Ten makeup bag patterns, each one naming which of the four lining methods it uses before you cut. The step that loses people is never the zip. It is the moment the instructions say to attach the lining “as shown” and show a photograph of a finished bag.
Quick answer: There are only four ways to line a zipped bag. Bagged through the lining (leave a gap in the lining bottom, pull everything through it, sew the gap shut). Bagged through the zip (leave the zip open and pull through that instead). Self-lined (one piece folded, no separate lining at all). Hand-finished (the lining is slipstitched to the zip tape at the end). Pick the method first, and the cutting list follows from it.
Why “As Shown” Is Where People Stop
Reading 1,300 posts from sewing forums, 389 of them described what someone wanted to make in five words or fewer with no sewing term in the phrase at all: the look, the size, the occasion. People arrive at a bag pattern knowing what they want it to look like and nothing about how it is assembled. An instruction that says “attach the lining as shown” assumes the opposite.
Naming the method fixes it, because each of the four has a different consequence you can check as you go.
| Method | Where the turning gap is | How the zip tape ends look inside | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bagged through the lining | 5 in gap in the lining bottom seam | Fully enclosed | Easiest to get right |
| Bagged through the zip | The open zip itself | Fully enclosed | Easy, but the zip must be half open before the last seam |
| Self-lined | None, nothing to turn | Raw tape visible unless bound | Fastest |
| Hand-finished | None | Enclosed, with a visible hand stitch | Slowest, neatest on thick fabric |
Ten Bags, Method Named
1. Flat makeup bag, bagged through the lining
Two outer 10 x 7 in, two lining 10 x 7 in, one 10 in zip. Leave 5 in open in the lining bottom seam, pull the whole bag through it, slipstitch the gap. Finished about 9 x 6 in.
2. Flat makeup bag, bagged through the zip
Same cut list, same zip. Sew every seam closed, and turn the bag out through the half-open zip instead of a gap. Forget to open the zip before the last seam and there is no way in at all.
3. Boxed makeup bag, 3 in base
Two outer 11 x 8 in, two lining the same, one 12 in zip, 3 in boxed corners on both layers. Bagged through the lining. Finished about 10 x 5 x 3 in.
4. Large travel bag, 4 in base
Two outer 13 x 10 in, two lining, one 14 in zip, 4 in boxed corners. Bagged through the lining. Finished about 12 x 6 x 4 in, which holds a full wash bag’s worth.
5. Self-lined laminated bag
Two pieces of laminated cotton 10 x 7 in, one 10 in zip, no lining and no interfacing. The laminate does not fray, so the inside seams can be zigzagged and left. Fastest bag in the list, and every needle hole is permanent.
6. Small brush pouch, self-lined
One outer 8 x 12 in folded to 8 x 6 in, one 8 in zip, seams bound with bias tape inside. Finished about 7 x 5 in.
7. Hand-finished bag in canvas
Two outer canvas 11 x 8 in, two lining cotton 11 x 8 in, one 12 in zip. The outer is sewn to the zip by machine, the lining is pressed under and slipstitched to the zip tape by hand. On six layers of canvas this is easier than forcing it through a machine.
8. Flat-bottom stand-up bag
Two outer 10 x 9 in, two lining, one 10 in zip, 3 in boxed corners, with a base panel of two extra layers of interfacing cut 7 x 3 in fused inside. Bagged through the lining. It stands open on a counter.
9. Divided bag
Two outer 11 x 8 in, one lining piece cut 11 x 18 in and folded to make its own inner wall, one 12 in zip. Bagged through the zip, since the folded lining has no bottom seam to leave a gap in.
10. Zip-around flat case
Two outer 9 x 7 in, two lining, one 24 in zip taken round three sides. Hand-finished, because a zip running round a corner will not lie flat under a machine foot at the turn.
Interfacing, Which Is the Other Unnamed Variable
The same cut list gives three different bags depending on what is fused to the outer pieces.
- Nothing. A soft bag that folds flat. Right for something that lives inside a suitcase.
- Fusible woven interfacing. Holds a shape without bulk. The default for quilting cotton.
- Fusible fleece. A padded bag that stands. Adds enough thickness at the boxed corner to need a 90/14 needle.
Fuse before any seam is sewn, and fuse the outer only. Fusing the lining as well makes a bag that will not turn through its own gap.
Three Checks While You Sew
Both zip stops sit outside the side seams
Lay the zip on the cut piece before you sew. If a stop lands inside the seam allowance, the corner cannot turn and the pull will run off the tape.
The lining is a hair smaller than the outer
If the lining is cut identically and you want a crisper finish, take the lining side seams at 5/8 in instead of 1/2 in. The lining then pulls the outer taut instead of bagging inside it.
The gap is in the lining, never the outer
Whatever gets slipstitched shut ends up slightly visible. Put it where nobody looks.
Makeup Bag Sewing FAQ
How do I attach the lining to a zipped bag?
Four ways: through a gap in the lining bottom, through the open zip, not at all if the bag is self-lined, or by hand at the end. Choose before cutting, because a folded self-lining is cut as one piece rather than two.
What size should a makeup bag be?
10 x 7 in cut for a flat everyday bag, finishing about 9 x 6 in. 13 x 10 in cut with 4 in boxed corners for travel, finishing about 12 x 6 x 4 in.
What fabric is best for a makeup bag?
Quilting cotton with fusible fleece for a padded bag. Laminated cotton if you want something wipeable and are willing to give up the ability to un-sew a seam.
Do I need interfacing?
Only on the outer pieces, and only if you want the bag to hold its shape. Interfacing the lining too makes the bag too stiff to turn through its own gap.
Which lining method is easiest for a first bag?
Bagged through the lining. The gap is big, easy to reach and easy to close, and nothing depends on remembering to leave the zip open.
The same finished-measurement habit applies to baby patterns, where twelve projects list finished sizes in inches instead of age labels.
The zip lengths and the sew-past-the-pull trick are in zipper pouch patterns with the zip length named. Boxed corners are the same seam used in tote bag patterns.
