Creating a yoga mat bag with Little Button Diaries

Our New Year’s resolution (along with drink more water, which makes the list every year and never seems to happen!) is to join a yoga class. We have always loved yoga, but we tend to do it at home in our PJs rather than with other people, so, we decided to sew a lovely bright yoga mat bag to motivate us to go. This is such a simple project - the jersey fabric means you don’t have to be so precise with the measurements as it will all stretch to fit!

You will need:

1 half-metre jersey fabric

1 quarter-metre contrasting jersey fabric

1-metre matching strap (4cm width)

1-metre matching cord

Wooden toggle

This tutorial uses a half-inch seam allowance, unless stated.

Step one

Measure the circumference of your rolled-up yoga mat and add 1 inch to the measurement. Then measure the length of the rolled-up mat and add 3 inches to this measurement – note these down.

Step two

Cut out a rectangle from the main jersey fabric to these measurements. Fold the fabric in half lengthways and make marks 3 inches long from both the narrow ends. Pin the ends of the strap into the fabric with all the raw edges lined up. Pin all the way along the side of the fabric and sew together, with the strap sandwiched in.

Step three 

Place the yoga mat on its end onto the contrasting jersey and draw a circle around it about half an inch bigger than the mat. Cut out the circle, then with the bag inside out, pin the circle into one of the open ends of the bag. Line up the raw edges of the fabrics and sew all the way around.

Step four

For the cord channel, cut a strip of contrasting jersey that is the same width as your main piece and 3 inches wide. Fold over both narrow edges by half an inch and sew along the fold to seal the raw edges under.

Step five

With the bag still inside out, pin and sew the strip of jersey around the open end of the bag with the raw edges lined up. Line up the seams on the bag with the sewn ends of the strip.

Step six

Turn the bag the right way out and fold the strip round to the outside. Tuck the raw edge under by half an inch and pin. Sew all the way around, just above the fold.

Step seven

Attach a safety pin to the end of the cord and feed it through the channel. Remove the safety pin and attach the wooden toggle onto both ends of the cord. Tie and trim the ends to finish.

...and here's the finished article!