How to Make Bottle Bags

It's not a good idea to arrive at a dinner or dinner party empty-handed. Maybe flowers aren't your thing because they die after a few days. So you decide on wine. By giving the host the wine in a bag you've sewn, there is something to keep long after the wine is gone.

Choose the fabric, thread and ribbon. If it's during the Christmas holiday, choose colors suggestive of the holiday.

Measure the fabric so that it is twice the length and a couple of added inches. An example: If you want the width of the wine bottle bag 12 inches, then measure 26 inches.

Cut the material. When you cut the fabric, add a 1/2 inch to the width so the finished width will be what you want.

Fold the fabric in half with the right sides together. Align the raw edges together. Iron the folded fabric and aligned edges to secure them into place for sewing.

Sew a 1/4 inch seam up the side edges. Be sure to back stitch to secure seams. Overlock or zig-zag stitch the raw or cut edges of the fabric. Sew a 1/4 inch seam on the outside of the inside seam. Stop at the same spot that you did for the seam on the inside. Use a pin to mark the place.

Press a 1/4-inch fold around the raw edge top. Fold down again, but this time a 1/2-inch and press again.

Stitch at the pin-marked spot at step five. Keep the stitches close to the edge. This will be the pocket for the drawstring.

Measure the top of the bag for the ribbon. Triple the measurement. Pin a safety pin on the ribbon. Work it through the pocket to the other side of the drawstring opening.