How to Make a Yoga Mat Tote? | Sew Your Own Carryall

Making your own yoga mat tote solves two problems at once: it gives your mat a dedicated home, and it lets you skip the flimsy straps that come with most mats. The process is straightforward—measure your mat, cut a rectangle and a circle, sew them together, and add a drawstring or strap. The key is that the bag must be cut to fit your specific mat, which is why patterns always start with a measuring tape, not a guess.

What You Need To Make A Yoga Mat Tote

You likely already own most of the supplies. The essentials are fabric (canvas, denim, or quilting cotton all work), scissors, pins or clips, a measuring tape, chalk or a marking tool, a sewing machine, thread, an iron, and cord or rope for the drawstring. Optional upgrades include interfacing for stiffness, an outer pocket, webbing for a shoulder strap, and decorative trim.

The one tool you cannot skip is the measuring tape. Yoga mats vary in length, circumference, and thickness, and a bag built for a thin 1/16-inch mat will not fit a thicker 1/4-inch exercise mat. Measure your own rolled mat before you cut anything—this is the single most important step in the entire project.

How To Measure And Cut Your Fabric

Take three measurements from your rolled mat: the length, the circumference (the distance around the roll), and the diameter of the circular end. Then add allowance for seams, the drawstring casing, and ease so the mat slides in without a fight.

But do not cut yet—lay your measuring tape against your own mat and use the 4/3/1 formula so the bag fits the mat you actually own.

Sewing The Tote Step By Step

Once your fabric is cut, the construction follows a consistent order across every tutorial. Work slowly and press your seams as you go; the results look far more professional for just a few extra minutes.

1. Fold the rectangle in half with right sides together, and sew the side seam using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Finish the raw edge with a zigzag stitch or pinking shears to reduce fraying.
2. Pin the circular bottom to one end of the tube, right sides together. Sew slowly here—a straight-sided circle easing into a curved tube is the trickiest seam in the project. Go a few stitches at a time and adjust the fabric as you work.
3. Hem the top edge by folding it over 1/4 inch, then another 1 inch, and press flat. Sew close to the inner fold to create the casing for your drawstring.
4. Thread the cord or rope through the casing using a safety pin, and tie the ends together. If you want a cinched closure, add a cord stop; if you prefer an open carryall, skip it.
5. Attach a strap if desired. Sew it with a boxed-X stitch pattern and backstitch at both ends—the strap carries the full weight of the mat, so reinforcement matters.

When the tote is finished, roll your mat and slide it in. The success cue is a bag that fits snugly with room to spare but does not flop around. If it is too tight, you skipped the ease allowance; if it is baggy, your next bag can use less.

For a faster, no-sew alternative, some makers crochet a tote with strap slits or use heat-bond tape to fuse the seams. Both methods work, but a sewn version lasts longer and handles the mat’s weight more reliably. If you would rather buy than sew, our recommended yoga mat totes we’ve tested cover the best options for every budget.

Tips For A Tote That Lasts

Three small choices separate a tote that lasts two years from one that falls apart in a month. First, reinforce every stress point: the strap ends, the bottom seam, and the casing openings all take repeated strain, so backstitch or bartack each one. Second, finish your raw edges—fraying starts at the seams, and a quick zigzag or bound edge stops it cold. Third, choose a bottom circle that matches your mat’s actual thickness, not the diameter of the roll. A mat that is thick but tightly rolled needs a wider base than a thin mat of the same circumference.

One more consideration: washability. If you carry your mat to hot classes, the bag will absorb sweat and grime. Pre-wash your fabric before sewing so it does not shrink later, and choose a fabric that survives machine washing. Canvas and denim handle it well; some synthetics do not.