post office bag tutorial
August 6th, 2008
Now that I have an etsy shop I find myself at the post office more than ever. Along with all the packages I have to carry I have a stroller to push and a toddler’s hand to hold. The packages are always weird sizes and never seem to fit in a paper bag, so I came up this handy dandy post office bag. It’s just a long piece of fabric with some handles and pockets, but it works like a charm. The pockets are sized to fit a long envelope and there is one on each side. I put my receipts, my stamps, and my custom forms in the pockets so they don’t get lost in the bottom of my purse or the diaper bag (which they usually do). I figured since there are so many etsy sellers there must be a lot of you who have this package transport problem (kids or no kids) and so I wrote a simple tutorial for this super easy bag. It shouldn’t take more than a couple hours from start to finish. And if you make one drop me a line so I can see!
post office bag tutorial
materials
- 1 1/2 yards heavy duty fabric (I used some home dec fabric I had on hand, but canvas, denim, corduroy, or even twill would work)
- a little more than 1/2 yard interfacing (somewhat stiff)
- thread to match
directions
CUT:
- two 18″ X 40″ pieces of fabric
- one 18″ X 40″ pieces of interfacing
- four 3″ X 18″ pieces of fabric for the handles
- two 7″ X 12″ pieces of fabric for the pockets
SEW:
- fuse or sew the interfacing to the wrong side of one of the large pieces (this will be the lining)
- with wrong sides facing sew each of the two handles together
- turn out and press
- find the middle of one of the handles and fold the long sides in to meet and pin
- continue the fold 4″ out from the middle on either side and pin
- do this to the other handle and press both
- your handles should have a 8″ folded part in the middle and the ends will still lie flat
- sew concentric rectangles on the folded area to anchor it down
- stop to admire your work
- take the two pocket pieces and fold the short sides in 1/4″ and press and 1/4″ again and press
- do the same on the top and bottom
- sew the across the top of both the pockets
- pin the pockets 5″ inches from each short side of the outside piece.
- sew the pocket on and reinforce the top two corners (with an X or a triangle)
- pin the handles to end of the lining, right sides facing (you should see the fold line)
- place the outside piece on top of the lining right sides facing (pocket should be down) and sew all
- around with a 1/2″ seam, leaving an opening for turning out
- trim the seams, turn out and press
- topstitch all around
- create a bottom by stitching large concentric rectangles equidistant from both the handles
- that’s it! you’re done! off to the post office…
To see any of these pictures in more detail, please go to my flickr site. If there are any problems with this tutorial, please tell me . It turns out it’s much harder to explain how to make this bag than it is to actually make it!
August 6th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
fan-frickin-tastic!! now you don’t have to juggle a kid on your hip, boxes on the other and STILL forget your mortgage check in your pocket!?
August 6th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I really love it. Thanks for sharing, I can only hope that my version would look anywhere near as chic as yours. Lovely.
August 6th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Thank you for the tutorial!!!
Such a smart bag… all of the people in the post office line will be jealous!
August 6th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
ok seriously…i need to make one of these…i don’t own an etsy shop, i just want one of these!! brilliant idea!
August 6th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
brilliant!
August 6th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Oh this is perfect. Exactly what I need. I lug my post about in the gross green shopping bag…am needing some street stylin’!
August 6th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
what a marvelous idea. marvelous.
August 6th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
How darn cool and clever is that?? I’m totally making one.
August 6th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
leslie, I don’t even know how you make it to the post office. wheelbarrow, maybe?
August 6th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
What an awesome idea!! I don’t even go to the post office that much but I want to make one. hee hee!
August 7th, 2008 at 12:07 am
That bag looks like the solution to my postage problems, too…..
I’m bookmarking your tute for when I have some time – I’ll show you when I actually make it!
Thanks for sharing….
Leah xxx
August 7th, 2008 at 1:29 am
Brilliant. Thanks you are a life saver.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:38 am
Brilliant idea! Thank you!
August 7th, 2008 at 2:45 am
It looks great! I love your use of stitching to define the bottom. Thanks for the tutorial.
August 7th, 2008 at 6:33 am
Such a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
August 7th, 2008 at 7:10 am
What a great idea. Seems like a perfect project for some of Amy Butler’s new upholstery-weight fabric… YAY!
August 7th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Meg, I LOVE that! What a great idea, and so generous of you to share it!!
August 7th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Ack!!! I don’t sew (I suck). Would you take a custom order request??????????????
August 7th, 2008 at 10:44 am
This is absolutely GENIUS!! Thank you so much for sharing this idea and tutorial. I must must one of these!
August 7th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Wow! Great design…I so need one of these! Thanks for the tutorial…
Heather
August 7th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
[...] for free tutorial click here. [...]
August 7th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Gorgeous bag. What a great idea. But, if you go to http://www.usps.com you can pay for your postage and schedule a carrier to come pick up your packages at your home — for free! No more waiting in line!
Thanks for the pattern!
August 7th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
great idea. fantastic tut. thanx.
August 7th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
[...] bag for getting Etsy packages to the post office for delivery. She was nice enough to share a tutorial for the post office bag so we can make our [...]
August 7th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
This is such a great idea. I am gong to try to do this eventually. We don’t really have a place to put out packages for our mail man to pick up and since we do Paperback Swap, sometimes we have quite a few packages to put out. I am thinking that this would be a great solution to trying to wedge them in the mailbox so they don’t fall down. :)
Thanks for posting this tutorial!
August 7th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
what a fabulous idea. my mom made something similar when i was young for carrying firewood up from the basement. hopefully i will get enough orders from my etsy to need one. i just opened up shop yesterday(wed.)
August 8th, 2008 at 6:38 am
genius, that’s genius.
thank you! :)
August 8th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Well, geez! Could you be any more clever? I’m guessing, yeah. Your projects are very clever and useful and fun. Love it. Thank you for sharing.
August 8th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Great idea! I usually head to the post office with a pile of envelopes that is threatening to fall on the floor at any moment. this is a perfect solution!
August 8th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Lovely, sweet bag. I carry my packages in a very unattractive USPS plastic box. Very dull. I may think about somehow making a nicer box since I go every day. Also if you are interested in tips on how to ship from home I would be happy to walk you through what I do. I don’t have to stand in line at all any more.
August 8th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
This is very cool, could have used it a few years ago. Now I schedule almost all of my deliveries online, saves tons of gas! I still think I want to try & make, very cute!
August 8th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
I love the fabric! and what a handy solution to carrying packages.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
That is such a nifty bag, I could really use something like that during Christmas when I’m mailing out the most packages.
I should learn to sew first lol.
August 10th, 2008 at 10:31 am
This is cute! But have you ever considered getting boxes from USPS sent to your house, paying online and just having the mailman pick up the boxes from your house as he delivers your other mail? That way you don’t have to waste time in line and you don’t have to lug your tots around.
August 10th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Excellent design, very much like a log carrier for wood burning fireplaces.
August 10th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Meg,
I got my make it yourself book in the mail this week. I’d totally forgotten it was coming so yay for the surprise! Thanks, and here’s to 1000 more comments in your near future.
: )
Julie
August 11th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
That is just perfect.
August 12th, 2008 at 10:26 am
i think i’m going to make an etsy shop just so i can make one of these bags…
August 12th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
[...] feature is from Elsie Marley with Post Office Bag Tutorial, this is one super-neat bag! Now that I have an etsy shop I find myself at the post office more [...]
August 12th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
So smart! I love this.
August 13th, 2008 at 12:09 am
This is so cute. But, I don’t understand what keeps the packages from falling out the sides? Can you explain? Sorry, I am trying to visualize. I know what you mean about needing more hands. I remember how frustrating it was to try to get a todler and a stroler into the library (so I could read to them and be a perfect mother!!)with the heaviest doors on earth!!On top of that, our children’s dept. was down in the basement, down these scary open stairs! Ugh1 This bag would come in handy for books, I think.
August 13th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
[...] Tutorial To Create A Post Office Bag [...]
August 13th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
What a great idea.At posting standing in line with box’s and letter are a big pain this would sure help got to make one thank you so much for the tutorial .Thumbs up on this one and you can if you had one of these.
Very clever!!!
hugs ginger
August 14th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
This is so cute and so original! Two of my favorite combinations. Great work!
August 15th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
[...] From the why-didn’t-I-think-of-that files: Very handy-looking Post Office bag. [...]
August 30th, 2008 at 9:47 am
What an attractive idea! Great tutorial. I’m going to show this to my mom. She will love it! Thank you for sharing
September 8th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
[...] 3. post office bag tutorial [...]
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:03 am
[...] internet, you most likely find yourself heading to the post office often. And if you’re like Elsie Marley, those packages can get difficult to cary when you’re trying to tote along kidlets and purses [...]
November 13th, 2008 at 10:40 am
[...] Office Bag Meg’s Post Office Bag Tutorial via elsie marley is the perfect thing for your letters and packages. It will help you keep track of [...]
November 13th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
[...] sends the right message to the editors and/or agents you wish to woo? Whip up this handy dandy Post Office Bag (via Sew Mama [...]
January 25th, 2009 at 11:57 am
love it!
August 31st, 2009 at 9:01 am
[...] you see her Kid Clothes Week?!) and we’re so happy to welcome her as an SMS board member. Meg shares solutions, reworks things ’til they’re right and shows via her blog that sewing is a creative, [...]
October 3rd, 2009 at 10:13 pm
FABULOUS! You are awesome!!!! Thank you for sharing your creativity.
October 25th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
[...] certainly do, but I couldn’t quite bring myself to purchase one. I remembered Meg’s Post Office Bag Tutorial and thought, well hey. I could make that. And so I [...]
November 27th, 2009 at 7:07 am
very interesting and useful! I’d like to cite this on my blog!
December 7th, 2009 at 2:05 am
[...] Post Office Bag [...]
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[...] Post Office Bag Tutorial [...]