How to make drawstring giftbags

These little bags are not only cute and easy to make, but, being useful for a variety of purposes, they are a little gift in itself.
With the right choice of fabric these little bags adapt to lots of occasions. The little bag below has been made from semitransparent, thin dark blue cotton with contrasting seams. It's the perfect packaging for a delicate object as the rhinestone keyring you can see in the picture.

When I give a quilt I especially like to giftwrap it in its own drawstring bag. It's nice and offers protection for when the quilt is being stored.

This is, by the way, my Giulia's rubberduckies" babyquilt in its bag made from a baby girl print cotton fabric.

Now, making the bags is really simple. All you need to do is figure out the size of the bag. Start by cutting a rectangle of fabrice that is double the height of the finished bag plus 1 inch (2.5cm) by the width of the bag plus 1 inch.

Fold the fabric in half as shown above with the wrong side facing outside. Close the two long sides with a simple straight seam, and if you don't use a serger, zigzag along the raw edges to protect the raw eges.

Then fold the upper, raw edge over twice towards the wrong side of the fabric, thus hiding the raw edge inside the fold.

Pin or cllip the hem in place all around the opening.

Sew in place with a straight seam next to the edge of the fold leaving a small opening (about 1/2 an inch / 1,5 cm) next to one of the side seams.

Now you can either use a ribbon or make your own, matching string.
To make the string cut a long strip of the same fabric (it should be at least double the circumference of the top of the bag). The strip should be about 1 inch wide. Fold the strip lenghtwise, ironing both raw edges towards the wrong side so that they meet in the middle of the strip.

Then fold the strip in half lengthwise, hiding the two raw edges inside the string. Iron.

Now sew a simple straight seam all along the open edge of the string to close it.

With a safety pin insert the string into the hem on the top of the bag throught the opening int he seam.

When the string has been inserted into the hem remove the pin and make a knot at both ends of the string to keep the fabric from unravelling and the end of the string from slipping back inside the hem.

The drawstring bag is finished.

Fill it with your. gift and draw the string

Have you made a project following this tutorial? Let me know what you think. Did you like it? Was it easy to understand and to follow? Do you have any suggestions?
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