Welcome to week two of the 2025 Lined Drawstring Bag Sew Along!
I'll be updating the Sew Along Page each week with all the posts so that you can easily catch up or reference these posts after the sew along ends!
I hope you'll sew along with us! Sew from the tutorial or the patterns:
Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial
Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern
Lined Drawstring Bag Expansion Pattern
Here are a few to-do items for week two of the sew along!
The main task for this week is cutting! Finalize your fabric choices and cut out all the pieces for your bags. Here are a few posts from the archives that you might find helpful:
- If you're not comfortable using a rotary cutter, or just want to streamline your process, you won't want to miss my post on making templates for cutting out your bags. Find it here: Making Templates for the Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern
- Looking for ways to dress up your bag? Check out these tutorials: How to Use Trim or Ribbon to Embellish Your Drawstring Bags and Adding an Exterior Pocket.
I'm excited to share that shipping in my online shop has resumed! I have limited inventory of Cotton Twill Tape, Nylon Paracord, Round Wooden Beads, and Beehive Wooden Beads available.
Almost every year of the Sew Along I share a tutorial for a holiday themed quilt block to add to the front of a drawstring bag! This year I decided on a Tree Block! This is a simple paper pieced block.
Here are the corresponding tutorials:
- Present Quilt Block Drawstring Bag Free Tutorial
- Patchwork Star Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial
- Gingerbread House Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial
- Wreath Quilt Block Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial
Tree Quilt Block Lined Drawstring Bag Tutorial
Sewing Level: Intermediate
Finished size: Approx. 10" tall, 7" wide, 3" deep
Tree Quilt Block Lined Drawstring Bag Materials:
- 1 Fat quarter for Exterior Main*
- 1 Fat quarter for Exterior Accent
- 1 Fat quarter for Interior
- Scraps for paper pieced block
- Tree Paper Pieced Block Pattern
- 2 yards of 1/2" twill tape, nylon paracord or 1/8 yd fabric
- Coordinating thread
- Acrylic ruler
- Large safety pin
- Pencil
*I would recommend using a non-directional fabric for the exterior main, which also serves as the background in the gingerbread house block.
Looking for supplies? Check out my Pattern Supplies and Resources post.
Tree Quilt Block Cutting
Tree Trunk:
- Cut (1) 2.5"x2" piece for spot 1
Tree:
- Cut (1) 5"x6" piece for spot 4
Background (Exterior Main):
- Cut (2) 2.75"x2" pieces for spots 2 and 3
- Cut (2) 4"x8" pieces for spots 5 and 6
Tree Quilt Block Lined Drawstring Bag Cutting
From Exterior Main Fabric:
- Cut (1) 9”x10.5” piece
- Cut (2) 6.5"x2.5" side pieces
- Cut (1) 1"x10.5" top piece
- Cut (1) 2.5"x10.5" bottom piece
From Exterior Accent Fabric:
- Cut (1) 4”x21” strip
- Subcut into (2) 4”x10.5” pieces
From Interior Fabric:
- Cut (1) 12.5”x21” strip
- Subcut into (2) 12.5”x10.5” pieces
If using fabric for ties:
- Cut (2) 32”x2” strips
If using twill for ties:
- Cut (2) 32" pieces
Tree Quilt Block Lined Drawstring Bag Instructions:
*Use a 1/4” seam allowance unless otherwise noted*
1. Before constructing the bag, we first need to make the Tree Block. The block is paper pieced, you can download the free block pattern here: Tree Paper Pieced Block Pattern
If you're new to paper piecing, be sure to check out my paper piecing tutorial.
2. Remove papers from block and trim to 6.5" square. Press well.
Now it's time to add the borders to the Tree Quilt Block.
3. Sew the two 6.5"x2.5" side exterior main pieces to either side of the block. Press seams away from block.
4. Sew the 1"x10.5" top side exterior main piece to the top edge of the block. Press seams away from block. Sew the 2.5"x10.5" bottom side exterior main piece to the bottom edge of the block. Press seams away from block. Trim piece to 9"x10.5" if necessary. This is the Exterior Main piece for one side of the bag.
Optional: You may choose to add additional structure to your patchwork with a lightweight interfacing. I would recommend something like SF101 by Pellon, and interfacing both Exterior Main pieces.
For the bag construction, refer back to the free tutorial or the everything size in the lined drawstring bag pattern, start at step 1.
I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial! I can't wait to see your bags! Please share them with me on instagram @jenib320 or via email (jenib320 @ gmail.com)!
