I love to carry a water bottle with me at all times — whether I’m traveling, hiking or going to a football game.  I thought that it might be a great idea to create a bag designed just for carrying my water bottle, and maybe a credit card or driver’s license.  After a little bit of experimentation, I think I’ve created the perfect bag and it’s incredibly simple to make!

How to Make a Water Bottle Bag

Step One

Cut a strip of fabric for the strap that is 66″ long x 3.5″ wide.  Fold the edges of the fabric towards the middle and press.

Step Two

Select a lovely 1.5″ ribbon of your choice, and lay it along the length of the folded fabric.  The fabric folds should just peek out from beneath the ribbon.  Topstitch the ribbon to the folded fabric.

Step Three

Cut two pieces of fabric that are 5.5″ wide x 20″ long for the bag and lining.  Cut one piece of fabric for the pocket which measures 5.5″ wide x 12″ tall.  Fold the pocket piece in half to create a piece that is 5.5″ x 6″.

Lay out the bag pieces, the pocket on one side and the strap on one side of each piece.  Make certain that the strap is not twisted.

Step Four

Topstitch along the thin flange of the folded strap fabric, starting from the bottom and ending at the 10″ mark (it’s helpful to mark the stopping point with a pin).  Do this on both pieces of the bag.  I used a decorative stitch on my BERNINA 790 PLUS to add some beautiful detail to the bag.

Step Five

Using a 1/4″ seam and with right sides of the bag pieces together, sew along the bottom and two long sides (pin the strap to the sides so that it doesn’t get caught in the seams).  Leave the top open for turning.  In the bottom corners, cut a 1/2″ square away.  Then pinch the seams from the bottom and the sides together and stitch along the diagonal to create some depth for the bottom of the bag and close the hole you cut.

Step Six

Turn the bag inside out, and stitch along the opening.  Push the “lining” into the body of the bag.

Voila!  You have yourself a handy (and adorable) water bottle bag that you can use wherever you might need to bring a water bottle and a credit card!