How to make a reusable gift bag
Dress up the bottom of your Christmas tree, and save yourself time by making bags once and being able to reuse them year after year (or pass them on for the recipient to use)
You will need the following materials:
- light to medium woven fabric (Cotton twill, poplin, and canvas are perfect. You can even use PUL)
- ruler
- fabric chalk or marker
- scissors or rotary
- pins or clips
- bodkin or threader
- (optional) ribbon
1. Cut 2 x rectangles of main fabric and 2 x rectangles of lining. 4 pieces total. This bag is 25cm wide and 30cm high.
2. Mark lines on the right side of both pieces of main fabric using chalk or washable marker 5cm and 7cm from the top of the fabric (these come in handy later). On the wrong side of the main fabric also mark with small dots the start and finish of the 5cm and 7cm points in the seam allowance.
3. Lay a piece of main fabric and lining fabric right sides together and top edges aligned. Repeat with the other main and lining pieces. Clip/pin. Sew along the top edge of both pieces. Press the seams open. 
4. Lay your now 2 pieces of fabric right sides together, ensuring the seams are aligned and clip/pin together. Sew around the 4 sides BUT do not sew in the 2cm gap you marked earlier on the main fabric piece (this will become your drawstring channel) also leave a small 3cm gap/turning hole on the lining side. ** Be sure to backstitch when stopping and starting and leave your needle down but lift your sewing foot and pivot the fabric to ensure neat corners.
5. Clip your corners and seam allowances using pinking shears.
6. Turn your bag the right side out. Press.
7. Sew the turning hole closed along the edge opening. This won't be seen so I didn't change my thread colour.
8.Turn the lining inside the main fabric. Press. Pay attention to the top edge when pressing to get a nice finished topstitch.
9. Return to the lines you marked earlier at the 5 and 7cm points on the main fabric. Sew along the top line, around the entire circumference of the bag, beginning and ending at the same point. Repeat for the bottom line. Now you've created the drawstring channel.
10. While you're at the machine topstitch along the top edge of the bag.
11. One more press for luck.
12. Insert drawstring, ribbon, string or binding through the front channel and then repeat through the back channel. Tie the ends together
And you’re done!!
Optional - Handmade Ribbon. Cut 2 strips of fabric 4 x the width of your finished ribbon by 2-2.5x the length. Mine were 5cm wide and approx 45cm long each. At the ironing board fold the narrow raw edges in 1cm and press. Fold the fabric in half lengthways. Open out. Iron the bottom long edge into the centre. Repeat for the top edge. With the top and bottom edge still folded into the centre fold the entire length of fabric in half and edge stitch. All raw edges should now be enclosed. Use in place of drawstring for matchy matchy scrap busting.
Written by Rachel Green
