Make a Moon Bag (Free Pattern)

Moon Bag, Fanny Pack, Bum Bag, Crossbody Bag… This handy bag has many names.

The main difference between a Moon Bag and a Fanny Back or Bum Bag is the style of Strap and how they are worn. While both are unisex, the Moon Bag is a more current style that is usually worn across one’s chest unlike the Fanny pack that’s traditionally worn around one’s waist.

I recently made a Moon Bag for my boyfriend as a gift. He rides a motorcycle and often doesn’t need a whole backpack when heading out.
This bag is the perfect size to hold just the stuff he needs like a phone and wallet. He can also keep it safe by wearing it tight across his chest without it getting in the way of riding.

The adjustable strap adds to the versatility. My mom has a Moon Bag as well and can wear it like a hand bag, slung over her shoulder or loosely across her body.

What will be needed: 

• Sewing machine 735 
• Pattern (see below) 
• 0.5m Pleather* 
• 0.5m Lining* 
• 1m Bias Binding 
• 50cm Zip* 
• 1.2m 4cm wide Webbing 
• 1 x 4cm wide Slider 
• 2 x 4cm wide D-rings 
• 2 x Clasps (preferably 4cm wide but there is a tip below if you can’t get) 
• Leather Needle 
• Fabric clips instead of pins 
• Zipper Foot #4 
• Optional: Edge-stitch Foot #10

*Refer to your pattern 

Pattern 

There are many patterns and variations available for this style bag.  

I made a variation based on a German pattern from Stoffe.de. You can find it here: Moon Bag Pattern.

Translated pattern pieces

I like that the bag has a base to help with it’s shaping.
Keep in mind that this pattern does not include seam allowances. I recommend adding 1cm seam allowances. 

Here are some other free patterns: 

Petite Stitchery, Spoonflower, Frankie, Katia

Fabric 

You can make your moon bag out of many types of fabric. Just keep in mind that the lighter or softer the fabric the less likely it will be able to hold its shape. 

I used a thin imitation upholstery leather.  
The thinness made it easier for the needle to stitch through, especially in areas where there were multiple layers. The woven upholstery backing made it easier to feed through my machine without a special Non-stick Sole Foot or Walking Foot. However, I couldn’t topstitch as the right-side of the fabric would stick to my regular foot and would not feed the fabric through. 

I would have chosen a firmer imitation leather if there were more options available. The only difference it would have made is that the bag would have held its shape a bit better. But my boyfriend doesn’t seem to mind the result! 

You can straight stich imitation leather, but it is best to increase the stitch length. I went with a length of 4.5. 

I recommend testing how your machine sews imitation leather using some off-cuts. You may need to adjust the tension as well. 

Steps 

These are the steps I followed to make my Moon Bag.  

Adjustable Bag Strap 

I had a ready-made strap. But here is a tutorial to make your own: Quick and easy camera strap

If you can’t get any clasps that are wide enough to fit directly on to your webbing, you could cut a piece of pleather to fold over the end of the webbing like my ready-made strap.
You’ll just need to shape the middle of the strip to fit the clasp. You’ll also need a rectangle ring (or even an additional slider) so that the strap can be adjustable. The strap attached to the rectangle ring doesn’t need to be as long as mine on the left. The longer that strap is, the less adjustable strap will be.

Assemble the Bag 

1. Lay the Front piece right-side up and place the Zip right-side down. Line up the edge of the tape with the edge of the fabric.
I don’t have fabric clips, so I used small pegs. Don’t use pins with this fabric as they will make holes.

2. Attach Zipper Foot #4 and select it on the machine’s on-screen menu.

3. Adjust the needle placement all the way to the right.
Baste the Zip in place by sewing near the edge of the tape.

4. Peg the Lining to the Zip. Place the Lining right-side down on the Zip.

5. Adjust the needle placement all the way to the left.
Sew the Lining to the Zip.

6. Change back to your regular foot and top-stitch along the Lining.

7. Repeat the above steps to attach the Top to the Zip.

8. Peg the Back Outer to the Top and baste them together by sewing 0.5cm in from the edge.

9. Peg the Back Lining and sew the seam again with 1cm seam allowance.

10. Peg the Base Outer to the Front and baste them together by sewing 0.5cm in from the edge.

11. Peg the Base Lining and sew the seam again with 1cm seam allowance.

12. Peg the Back to the Base and baste them together by sewing 0.5cm in from the edge.
Keep the Zip open so that you can turn the Bag right-side out later.

13. Attach Bias Binding along this seam using 1cm seam allowance.

14. Fold the Binding over the raw edges and secure by stitching in the ditch.
Foot #10 makes stitching in the ditch easy. 

15. Cut 2 pieces of imitation leather 10cm long and the same width as the D-rings (4cm)
I felt that my imitation leather may be a bit too thin/weak so I sewed 2 pieces together, hence the stitching. I used tear-away stabilizer to be able to top-stitch, refer to the Tips section.

16. Fold the strips around the D-rings.

17. Insert the strips into the open sides of the Bag and peg in place.
Sew with 1cm seam allowance and finish with Bias Binding (fold in the edges of the Binding before folding over the raw edge and top-stitching.)
Sew slowly as there are a lot of layers in this area. 
If you have zipper teeth in the seam allowance, you may need to hand stitch this seam so as not to break the needle.

18. Turn the Bag right-side out and clip on the Strap.

 Tips 

•  If you need to top-stitch a small area, try placing some tear-away stabilizer between the foot and the fabric.
  This would be helpful if you are adding imitation leather pieces to the ends of the strap for the clasps. Or reinforcing the strips for the D-rings. You may need to add some stabilizer between the feed-dogs and fabric as well.
• To help with shaping, you can try pressing the seams.
  Place some cotton fabric between the iron and the bag, then using steam, press the seams.
  Test on some off-cuts first as not all imitation leather handles heat or steam well.
• You can make a few straps in a variety of colours that could be interchangeable with your bag.

I would love to see what you make, please feel free to share with me!
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-Hannah-Rose

All rights and credits to the respective pattern designers/owners/providers for the patterns.