How to Sew a Storage Bag for Fabric Drink Coasters

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Fabric drink coasters are simple to make and a fantastic gift for almost anyone for any occasion. Using a themed fabric makes these handmade items an extra special gift.

For my sister’s birthday, I made her a set of fabric drink coasters.

When she isn’t using them, she keeps the fabric drink coasters stacked on an end table by her couch.

The Situation: My sister received a set of 8 coasters for her birthday. When I was at her house, I noticed there were only 7 of them in the stack. She had no idea where the other one was.

The Problem: What could I make that would keep the fabric drink coasters together when they weren’t being used?

The Solution: A small fabric bag made specifically to store the fabric drink coasters. It’s lined on the inside and has topstitching around the top. It’s the perfect storage solution and can double as a gift bag, too!

How to Sew a Storage Bag for Fabric Drink Coasters

After following the directions in this lesson, you’ll have a lined storage bag for up to 8 fabric drink coasters. The dimensions of the storage bag are approximately 4 1/4″ x 4 1/4″ x 1 1/2″.

Tip: Read all of the steps before you begin.

Gather Supplies and Prepare Fabric

Supplies for storage bag for fabric drink coasters.

Prewash the fabric. Press out large wrinkles and creases.

Cut a 6 1/2″ x 12″ rectangle from each piece of fabric using the rotary cutting tools.

Construction

Tip: Read all of the steps before you begin.

The Outer Bag

  1. Take the outer fabric and fold it in half so the right side is together and the short ends are lined up. Secure the short ends with a pin.
Fold and pin short ends together.

2. Use a 5/8″ seam allowance and sew along the pinned edge with a straight stitch.

Sew short ends together.

3. The outer fabric is now in the form of a tube. Lay the outer fabric down so the seam is on the top and in the middle of the tube.

Lay fabric tube so seam is in the middle.

4. Press the seam open and the tube flat. Creases will form on both sides of the tube.

Press the seam open and the tube flat
Sides and seams should be flat
After pressing, the seam should be flat and the sides should be creased.

5. Pick a side to be the bottom of the bag. Sew across the bottom with a 5/8″ seam allowance.

Sew across the bottom of the outer bag.

6. Press the seam open and the corner points down.

Press the bottom seam open.
Press the bottom seam open.
Press the corner points down.
Press the corner points down.

7. Spread the bottom of the bag out. At one bottom corner, bring the side fold even with the bottom seam.

Spread bottom of the bag out.
Spread the bottom of the bag out.
Fold line is lined up with bottom seam.
The fold line (side crease) is lined up with the bottom seam that can be seen in the first photo for Step 7.

8. Draw a line perpendicular to the seam line, 1/2″ from the corner point.

Draw a line half an inch from the corner

9. Stitch across the line with a straight stitch.

Stitch across the drawn line.

10. Repeat steps 7 – 9 on the other corner.

11. Trim the corners off leaving about 1/4″ seam allowance.

Trim the corners off.

12. Turn the bag right side out and push out corners carefully with the pointed end of scissors.

Turn outer bag right side out and carefully push out corners.

13. Slide the coasters in and see how nicely they fit. Now on to the lining!

The Lining

Note: The lining construction is almost identical to the outer bag construction. The main difference is in Step 7 and Step 11.

  1. Take the lining fabric and fold it in half so the right side is together and the short ends are lined up. Secure the short ends with a pin.

2. Use a 5/8″ seam allowance and sew along the pinned edge with a straight stitch.

Sew short ends of lining together.

3. The lining fabric is now in the form of a tube. Lay the lining fabric down so the seam is on the top and in the middle of the tube.

4. Press the seam open and the tube flat. Creases will form on both sides of the tube.

Press the seam and the sides flat.

5. Pick a side to be the bottom of the lining. Sew across the bottom with a 5/8″ seam allowance.

Sew a seam across the bottom of the lining.

6. Press the seam open and the points down.

Press the seam open and the corner points down.

7.  Spread the bottom of the lining out. At one bottom corner, bring the side crease even with the bottom seam. Draw a line perpendicular to the seam line, 5/8″ from the corner point.

Draw a line 5/8" from the corner point.

8. Stitch across the line with a straight stitch.

Stitch across the line.

9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 on the other corner.

10. Trim the corners off leaving about 1/4″ seam allowance.

Trim the corners off the lining.

11. Leave the lining wrong side out.

Leave the lining wrong side out.

12. Slide the coasters in and see how nicely they fit. Now you’re ready to connect the outer bag and the lining!

Connect the Outer Bag and Lining

  1. Slide the lining into the outer bag. Wrong sides should be together.

2. Use two fingers in each corner to push the lining and outer bag together at the bottom.

Wrong sides are together when you slide the lining in the outer bag.

The top of both should be lined up. If they aren’t you will need to make adjustments in how much fabric to turn on the outer bag and lining in Steps 4 and 5. You want the top of them to be lined up exactly.

3. Pull the lining and the outer bag apart.

4. Use the sewing gauge to turn 1″ of the upper edge of the outer bag inside to the wrong side of the fabric. Press.

Turn the edge of the outer bag to the inside.
Press the turned edge

5. Use the sewing gauge to turn 1″ of the upper edge of the lining out to the wrong side of the fabric. Press.

Turn the top edge of the lining out to the wrong side of the fabric.
Press the top edge of the lining down.

6. With the seams on opposite sides of each other, put the lining back inside of the outer bag. Use your fingers to push the corners together and line up the upper edges. Pin in place.

7. Use the free arm of your machine and topstitch the lining and outer bag together close to the edge.

Sew the outer bag and lining together close to the top edge of the bag.

Consider this: Use a contrasting color for the topstitch to add a special detail to the storage bag.

That’s It. You’re Done!

Slide the fabric coasters in the storage bag and you are finished!

The finished storage bag for fabric drink coasters.

A coordinating storage bag (that can also serve as a gift bag) is a great way to help keep track of the coasters when they aren’t being used.

Let’s Connect

One of my main goals is to support and empower you in the joy of sewing.

I’d love to see what you’re sewing!

Send photos of what you’re sewing as well as any sewing questions to nicki@theruffledpurse.com.

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