Free Mesh Beach Bag sewing pattern

inside: sew up this free mesh beach bag for fun all summer long. Large mesh tote bag are perfect for all your swim things at the beach or pool all summer long. Printable PDF tote pattern.

{originally posted 5/2020, reposted with minor updates 6/2024}

I recently used this amazing mesh bag at a water park with my kids, so I thought it was time to reshare this with you all!

I love the beach. With kids it’s one of the most relaxing places for us to visit if I want to chill. The kids will dig/play in the sand for hours, which give me time to just relax… yeah for beach vacations. We had the chance to visit my parents in the Dominican Republic earlier this year and I made this mesh beach bag to take along. It was so great for holding all our beach/pool things for our daily outings. Today I have a free printable pattern for you to make your own large mesh tote.

DIY Large Mesh Beach Bag

Our DR trip this last time was a moms and cousins trip which meant 3 moms, 10 kids {12 and under} and the grandparents. It was a fun and crazy week and this mesh tote bag got a ton of use. Here is a photo of how it looked actually in use.

Filled to the brim with towels, goggles, water dolls, sunscreen and snacks.

And then when everything is out…and scattered on the pool deck. It was a huge time saver to just shove everything in this large tote to take home at the end of the day.

Before we get to the free pattern I’m excited to show you some of the great features of this mesh tote bag.

The best thing about all tote bags are pockets. I always sew bags with lots and lots of pockets… this one is no exception. There is a great little pocket right at the inside top of the bag for all the things you don’t want to get lost in the big, main section. It was perfect for our goggles.

I added a place to keep your valuables. Phone, money, my daughters VERY expensive hearing aids {haha} This small zipper pouch is water resistant {from the rip-stop fabric} and is secured to the bag because it’s sewn on a cord into the side seam.

SO many pockets!! In addition to the inside pockets this pool tote has SIX pockets on the outside to hold pretty much anything and everything.

The thick straps are comfy to wear and good for walks to the pool/beach.

MORE free tote patterns to enjoy

• Tote made from waxed canvas
• Towel and Tote in one
• Easy summer tote
• A list of fun totes to sew

Supplies for vinyl mesh bag

Are you ready to get sewing? First go download the pattern. There are two versions… a completely free version with the downloadable pattern pieces and instructions here in this post. AND a $2 version that gives you a pdf of the pattern AND instructions.

Supplies {shopping links updated 2024} the vinyl mesh is trickier to find, but the amazon link is what you are looking for. Vinyl Mesh.

• download pattern from above
• 1 yard Mesh {medium/heavy weight}
• 1/2 yard Coordinating Rip Stop Fabric
• 8″ zipper
• 1.5″ wide strapping {NOTE the pattern states that these are 26″, they are actually 58″ – not sure what happened!}

The printable pattern has BOTH printable pieces AND just dimensions. If you want to measure and cut all the pieces yourself, just print page 1 of the pattern.

Here is what the pattern should look like when assembled. Use this for help putting pieces together. Need help assembling your pdf pattern? Check out this tutorial for everything you need to know about pdf patterns. Can’t figure out how to add the pattern to your cart and check out? Use this account help tutorial.

Cut all pieces as directed. Mesh pieces and rip-stop pieces.

How to sew a mesh beach bag

We are going to start with making the secure, attached zipper pocket for the inside. Fold in half with the long sides together and sew the long side and one short side of the pocket cord piece and turn right side out. Need help with turning thin fabric tubes? Check out this tutorial here.

Find your zipper pocket piece. Cut 2.5″ off one of the short ends as shown.

With right sides of the zipper facing the right side of the fabric, sew the open zipper to each side of the pocket. {my fabric does not have a wrong or right side}

Zip up the zipper to check alignment and then top-stitch fabric on either side of the zipper. Take the thin fabric cord piece and place the open end on one top corner of the zipper pocket.

Fold the bottom of the zipper pocket UP so the short ends meet. Make sure to OPEN the zipper at least half way. Pin or clip the pocket all the way around the three sides. Sew around all three sides.

Turn the pocket right side out through the open zipper. I like to top-stitch the short sides of the zipper to re-enforce the seams as shown on the right.

Prepare one short side of the upper pocket by turning under 1/4″ then another 1/3″ and sewing to hem ONE short side. set aside

Next we will finish the edges of the mesh for the top of the bag sides and the bag side pocket pieces. You will finish BOTH pocket tops and ONE bag side. Leave the other side bag unfinished. {for now}

With right sides together sew one long edge of the binding to the long edges of the bag pockets and the bag side.

To sew the mesh beach bag binding turn the piece over to the back side, fold the seam allowance up, then fold the rip stop down to meet seam allowance. Then fold ONE more time to fully enclose the seam. Pin or clip to hold in place.

Sew with a straight stitch to secure the binding of the free tote bag pattern.

Now go back to that bag side we didn’t finish. You will do step one above {sew the binding to the bag side top}, but before you double fold we will attach the pocket. Take your upper pocket {that you finished one short edge} and fold the short bottom UP towards the finished top with right sides together. Have the raw edge overlap the finished edge by 1″. Sew the sides, then turn right side out.

Stick that raw edge of the pocket into the binding when you do the double fold. The pocket should be CENTERED in the top edge of the bag side. Sew the binding to attach the pocket.

Place the pocket on the bag side, lining up the bottoms. Take the webbed strapping and Place it on the side of the bag. The inner edges of the straps should be right on either side of the pocket {but on the other side of the mesh} The pocket is on the inside, the mesh pocket and straps are on the outside. Pin the straps on either side of the inner pocket and then straight down to the bottom. The top of the strap should be a loop. Sew down both sides of the strapping.

Lay the finished side of the mesh tote on top of the other side to match up the strap placement. Pin and sew the straps. Both sides of the bag should have a mesh pocket on top of the side and under the strap.

Place the bag sides right sides together and pin the sides. Sew with a triple stitch. Put the zipper pocket cord into the side seam of one side. Use a triple stitch as shown to sew the sides.

After the side seam was sewn I used the same triple stitch to top-stitch on the right side of the bag. Now you should have the bag in a circle.

Take the bag bottom and line up the center of the short sides with the side seams. Pin or clip {working your way around the bag} the bottom of the bag until it forms a rectangle. Sew the bottom rectangle with the triple stitch. Top-stitch around the bag seam allowance if you want.

Yeah!! You did it!! What a beautiful mesh bag. I love Big Totes with lots of pockets and this free tote pattern fits that perfectly.