Friday, May 07, 2010

Self Storing Fabric Shopping Bag - Tutorial

I've posted before about my fabric grocery bags...

...but I wanted to make a self-storing version that could easily be tucked into a purse...

...Don't you just hate to be caught needing bag and it's in the car - or worse - still hanging on the doorknob at home...

...I just used my same pattern for the bag - the one that I cut from a plastic grocery store bag...and did a zig-zag stitch around the handles...

...then to make the pocket - I took the little 'U' shaped bits that were cut out of the middle of the handles and attached them right sides together to the front and back pieces and pinned those in place...

...then I stitched just the pocket/side seams...

...then I opened them up and stitched the entire side seam and around the pocket - across the bottom and back up the other side and around that pocket...

...next I stitched the handle tops together...

...trim the corners off the bottom...

...and lay flat...

...then stitch across the triangle where the red line is - this will make the bottom of the bag lay flat and be easier for the baggers to pack...

...then - you're done with the sewing...

...you just need to attach a little snap to the OUTSIDE of the front and back of the bag - or you could use velcro...

...just make sure that the snap top and bottom line up on the front and the back...

...then you just pull the pocket to the outside and stuff the bag into it...

...snap it closed and toss it in your purse and you're ready to go...

...make at least one more - notice that the snap can be fastened with the bag open to keep the pocket from falling out...

...a pretty pink one...

11 comments:

  1. That is AWESOME! I've been toying in my mind with making some again... and now I'm glad I waited cause this is a great design!!

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  2. Anonymous12:19 PM

    Ingenious!

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  3. Sweet! This is a great idea. I have a few purchased self-storing bags, but making them (out of repurposed fabrics, of course) would be so fun.

    P.S. You "won" my giveaway. :) You were the only commenter, and thanks for doing so. Would you send me your mailing address, please? My email is ammieloris at hotmail dot com.

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  4. AWESOME! This happens to me every single time. The bags are tucked into the door of the car are hanging on my hook at home.

    Sheer genius.

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  5. What a splendid bag! I have a bag that has its own little bag to fit into. I have a space on my handbag that it lives in.

    What will I do with the little bag to make sure it isn't lost when I use the shopping bag - I wondered!

    Not difficult, in the end! I just pop it into the shopping bag!

    A bag that can live in your handbag is so useful!

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  6. Awesome, of course!

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  7. Anonymous3:01 PM

    Very cool!

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  8. That is so incredibly clever. I am very impressed! I started to crochet up some cotton mesh, reuseable bags for groceries, but these would come together much quickly. Will have to add this to my list of things I want to sew someday soon. Thank you for sharing!

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  9. Genius!!! I'm notorious for leaving the bags in the kitchen after my weekly grocery trip and "forgetting" them on my other errands...one of these babies could solve that issue. Thanks!

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  10. Fantastic. I also love making shopping bags with their own little storage bag. And you can never have too many, can you, they're quite addictive to make. :-)

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