*For additional sizes, custom sizing, and license to sell, check out the pattern version here.
The best part for me of course, was choosing the fabrics! I choose a focus fabric (the animal print!), for the exterior, and then pulled colors from there to use as the coordinating exterior, ties, and interior. Notice my focus fabric is directional (meaning it has a clear "top" and "bottom"), so I've done my exterior in two pieces. I've written the tutorial to work with directional prints. If you are not using a directional print, simply cut 1 exterior piece 17.5"x10.5", instead of two. If in doubt though, go ahead and cut according to the tutorial just to be safe! So, let's begin!
Fabrics used: Zoology by Michael Miller, Modern Meadow by Joel Dewberry, Peacock Lane by Violet Craft, Grunge Solid by Moda.
Materials
3 fat quarters
2 yards of ribbon, or 1/8 yd fabric
Coordinating thread
Large safety pin
Water soluble pen (optional)
Seam allowance: 1/4" unless noted
Finished size: Approx. 10" tall, 7" wide
Cut your fabric:
Main exterior:
Cut (2) 9"x10.5" pieces
Coordinating exterior:
Cut (2) 4"x10.5" pieces
Interior:
Cut (2) 12.5"x10.5" pieces
If using ribbon for ties:
Cut (2) 32" pieces
If using fabric for ties:
Cut (2) 32"x2" pieces
Here is a quick little diagram for cutting the two interior pieces out of a fat quarter:
1. Join your two exterior pieces, making sure to line them up as I did above so that they're headed the right direction on both sides of the bag. If you are not using a directional print, you can cut one piece for your exterior, 17.5"x10.5".
2. Lay out your exterior and interior pieces out according to the photo above, in a long strip. Starting with an interior piece, then a coordinating strip, then the exterior, the other coordinating piece, and finally the last interior piece. (Note: diagram is not to scale, hehe)
3. Sew all your pieces together in order to create one long piece of fabric. Press your seams open.
4. Fold your sewn piece in half, right sides together, matching the interior ends together. Pin along the raw edges, leaving a space at the open end (interior), for turning later. I usually leave about 3" in the center.
5. On both sides, mark a 1" opening in the center of the coordinating piece. Measuring from one side of the coordinating piece, mark at 1.25" and 2.25". When you sew, you're going to leave these open. This will create an opening for the ties.
6. Sew along the three open sides, remember to backstitch at the start and finish. And don't forget to leave the openings on both sides and the top!
7. Carefully press the seams of the small openings open. This will make it easier when we thread the ties through at the end!
8. Now we're going to create the flat bottom. First, iron the folded edge of your piece to create a crease (the seam where your two exterior pieces meet).
9. Grab one corner of your piece, doesn't matter where you start, we'll be doing this to all four corners. Using your fingers, wiggle your piece so that the seam allowances (or seam allowance and crease!) on top and bottom, match up, forming a little triangle as shown above. I like to go ahead and press this with my iron to help keep it from shifting.
10. Using your ruler, measure along the seam allowance 1.5" from the corner, giving you a 3" long line and mark the line with a water soluble marker.
11. Stitch along this line. Trim off your corner, leaving a 1/4" seam allowance. Repeat this for the three remaining corners (exterior and interior, for a total of four!).
12. Now it's time to turn your work! Pull through the opening you left pushing out the corners gently. Press your opening you turned through, and stitch closed with a very small seam allowance.
13. You're almost done! It certainly looks like a bag now, right? Get your interior nestled into your exterior. Press along the top edge.
14. Here is where you need your marking pen again. On either side, find the opening you left open for your tie. You're going to sew a line all the way around your piece both above and below the opening. Measuring from the top edge, mark at 1" from the top and another at 2" from the top, extending both lines all the way around the bag.
15. Stitch all the way around your piece on the lines you marked. Backstitch at the start and end. You'll have two stitch lines when you're finished.
16. Now it's time to make your ties. If you're using ribbon, skip these next two steps. Take one 32"x2" piece of fabric and fold down 1/4" (or so, doesn't need to be right on!) on each short edge. Press. You may choose to do a quick row of stitching to secure it like I did.
17. Take your strip and fold in half lengthwise, press.
Unfold, and fold each raw edge into the center line you just created. Press.
Fold in half again and press.
Stitch along the open edge to close with a very small seam allowance. Repeat with the other strip.
18. Attach your safety pin to one end of your ribbon or fabric tie.
Insert the safety pin into one of the openings you created.
Wiggle it through, passing the other opening, all the way back around to the opening where you started.
19. Even out your ends and tie together in a tight knot close to the ends. Repeat on the other side, with the remaining tie.
Voila! You're done! :)
If you make a bag, I hope you'll add a photo (or two!), to the In Color Order Flickr Group! I'd love to see it! Also, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!
Enjoy!
122 comments:
Very cute!!! My girls would love a few of these to keep goodies in. :)
Pretty bag and great tutorial! Thanks!
great tut .... love the fabric choices ... pink is me! (uh, as well as yellow, teal, gray, ... LOL) ... darlene
Thank you for the tutorial! This bag is very cute:-)
these are perfect Jeni, thank you
This is so pretty and your instructions are really clear - can't wait to try it out!
It's so great Jeni - can't wait to make a few for us!!
Fabulous bag! Thanks for the great tutorial!
I love it! I'm making a whole bunch! Thanks :-)
Great looking tutorial! Thanks for the share.
Question though, what program do you use when you made the little diagram picture (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenib/6249692017/)? Very curious! :) Thanks.
Спасибо Вам большое за Ваши мастер-классы!!!
Большое Вам спасибо за Ваши мастер-класс!!!
Beautiful bag and great tutorial.Thanks!!
I love this. Definitely going to make some soon! Thank you so much for the tutorial.
Cute bag and very easy looking to make (an afternoon). Good idea for Christmas gifts. Thanks Sandra
Thanks so much for this detailed tutorial. I can't wait to make them. I plan to make a series of them in various sizesfor my daughter for travel bags (shoes, delicates, electronics, hair stuff, etc.)
Thanks for the tutorial, Jeni. I needed a little bag to make for my niece to go with the little birthday outfit I made her. I'll post to your flickr group tomorrow.
xo di
This is a great bag for so many things, especially a little gift bag that would be used over and over by the recipient I'm sure.
Thank you for the great tutorial.
beautiful jeni! I love it. can't have too many bags!
Now that's a bag I think I could make! Wish me luck!
How cute it is! Thanks for the tutorial,
Silke
Super cute! I'm going to make these with K the next time she has a day off from school. :) Thanks!
so adorable! I love the pink and gray one. I want to make one of these for packing up all my chargers when I travel!
Actually, after seeing your other bag post, I think I'm just really going to make bags for everything, and then put each bag in my suitcase!
:)
Love this, Jeni! So cute!
This is awesome! I really need to make me one. You always think of such great ideas.
Thank you for the tutorial! what a great bag! I think I'm going to make one to match a quilt I just made as a bonus gift!
LauraJ_Sews
Gee - Cute little bag, Jeni! I love your tutorials - they're very easy to follow. I also love your color sense and all the photo eye candy on your blog. Just wish I could sew up so much stuff as fast as you do!
Beth in Colorado
Jeni, such a fun tutorial! I made one tonight and plan to make more tomorrow! I will be sure to add them to the Flickr group!
I'm TOTALLY making some of these this week! Maybe Friday with the ILs take the kids off my hands. :)
Thank you for this! I just made a Halloween version that will hold candy nicely. :-)
Kris
Thank you for a great tutorial.
The fabric combination is so lovely!
I'm so behind on blog reading! Your new tutorial is adorable, Jeni! I can think of a few purposes for these bags. Thanks for sharing!
YAY! That's going to be PERFECT for my knitting! Thanks for the how-to, I'll be linking.
Thanks for such a great tutorial. I have just finished a couple of these bags and it was certainly the simplest way to make a great looking casing.
I will definitely make them again.
Your fabric print choices are just so pretty and the bags don't look very expensive to make. These will make great gifts this holiday! Thanks for the idea and the tutorial:-)
This is such a fantastic way to make these. Thank you!
Gostei...
super fácil de ser feito, mas nunca tinha visto como fazer dessa maneira
Muito obrigada por compartilhar...
abraços de MF
Joined your tutorial following a link from Comfortstitching: lovely tutorial, the best I've seen! (and I've seen a few!!) x
Hi Jeni! Your blog is so cut. Sorry my english, but i try to not use the google translation. I need to remember "my english school".
The bag is so beautiful, and the tutorial is perfect. Thank you.
I have joined to your blog.
I have a blog too.
www.agulhas-soltas.blogspot.com
Great tut! I made 3 today! Thanks:)
Oh my gosh that is so adorable! I will so be making one of these.
this tutorial was fabulous. I used it to make some lined 'santa sacks' for a friend's kids (they are pillow-case size). thanks again :) Lindsey
Thank you - this is so clear, and beautiful pictures.
Fab tutorial and wonderful colour choices! Just found your blog and am now following, love it!
A funtastic bag, thanks for the tutorial! It's so cute.
A clearly presented tutorial! Nice job, and thanx!
Very cute! I just finished one up and will upload it in a minute. Very simple directions! Thank you
I'm totally making this today Jeni! Thanks for the tutorial :)
Hello, I've just arrived via Film in the Fridge, absolutely love the look of this tutorial :-) It will work perfectly with a piece of butterfly fabric I have had for a while, can't wait to get started, thank you.
This is such a clear tutorial. thank you!
Just made one! Fabulous tutorial! :) Thank you!
This bag is great! Now I know what I want to make next!
Oh my goodness I can hardly wait to make one of these!! Adorable.
WONDERFUL tutorial!!! Super easy to follow and fast to make! Great project! Thank you!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this great tutorial! The bags are darling and I just finished making 2 to ship off to a little girl who is waiting for a heart and her brother. I made pillowcases to put inside. I know that I will be making many, many more! They are so fun and quick!
Just found your blog. Great tutorial. Will use some for Christmas gifts instead of paper.
Yeah, whoopie, yippee yeah...... I just made one of these and it's fab!!! Thanks for a brilliant tutorial that even I could follow successfully (apart from getting the main fabric sideways on - but who cares - for a first go that's good). I am going to make another one right away xxx
Okay, I have to tell you. These are addictive!
Such a cute little bag! Thanks so much for the wonderful tutorial. I am going to try to make a slightly bigger bag...any suggestions? :)
Thanks!
Sabrina
Im making the first of a million of these today. Thanks Jeni!
Thanks for such a great tutorial Jeni! I made a bag to send my #ssswap stuff in. I'll take a pic and post it to the group tomorrow. Looking forward to your pattern with different bag sizes.
Thanks for sharing the tutorial. Just made the first of many I think :-)
I am making this darling little bag with fat quarters and am stumped on the interior dimensions.
How are you able to get two interior pieces cut 12.5"x10.5" out of one fat quarter that is 18" x 22"?
Thank you for your help!
Jane
Hello.....
I have made three of these now, and just blogged about them with a link to your tutorial..
http://sewasecondchance.blogspot.com/2011/11/whats-been-made-in-november.html
Thanks again x
I made some fab ones using this pattern in halloween fabric as ToT bags and they were awesome. Thank you for a super easy tutorial and sharing your ideas. much appreciated
Raven UK
awesome tutorial!, just in time for Xmas too. everyones getting one!!. thanks Jeni.
Just finished the first of many of these drawstring bags (photo is on the Flikr group page) -- thanks for the tutorial, Jeni. I customized this one, it is quilted, and the next three will have name patches stitched on for my grandchildren. Fun!
I keep seeing the link to this post every where. I think I am gonna have to give it a try. Very cute.
This is the best drawstring bag design, ever! I've been trying to get around that leaving-space-for-the-string problem and have yet to figure out an easy way. I'm going to give this a try for sure!
Thank you so much for this tutorial.
This is such a fantastic tutorial, thank you! I've just made 2 today and can see many more in my future!!
I've blogged about it (and you!) here:
http://charmaboutyou.blogspot.com/2011/12/making-last-minute-gifts.html
I am a new-ish sewer, largely self-taught, and I have been aching to make drawstring bags for myself and fellow knitters and as easy as they are *supposed* to be, they have left me mystified and disappointed until this tutorial. I really can't thank you enough!!!! It's so clearly written and the pictures are fantastic. It couldn't have been easier and I adore the result! I appreciate you sharing so much!!!!
I love your fabric choices!!! I made two. They are very cute! I'm going to make more.
Jeni, I loved just quickly sewing three of these bags for wrapping gifts!! Thank you for this tutorial, they are so darling :) Bet I make a bunch more.
Thank you for that lovely tutorial, here's my attempt at a drawstring bag for a sock knitting kit. http://judiknitsandsews.blogspot.com/2011/12/drawstring-bag.html
I love this tut! I have made a lot of bags but what really drew me into your tut was the colors you chose. So cute!
I love all the color on your blog and have had it up on my screen for several days so I can look through it all!
I totally have to make this. What size bag does this end up making?
@pril
KoolBeenz-blog.blogspot.com
I love this bag and I'm making one for a Christmas gift. I didn't see anywhere in the pattern, but did you at any sort of stabilizer to the bag? I've used it in every bag I've made before and I wasn't sure how this one would turn out without it. Thanks! Great tutorial!
Very lovely bags and tut...(gotta get used to inches metrical system, but i can handle it!!!) i was looking for a ROUND based sewn box (for sewing goodies yep!!!) and found this web site!!! i'll surely be back and check if you posted it.
bye bye!
(good work, keep it up!)
Great tutorial and very clear pictures, thanks. I have a question: when you do the squaring for the bottoms with the exterior fabric, do you also do corners for the liner fabric? Thanks a lot!
thanks so much for this very well done tutorial! I just made one...no problem!!
Just finished making one , and I have to say this was the easiest tutorial , for the most part , for me to understand. I , like someone else posted, am pretty much beginning sewing and largely self taught , trial and error. I was confused at the squaring off part when I read "repeat this for the 3 remaining corners" .. I only had 1 corner left .. unless I misunderstood and was supposed to be doing the lining as well. It turned out really cute though! I will definitely be making more :) Thanks so much!
This is a great tutorial--a keeper--especially for those of us who love making drawstring bags!
Thanks for a great job.
How bizarre I just bought a fq of the animal print earlier today and now tonight I stumbled across this tutorial....karma or what? Great tute. Hugs Naomi
Love this, what a great tutorial.
Thank you for the tutorial - very clear and easy to follow. I made a couple for Christmas wrapping this year, and they worked wonderfully!
This is very helpful since I've been trying to make one and i did but it didn't last longer a month! Now i can try this and I'm pretty sure that It'll last long!
I love this bag! What a great easy tutorial, thank you!
http://kateyz.blogspot.com/2012/01/im-probably-last-person-alive-to-make.html
I just found your tutorial a few days ago and was immidiaty in love. Here´s my bag: http://conibaer.blogspot.com/2012/01/retro-romantik-beutelchen-verlosung.html
Thanks for your GREAT tutorial!!!
This is such a cute bag and great tutorial. I am pinning it! If I can't get it made, at least I can pin it, huh.
Hi Jeni, Love the bag. I enjoyed making it. Hope you don't mind I added the link to my blog for others to enjoy :)Great tutorial & thankyou for sharing your knoweledge :)
Fab tutorial - I have featured it on my Tuesday Tutorials after making one today :)
http://jesshopkins.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/tuesday-tutorials-drawstring-bag.html
Wow What Beautiful Bags. i like it. Thanks a lot.........
Just want to say your article is as surprising. The clearness in your post is Just excellent and i could assume you're an expert on this subject. Fine with your permission let me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please continue the rewarding work.
!#: Sorel Women's Helen Of Tundra Boot... The Cheapest
Thank you so much for the wonderful tutorial! I plan on making this w/my 11-year old daughter for gifts.
Great tutorial, thank you! My niece & nephew asked me to make them marble bags, this will be terrific!
Awesome Thanks for nice Tutorial & sweet Bags.
Thanks for this awesome tutorial. i just made one of these bags, its the first thing i have sewn in a couple of years and i really like it.
This is hands down the best tutorial I have ever followed!! Thank you so much for the clear and detailed instruction with the diagrams and pictures - I got it!!
Amazing
thank you
Great post. You are so creative! I'm going to have to try and make some of these great custom drawstring backpacks. I really love the idea of making them my own. Keep up the good work.
Thank you... thank you so much for the instruction. I just made it: http://chriskiki.blogspot.com/2012/03/dslr-bag.html Tried to upload it on your flickr but couldn't do it.
It is Beautiful, Thank you very much, I'll tray to do it very soon. wilperez38@gmail.com
I am doing one for American Heritage Girls (kinda like girl scouts) and I love the bags! Planning to make some at home!
Thanks so much for this tutorial...I just made one for my daughter out of some Tinkerbell fabric for her to carry her "treasures" and she loved it! Can't wait to make more for myself. :)
Hello Jeni. Thanks for posting this tutorial. I'm trying to learn how to sew and I can't wait to try this!
I was just curious, where did you get these fabrics? They're so adorable. Thanks again. :)
Laura
Fantastic Tutorial! As a new-ish sewer, this project only took me about an hour, and has been one of my most successful attempts at making something presentable! Love it!
I love this bag! I posted about it in my blog as I used it for making swag bags for my son's wedding. Thank you so much for a great tutorial! http://suziesimaginarium.blogspot.com
I am going to make some of these for myself and get busy and make a couple for my two grandchildren to put their Easter surprises in for them. This is really a very good tutorial and a great little bag.
Oh wow, I have just made this and it is fabulous! Can't believe how easy it is to make, feel extremely proud of myself. Thank you very much for the straightforward instructions
Hi,
have just finished mine! Thanks for the tutorial.
Posted my photo with a link to the tutorial on a French forum. I hope you don't mind.
http://patchtopatch.superforum.fr/t28925-pochon-violet#415859
Beatrice (from France)
I finally made one of these tonight! The tutorial was so great and easy to follow, especially as I am basically a beginner. Thanks for your work in putting it together! I plan to post my picture to the Flickr group as soon as the weather is nice enough to get some good pictures. Thanks again :)
Have just made one of these for my kinds alphabet bricks but it's currently being used as a shopping bag lol. Lovely clear tutorial, thanks x
I wanted to say thanks for this tutorial, it was really easy to follow, made a few and wrote a small piece about them on my blog :D
http://www.thecraftimaginarium.co.uk/2012/05/you-can-never-have-too-many-bags.html
Recently stumbled upon your blog. Great, clear tutorial! Would have to be the quickest and easiest drawstring bag I've made. Thank you :).
I used to make these bags years ago but lost the directions. Thanks so much for posting this tutorial. I'm looking through my fat quarters to get just the right fabrics. Thanks so much.
So cute bag..... you do a great job and you explained everything in very detail so every one can easily made this kind of bag.
Gifts To Pakistan
Thank you for the tutorial, it was super easy to follow! I made a bag using your tutorial and posted about it on my blog.
In case you're curious how it turned out, here's a link to the post:
http://frogged-designs.blogspot.de/2012/05/echino-drawstring-project-bag.html
Just made a bag today inspired by this tutorial. Many thanks for such well written and photo enhanced instructions! I have made a few bags before but never tackled lining them. :-)
Great tutorial. c:
Where do you get these fabrics by the way?
I have made several of these bags now! I tried several different ones before I found yours and I wanted to tell you that yours is the best I have come across so far. I just finished a wool bag, modifying your instructions a wee bit. Thank you for generously sharing this.
This little bag looks adorable! thanks for sharing the tutorial!
Made 2 of these today & it was so easy! Great tutorial - ill be checking out more! Very easy to follow!
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