Nest « modafabrics

“What am I going to use to take my flip flops and bikini to the beach? I need to look stylish, but be practical….you know how that sand gets in everything. I know, I will whip up a fast beach bag with that adorable Charm pack I have been saving….all the girls will be so jealous!”

~~1- 40 count Charm Pack
~~1-package Extra wide- double fold bias tape

1. Lay out all your charm squares and arrange them to your liking.

2. Sew- 4 squares across and 5 squares down. Make 2 of these.

~~ONE~~

~~ TWO~

3. From the top, measure down 1″ from the top of the 2nd square. Put a pin on the mark, and on the seam. This will be a 1″ hole for the drawstring. Mark all 4 of the long sides.

4. Sew down the length of the 5 squares starting at the top, leaving open the inch you marked. Be sure to back stitch before and after the 1″ hole. Sew around the 2 sides and bottom of the bag, leaving the top along the 4 squares open. Make sure you leave open the 1″ hole on the second side of the bag as you sew.

5. Press open the side seams to just past the hole.

6. Stitch around the entire hole. Do both sides of the bag.

7. Press the top of the bag down 1/3″ along the top.

8. Fold down the top 2- 1/2″ sew around the entire bag. Sew on the edge of the 2-1/2″ seam.

9. Sew around the entire bag again, 5/8″ from the top. This will make the casing for the drawstring.

10. Turn the bag inside out. Pull bottom corners to a point, mark 2-1/2″ from the point.

11. Mark with a pen or pencil, and sew along the line. This makes a box pleat in the bottom of the bag so your things are easier to find.

12. Cut the corner off, leaving a 1/4″ seam.

“I just love that this bag has a drawstring, so easy to open and close. So easy to get to my sun tan lotion….sunscreen you say? Not me, I want to be TAN!”

THE DRAWSTRING:

Cut 2-44″ lengths of bias tape.

This is what the double bias tape looks like when you open up the folds.

Now close it and sew along the open edge.

Like this.

Using a large safety pin, thread the bias tape through the casing going around the entire bag.

Coming out the same hole you went into.

Pull the bias tape until the ends match up.

Tie the ends together in a knot, like you would a balloon.

Using the safety pin, thread the 2nd bias tape through the other hole, coming out the same place you started. As you pull the bias tape strings, it is actually pulling itself because they each went all the way around the bag.