Draw String Make-up Bag!

...a Drawstring Make-up Bag!

Hello friends! 

As much as I try to be organised and write my posts a week in advance, the week catches up with me and I fail! So this week's post is most likely going to have been published later than usual (I'm starting at 11.50, of course it is!)! Sarah always tells me it doesn't matter what time I post or if I even post at all! But I love producing these posts as it's so different to my usual day-to-day job! 

Before I get started in this week's make, I want to do a quick shout out to Isabel Holdaway on our facebook page who made my cactus pin cushion, and a much better version might I add! It looks amazing!

I might make this a more regular occurrence, so be sure to take photos of your versions of my makes and you may see yours on the blog next!

On with this week! (Quick side note, I'm coming to you from my brand new desk, no more taking the sewing machine up and down the stairs to the kitchen)!

Today, as you can see from the title, I'm making a drawstring make-up bag! I remember these being introduced a few years ago and thinking that it was a great bag for sticking in your suitcase for going on holiday; everything is visible when you open it, no more rummaging around trying to find your suncream! 

To make your draw string bag, all you will need is two different fabrics; one for inside and one for outside - you could use a waterproof/wipe clean inside, but I'm just using a purple polycotton. Some ribbon or cord - I have some yellow cord, and some velcro! My outer fabric is the fabulously designed Monkey Wrench by Tula Pink in 'Don't Slip Dragonfruit', which I think looks amazing!

Make two large circles with a 16" (40cm) diameter for each of your inner and outer fabrics. Do this in the method you find easiest, I found that drawing a template on to some tracing paper using a pencil and some string was the easiest for me. You'll also need two pieces, again one from each fabric, of 6.5" x 3.5" (16.5cm x 9cm) and round off one end of this piece.

For the final piece of cutting out before we start assembly, you will need 1 piece of 2.5" x 60" (6.5cm x 152cm) fabric, or single fold bias binding, I'm using fabric which I've cut and pressed in half. 

To start, put the two rectangular pieces right sides together and leaving a gap for turning, sew around the edge. turn and press the gap before top stitching. 

Turn the right way out, press the turning hole and add a top stitch to close. 

Take the flap you've just made and attach it to the right side of your outer fabric around 3" from the edge.

Moving back to the long piece, this will be the tunnel for your drawstring. Fold back each end and press to keep it clean. Pin and sew the raw edges all the way around the right side edge of your top circle piece, make sure the folded back ends are around 0.5" away from each other so you can feed the cord through later on.

Once that's attached, take your inner piece and pin that over the top, encasing the cord tunnel inside. 

Make sure that when you leave a gap for turning, it's away from the open ends of the cord tunnel. Turn the whole thing right side out, then run a top stitch as close to the edge as you can to close the turning hole and to give more of a professional finish!

Attach a safety pin to one end of the cord and pull through around to the other end. I initially just tied the ends together, but then thought a toggle tie would keep the bag closed better. So I added one of those, then tied the ends together underneath.

On to the final step! Fold the bag in half, like below.

Take a circular piece of velcro and sew one on to the flap, and one on to the other half where the flap touches. 

And with that, you're done! One makeup bag, perfect for those holidays (eventually)! Throw in your make-up or toiletries...

tDraw up your drawstrings and you're good to go!

I love this make, its simple and useful, I might even use it in my work bag for my hand creams and lip balms - nurse essentials!

I also realise I took way too long doing this post! I started at 11.50, and it's now 20.20! A bit slow, but I kept getting distracted watching Netflix...Anyway! I hope you guys enjoyed this week's post, all be it a late night read and I'll aim to be a bit more punctual next time!