DIY Shopping Bag

If there’s one item in our homes that we regularly use, no matter what season it is, it’s a shopping bag. Whether you’re doing your grocery shopping or hitting the stores at the mall, it’s wasteful to use a single-use plastic or paper bag each time. Plus, many of the reusable bags on the market today are expensive and not even all that durable!

If you’re tired of buying cheap reusable bags when you’re out shopping or are simply looking for your next DIY project so you can put your sewing machine to good use, you’re in luck. 

Here is a fun and easy way to make your own reusable shopping bags that are cute, personalized, and will last a long time. 

What You’ll Need 

All you’ll need to get started is:

• One yard of thick fabric
• Scissors
• Thread
• Sewing clips or pins
• A ruler
• Your trusty sewing machine 

The best fabric to use for this craft is a sturdy material that you would use for home décor. This type of material stands the best chance at carrying heavy items on a consistent basis. 

Step-by-Step Instructions 

1. Using your ruler, measure out the rectangular pieces of fabric you’ll need and cut them out with your scissors. For reference, you’ll need one large piece to make up the bag of about 40” by 21” and two smaller pieces to make up the handles of about 30” by 6”.

2. Hem one 21” edge of the larger piece with your sewing machine. Repeat for the other edge. Each hem should be about one inch wide.

3. Fold your large piece of fabric in half and pin it along the raw edges. Hem the pinned edges with a hem width of about one-fourth of an inch.

4. Turn the bag piece inside-out and trim the bottom corners to reduce bulk. Pin along the freshly stitched edges.

5. Fold the bag piece so that one side becomes a triangle and stitch this in place. Do the same for the other side to create a solid base.

6. Fold your handle pieces in half and stitch them closed. Using your sewing machine, attach the handles to your bag according to your ideal placement.

You’ll be the talk of the town with your new DIY shopping bag! Contact us at Goldstar Tool to learn more about how you can use your sewing machine for DIY projects.