(This post is a draft from the upcoming book “Sewing Cloth Grocery Bags.” A complete list of the posts can be found here.) Frankenstein bags are what I call the grocery bags I make from mismatched fabric. Because of the way I lay out panels and gussets, I often end up with a spare panel […]
In my continuing attempts to streamline my sewing procedures for cloth grocery bags, I decided a long time ago to stop using the fashion fabric to make the straps. Fabric straps require careful cutting to keep them perfectly straight on grain. Because you have to double the fabric to get the right weight (and enclose […]
My grocery bag technique always uses a line of trim. This is not just because decorating cloth bags look nice. 1 The trim line fulfills several functions. Firstly, it covers up the raw edges of the folded over bag top without adding more bulk. This is important as you don’t have to use trim at […]
Here are a few tools I recommend that will make sewing cloth grocery bags easier. (We should have pictures of the gadgets) A sewing machine, needles, pins, thread. You can sew a cloth grocery bag by hand, but a sewing machine makes the job light-years faster. A walking foot. You don’t need one, but it […]
Today we learn how to make cloth grocery bags. I developed this list because I demand a lot from them: * They should last forever. * They should stand, at least a little, so a bagger can load them. * The handles should be durable enough to last as long as the fabric. * The […]
Should you wash the fabric you are going to use to make cloth grocery bags? As always, it seems, the answer is “it depends.” If the fabric is new, unstained, odor-free, and clean, then probably not. Any sizing won’t matter as it will stiffen the finished bags. If you ever wash the finished bags, it […]
Now that we’ve chosen our fabric, let’s turn to the sizing of the totebag panels and gusset. I’ve found that the most effective grocery bags have panels that are taller than they are wide. This allows for a turn down at the top edge of the bag, concealing the raw edge, providing reinforcement, and stiffening. […]
Where do you get the fabric? You start at any fabric store. Joann’s is a national chain, they run good sales, they have a clearance rack, and they provide discount coupons. Sign up for their mailing list, look over their fliers, and you may get lucky. Many fabric stores do the same thing so if […]
What kind of fabric should you use to make cloth grocery bags? The easy answer is the cheap kind, but this is not completely accurate. The weight and sewability of the grocery bag fabric also matter. I look for a woven fabric heavy enough to use for skirts, pants, draperies, or upholstery. If it looks […]
We all use grocery bags. We buy our groceries, get them bagged, take them home and then, well, what do we do with those one-use bags? Paper grocery bags can be easily recycled, whether at home as gift-wrap, book covers, underlayment under patio pavers, lining trashcans, as compost, or tossed into the recycling bin. Plastic […]