Crafting a Zippered Cosmetic Bag - A DIY Guide

Tired of your lotions, potions and makeup essentials floating loosely around your purse? Then it's time to make a dedicated cosmetic bag! And adding a zipper closure ensures everything stays neatly tucked inside.

 

Read on as we detail the steps for sewing a custom cosmetic bag complete with zipper.

Picking the Perfect Fabric

Since your cosmetic case will see a lot of use, durable fabrics that wash well are key. Consider:

Canvas - Sturdy yet soft, canvas comes in tons of colors and holds up well.

Quilted Fabric - The padding provides protection for breakables inside.

Oilcloth - Wipes clean easily and water-resistant - great for toiletries!

Medium to heavyweight fabrics work best to support bag structure.

 

Choosing Zippers

Look for zippers about 2 inches longer than the width of your bag. Metal or nylon coil zippers withstand frequent opening and closing without breaking. Match or contrast the zipper color to your fabric.

 

Preparing the Pieces

You'll need:

Exterior fabric - Cut 1 rectangle to desired bag dimensions

Lining fabric - Cut 1 rectangle same size as exterior

Fusible interfacing - Cut 1 rectangle to line exterior piece

 

Constructing Your Cosmetic Case

Fuse interfacing to wrong side of exterior following packaging instructions

Align exterior and lining right sides together and pin well

Mark zipper placement on one edge then secure zipper tape

Sew exterior and lining together, stitching around all edges except zipper side

Pull exterior right side out through opening

Topstitch around top edges

Fill with your favorite beauty items!

 

Customizing Like a Pro

Take your bag up a notch with:

Clear vinyl pockets for organization

Zipper pulls and decorative charms

Contrasting handles or wristlet straps

Monogramming with embroidery or fabric paint

With the right fabrics and embellishments, it's easy to create chic custom cosmetic bags to coordinate with every outfit!