Reusable shopping bags

I was able to sit down and make 16 of these reusable shopping bags for the craft fair next month.  My mom gave me a bolt of fabric to use up, and it must have had 8 yards on it because each bag takes 1/2 yard of fabric.

I got the pattern from here, and I only made a few modifications to the original pattern.  The first one was the size of the fabric.  When I cut it from the bolt, it wasn't big enough to have 4" handles AND a 20" body, so I went ahead and kept the 4" handles and so the body was about 18"x18".  Next, instead of sewing x's on all the handles, I saved a TON of time by just turning them up and sewing straight across.  Next, my fabric was connected on the bottom of the bag because there was a fold in the fabric there.  I just left it folded, I didn't cut it nor did I sew it again.


I like these bags because they help keep plastic bags out of the dumps and also it will help save little animals that get hurt by the plastic bags.  I use them a lot at the store, and I also use them for library books, for traveling, to carry my stuff when I'm out and about... they are useful for all kinds of things!  AND... they are the perfect project bags for knitting, crochet, etc!

And speaking of re-usable shopping bags, look what an online Ravelry friend in Massachusetts sent me last week???

Wow, isn't this cool?!  It matches my hound's tooth scarf fetish!!!!  What a cool bag!! 

Mors Bags

kreativa commented on my blog that the bookmarks would make a great bag!

It was such a good idea, that it got me thinking.

I love this Mors bag pattern so much!!  And it's cool how they are trying to save the planet by reducing the amount of plastic in the environment.

They suggest that you use just plain cotton material.  But what would it look like with some woven fabric??  And maybe some inkle strap handles?? 

Just wonderful!  This is actually woven fabric from my rigid heddle loom, so it's a nice strong plain weave!  The yarn is something from a thrift store, it's brown and green variegated yarn.  I think it's 8/2.


My next step after these bookmarks is to make some colorful twill gamp fabric to experiment with, and this is something I want to do with it!  I think it would make some chipper shopping bags, and help save the planet all at the same time!!!

Have fun making your own woven bags!