December 9, 2007

Plastic Bag Holder

Ahhhhh plastic bags. If you're like me you use your fabric totes for groceries whenever you can but the number of times you actually remember to bring them is well, let's just say not as often as you'd like. So, you find yourself with a crap load of plastic bags. Here is a tutorial for a plastic bag holder so you can try to tame those enviro. meanies and at least reuse/recycle them. Plus, if you have dogs (I know K9 mention AGAIN) then like it or not plastic bags are your best friend.

So, here we go.

1) Cut 2 pieces of fabric. One 16" x 22" (40 cm x 55 cm) for the "body" and
the other 2.5" x 10" (6.5 cm x 25 cm) for the handle. You can follow these measurements or make the holder fatter or skinnier around, longer or shorter etc. You're the boss.

2) French Seam the "body" piece lengthwise. For a good tutorial visit...
http://www.sewneau.com/how.to/french.seam.html


3) For the handle, with wrong sides together - sew. Turn inside out and iron. I like to have the seam ironed down so it is in the middle. Put aside for now.


4) Back to the "body". While inside out fold both ends up twice (approx. 0.5" or 1.25 cm). You can go a bit bigger if you like. Here, I did. Iron & pin.


5) At one end of the
"body" insert both ends of the handle into the fold. Pin them back up over themselves. Iron. Sew the fold & handles down (I like to use a zig zag). Back stitch over the handles to reinforce.


6) Now go to the other end of the "body". This will be where the bags come out. Sew down the fold. You are going to put the elastic in here so it is important to leave a hole big enough to feed it through AND stitch close enough the fold's edge so it'll fit the width of the elastic!


7) Cut the elastic to your desired length. Depends how tight you want the opening. Feed it through the hole from step 6. I use a blunt knitting needle and a piece of thread.


8) Once through sew the two ends of the elastic together - many times. I like to make the elastic a little tight since I find over time it'll stretch a bit.



9) Sew your hole closed. You may have to pull the elastic taught to do this.



10) Ta-da! You
're all set to stuff those pesky plastic bags.



Note: The monster bag holder pictured here was made specially for a friend with many plastic bags. If you followed the measurements in step one yours will measure approx. 20
" tall x 14.5" round.

2 comments:

UK lass in US said...

This is what I should be making - I can't close my cupboard for all the bags stuffed in it (stored for future dog duty - I try to use reusable bags at the shops now and am worried I'll run out...)

Anonymous said...

I want to thank you for this! I have been searching for a pattern to make these! I am going to start on mine in the morning! Thank you again.