Embroidered Cross-Body Bag

This hip hobo bag is perfect for spring and summer! It's fully lined on the inside and has a large inner pocket to store personal items.

Use coordinating colors and fabrics with your favorite embroidery designs to create a unique look that's all your own!

Read below for these free project instructions.

Supplies & Materials:

Supplies Needed:

1/2 yard solid colored twill or denim fabric (for front panels)
1/2 yard print lightweight canvas (for front and bottom panels)
1/2 yard fabric (for lining and strap - we used corduroy)
One yard medium weight fusible interfacing
Temporary spray adhesive
Air-erase pen (or other marking tool)

Supplies Continued:

Tape measure
7 inch all purpose zipper
Magnetic snaps
Two 2 inch metal rings (ours are called "glamour rings" and we purchased them at Joann Fabrics)
Large piece of paper or tag board
Craft knife and cutting pad
Needle and thread for some hand sewing

Finished Size:

15 inches wide by 13 1/2 inches high

Designs used:

Simply Hibiscus Circle (small)

The Simply Hibiscus designs are also available in design packs: A Simply Hibiscus Design Pack - XXL, XL, Lg, Md, Sm

Gather Materials:

First we will prepare the pattern piece for the front outer panels. Cut a piece of paper or tag board 9 inches wide by 12 inches high. Then, measure and mark 4 inches down from the top right corner.

Hand holding blue pencil drawing a straight line along a metal ruler on a white sheet of paper placed on a wooden surface.

Draw a line 4 inches long, parallel to the top edge of the paper, out from the first mark.

A hand holding a blue pencil and a 6-inch metal ruler measuring or drawing on a blank white sheet of paper on a dark wood surface.

Measure and mark one inch in from the top left corner along the top edge of the paper. Draw a curved line to connect this mark and the end of the line (the edge of a circular plastic lid can be used as a guide).

Hand drawing a curved line on a white sheet of paper placed on a wooden surface, using a blue pen or pencil. Only the hand and partial arm are visible.

Measure and mark 4 inches down from the top left corner, along the left side of the paper. Then, measure and mark 4 inches in from the bottom right corner, along the bottom edge of the paper. Draw a curved line to connect the two points. We drew our curved line a bit narrow at the top and wider at the bottom.

Hand holding blue pencil drawing a curved line on white paper placed on a wood grain table surface.

Cut out the shape along the lines. Be sure to mark the top side of the pattern piece so you know which side is right side up.

Curved white paper pattern piece on wood-grain surface with orange-handled scissors cutting along edge. Part of another paper piece visible.

Now, cut two pieces of the print canvas by laying the pattern piece on the right side of the fabric, tracing the pattern, and cutting out the pieces. Then, cut two pieces of the solid colored denim by laying the pattern piece on the wrong side of the fabric, tracing, and cutting out the pieces.

Two fabric cutouts with black and white leaf patterns on the left, two white fabric cutouts on the right, and an orange-handled scissors on a wooden table.

Align the print fabric and solid colored fabric with the right sides facing. Align the straight edges together and pin in place. Sew a 1/2 inch seam along the pinned edges only. Lay the pieces wrong sides up and press the seams with an iron.

Partially sewn black and white floral fabric with white fabric pieces pinned on top, held by a hand, on a woodgrain table surface.

We will now prepare the fabric for the embroidery.

Create a paper template of the design by printing it at full size using embroidery software. If you don't have embroidery software, you can cut a piece of paper the shape and dimensions of the design to help with placement and centering. Place the template about 4 inches from the center seam on the fabric to the center of the design. Also, measure equal distances from the center of the design to the top and bottom edges of the fabric. Using an air-erase pen (or other marking tool), poke a hole in the center of the template and mark the fabric. Mark the horizontal and vertical axis points as well.

A hand holding a blue pen sketching floral embroidery design on white paper pinned to beige and black fabric with white floral patterns on a wooden table.

Start Embroidering:

Remove the template and draw lines to connect the marks - these marks will be used for hooping. Spray a piece of cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric. Attach the hoop to the machine and load the design. Move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point on the fabric. Embroider the design.

Embroidery hoop holding white fabric with purple grid lines, next to black and white floral fabric, on a wooden surface, with a hand on the side.

When the design has finished, unhoop the fabric and trim away the excess stabilizer on the back of the embroidery. Repeat the embroidery process for each front panel. Then, top stitch a 1/4 inch seam on either side of the front seam on the front panel pieces.

Two beige fabric pieces with purple floral embroidery attached, white fabric with large white leaves pattern, and orange-handled scissors on a wood surface.

Now we will prepare the fabric for the bottom panel.

Measure around the outer side and bottom edges of one of the front panels using a tape measure. Take that measurement and add 10 inches (the extra fabric will be used to create loops at the top of the bag later on). Take that number and divide by two - this is the length of each of the two bottom panel pieces. The width is 4 1/2 inches.

Our front panel measured 36 inches around the side and bottom edges. 36 plus 10 is 46 - divided by two is 23. So, the dimensions of our bottom panels are 4 1/2 inches wide by 23 inches long. Cut the panels to size then lay them together with right sides facing. Pin in place along one short end, sew a 1/2 inch seam along the pinned end only and press the back seam open.

Partially assembled black and white floral fabric cross-body bag lying flat on a brown wood table. A hand with a ring is holding one edge of the fabric piece.

Next, lay the front and bottom panels on top of the fusible interfacing and press with an iron (follow the directions on the interfacing packaging). Then, trim away the excess interfacing.

Hand holding orange scissors cutting fabric with black and white floral pattern and cream fabric with purple floral embroidery, on a wooden surface.

Now we will assemble the outer shell of the bag.

Lay one of the front panels right side up. Then, lay the bottom panel on top, right sides facing, and align the center seams. Pin the bottom panel along the edges of the front panel. The ends of the bottom panel will extend past the top edges of the front panel. This excess fabric will be used to add the rings later on. Sew a 1/2 inch seam along the pinned edge.

Hand holding a white fabric piece with pinned edge over a black and white floral fabric on a wooden table, preparing for sewing.

Add the remaining front panel to the opposite edge of the bottom panel just as you did with the first front panel

Hand holding folded white fabric pinned with multicolored sewing pins over black fabric with large beige leaf pattern on a wooden surface.

Make slits along the curved edges in the seam allowance about every 1/2 inch - be careful to not cut the seam.

Close-up of scissors cutting small slits around the edge of a circular fabric hoop covered with white fabric, on a dark brown wood surface.

Turn the assembled outer shell right side out. Then, turn the sides of the upper tabs (the excess of the bottom panel) over 1/2 inch and press. Then, turn the ends over 1/2 inch and press.

Close-up of fabric with leaf patterns being ironed; fabric edges are folded and pressed with a white iron on a light blue surface.

Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the sides and ends of the tabs.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching fabric with a black and white leaf pattern. The fabric is folded and positioned under the sewing foot. Bright workspace.

Wrap each tab through a ring and lay the end of the tab about one inch into the top edge of the bottom panel. Pin in place and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the bottom edge of the tab to secure it in place.

A hand holds a ring attached to a black and white triangular fabric piece with a floral pattern and a yellow pin, next to an unfinished beige fabric bag on a wooden surface.

Now we will prepare the fabric for the inner lining. Lay the pattern piece onto the wrong side of the fabric and trace the shape. Flip the pattern over, align the straight edge of the pattern with the straight edge of the traced shape, and trace the pattern again. Then, cut out the piece following the outer lines. Repeat this process (cut two pieces total).

Hand tracing a white paper pattern onto dark pink fabric with a blue pen, with another paper pattern piece partially visible above.

Now we will prepare the inner pocket.

Cut a piece of fabric 8 1/2 inches wide by 12 inches high. Lay the fabric on top of one of the lining pieces, right sides facing, with the top edge of the pocket fabric about 1 1/2 inch from the top edge of the lining fabric and pin in place. Draw a 7 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch rectangle about one inch from the top of the pocket fabric. Then, sew a seam right along the lines of the rectangle.

Hand holds pencil marking a floral fabric piece pinned on purple fabric; stainless steel ruler placed below, indicating measurement for sewing.

Cut a slit through both layers down the center of the rectangle ending about 1/2 inch from each end. Then, cut a "v" at the ends of the rectangle being careful to not cut the seam.

Hand holding orange scissors cutting along a blue-stitched rectangular outline on light fabric with large white tropical leaf print, pinned to pink fabric.

Turn the pocket fabric though the hole to the wrong side of the lining fabric and press in place.

Black and white fabric with large leaf print on an ironing board, folded with a strip of interfacing inside; a white iron rests nearby.

Add the zipper inside the hole with the right side of the zipper facing the right side of the lining fabric. Pin in place and sew a seam right along the edge of the hole.

Close-up of purple fabric with a partially sewn black and white leaf-patterned fabric piece. A black zipper is partially attached along the seam.

Fold the bottom edge of the pocket fabric up and align it with the top edge. Pin in place and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the sides and top to form the pocket.

Hand holding a clip securing stacked fabric pieces pinned together, with a white leaf-patterned piece on dark pink fabric on a wooden surface.

To prepare the fabric for the bottom panel of the inner lining, take the front panel side and bottom measurement from earlier (for the length) and add 2 inches. The width is 4 1/2 inches. So, we cut our bottom lining panel to 4 1/2 inches wide by 38 inches long (36 inches plus 2 inches). Assemble the bottom panel and lining panels just as you did earlier with the outer shell pieces. This time, the bottom panel will only extend past the top edges of the lining panels about one inch. Leave the inner lining wrong side out when it is assembled.

Maroon fabric pinned around a white square embroidery hoop with floral pattern, on a wooden table; a hand holds the fabric edge.

Next, add the snaps to the inner center of the inner lining about one inch from the top edge (follow the directions on the snaps for how to add them.

Tip: we used a craft knife to carefully cut the slits for the snaps.

Hand holding a blue Disappearing Ink pen, marking dark pink fabric near a black zipper and a silver snap button on a wooden surface.

We used a needle-nosed pliers to bend the snaps in place.

Close-up of a hand holding open a purple fabric bag, showing a small silver snap button fastener inside; background is a wooden surface.

Insert the outer shell inside the outer lining and align the top edges together. Pin in place. Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the top edges only leaving a four inch hole on one of the sides right above one of the snaps - do not sew the sides just yet.

Partially sewn maroon bag with white floral-printed fabric panels and black-and-white floral pocket; hand holding and pins visible; wooden table background.

Turn the bag right side out. Turn the top side edges of the inner lining over, pin in place, and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the top edges.

Close-up of a hand holding the edge of a black and white patterned cross-body bag with a maroon fabric lining, secured with pins near the top.

Turn the raw edges of the side opening in 1/4 inch. Then, using a whip stitch, hand sew the top edges of the sides of the bag with needle and thread.

Close-up of hands holding a needle and thread, stitching a cross-body bag with black and white leaf patterns and purple embroidery on cream fabric.

Cut a piece of fabric 5 inches wide by 38 inches long for the strap. Turn the long edges over one inch to the wrong side and press. Then, align the long folded edges together and press. Also, turn the short ends in 1/2 inch and pin in place. Sew a 1/4 inch seam around the entire outer edge of the strap.

Iron and pink fabric strips arranged on an ironing board. The fabric is pressed flat with a white and gray iron. The background shows a blue ironing board cover.

Wrap the ends of the straps (working from the outside in) through the rings on the bag. Bring the ends up about 1 1/2 inch, pin in place, and sew the ends in place with a 1/4 inch seam.

Hand holding a maroon fabric strap with two pins attached near a black and white patterned fabric loop on a wooden surface background.

Get Inspired:

Your stylish bag is now complete!

Cross-body bag with two fabric sections: one black and cream with large leaf print, the other cream with pink circular floral embroidery, and a solid maroon strap.