Bucket Bag Pattern Maker
A bucket bag has a round base and a gathered top that closes with a drawstring, carried by handles or a cross-body strap. The round base is a curve to draft; here it is drawn to match the side.
Set the width and height and the width of the top, choose the cord and the handles, and decide whether to line and stiffen it.
Make it yours: Change the width, height, depth, the top (open, drawstring, roll-top, zip), the handle length and the pockets.
Make this pattern in your size →When to choose this one
Choose this one when you want a round base that stands on its own and a top that gathers shut: a bag for knitting, gym kit or toys. The top width is a setting of its own, separate from the width of the base.
For a flat or boxed base with handles and no drawstring, use the tote. For a firm, padded basket with a fold-over cuff, use the storage basket.
What you can change
Size
- Width: 6–70 cm (2⅜–27½″). Diameter across the base, side to side. This is the full width of a circle.
- Height: 8–90 cm (3⅛–35⅜″). Finished, from the base to the top edge.
- Base depth: 0–30 cm (0–11¾″). Front to back for an oval base. Leave at 0 for a circle (the same as the width).
Sizes are typed in centimetres, millimetres or inches. The starting size is Width 26 cm (10¼″), Height 28 cm (11″), Base depth 0 cm (0″).
Options
- Base: flat, boxed or round
- Top: open, drawstring, roll-top, fold-over cuff, zip or flap
- Drawstring: one cord or two cords
- Switches: Handles, Cross-body strap, Lined, Interfacing
- Measurements and counts: Top width, Cord thickness, Handle length, Handle width
Starting points
These are sizes and settings to begin from, and every one stays fully editable. Type your own measurements, or start from the nearest one.
| Starting point | Finished size, cm | Same starting point in round inches |
|---|---|---|
| Bucket bag | 26 cm across × 28 cm high | 10″ across × 11″ high |
The bag pattern has 23 starting points in all; the other 22 are in the maker.
Cutting list
At the starting size (Width 26 cm (10¼″), Height 28 cm (11″), Base depth 0 cm (0″)) the pattern has these pieces. Fabric sizes include seam allowance, interfacing is cut to the stitching line, and pieces cut on the fold are shown opened out. Each size is the width and height of the piece as cut.
| Piece | Fabric | Cut | Size to cut | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side band | Main fabric | 1 | up to 95.86 × 34.82 cm (up to ≈37¾ × ≈13¾″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
| Side band | Lining | 1 | up to 95.86 × 34.82 cm (up to ≈37¾ × ≈13¾″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
| Side band | Interfacing | 1 | up to 93.46 × 32.62 cm (up to ≈36¾ × ≈12⅞″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
| Round base | Main fabric | 1 | up to 28 × 28 cm (up to ≈11 × ≈11″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
| Round base | Lining | 1 | up to 28 × 28 cm (up to ≈11 × ≈11″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
| Round base | Interfacing | 1 | up to 26 × 26 cm (up to ≈10¼ × ≈10¼″) | Shaped: cut from the printed piece |
| Handle | Main fabric | 2 | 12 × 50 cm (≈4¾ × ≈19⅝″) | Strip: cut by measurement |
| Handle interfacing | Interfacing | 2 | 6 × 45 cm (≈2⅜ × ≈17¾″) | Strip: cut by measurement |
You will also need: Cord; Safety pin or bodkin; Handles (alternative); Thread. The cover page and materials list give the amounts for your size.
The maker’s fabric estimate at this size: Main fabric about 0.9 m of 112 cm fabric; Lining about 0.7 m of 112 cm fabric.
How it goes together
These are the maker’s own instructions at the starting size. They change with the options you pick, and the PDF carries the full set with the cover, cutting list and materials list.
- Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the outer pieces, inside the seam allowance, and a handle interfacing strip down the middle of each handle.
- Make the handles: press the strip in half lengthwise, open it, fold both long raw edges in to meet at the crease, then fold in half again so it is 3 cm wide. Edgestitch along both long sides. Make both the same length.
- Outer: put the band right sides together with itself and sew the side seam at 1 cm. On the right-hand side seam, leave the part between the top edge and the casing notch unsewn, backstitching at the notch: that is the cord gap. Press the seam open.
- Outer base: pin the base to the bottom of the band, right sides together, the base’s top mark at the band’s seam and its other marks at the band’s quarter marks. Sew round at 1 cm, snipping the band’s allowance every 1.5 cm so it eases round the curve.
- Lining: sew it the same way, with no cord gap, but leave the turning gap between the side seam notches open.
- Lining base: pin the base to the bottom of the band, right sides together, the base’s top mark at the band’s seam and its other marks at the band’s quarter marks. Sew round at 1 cm, snipping the band’s allowance every 1.5 cm so it eases round the curve.
- Turn the outer right side out. Baste the handle ends to the outer’s top edge between the notches, raw ends level with the edge and the handles hanging down against the bag, untwisted.
- Slip the outer inside the lining, right sides together, with the handles sandwiched between. Match the side seams and sew round the top at 1 cm.
- Turn the bag right side out through the gap in the lining, edgestitch the gap closed and push the lining down inside. Press the top edge.
- Stitch the casing through both layers: one line all the way round on the casing line, 2 cm below the top, level with the bottom of the cord gap, and a second close to the top edge.
- Thread the cord with a safety pin: in through the gap, all the way round the casing, and out through the same gap. Knot the two ends together.
Fabric suggestions
Outer: Quilting cotton, linen, calico, light canvas, nylon or ripstop.
Lining: Quilting cotton, or anything light and smooth.
Interfacing, padding or other layers: None needed. A drawstring bag should stay soft so it gathers.
How each fabric family suits it
- Stable woven: great choice. The classic choice: gathers neatly.
- Heavy or stiff: possible, with care. Thick fabric doesn’t gather well and makes a bulky casing. Fine for a sturdy, larger bag with a thick cord.
- Stretchy knit: works well. Works, and knits don’t fray. Keep the casing generous and stitch gently.
- Slippery or fine: great choice. Light and packable, ideal for shoe and stuff sacks. Finish raw edges, as these fray.
The maker’s advice adjusts to the fabric family you pick in the Fabric tab.
Printing it
At the starting size the printed pieces take 10 A4 pages, taped together using the page labels, alignment marks and page map. For a print shop, choose a sheet from A0 to a 36″ roll: the pieces are packed onto as few sheets as they will fit on, and if one is too big for the sheet the maker says so. How printing, tiling and the test square work.
Frequently asked questions
What size can I make?
The bucket bag pattern takes width from 6–70 cm (2⅜–27½″); height from 8–90 cm (3⅛–35⅜″); base depth from 0–30 cm (0–11¾″). It starts at Width 26 cm (10¼″), Height 28 cm (11″), Base depth 0 cm (0″), and you can work in centimetres, millimetres or inches. This page starts from Bucket bag. Every starting point stays fully editable.
Which fabric suits the bucket bag pattern?
Quilting cotton, linen, calico, light canvas, nylon or ripstop. In the maker’s fabric advice, stable woven and slippery or fine are a great choice; stretchy knit works well; heavy or stiff is possible with care.