Lunch Bag Tutorial

 I really like this bag pattern because this bag, measuring approximately 9"(width) x 7 1/2"(hight w/o handles) x 5 1/2" (depth), can be used not only for bento boxes of any kind but also for carrying little crafty projects like yarn + needles. 

It has a cover inside that can give nice privacy for whatever in there and the cover can also prevent it from getting dusty in a windy day. It is much sturdier and larger than the fabric basket, so if you found that your fabric basket was too small or too floppy as a gift bag, this might be a good alternative..?!

We'll need these pieces of fabric,

I think the best type of fabric to be used for the outer bag, rim and outer handles are duck fabric, but if you'd rather use pretty quilting-weight cotton fabric like I do, remember to also get 1/2 yard of sturdy fusible interfacing like Pellon 809 Decor Bond. I used vinyl-coated fabric for the lining just so that when some food spills in the bag from the bento box, I can still smile ;)
 Oh and you'll need 1 1/2 yard of craft cord too.

As usual, all the measurement includes 1/4" seam allowances unless otherwise noted. 
First, let's sew the two pieces for the outer bags together by sewing the bottom edges. I used two different fabrics for the outer bag just to make it interesting. Well, in other words, I simply didn't have enough of the Anna Griffin kitchen fabric left over to get two pieces. Improvising works!

Then press seam open.

Since I am using cotton fabric for the outer bag, I need to make it sturdier, so I am using this interfacing measuring 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" here.

I am fusing it onto the wrong side of the outer bag piece.

Then I fold it in half with right sides together and sew these two short edges.

Boxing corners. We want to draw a line where it's 5" from one side to the other.

Then cut off the corner. Just like you did for the fabric basket, do this for the other corner too.

And repeat the same process for the lining. For the lining we don't need interfacing though.

Remember how you had to leave an opening when you sewed the lining for the fabric basket? This time we can omit the step!
Isn't that nice?

Now let's move onto the handles. 

the fact you need interfacing here, if you are using cotton fabric for the outer handles. Each piece of interfacing measures 12" x 1 3/4".

Now we need to fuse each interfacing onto the middle of the wrong side of the handle.

Fold and press the long edges toward the middle, fold in half, and top-stitch the long edges. Repeat this for the other handle too,

so you'll have two handles.

Let's now make the rim that you'll attach the handles onto. Since I am using cotton fabric, once again I need interfacing - this time each piece measures 12" x 2 1/4".

We'll fuse the interfacing onto two pieces of the rim like this.

Take one of them and mark at where it's 4" from one side on the top edge. Do this from the other side too.

Making sure that you place one side of a handle at the mark (the mark will be in the middle underneath the handle), sew very close to the edge. Repeat the same process for the other side of handle.

Then we'll sew the top edges of these pieces together with right sides together.

Repeating the same process for the rest of the rim pieces will

create the other side of the rim!

Press seam open.

And now we'll sew these two together like that.

And then sew the other short edges together to create this loopy thing.

Top stitch the top edge.

And sewing very close to the bottom edge will save you some time later on.

Aha! Now we have the rim + handles complete!

Lastly, let's make the cover. Sew the short edges of the two pieces with right sides together. Remember to leave 2" unsewn at the top like this.

Press seams open as if the top part were also sewn.

Now we'll sew onto the seams all the way from the top to the bottom.

Then we will fold and press where it's 1/4" from the top edge.

Fold and press it again - this time it's 3/4" from the top edge.

Now sew very close to the folded line so that you have a casing for the cord.

Coming back to the main bag, let's place the lining inside the outer bag with wrong sides together.

Sew very close to the top edge. It looks pretty nice; in fact, we could just turn it into a big fabric basket by sewing a bing tape at the top edge, huh?

But let me continue with the lunch bag because that's what I started off with. Now sew the rim to the main bag like this, sewing very close to the edge again.

Now we'll sew the cover onto the main bag. You can't see this in this image, but there is a bag inside the cover. We are sewing the top edges of the cover and the bag together. This time though, we sew where it's 1/4" from the edge.

Everything is connected at the top edge now.

It will look like this if you bring the cover inside the bag. Fun!

Top-stitch here between the rim and the bag.

Added Note: If you do your top stitching more than 1/4" below the seam, the raw edges will be completely encased under this top stitching. Therefore, you'll have no exposed raw edges below the cover inside.

We're almost there; we just need to Thread one cord through casing and knot ends together. Thread second cord from a different casing opening and do the same, just like you did for the patchwork drawstring bag!

Your lunch bag is complete!!