“Undoubtedly, you know someone who carries everything around in a plastic grocery bag. Need a suitcase? Use a plastic grocery bag. Need a lunch box? You guessed it…use a plastic grocery bag. Here is an incredibly simple alternative to using those tacky grocery bags.
Laura Coia from the YouTube channel SewVeryEasy puts out some excellent step-by-step tutorials that break down a project in such a simple way that just about anyone can do it. In this tutorial, she shows how to make cute, little drawstring bags out of just a few pieces of fabric and a few folds.
Supplies:
● 17 1⁄2” piece of fabric (2 pieces)
● 24” long piece of ribbon or cording (2 pieces)
Begin by laying your two pieces of fabric down on your table, with the fronts of the fabric facing each other. Sew a ¼”-seam all around the four edges of your fabric. Leave about an inch or two opening on one of the long sides.
After trimming the corners a bit, turn the fabric right side out and give it a quick press with your hot iron. Sew another hem along each of the four edges, as close the edge as you are able in order to close up that small unsewn section.
Follow Laura’s tutorial to see how to make the folds properly. You’re basically making a giant envelope. It’s so simple!
Next, you’ll stitch two rows at the top on the short edge and two rows at the bottom. Start your first row ¼” away from the edge of the fabric on each side. The second row will be ¾” below the first. This leaves plenty of space for your ribbon or cord to go through.
Sew one more row in the middle of the fabric, parallel to the other lines you just sewed. By doing this, you create two pockets. Fold the fabric in half at the middle line, making sure the pockets are on the inside.
Line up your seams and sew the two sides of the bag, as close to the edge as you can. All you have left to do is add the drawstrings. Turn your pouch inside out and feed your ribbons through the space you left at the top. Follow the tutorial to make sure you put the two pieces of ribbon in correctly. Tie the loose ends of the ribbon.
You can use these for just about anything, and you probably already have the supplies you need lying around the house. This pattern could even be adapted to work for an evening bag if you chose a velvet or satin fabric. Another super simple project from SewVeryEasy.”
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