First, a big thank you to SonyaV who wrote one set of instructions and sent drawings! I make mine with a serger, so I didn't have instructions on how to make them with just a sewing machine.

There are a lot of different ways you can make drawstring bags, so I'd suggest trying our instructions first and modifying them later if you want to get creative.

Material:

Fabric: I use woven. You can use PUL for wet diaper bags. Other fabrics should work great, as long as they can easily be gathered with a drawstring.

Drawstring: If you're making a bag to put wet items in, I'd suggest nylon cording. Sonya is selling some in a separate post on this board. If you're making gift or play bags, you can use ribbon, plain old string, or cording made of any fiber (Walmart or fabric stores carry cording).

Bead or toggle (optional): If you want to get a super tight closure with your bag, you can use these on the drawstring. Also good for toddlers or preschoolers to use to close their bags.

I'm going to post the main instructions in two replies below. One will be for those who use a sewing machine only. The other will be for those who use a serger and sewing machine. They also show two different ways of doing this project. In a third reply, I'll include some options you can do.

If I'm not clear, please feel free to email me or post here with questions.

Determine the size bag you want. Spend an hour digging through all your precious fabrics looking for just the right one and dreaming of what else you can make. Change your mind a few times as you find the piece you chose isn't the right size. Decide to make 3 bags instead of one. (This is how I sew, anyway! LOL!)

For the bag I made, my print is directional, so I'm cutting the fabric into two pieces to make the print face the same way on both sides. (The shape of my scrap piece wouldn't allow me to fold it and keep the print facing up on both sides of the bag.) See under this post for different ways to cut your fabric.

Materials:
Fabric, Cut 2:
Width: finished size + 1" (for two 1/2" seam allowances)
Length: finished size + 1/2" bottom seam + 1" casing

My example: width: 10" + 1" = 11"
Length: 14" + 1/2" + 1" = 15 1/2"

So I cut two pieces that are 11" wide x 15 1/2" long.

Drawstring: BTW, I don't measure the drawstring. I just insert it, tie it close to one end, and cut off the extra. You'd need enough to go around the diameter of the bag + several inches to make a knot, so possibly 20" + 6" minimum for this bag.

1. Serge all raw edges. This is to finish the edges, so trim off very little, and do NOT serge any sides together.

2. Place fabric right sides together. With your sewing machine, sew bottom and sides using a 1/2" seam allowance. If your print is directional (has a definite right side up), make sure it will be right side up on both sides if desired. On one side, stop 2 1/2" - 3" from top of bag. This is where your casing for the drawstring will be.

3. Press side seams open all the way to the top (including part you haven't sewn).

4. Top stitch the unseamed sides close to the edge. Start at the top of the bag, sew to the seamed section, and turn around to sew the other side. Will look like a "V".

http://www.reese.org/sharon/s3and4.JPG
Steps 3 and 4.

5. Fold the top of the bag down 1" wrong sides together and press.

6. Lay the drawstring near the fold, so it'll be in place while you sew the casing together. Top stitch the casing down close to the serged edge. Turn bag right side out.

If you're not comfortable sewing the casing with the drawstring inside, then topstitch casing without the string inserted. Turn bag right side out. Then, insert string using a safety pin stuck in it to help guide it through if needed.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/s5and6.JPG
Steps 5 and 6.

7. Optional: put a bead or toggle on both drawstrings. Make sure they hold the bag in place before tying the string. (If the bead hole is too big, it'll just slide down the string instead of staying in place.)

8. Tie string and cut extra off the ends.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/s8.JPG


Alternative ways of cutting fabric:

For cutting one piece of fabric and folding left to right:

Width: finished size + 1" seam allowance
Length: finished size + 1/2" bottom allowance + 1" casing


For cutting one piece of fabric and folding bottom to top (if your print is directional, this method will result in one side being upside down:

Width: finished size + 1" seam allowance
Length: finished size + 2" casing (top and bottom will be the casing)

Again, a big thanks to SonyaV for writing these instructions. She even sent me drawings to follow! I made a sample bag. If my pictures aren't clear, I can ask Sonya if I can post one of her drawings.

Fabric:
EITHER a single piece that measures at least 27 wide and 20 long You want the pattern to run upright in the width - when laid flat the print points to the long side [if you look at the fabric with the 27" side on top, the print should be right side up]

OR 2 squares of 14 wide by 20 long.

Drawstring: Piece of ¼ wide inch ribbon that matches your fabric or drawcord - 1 ¼ yards


Step 0 - ONLY FOR THOSE THAT ARE STARTING WITH 2 SQUARES OF FABRIC! With wrong sides of fabric together, Sew together along the 20 inch side leaving a 5/8 inch seam allowance. With fabric open flat, trim one side of seam allowance to ¼ inch. Fold over other piece of seam allowance and press. Sew along folded edge. This is called a flat-fell seam.** You now have 1 large piece of fabric.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/ffseam.JPG
Step 0. Flat Fell Seam.

Step 1: Lay fabric flat wrong side up and measure and mark a line ½ inch from longest edge of fabric. Mark another line 2 inches from the edge of the fabric.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/p1.JPG
Step 1.

Step 2: Fold in tip of corner so the short side lines up with the 2 inch mark and press/iron. Repeat for other corner.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/p2.JPG
Step 2.

Step 3: Fold in edge of fabric to the mark you made at ½ inch and press.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/p3.JPG
Step 3. (I did actually fold the top all the way to the first line. The fabric is just curling up a little on the edge. When pressed down, it touches the line.)

Step 4: Fold folded edge in to the mark you made at 2 inches and press. This will form the casing for your drawstring.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/p4.JPG
Step 4. (I did actually fold the top all the way to the second line. The fabric is just curling up a little on the edge. When pressed down, it touches the line.)

Step 5: Lay drawstring tightly into the fold for your casing. Stitch with bottom edge of seam at the edge of your sewing foot to make sure you catch the first fold you pressed. [You need to stitch less than 1/4" from the edge of the casing. For me, this was the inside edge of my foot.] When crossing the folded down part, when onto the main part of the casing, back stitch to reinforce the edge to prevent separation when pulling on the drawstring. Be careful when stitching to make sure you do not catch your drawstring. If preferred, you may insert the drawstring at the end. (Inserting now is less time consuming than inserting it at then end IMO.)

http://www.reese.org/sharon/p5.JPG
Step 5. (My pencil is pointing to where you back stitch to reinforce.)

http://www.reese.org/sharon/p5a.JPG
Step 5 again. Sonya's drawing, since my fabric's a little too dark to show the place to back stitch very well.

Step 6: Fold in half so the short edges are together and line up your upper corner where the casing is so the points of the missing triangle meet. Sew together short side making a flat-fell seam (see step 0) Sew bottom together starting from the flat-fell seam you just finished to the folded over edge making another flat-fell seam.

Step 7: Turn right side out and if you inserted your drawstring in step 5, tie the ends of your drawstring together near the very end and you are finished. If you didn't, use a safety pin in one end of your drawstring and thread it through the casing. Now tie the ends of your drawstring together near the very end and you are finished.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/p7.JPG


Flat-fell seam picture taken from Fabric Savvy by Sandra Betzina (ISBN 1-56158-267-0)


Sharon
Mommy to Sarah (8/14/98) and Michael (10/18/00)
Wife to Byron (devoted family man) since 1992<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by Sharon on Tue Sep 18 11:52 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

You can make a two-string drawstring bag very easily.

Use either method of construction, but make sure you have two side seams.

For the sewing machine only bag, use the two pieces of fabric 14" wide x 20" long. Do NOT do Step 0. Follow Steps 1 - 4 for both pieces of fabric. For Step 5, follow directions, but do NOT insert drawstring. For Step 6, sew both side seams together and them bottom seam. For Step 7, insert two drawstrings through both sides of casing - one drawstring with both cut ends coming out of the right, one with both ends coming out of the left.

For the serger method, either use two pieces of fabric or fabric folded bottom to top. For Step 2, stop sewing 2 1/2" - 3" from the top on both side seams. Follow Steps 4 - 5 for both sides. For Step 6, whether you sew with the drawstrings inside the casing or insert them later, insert two drawstrings through both sides of casing - one drawstring with both cut ends coming out of the right, one with both ends coming out of the left. I don't think optional Step 7 is really appropriate for this method.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/twostrng.JPG


You can also do a boxed bottom with any bag. Stiffer fabric would work better than lightweight fabric.

1. Turn bag inside out. Fold your bag with side seams in the middle. Make triangle points out of both bottom seams.

2. Do the following for both sides: measuring from the triangle point, mark the center point for your sewing line, and then mark a line running side to side to create a triangle. For this bag, I went 2 1/2" up from the point, and it made the boxed part too big. Next time, I think I'll try 1 1/2". Sew across line.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/box1.JPG
Steps 1 and 2.

3. You can either leave the triangles as is or finish them a little more. I pressed mine to the bottom of the bag and tacked them down at the points (sewed a few stitches back and forth). You could cut off the triangles about 1/4" beyond your sewing line. For this fabric, I think that tacking them down helps to stablize the bottom a little more.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/box2.JPG
Step 3.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/box3.JPG
The bag laid flat with the boxed bottom folded up, so you can see it.


Sharon
Mommy to Sarah (8/14/98) and Michael (10/18/00)
Wife to Byron (devoted family man) since 1992<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by Sharon on Mon Sep 17 11:45 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

Wow! Thank you for taking the time to post that all :) What a great idea!

Stasha Doyel
Mommy to Michael Ian (3.5) and Isaac Liam (edd 11-3)
http://www.gammaworldd20.com/michael.jpg

excellent directions!!!!

thanks for taking the time to do this for us.

http://www.amitymama.com/images/icons/cool.gif<font color=purple>Jennhttp://www.amitymama.com/images/icons/cool.gif
BF, CD, FB, TN, UC.
J 4/98, Jules 5/00</font color=purple>
BonaDea@SanClemente.com
Live, Love, Learn, Laugh

I made two of these bags for my dd & ds last weekend, and they came out great. I had a bit of leftover material from the Dreaded Shirt (which I have finally finished as well), and used all the big leftover pieces up. Used old shoelaces I had around for the drawstring. The kids are in heaven! And I learned what a "flat fell seam" is. My only question was - how do you do the last flat fell seam? Because it certainly didn't come out flat the way I did it - I couldn't figure out how to sew inside the bag so that everything was flat - instead I folded over the seam & sewed a second seam - so the bottom of the bag is a bit bulky, but at least there are no raw edges showing. Hints?

Still a beginning sewer after 30+ years of off-and-on sewing,


Margaret
Blessed with four, one in heaven

Click here for my FEEDBACK (http://www.amitysworld.com/dcf/DCForumID9/12.html)

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Well, I am the one that gave that bit to Sharon. I normally use a serger and was thinking in my head that the flat fell would be the easiest seam to keep the inside nice and not have it ravel. After I sent them and Sharon posted them I got to thinking that the bottom would be hard to do. I am sure that what you did turned out just as well as anything I could have done.



SonyaV
Visit me at Dear Mama (http://www.vitarelli.org/sonya) (still unfinished)