Here in South Australia the plastic bag is about to be banned. The 'green' bags they sell at the supermarkets are not washable and pretty bulky. This handy shopping bag folds into it's pocket. Making it tidy to carry around in your handbag.
You need:
Cotton fabric for bag 16.5 inches by 42 inches
Contrast scrap for the pocket 9.5 inches by 11 inches
Sewing machine,
Overlocker (optional)
Threads, scissors, pins etc
Cut from bag fabric:
One Body of bag 16.5 inches by 34 inches
Two Handles 4 inches by 16.5 inches
Cutting Guide:
You need:
Cotton fabric for bag 16.5 inches by 42 inches
Contrast scrap for the pocket 9.5 inches by 11 inches
Sewing machine,
Overlocker (optional)
Threads, scissors, pins etc
Cut from bag fabric:
One Body of bag 16.5 inches by 34 inches
Two Handles 4 inches by 16.5 inches
Cutting Guide:
Cut the pocket 9.5 inches by 11 inches
Fold in half length wise.
Sew down each of the short ends.
Turn the pocket, pushing out the corners.
Fold the bag in half, longwise.
Position the pocket onto the front, 8 inches above the bottom fold of the bag
Place the raw edge at the top and pin the pocket.
Make sure you only sew the pocket on the front of your bag not through both layers ;)
Sew the raw edge of the pocket into place a 1/4 inch from the raw edge.
Fold the pocket up over the raw edge.
Pin into place.
Sew around 3 sides of the pocket, leaving the top open.
Sew another line of stitches 1/4 up from the bottom of the pocket.
This encloses the raw seam, so it won't be seen when you turn the pocket when you fold the bag.
Fold your bag up, with right sides together and sew a 1/4 inch seam along each side.
You can use an overlocker here or a straight seam and zig zag the seam allowance together for strength.
Fold a double hem at the top of your bag.
Fold over 1 inch and then over again 1 inch.
You really need to do this to add strength to your bag. This reinforces the handles.
Cut the handles 16.5 inches by 4 inches
Press them in half lengthwise
Bring the raw edges to the middle and press
Fold over again, four layers of fabric.
Top stitch down both sides of the handles.
Position the handles.
I mark the center of the bag and placed the handles 2.5 inches from the center pin.
Place the handles with the raw edge towards the top of your bag, 1/4 from the top.
Sew the handles with a straight stitch
Make sure you backstitch and secure this row of stitches.
Flip the handles up and sew them again.
This time with a Box and cross to make them nice and secure.
Be gentle with your machine this is pretty tough going.
There are 11 layers of fabric at the base of those handles!
This is a box and cross - in case you weren't sure.
Attach the other handle and your done.
Folding your bag into the pocket
Turn the pocket to the table. Fold the sides towards the center.
Fold the top down and the bottom up.
Push the bag into the pocket as you turn the pocket inside out.
And you are ready to shopping.
My pocket is wide. You can make the pocket narrower if you prefer. The pockets would look nice with a cute stitchery on them. Personalise them as a gift for a friend.
13 comments:
Excellent tutorial! I'll be making a few of these.
Thanks for the tutorial, nice and easy to follow.
Thanks again Tracy for an awesome tute :) Have a great Christmas, love Kat xx
Must try this one when I emerge from sleep. Having it in the bag is good.
I want to know why we now have to buy plastic bags for our rubbish bins and how are we saving anything? I use every plastic bag I get for rubbish. But do have a good collection of the green and also the cooler ones.
This tutorial looks great Tracy thanks. Will try one in the new year.
I'll give this a try too. I wish the USA would ban plastic bags. I do see more people carrying their own bags but not enough yet.
wow! this is a good tute! I like the measuring instrument you have there. Need one too ;-) Love the fabric with the apples mjammie and what a very usefull bag. I'm in love with the idea
Just made 2 of these ... great instructions, and good fun to do.
smiles, Jen
Hi, managed to get to site thru nappycino! always perk up at a fellow SA person! thanks for the tute, i have been madly crocheting string bags for fruit and veggies (for weighing them i mean) I will give this a go next, bet i could hide a coupla string bafs in there!
thank you for this tutorial. these will be great gifties! I'm glad you liked my little headband tutorial on sewmamasew. Happy sewing to you.
Hi Tracy, I've spent the last week or just over trying to find whose blog it was that I read the 'Green' shopping bags aren't washable...couldn't find it...thought it was on your blog, and then today stumbled across your site again (shock horror, I was looking for tutorials!) and even though I'd checked your shopping bag tute, I didn't think to check the folding one! Derrr, don't I feel silly now! Anywho, the reason I was trying to find it again, was to ask why they're not washable? I know if I use that as a reason why to buy my shopping bags over the ones at Coles, someone is going to ask why they're not! lol Hugs Naomi from Adelaide.
Four months later and finally I get a chance to make one of these super bags. Thanks Tracy great tutorial and my new fold up "Earth Day" bag looks great and ready to show the kids tomorrow. I will post a pic on my blog.
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