Town Bag Sew-Along

Sew the Town Bag with confidence using our detailed tutorial series! Originally designed by Fringe Supply Co., this do-it-all project bag features a roomy main compartment, interior organization pockets, exterior front and back pockets, and a drawstring closure. We'll guide you through working with heavy canvas, constructing all four pockets, attaching cotton webbing handles, and the optional rivet installation that gives the bag its signature look.

Lesson 1

Introduction, Fabric & Supplies

Woman holding a two-tone burgundy Town Bag with cotton webbing handles beside the Town Bag pattern envelope.

Get everything in order before you start sewing your Town Bag, from fabric selection to tools and notions. We'll cover how fabric weight affects the bag's structure, why 8–10 oz cotton canvas is the standard choice, and when a lighter printed canvas might be the right call for your skill level and sewing machine.

Get Started

Lesson 2

Printing & Assembling Your Pattern

Woman beside an assembled Town Bag PDF pattern and printing instructions spread out on a wood surface.

New to PDF sewing patterns? This lesson walks you through the full process. Learn how to download and open your pattern in Adobe Acrobat Reader, print at the correct scale using the test square, and trim and tape the pages together by pattern piece for the most accurate results.

Prep Your Pattern

Grab the Stowe Bag Pattern

Lesson 3

Cutting & Marking Your Fabric

Woman holding a tan and white finished Town Bag beside a Town Bag pattern piece weighted and laid out on printed fabric.

Time to cut your fabric! Learn why you should skip pre-washing the canvas to preserve the bag's structure, then tackle laying the pattern out on grain, tracing, cutting, and marking match points accurately on both sides of each piece.

Start Cutting

Lesson 4

Attaching the Straps

Woman holding a purple printed Town Bag with white cotton webbing straps, beside the assembled flat bag body showing strap placement.

Our sewing begins! Learn to fold and stitch the bag's corners, then create the drawstring channel along the top edge. From there, we'll attach the cotton webbing straps with a rectangular stitch and cover both finishing options: setting rivets or reinforcing with an X stitch.

Start Sewing

Lesson 5

Assembling & Attaching the Pockets

Woman holding a purple printed Town Bag with white straps, beside the flat bag body showing both pockets and straps attached.

Ready to add the pockets? Learn to press and assemble both the inner and outer pocket pieces, stitch the inner pocket's dividing channels, and attach both pockets to the bag body. We'll finish by adding bar tacks to anchor the handles neatly in place.

Attach the Pockets

Lesson 6

Assembling the Body of the Bag

Woman holding a completed purple printed Town Bag with white cotton webbing handles and drawstring closure pulled closed.

The home stretch! Sew the side seams using French seams to keep the interior neat, then form and stitch the gussets to give the bag its shape and structure. We'll finish by threading the cotton drawstring cord through both channels so you can cinch your completed Town Bag closed.

Finish Your Bag