Add a #MeMade Touch to Any Outfit with These Sweet Bag Patterns
- Words by Peppermint
Once you start sewing, there’s a very pleasing thought that starts popping up in your head with increasing regularity – “I could make that.” It starts with a skirt in a shop window or a sundress that passes you in the street and, before you know it, you’re ripping coats off your friends in order to check out the interior construction.
Don’t let the hubris of your god-like ability to create go to your head, but, the truth is, you are even more powerful than you may know. Your domain does not extend merely to clothes. You can make bags as well!
We know the sheer possibilities seem endless! To help narrow it down, we’ve put together a list of some of our favourite bag sewing patterns to help you add the perfect finishing touch to any outfit and conveniently lug your stuff around whether you’re travelling heavy or packing light!
Totes awesome
The humble tote bag is incredibly ubiquitous in bag patterns, being as it is, beginner friendly and endlessly useful. Infact, Peppermint offers our very own free tote pattern which makes a great place to start. Once you’ve built up your confidence you can move on to more complex takes on the classic, like Cool Stitches’ Scrunchie Tote or TYTKA Studio’s Triangular Frill Tote.
Pack it in
Fanny packs, bum bags, belt bags, whatever you call them, they’re back and they’re cool now. And it’s about time! Bum bags are convenient and fun and we’re tired of pretending otherwise. Try Sarah Kirsten’s fancy Fennel Fanny Pack or check out Spoonflower’s free pattern.
If you’re still worried about looking like a daggy dad, remember to wear it cross body stylez – that’s how the cool kids do it.
Shape up
Make a bag that stands out from the crowd by opting to build your design around a fun shape rather than your regular rectangle. Circle the wagons with All Well Workshop’s Full Moon Bag or channel that skater girl street cred with Dana Design’s triangular Nellie Bag.
Baby got back
Backpacks aren’t just for the babies. You’re never too old to take advantage of the ultimate in hands-free holding experiences. Especially when you make it yourself in some stylish sophisticated pattern like Merchant and Mills’ transformable backpack market tote twofer, the Costermonger, or the scandi-style Raspberry Rucksack from Sarah Kirsten.
Itsy bitsy
Or maybe you prefer an unencumbered experience and don’t want to be tied down by any big bad bags. Is it just you and your phone against the world? Check out these adorable crossbody phone bags from Minki Kim. Got a few more worldly possessions? Try the Assembly Line’s sweet little scrunchable purse pattern. Live your best Lizzo tiny bag life!
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NEW PATTERN ALERT 🎉
She’s giving comfort, she’s giving style, she’s giving palate-cleansing sewing. There’s nothing quite like an easy breezy dress that’s not only a dream to wear but a delight to sew, and the NEW Peppermint Myrtle Shift Dress delivers!
Cute, classic and cool with a touch of retro: the Myrtle Shift Dress is a beginner-friendly make with sleek lines and elegant curves. Bust darts are in play for shaping and spacious pockets to hold all your treasures. Top-stitching detail around the neck and armholes invites creative contrast threads and the keyhole loop closure at the back neck begs for a feature button (or a tie closure!).
Myrtle cuts above the knee with options to customise the length. Don’t think she’s reserved for hot weather either: try a heavier-weight fabric to turn your Myrtle into a pinafore-style garment for layering.
For our fabrics we chose two from @Karmme_Apparel – the bold Rottnest Stripes in a lightweight, soft-drape cotton, and the quality linen in the handpainted Mexico Collection. Karmme also stocks darling tassels so we popped a hot pink one on as a closure!
The love child of Imby Langenbach, Karmme Apparel (fittingly pronounced ‘calm’), is a haven of boho apparel sewing patterns alongside complementary fabrics steeped in tradition with modern iterations from Jaipur, India. Hand block-printed and digitally printed soft cottons produced by Indian artisans showcase rich colours and designs from Imby’s travels, perfect for showing off me-made masterpieces.
Our dresses were superbly stitched by our sewing manager @Laura_The_Maker, and modelled magnificently by Shannon @Pins_And_Tonic and Serah @SerahSews. And that perfect pink wall was courtesy of the good folk at @ShareTheDignityAustralia, an organisation that aims to bring dignity to women, girls and those who menstruate who are experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and period poverty.
Get making the Myrtle – the only question is, can you stop at just one?
Link in bio 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Sewist: @Laura_The_Maker
Patternmaker: @GarmentaApparel
Models: @SerahSews and @Pins_And_Tonic
Fabric: @Karmme_Apparel
#PeppermintMyrtleShiftDress #PeppermintPatterns
Connection 🫶🏻
Such great ideas from @GrowWithColby:
“A common theme I noticed in 2025:
Everyone is craving more connection.
Use these friend nights to make it happen in 2026.
Send this to the people you want to do these with.”
#Connection #Friends #Community
No bull - these pants are the cat`s (or cow`s) pyjamas...
Jenny from @RhubarbSundays:
And they are done! My @PeppermintMagazine #PeppermintFernPleatedPants made using a gorgeous fabric from @IndyBindyFabrics! I absolutely love this fabric! It’s soft and drapes beautifully. And the best thing about it is that, from a distance, it looks like an abstract print and then you look closer and theres a curious bull looking right at you. 🤣🤣 🐄 🐮
Really happy with the end product. They are very comfy! I didn’t make many changes to the pattern. Just a touch more room in the rise and a little bit off the waist. I’ll post some closeups of the details tomorrow when I actually take them off. 🤣 "
Grab the pattern from the link in bio!
#PeppermintPatterns #IMakeMyOwnClothes #ClothesThatFeelLikePyjamas #SewersGonnaSew
Missed issue 64 at the newsagent?
Grab a digital copy from our website and read it whenever you like. 📱💻️
Link in bio! 💜
#PeppermintMagazine #YouBelongHere
🌤 Festival forecast: high creativity, with a strong chance of radical hope on the horizon.
If you’ve been craving a little colour in your calendar, consider this your sign. This May, the Sunshine Coast’s much-loved Horizon Festival is celebrating ten years of art, imagination and joyful gathering, returning from 1–10 May on Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country.
For ten glorious days, beaches, streets, galleries and unexpected corners of the coast become places to wander, wonder and play. There’s music drifting on the sea breeze, performances that make you feel things, art you can step inside, and plenty of moments where you’re invited to join in rather than just watch. With 35+ events across the region (many of them free), expect live music, First Nations gatherings, immersive dance, family-friendly fun, writers’ talks, artist markets and more. At its heart, @HorizonArtFest is a celebration of people, place and shared imagination, honouring the first artists and storytellers, while making space for new voices and bold ideas.
Then there’s ‘Radical Hope Machine 2’: an immersive exhibition at Caloundra’s new Library+ that will fuse textiles, technology and storytelling. Featuring textile artist @Shaye_Hardisty, award-winning author Peter Carnavas and artist Sarah Winter, this series of events explores what hope looks, feels and sounds like to the Sunshine Coast community in response to the question: ‘how to solve the world’s wicked problems?’ We spoke with Shaye about tech vs textiles, magical garments and tiny joys.
Read more at the link in bio!
Photos: @HorizonArtFest
#HorizonFestival SunshineCoastEvents
Style, sass and simplicity: Miss Myrtle is almost here! 💕
Lay your peepers on the new Peppermint Myrtle Shift Dress – this sensational sewing pattern is going to be winging its way to subscribers inboxes this Sunday 1st March at 11am, so if you`re not a subscriber already, you know what to do!
We created this pattern with the support of @Karmme_Apparel – and how gorgeous are those fabrics! The love child of Imby Langenbach, Karmme Apparel (fittingly pronounced ‘calm’), is a haven of boho apparel sewing patterns alongside fabrics steeped in traditions with modern iterations from Jaipur, India.
Modelled magnificently by Shannon @Pins_And_Tonic and Serah @SerahSews, the Myrtle Shift Dress is a beginner-friendly make with sleek lines and elegant curves. You won’t be able to stop at just one!
Subscribers – keep an eye on your inbox on Sunday for your exclusive download code. Everyone else - subscribe now before Sunday so you don`t miss out!
Launch date: 5th March 💕
Link in bio 💕
Pink wall courtesy of the good folk at @ShareTheDignityAustralia, an organisation that aims to bring dignity to women, girls and those who menstruate who are experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and period poverty. 💕
Sewing and instructions: @Laura_The_Maker
Photos: @KelleySheenan
#PeppermintMagazine #PeppermintPatterns #PeppermintMyrtleShiftDress
