How to Sew a Simple Drawstring Bag

People often search the internet for beginner sewing projects and this drawstring bag is so super easy and so much fun to sew.

Do you want to teach your kids to sew? This is one of my favorites for teaching kids how to sew. Kids will love to choose fabrics and then create small drawstring pouches to put all their little treasures in. This DIY drawstring bag sews up in less than an hour. It's the perfect project for those fabric scraps you have laying around your sewing room.

For some other fun and creative sewing projects that kids can make such as a fabric bookmark, a sock cell phone case, a key lanyard, a pencil case and much, much more, visit our Kid's Corner Free Sewing and Quilting page.

Learn how to make a small drawstring bag by watching our video or keep reading this post for a photo tutorial with step-by-step instructions.

Watch our video tutorial below or click the link if you prefer to watch How to Sew a Simple Drawstring Bag in Youtube.

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Kid's Simple drawstring bag tutorial

WHAT YOU NEED:

Fabric
Fusible Interfacing
3/8" Ribbon
Bead
Tapestry Needle
Scissor
Pen
Ruler
Sewing Machine

INSTRUCTIONS :

STEP 1: GATHER SUPPLIES AND CUTTING FABRIC

To begin this project, gather all the necessary supplies and choose some coordinating fabric and ribbon. This project is an excellent way to use up fabric from your scrap fabric stash or just go to your favorite fabric store and purchase a fat quarter.

Cutting instructions:
Fabric - 18" x 6 1/2"
Fusible interfacing - 2 pieces 7/8" x 6 1/2"
Ribbon - 24" long

STEP 2: INSERTING INTERFACING

Place the piece of fabric on the ironing board with the right side down. On the short end, turn the edge down 1/4 inch and press. Now, turn it down again but this time 1 inch and press flat.

Unfold the fabric and place one piece of fusible interfacing on the wrong side of fabric next to the crease. Refold the fabric. The interfacing should be inside the fold. With an iron, press the fabric to fuse the interfacing according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Repeat on the other short end.

Why are you using fusible interfacing along the top?
Later in the project, we will be using a scissor to snip slits along the top. The fusible interfacing will help prevent the fabric from unraveling or fraying.

STEP 3: STITCH ALONG FOLD

Go to the sewing machine and using a straight stitch, stitch along the inside fold.

STEP 4: SEWING SIDES

It is time to stitch the sides. Place the fabric with the right sides together and align the top edges. With a straight stitch, stitch both long sides using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. To make sure the stitching does not come out, backstitch at the beginning and end.

To help prevent the seam from fraying, use a zigzag stitch to stitch along the raw edge of the seam.

You now have a pouch (bag).

STEP 5: MARKING TOP

With the pouch still inside out, mark along the top edge with a pen every 7/8 inches. You should have 6 matches.

Repeat on the other side.

STEP 6: MAKING SLITS

Along the top of the fabric, turn the fabric onto itself and with a scissor make small snips into the fabric at the marks.

Turn the bag right side out and push out the corners.

STEP 7: INSERT DRAWSTRING RIBBON

To make it easier to insert the drawstring ribbon, thread the ribbon onto a tapestry needle. Beginning on one side, thread the ribbon in and out of the slits, go around the corner and again thread ribbon in and out of the slits.

STEP 8: ATTACH BEAD

Insert both ends of the ribbon into the hole of the bead. Align the ends of the ribbon and tie a knot

Viola! The drawstring bag is ready to use.

You can make these bags with drawstrings for party favors, for storing little toys and card games, for giving gift cards to kids, for holding marbles and for so many other things.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and decide to have your kids sew drawstring bags (drawstring pouches).

Thanks for stopping by and till next time, happy sewing!

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions about this project, contact us through the YouTube Video comments or our Contact Us page. We respond to questions in e-mails and YouTube comments regularly.

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