How to DIY a Super Cute White Shoulder Bag

Tools and materials:

• Thrifted heavy fabric
• Lining fabric
• Quilted batting
• Belt clasp
• Sewing pins
• Thread and yarn
• Sewing machine
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Seam ripper
• Scissors

1. Cut your fabric

Following the diagram above, cut all the pieces for your shoulder bag from your thrifted heavy fabric.

Cut the same pieces, except for the strap, from your lining fabric.

2. Attach batting

Glue batting to the left side of your front and back pieces, and trim the batting to fit.

3. Quilt your bag

On the front, draw a diagonal line from the top left to the bottom right corner of your fabric.

Then, draw additional diagonal lines at 6-centimeter (2.4-inch) intervals.

Repeat making the same diagonal lines from the top right to bottom left corners.

Using either thread or yarn, zigzag stitch with a number 3 stitch length along all of your lines.

Repeat for the bag back and the bag flap.

Do the same quilting on the bag bottom, but make vertical lines down the length of the fabric instead of diagonal lines.

4. Round the corners of your bag

Use a plate as a template to cut rounded corners at the bottom of your front, back pieces, and flap pieces.

5. Sew your bag

With right sides together, pin the bag bottom around three sides of your bag front. Start at one top corner, pinning down the side, across the bottom and up the other side of your bag.

This is how it will look when the bottom piece is pinned in place.

Now, pin the bag back to the open edge of the bottom piece in the same way.

Now you have a bag with a flat bottom and sides.

Sew all three sides of the front and back pieces.

Trim excess seam allowance and cut small snips in the corners of the seam allowance to allow for some “give” in your bag.

Turn your bag right-side out and topstitch all the seams.

6. Sew the bag flap

With right sides together, sew the lining to the main fabric along the sides and bottom of the flap.

Trim the seam allowance and snip the corners.

Turn the bag flap right-side out and press to flatten.

Topstitch the three sewn sides.

7. Attach the bag flap

With right sides together, pin and sew the top edge of the flap to the top edge of the bag back.

Topstitch along the flap edge that meets the bag.

8. Add a bag clasp

Follow the video from 5:19 to 7:00 to attach a bag clasp.

9. Make the strap

Fold both long edges of the strap into the center and then fold the strap in half. 

Pin and sew along the open edge of the belt, leaving 5 centimeters (1.97 inches) open at both ends.

Measure and mark 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) in from each side of the flap near where it attaches to the bag.

At those marks, mark in 4-centimeter (1.6-inch) slits for the strap.

Use your sewing machine button-hole foot to mark the slits, and then cut them open with a seam ripper.

Insert the belt through the holes as shown in the video from 8:10 to 8:45.

Pin and sew the ends of the straps together and trim the seam allowance.

Fold, pin and sew the opening of the strap.

10. Attach the lining

Following the instructions for sewing the bag to sew the bag lining. When you are sewing the lining together, leave a 5-centimeter (1.97-inch) gap at the bottom.

With right sides together, insert the bag into the lining, then pin and sew along the top edge.

Turn the bag right-side out through the gap in the lining, and sew the gap closed.

Topstitch the bag to the lining along the top edge.

DIY white shoulder bag

Here’s the bag all completed!

Because of the clever way the strap is attached, you can adjust this DIY bag to be a shoulder bag in various strap lengths.

Or, you can double up the strap to make handles on your bag. 

This shoulder bag is so versatile and comfortable to carry around, you are going to love it. 

I hope you try making your own DIY shoulder bag, and leave a comment to let me know how it worked for you.

You may also want to check out my post on How to Sew a Baguette Bag With a Ruched Strap Out of a Fluffy Towel.