How to Make a Reusable Grocery Sack

As more and more people become aware of the damage being done to the environment, an increasingly popular trend is the one of earth-friendly grocery shopping. One of the best ways to do this is by eliminating plastic bags from your life. Since the average consumer brings home between 350 - 700 of these each year, think of the difference you can make by making cloth grocery sacks which can be reused time and time again. If you can sew in a straight line, you can make a simple reusable grocery sack.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sturdy cloth
• Sewing machine
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Thread
• Webbing or a belt (optional)

1. Use a paper grocery bag as a template. Cut down one edge, and open it up so that it's flat. The average paper grocery bag is about 12" wide by 7" deep, and about 21" high. That means you'll need a rectangular piece of material 38" long and 21" wide. If you'd like to make your bag smaller, you certainly can.

2. First, cut your material. It should be sturdy, like canvas tote material or a heavier-weight broadcloth. Cut out a rectangular piece that is 38" x 21". Hem and sew both long edges of the cloth with a double 1/4" seam - this will help keep the edges from fraying. With the wrong side out, sew the two short sides together with a double row of stitching, which will give you a long tube (or a rectangle, if you were to give it corners).

3. Fold the bottom edge into a pair of triangles, as though you were wrapping a gift. These triangles are called gussets. To do this easily, flatten the bag so that the lower seam is at the top. Then fold the triangles into place. Stitch the gussets down, and then stitch around the bottom edge of the sack to give it some shape. When you turn your bag so that it's right side out again, it should have a flat bottom and stand up like a regular paper grocery sack.

4. At the top edge of the bag, add a pair of handles. You can use webbing, strips of sturdy cloth, or even old belts to make these. Sew them in place, and make sure they're well-anchored.

5. Use your reusable cloth grocery sack for all your shopping. Toss it in the washer if it gets dirty or stained.

Tips & Warnings

• Use an old sheet or blanket to make a whole bunch of bags. Create them in different sizes, to take with you for different shopping expeditions.
• Be sure to pre-wash your fabric, so that colors don't bleed the first time your bag ends up in the washer!