How to Make a Drawstring Bag

Drawstring bags are not easy to find in stores, so if you want one, your only options are to shop around for a drawstring bag you may never find, or create one in your favorite color and size. You don’t have to be a seamstress to sew a drawstring bag. If you know how to sew a straight line (by hand or machine), you can make a drawstring bag. This little guide will show you how to create a drawstring bag you can use to carry money or other small item(s) in.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• An 11 by 9 ¼ inch piece of thin no fray fabric
• Thread to match the color of the no fray fabric
• A 30 inch piece of ribbon to match the color of the no fray fabric
• A needle, or a sewing machine

1. Cut no fray fabric in half so that you have two 5 ½ by 9 ¼ inch pieces.

2. Sew fabric along both 9 ¼ inch sides and along bottom edge, about ¼ inch from edges of fabric.

3. Fold 2 ¼ inches of fabric over (open end), and sew a straight line around bag about ¼ inch up from bottom of folded edge, sewing completely around until you come to the first stitch.

4. Sew another straight line about ten sixteenths of an inch up from stitch just sewn, ending the stitching when you come to the first stitch sewn in that line.

5. Turn bag to the right side so seams are inside bag.

6. With the tip of the scissors, snip a small vertical slit in between the two rows of stitches, near the seam lines on both sides of the bag. You should have a total of four slits, each one wide enough to fit a small safety pin through.

7. Put a safety pin through one end of ribbon, and close safety pin.

8. Feed safety pin and ribbon through one of the slits, and work safety pin and ribbon through the narrow space to the other side of the bag, exiting through the opposite slit.

9. Take the other ribbon and fasten a safety pin to it. Insert the second piece of ribbon into the slit on the other side of the bag and work it through to the other side and through the last slit.

10. Make a knot at the end of the two ribbons that meet on both sides of the bag. You should have one knot in the ribbons on one side of the bag, and one knot in the ribbons on the other side of the bag.

Tips & Warnings

• Embellish your drawstring bag with sequins or beads.

[MotherDove]

on 3/10/2009 Purpleankh is exactly right - you can use these instructions to make jewelry bags, grocery bags even laundry bags depending on sizing. Thanks so much for this great project!

[PurpleAnkh]

on 12/21/2008 What a neat idea for a handmade bag. You could make them large or small! Here is a simple way to make a green bag (that are really hot right now!) to replace plastic grocery sacks too. Thanks for the step-by-step instructions.

[leanan]

on 10/27/2008 I like this, homemade is so much better :)