Nine to Five Lunch Bag Pattern

The Nine to Five Lunch Bag is a stylish and modern alternative to the usual lunch bag. This is a digital PDF Sewing Pattern that will be available for immediate download once purchased. You are not purchasing the actual bag, although I do take commissions! 

Aimed at the intermediate sewer, the Nine to Five Lunch Bag pattern will teach you a range of useful bag making techniques as well as sewing with waterproof fabrics, with plenty of scope to add your own style. With it’s generous boxy size and optional insulated fleece to keep food and drink warmer or cooler for longer, the Nine to Five Lunch Bag is ideal for storing your lunch, a small picnic for two, baby food and bottles, or even snacks for the family on a day trip. 

This is a detailed sewing pattern which contains 20 pages of step-by-step instructions, along with 55 colour photos, making it perfect for the visual learner. There is also a sew-a-long video tutorial for this pattern!

FEATURES

- lightly padded with insulated fleece to keep items cooler or warmer for longer

- a generous boxy shape to fit large lunch boxes or smaller containers

- the flap closes with a swivel snap hook and D-ring. 

- a deep slip pocket behind the flap for your phone, book, wipes, baby bib

- a pleated front slip pocket for cutlery, snack bars, napkin etc

- an elasticated bottle sleeve inside to fit a standard water bottle or reusable coffee cup

- option of a carry handle or adjustable shoulder strap.

MEASUREMENTS

9” wide x 11” high x 4” deep (23cm w x 28cm x 10cm)

SKILL LEVEL

Intermediate sewer or confident beginner

RECOMMENDED FABRICS

This pattern is designed to be sewn with waterproof fabrics such as laminated cotton which is simply cotton with a polyurethane coating. It is easy to sew, wipe clean, washable and resilient, making it ideal for lunch bags or any item that requires frequent cleaning. It is also more environmentally friendly than traditional oilcloths or PVC coated fabrics minus potentially harmful dyes or chemicals such as lead, BPA or phthalates. Some laminated cottons are also certified as food safe. 

You will find a small selection of organic laminated cottons in my Shop.

You could use other fabrics for the exterior such as canvas, a medium weight cotton or linen, waterproof Oxford, waxed canvas or dry oilskin. If you are using cotton for your bag, I would suggest adding a layer of fusible medium weight interfacing to the fabric to make it equivalent in weight to laminated cotton. For the lining fabric, consider a fabric that is wipe clean such as laminated cotton or ProCare™ (a food safe fabric) or ordinary cotton. 

Fabrics not recommended for this pattern: 

- Stretchy waterproof fabrics such as PUL or Ripstop 

- Iron on vinyl which may separate from fabric

- Thicker vinyls or leather, unless you have a heavy duty sewing machine

You can check out all of my testers’ bags along with details on their fabric choices in the Nine-to-Five Lunch Bag Lookbook.

SUPPLIES

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download this PDF file and a printer to print off the pattern pieces at the end of the document. If you are unable to work from a computer screen, I would suggest printing off the instructions in a booklet form and on a faster print option to save on ink and paper. 

Exterior: 

0.75 yard/metre laminated cotton (44”/112cm width fabric) or 0.6 yard*/0.5 metre for 56” (147cm) width laminated cotton (* or 0.5 yard if using a non-directional fabric)

Lining: 

0.75 yard/metre laminated cotton (44”/112cm width fabric) or 0.6 yard/0.5 metre for 56” (147cm) width laminated cotton

Interfacings:

12”/30cm insulated fleece wadding (45”/114cm width) e.g. Insul-Bright, Pellon Legacy Insul Fleece or if the added insulation is not essential, an ordinary sew-in fleece like Legacy 988 or Thermolam Compressed Fleece Vilene 272 

Webbing:

1.75 yard/1.6m 1.25” (32mm) wide webbing or 3 yards/metres if planning an adjustable shoulder strap. Note, the webbing can also be 1” (25mm) or 1.5” (38mm) in width - just make sure that the size of hardware below corresponds with the width of the webbing.

Hardware:

Two (2) 1.25” (32mm) rectangular rings

One (1) 1.25” (32mm) D-ring

One (1) 1.25” (32mm) swivel snap hook

One (1) 1.25” (32mm) slider (optional for an adjustable shoulder strap)

One (1) 14” (36cm) narrow elastic, e.g. 0.5” (12.7mm) in width

Fray-check glue (optional)

Double sided tape or fabric glue (optional)

Safety pin

Marking tool like a pencil

LICENSING INFORMATION

You may sell items made from this pattern on your shop or website on a small scale. All items for sale must be handmade by you. Please credit SEW SOFIA in any written description. Please do not distribute, sell or duplicate this pattern in any way.

REFUND POLICY

No refunds or exchanges are given on digital sewing patterns.

LEGAL COMPLIANCE

If you are in the UK or EU, your country's VAT rate will be applied at checkout in order to comply with digital tax laws.