How to Make Homemade Insulated Lunch Bags
Reusable lunch bags are more environmentally friendly than plastic or paper bags because they reduce waste. They're also more practical for storing hot or cold items thanks to their insulated lining. Make your own insulated lunch bag at home with just a few simple materials. Although this project involves needlework, it's beginner-friendly.
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Things You'll Need
- 1 Yard laminated cotton
- 1 Yard thermal batting
- Fabric marker
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Pins
- Needle and thread
- Hook-and-fastener adhesive strips
Instructions
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1
Draw a symmetrical "cross" shape on the laminated side of cotton fabric using washable fabric marker. As a mental reference, think of the symbol associated with the Red Cross. Make each edge of the cross ten inches so that the figure is perfectly symmetrical vertically and horizontally. Extend one of the prongs (it doesn't matter which) by three inches on each side; the figure should now resemble a traditional cross.
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2
Cut the pattern out of the fabric. Center the pattern on the thermal batting. Trace the pattern and cut it out.
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3
Arrange the thermal batting directly on top of the laminated cotton piece. Align the edges as perfectly as possible. Pin the edges.
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4
Flip the project over so that the thermal batting is facing down. Fold two of the prongs of the cross up so that they meet at a 90-degree angle, with the batting side facing outward. Stitch together, removing pins as you sew. Repeat this step until all the edges are sewn together and the project resembles a box with an open top, with the longer side extending over the opening.
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5
Turn the lunch bag right-side-out so that the insulated side is now inside. Lay it on a table with the longer side lying flat. Cut two corresponding strips of hook-and-fastener adhesives. Attach one of these strips to the edge of the extended side as it lies flat. Attach the other strip to the outside edge of the lunchbox on the panel opposite the extended side.
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6
Close the lunch bag by folding in or collapsing the two sides of the bag at the top and sealing the hook and fastener strips together.
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References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
