How to Sew a Super Easy Drawstring Bag with Flat Bottom FREE Sewing Pattern

by Kristin Omdahl

In this tutorial I will show you how to sew a super simple bag: it is a drawstring bag with a flat bottom. It can be used for a crafting project bag, makeup bag, you name it! It is also an adorable way to wrap a special gift. This is one of the items I am making for holiday gifts this year.

The finished bag will sit up all by itself because of the clever and super simple technique of creating side gussets for a flat bottom. This finished bag measures approximately 9″ wide at top, 7″ tall with a flat bottom of 7″ wide x 3″ deep. You can fit a lot in this little cutie!

What you will need:

(1) piece of fabric cut to 11″ x 15″
shown in Day of the Dragonfly Fabric Collection by Kristin Omdahl

(2) pieces of 1/4″ ribbon (to coordinate with your fabric) cut to 30″ each

(1) large safety pin (for threading the ribbon through the bag

Scissors, pins, iron, thread and sewing machine

Instructions:
1. Cut the fabric to dimensions: 11″ x 15″. In the photo I was working on 2 different bags. You only need one piece of fabric for this project.

2. Press 1/2″ hem around entire perimeter of fabric. Press it with the iron.

3. Sew a 1/4″ seam around the perimeter of the folded hem.

4. Fold the short lengths over once more, about 3/4″. Press it with the iron. This will be the drawstring channel.

5. Sew across with a 1/4″ seam (1/2″ from the top fold line).

6. Fold fabric, right sides facing. Sew up each side with a 1/4″ seam allowance, starting at the fold and working toward the drawstring channel. Stop sewing 1/4″ before the channel begins.

7. Fold each corner of the bag so the side seam is running down the middle of the point. Press it with the iron.

8. Mark a line perpendicular to the seam 1.5″ from the point. This will be the gusset that makes the bottom of the bag flat.

9. Sew across this line. NOTE: make sure the gussets are pressed and sewn identically otherwise your bag may not lay perfectly flat.

10. Turn the bag right sided out.

11. Thread the ribbons through the channel as follows: Attach a safety pin to one end of one ribbon. Thread it through the drawstring channel on one side of the bag and then through the other side of the bag’s channel. Both ends of the ribbon will be on the same side. Remove the safety pin and tie these ends in a knot. Attach a safety pin to one end of the second piece of ribbon. Thread it through the drawstring channels same as the first ribbon EXCEPT begin and end on the opposite side of the bag. Tie these ends into a knot.

12. Trim any access ribbon ends.

The bag will cinch tightly when you pull on the knots on both sides of the bag at the same time.

Click here for more of Kristin’s sewing patterns!

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I would love to see your creations. Just as much fun as making these myself is the satisfaction I get from seeing my designs come to life and other crochet fans wearing them too. There are now 2 ways you can share what you have done!

• Share yours by joining  Create. Share. Inspire on Facebook where you can interact with me as well as many other members who have a love of knitting and crochet just like you! It is a wonderful and safe place to share your photos of finished projects in my knitting or crochet patterns or yarns, and to see what others are making, too.
• I have recently added a wonderful new interactive section to the website which I invite you to take part in, it has been a smashing success and such fun so far. It is the new “Share Your Project” section. You, my creators, can upload images and descriptions of your creations to share with the ever growing community! To upload simply click here. 

Additionally, I host a livestreaming podcast weekday on my YouTube Channel called Create Share Inspire Podcast. You can join the audience and even ask me questions LIVE! I often do a show and tell, or quick demo and I always interact with the live audience. It is a lot of fun!

You can browse through over 800 previously recorded episodes HERE: Create Share Inspire Podcast Playlist . Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel to get reminders when the next episode airs LIVE.

I look forward to seeing what you create!

xoxo,
Kristin