All fabric for these bags were purchased at JoAnns.
Made this simple drawstring bag to hold your special treasure but it can also be used as A custom gift wrap alternative, a travel bag, a knitting project bag take your personal ideas to the hospital when having a baby and the list goes on and on. It sews up in less than an hour and works with any kind of fabric. A perfect use for those fabric scraps or fat quater pieces you have hanging
Materials needed
- 1/2-yard or one or two fat quarters.
- 45mm Rotary cutter
- Straight pins
- Cotton thread that blends with chosen fabric color
- Non-Slip ruler
- Two pieces of ribbon or braiding cut to 36"
Materials list for different sizes
To make a x-small (small, medium, large, x-large) drawstring bag, measuring 5 1/2 (8 1/2, 11 1/2, 14 1/2, 17 1/2
The Fabric
Using your rotary cutter and non-slip rulers, cut a rectangle of fabric measuring:
6-inch wide by 12-inch long
9-inch wide by 18-inch long
12-inch wide by 24-inch long
15-inch wide by 30-inch long
18-inch wide by 36-inch long
Fold the rectangle of fabric in half the long way with right sides together to make a 6 (9, 12, 15, 18) inch square.
Starting at the fold, sew up the left and right side of the bag with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Stop 2-inches from the top on each side.
Drawstring channel
Working on only one half of the bag at a time, *fold and iron a 1/4-inch hem on the 2-inch portion of the fabric where you did not sew the seam (on the left and right sides).
Fold and iron a 1/4-inch hem along the top of the bag.
Fold it over another 3/4-inch as if to make a hem and iron (this will be the drawstring channel).
Sew along the bottom edge of the hem with a 1/6-inch seam allowance.
Repeat from * for the other half of the bag.
Make Gusset
Fold both corners of the bag so that the side seam of the bag is running exactly down the middle of the corner point. (Note: You will be sewing your gusset seam exactly perpendicular to the side seam.) You will want both gussets seams to be sewn at the exact same angle.
Line up one side of your non-slip ruler with the drawstring channel edge. Using your water soluble marker, draw a line approximately 1 (1 1/2, 2, 2 1/2, 3) inches down from the point of the corner. Repeat on other corner making sure your marks line up with the first corner.
Sew along the marker lines. Cut off the fabric corners below the seam to reduce bulk. Turn the bag right side out.
Thread ribbon through channel
Attach a large safety pin to the end of one of your alphabet ribbons.
Thread it through the drawstring channel on one side of the bag and then back around the other side so that you have both ends of the ribbon on one side. Repeat with the other ribbon starting on the opposite side of the bag.Tie the ends in a knot and cut off excess.
The bag will cinch when you hold the knots on either side of the bag and pull outwards.
Have fun sewing!
