Tutorial: Drawstring Penguin Tote Bag
This is a super cute drawstring penguin tote bag and backpack. You can download the free pattern below and I’ll walk you through how to sew the bag together and add the drawstring so you have the cutest bag to show off as your sewing skills improve.
Supplies Needed:
(all of my patterns include 1/2″ seam allowance)
Step 1
reinforce the upper corner of the front white piece and clip it
Stitch along the seam line at the top corner of the white piece to reinforce it. Then clip to the stitching.
Step 2
Sew the front white to the front black piece
With right sides together, flip the front pieces around to sew them together. For the upper point, you will need to spread the slashed corner on the white piece. You will also need to ease the fabric pieces together around the curve at the top, being careful not to create puckers in the fabric.
Step 3
prep the beak
Fold over the seam allowance on the orange beak piece and baste it in place. After basting, you will need to clip off the overhanging fabric.
Step 4
prep the eye pieces
Fold over the edges of the eye pieces and baste them in place.
Step 5
sew the face on the penguin
Use the pattern as a guide to place the eyes and beak of the penguin face. Then edgestitch the pieces in place. After sewing, you can remove the basting stitches from the previous steps.
Step 6
hem the casing pieces
Fold over the shorter sides of the casing pieces and create a narrow hem.
Step 7
Sew the casings to the top of the penguin front and back
Fold the casing pieces in half lengthwise and sew them to the top of the penguin front and back pieces (sorry the picture is so dark). There is still seam allowance on the front and back pieces, so they will extend beyond the edges of the casings.
Step 8
baste loops of string to the base
Cut 3 inch loops of string and baste them to the bottom of the penguin bag.
Step 9
sew the front and back of the bag together
With right sides together, sew the front and back pieces. Then turn the bag to the right side.
Step 10
Add the drawstring
You need two pieces of string and they both need to go all the way around, through both casings. One string you’ll insert through the left side, thread it all the way around so it comes back out the left. The other will start on the right side and go all the way around so it comes back out the right. Then you want to tie each string around the loops that were sewn to the bottom earlier.
Finished!
