No More Stuck Zippers: 5 Best Makeup Bag Sewing Patterns

Open most makeup bags and you find the same thing: a stuck zipper, a lining stained with foundation and a lipstick lost somewhere at the bottom. A nice new one costs more than it should, while sewing one takes a fat quarter or two. It is also a manageable project for practicing zipper insertion. The best makeup bag sewing patterns give you the finished size, the zipper length and clear photos of the zipper steps.

For this list I kept to five patterns that cover the main shapes: a quilted zip pouch in four sizes, a square lined toiletry bag in three, a pleated zip bag and two drawstring bags with no zipper at all. The sections after the cards deal with zipper length and type, boxy versus flat bags, and linings.

Zippered, Boxy and Drawstring: My Makeup Bag Sewing Pattern Lineup

Graphics and printable art that only show a cosmetic bag are not here. Each of the five is an actual sewing pattern.

TL;DR: Five cosmetic bags: a quilted zip pouch listed in four nominal sizes from 9 to 15.75 inches, a lined square toiletry bag in three, a pleated zip bag that doubles as a pencil case, and two drawstring styles, one with a 10 inch folded diameter and one round with flaps.

• 4 Size Makeup Bag Sewing Pattern PDF, Quilted – Best for beginners
• DIY Square Zipped Lined Toiletry Bag (3 Sizes) – Best square toiletry bag
• Pleated Makeup Bag Sewing Pattern – Best for building skills
• Drawstring Cosmetic Bag – Best zipper-free bag
• Round Cosmetic Pouch Sewing Pattern PDF – Best round pouch

Quick Comparison

Zipper Length and Type

Zipper length follows the top edge of the bag. One common method uses a zipper an inch or two longer than the opening, so the pull sits out of the way while you sew, and trims the tails after the side seams; another sizes the zipper just under the finished top edge. Follow the length your pattern gives; when improvising, a 7 inch zipper suits a slim makeup bag or pencil case, and toiletry bags take 10 to 12 inches.

A nylon coil zipper forgives a first attempt. Near the ends the needle can pass through the coil if you go slowly and turn the handwheel by hand, and a few bar tacks across the coil make a new stop when the zipper is too long. A metal zipper looks sharper, but shortening it means pulling teeth with pliers and fitting a new stop, and the needle has to stay clear of the metal.

The order of work matters more than any single stitch. The zipper edge is built as a layered unit of outer fabric, zipper and lining, clipped and stitched with a zipper foot; a line of topstitching beside the coil then keeps the lining clear of the slider. Before the side seams are closed, park the slider in the middle of the bag, since a shut zipper leaves no way to turn the bag through.

Boxy or Flat: What the Corners Change

A flat pouch is two rectangles and a zipper, and it slips into a handbag. For a boxy makeup bag, each bottom corner is flattened into a point, side seam over bottom seam, and stitched across; the result stands on a shelf and holds bottles upright. The further from the tip you stitch, the deeper a boxy bag gets. Flat pouches for pencils, chargers and gift batches have their own list of zipper pouch sewing patterns.

Two picks here have no corners at all: the drawstring bag gathers closed on two laces and lists a folded diameter of 10 inches, and the round pouch opens out and gathers closed. For gift bags and storage bags that close the same way, see my drawstring bag sewing patterns.

Quilting gives a pouch its own soft structure. For a quilted makeup bag, tutorials quilt the outer onto batting cut a little larger, then trim back to the pattern size, because quilting draws the fabric in. With batting inside, fusible fleece is usually left out, or the corners get too thick to box neatly.

Linings and Interfacing That Can Take a Spill

Leaking foundation and loose powder are why a cosmetics lining matters more than a pencil case lining. Laminated cotton or coated ripstop wipes clean, and a dark cotton at least hides marks. Prewash cotton outers and linings, so the finished makeup bag does not shrink around its zipper.

Light quilting cotton needs fusible interfacing or fusible fleece, or the bag slumps, while medium-weight twill, canvas or denim often holds up without it. Fleece gives a softer, padded bag and woven interfacing a crisper one.

Serger, Fabric and Zipper-Free Questions

Do I need a serger for a makeup bag?

No. In a lined bag the raw edges end up enclosed inside the bag, between the outer and the lining. On boxed corners, a zigzag or a strip of binding over the seam allowance tidies the inside.

How much fabric does a cosmetic pouch take?

Very little. Free tutorials make a small pouch from a fat quarter (18 x 22 inches) or less for the outer, and the same again for the lining. The drawstring cosmetic bag here is larger: it lists a 26 x 30 inch piece of main fabric and a 20 x 20 inch lining.

Can I sew a simple makeup bag without a zipper?

Yes, two picks here close with drawstrings. The drawstring cosmetic bag uses two 35 inch laces with cord locks, and the round pouch adds flaps over its drawstring closure.

Keeping a Fabric Makeup Bag Clean

Cleaning is worth deciding before you pick a makeup bag sewing pattern for daily use. A cotton or quilted pouch can go through a gentle wash once it is empty, with the zipper closed. Laminated cotton is better wiped, or washed cool, and never ironed on the coated side.

More pouches and bags are under Bags and Pouches. For a bag that will meet liquid foundation every day, let the lining decide: choose a pattern with a lined interior and sew that lining in a fabric you can wipe.

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