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Free Pattern: Origami Bag

December 12, 2024

This small Origami Bag is inspired by the Japanese azuma bukuro bags which are also known as bento bags, Japanese market bags, triangle bags, and origami bags. In Japan, they are commonly used as shopping bags (when made a little larger) or for carrying lunches. Azuma bukuro, which translates to "east bag," refers to bags developed in the eastern part of Japan during the Edo Period (1603-1868), a region that corresponds to modern-day Tokyo. We are Folkwear appreciate the ingenuity of this Japanese design, its simplicity, and the small amount of fabric needed to make this bag.

This little bag is perfect for packing your lunch, but it also makes a great reusable and sustainable gift wrap. You can use scraps from your fabric stash to make several of these very quick and easy bags.

If you want to make the bag larger, extend two sides of the bag evenly and extend the folding lines to correspond. Once you get the hang of the technique, you can make bags in lots of sizes!

We are offering this bag pattern for free! You can get the instructions and pattern piece for free at this link, or you can keep reading for how to make the bag.

FABRIC SUGGESTIONS
This bag takes good advantage of fabric bias for stretch and pliability. It can be made in any lightweight fabric, but is especially nice in a silk, rayon, or other fabric with good drape. For a bag to hold, or wrap, gifts, a fabric with more body (like a cotton or linen) is great.

YARDAGE REQUIREMENTS
3/8 yard or .34m of fabric in any width fabric 34” or wider. If you make a larger bag, you will need more fabric (basically the length of the short end of the pattern piece).

SEAM FINISHES
Serge, Overcast, or Zig-zag; OR French Seams. In our original, the bag is made with French seams. We give you instructions for how to do these below. In general, with wrong sides together, stitch seam only 3/16” (4mm). Press to one side. Turn right sides together and stitch on seam line, taking care to include previous seam.

CUTTING THE PATTERN
You can layout the free pattern piece along the edge of a fabric. Or you can cut a rectangle that is 11" x 33.25" (27.9x84.5cm). You can adjust the size of the rectangle as you desire, especially once you understand how the bag comes together.

FOLDING and SEWING

Transfer Fold Lines to fabric, if desired. Fold Lines and notches are numbered on the pattern piece. Though you don't really need them to make this pattern work.

NOTE: If using French Seams, and your fabric has a wrong and right side, fold as below, but start with your fabric with the right side down. If using other seam finishes, start with the right side of the fabric up.

Fold along Fold Line 1 as illustrated below, or fold up bottom left corner to meet top long edge. Pin in place at top edge.

drawing of first fold of the rectangle bag

Next, fold along Fold Line 2 on the opposite end as illustrated (fold top right corner to meet bottom long edge). Pin in place along bottom edge.

drawing of bag with second fold -- into a trapezoid

Then, fold along Fold Line 3 so that outside edges and notches line up (fold bottom right up so that outside edges match).

drawing of bag folded third time into a bag

For regular seams, with right sides together, and matching notches 1, stitch seam at a ½” (13mm) seam allowance. Finish seam and press to toward bottom of bag.

For French seams, wrong sides will be together and you will stitch scant ¼” seam allowance.

drawing of stitching on a seam line of origami bag

Repeat on the other side matching notches 2.

Remove all pins.

For French seams, go back to each seam, turn so the right sides of the fabric are together (trim notches if needed), press, and stitch with a ¼” seam allowance, enclosing the previously made seam.

Finally, hem the top unstitched raw edges of each handle by pressing to the wrong side ¼” (6mm) and another ¼” (6mm) and stitch close to pressed edges. This will be a little trickier with French seams, but works fine. You can also use rolled hems on the handles for a very narrow hem.

Also, if you wish to reinforce the bag corners, above the seams, you can add a small, hemmed triangle of fabric and top stitch it to the hem on two sides.