DIY Drawstring Bag with Flat Bottom: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide
There is something deeply satisfying about making your own bags. Whether you need a sturdy gym bag, a stylish produce sack for the farmers market, or a thoughtful handmade gift, a drawstring bag with a flat bottom checks every box. Unlike the basic cylindrical drawstring pouch, this version has a structured base that allows it to stand upright, hold its shape, and carry more without looking sloppy. If you have been sewing for a while or are just getting started, this project is approachable, rewarding, and endlessly customizable.
In this guide, you will find everything you need to know to make a drawstring bag with a flat bottom from scratch, including materials, cutting instructions, step-by-step sewing directions, and tips for personalizing your finished bag.
Why Choose a Drawstring Bag with a Flat Bottom?
Before diving into the how-to, it is worth understanding why the flat bottom design is worth the extra steps compared to a standard drawstring bag.
A regular drawstring bag is essentially a rectangle of fabric folded in half and sewn up the sides, with a casing at the top for a cord or ribbon. It is quick to make, but the bag has no real structure. Everything piles into a rounded heap at the bottom, and the bag collapses when you set it down.
A flat bottom changes the geometry entirely. By boxing the corners, you create a defined base that spreads the weight of your contents evenly, keeps the bag upright on a shelf or floor, and gives the whole project a polished, intentional look. It is the difference between a grocery bag that tips over and spills its contents and one that sits neatly at your feet while you unload the car.
These bags are useful for an astonishing range of purposes. They work beautifully as library book bags, lunch totes, shoe bags for travel, knitting project holders, gift wrap alternatives, market bags, toy storage, and beach accessories. Once you make one, you will want to make several more in different sizes and fabrics.
Materials and Tools You Will Need
Getting your materials together before you start saves time and prevents frustration. Here is a complete list of what you will need for a medium-sized bag, which measures approximately 14 inches wide, 16 inches tall, and 4 inches deep when finished.
Fabric: 1 yard of medium-weight cotton, canvas, linen, or cotton-linen blend. Quilting cotton works well for lighter-duty bags, while canvas or denim is better for heavier loads. If you want a lining, you will need an additional yard of a lighter-weight cotton for the interior.
Drawstring cord or ribbon: Two pieces, each approximately 60 inches long. You can use cotton rope, nylon cord, grosgrain ribbon, leather lacing, or even a repurposed shoelace. The thickness of your cord will determine the width of the casing you sew at the top.
Cord locks or toggles (optional): These small hardware pieces grip the cord and hold the bag closed without tying a knot. They are widely available at fabric and craft stores.
Matching thread: Choose a thread that matches or complements your fabric. For canvas or heavier fabrics, use a heavier thread and a denim or universal needle.
Sewing machine: While it is technically possible to hand-sew this project, a sewing machine will give you cleaner, stronger seams and make the project far more enjoyable.
Iron and ironing board: Pressing your seams as you go is one of the most underrated steps in sewing. It dramatically improves the finished look of any project.
Fabric scissors or rotary cutter and cutting mat: Sharp tools are essential. Dull scissors drag and distort fabric edges.
Ruler or quilting square: For measuring and marking straight lines and right angles.
Fabric marking pen or tailor’s chalk: To mark cutting lines and sewing guides on your fabric.
Pins or wonder clips: To hold fabric layers together before sewing.
Safety pin: The easiest tool for threading drawstring cord through a casing.
Cutting Your Fabric
For a finished bag that is 14 inches wide, 16 inches tall, and 4 inches deep, you will cut your main fabric pieces as follows.
Main body panel: Cut two rectangles, each 15 inches wide by 19 inches tall. These measurements include a half-inch seam allowance on all sides.
Bottom panel: Cut one rectangle, 15 inches wide by 5 inches tall. This piece, combined with the boxing technique on the main body, creates the flat base. Some sewists skip this separate bottom piece and box the corners of the main panels instead. Both methods are explained below.
Casing strip (if making drawstring channel separately): Cut two strips, each 15 inches wide by 3 inches tall. These form the casing at the top of the bag through which the drawstring threads.
If you are adding a lining, cut the same pieces from your lining fabric.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Press and Prepare Your Fabric
Before cutting or sewing a single seam, press your fabric with an iron to remove any wrinkles. This helps you cut more accurately and sew straighter lines. If your fabric is prone to fraying, you can serge or zigzag stitch the raw edges of each piece before you begin constructing the bag. This is especially helpful with loosely woven fabrics like linen or cotton canvas.
Step 2: Sew the Side Seams
Place your two main body panels together with the right sides facing each other. Pin or clip along both long side edges. Using a half-inch seam allowance, stitch down both sides from top to bottom, backstitching at the beginning and end of each seam for strength.
Press both seam allowances open with your iron. This reduces bulk and helps the bag lie flatter when finished.
Step 3: Create the Flat Bottom — Method One (Boxing the Corners)
This is the most common method for creating a flat bottom on a fabric bag, and it requires no extra fabric pieces.
Once your side seams are sewn and pressed, keep the bag wrong-side-out. Reach inside and pull one of the bottom corners outward so the side seam runs directly down the center of a triangle-shaped point. The bottom seam and the side seam should align on top of each other.
Using your ruler, measure 2 inches from the tip of the triangle and draw a straight horizontal line across the point. This line should be exactly 4 inches wide (which corresponds to the 4-inch depth of your finished bag). Pin across this line and sew directly along it. Trim the corner off about a quarter inch beyond your stitching line.
Repeat the same process on the other bottom corner. When you turn the bag right-side-out, you will see that it now has a flat, structured base. The wider you make your boxing measurement, the wider and flatter the bottom of your bag will be. For a 4-inch deep bag, you box 2 inches from the tip on each corner.
Step 3 (Alternate): Sew a Separate Bottom Panel
If you prefer a slightly more structured look, you can sew a separate bottom rectangle to the main bag body instead of boxing the corners.
With your two main body panels still separated, pin the short bottom edge of each panel to the long edges of your bottom rectangle, right sides together. Stitch with a half-inch seam allowance, then press seams toward the bottom panel. Now fold the entire piece so the main body panels are right sides together and the bottom panel forms a U-shape at the base. Sew the two side seams as described above, pivoting at the corners of the bottom panel to ensure a clean, square base.
Both methods produce a beautiful flat bottom. The corner-boxing method is faster, while the separate bottom panel gives a more rigid, geometric shape.
Step 4: Sew the Casing for the Drawstring
This step is what makes the bag functional. The casing is the channel at the top of the bag that holds the drawstring cord.
Turn the top raw edge of the bag down by a quarter inch toward the wrong side and press. Then fold it down again by 1.5 inches and press again. This double fold encloses the raw edge and creates a clean channel. Pin in place around the entire top of the bag.
Before sewing the casing shut, use your seam ripper or small scissors to open a small gap in one of the side seams on each side of the bag, between the first fold and the second fold. This creates the openings through which your drawstring exits on either side of the bag. If you skip this step, you will have no place to pull the cord through once the casing is sewn.
Now topstitch the casing in place by sewing around the bag just below the upper folded edge, and then sewing a second line of stitching around the bag just above the lower folded edge. You will have two parallel lines of stitching with a channel between them.
Step 5: Thread the Drawstring
Attach a safety pin to one end of your first cord. Insert the safety pin into one of the side opening holes and thread it all the way around through the casing, then out the same hole it entered. Both ends of this first cord will exit from the same side of the bag.
Take your second cord, attach the safety pin to one end, and insert it into the opening on the opposite side of the bag, threading it all the way around and back out the same hole.
When both cords are threaded, you will have a dual-drawstring setup where pulling on both ends simultaneously cinches the bag closed. This is the most secure and satisfying closure method. Tie knots in the ends of each cord to prevent them from pulling back through the casing, or attach cord locks or toggles.
Step 6: Finish the Bottom (If Needed)
If you boxed the corners, give the bottom of the bag a final press with your iron to sharpen up the shape. If your seam allowances at the bottom feel bulky or scratchy on the inside, you can cover the bottom interior with a small square of fabric hand-stitched in place, or simply trim the seam allowances before finishing.
Adding a Lining
A lining elevates a simple drawstring bag into something that looks truly professional. It also protects delicate outer fabrics from wear and makes the bag easier to clean out since nothing gets caught in interior seams.
To add a lining, construct a second bag from your lining fabric using the exact same steps described above, but do not sew the casing at the top. Leave the top edge of the lining raw for now.
Place the lining inside the outer bag with wrong sides facing each other. The lining should fit neatly inside with all seams hidden. Fold the top edge of the outer bag down over the top raw edge of the lining and press. Then proceed with the casing as described in Step 4, catching the lining fabric inside the fold as you sew. This secures the lining permanently and gives the top of the bag a very clean finish.
Tips for Choosing the Right Fabric
Fabric choice matters more than beginners often realize. Here are a few guidelines for matching your fabric to the intended use of your bag.
For a gym bag or shoe bag, choose a medium-weight canvas or Cordura-style nylon fabric that can handle sweat, dirt, and the rough and tumble of daily use. Look for fabrics that are washable and quick-drying.
For a produce bag or market bag, lightweight cotton muslin, cotton mesh, or a cotton-linen blend allows air circulation, keeps the bag light enough to carry comfortably, and washes easily.
For a gift bag or decorative use, quilting cotton in prints and patterns is ideal. The huge variety of quilting cotton prints available means you can find something perfect for nearly any recipient or occasion.
For a lunch bag or anything that will hold food, look for fabrics that are either food-safe coated cottons or easy-to-wipe-clean materials. You can also line the interior with food-safe oilcloth.
For a toy bag or library bag, durable mid-weight cotton canvas or duck cloth holds up to years of enthusiastic use by small hands.
Customization Ideas
One of the great joys of making your own bags is the freedom to customize them however you like. Here are some ideas to inspire you.
Add a pocket. A small exterior patch pocket is simple to attach before sewing the side seams. Just stitch a rectangle of fabric with finished edges to the right side of one main panel before construction begins.
Use contrasting fabric for the casing. Instead of folding the main bag fabric to form the casing, cut a strip of contrasting fabric and sew it on as a band. This creates a beautiful color-blocked effect at the top of the bag.
Stamp or stencil the fabric. Using fabric-safe ink and a simple foam stamp, you can add a custom pattern, monogram, or design to your bag before sewing.
Embroider a design. Hand embroidery on the outer panel adds a personal, handmade touch that machine-made bags simply cannot replicate. Simple botanical designs, names, or geometric patterns all look wonderful.
Try a patchwork exterior. Instead of cutting the main panels from a single piece of fabric, piece together strips or squares of coordinating fabrics to make a patchwork panel before constructing the bag. This is an excellent way to use up fabric scraps.
Use leather or waxed canvas cord. Swapping out the standard cotton rope for a leather lacing or waxed canvas cord instantly gives the bag a more outdoorsy, heritage aesthetic.
Sizing Variations
The instructions in this guide produce a medium bag ideal for everyday errands, gym use, or gifts. Here is how to adjust the measurements for different sizes.
For a small bag suitable for kids, jewelry, or gift packaging, cut main body panels at 9 inches wide by 12 inches tall and box 1.5 inches from each corner tip for a 3-inch-deep base.
For a large bag suitable as a beach bag or laundry bag, cut main body panels at 18 inches wide by 22 inches tall and box 3 inches from each corner tip for a 6-inch-deep base. Use a heavier cord or rope for the drawstring to match the larger scale.
For a tall, narrow bag suitable for wine bottles or rolled yoga mats, cut main panels at 10 inches wide by 24 inches tall and box just 1 inch from each corner tip for a 2-inch-deep base.
Caring for Your Finished Bag
Most fabric drawstring bags can be machine washed in cold water on a gentle cycle and laid flat or hung to dry. Avoid high heat in the dryer, which can shrink cotton and damage cord materials. If your bag has an embroidered or stamped design, wash it inside out to preserve the surface decoration. For canvas bags, periodic spot cleaning is usually sufficient between full washes.
Final Thoughts
A DIY drawstring bag with a flat bottom is one of those sewing projects that delivers maximum reward for the effort invested. It takes only an hour or two from start to finish, requires very little fabric, and produces something genuinely useful that you will reach for again and again. The flat bottom elevates the design from a simple craft project to a functional, structured accessory that looks like something you might find in a boutique shop.
Whether you are making your first bag or your fiftieth, this project has room to grow with your skills. Start simple with a single cotton fabric, then work your way up to lined versions, exterior pockets, custom hardware, and patchwork exteriors. Each variation teaches you something new and produces a bag worth keeping or giving.
Now gather your fabric, thread your needle, and get started. The best drawstring bag you will ever own is the one you make yourself.
