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Sewing the embroidered drawstring bags with our iconic designs
Our kits include embroidery linen, threads, a fabric swatch for the lining and ribbon for the drawstring.
See the kits for our small embroidered bags in the Museums and Heritage Collection.
To complete your kit, you will also need:
- some sewing thread, preferably cotton
- glass tipped pins, which are easy to spot and won’t melt under the iron
- a bodkin (or ribbon threader) to help pass the drawstrings through easily
- a pair of dressmaking scissors
- and, as many of you ask, you’ll find here the small aluminium Sajou ruler featured in our videos.
Cutting the different pieces of the drawstring bag
- Once both embroideries are complete, trim the linen to the dimensions shown in the diagram below: each piece should measure 23cm wide by 24cm high.
- In the cotton fabric, cut two pieces for the lining, each measuring 23cm wide by 32cm high. Pay attention to the direction of the pattern, if there is one.
- Press all the pieces carefully.
- Watch our video: by layering the fabrics, you won’t need to measure each one separately.
Assembling the embroidery and the lining
- Place the first embroidered piece right sides together with one of the lining pieces.
- Do the same with the second embroidery.
- Pin and stitch along the top edge, 1cm from the border.
- Press the seams open.
- On the wrong side of the first assembled piece, mark guidelines 1cm from all the edges.
- Then draw the stitch lines all around, leaving deliberate gaps at the following points:
- 1.5cm just after the seam,
- 8cm before reaching the bottom.
- Repeat the same process on the second side.
- On the third side, leave a 1.5cm gap before the seam, then finish tracing the line along this and the fourth side.
- Place the two assembled pieces right sides together, carefully aligning the seams, and pin in place.
- Stitch all around, leaving gaps as indicated by the marking.
- Press the seams open and fold the seam allowances towards the inside.
- Turn the project right side out.
- Stitch the opening in the lining closed.
- Carefully pull out the corners of the linen.
- Press, avoiding ironing directly on the embroidery.
Finishing touches and inserting the ribbons
- Fold the lining inside the bag, making sure the visible portion forms a border of 4cm all around.
- On this folded section, stitch a first line exactly in the middle, i.e. 2cm from the edge.
- Then stitch a second line close to the edge of the cotton fabric to form the drawstring channels.
- Cut the ribbon into two equal lengths.
- Using a bodkin (or ribbon threader), pass the first ribbon all the way around the bag.
- Pass the second ribbon starting from the opposite side.
- On each side, tie a knot to join the two ends of the ribbons together.
- And that's it!
