Multipurpose bag and method for making same

Abstract

The multipurpose bag and method for making the same utilizes three pieces of substantially rectangular material that are cut, folded, and secured together to form a bag having an open top end and a closed bottom end. The bag is preferably formed from cotton, and includes cording material to form drawstrings. Handles for carrying the bag and are attached to the bag near the open top end. The bag is formed to be symmetric about central vertical planes, and a pair of flaps are provided to cover a pair of symmetrical outer pockets. A plurality of inner pockets are defined within the multipurpose bag, with the pockets being symmetrical and equally positioned therein.

1 . A method of making a multipurpose bag, comprising the steps of:
 providing a first square piece of material;   providing a second square piece of material having dimensions matching dimensions of the first square piece of material;   peripherally joining the first square piece to the second square piece to form a single square piece of material;   providing a third piece of material and folding the third piece twice to form a substantially rectangular piece of material having laterally opposed open and folded side edges and opposed open top and bottom ends;   removing upper and lower triangular pieces from the third material piece, the upper triangular piece extending between the top end and an upper portion of the folded side edge, the lower triangular piece extending between the bottom end and a lower portion of the folded side edge;   unfolding the third piece of material once to form upper and lower V-shaped cut-out portions;   folding a pair of diagonally opposed corners of the single square piece of material together so that a substantially square region is formed at the overlap thereof;   stitching the third piece to the folded single square piece so that the third material piece is positioned on an opposite face of the single square piece from the substantially square region;   stitching the third piece between vertices of the V-shaped cutout portions to define first and second pairs of interior pockets;   folding the third piece and the folded single square piece about a central fold line;   stitching side edges of the folded third piece and the folded single square piece together to form a multipurpose bag having an open upper end and a closed lower end; and   turning the multipurpose bag inside out.   
   
   
       2 . The method of making a multipurpose bag as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the step of peripherally joining the first square piece to the second square piece to form the single square piece comprises stitching the first square piece to the second square piece, an opening being formed therebetween. 
   
   
       3 . The method of making a multipurpose bag as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising the step of turning the single square piece inside out following the stitching thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The method of making a multipurpose bag as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising the step of stitching the third piece along the upper and lower V-shaped cut-out portions following the unfolding thereof. 
   
   
       5 . The method of making a multipurpose bag as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the step of folding the pair of diagonally opposed corners of the single square piece together includes folding each of the corners about a fold line positioned at approximately one-third the diagonal distance from the respective corner. 
   
   
       6 . The method of making a multipurpose bag as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising the step of stitching the substantially square region following the step of stitching the third piece between the vertices of the V-shaped cutout portions. 
   
   
       7 . The method of making a multipurpose bag as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising the step of folding upper and lower portions of the folded single square piece to form first and second flaps, prior to the step of folding the third piece and the folded single square piece about the central fold line. 
   
   
       8 . The method of making a multipurpose bag as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising the step of forming first and second passages adjacent respective folded edges of the first and second flaps. 
   
   
       9 . The method of making a multipurpose bag as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising the step of threading first and second cords through the first and second passages to form a pair of drawstrings for the multipurpose bag. 
   
   
       10 . The method of making a multipurpose bag as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising the step of attaching first and second handles to the multipurpose bag, each said handle being secured to the multipurpose bag adjacent a respective one of the first and second passages. 
   
   
       11 . A multipurpose bag, comprising:
 first and second side panels secured together to form a bag having an open upper end, a closed lower end and an open interior region, each of the first and second side panels having an inner face and an outer face;   first and second pairs of interior pockets formed on the respective inner faces of the first and second side panels;   first and second pairs of exterior pockets formed on the respective outer faces of the first and second side panels; and   first and second flaps, each of the flaps being attached to respective upper edges of the first and second side panels for selectively covering the first and second pairs of exterior pockets.   
   
   
       12 . The multipurpose bag as recited in  claim 11 , wherein first and second passages are formed adjacent the respective upper edges of said first and second side panels, the multipurpose bag further comprising first and second drawstring cords respectively received through the first and second passages. 
   
   
       13 . The multipurpose bag as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising first and second handles respectively secured to the upper edges of said first and second side panels.