Sew a simple drawstring bag

Cut one rectangle of fabric 30 x 70 cm (12 x 28 in).

Zigzag or overcast the two 70 cm edges — these become the bag's side seams once you fold the rectangle. Set the machine to a zigzag stitch, width 5 mm and length 2 mm, and run the raw edge close to the right of the foot, as in the earlier edge-finishing lesson.

Fold the rectangle in half right sides together, matching the two overcast edges, so you have a doubled piece 30 x 35 cm with the fold along the bottom.

On each side seam, mark a 3 cm (1 1/4 in) gap that starts 6 cm (2 1/2 in) down from the top raw edge, using tailor's chalk or two pins. This gap becomes the casing opening, so mark it at the same spot on both layers.

Sew each side seam with stitch program 00 at length 2.5 mm and a 1.5 cm (5/8 in) seam allowance: backtack at the folded bottom, stitch up to the start of the gap and backtack, lift the foot and move past the gap, backtack again, then stitch to the top raw edge with a final backtack.

Press both side seams open, including the seam allowance inside the gap, so the opening lies flat.

At the top raw edge, fold down 1 cm (3/8 in) and press, then fold down again so the folded edge sits a little below the two casing gaps; press this second fold all the way around.

Edge-stitch the folded casing close to the lower fold, all the way around the bag through both layers. Check as you sew that the gap sits inside the stitched channel — if the stitching crosses the gap, the cord won't have anywhere to pass through.

Turn the bag right side out through the top opening and push out the two bottom corners with a blunt point, such as closed scissors or a chopstick, so they sit square.

Thread a 1.5 m (59 in) cord or ribbon onto the safety pin, feed it through one casing gap, all the way around the channel, and back out the same gap; knot the two ends of the cord together.