2021

How to Sew a Makeup Bag from a Placemat

By Anna - April 16, 2021

I follow several people who sew on YouTube and have found some wonderful items to make and some that I had no idea you could create the stuff that these people create using only a placemat. Lorri Nunemaker has a huge following and I have come to love the things that she sews. I loved her video titled, "Create a Zipper Pouch from Placemat" so much that I had to try and duplicate what she had done. I'm sure mine doesn't compare to hers, but you can find what I done below. Feel free to go find her video and see how she completed this along with so many other things that she has created using a placemat or two. 

To get started you will need a placemat and a zipper. The placemat I used was the same one featured in Lorrie's video from The Pioneer Woman. It was not until I saw this video that I realized The Pioneer Woman had as much stuff out there that she does.

The length of the zipper needs to be longer than the width of the placemat.

Next you will sew the right side of the placemat the right side of the zipper. I sewed along the seam line of the binding at the top of the placemat.

Next, you will bring the other side of the placemat around to sew the wrong side of the placemat the the right side of the zipper as shown in the picture below. Again I sewed through the existing seam of the binding on the placemat. The excess zipper tape will be cut off in another step.
As shown in the pic below the zipper is centered on the placemat so you have excess zipper tape on both ends. That is okay and will be cut off once you sew the sides together.
Once you have the zipper on the bag should look like this.
With the bag folded in half you will mark the center line of the bottom on both sides.

Fold the bag so you can bring the marked area up to the zipper tape, secure with clips on each side.
Sew the side seam, sewing over the existing seam in the binding. Make sure you zipper tape is matching and on the end with the zipper pull make sure to close the bag up some, but NOT all the way as you will need to be able to turn the bag right side out once you complete.
In order to make the bag boxy shaped, match the corners together, make a mark (mine are at 2 1/2 inches) and then sew that mark.

My marked line. Do this on all four corners.
Once sewn, trim excess fabric.

Finish off ends either using a serger or a zig zag stitch.

Turn bag right side out and you are complete. I did add a ribbon to one end and you can do that when your sewing up the side seams.
Again I would highly recommend that you search for Lorrie's video on You Tube as she is much better at explaining how to do this and also shows you many more items that you can make using just a placemat. I enjoy making items like this as small projects that don't take much time or materials.

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