DIY Reusable Fabric Produce Bags
I hate the idea of waste and many times that is clearly evident at the grocery store!
Our town has done away with plastic grocery bags and that was a great start but I've always wondered why they still have the smaller plastic bags to bring home produce.
Trader Joes uses compostable bags made from 100% biodegradable materials but many of the other grocery stores still use plastic.
This got me wondering what else I could use to carry home my produce.
Take a look...
I bought three coordinating fabric rolls from the Dollar Tree, they have adorable patterns and colors.
As you're reading through this post please pay attention to the bold blue links that will take you to more information and the products I used for this project. Also the READ MORE sections will take you to related Homeroad projects.
This project not only helps the environment but it is also very inexpensive to make. Each roll of fabric makes one bag for $1.25. If you use recycled fabric from old clothing it is even less than that!
Please note: I'm giving directions for use with a serger machine as well as a straight stitch sewing machine.
I unrolled the piece of fabric which was about 20"x21" in size and ran the serger machine down one of the long sides which will be the top. If your fabric has a pattern that needs to be right side up then pay attention to where you want the opening to be.
If you don't have a serger machine then you will want to create a hem at the top of your fabric by rolling the fabric and running a stitched line down the roll.
Next, I folded my fabric in half with the right sides out for a serger machine around the raw 2 sides of the fabric. The serger machine stitches and trims all in one step.
If you are using a regular machine, put right sides together and sew the bag down the 2 raw sides then turn the bag right side in.
The last thing I needed to do was to make a way to close the bag. I cut a length of cotton twine with knots on both ends and stitched it about 2" from the top of the bag with just a few stitches. I use this twine for everything including macrame projects like this wall hanging!
That's about it!
My very cool coordinating produce bags are ready to fill on my next trip to the farm stand or grocery store.
All I need to do is to roll down the top, fill them with fruits and vegetables and then tie them up with a bow.
READ MORE: DIY SEWING PROJECTS
Update: When I got to the checkout on my trip to the grocery store I left the bags open in the top of my cart. It was easy for the cashier to check the prices of the produce at the checkout before I tied the bags and was on my way. I did realize however that I need to make a few more!
Please pin for later -->>
I feel like I'm helping the environment in a big way for just a few dollars.
The best part is that they are washable and fold up very nicely to fit in your purse too!
I hope you like my reusable produce bags and will think about ways we can all help our planet! You can visit more ways to make them on Pinterest. Please follow Homeroad while you're there!
Don't forget to visit my Amazon shop for supplies and decor I love!
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