For the Love of Books & Bag Making: Sewing Projects for Book Lovers

So, we’re bringing together some of our favorite sewing patterns for book lovers, along with bag making books and resources to inspire your next project. From totes made for library hauls to everyday bags perfect for carrying your current read, consider this your book lover’s guide to bag making.

We love a good tutorial, but there’s something special about having a physical book beside your sewing machine.

You can highlight the pages you come back to again and again, add your own notes, bookmark a technique you want to try, and keep helpful information within reach while you sew. No searching through tabs or trying to remember where you saw that one tip!

Whether you’re learning the basics of bag making or looking for new ways to build your skills, a great reference book can become a permanent part of your sewing space.

Making Bags: A Field Guide is designed to help you understand the techniques behind bag making so you can approach your projects with more confidence.

Instead of simply following instructions, you can learn more about the materials, tools, hardware, and techniques that go into creating beautiful handmade bags. It's the kind of resource you can return to whenever you need a refresher or want to try something new.

Sewing is even more fun when you get to share it with other makers!

The Making Bags Book Club Kit brings creativity and community together, making it a fun addition to sewing groups, guilds, or your own bag making book club. Gather your sewing friends, choose a project, and make something together.

If you’ve been curious about sewing with cork fabric, Create with Cork Fabric is a great resource to keep nearby.

Cork is one of our favorite materials for adding texture and personality to handmade bags and accessories. Learning how to work with it can open up so many possibilities for future projects.

Sometimes you just need the answer to one quick bag making question without stopping your entire project.

That’s exactly why we love having The Essential Bag Making Reference Tool nearby. Keep it in your sewing space for those moments when you need a helpful reminder before moving on to the next step.

Now comes the really fun part: deciding what to make.

The best handmade bags aren't just beautiful sitting on a shelf. They're the ones you reach for again and again because they fit into your everyday life.

And if your everyday life happens to include plenty of books, coffee runs, library trips, and book club nights, these projects might belong at the top of your sewing list.

There’s always room for one more book, right?

The Dalana Book Bag is a natural choice for readers who rarely leave the library empty-handed. Sew one for your weekly library visits, trips to your favorite bookstore, or simply as an everyday tote that can handle your current reads along with the rest of your essentials.

Choose fabrics inspired by your favorite genre, use bookish prints, or keep things classic with cork, faux leather, or a favorite solid.

However you make it, Dalana is ready for your next chapter.

Book club night usually requires more than just the book.

There’s your current read, notebook, pens, water bottle, maybe a snack, and all of those little everyday essentials that somehow need to come along too.

The Miranda Tote gives you room to bring everything together while still carrying a bag you’re proud to say you made yourself.

It's also a fun opportunity to play with fabrics and details that feel completely you. After all, part of the fun of sewing your own bags is getting to skip the part where you search endlessly for the perfect one. You can just make it. After all, part of the fun of sewing your own bags is getting to skip the part where you search store racks endlessly for the perfect one. You can make it just the way you want.

Sometimes the best place to get lost in a book isn't home.

Pack up your latest read and head to your favorite coffee shop with the Veronica Messenger Bag. A messenger-style bag is an easy everyday choice when you want something comfortable to carry while keeping your essentials close.

Pair it with your favorite fabrics and hardware for a finished bag that feels just as fitting for a quiet afternoon of reading as it does for the rest of your day.

One of our favorite things about bag making is watching the same pattern become something completely different depending on the maker.

Your book-inspired project doesn't need to feature book-print fabric to feel perfectly suited for a reader.

Take inspiration from the covers on your bookshelf. Choose deep, moody colors for a mystery-lover aesthetic. Try florals and soft colors for something romantic. Pull rich greens, browns, and textures for a cozy, classic library feel. Or choose bright colors and unexpected details simply because they make you happy.

Your favorite books tell stories, and your fabric choices can too.

Need an excuse to spend a little extra time at your sewing machine? Make a day of it.

Pick out a new bag pattern, grab a favorite drink, open a book, and settle into your sewing space. You could even invite a few sewing friends over and turn it into your own bag making book club.

Everyone can work on the same pattern or choose something different. Add snacks, plenty of fabric, and a good audiobook playing in the background, and you've got our kind of book club.