Learn to Sew - lesson 4 drawstring bag

Here we are at lesson 4 already. I hope your doing well and have enjoyed what you have learnt. 

My daughter has! 

And because of that we are moving on, I hope your ready! 

So today come our first proper project. The drawstring bag. 

This is a great starter project. With a few processes in and some straight lines to sew. With a great result. 

So lets get started. 

This bag is going to be lined.

 So grab your fabric and cut the front, back and lining cut out of your chosen fabric. We chose a tectangular shape. Not too big. Yours could be squared. Each one needs to be exactly the same size.

You need to pin your lining fabric together. Put the pins in equal places. We did this 2" from the top. You are going to sew from pin to pin. 

Repeat this step with your patterned fabric. 

Next press open the seams. 

Here you will see at the top you have abit left open. 

Perfect. Repeat your ironing with the lining fabric. 

busy busy!!

now you need to sew a 'V' shape.

I penciled it onto the fabric. So my daughter could sew the dots. 

Repeat this exactly on the pattern fabric.  

A great opportunity to try and thread the needle. 

Second attemp and she did it! 

Stuff the lining fabric into the pattern fabric. No you can see it taking shape. 

right, more pining. 

Pin the lining and pattern fabric together at the top. Lining up the edges together. 

Sew along the top. Joining the two fabrics together. 

Now back to the iron and press the top down. 

and fold over again. 

So the top edge that you sewed is tucked under. 

Now pin the final fold into place. 

Sew along the edge as close to the bottom as possible. You are now creating the tunnel for the ribbon. So you want as much space as possible. 

sewn into place, hooray! 

Its looking good. 

here you can see the tunnelz for the ribbon and where the 'V' shape was sewn. 

Next is more fun, choosing the ribbon. 

Mg daughter couldnt chose one, so two it was! 

Thats fine! 

Put a safety pin on the ribbon and push it through one side of the tunnel and through the other tunnel. Take the safety pin off. 

Now put tbe safety pin on another ribbon. Push it through the other tunnel and push it through both. 

Tie the ends. 

You should have ribbon going both ways - if that makes sense?! 

test it out. 

Yay, it works! 

One happy lady. 

What a good job. 

My daughter did all the sewing herself. 

So what have we done today;

chosen fabric, done lots of ironing and pinnng, sewn in lots of straight lines plus the 'V' shape, chosen ribbon, used safety pin and pushed through tunnels. 

We have practiced some great skills today - well done. 

I hope you like your new bag. 

The great thing about these bags is you can make them as big as you want. The perfect PE bag or laundry bag. Or smaller for little treasures. 

This is also great as its lined, for extra durability and neatness. And so very simple. 

Thanks for checking out lesson 4. 

Let me see your drawstring bag. 

Happy sewing :-) 

Sew your way to lesson 5 - here