How To Make A Drawstring Bag

This post may contain affiliate links. Thanks for your support. Check out THESE tutorials for easy bags:

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My kids were super happy when they caught a glimpse of my latest post package. They don’t usually pay attention to my fabric, but hey, these were the dinosaur and fossil prints coming to our home! These are part of the Fossil Rim collection designed by Deena Rutter for Riley Blake Designs, and I had left my kids pick their favorite prints. I myself couldn’t have chosen better! I promised to make them a few treasure hunt pockets. Sewing time it was, immediately!

Check out a quick slide show for a few glimpses of these beautiful prints – and a bit on the drawstring bag how-to:

The prints are all from the Riley Blake Designs’ Fossil Rim collection (you can buy them here).

These drawstring bags are so practical for anything you can think of: diy treasure pouches, bags to store tiny items, school pouches for art accessories (like those crayons that never stay in the original box? Or sharpies scattered all around the school bag?) These are perfect to store produce from your garden, too! Oh, and please remind me to get me some calico to make bread bags.

This time, I’ve made treasure pouches for little explorers. And I’m hoping my little dinosaur explorers will be happy to keep their tiny dinos neatly tucked into these diy drawstring bags. 

If you like this post, you’ll want to see these too:

 

• How To Make A Hanging Storage Basket
• Mini Pouch Free Pattern
• How To Sew A Cosmetic Bag – Free Template

How To Make A Drawstring Bag

Now, on to the diy draw string bag: the first batch I made were 8″ tall and 7″ wide (that would be 18 x 21 cm). They are wide enough so all the little treasures can be easily spotted.

Supplies:

• exterior, lining and accent fabric: less than a fat quarter altogether (you can use scraps, see measurements below)
• optional: light-to-medium interfacing like Pellon SF101 Shape Flex or Vilene G700 if you want to add stability
• twine, ribbon or cord (1 yard/metre per bag)

Cutting Directions

1. Cut from outer fabric: For bag EXTERIOR: 12 1/2″ by 7 1/2″ (1 piece)
2. Cut from lining fabric: For bag LINING: 10 1/2″ by 7 1/2″ (2 pieces)
3. Cut from accent fabric:
   1. For CASING: 6 1/2″ by 2 1/2″ (2 pieces)
   2. For CORNER accents: 4″ by 4″ (1 piece) – cut diagonally into 2 triangles

Instead of accent fabric, you can also use lining fabric. This diy drawstring bag can be made with anything from 1 up to 5 different fabric prints.

Sewing Steps:

1. Start with the corner accents: turn under the two SHORTER edges of each triangle by 3/8″ (1 cm) and press, notching the corner a bit to make a clean corner.

   

2. Take your outer piece and fold it in half crosswise (not lengthwise!), then press to get the center crease. Make sure to keep the width of 7 1/2″! The folded rectangle will measure 6 1/4″ by 7 1/2″.

   

3. Unfold and place the corner accents on the fold line, using the center crease as guide for placing: place the triangles so the long edge (the one NOT turned under) is aligned with the sides. Topstitch over the turned-under edges, attaching the corner accents to the outer fabric.

   

4. Now take the two casing pieces (each 2 1/2″ by 6 1/2″) and hem the short sides, turning them under by 1/4″ and stitching. You’ll get this:

   

5. Fold them lengthwise wrong sides together and press.
6. Grab the outer piece and place it on a flat surface right side up, then place one casing piece (folded WST) with the raw edges aligned with the top, and then place one lining piece on top, the raw edge aligned.

   

7. Pin and stitch using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

   

8. Repeat on the opposite edge of the outer fabric piece: place the outer piece right-side-up, then place casing on it, plus the other lining piece stacked right-side-down on top. Pin and stitch, again using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

   

9. This is what you get – all pieces assembled:

   

10.  Fold in half, right-sides-together. Stitch along the sides, leaving a few inches in the bottom of lining, like this:

    

11. Turn right side out, close the turning hole and press.

    

    When done, I usually bury the thread ends. Here’s a popular how-to that can help you with neat seam finishing:

    How To Finish Seam The Neat Way

    

12. Tuck the lining in – since it’s longer, 2 inches will peek out, making the drawstring bag look so much nicer! (This is the feature I love most!) Feel free to topstitch the top edge for even a neater finish.
13. Cut the cord into two pieces of 20″ (50 cm) or a bit less and use a safety pin or a bodkin to guide the first cord through the entire drawstring casing. Both ends of the cord will come out of the same opening. Knot the ends of the drawstring or tie them together to prevent them from slipping through again. Repeat with the second cord and the second opening:

    

14. Your diy draw string bag is finished! Fill it with goodies – or fossil stones and tiny dinosaurs – and go play!

    

I couldn’t stop at one, so I made a few more. Such a fun project!

I will probably need to make two bigger ones for the bigger dinosaurs too, and since these cute bags are so easy to enlarge, no problem. I love all and any excuses to sew, and sometimes easy projects are so therapeutic!

Hoping you’ve enjoyed my tutorial. If you want to, check out more stuff I’ve got to sew, on the Free tutorials page here.

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Sew up the Kalina, clip it to your kid’s backpack and they will never lose their lunch money again!