Boxy Drawstring Bag Tutorial & Pattern ~ DIY Tutorial Ideas!

Drawstring bag has often been discussed in other blogs, including as a basic sewing that is quite easy, short and best seller because it is versatile. For friends who are experienced and proficient in making them, please take a look at my other posts, or you can review this tutorial and share your experiences with other friends who are still beginners.

This drawstring bag has several different models and ways of making, of course adjusted to the convenience of each. What I will give you a tutorial for this time is a drawstring bag that is cuboid at the bottom or often called "boxy". Compared to the flat drawstring bag [without the boxy bottom], this kind of drawstring bag is more versatile, it can even be used to carry lunch boxes to the office and because it is made of fabric, it can be washed every weekend when we are off from work. Working all the time is exhausting, so with this sewing, we can release stress while making something that can be used daily, including for use in the office as well *personal experience.

Bag Pattern:

Tools and materials to prepare :

    Basic sewing equipment [sewing machine & shoes, thread, needle, scissors/rotary cutter, needles/wonder clip, etc.]
    Stationery [pencil/fabric pen, ruler]
    Staple thin fabric
    Sewing pattern, please download here
    Suede rope [optional, other types of rope can also be used, just make sure the size is not too big]
    Stopper [optional]
    Fabric turning tool [optional]

The sewing steps:

Print and cut out the downloaded sewing pattern, I provide it in jpg form and the size can be modified as desired, but this tutorial will be made based on the pattern that I have provided. The seam allowance/sewing distance I used is 0.5 cm [dotted line]. Adhere the interfacing/staplek to the outer fabric by ironing. For the string tab, fold the two short ends about 0.5 cm, then sew.

Place the string tab on the outer fabric, spacing 0.5 - 1 cm from each end. Secure with a wonder clip or needle and sew on the long side so that it is attached to the outer fabric. Do this for both string tabs and both outer fabrics. Seam allowance 0.5 cm.

Lay the two outer fabrics RST [right side together, good sides facing each other]. Sew on the long sides, don't sew the right angles first. After the three long sides are sewn, then the short sides are sewn [this is called boxy] with the same seam allowance. Repeat the above steps on the inner fabric.

Flip the inner so that the good side is on the outside and the bad side is on the inside. Thread the inner fabric onto the inside of the outer fabric, making sure the top edges are all aligned, secure with a needle or wonder clip. Sew around the top of the fabric.

Pull out the inner cloth. Use a medium to make a hole measuring 4-5 cm in the middle of the bottom of the inner cloth. Turn the cloth by pulling and removing the good side of the outer cloth from the hole. As a result, the good side of the outer and inner cloth is outside. Sew a hole made with a stitch ladder/sewing hiding.

The result is as shown in the photos above. To make it look neater, do some overlock stitching around the border of the fabric and string tabs.

When it's time to insert the string, I use this tool to make things easier. If you don't have one, don't be discouraged, there's always an alternative...you can use a safety pin that's big enough to fit into the string tab, just like our grandmothers used to do with loose or saggy waistbands. The string that is inserted is only one, about 3 times the length of the string tab, but if you want to put the string on both sides of the string tab, that's fine too, it can even be easier to pull. And that's it. Your boxy drawstring bag is done!