DIY Makeup Storage Pouch Tutorial

How to sew a round drawstring cosmetic bag. Drawstring Makeup Bag - Free Sewing Tutorial.

Today I want to show you a little bag I made to hold the various products and accessories I keep in my bathroom. I added a cute bit of embroidery to give it a cheerful touch.  

I’m going to share a quick tutorial—it’s not difficult at all! I’ll provide the measurements I used, but, of course, you can customize it to suit your own needs. Let’s start with the materials:

Cut three circles with a circumference of 63 cm: one for the lining, one from your chosen outer fabric, and one from batting (fleece/wadding) for padding. 

Cut two rectangles measuring 19x63 cm—one for the outer layer and one from batting to add thickness and structure to the pouch. Finally, cut a third rectangle for the lining, measuring 30x63 cm. In hindsight, I would have made the lining taller; when I pull the drawstring tight, there isn't as much gathering as I’d like—adding another 2 cm would help, though that’s a matter of personal preference. 

Speaking of personal preference: those familiar with my previous work know I love using piped edges. While it doesn’t fundamentally change the final result, I chose to include one here. If you’d like to add piping, cut a 66x4 cm strip and use a piping foot (or a zipper foot as an alternative).

Sewing on the right side of the work

...and then attach the rectangle—including the large clip—to form a cylinder. When cutting out the various rectangles, I make sure to leave generous seam allowances; for example, if the circumference of the circle to be attached is 63 cm, 

I cut a rectangle that is 63 cm long but includes a 2 cm seam allowance on each side, because an exact measurement is often not enough. Now, let’s move on to the lining.

At the top, I make a 7 cm fold—leaving 1 cm for the seam—and stitch it. Then, 2 cm down from the top edge, I add another line of stitching, followed by a third line 1.5 cm further down.  

Since the top section will be visible, the raw ends need to be finished by folding them inward by 0.5 cm and stitching them down.  

Next, I prepare the lining cylinder; this part is tricky to explain because I ran into some difficulties, and the method I arrived at might not be the best one—if anyone reading this knows a better way, please let me know! 

I machine-stitched the cylinder for about 12 cm, then joined the two ends together using hand-sewn invisible stitches.

Leaving a small opening to insert the drawstring—I used a bodkin, but a safety pin works too.

Finally, I place one cylinder inside the other, fold a two-centimeter hem on the outer cylinder, and sew them both together—and the little bag is ready!