I hate, hate, hate buying a beautiful bottle of wine to bring as a gift to a dinner party and either handing the host the bottle like I’m passing the salt, or worse, putting it in one of those tacky bags they sell in the liquor store. I was thinking about making wine bags and was over-complicating it, creating a smaller pattern similar to the tote bags I make.

I was talking to my mother-in-law about it, and she shared a wine bag that my in-laws use with close friends. Whenever they get together they pass it back and forth, with wine. If you have the bag, it is your turn to bring the wine. How clever.

I made mine a little sturdier with interfacing inside, and a little bigger with lining, so you could flip the top down and see a contrasting inner fabric.

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For Thanksgiving and the autumn season, I did a simple gourd and pumpkin print with a brown and orange stripe lining.

For Christmas, I did a holly print with a gold swirl and red print for the lining. I love, love, love Hoffman’s holiday fabrics.

And for everyday use, I did two different wine prints. This one has a repeating wine bottle print.

To do it yourself, cut your fabric and lining 14.5″ x 15.5″. Cut a ribbon 20″ long. Iron fusible interfacing to the lining. Fold them vertically, with the right sides together.. Stitch the outside fabric down the long side and across the bottom, being sure to sew the ribbon into the long side. Stitch the lining down the long side and across the bottom, leaving a 2″ opening to turn the wine bag. Then, leave the outside bag with the right side in, the lining with the right side out, and put the lining inside the outside, with the right sides together, aligning the top edge. Stitch around the top edge. Turn, then whipstitch the turning hold closed. I use a 1/4″ seam. Enjoy!