Gemma’s Drawstring Tote Bag
I think this may be the first time I don’t need to show you my face with my make for the month! I was very excited to try something a little different and so happy with how it turned out as I think it is super cute!
The supplementary fabric is always one that gets you thinking, being only 1m you need to consider what you can make with a small amount. Somehow I seem to have gone quite a few years without considering making a bag, so as soon as I saw the cute heart print I knew instantly it would make a lovely accessory to any love themed outfit!
It really was a case of all the stars aligning with this make, as only a few days ago I had had a reel suggested to me on Instagram that looked super interesting – it was a tutorial on how to make a drawstring tote bag. I started following the page instantly: the name is @ospring_sewing and they have quite a few (free might I add!) tutorials on how to make lots of accessories, from bags to baskets, and these kinds of projects are perfect for smaller amounts of fabric. They also have a Youtube page with longer tutorial videos for each project, which is what I used and found very helpful and clear to understand.
As with any project, the fun is in the customisation, and choosing notions to go with the main fabric. For my bag I decided to go full on pink affair. Despite me not claiming it, it does seem that pink is my favourite colour and if i’m going pink, I’m going all out barbie vibes! For my lining fabric I used a baby pink polka dot which matched really well, and decided to use pink ribbon as my ties for the drawstring. It was my first time using fusible fleece for the interfacing, and I found it really good for giving the bag the hold and structure it needed without being too stiff, so I’m a convert to this now! Lastly I felt it needed one more finishing touch by adding a label in the middle – I used one of my Kylie and the Machine collaboration labels with Mel Stringer which is an illustrated one, and was just the perfect match to the bag!
As mentioned, I found the Youtube video really easy to follow and the construction of the bag is a lot more simple than it looks. I’m really surprised at the size of the bag, even though it does give finished measurements, I (like a lot of people I’m hoping!) didn’t bother looking at that and just went for it. Even without closing the drawstring it is a great carry size and quite deep – as soon as I finished it I took it on its first outing the very next day to a yarn show and you better believe I managed to get quite a bit of yarn in that bag! With the drawstring closed it’s close enough for things not to fall out, and I love how cute it looks. I got so many compliments on it and will be using it relentlessly for the foreseeable future!
