Sewing Machine Magic: Draw String Bag

Draw string bags are useful little items. I am making one for each sewing machine to store attachments and foot controller and power cord. I finally figured out to make a pretty one efficiently.

Before starting any sewing project, it is advised that you:
1) Change the needle. New project, New needle. Needles are relatively inexpensive when compared to thread and fabric. A bent, damaged or dull needle can wreak havoc with your project. Bite the bullet and put in a new needle (I love my Kenmore 158.1760 but I hate that it does not have a needle clamp)

2) Clean out the bobbin assembly. Follow the instructions for your machine. It is inadvisable to use canned air to blow out the lint. Canned air has a propellent which could blow moisture into your machine. Use a lint brush. One came with your machine. If you bought a used machine, such brushes are available at the sewing store or other places that sell notions and fabric.

3) Switch to the straight stitch needle plate.

This project does not require anything but straight stitch. You can see the difference between the two needle plates. When the needle pierces the fabric on the zz needle plate, some of the fabric could get carried down into that big, gaping hole. It isn't much and it doesn't matter if you don't have a ss needle plate. But if you do, use it. Your stitches will be much prettier. Just don't forget to switch back when you have a project that requires zz or you could break your needle. Needles are cheap but a broken piece of needle could fly into your eye.

Because I also oiled the machine before I started this project, I ran a test seam to clean out the excess oil and to check the tension. Not bad....

Now you are ready to sew.

Select two fabrics and cut a rectangle from each fabric. I used 10 X 21 for this project but you could use any size that you would like. I imagine you could even use a square.

I like to press the fabric once I have cut my pieces off of the larger piece. I cut each piece a bit bigger than the 10 X 21 so that I could press the fabric and then cut the pieces precisely.

Stitch the two pieces together with a 3/8 inch seam allowance RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER. Start your seam about 6 inches from the top on one long side.

Stitch all the way around, back tacking and pivoting at each corner. Stop sewing and back tack about three inches from where you started.

Trim the corners

I press the edge with the three inch gap. This helps define where the seam belongs ( despite the missing stitches) when the bag is turned right side out

Turn it right side out. Reach in through that three inch gap and grasp one of the far corners and pull it through. Work the fabric until the whole thing is right side out.

Use a pointed object to make the corners square and press. I have this nifty bamboo gizmo, that I believe is designed just for this purpose.

Turn over a 1.5 inch hem on each end and press.

Now stitch just along the edge of the hem. I don't really like the big straight stitch foot on this machine. The Super High Shank Kenmore feet are not universal. So I just turned the whole project around so that the narrow edge of the ss foot was along the edge of the hem.
( If you are not accustomed to bringing the bobbin thread to the top of the 'work' I would suggest that you do it on this project. It makes thing so much tidier.)

Now I can turn the 'work' around and line up the edges with the 7/8 seam allowance mark on the needle plate.

This creates the casing for the string or ribbon. What beautiful stitches!!! No wonder I love this machine.

Now put the right sides together and match the hems. ( I know I need a manicure. My manicurist is out of town now and I just love her to pieces and won't see anyone else.)

Yo don't HAVE to pin the seams. I do. I need all the help I can get.. Stitch just a long the edge to get a narrow seam. Start just at the base of the hem. Do not include the hem in the seam. Do this for both sides.

Turn the bag right side out. And press it. Cut two lengths of nylon cord 2.5 times the width of the bag. I "flame" the end of the cord with a lighter to melt it so that it does not unravel. Attach one end of the cord to a safety pin. You can tie a knot or just loop it through.

Now push the pin into the cord casing and inch it along all the way around the bag until you come out the same end you entered.

You may choose to fasten the other end of the string to the bag itself so that you don't pull the string all the way through as you thread it. (Ask me how I know)