I’ve had quite a few questions about medieval market bags, so here’s a short description:

Market bags can vary in length & width; their main feature is that they’re two pockets, one at each end, usually worn slung over the shoulder to balance the weight, though I’ve found that, with some small loads, wearing it around my neck like a yoke works too.

The one in the pic is one yard of 54” linen folded sides to middle, sewn part way up the middle from each end – 13” from one end and 18” from the other to make a deeper bag. Then it’s sewn across the short ends; there, I used a felled seam to have a clean finish on both inside & outside the bottom of the bags. Having threads fraying loose inside the bag is messy and unpleasant!

One very important detail is to reinforce the ends of the seams at the opening, or it will tear out very quickly – guess how I know! I used arrowhead tacks. Aside from the tacks, the red stitching in the pic is partly decoration, and partly to keep the seam allowances flat.

The bag is amazingly useful, and sturdy – the one in the pic is close to ten years old, and has been stuffed to near-bursting in all sorts of circumstances, ranging from reenactment events in North America to small-town markets in Italy.

A quick & easy project, great for small gifts and SCA* largesse!

…and yes, the image has been turned 90° – the bag was photographed hanging in front of a door

*Society for Creative Anachronism