Things You'll Need:
- Paper grocery bag
- 1 yard heavy-duty fabric such as canvas or a thick decorator fabric
- 30 inches belting in coordinating color for short handles or 2 yards for long handles
- Thread
- Straight pins
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
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Step 1
Open the paper grocery bag and cut it apart at the seams to create your pattern pieces. You should have a front, back, two sides and a bottom piece. Remove and throw away the paper handles.
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Step 2
Pin the pattern pieces to your fabric then cut them out.
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Step 3
Pin the side pieces to each side of the front piece with the right sides together then sew them together with a ¼-inch seam.
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Step 4
Pin the back piece to the side pieces with the right sides together then sew them together with a ¼-inch seam. You now have an open tube of fabric.
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Step 5
Pin the bottom piece to the bottom end of the tube with the right sides together then sew them together with a ¼-inch seam.
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Step 6
Fold the top of the bag down by ¼ inch then fold it down by ¼ inch again. Stitch along the top to create a finished edge. You’ve just finished the body of the bag.
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Step 7
Cut the belting in half then take one of the pieces and pin each end 4 inches from the top of the bag front, tucking the end under by ½ inch to prevent fraying. These pieces will become the bag handles.
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Step 8
Sew the belting on the bag by stitching in a square then stitching an “X” through the center of the square for stability. You now have a finished cloth grocery bag.
