Tutorial: Drawstring Wet Bag

This is a perfect, quick project for taking your suits on all those trips to and from the pool and beach.  The bag is lined with a water resistant fabric that lets you throw your wet suits in this bag and not get everything else in you pool bag soaking wet.  You can make these in any size you want you'll just have to adjust the measurement to suit your needs.  Here we go...

Materials:

• 34 x 12 rectangle of fabric for the outside of your bag (I used a sand dollar fabric)
• 2 rectangles of 16.5 x 12 PUL (polyurethane laminated fabric) bought at my local Joann's Fabrics
• 1 yard of nylon cording for the drawstring
• 1 cord stop
• coordinating thread

After you have your 3 rectangles cut, place the outside fabric right side up.  Then place your PUL fabric right side down at each end and pin the two ends in place. There will be an inch gap in the middle, as shown above.  Sew each end.

Take your super long rectangle and fold it in half with right sides together.  From the fold measure up 13 1/2 inches and put a pin on the edge.  Then measure 3/4 inch from that pin and place another pin.  This will be the opening to pull the drawstring through.  You will not sew this gap closed!!!

After securing your fabric with pins, it's time to get sewing.  Sew along the 3 sides leaving the drawsting opening and the opening to turn your bag right side out at the end of the PUL fabric.  Remember to back stitch on each side of the openings to give it some extra strength.

Turn your bag right side out.  To close the opening in the PUL fabric, top stitch across that end of the bag from end to end.

Tuck your PUL lining into the bag.  Because your PUL fabric is a little shorter than the outer fabric, you need to work the lining down in the bag.  Now it's time to sew the casing for the drawsting.  Simply find the opening on the side and sew 2 straight lines on each side all the way around the bag.  Make sure to back stitch where the opening is.  (Don't sew the bag with the cording in...I forgot to take a picture of this step until I was done with the bag :o)

After your casing is sewn, use a safety pin to feed the cording through the bag.  I used a lighter to seal the ends of the cording to prevent fraying.  Thread your cord stop through and ta-da!  You have a stylish water proof bag to tote around your wet suits all summer long.  This finished bag measures about 11 x 16 and can hold a couple kiddie suits and maybe an adult suit.  You would need to make a bigger one for the entire family though.

PS.  Don't put this bag in the dryer or you'll have a stuck together mess.  It is safe to throw in the washing machine though. Oh and you shouldn't iron the lining either.  You could pull the lining out to iron the outside fabric if it gets too wrinkly for your taste.  Happy sewing!!