Hobo Bag Sewing Pattern
This simple design for our hobo bag sewing pattern is a fun sewing project to make, with an easy to follow step-by-step tutorial to help you make this cute bag. The DIY hobo bag is a great handmade purse or bag option that is useful for many different purposes. You can’t go wrong with this cute bag!
Classic Hobo Bag
Making a stylish bag with this free sewing tutorial is easy. Included you will find a free pattern, with step-by-step instructions to make this cute hobo bag. This bag pattern is easily made so that there are no raw edges to worry about, making it an ideal sewing pattern.
What Is a Hobo Bag?
Good question! This is a simple style of sewn bag, it is usually made with two prints of fabric, for a lining and outer layer, and is made with the bag and a single large strap. There is one main compartment to the bag, but in this pattern, I am also going to show you how to add a couple of pockets if you want.
I love this cute hobo bag sewing pattern, and I hope you will love it too! This bag is a great one to make for yourself, if you want an easy bag to make which is slightly different than a traditional tote bag. Or you can make this versatile bag and give it away as the perfect gift!
Are you ready to get started?! I hope so because I am so excited to share this sewing tutorial with you!
Hobo Bag Pattern
Supplies to make a Hobo Bag
- fun print cotton – cut to 17″ by 25″
- lining fabric (also cotton if desired) – cut to 17: by 25″
- fusible interfacing (only if adding buttons or snaps)
- magnetic button or snaps if desired (I used a plain black button with black thread)
Other Supplies:
-A sewing machine
-A cutting board
-A rotary cutter
-Scissors
-A needle and thread (preferrable a color to match your fabric)
Seam Allowance: Most sewing patterns suggest that you allow ¼ inch for a seam allowance, but I like to add a little bit more, and make my seams ½ inch, just to be safe. Feel free to adjust if you prefer.
Step 1: Preparation
Before you begin making your bag, I would highly recommend that you first wash and dry your fabric. This will help prevent the bag from shrinking later on. After the fabric has been washed and dried, you will then want to iron the fabric so that it lays nice and flat on your cutting surface.
Step 2: Cut out the Pieces for your Bag
Next, you will cut out the bag pieces. You will want to cut out the pattern pieces in two types of fabric, the outside fabric, and the lining fabric. Start by cutting out two rectangles of each of the outer layer and lining pieces that are 17″ by 25″.
Making the Fabric Shapes
After the rectangles are cut out, cut out the fabric for your pocket piece, as well as cutting away the fabric to make a handle. To do this, take both pieces of matching fabric rectangles and lay them out flat on your table.
Fold them in half so that the right sides face together. Use clips or pins around the edge to hold the fabric in place. With your fabric fold on the right, and raw edges on the left, make the following marks to shape the fabric.
Now I used a white crayon to make markings at the following places:
2 inches from the top, and 2 inches in from the left side.
3 inches in, and 6 inches down, measured from the left side.
4 inches in, and 8 inches down, measured from the left side.
6 inches in and 10 inches down, measured from the left side.
Then draw a line to connect the dots. This will be your cut line. The piece you just created is your purse pieces for the lining and the outer fabric.
Then in the bottom left hand corner, make a square that is 2 inches by 2 inches. This is for the corner, to make a flat bottom for the purse. Cut out the corner pieces.
You are now left with two sections of your shaped purse for both the lining and the outer layer.
To shape the pockets, and button loop, use the fabric you removed. Cut the following pieces out of the matching fabric:
4 pieces that are 9 inches by 6 inches. These will be the pockets. You can mix and match this fabric as you prefer.
The button loop, cut a 7 1/2 inch strip by 2 inch strip.
Now it’s time to grab some pins or clips and head to your sewing machine.
Step 3: Make the Pockets
To make the pockets, you will start by taking two pieces of your cut pockets and sew them together, so that the right sides of the fabric are facing in.
Sew all of the way around the edges, but leave a small opening to turn the pocket right side out.
Now carefully turn the pocket right side out, and finish sewing the whole closed, by hand.
Iron the pocket flat.
Pin the pocket in place in your desired location on the body of the bag, and sew around the edges starting at the side, working along the bottom, and finishing with the other side, leaving the top open, using a matching color of thread.
Repeat these steps with a pocket to place on the lining.
Add any button or snaps in the correct location at this point if desired. Then sew the button loop and turn it right side out. Iron the stip of fabric so that it lays flat.
Step 4: Make the Hobo Bag Exterior
With the exterior pieces, line them up so that they have the right sides together, with the wrong sides facing out.
For the exterior, stitch around the outer edges of the bag, skipping both corners for now.
With your iron, press the seams so that they are open.
Fold the bag, so that the corners are flat, and sew a seam at both corners.
Turn the exterior layer right side out.
Step 5: Make the Bag Lining
With the lining pieces, line them up so that they have the right sides together, with the wrong sides facing out.
Sew around the edges of the lining, also skipping the corners for now. Don’t worry, we will come back to those. Also, leave a space at the bottom of the bag, approximately 3 inches long, without stitches.
With your iron, press the seams so that they are open.
Fold the bag, so that the corners are flat, and sew a seam at both corners.
Step 6: Assemble the Bag
With the outer bag layer turned right side out, and the lining still wrong side out, place the exterior inside of the lining layer so that the exterior faces the right side of the lining. Line it up, so that the edges match up. Pin or clip the edges in place, and also add your button loop so that the loop is inside and the raw edges are in your seam.
Sew around the outside edge of the two bag layers, when you get to the ends of the straps, skip them and leave them unsewn for now. Continue sewing around the rest of the bag.
To turn the bag right side out, you will reach through the bottom of the bag, through the space we left in the lining layer to turn everything right side out.
Use an iron and press that seam, then finish sewing the bottom of the bag closed along the center seam, in the lining of the bag.
Iron around the top side of the bag, so that it sits nicely together.
Taking the strap openings that you left, place them so that the right sides are together. Sew along the straight edge, to sew the ends together.
Iron the seam for the straps open.
Then close the strap, iron the seem as it should sit, then pin the strap closed.
To finish the bag, sew a top stitch around the entire strap and top of the bag, on both sides. Not only with this give your bag a lovely, finished look, but it will also give it a professional look as well. Once the top stitch is complete, you will want to add a button on the outside for your botton loop to hook onto.
Now your hobo bag is finished and ready for you to enjoy!
Pattern Copyright
Please note that this pattern is intended for personal use only, and is not for commercial distribution. By copyright, unless otherwise noted, you are not authorized to copy or claim my content as your own. You are, however, more than welcome to sell your finished products made with my patterns. I always appreciate it when you link to my patterns so that others can find them too!
What type of fabric should I use for this pattern?
For this bag pattern, you can choose to use two kinds of cotton fabric or a heavier fabric such as linen fabric. However, make sure that your fabric is not too thick for your sewing machine to handle.
Easy-Sew Hobo Bag
Making this hobo bag sewing pattern is a lot of fun, and you get to enjoy the beautiful bag or give it away as a lovely gift. The slouchy bag is such a fun sewing project, and you don’t have to have a ton of sewing knowledge to enjoy making this gorgeous bag.
This type of bag is very versatile because it can be used as a purse or fun tote bag. This pattern is also an excellent reversible hobo bag if you skip the buttons. Your unique bag is so pretty and a lot of fun to make. Give this sewing pattern a try today to make your own hobo bag!
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Hobo Bag Sewing Pattern
Materials
- fun print cotton – cut to 17″ by 25″
- lining fabric (also cotton if desired) – cut to 17: by 25″
- fusible interfacing (only if adding buttons or snaps)
- magnetic button or snaps if desired (I used a plain black button with black thread)
- Other Supplies:
- -A sewing machine
- -A cutting board
- -A rotary cutter
- -Scissors
- -A needle and thread (preferrable a color to match your fabric)
Instructions
- Step 1: Preparation
Before you begin making your bag, I would highly recommend that you first wash and dry your fabric. This will help prevent the bag from shrinking later on. After the fabric has been washed and dried, you will then want to iron the fabric so that it lays nice and flat on your cutting surface. - Step 2: Cut out the Pieces for your Bag
Next, you will cut out the bag pieces. You will want to cut out the pattern pieces in two types of fabric, the outside fabric, and the lining fabric. Start by cutting out two rectangles of each of the outer layer and lining pieces that are 17″ by 25″. - Making the Fabric Shapes
After the rectangles are cut out, cut out the fabric for your pocket piece, as well as cutting away the fabric to make a handle. To do this, take both pieces of matching fabric rectangles and lay them out flat on your table. - Fold them in half so that the right sides face together. Use clips or pins around the edge to hold the fabric in place. With your fabric fold on the right, and raw edges on the left, make the following marks to shape the fabric.
Now I used a white crayon to make markings at the following places: - 2 inches from the top, and 2 inches in from the left side.
- 3 inches in, and 6 inches down, measured from the left side.
- 4 inches in, and 8 inches down, measured from the left side.
- 6 inches in and 10 inches down, measured from the left side.
- Then draw a line to connect the dots. This will be your cut line. The piece you just created is your purse pieces for the lining and the outer fabric.
- Then in the bottom left hand corner, make a square that is 2 inches by 2 inches. This is for the corner, to make a flat bottom for the purse. Cut out the corner pieces.
- You are now left with two sections of your shaped purse for both the lining and the outer layer.
- To shape the pockets, and button loop, use the fabric you removed. Cut the following pieces out of the matching fabric:
- 4 pieces that are 9 inches by 6 inches. These will be the pockets. You can mix and match this fabric as you prefer.
- The button loop, cut a 7 1/2 inch strip by 2 inch strip.
- Now it’s time to grab some pins or clips and head to your sewing machine.
- Step 3: Make the Pockets
To make the pockets, you will start by taking two pieces of your cut pockets and sew them together, so that the right sides of the fabric are facing in. - Sew all of the way around the edges, but leave a small opening to turn the pocket right side out.
- Now carefully turn the pocket right side out, and finish sewing the whole closed, by hand.
- Iron the pocket flat.
- Pin the pocket in place in your desired location on the body of the bag, and sew around the edges starting at the side, working along the bottom, and finishing with the other side, leaving the top open, using a matching color of thread.
- Repeat these steps with a pocket to place on the lining.
- Add any button or snaps in the correct location at this point if desired. Then sew the button loop and turn it right side out. Iron the stip of fabric so that it lays flat.
- Step 4: Make the Hobo Bag Exterior
With the exterior pieces, line them up so that they have the right sides together, with the wrong sides facing out.
For the exterior, stitch around the outer edges of the bag, skipping both corners for now. - With your iron, press the seams so that they are open.
Fold the bag, so that the corners are flat, and sew a seam at both corners. - Turn the exterior layer right side out.
- Step 5: Make the Bag Lining
With the lining pieces, line them up so that they have the right sides together, with the wrong sides facing out.
Sew around the edges of the lining, also skipping the corners for now. Don’t worry, we will come back to those. - Also, leave a space at the bottom of the bag, approximately 3 inches long, without stitches.
With your iron, press the seams so that they are open. - Fold the bag, so that the corners are flat, and sew a seam at both corners.
- Step 6: Assemble the Bag
With the outer bag layer turned right side out, and the lining still wrong side out, place the exterior inside of the lining layer so that the exterior faces the right side of the lining. Line it up, so that the edges match up. Pin or clip the edges in place, and also add your button loop so that the loop is inside and the raw edges are in your seam. - Sew around the outside edge of the two bag layers, when you get to the ends of the straps, skip them and leave them unsewn for now. Continue sewing around the rest of the bag.
- To turn the bag right side out, you will reach through the bottom of the bag, through the space we left in the lining layer to turn everything right side out.
- Use an iron and press that seam, then finish sewing the bottom of the bag closed along the center seam, in the lining of the bag.
- Iron around the top side of the bag, so that it sits nicely together.
- Taking the strap openings that you left, place them so that the right sides are together. Sew along the straight edge, to sew the ends together.
- Iron the seam for the straps open.
- Then close the strap, iron the seem as it should sit, then pin the strap closed.
- To finish the bag, sew a top stitch around the entire strap and top of the bag, on both sides. Not only with this give your bag a lovely, finished look, but it will also give it a professional look as well. Once the top stitch is complete, you will want to add a button on the outside for your botton loop to hook onto.
- Now your hobo bag is finished and ready for you to enjoy!
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