅜” + seam allowance)
Carefully clip diagonally at the corners of the stitching and turn the zipper facing FACE UP. Press seam flat.
With the flap piece FACE UP, align and center the zipper FACE UP in the indentation. Edge-stitch around pocket opening to secure the zipper.
With RST, sew one pocket bag piece to the bottom edge of the zipper facing.
Flip the lining downward and topstitch along the seam.
With flap piece FACE DOWN, align and match remaining pocket bag piece to top of zipper. Stitch zipper to lining; then stitch sides of pocket bag.
Trim the excess from the lining on the bottom of the pocket bag and sew bottom seam. Set aside.
5. Construct the body of the bag. With RST, fold the bag body together and match up the side seams. Sew side seam and press open.
Miter the bottom corners by aligning the side seam in the center of the bottom edge and stitch across the seam. Turn bag RIGHT SIDE OUT.
With RST, align and match top of body to flap. Stitch across top edge, ensuring the catch the zipper tape in the seaming. Grade seam allowance and press seam away from zipper. On the FACE SIDE, topside along the zippered seam.
6. Assemble the bag. With RST, insert bag body into bag lining. Align and match up outer edges of flap and flap facing. Line up the raw edges of the bag opening. Stitch around the opening and the flap. Grade and trim seam allowances. Turn bag RIGHT SIDE OUT through opening in bottom of lining. Press the perimeter of the flap and the opening edge flat. Top-stitch around flap and opening.
Slipstitch opening in lining closed.
7. Complete the bag. Align the square end of the straps to each side of the messenger bag. Place each approximately 4” [10 cm] from the top edge of the bag opening and sew an X-stitch through all layers. Hook the shoulder strap into the buckle slider and adjust the desired length.
UPDATE: Though this blog is closed now, I have been getting inquiries about this simple zipper application. Here are the steps:
August 18, 2009 at 12:44 am
Um…thanks! Wow! I’m excited to try to get all of my other sewing commitments done ASAP, so I can try to get this sewn before Thursday for my hubby!
August 18, 2009 at 10:32 am
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August 18, 2009 at 6:51 pm
thank you for sharing…….. do you have the directions saved in a PDF file?
Thanks!
nancy
August 19, 2009 at 4:21 am
Sorry Nancy..this is it
August 19, 2009 at 11:10 pm
When I find directions and there is no PDF file I create my own. If you use Open Office it is easy – copy/paste the instructions and export it to a PDF. I always make sure to include a link to where I found the instructions. I have always just used these for myself, but if you share be sure to give credit and or get permission from the creator depending on how it is shared.
August 20, 2009 at 12:32 am
There you go Nancy & thanks Lee Ann…looks like Open Office is the solution.
WD
August 19, 2009 at 7:48 pm
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for sharing!
i love the detaail of your instructions and thee high fashion women’s styles PLUS great men’s styles.
i love to make clothes in my spare time & these patterns & instructions will help me as i learn how to make less mistakes & waste less fabric!
esp. excited to try the men’s jacket for my husband!
grazie!
obrigada!
gracias!
merci!
August 21, 2009 at 10:36 pm
wow! thanks! I think this is what I have been looking for!
August 22, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Love this pattern. I also appreciate the good directions. Check out the discounted fabrics and other supplies on my blog,
August 22, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Thx Carolyn
FYI: CAROLYN’S DESIGNS & CATALOGS
Shop Location: 2000 Meadowlark Ln. Madisonville ,Ky.42431 Open: 10-5 or by Appointment M – F
Carolyn’s Designs offers: 4 Mail Ordering Catalogs #1 LACES #2 RIBBONS #3 GENERAL CRAFTS #4 HOMEMADE ITEMS
August 22, 2009 at 5:28 pm
First time reader. Yikes! – awesome post. Thanks =)
August 23, 2009 at 7:29 am
wow, so nice and cool
thank you so much for sharing
i will try to make one for my husband 🙂
August 30, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Love the pattern, thanks. Have been looking for something like this to make my son, an avid biker and university student.
I’m a quilter and am going to try and make this one from batiks, my favourite fabrics.
I also create PDF files from web pages, and I “Print to PDF” from my web browser. And the site URL is included, for attribution and reference. Thanks again for the detailed instructions.
September 4, 2009 at 9:43 am
thank you so much for this one!!
October 6, 2009 at 3:34 pm
I’m wanting to make this, but I’m having some difficulty understanding step 4. After you have made the diagonal cuts, you say to turn the zipper facing face up and to press the seam flat. Do you mean here that the long seam between the diagonal cuts should be pressed flat?
Then when aligning the zipper in the indentation, is this aligned along that seam that was just pressed flat? I guess I’m confused as to where the pocket opening actually is, since it seems like it has been stitched shut…
Any help on ending my confusion would be much appreciated. Thanks for the awesome pattern, saved me from having to make my own here.
October 7, 2009 at 3:57 pm
The zipper is sewn to the flap portion of the bag. You must realize that there are only 3 sides to the opening; the zipper will make the fourth side. You will begin by sewing a facing piece centered on the top edge of the flap portion. Stitch as described creating a “u” shape (face to face) I_____I then you will cut diagonally to the corners I/_____\I , follow this step by turning the facing to the inside of the flap creating an indent along the top edge. Press down the edges flat.
You have 1 long side and 2 short sides. This is the zipper opening. Place the zipper face up behind this “opening” to create the 4th side to the rectangle. Topstitch around the indentation to attach the zipper. Once you have done that, you now have a complete top edge to attach the flap to the bag.
November 12, 2009 at 12:05 pm
sorry to get you back to this, but i still don’t understand how do i get the indention. i sewed the u shape and clipped the corners, but i still have the 2 pieces stitched to each other. where do i put the zipper? how do i turn the facing to the inside of the flap??
November 12, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Hi Michal Flip the small piece to the wrong side of the big piece. Press. Lay zipper face up behind the opening (U-shape) and topstitch. Follow my diagram.
Don
November 12, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Michal,
If you are still having problems with this and want to give me your email address, I can send you some pictures of how it works. I had to try it out with paper first to get it and I still have it laying around on my desk. Essentially you are flipping that small front piece back behind the larger piece, so that the wrong sides of each piece are touching each other.
December 10, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Hello, I have a question… I am trying to make a messenger bag out of hemp and it is shedding all over me. Is there any possible way to make hemp not shed? If not I may not be able to use that material which is a bummer.
December 11, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Hi Tiernae: Hemp fabric is often a loose weave much like linen and it will fray easily. To prevent this, you can ifuse the wrong side of the fabric with Knit-fuse interfacing. It is a low-heat fusible interfacing that will bond the fibers and keep them stable without adding stiffness. Unfortunately, the Knit-fuse is a synthetic man-made fiber if you were trying to keep your project “naturally-organic”.
WD
December 26, 2009 at 2:47 pm
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January 1, 2010 at 10:27 am
[…] Messenger Bag Tutorial […]
January 3, 2010 at 5:49 am
Hi there,
i am also having difficulty understanding how to attach the zip. I have read the previous comments and they have been of no help. Thanks
January 27, 2010 at 5:58 am
Hi Don,
I am excited to have found this pattern, I want to make a diaper bag that i can wear. So far it has been going ok – for a novice like myself. However, i have been caught with the zipper in step 4 and can not seem to figure it out (even with your “easy” instructions).
Once i sew the I____I (u-shape), there does not seem to be an indentation there, just a seam where a zipper can not go. I don’t know if you can make the instructions any easier or help clear up my confusion- but that would be a great help.
Thanks!
January 27, 2010 at 7:10 am
wow, i love this pattern. Thanks so much. I will to make one for my girl
March 31, 2010 at 1:40 am
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April 18, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Really nice, and very clear. But wouldn’t it be easier to just cut out a large rectangle for the body and square the corners?
April 18, 2010 at 5:13 pm
sure thing…make it your own.
April 23, 2010 at 2:22 am
Gracias por el paso a paso y las instrucciones
Idalia Reyes
May 4, 2010 at 12:48 am
[…] Push The Envelope Messenger Bag by Weekend Designer Hint: Add a few pockets, patches and pins and you have a military style bag. […]
May 30, 2010 at 1:36 am
this was the most fun i’ve ever had on a saturday afternoon!
spent the whole day just working on my bag from start to finish…. and even though i made a couple mistakes, they’re not visible.
I’m a fairly un experienced sewer, so this step by step guide was still a bit difficult for me…. but it turned out great any way
as a note for other people: making a design on the front of the messenger bag is a great way to cover your mistakes… believe me, I’d know
July 5, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Hi. My question is about the fusible interfacing. I had seen a comment above about the hemp shedding and how to fix it with Knit-fuse interfacing. Is this the kind of fusible interfacing listed in the list of supplies? I want to make my bag from denim, so I want to know if the fusible interfacing is required or optional.
July 29, 2010 at 6:57 am
hi there! This bag looks awesome and I chose to make it for technology at school. I was wondering if I could make it without the zipper on the front because I need to paint over it. Could you please tell me how to do this because I have never really made anything like this before. Thank you so much! 🙂
July 29, 2010 at 9:25 pm
You certainly can do that, Leila…. just glue the 2 pattern pieces together and cut it as one in your fashion fabric.
WD
August 8, 2010 at 6:15 pm
This is really great. I would love to see some more pictures of the bag
August 20, 2010 at 4:26 pm
[…] Stephen a messenger bag using this tutorial as a […]
October 10, 2010 at 1:56 am
Thanks for the tutorial. I made one today for a friend to use as a diaper bag. She is going to love it. It turned out so cute that I am going to make myself one out for cord for my fall purse.
October 15, 2010 at 9:10 pm
I cannot believe this cape pattern and skirt. I have the identical cape, design, color, length and all, which I purchased during the early 1970s at a major department store in Cleveland, Ohio where I lived at the time. The cape had a matching skirt which I chose not to buy, but the cape has served me well over the years and is still wearable and beautiful. I will be pulling it out to wear this season again.
I also have a cape made of the same fabric as beige trenchcoats which I also bought during the same period of time, It is outstanding because it has a gorgeous drape of macrame which extends from shoulder to shoulder with tassels that fall gracefully to the hem. This was handmade and sold in a store on Coventry Road (Cleveland’s version of Greenwich Village) near a store named “The Generation Gap”. I understand that was the original name for what we now call “The Gap.”
This is my first time reading your webpage but I am truly enjoying it. Sorry that you are ending it.
October 30, 2010 at 4:41 am
Hello-
This is my first time ever working with fabric or a sewing machine, and so far I am doing a pretty good job with this bag. The directions are easy enough to follow, and I am enjoying making it.
I am having some problems with step three, and I am hoping someone can help me out! 3. Prepare bag lining. On the patch pocket, turn under the top edge ¼” [6mm] and press. Turn top edge once more: ¾” [20mm] and stitch down. Turn and press seam allowance on remaining three sides. The following steps I am having trouble understanding:
“With RST, center-align and match flap facing to top of body lining piece.
With RST, align and match remaining bag lining piece to this lining section. Stitch side seams and press open.
Stitch 2” [50mm] on each end of the bottom seam; then align the side seam to the bottom seam and sew across the seams to create a miter. Set aside.”
Could someone help me out? my email is adeobreaux@gmail.com
Thanks!
November 7, 2010 at 2:52 am
Great thanks a lot. This is just what I was looking for. How do you miter the corners, though?
November 18, 2010 at 3:24 am
I’m having trouble with step 3 as well. Can someone help me understand how to assemble this part?
December 1, 2010 at 4:14 am
[…] Featured: Messenger Bag by Ecolution Originally created for hard-working couriers, the classic Messenger Bag has been in circulation for several decades. Known for its long-lasting rugged durability and distinctive “envelope” styling, the classic Messenger has been adopted around the world as the everyday all-purpose carryall. Make a simplified version for yourself in hemp, similar to the featured tote from eco-friendly, Ecolution. You will need: … Read More […]
December 19, 2010 at 5:31 pm
[…] wkdesigner kan man hitta mönster och ”tutorial” till den här fina […]
July 14, 2011 at 4:22 am
[…] PUSH THE ENVELOPE « Weekend designer. This entry was posted in Sewing and tagged bag, instructions, pattern, purse, sewing. Bookmark the permalink. […]
September 6, 2011 at 1:56 am
[…] satisfaite du résultat, mais je suis quand même plutôt fière de moi. J’ai pris ce patron là que j’ai modifié quelque peu. Le sac est fait de 2 jupes et d’un […]
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[…] Tweet Messenger Bag […]
March 7, 2012 at 10:49 am
[…] With RST, sew one pocket bag piece to the bottom edge of the zipper facing. Flip the lining downward and topstitch along the seam. With the flap piece FACE UP, align and center the zipper FACE UP in the indentation. Edge-stitch around pocket opening to secure the zipper. PUSH THE ENVELOPE […]
July 23, 2012 at 9:09 pm
[…] To make the bag I used the tutorial given by Don Morin at http://wkdesinger.wordpress.com, his post is ‘Push the Envelope’. […]
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[…] Messenger Bag by Weekend Designer […]
May 7, 2013 at 8:29 pm
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June 18, 2013 at 10:07 pm
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July 19, 2013 at 10:07 am
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January 29, 2014 at 6:33 pm
[…] Get the free messenger bag pattern here […]
March 6, 2014 at 2:02 am
[…] First, here’s a pattern for a simple messenger bag or something a bit more complex for the advanced seamstress. […]
June 15, 2014 at 8:22 pm
[…] is a DIY project – The classic Messenger Bag : ( click on the hyperlink for a step-by-step guild to make this superior bag […]
June 24, 2014 at 5:02 am
Tas Messenger Kulit
PUSH THE ENVELOPE | Weekend designer