How to Recycle Dog Food Bags

Dog food bags are a wonderful recyclable craft supply, and with more and more projects being created from previous landfill trash, dog food bags just seem like a natural resource. With simple sewing, you can recycle dog food bags into useful items that all your dog-loving friends will be clamoring for. One dog food bag can produce numerous projects, depending on its size. Save the bags throughout the year to make holiday gifts for your family and friends.

Things You'll Need

• Large dog food bag
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Denim or leather sewing machine needle
• Straight pins
• Composition journal
• Brown grocery bag
• Felt

Instructions

Dog Food Bag Tote Bag

1. Measure and draw a 15-inch square on the front of the dog food bag and cut out. Position the square over an area you would like to show on the front of your tote bag. Cut another 15-inch square from the back of the dog food bag.

2. Place the squares with the labels facing and pin the sides and bottom edge. Sew the layers together using a quarter-inch seam allowance. Open the bag and place one side seam down over the bottom seam. This will form a point in the corner. Measure in from the point two inches and pin. Sew across the pinned point at the two-inch mark. Repeat with the other side seam. This has created a boxed bottom for your tote bag so that it will stand up. Cut the triangle points off a quarter-inch from the seam. Carefully turn the dog food bag tote bag right side out.

3. Cut two strips from the recycled dog food bag 1 1/2 inches wide by 18 inches long. These will be the handles of your dog food bag tote bag. Fold one strip in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together and crease. Unfold the strip. Fold one long edge to the center crease with the wrong sides together and crease. Do not unfold. Repeat for the other long edge. Fold the strip in half lengthwise with the folded edges inside and pin. Top stitch the pinned edge of the handle. Fold and stitch the other handle in the same way.

4. Fold the top edge of the tote bag a half-inch to the inside and crease. Fold the top edge a half-inch again and pin. Place the ends of one strap on the inside edge of the tote bag. Space the ends eight inches apart and spaced evenly on one side of the tote bag and pin. Repeat for the other strap on the other side of the tote bag. Top stitch the hem of the tote bag, catching the handles as you sew, then top stitch again along the top edge of the tote bag as close to the edge as you can.

Dog Food Bag Journal Cover

1. Cut open a brown grocery bag. Fold it in two layers and place it on your worktable. Open the journal you want to cover and lay it flat on the brown bag. Draw around the journal a half-inch larger on all sides and cut out through both layers. You will now have two identical pattern pieces. One is the outside journal cover pattern. Set it aside. Fold a short end of the other pattern piece over three inches and crease. Cut along the crease line. This three-inch piece is the journal flap pattern.

2. Trace one journal cover and two flaps onto the dog food bag and cut out.

3. Zigzag stitch on the inside cut edges of the flaps. You can tell the difference between the edges, because the outside edge should have rounded corners like the journal edge. Place the outside cover face-down on your worktable. Place the flaps right side up on top of the cover, matching the raw rounded corners on the short ends, and pin. Zigzag stitch around all four sides of the journal cover.

4. Open the journal and insert the front and back covers into the flaps.

Dog Food Bag Eyeglass Case

1. Measure and draw a 9-inch square on the recycled dog food bag and cut out. Use the square as a pattern to cut out a piece of felt.

2. Lay the dog food bag square on the felt with the label side up and pin. Zigzag stitch across the top of the square, connecting the edge of the felt and the edge of the dog food bag.

3. Fold and match the horizontal sides of the square with the label side out. Pin the long side and the bottom together. Note: The sewn zigzag edge is the top. Zigzag the side edge and the bottom together.

References

• Cyndee Kromminga, Craft and Interior Designer; Kro Crafts; Winfield, Kansas