Bumble Bag Tutorial

The Humble Bumble Project is a 501 (c)(3) public charity, based in Tioga County, PA, dedicated to helping pediatric and young adult cancer patients and their families.

Bumble Bags are handmade drawstring bags that contain small items of comfort (lip balm, tissues, hard candy, hand sanitizer, etc.). They are provided to pediatric and young adults (up to age 39) who are receiving cancer treatments at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Wellsboro, PA; Geisinger Cancer Institute in Danville, PA; and James P. Wilmot Cancer Center in Rochester, NY.  

Sadly, about 70,000 young people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. With statistics like that, we're going to need a lot of Bumble Bags! One bag uses scraps of brightly colored fabrics and only takes about a half-hour to complete, so making a Bumble Bag is an easy way to help until childhood and adolescent cancer is eliminated.

Bumble Bag Tutorial

Fabric 1 (outer)
cut 2 – 2 ½”x 9” (outer bag top)
cut 2 – 10 ¼”x 9” (outer bag bottom)

Fabric 2 (lining)
cut 2 – 13”x9” (lining)
cut 2 – 1 ½”x9” (contrast strip)
cut 1 – 2”x34” OR cut 2 – 2”x17" and piece using a diagonal seam to equal 34" (drawstring)

Use a ¼” seam allowance throughout and backstitch at all starts and stops.



 Piece the outside of the bag by stitching a 2 ½”x 9” piece to a 1 ½”x9” contrast strip along the 9” side. Press seam away from the contrast strip.

 Now stitch the 10 ¼”x 9” to the other 9” side of the contrast strip. Press seam away from the contrast strip. Repeat with the second set of pieces. Pieces should measure 9”x13”.

 Using scissors cut a 2”x2” square from both bottom corners of the outer bag and lining pieces.

 With right sides together, line up a 9”x13” lining piece on top of a pieced bag section and sew a seam across the 9” top of the bag. Repeat with the second set. Press away from the lining.

 Place both pieces right sides together matching the seams of the outside and lining pieces and stitch one side seam but do not stitch over the contrast strip. (This will become the drawstring opening.) Press this seam open and topstitch around drawstring opening. With right sides together sew the remaining entire side seam and press seam open.

 Stitch the seam at the bottom of the outer bag. Stitch the bottom of the lining leaving a 2” opening. (this opening will be used to turn the bag right side out.)

 Box the corners by bringing the side seam and the bottom seam together, aligning the raw edge and stitch. Repeat on the remaining 3 corners.

 Turn the bag right side out. Stitch the opening in the lining closed by hand or machine. Tuck the lining inside the bag and press.

 Pin both layers together to prevent shifting, then top stitch around the top of the bag, then top stitch on both sides of the contrast strip to create a drawstring casing.

 Make the drawstring by folding the 2” strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together. Press. Unfold and fold each raw edge into the crease you just created. Press. Fold in half again and press. Top stitch down both long sides about 1/8" from the edge. Trim each end at a 45 degree angle.

 Attach a safety pin to one end of the drawstring and insert it into the drawstring opening and thread it all the way through the bag. Tie a knot in each end and tie in a bow.

The Humble Bumble Project is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity

dedicated to helping pediatric and young adult cancer patients and their families.

Learn more at humblebumbleproject.com