This water bottle carrier was inspired when I found myself carrying everyone’s water in my backpack for the 4th of July parade. Next time, everyone carries their own! This is my first tutorial so please feel free to send me corrections or comments on how to make it better.
1. Cutting Instructions
Cut one piece of fabric for the exterior and one piece for the interior each 10 3/4 wide x 8 inches tall. I’ve pieced my exterior fabric with two coordinating prints in the tutorial pictures.
Cut 2 circles of your lining fabric, the circle should have a 3 3/4 inch diameter. The diameter of the circle stitching line is 3 inches. Add an additional 3/8 inch seam allowance making the cut circle diameter 3 3/4 inches.
Cut one piece of Insul-Brite 9 x 7 inches. Cut one Insul-Brite circle with a diameter of 3 inches.
For strap, cut one length of twill tape and one length of ribbon, both 42 inches long. This fits my 8 and 11 year old daughters. When I sized it for myself I cut it 50 inches long.
2. Sew exterior to lining along the top edge only, right sides together using a 3/8 inch seam.
3. Press open seam.
4. The Insul-Brite is going to get sandwiched between the exterior and the lining. Pin Insul-Brite to the wrong side of exterior fabric, aligning and centering top of batting with the joined seam line. Pin in place about an inch down to keep batting from sliding around. Fold over the the lining fabric and pin some more. Top stitch 1/4 inch along the top edge. This provides a baseline anchoring of the batting.
5. Pin entire sandwich like a quilt, securing as needed to keep layers from puckering when stitched. Stitch all layers as you please. Repeat this for the bottom circle. Finish bottom edge of top and edges of circle with a zigzag stitch or serger.
6. I used a French seam to join the side edges of the carrier. A French seam is two steps which result in the raw edge being trapped inside the second seam. Use some scraps and do a practice seam if this is the first time trying this. This seam is great for fairy skirts too!
Step One: Pin WRONG sides of sides together and stitch a 1/4 inch seam. Don’t press seam open, you want them to lay flat together.
Step Two: Turn tube wrong side out. Pin again along the edge, RIGHT sides together and stitch a 3/8 inch seam. This seam will ‘trap’ the previous seam inside. This gives you a nice clean finished edge for the inside of your carrier.
7. Leave tube with lining turned to the outside. Pin bottom circle to tube’s raw edge, right sides together. Clip edges of the tube to make fitting easier. Only clip about 1/4 inch into seamline.
8. Stitch using a 3/8 inch seam.
9. Turn carrier right side out.
10. Attach twill tape to ribbon with a single stitch down the center.
11. Turn up 1 inch of strap raw edge and attach to inside edge of tube, centering ends on either side of the carrier side seam. (After making this I think it would have been easier to attach the strap before creating the tube.)
12. Enjoy watching your kids carry their own water bottle.
Tips:
This carrier fits a small 500 mL bottle of water. I used a Crystal Geyser bottle that was 8 inches around. The finished tube is 9 inches in circumference and 7 1/4 inches tall.
The formula for sizing the diameter of the bottom circle is: the circumference of the circle divided by 3.14 (or pi). The circumference is measured by laying the top part of your bag flat, measuring the opening from one side to the other and then doubling. I usually round up the result of the formula just to keep things simple and add for a little shrinkage that will occur when the circle is quilted. I then add a 3/8 inch seam allowance or a total of 3/4 inch to the diameter measurement. In this example, a 9 inch circumference divided by 3.14 = 2.866, I rounded to 3 inches and added 3/4 of an inch for the total seam allowance.
Insul-Brite is a thin batting with a thin layer of foil. It will hold in heat or cold. If using it for potholders it’s recommended to use two additional layers of regular batting. I purchased mine at JoAnns.
Go to Whip Up and see all the other fabulous entries for this round of the Whip Lash Challenge. My entry is for the Tutorial category.
Kathy Mack
Carrie + Diana
thanks a lot for this wonderful pattern! best wishes from germany.
Made your water bottle carrier. Great directions. Thanks. I made one small change on mine, I added a loop in the seam where the fabrics changed, that way I can snap my keys onto it or a tiny change purse the size of a charge card. Making for my grand kids for Christmas. Thanks so much.
I have a very new online business/hobby in Queensland Australia and would very much like to include your water bottle bag, can I have permission to re produce this bag (made up) for gifts and sale.
Would love to add your site to my blogroll
Warm Regards
Bronwyn
http://bagsbyb.wordpress.com
bagsbyb@y7mail.com
I support an open use policy on all my patterns (both for sale patterns and the ones I giveaway here on the blog or in the shop).
You can make as many as you want for sale (as long as you’re making them). If they are sold online please credit Pink Chalk Studio for the design.
Thank you and good luck to everyone with your crafty business adventures!
Thank you so much for your tutorial. I made one for my daughter. Made the band adjustable.
You can see it here: http://ingrid-handwerken.blogspot.com/2010/10/waterflesdrager.html
My daughter loves it. Here water stays really cool during the day at school. Thanks again Kathy.
Very nice. My sister quilts and has made me a water bottle holder. The only thing I would do differently is that she makes hers with an adjustable strap. I think yours are beautiful. We have traveled around Europe using ours andit is nice to have your hands free but have water handy.
[...] any group doing similar activities related to teaching young women to sew. They recently made the Pink Chalk Studio Water Bottle Carrier project using Robert Kaufman’s 2009 GS [...]
There’s a way of making neck coolers using beads. You can Google it. My craft teacher taught how to do it but I was busy working on a sewing project so I didn’t get the directions for it. So you’ll be able to make a water bottle carrier that will keep water cold. Thanks for this post. My friend made on today and brought it to class. Came out very nice.
My way of making straps for totes/water bottle carriers, etc. is to decide how long you want the straps to be, then fold fabric in half lengthwise. Press. Open, then fold each of the long edges into the center crease. Press again. When both ends are folded into the center, fold again so long outside edges meet. This gives you four thicknesses of fabric strap. Sew each long edge of strap as close to edge as possible. Sew zigzag or decorative stitch down center of strap. Very sturdy. To attach to body of tote/water carrier, I turn down the top edge of tote to make a casing. Put the short edge of the strap underneath the casing then fold the strap back up. Tack or pin in place. Stitch all around edge of casing seam, being sure you keep straps from twisting. Do same with other short edge. It will be very sturdy.
This is my first time on this site. I like it. Thank you.
Hi, loved your tutorial, this will be great for a few Christmas presents to go with some stainless steel water bottles.
I found your tutorial via a link to your website (craftzine), but I also found the entire tut reprinted on this website: http://ymib.com/daily-inspiration/creative-living/articles/make-it-water-bottle-carrier.html. I have no idea if you’re a contributor to this site, but if not, I thought you would like to know they’ve published your tutorial.
All the best, thanks for the tut.
Melissa
Great pattern. I enlarged the bag and made my own handle so I could make wine carriers for my friends. Your instructions were great. I also embroidered my friend’s names on it. Of course I made me one too!!!
Thanks for sharing your idea – these are already on my Christmas list for 2011!! Can’t wait to get started!
Dear Kathy,
Thank you for the pattern of the “Water Bottle Carrier”. I have been looking for one even at stores. I’m glad that I found one that I can make. If this size doesn’t fit, I see how I can make it to fit the size of my bottles. I’m also glad that you mentioned about the length of the strap. That is one thing I wouldn’t have thought about. I would have been upset with myself for not thinking about prior to starting the project.
The pattern is short, to the point, and easy to follow. After finding your pattern, I found a couple more & looked at them to compare to yours. They went into a lot of information that could make it confusing for some people. They also didn’t mention about the strap size. I also like how your pattern uses 3 different coordinating materials, 1 on the inside and 2 on the outside. It gives a nicer appearance. I can see that people will be saying, “Oh how cute, where did you get that from”.
Thanks again,
Kimberely
?????åKathy,
Thank you for the pattern for the water bottle holder. I’ve been looking for one for about 6-9 months. I had been looking at craft stores, quilting stores, and department stores. Since finding your pattern, I’ve found several others. Your pattern is easy to follow. I also appreciate the advice on the shoulder strap, that is something I wouldn’t have thought about until I had finished with it; in fact I wouldn’t have thought about it at all. I also see how I could change the pattern a little bit if it doesn’t fit my bottle. I like the way you have used 3 coordinating fabrics, it makes it look more dressy. I can imagine people seeing these & saying something about how pretty they are.
Thank you for sharing your pattern with us.
Kimberely
Kathy,
I just thought of something else. These would be really nice to be given as gifts. People really enjoy something that was made for them. It would also be fun to make them from fabrics of each season & holiday.
Thanks again,
Kimaberely
I have made these too, when we go on shop hops on the bus and nowhere to keep the water bottle, my made up pattern is similar.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for this I made 2 for my kids, they are great
http://hereswhatididtoday.blogspot.com/2011/02/water-bottles.html
Just found this great tutorial, it looks easy and fun. Thanks so much!
Really a great tutorial.
Makes it seem so simple to sew a circle onto a tube!
Have just found this site but plan to revisit.
Will make a few of these for sure! Great gift idea.
Thanks for sharing.
Joan in Ga
What a great tutorial. Cute! Gave me lots of great ideas, for color and more. Thanks so much for the freebie. Love your site!
This water bottle carrier tutorial has some very valuable resources when you’re trying to make a carrier for other sizes than an 8-ounce bottle; I was making a carrier for DH’s favorite “hydration bottle” and the formula for making the circle at the bottom of the carrier was applicable and very useful.
It’s a very good tutorial, thanks very much!
I am new to Pink chalk and am so glad. I am just sad I did not find you sooner,
I am ready to roll on the water bottle holders for all of my friends that quilt and will appreciate the colors, the pattern and the usefulness,
I see it as a pattern that will never be out of date because of its usefulness.
Thanks Pink Chalk.
I think u did a wonderful job and that really is an interesting idea look forward to learning more from you : )
[...] a pattern for making your own water bottle carrier, so you can sling a bottle of water over your shoulder when you’re on the [...]
[...] ? PAP de sacola para carregar garrafinha de água. [...]
Great job!
I loved this pattern. I made 2 of these custom sized for my daughters going to Girl Scout camp this weekend. Start to finish it took 40 minutes. I just used plain belting material for the handle because they were leaving today. That saved a bit of time. I think I’ll need to redo the handles when they get back. Thanks for the tutorial.
Anne
What a beautiful and CLEVER idea!
thanks for the water bottle pattern
Thank you Kathy for your ideas on a water bottle carrier. I required a specialised carrier for a glass water bottle, and your plans look promising.
I don’t think my version of your design will look as nice as yours, as I will be making mine out of diving suit material for cold storage.
Your “corner of the sewing world” came in handy when no one this side of Shanghai, China had anything close.
Thanks and best regards,
Ron Lyons
I know what I will be making today! LOL I have been wanting something easy to sew to use up some small pieces of fabric, this is it. It will be useful also. Me and my little one walk to the park a lot.
I had this same idea (for about the same reason), but after making the first kid’s, I thought I might look for someone who had already figured it out – your tutorial is perfect…now on to make 4 or 5 of these…and free up my bag!
These are wonderful! Can’t wait to try, thanks!
Hi Kathy,
Over the past year or so I have made over 30 of these carriers. I made the handle a little different and machine embroidered names on the top. I am a member of a few quilt guilds and all my friends got one for their birthdays. Loved the pattern.
Thanks so much,
Jean
That’s a wonderful idea! I use a small freezer space, therefore i can never make that work with me. I keep a spinning 2 week meal strategy that changes seasonally and go by that so I don’t have to think too much with regards to dinners. Jona Haggans
[...] Here is the coolest ever water bottle holder pattern link from Pink Chalk Studio. It was quite the little adventure for me to sew these. First off, my sewing machine was behaving quite strangely. The needle broke the first night, and than the whole time working on my daughters, the stitches were sticking out and not getting that tight. It looked terrible, but only up close, which has given me time to do her brothers and take a break before I remake hers. [...]
Hello: Great pattern. However, are aware you cannot print page 1. Had to copy it by hand. Please check the design of the web page. Thanks
[...] Quelle [...]
wow i’ve been thinking about water bags for ages thanks this is a great idea am going to make one or more as soon as possible
thanks again
[...] I really did wing this, but not before checking out tutorials by Pink Chalk Studio and The Long Thread. Subscribe: to new blog posts via rss or emailCategory: all posts, kids, [...]
I thought your free patterns and tips were great. Step by step pictures really help a beginner quilter and the tips were a big help for those of us who didn’t quite get it the first time around. Thanks.
[...] A fancy schmancy cute water bottle tote via Pink Chalk Studio [...]
[...] Water Bottle Carrier from Pink Chalk Studios would come in handy during those camp [...]
great instructions thanks
Hi Kathy,
I made two water bottle carriers using your instructions. They turned out beautifully! I made them slightly larger to accommodate the size of the bottles. I really wanted to make something like this for my daughter to take to school. Now, thanks to you, I have!
Thank you!!!
Cheryl
These are wonderful…what a clever idea!
I’m new to your website but I’m loving it so far. I’m a newbie to the computer so it takes me awhile to get around your site. I love the water bottle and it’s a free makes it even better. I have tried several times unsuccessfully to download it I’m sure it is me. I’ll try again.
[...] Water Bottle Carrier. Pink Chalk Studio [...]
What an excellent tutorial! Thank you very much! The water bottle holder is darling.
Love this tutorial ~ So far I’ve made 3 for my family. Thanks for posting it!!
very cool your blog congratulations best wishes
That is fantastic!! You did such a good job explaining. Thanks! I can not wait to make everyone one of these!!!
[...] Water Bottle Carrier Tutorial by Pink Chalk [...]
You’ve done it again. The water bottle carrier is super. I am new at all this and you have me working on something everyday now. You are so inspiring. thanks.