How to Sew Your Own Musette Bag

The classic cycling feed bag is great for hauling your snacks around town, too. To make your own, follow these simple instructions by Ellie Lum, cofounder of R.E. Load bags, who mentors creative business owners and teaches sewing through her DIY workshop, Klum House, in Portland, Oregon. (Read more about Ellie here.)

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

1/4

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

Cut a 28x17-inch piece of fabric. For the strap, measure and cut a 35- to 45-inch (a larger person needs a longer strap) piece of 1- to 1.5-inch-wide cotton, polypro, or nylon webbing.

TIP: Choose a durable fabric such as denim, waxed canvas, or cordura.

Learn best by watching? Check out this video tutorial for making a musette:

Step 2: Hem the Fabric

2/4

Step 2: Hem the Fabric

On a short edge, press a double-turn hem toward the wrong side of the fabric (what will end up being the inside of the bag): Fold the edge over 1/2 inch and iron in place, then fold over 1 inch and iron again. Repeat on the other short edge. Sew each hem, leaving a 1/8-inch seam allowance.

TIP: The seam allowance is the distance from the edge to your line of stitches.

Step 3: Sew the Strap

3/4

Step 3: Sew the Strap

On the right side of the fabric (what will end up being the outside of the bag), pin each end of the strap 1/2 inch from the top of a short edge so that it’s flush with the sides of the long edges. Sew the ends of the strap into place, leaving a ¼-inch seam allowance. 

Step 4: Sew the Side Seams

4/4

Step 4: Sew the Side Seams

Fold the fabric in half, right sides together, so the two top hemmed edges meet. Tuck the strap into the bag so you don’t accidentally sew it into the seams. Pin, then sew, the sides together, leaving a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Backstitch (sew in reverse) at the beginning and end of the side seam because these are stress points on the bag. Turn the bag right side out. Voilà!

TIP: Sew a zigzag stitch along the raw edges of the side seams to keep the fabric from fraying.