I know alot of people are going green and opting for reusable totes over plastic or paper bags. That’s certainly wise, but don’t you seem to accumulate plastic bags anyway? I always use mine for our small trash cans so I don’t have to buy trash bags. I’ve been using one bag to hold all of the other plastic bags, and once I got sick of looking at it, I made this:
.jpg "Stuff!")
This is my very own grocery bag holder. Below I have a tutorial for you to make one of your own. Its such a quick and satisfying project that you might find yourself making them for your sister, your mother-in-law, your neighbor, and the ladies from your church. It’s that easy! So here we go!
Here is what you will need to get started:
-One fat quarter
-a 10″ – 14″ cut of 1/4″ elastic
-Rotary cutter, cutting mat, and ruler
-safety pin and some straight pins
.jpg "Materials")
First you need to cut a 2.5″ strip off the width of your fat quarter leaving you with a 22″ x 2.5″ strip and a 22″ x 15.5″ piece.
.jpg "Measure and cut to size")
Using a pencil, mark a line 1″ from the bottom of one short end. Repeat on the opposite end.
.jpg "Mark one inch from edge")
Fold the edge of the fabric so that the raw edge meets the 1″ mark you just made. Press in place.
.jpg "fold and iron on line")
Fold over one more time and press.
.jpg "Fold again and iron")
Edgestitch the seam in place. Repeat with opposite end of fabric.
.jpg "Edgestitch the fold")
.jpg "Edgestitched")
Cut your elastic in half so that you have two pieces that are 5-7″ in lenth.
.jpg "Cut elastic strips")
Attach a safety pin and thread it through the casing you just made.
.jpg "Thread elastic with pin")
Stop when there is only a small amount of elastic still outside the casing.
.jpg "Stop threading and secure")
Edgestitch the elastic in place.
.jpg "Secured")
Continue to pull the elastic through using the safety pin. When you have reached the end, edgestitch the elastic to secure it to the end of the casing before detaching the safety pin.
.jpg "At the end")
Your fabric should now look like this:
.jpg "First end finished")
Repeat to the opposite end so that your bag now looks like this:
.jpg "Both ends finished")
Set aside the bag and cut down your 22″ x 2.5″ strip so that it measures 13″ x 2.5″. Fold in half lengthwise right sides together and press.
.jpg "Iron handle right sides together")
Stitch a 1/4″ seam down the long raw edge.Turn right side out and press.
.jpg "Turn right side out and press")
Edgestitch all the way around the strap.
.jpg "Edgestitch strap")
Using straight pins, attach the ends of the strap 1/4″ from the raw edges.
.jpg "Pin strap 14 from raw edges")
Secure by stitching just below the casing, being sure to backstitch at each end of the strap.
.jpg "Attach strap")
Fold the bag in half lengthwise, right sides together. Sew a 1/4″ seam along the raw edge, backstitching at each end.
.jpg "Finish bag")
Turn right side out. Now you have a finished grocery bag holder!
.jpg "Empty bag"){kind=spacer}
Stuff it full with bags and enjoy!
-Meredith
I just made this tonight, in about an hour, if not less – so easy to follow! Great, clear photographs too. I’ve made it as a Christmas present for a relative, really hope they like it!
I just made this and I’ve hardly sewn in the last 4 years! Thank you for posting this!!!!