Green up those grocery totes!

I'm all for jumping on that green bandwagon that's rolling through town but really gals! Let's make it easy on ourselves. If you search the net you'll find hundreds of patterns for making reusable grocery bags. Almost all take a lot more time to make than I'm willing to put into them. 

So I've made it easy for you. Here's a bag that is close in size to the typical plastic grocery bag and it takes only minutes to stitch up.  You can make these even quicker if you have a serger but the example is done using a home sewing machine to show you how really simple it is to make.

Materials and tools

Sewing machine or serger
One half yard of a cotton polyester blend material
Matching thread
Kraft paper or newspaper to make pattern
Plastic grocery bag
Scissors
Black marker
Pencil
Ruler 

Step one: Make the pattern. Flatten the grocery bag and refold it into its original condition. Fold it in half vertically and cut it into two halves along the fold. Cut the bottom seam from one of the halves. When you have completed the pattern, put both halves into the recycle bin at your local grocery.  Cut the handle at the top fold, also.

Now fully open the half bag and flatten it. Slit the bag into two pieces at the point that was the side seam of the bag. Keep one half and recycle the other half.  Lay the plastic on the kraft paper and trace around it with a pencil.  Now you can recycle that part of the plastic also!   Use the ruler and the black marker to straighten and darken the lines. Reduce the width of the handle. to only one or two inches.The pattern I made results in a bag that measures 12 x 14.5 inches front and back (not including the handles) with sides that measure 3.5 x 14.5 inches. The bag won't have a built-in bottom like the plastic original so it has to be added to the pattern.  I added 3.5 inches to the bottom of the pattern and cut the corner out to make it easier to sew later.

Step two. Cut out the pattern piece.  Fold your material in half first vertically and then horizontally. Two parts of your pattern will be placed on folds. Doing this will eliminate a seam on the handles.

Step three. Finish the handles. Set your machine for a wide, close zigzag stitch. You'll probably use two bobbins of thread on this project so why not fill them ahead of time? Stitch around the O-shaped opening between the handles and also around the C-shaped areas on the side of the handles. This is a utilitarian bag and it doesn't have to be pretty but if you are careful, the finished project will be strong and attractive.

Step four. Sew the long side and bottom seams. Fold the bag in half, right sides together and stitch the two side seams and the bottom seam. Use the zigzag stitch again. It will make the bag much stronger.

Step five. Sew the two short bottom side seams. Match the side seam to the bottom seam and pin. Then zigzag stitch across. Repeat on the other side. This will for a neat box shaped bottom. The finished bag folds into a compact little package that will stow just about anywhere.