I have been sewing for over fifty years. You are the first one who has explained clearly the reason for using pinking shears on the edge of fabric. Lovely video.
What a simple and clear tutorial. I just made my first one using your instructions and it came out perfectly. I couldn't find anything to use as the string, so I cut strips from an old Tshirt which did the job very well.
I'm glad you're teaching sewing! Please note that students would need to obtain their own copies of my materials if you're planning to use my handouts.
That’s such a good idea!!! I’m going to make one for my sister as I don’t like to use single use items as much... and these maybe more expensive but it becomes part of the pressie!!
I ❤watching your tutorials b/c u present them like an experienced teacher. As a high school fashion design teacher I sooooo appreciate this!!!! I can confidently recommend your videos to my students to use when they’re sewing on their own or to show during class. I always want to promote proper TERMINOLOGY and technique. Thank you for taking time and care to make these videos!!
FANTASTIC TUTORIAL ... 👍 SIMPLE...I'm almost 65 years old, and I've always wondered HOW the drawstrings were added...always was afraid to even try! 😳 MY TALENTED 💜 mother could sew ANYTHING, and I never had her patience, but as I keep LEARNING (WE'RE NEVER TOO OLD), I'm quite enjoying it all!! THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH! From: So. Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦 ♥️
Such a great tutorial! Makes really nice tidy bags, I’ve made loads for Christmas to use as gift bags instead of wrapping paper. Now I’ve started making ones for birthdays etc 😊
I just was given my grandmothers awesome sewing machine and I’m already someone who can crochet and I’m so excited to add to my art skills! This is going to be the first thing I make
Just made this bag as my first beginner project and it came out perfectly. Thank you for the great and easy to follow tutorial. I’m Keitu, all the way from South Africa , Johannesburg 🇿🇦
Great tutorial Melissa! I just made my drawstring bag and it came out great! The only problem I had was sewing the small side seams on top, the feed dogs would not grab the material. So I decided to start the sewing from the bottom of the slit and go up and then start from other side of the bottom and go up, it worked! Thanks again! I am new to sewing and this tutorial was easy to follow!
Thank you for being genuine enough to show us your stained ironing board cover :) Excellent tutorial! I'm using different measurements, but needed a refresher before I sew some bags for patients at a medical mission in Uganda! Thanks!
Thank you so much! I have made a lot of these for gifts and they don't even look hand sewn! And this is a super simple beginner project and so easy to follow!
Thank you. I learned to sew a little bit when I was a child, but now trying to add to my adult crafting repertoire. I made a bag with a velcro opening from a placemat from Dollar Tree, and was ready for the next level. This project is perfect! Your instructions are clear, and knowing the materials I will need at the outset is helpful. I will be making this bag tonight. If successful, I will then move on to some lined bags to use as dice bags.
Thank you for your tutorial. My daughter wanted to make a bag to carry her mouse and charging unit, I sent her your video. It was very simple and you explained it all very well. 😊
Thank you so much for the additional seam options. I love the French seam!! perfect for gifting little bags and you want a really pretty finish on the inside too.
I’m very new to sewing and this has been the best tutorial I’ve seen so far! The camera angels have been so helpful in being able to see exactly what I have to do
I have a brother sewing machine and it has a lot of functions but it does not have the thread cutter. I think it's very useful and I am going to add this on the list when I buy my next sewing machine. The tutorial is great and easy to follow! Thank you!
awesome! I am learning to sew and I did a youtube search for "Beginner sewing projects" and your video came up. I am a new subscriber and will be watching your videos in the coming days.
Great tutorial! I've been sewing clothes for a couple years now. My dad has been looking to get some drawstring bags, so I figured it's the perfect time to use this BBQ-themed fabric I've had around for a while!
In 7th grade eons ago (ages 11-12), we made larger drawstring bags from sturdy Indian Head cotton. Solid colors of our choice, two easy French sideseams and a hemmed top casing with strong white braided cord. With our names hand-embroidered on the bags in white, we had stylish totes to haul dirty gym clothes home from school on Fridays. Also washed, lightly starched and ironed on weekends, the bags brought clean gym clothes back to school on Mondays.
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I wish I'd found you earlier than now. I've had so much trouble following other tutorials that I nearly gave up sewing altogether. I will now be whipping up these bags like there's no tomorrow. Thanks again. Hugs, Leah from Australia 🐨🦘
Melly. Great video. You make everything clear and simple. Thanks for that. I remember fondly, my 7th grade sewing class sometime in the early 50s. I remember making a "gym bag" for carrying our gym clothes home, on Friday, to wash and, back to school, clean on Monday. A little larger but, the same idea. Nice to have a review of the details. Thanks for having been a teacher. Much needed.
I used to make this in primary school with my grandma by needles only as she already sold her sewing machine. Here I'm looking at this video reminiscing our time together...
Really clear, thank you. I'm hoping to make a bag for my wife as part of a larger present so wish me luck. First time I've tried using a sewing machine!
Very concise instructions! I made a drawstring bag for my vintage travel iron to take to sewing group. Thanks for an easy project, complete in a short time frame!
Thank you for this easy to understand visual tutorial! I haven't made anything since my Home Economics class back in middle school(20 yrs ago or so) and this was a perfect project to start with!
Thank you! I'm having trouble with my zippers and keeping them nice and straight and a drawstring bag seems like a nice project to enjoy while I take a little break from zippers. I want to enjoy sewing and take my time learning the skill.
It's December 23. I just made one of these using a green batik fabric quarter, and it was so fast and easy! I'm going to give this one to my brother's wife, and I'm going to make a purple one for my mom for Christmas.
I've mostly made rifle slings when it comes to sewing. Now, I'm making a bag for generator tools so that I can have air conditioning in the camper on a hunt in Southern New Mexico in July, LOL. I'm guessing I'm not your average viewer. Either way, even though it's going to be a bit different than what you made, you gave me an idea of what to look out for. Thanks. (Sorry about necroposting under an old video.)
Made this using the Fabric Quarters from JoAnns. I needed a bag for my Giant Microbes...I am a high school Family and Consumer Sciences teacher! Super easy to follow. Thanks so much.
Thanks a lot from this video I am inspired and now I am a owner in the backlock sewing tutorial thanks a lot from u itself I have started this tutorials it has helped many people ❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️
Thank you! Just what I needed for a community gift bag project. We are going to use fat quarters folded in half, but I really like your simple tab construction. Will finish with sewn zig zag stitching. Great video!
I made one large bag for my dungeons and dragons character sheets, books and other things, and I will be making a matching bag for dice!! I finally found the perfect project for my cute printed cotton!! :D
Thanks, Melly. This was the perfect drawstring shoe bag tutorial out there. I figured out how to do this on my own before watching, but I noticed you sewed the sides before sewing the top and I did it the other way around. Your way is much better.
Hmm, see I'm thinking it IS better to sew the top first. You could finish the seams more nicely on the inside rather than just kind of cutting randomly off the folded-over edge with pinking shears. If you put a small horizontal clip in the edge of the fabric (at the 2" down point marked with pins in the video) equal in length to both your seam allowance and the amount you fold inwards into the ribbon casing, everything would come out flush and with perfectly finished seams.
I did it. I broke my needle twice so I had to finish by hand but I think for my very first sewing project I did AWESOME!!! Followed your instructions and rewatched when I got stuck thanks again
Thank you so much for this video! I want to make some drawstring bags for my knitting projects, and I didn't know how to do the drawstring part. I'll make some in different sizes using pretty fabrics, and do a boxed bottom for extra width. Love this!!
thank you for this tutorial, I just sewed a slightly larger one to use as a shoe bag but it was still too small haha. anyways super happy with how it turned out!!
This is one the best sewing channels I have ever come across. Thank you for letting me come across this I hope that I will become a professional one day and this will be the start of it all xx
Especially appreciate showing those scissors...I am sure most beginners like me don't own a serger machine (and some of us nowadays literally got no space for one). I am going to finally go out and get me a pair now.
They're great for many fabrics, though not for ones with a high polyester content. But there are other ways to finish seams without a serger, which I cover here: mellysews.com/2013/01/a-guide-to-seam-finishes.html
I'm 11 and trying to sew by myself this tutorial is so easy to follow 10/10
Glad you like it! Have fun.
Lovely to hear someone so young starting to sew good luck i hope you really enjoy it
I'm 12 and trying the same😅
Bravo!
I m eleven two 😂
I have been sewing for over fifty years. You are the first one who has explained clearly the reason for using pinking shears on the edge of fabric. Lovely video.
Glad it was helpful!
I was looking for a nice and easy drawstring bag then I watched, followed, and it turned out perfect!!!
Wonderful!
What a simple and clear tutorial. I just made my first one using your instructions and it came out perfectly. I couldn't find anything to use as the string, so I cut strips from an old Tshirt which did the job very well.
Gla dit was helpful!
Thank you! I will be teaching this project at the public library. : )
I'm glad you're teaching sewing! Please note that students would need to obtain their own copies of my materials if you're planning to use my handouts.
Barbara Neisel Nice!
Thank you! I´ll do bags like these out of fabric scraps and also some out of mesh material for grocery shopping
That sounds like a great idea!
Thinking about making this (but a little smaller) to sell my homemade soaps in. Thanks for the video!
I use small ones for my homemade lotion bars :)
I use them for chapstick and whipped body butter
That’s such a good idea!!! I’m going to make one for my sister as I don’t like to use single use items as much... and these maybe more expensive but it becomes part of the pressie!!
This is exactly what I was looking for; none of the other videos got anywhere close to this. Excellent!!
Glad it helped!
Brilliant idea to use the cardstock for measuring! Thank you for sharing! I plan to whip up several of them for my beginner sewing classes (refugees)!
Have fun sewing!
I ❤watching your tutorials b/c u present them like an experienced teacher. As a high school fashion design teacher I sooooo appreciate this!!!! I can confidently recommend your videos to my students to use when they’re sewing on their own or to show during class. I always want to promote proper TERMINOLOGY and technique. Thank you for taking time and care to make these videos!!
It probably helps that I was a high school teacher for 12 years 🙂
i tried this and it’s so cute OH MY GOD! 1000/10
🙂
I mostly do metal work and wood work but at the moment I'm loving sewing. Thank you for a great tutorial! I'll make one of these bags for sure :)
Thanks for watching!
FANTASTIC TUTORIAL ... 👍 SIMPLE...I'm almost 65 years old, and I've always wondered HOW the drawstrings were added...always was afraid to even try! 😳 MY TALENTED 💜 mother could sew ANYTHING, and I never had her patience, but as I keep LEARNING (WE'RE NEVER TOO OLD), I'm quite enjoying it all!! THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH! From: So. Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦 ♥️
Have fun sewing!
Such a great tutorial! Makes really nice tidy bags, I’ve made loads for Christmas to use as gift bags instead of wrapping paper. Now I’ve started making ones for birthdays etc 😊
That's a great idea!
Love this I'm learning to sew and this was so easy to follow I've made two now
So happy to hear that!
What was the other finish of seam if you have an overlocker
I am 13 and I have currently made 4 bags. These were great gifts, especially for little ones who like to put things in bags lol
Wonderful!
I just was given my grandmothers awesome sewing machine and I’m already someone who can crochet and I’m so excited to add to my art skills! This is going to be the first thing I make
Have fun!
Ooooo you could try a crochet one I bet!?! And sew a lil strip of fabric to thread the cord through??
Just made this bag as my first beginner project and it came out perfectly. Thank you for the great and easy to follow tutorial. I’m Keitu, all the way from South Africa , Johannesburg 🇿🇦
Congrats on your first project!
Great tutorial Melissa! I just made my drawstring bag and it came out great! The only problem I had was sewing the small side seams on top, the feed dogs would not grab the material. So I decided to start the sewing from the bottom of the slit and go up and then start from other side of the bottom and go up, it worked! Thanks again! I am new to sewing and this tutorial was easy to follow!
Sometimes you can also put a scrap of fabric under the presser foot and then sew on to the project fabric, then cut off the scrap after stitching.
This looks really cool and I can't wait to try this.(With the help of my grandparents)!
Hope you have fun sewing!
Thank you for being genuine enough to show us your stained ironing board cover :) Excellent tutorial! I'm using different measurements, but needed a refresher before I sew some bags for patients at a medical mission in Uganda! Thanks!
Glad it's helpful!
Thank you so much! I have made a lot of these for gifts and they don't even look hand sewn! And this is a super simple beginner project and so easy to follow!
Wonderful!
Thank you. I learned to sew a little bit when I was a child, but now trying to add to my adult crafting repertoire. I made a bag with a velcro opening from a placemat from Dollar Tree, and was ready for the next level. This project is perfect! Your instructions are clear, and knowing the materials I will need at the outset is helpful. I will be making this bag tonight. If successful, I will then move on to some lined bags to use as dice bags.
Glad it's helpful!
Thank you for your tutorial. My daughter wanted to make a bag to carry her mouse and charging unit, I sent her your video. It was very simple and you explained it all very well. 😊
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much for the additional seam options. I love the French seam!! perfect for gifting little bags and you want a really pretty finish on the inside too.
Yes it is!
I’m very new to sewing and this has been the best tutorial I’ve seen so far! The camera angels have been so helpful in being able to see exactly what I have to do
Glad it was helpful!
I have a brother sewing machine and it has a lot of functions but it does not have the thread cutter. I think it's very useful and I am going to add this on the list when I buy my next sewing machine. The tutorial is great and easy to follow! Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
OMG sameeeeee I have a brother sewing machine and it’s quite confusing 😅
Areli Playz I know, even to this day, I don’t know how to use the needle threader... 😅
But overall, I think brother makes good sewing machines.
Thank you. You made it so clear. Thanks for using light coloured fabric.
Glad it was helpful!
awesome! I am learning to sew and I did a youtube search for "Beginner sewing projects" and your video came up. I am a new subscriber and will be watching your videos in the coming days.
Thanks! Have fun learning and happy sewing :)
Thank you. Best drawstring bag tutorial yet, Making a bunch for Easter candy.
that’s a great idea, happy Easter!
That card stock guide is genius! I’m so bad at straight lines, but I’m confident I can do this!! Thanks for that great tip!
Glad it was helpful!
Great tutorial! I've been sewing clothes for a couple years now. My dad has been looking to get some drawstring bags, so I figured it's the perfect time to use this BBQ-themed fabric I've had around for a while!
Have fun sewing!
My second successful sewing project! Thank you for the video!
Great job!
I’m teaching myself to sew small project, and this so far has been the best for drawstring bag.
Glad you like it!
In 7th grade eons ago (ages 11-12), we made larger drawstring bags from sturdy Indian Head cotton. Solid colors of our choice, two easy French sideseams and a hemmed top casing with strong white braided cord. With our names hand-embroidered on the bags in white, we had stylish totes to haul dirty gym clothes home from school on Fridays. Also washed, lightly starched and ironed on weekends, the bags brought clean gym clothes back to school on Mondays.
Gotta love a functional project!
You're amazing thank you so much for this video I just got my first sewing machine today this will be fun to attempt
Have fun sewing!
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I wish I'd found you earlier than now. I've had so much trouble following other tutorials that I nearly gave up sewing altogether. I will now be whipping up these bags like there's no tomorrow. Thanks again. Hugs, Leah from Australia 🐨🦘
Glad it helped!
Brilliant presentation, thank you! I followed your directions step-by-step and made a beautiful drawstring bag.
Wonderful!
Melly. Great video. You make everything clear and simple. Thanks for that. I remember fondly, my 7th grade sewing class sometime in the early 50s. I remember making a "gym bag" for carrying our gym clothes home, on Friday, to wash and, back to school, clean on Monday. A little larger but, the same idea. Nice to have a review of the details. Thanks for having been a teacher. Much needed.
Thanks for watching - glad to help!
GREAT project. Thanks. I've made a couple of these and I love the results. I sew across the inside bottom corners to give them a poofy look. Thanks.
Glad you like it!
I'm really new to sewing and trying to learn how to sew items. Thank you for showing us how to make it. Have a great day
You can do it!
Thank you so much! I’ve watched other videos about and have always been confused about the drawstring casing.
Glad it was helpful!
Brilliant. Thanks, cheers and greetings from Be’er Sheva, Israel
Thanks for watching!
Omg that cardstock seam allowance trick is genius, why did i never think to do that!!! Thanks for the tip and a great tutorial
Glad it was helpful!
I used to make this in primary school with my grandma by needles only as she already sold her sewing machine. Here I'm looking at this video reminiscing our time together...
Thanks for watching!
Brilliant first attempt albeit I am a slow beginner with arthritis and its fab - thank you
Wonderful!
This was the best tutorial! So clear and treats me like a newbie who needs explanation, which I am and need!
Awesome, thank you!
Very clever idea with the card stock measurements. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Very clear and concise. Thank you.
You're welcome!
Really clear, thank you. I'm hoping to make a bag for my wife as part of a larger present so wish me luck. First time I've tried using a sewing machine!
You can do it!
Very concise instructions! I made a drawstring bag for my vintage travel iron to take to sewing group. Thanks for an easy project, complete in a short time frame!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much! I've made two as gifts for my nice and nephew 😊
Wonderful!
You’re a great teacher, thank you! I’m going to try this later. I don’t have the scissors but a quick trip to my local craft store can fix that
Have fun!
Thank you for this easy to understand visual tutorial! I haven't made anything since my Home Economics class back in middle school(20 yrs ago or so) and this was a perfect project to start with!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you! I'm having trouble with my zippers and keeping them nice and straight and a drawstring bag seems like a nice project to enjoy while I take a little break from zippers. I want to enjoy sewing and take my time learning the skill.
It's good to change things up when you're frustrated.
Thanks Melly.
It's my first attempt and you made a great class.
Glad it's helpful!
It's December 23. I just made one of these using a green batik fabric quarter, and it was so fast and easy! I'm going to give this one to my brother's wife, and I'm going to make a purple one for my mom for Christmas.
Have fun!
Best tutorial ever on how to make a draw string bag! Thank you so much 😊
Thanks for watching!
Thank you!!!! I made one so far (big Santa bag), your tutorial was easy to follow.
Wonderful!
I've mostly made rifle slings when it comes to sewing. Now, I'm making a bag for generator tools so that I can have air conditioning in the camper on a hunt in Southern New Mexico in July, LOL. I'm guessing I'm not your average viewer.
Either way, even though it's going to be a bit different than what you made, you gave me an idea of what to look out for. Thanks.
(Sorry about necroposting under an old video.)
Having the sewing skills to make exactly what you need is great
Made this using the Fabric Quarters from JoAnns. I needed a bag for my Giant Microbes...I am a high school Family and Consumer Sciences teacher! Super easy to follow. Thanks so much.
Glad you liked it!
Thanks a lot from this video I am inspired and now I am a owner in the backlock sewing tutorial thanks a lot from u itself I have started this tutorials it has helped many people ❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️
Great to hear!
Love this, I’ve got some pretty showerproof material that I was wondering what to do with
I've made water resistant versions of these and use them all the time.
Thank you for explaining this so well!! I'm just beginning to sew and this was perfect! So helpful
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you Melly! This was great. I’m going to make a little travel laundry bag for someone heading to Italy next week.😃
Have fun!
Thank you! Just what I needed for a community gift bag project. We are going to use fat quarters folded in half, but I really like your simple tab construction. Will finish with sewn zig zag stitching. Great video!
Glad it's helpful, have fun at your event.
What a fun, useful, accessible project. Thank you for the tutorial!
You are so welcome!
I never would have thought about using card stock! That is such a good idea!
Glad it's helpful!
Brilliant! the best tutorial on youtube for drawstring bags! thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
I made one large bag for my dungeons and dragons character sheets, books and other things, and I will be making a matching bag for dice!! I finally found the perfect project for my cute printed cotton!! :D
Yes, these are great for printed cotton!
Great tutorial for beginners. So precise with your instructions. I enjoyed watching this!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Melly! Steps are clear and well communicated.
Glad it's helpful!
Thanks, Melly. This was the perfect drawstring shoe bag tutorial out there. I figured out how to do this on my own before watching, but I noticed you sewed the sides before sewing the top and I did it the other way around. Your way is much better.
Sometimes trial and error is the best teacher though!
Hmm, see I'm thinking it IS better to sew the top first. You could finish the seams more nicely on the inside rather than just kind of cutting randomly off the folded-over edge with pinking shears. If you put a small horizontal clip in the edge of the fabric (at the 2" down point marked with pins in the video) equal in length to both your seam allowance and the amount you fold inwards into the ribbon casing, everything would come out flush and with perfectly finished seams.
I love the idea of marking the different inches to fold the fabric!! Going to be making one of them thank you
Happy sewing!
Thank You! This is the first Project where I have made something useful.
Thanks for watching - and congrats on a useful project!
I did it. I broke my needle twice so I had to finish by hand but I think for my very first sewing project I did AWESOME!!! Followed your instructions and rewatched when I got stuck thanks again
Congrats!
I use a stack of these at my festival booth as shopping bags! They're so useful
That's a great idea!
great video. I love the tip using the paper to measure the edges. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
This is the nicest instructional video on these drawstring bags! Thank you!!
Wow, thank you!
Such a great project, with super-simple instructions. Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
I love this and I love your DIY reference tools!! Thank you for the instructions and great ideas 🙂
Glad you like them!
So helpful since schools where I live don’t have home economics classes anymore. The one class we absolutely need but oh well
Glad it's helpful!
Can’t wait to make. Never thought of using the pinking shears I love the ties. You speak so well.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for this video! I want to make some drawstring bags for my knitting projects, and I didn't know how to do the drawstring part. I'll make some in different sizes using pretty fabrics, and do a boxed bottom for extra width. Love this!!
These are perfect for knitting projects!
thank you for this tutorial, I just sewed a slightly larger one to use as a shoe bag but it was still too small haha. anyways super happy with how it turned out!!
Glad it turned out well -and now you've learned what to do for next time!
Wonderful tutorial. Easy and to the point. Thank you.❤🌹
Glad you liked it!!
Tip: If you don't have a sewing mechiene then you can use a hot glue gun (like i did it works just as well!)
And i love this!
If you don't have a sewing machine I'd suggest a needle and thread instead of hot glue - hot glue doesn't wash well.
Thank you so much, a very understandable tutorial, really appreciate it.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much ... It was very easy to sew after watching your video
Great 👍
Hello from South Africa thanks for sharing love that machine hope father Xmas will bless me with one.😂
Thanks for watching
This is one the best sewing channels I have ever come across. Thank you for letting me come across this I hope that I will become a professional one day and this will be the start of it all xx
Glad it's helpful, thanks for watching!
This is a really nice idea for a quick project. I love the neutral pattern you chose!
Glad you like it!
Especially appreciate showing those scissors...I am sure most beginners like me don't own a serger machine (and some of us nowadays literally got no space for one). I am going to finally go out and get me a pair now.
They're great for many fabrics, though not for ones with a high polyester content. But there are other ways to finish seams without a serger, which I cover here: mellysews.com/2013/01/a-guide-to-seam-finishes.html
Really good instructional video with clear easy to follow instructions - thank you so much!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This was so great! I love sewing and this was a fun and easy project, mine turned out really good!
Glad you liked it!
Nice pattern.Easy to follow.Like it.Thanks
Thanks for watching!
Good idea on the card stock!
Thanks!
Thank you so much for the tutorial, my bag turned out great, and my family loves it!! I'm a fan of sewing! :)
Wonderful!
Best tutorial for a drawstring bag. Thanks for sharing ❤️ ps the pressing card is genius!
Glad it was helpful!
Nice clear instruction fab for a beginner like me UK
Glad you enjoyed it