Craft: Drawstring Bags!

Before leaving for my new job, I wanted to make a present for my summer coworkers and staff. Since nobody had agreed on a sweatshirt design for the summer, I thought it would be cute to have something that matched and said their names on it for the annual over-nighter. The week I left was that week, so I spent a Sunday creating these cute bags for them.

Materials:
Cloth (varies depending on size)
Cord (3.5 yds)
Puff Paint! 
(Possibly a sewing machine...)




First, decide what color cloth you want to use. I wanted something cheap and large, to match for all 14 that I made. But if you're only making one or two, pick something cute! 

Start by deciding how large you want them to be, and cut out the cloth double that (plus an inch around for hems). I wanted these to be large enough to fit a clipboard, water bottle, and sunscreen.

[I got the original idea from Pinterest. You can find the original blog here.
I changed the cloth size, but not the cord size... and it made for an awkward opening of the bags if you opened them all the way. Otherwise, no issues. Do not use less cord or your bag will not open.]
 
Create a 1/4-1/2 in fold along the two long sides of the rectangle. This is effectively your hem, but don't sew it; just iron the edge.
Fold down about an inch on the two shorts ends of the rectangle, the same direction as your first hems. Iron the edges. Then sew those edges, close to the bottom of them hem. Make sure you leave enough room to put your cord through that.  

Folding the cloth in half the wrong way. Do not sew it together yet.

Now for stringing the cord through. This is part that confused me when reading the first blog, so let's see if I can make it easier to understand.

Cut your cord in half. Thread one piece of it through both sides of your bag and tie the ends together.

Then, starting at the opposite side, thread your second piece through both sides of your bag.

 Using a large safety pin can help move the cord through the bag. There are tools for this, which I did try, but they don't work as well (or I can't make them work as well?). Haha.

Then, sew the edges of your bag together (wrong sides out) and make sure the edges of your tied-off cords stick out the bottom. Don't forget to tuck the strings inside the bag so they aren't on the inside when you turn it right-side out. Does that make sense? Sorry. If it doesn't, please leave a comment asking for clarification and I'll do my best.

 The pile of finished bags! 

Ready for Puff Paint! 

14 bags, decorated and drying! 

The End