Over the past year, my family has gotten really into indoor rock climbing. It's good exercise and a fun activity that we can all do together, even my littlest! I wanted to make my kids chalk bags for Christmas last year, but had a hard time finding a pattern or tutorial that matched what I wanted. I took pieces of things I found online, as well as inspiration from other bags I've seen, and eventually came up with a design with which I was satisfied.
If you or someone in your life is a climber, then this tutorial is for you! Chalk bags are a fun and easy way to add your own personal flair to your climbing gear. They also make great gifts! As soon as my kids opened their chalk bags on Christmas, my husband requested one. It's taken me 6 months, but I finally made it and wrote out a tutorial, so you can make one too!
Materials
- Main fabric 8" x 16"
- This can be most anything, but sturdier fabrics will hold up better. I'm using waxed canvas for this one.
- Fleece lining 8" x 16" (My scrap of fleece wasn't quite big enough, so I had to piece it together- hence the seam in the photo.)
- 25" Long piece of 1" nylon webbing
- (1) Cord stop
- 25" Long piece of cord
- Parachute cord, shoelace, thin cotton or nylon braided cord
- (1) 1/4" Eyelet set
- Sewing clips or pins
- Lighter (to melt the ends of the nylon webbing and nylon cord)
- Quilting ruler
- Optional: A fun patch for the front and tag for the back
Fold your main fabric piece in half to find the center of the length. Mark the center top and bottom edges with a pin or fabric pen. If you are adding a patch, measure 3" down from the top center and mark that point.
This is where the TOP of your patch will go. Center the patch, lining up the top of it with the mark 3" down from the top edge of the fabric. Pin the patch and sew it down. Use your discretion to decide if this placement needs to be adjusted based on the size of your patch.
The patch I'm using is a 3" circle and came with a Velcro piece, so I am just sewing the Velcro to the fabric and will stick the patch on at the end. The Velcro also gives the opportunity to change the patch out later, if desired.
Next, fold the main fabric right sides together so that the two short ends are lined up. Clip it in place. Cut a 3 1/2" piece of webbing, melt the edges with a lighter so it doesn't fray, and fold it in half. Clip the the loop in between the two layers of the main fabric about 2" down from the top. The raw edges of the webbing loop should line up with the raw edges of the main fabric. If you'd like to add a tag, clip it in the same way, about 1" below the webbing loop. Sew a 3/8" seam, backstitching at the beginning and end.
Open your seam so it lays flat and line it up with the center points you marked in the beginning. The seam should be in the center and this will be the back of your chalk bag.
Clip the seam in place along the bottom edge of the bag and sew a 3/8" seam across the bottom.
(I forgot to sew my loop and tag in initially, so I had to unpick stitches and add it in later, which is why you don't see them in the two photos below. 😛)
Use a quilting ruler to mark lines 1" in and 1" down on each corner. Be sure to start your 1" from the bottom seam and from the folded edge of the bag, as shown below.
Cut out the corners.
Pinch the corners to create a straight edge. Sew 1/4" across that edge. Do this for both corner cutouts. I like to go over this a couple times for added strength.
Now you have a nice boxed bottom to your chalk bag! Repeat this process with the fleece lining so it's the same size and shape as your main fabric piece.
Next, you will add the eyelet to the main fabric. Flip the main fabric right side out. Using the center top mark that you made in the beginning, measure 2 3/8" down and mark that spot. Cut a tiny hole in the fabric at that spot and add your eyelet.
On the center back of your lining, measure 2" from the top and mark it with a pin. The lining should still be wrong side out. Because the vertical seam should be in the center of the back, this marked point will fall on the seam. (As mentioned earlier, I had to piece my fleece together get a large enough piece, so I have an extra seam and centered the back between the two.)
Take your cord, fold it in half and pin the center of it in the spot you just marked. Sew over the cord, back and forth, a couple times to secure it to the wrong side of the lining.
Pull the two ends of the cord to the front side of the lining.
Now, stick the lining into the main bag. The main should be right side out, while the lining remains wrong side out with the cord in between the two.
Pull the two ends of the cord through the eyelet so that they come out the front of the bag.
Slide the cord stop onto both ends and tie the loose ends in a knot to keep the cord stop from coming off. You can test the cord length by cinching and loosening the cord. You can tie the knot closer to the bag and trim off extra length, if needed.
Line up the raw top edges of the lining and main bag. The two back seams should meet. Clip all the way around the bag edge and then sew 1/4" seam all the way around, backstitching at the beginning and end. If your machine has a free arm, using it will make it much easier to sew the circle opening.
Next, we will prepare the webbing. Start by using a flexible tape measure to measure around the bag opening. Cut that length of webbing and melt the edges well so it doesn't fray.
Bring the two ends of the webbing together, making sure there are no twists in it. Use a zigzag stitch to sew the ends together. Go over it a couple times to really make sure it's well secured.
Flip the bag so that the lining is facing out. Clip the webbing to the opening so that it is just barely covering the stitches of the 1/4" seam. Make sure the webbing zigzag seam is in the back. Sew the webbing down close to the edge of the webbing.
Flip the bag again to be right side out. Cut a 4 1/2" piece of webbing, melt the ends, and fold it in half. Clip it to the back of the bag, lining up the raw ends of the loop with the raw edge of the bag opening. Sew it in place. Again, I recommend going over it a couple of times for strength. This is the loop that will attach your bag to your harness with a carabiner.
Fold the top webbing down to cover the raw edges of the bag opening. Clip it in place and sew it down with a zigzag stitch, lining up the edge of the zigzag with the very edge of the webbing.
Your chalk bag is complete! Fill it with chalk, hang it on your harness, and you're ready to climb in style!
Here are a few test versions I made for my kids. They've had a lot of use and have held up well!
