Running Waist Bag

So many running clothes -especially those for women- have no pockets! Where are you supposed to put your keys - in your hand where they get sweaty and jangle annoyingly? Where do they think I should put my post run banana (or ice-cream!) money? I once resorted to sticking a pound coin in my shoe - you don't need me to tell you that it was a very uncomfortable run that day!

This small bag can comfortably fit your keys, money, credit cards, parkrun barcode - that type of thing. If you wanted a pouch big enough for your phone, you could scale up the design to fit it, but I prefer to run without one. The bag fits tightly around your waist with elastic, and you can easily clip it on and off. You can wear it over or under your top - often under is better as it makes you seem a less good target for being mugged!

You will need:

• fabric for outside of the bag and lining (I used the same for both)
• zip
• elastic (you want one that is fairly stable and not too stretchy)
• needle and thread
• sewing machine (or you could sew the whole thing by hand)
• template
• usual sewing stuff (scissors, marking tool etc)

To create the template for the bag pieces, draw the following pieces:

• Draw a rectangle 3.5x26cm
• Draw a rectangle 26x10.5cm, then starting from 6cm down from the top, draw a curve that touches the bottom of the rectangle. Ensure the curve is symmetrical by folding the rectangle in half and tracing round the curve.
• Draw a rectangle 26x8.5cm, then starting from 3cm down from the top, draw a curve that touches the bottom of the rectangle. Ensure the curve is symmetrical by folding the rectangle in half and tracing round the curve.

Cut 2 pieces of fabric for each template you have created, one for the outside and one for the lining.

Then iron all of the pieces so they are flat. For the each of the four smaller pieces (the rectangle and the smaller curved piece in the outside fabric and lining fabric) fold 1cm down from the top of the fabric and iron it flat down.

Cut two small rectangles of fabric the same width as the zip, and sew one to each end right sides together. Then fold the ends out

Pin the pieces for the front together on to the zip (this is why you have ironed the sides down). If you are not making a lining, go ahead and sew the zip on at this point, but as I used a lining (and am not brilliant at sewing zips in!) I decided to sew it right at the end.

Sew a short piece of elastic on to the bit of the clip that you the other one goes inside (if that makes sense!). Then sew this elastic right sides together to one end of the bag. Then sew a long piece of elastic that is 1.5 times the size of your waist/hip to the other end of the bag.

Then sew the back piece on to this piece, right sides together. I found it a bit difficult to tuck all the elastic in because it was so long, but it is important to make sure it all stays on the inside. Also make sure to open the zip before you start sewing so you can turn it inside out when you have finished sewing it.

Turn the bag inside out.

This step is very simple, just sew all of the pieces of the lining, right sides together - refer to the picture if this is unclear. Don't turn it inside out when you are done.

Push the lining inside the outer bag. I hand stitched the lining and outer bag to the zip, although you could use the machine if you wanted.

Make a small loop of elastic and stitch it together at the end. Then thread this loop on to the long piece of elastic. Now thread the long elastic around the fork like clip.The loop can be used to tuck the long end of the elastic into so that it doesn't flap around.

The bag is finished, now go ahead and clip it around your waist, tightening the belt to your satisfaction. Ideally it should be tight enough so it doesn't bounce up and down as you run.

I used a lightweight synthetic fabric, but it could be useful to use a waterproof fabric if it often rains where you live, and you have stuff you need to keep dry (e.g. parkrun barcode).