How to Make a Drawstring Purse

If you need to whip up a purse in hurry, a drawstring bag is the way to go. The purse consists of only two pieces of fabric sewn together and a separate strip of fabric to pull the top closed. Large drawstring purses can have a very casual look if they are made from a homespun fabric and have a long drawstring handle that you can throw over your shoulder. However, a tiny drawstring purse would look very elegant if it is made from satin with a short drawstring that slips over your wrist to accessorize formal evening wear. A small drawstring purse also makes a great bag for storing makeup or other small items inside a suitcase while traveling.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fabric
• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Thread
• Sewing machine
• Iron
• Safety pin

1. Determine the desired finished size of your drawstring purse. Add 1 1/2 inches to the height and 1 inch to the width. Cut two squares or rectangles of fabric to these dimensions.

2. With right sides together and using 1/2-inch seams, sew the sides and the bottom of the purse. Using a zigzag stitch on your sewing machine, zigzag raw edges to prevent raveling and provide durability. Turn bag right-side out.

3. Clip four horizontal, 3/4-inch drawstring holes in the bag. Make holes 1 inch away from each side seam and 1 1/4 inches below the top, raw edge of the purse. Zigzag or use a buttonhole stitch feature on your sewing machine to go around the edges of the holes.

4. To make the casing for the drawstring, fold under the top edge of the purse 1/4 inch. Press. Fold under an additional 3/4 inch. Press. Your drawstring holes should now be on the outside of the bag, 1/4 inch from the finished top edge. Stitch a straight line around the bottom of the casing, below your drawstring holes.

5. Cut a 2-inch strip of fabric that is at least double the width of the purse when lying flat plus 1 inch. This allows the purse to be opened fully and have a functional loop to hold onto when the purse is pulled shut. Additional length may be added depending on how far down you want your purse to hang. Fold each long edge under 1/2 inch to meet at the center of the strip. Press. Fold in half again down the center seam. Press. Beginning at 1 inch from a short end, stitch down the long edge of the drawstring, ending 1 inch before the opposite short edge.

6. Attach one end of the drawstring to a safety pin. Insert the pin into one hole and work the pin and trailing drawstring through the casing across the width of the purse to the next hole at the opposite seam. Poke the pin out that hole and reinsert it into the next hole 2 inches away. Push the pin through the casing to the seam on the opposite side of the purse. Poke the pin out of the hole. You should now be at the hole next to your starting point. Remove the pin. With right sides of the short drawstring edges together (the 1-inch portions that you left unsewn), sew together the ends. Stitch along the edge as in Step 5.