How to Sew a Drawstring Bag

Make a Quick and Easy Drawstring Bag. Easy Drawstring Bag Tutorial.

 

size:
bottom 16x16cm
height 30cm
holds up to 300g of yarn

drawstring closure with stopper
inside pocket
washable
light colored lining fabric for better overview

materials
light cotton fabric such as quilting fabric
- any design for outside 0,5m
- lightly colored for lining 0,5m
90cm cord
1 cord stopper
optional: 2 metall eyelets (diameter 5-8mm) and matching tool, hammer or special pliers (Prym)
sewing thread
pins
small safety pin 

Sewing allowances of 1cm are included in the given measurements

cutting
cut 2 pieces of outside and 2 pieces of inside fabric, each 34 cm wide and 40 cm long
cut 1 piece of outside fabric 10x34cm
cut 2 pieces of inside fabric 10x34cm

Cover all sewing allowances. You can leave the long sides of the handle uncovered. 

handle
On the strip of outside fabric, fold the longer sides to the middle. Fold everything in half and sew the edges close to the fold. 

prepare bag pieces
You need to cut rectangles off of the pieces to for the bottom. Therefore, fold each of the 4 piece in half along the shorter edges; the pieces are then 17cm broad. Cut at the bottom on the side of the fold: 7cm offset to the fold, 8cm offset to the bottom.

outside bag
Fold the handle in half along the longest side. Place on side of one piece, 5cm from the top. Sew side seams. Open seam allowances and sew a sewing foot wide apart from seam.

Sew the bottom. Open seam allowances and sew a sewing foot wide apart from seam.

Sew the bottom side seams and cover the allowances.

inside pocket
Sew the smaller lining fabric pieces together along the longer side. Fold allowances to each side or together to one side and sew. Alternatively, you can also use one piece of fabric sized 18x34cm, which will use more fabric than stated. Then fold the upper long edge twice by 1cm and topstitch.

inside bag
First sew the pocket to one piece of lining: place the pocket strip right sides together on the lining piece, upper edge 6cm from bottom cutting apart. The twice folded edge is at the bottom. Sew 1cm from the upper edge apart. Fold up pocket strip and topstitch the lower edge.

Divide the pocket pieces by sewing a vertical seam in the middle of the pocket strip. Secure the upper edge by sewing back and forth several times. The sides remaim open and will get closed by sewing the side seams later.

Sew side seams and sew down allowances.

Sew bottom seam, leaving several cm of space in the middle for turning. Fold allowances together to one side.

Close the bottom side seams and cover the allowances.

putting bags together
Turn inside bag so that the right side of the fabric is inside. Turn outside bag so that the right side of the fabric is outside. Put outside bag into inside bag and sew the upper seam.

Turn and pin upper edge. Sew along upper edge, 1,5cm offset to edge. Then sew again, 1-1,5cm offset to first seam.

close the opeining on inside bag
You can close the opening by sewing by hand, or you can use this neat trick from garment sewing: fold seam allownaces to the inside and place folds together. Sew along edge.

cord
Open up the side seams between the sewed lines on that side seam without the handle. The sewed lines will keep the seam from unraveling. You can of course secure them even more if you do a small, narrow zigzag along the side seam.

Pierce the safety pin through one end of the cord and pull the cord with help of the pin through the tube created by the two sewing lines. Unpin the safety pin, pull both cord ends through the stopper and tie a knot.

optional: eyelets
Some people like to separate the needles from their knitting by pulling them through eyelets. So if you like, add eyelets to the bag by fist making a hole and then pinching in the eyelet pieces with a hammer or that special pliers and the tools that come with the eyelets. Place them a bit below the drawstring tunnel in between the side seams.

color variations

Instead of the 34x40cm pieces, cut for each side part two pieces in different colors with the sze of 34x21cm and join them with a horizontal seam. Topstitch if desired.