Save and Reuse Those Plastic Grocery Bags! - Hodgepodge Patchwork Tuesday

This Tutorial is now available as a PDF Downloadable Pattern for Only $2.00 at Craftsy.com  -- Plastic Bag Dispenser.

How to make the Plastic Grocery Bag Dispenser.
Supplies: 
one piece of fabric 28" X 18" 

 fabric strap 4" X 16"

 9 1/2" piece of elastic 3/4"wide and a large safety pin

Press/Iron the top edge and the bottom edge first 1/4 inch under.

Then press/iron 1 1/2 inch for the top hem and bottom casing.

Stitch as shown in photo on the top and bottom.

Attach the safety pin to the elastic and insert the elastic in the casing on the bottom edge of the bag.

 Insert part way in the casing until the edge meets the ends of the casing and stitch it.

 Continue to feed the pin with the elastic thru' the casing.  

 When it gets to the end, remove the pin and stitch it.

Place "Wrong" sides together, so the pretty side of the fabric is out.  I know you can't tell which side is the pretty side or the wrong side, because I chose white for the fabric, but you will know with your fabric. We are going to make a french seam so that is why you need to have the wrong sides together to stitch the first seam.

 Pin and stitch with a scant 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Trim the elastic ends even with the seam allowance - a scant 1/4 inch.

 Turn inside out, so the pretty side of the fabric is on the inside.

Press/iron the outside of the seam flat so you can seam it again on the other side. We are going to create a french seam, so there are no raw edges.

If you look closely you can see the first seam under the presser foot.  Stitch with a 3/8 inch seam allowance so the seam encases the raw edges of the other seam inside. 

Turn right side out.

Notice there are no raw edges inside the bag at the seam allowance.

 Strap - Press under both ends 1/4 inch.

Press/iron in half with the pretty side of the fabric together.

Stitch the raw edges with a seam allowance of 1/4 inch the length of the strap. Do not stitch the ends.  Leave them un stitched and open.

Turn inside out using a safety pin.

 Press/iron flat with the seam in the center.

Pin to the inside of the bag at the seam allowance as shown.

Stitch the strap to the bag as shown in the photos.

 May not come out perfectly straight as the seam is thick. If you use a matching thread it won't show like the tan on the white fabric.

 I used white fabric with tan thread for the tutorial so you can see it clearly. I would suggest a colorful fabric with matching thread for your bag.

 These are the bags I made for my Mom. 

If you have any questions please leave a comment or email me at Marcia@craftysewing.com.
The bags make great gifts, as we all reuse and recycle.


Enjoy your day!


Marcia


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