How to Sew a Duffel Bag (Gym, Weekender and XL Pattern)

Q: What fabric is best for a duffel bag?

8 to 12 oz cotton canvas, duck or denim for the outer, and quilting cotton, ripstop or a lightweight canvas for the lining.

To sew a duffel bag, cut one body piece from the outer and one from the lining, sew an outside pocket onto the outer, then roll the body into a tube and sew a long two-way zipper along the top. Box the four corners to flatten the ends, bar-tack the webbing handles on, make the lining the same way with a turning gap, join them at the ends and turn the bag through. The Sewzy XL Duffel Bag comes in Gym, Weekender and XL sizes and takes about 2 hours at beginner level.

TL;DR

Sizes: Gym 17½ x 10 x 7 in (about 20 L), Weekender 25 x 12 x 7½ in (about 37 L), XL 28 x 14 x 8½ in (about 55 L).
Fabric: cotton canvas, duck or denim (8 to 12 oz) outside; quilting cotton, ripstop or light canvas lining.
Hardware: a two-way zipper and 1 inch cotton webbing for the handles. Add 1½ inch webbing, D-rings and swivel clips for a shoulder strap.
Time: about 2 hours, beginner. Box corners through four layers are the bulkiest part.
Stitch: lengthen to 3 to 3.5 mm for the thick seams.

The xl duffel bag this Sewzy pattern makes, view 2 — The XL Duffel Bag from the Sewzy pattern. Photos are renders of the finished item, made from the pattern's shapes.

The xl duffel bag this Sewzy pattern makes, view 3 — The XL Duffel Bag from the Sewzy pattern. Photos are renders of the finished item, made from the pattern's shapes.

Duffel bag sizes and fabric

Size	Finished	Holds about	Outer	Lining	Pocket
Gym	17½ x 10 x 7 in	20 L	⅝ yd	⅝ yd	¼ yd
Weekender	25 x 12 x 7½ in	37 L	⅞ yd	⅞ yd	¼ yd
XL	28 x 14 x 8½ in	55 L	1 yd	1 yd	⅜ yd

The Gym size suits a workout kit or a kid's sleepover bag, the Weekender holds clothes for two or three nights, and the XL is for longer trips or bulky winter clothes. The zipper, handle and strap lengths for each size are in the pattern. The ⅜ inch seam allowance is included; the fold at the bag bottom has none.

What fabric is best for a duffel bag?

A duffel bag carries weight, so the outer needs to be firm: 8 to 12 oz cotton canvas, duck or denim. Line it with quilting cotton, ripstop or a lightweight canvas. Ripstop makes a light, wipeable lining. The outside pocket can match the outer or be a contrast print. Prewash cotton fabrics if you plan to wash the bag.

What you need

Outer, lining and pocket fabric, as in the table.
One two-way separating zipper, cut to size.
1 inch cotton webbing for the handles.
Optional detachable strap: 1½ inch webbing, 2 D-rings and 2 swivel clips.
A heavy needle, such as 90/14 or 100/16, and topstitching thread if you like.

How to sew a duffel bag, step by step

These are the nine steps of the pattern in short. If you have not printed a PDF pattern before, read how to print PDF sewing patterns first.

Cut. Fold the outer fabric and cut 1 body on the fold, and 1 more from the lining. Cut the outside pocket from the outer and the lining. Cut out the box corner notches, and cut the handles, webbing and zipper to length.
Mark. Mark the box corner notches, the zipper edge, the pocket top line, the handle notches and the D-ring tab points.
Sew the outside pocket. Press its edges under, center it on the pocket line and edgestitch the sides and bottom.
Prepare the tabs and handles. Loop a short webbing tab through each D-ring and baste it at the tab marks. Wrap each handle strip around 1 inch webbing and edgestitch both long edges.
Insert the zipper. Bring the two long edges of the outer body to the middle to make a tube, lay the closed zipper face down over them and stitch one tape to each edge. The zipper runs the full length of the bag.
Box the four corners. Open the zipper. At each end, pull a corner notch open so its edges meet, match the zipper seam to the end seam and stitch straight across. The ends flatten into squares.
Attach the handles. Turn the outer right side out, pin the handle ends either side of the zipper at the handle notches and bar-tack a box with an X through both layers.
Sew and insert the lining. Make the lining the same way, but baste the long seam closed instead of a zipper and leave a 6 inch turning gap. Slip the outer inside the lining, right sides together, stitch the two end seams, turn the bag through the gap and close it.
Finish. Push the lining in, zipper the bag closed and clip on the shoulder strap if you made one.

Tips for thick seams

Lengthen the stitch to 3 to 3.5 mm for the box corners, which go through four layers.
Baste tabs and handle ends well clear of the seam line before the zipper or box seams cross them.
Trim the box corner seam allowance to ⅛ inch after stitching and press it open before turning.
Go slowly over bulk, turning the handwheel by hand if needed. If stitches skip, see how to fix skipped stitches, and for needle sizes, the needle and thread guide.
Zippers: if this is your first, how to insert a zipper covers the basics.

Make it yours

A contrast pocket, plain webbing handles instead of fabric-wrapped ones, or a monogram on the pocket all make it personal; embroider the pocket before you sew it on, using how to embroider letters and names. A Weekender is a generous gift for someone who travels over the holidays. For smaller bags, see how to sew a tote bag with boxed corners and how to sew a crescent sling bag. The XL Duffel Bag is a Premium pattern in the Sewzy app, with all three sizes and a photo for each step.