10 Free Toiletry bag patterns — all in different sizes, shapes and styles. All cute!! Which one is your favorite?
::
TODAY not a tote bag pattern, but a toiletry bag pattern. I’m featuring ** 10 ** toiletry bag patterns + bag making tutorials. Use them for cosmetics/toiletry/make-up bags, or as a small bag for your keys, wallet and lipstick. For in your tote bag.
It’s summer and we need these bags rather than one more tote bag. Personally, I need a makeup bag for travel. That is, I need a make-up bag that ‘s just the right size to hold all my bottles of lotions and potions, soap, and make-up to take along on my vacation.
I don’t know about you, but I have quite a few make-up & toiletries bags. However, none of them actually hold my bottles, make-up and things properly.
One’s too small for the bottles, but has nice polka dots fabric. I use it to carry my crochet projects around town instead. Another one is really big, and while it is made with nice, sheer & feminine fabric, it’s shapeless and all the bottles fall over in it and make a mess. My third one is a faux Louis Vuitton bag for cosmetics, which practically hold my daily stash of lipsticks & stuff, but it does not hold my vacation-volume of lip liners & lipsticks.
I actually have bag-envy with my husband who has two hanging toiletry bags. Great idea, however his bags are masculine: black with Velcro closures, etc. Sturdy but not pretty.
You get the picture, my dear friends, I NEED …. crave …. a (set of cosmetics/toiletry bag patterns that will actually HOLD all things I want to travel with, and that his highly practical to use, and… is pretty! And if you are like me, YOU need a bag like that also.
So, let’s go try out some toiletry bags.
I did quite some research into finding the right toiletry bag patterns for us.

Toiletry Bag Patterns :: Bag Making Instructions
1. Measure the sizes of your bottles. Your bag has to be at least this high.
2. Measure the circumference of all the bottles you really want to take along with you on your trip. Your bag has to be at least these wide and long.
Now, with these measurements, adjust the general make-up cassette patterns below. That way, this year, YOU WILL HAVE A (set of) TOILETRIES BAG(s) THAT ACTUALLY HOLD ALL THE BOTTLES YOU NEED. Yeah!
3. Choose your best toiletry bag designs, given your set of bottles & amount of cosmetics you must have while traveling, and go make your perfect set of bags:
Design 1a: Elegant Pleaded Zippered & Lined Make-up Bag ![]() Tip: Details Matter! So pay attention to them. E.g. Note how the satin lining of bag 1a and 1b really lift the bags from plain and simple bags into glamorous pouches! |
Design 1b: Flat, Zippered & Lined Make-up Bag without pleads
![]() Design 1c: ![]() ![]() Design 1d: Flat, Zippered Wristlet Make-up Bag (free sewing tutorial) by Split Yarn https://splityarn.com/2007/06/01/sew-a-zippered-wristlet-tutorial/These are essentially the same designs, but with slightly different dimensions & unique details, closures & fabric patterns. |
Design 2: Square-Sided Make-up Bag, with Top Zipper and side handle ![]() ![]() |
Design 2a: Square-sided Make-up Bag with Extended Top Zipper![]() Little Boxy Pouch Tutorial: This free sewing tutorial is for a tiny little bag of 4.5” x 3” x 2”, however, you could easily enlarge its dimensions by making minor modifications to the pattern. Image credit: Three Bears. |
Design 3: Flat Make-up Bag. Styled like a pencil bag with central zipper and lining (free sewing pattern) ![]() |
Design 4:Triangle- Sided Make-up Bag ![]() This bag is a good one to upsize to hold your larger shampoo bottles. Ensure that you make sufficient and large-enough pockets. Also, a sewn-in line of elastic band could be helpful to hold those bottles upright. |
Design 5: Cosmetics Roll Bag

Very pretty & organised for cosmetics.
Kelly Rachel, the designer of the one on the photo gave up on her blog and the free sewing pattern vanished.
However, I discovered another free sewing pattern that offers 4 versions: one for makeup (called the ‘artist), one for a first-aid kit, one for crayons and one for.. something else: Here you go:
Temporary sharing of the Envelop Makeup Bag pattern, while this site sorts itself out:
Quick and easy make-up bag pattern with tutorial to make in one evening.
For this make-up bag you’ll need :
- 2 FQ’s: one outside fabric and 1 lining.
- Paper to draw your pattern.
- Stiff fusible interfacing or fusible fleece
- Small piece of velcro
- One button (optional).
Template for the envelope top of the bag: See picture, draw this, it should be 10″ wide at the bottom.

Draw another pattern for the bag body. It will measure 10″ across at the top and taper out 1″ on each side to make 12″ across the bottom.
Cut two of the bag body from each fabric. Cut one of the envelope top from each fabric. Cut 2 of the bag body pieces from the interfacing or fleece and one of the envelope top. Trim these to approx. 1/2″ smaller all the way around.

Fuse the interfacing to the outside bag pieces.
With right sides together stitch around the curved edge of the envelope top, leave bottom open. Clip curves, turn and press. Topstitch around the finished edge.
Press under 1/2″ along top edge of the bag body. Open pressed edge and stitch sides and bottom edge taking a 1/2″ seam. Press seams open and turn under the pressed edge.

Open the corner out to form a triangle, make sure that side and bottom seams are lined up. Use a pencil or marker to mark a 2″ line across the triangle one each side of bag.
Design 6: Envelop Makeup Bag
Closure with Velcro & stylish envelop flap; Decorative button.

(Unfortunately, this site has a virus at present, and seems to be ‘unmanned’ at present.
Seems a waste to not share this great pattern in the meantime.
Cont. Stitch on line and trim excess triangle away. Turn and press well.
Make the lining the same way as you did the outside bag. Do not turn.
Place the lining inside the bag and line up side seams to match.

Insert the unfinished edge of the envelope top into the back top edge of bag between the layers. Pin securely. Stitch very close to edge (about 1/8″) all the way around.
Fabric: Michael Miller Boho Blossom in Orchid & Michael Miller Fairy Frost
Position a 1″ piece of velcro to match and stitch or glue it in place. I use a heavy duty fabric glue because I am not fond of stitching velcro, but stitching it would be good too.

Optional added cuteness: stitch a decorative button on the front.
Done.
Again, this pattern is by “Up the rainbow creek”.
TIP: add ruffles to any of these toiletry bags. Stitch the ruffled fabric strips to the front of the bag. Then, sew the front and the back of the bag together. Other ideas for embellishing these little bags: with ribbon or rick rack, add a little hanging loop, and/or a cute bow on the side.