# Cloth grocery bags



## TnMtngirl (Jun 30, 2002)

I am thinking of sewing my own,what would be the best fabric to use?Wash dry and iron before sewing?
Saw something on the news today about some countries banning plastic bags,and using biodegradeable cornstarch ones.now those would really hold up under stress


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## Pink_Carnation (Apr 21, 2006)

Cotton fabrics like denim would work well. I would wash and dry before sewing especially if using cotton. Straps will stay attached the best if you start them at the bottom of the bag and stitch them all the way up. This would be compared to just stitching them onto the hem at the top.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

Denim or canvas would be great. Both wash beautifully, and really hold up to wear and tear. Great idea, I wouldn't mind having some of these myself.


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## marvella (Oct 12, 2003)

y'know, if you make up a bunch, i may be interested in buying some.


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

here is a pattern, if offers suggestions for fabric..

http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/clothbags.html

I use broadcloth.


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2007)

My mother hasn't made ours yet. She bought the fabric several weeks ago. I don't know what kind it is, but it looks like a medium weight upholstery stuff. It has a diamond design woven into it, and it's very pretty.


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## TnMtngirl (Jun 30, 2002)

Thanks ladies!I will see what I can come up with.Never thought of making them to sell ,that is a great idea!Would make good Christmas presents also.Maybe my sisters would like them,along with the jam& homemade vanilla.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

I've been thinking about making myself some as well. Thanks for posting this!


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

another style with more sturdy handles but a bit more expensive.

http://sewing.about.com/library/weekly/aa062699.htm


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## naturewoman (Nov 12, 2002)

I got some of the canvas bags you get in the grocery store. When they got dirty, I washed them, and they shrunk to about one third of the original size. They were useless and I had to throw them away. Make sure, whatever you use, that you prewash for shrinkage, or don't ever wash them in hot water.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I have some of those cold keeper bags from Sam's Club. I was just thinking that it might be possible to make them too. Maybe make the sides and bottom doubled with some padding for insulation between the layers. I drive 50 miles to a grocery store so without insulated bags my frozen foods would be warm in our 100Â° weather by the time I get home. 

I haven't priced them lately, but back a few years ago they sold for about $7 each. The bags are fairly large and can hold a lot of frozen foods. 

They also work to keep hot foods hot when taking them to a dinner away from home.


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## lyteora (Mar 30, 2004)

I was thinking the other day about getting some beach towels when they go on clearence and making a few "beach bags" but I think they could also be used for groceries or other things as well and would wash well to.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Spinner said:


> I have some of those cold keeper bags from Sam's Club. I was just thinking that it might be possible to make them too. Maybe make the sides and bottom doubled with some padding for insulation between the layers. I drive 50 miles to a grocery store so without insulated bags my frozen foods would be warm in our 100Â° weather by the time I get home.
> 
> I haven't priced them lately, but back a few years ago they sold for about $7 each. The bags are fairly large and can hold a lot of frozen foods.
> 
> They also work to keep hot foods hot when taking them to a dinner away from home.


I keep a cooler in my truck for cold stuff in the summer. Before leaving the house I put a couple of those freeze pack things hubby uses in his lunch in the cooler for extra coolness.


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## retiredbop (Mar 9, 2007)

I just finished a dozen of my own design for DW to use. It wasn't really all that hard.

The fabric was a HUGE denim sofa slipcover I bought from "The Store That Shall Not Be Named". DW was all over me to throw it out. But I knew that was a LOT of fabric and didn't want to waste it.. A quiet rainy afternoon yielded a nice little surprise for her when she got home. She loves them.


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## Deborah Stephenson (May 10, 2002)

Just a little tip for anybody who has old cloth sacks (I get green coffee beans and Basmati Rice in sacks ocassionally - they are usually natural colored (unbleached) or brown, with a logo printed on them, but they look kinda neat. I imagine you can still even get old flour sacks once in awhile too if you buy in bulk.) Anyway, all you need to do to turn these into handy little shopping bags (sizes will vary from the standard grocery sack sizes, of course) is to fold over and stitch the bottom corners to make them stay square, and then add handles exactly the way you would with a regular sewn bag. I have lots of these in sizes only big enough to hold a bagged lunch, all the way up to full-sized grocery sacks. They didn't cost me a thing other than a little bit of my time and some scrap material for handles.

Another thought... Many banks use cloth bags with handles already attached (to carry their money to armored cars or between offices - at least that is my guess). They frequently discard older bags that are fine for less heavy loads, and the little bags are a nice size for small things. (I have a bunch of them - printed with the bank name, unfortunately, but still useful. They are about 12" wide x 8" tall and will expand to maybe 6" when really stuffed. Not huge, but enough to carry some last minute small items in - or for those things, like ice cream, that you would ordinarily double wrap at the store.) I suggest you ask at your bank. They may just be tossing them, so *you* might as well have them instead of the landfill!


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

I've been thinking about using my 40% off coupons on them from Michaels & Hobby Lobby...I was just checking them out the other day.


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## Fryegirl (Sep 16, 2006)

I just ordered some canvas to make grocery bags. You can get it for 3.00 a yard at fashionfabricsclub.com (60" wide).


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## TnMtngirl (Jun 30, 2002)

I looked at the cotton webbing on ebay,its not cheap.Could just make the handles from the same fabric,but I think the webbing would last longer.


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

another pattern...

here is another style

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/sewing/shopping-bag.shtml


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## WannabeeFree (Feb 12, 2006)

Great minds must think alike! I was just making some of these type bags this past month. I used home dec fabric from the clearance section at Joanns. All kinds of patterns - brights and subdues, geometrics or florals. The fabric is heavier than regular cotton and it turned out just great. 

Question: when you make tote bags or grocery bags, do you use one layer of fabric, or do you line the tote bag for strength/stability?

I doubled the bottom of the bag, but I'm thinking to line the whole thing...

Jean


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

I do not line and use a french seam for strength


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## Merri (Nov 7, 2002)

I've been wanting to make some grocery bags too. I just got to wondering, though, if I could take a large pair of men's jeans, open up the inseams and resew them (the way you do a jean skirt), then sew up the bottom, add gussets (is that the right word?) and handles. I'll have to try it. I think they'd have to be men's jeans with a large waist.


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## QuiltingLady2 (Jan 3, 2007)

I've made a few. Need to make more of them. Instead of using and buying matterial I just used old denim jeans. Works great and I'm not out anything. Or rather the money I would have spent on canvas is now in cotton for quilting.


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## peacebaker (Dec 30, 2005)

This has been on my to-do list for a while too, thanks for the reminder and links. I like the jeans idea, and I have some upholstery type fabric too.

For straps, I bought a bunch of webbing when our Hancock's went out of business, since it normally is so pricey. But, I also had a library book with bag tips, and they had you sew a long tube, turn it, press it with the seam in the middle (inside) and then stitch down each side. It made a very strong and nice-looking strap--and good for if you want it to match the fabric etc.


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## YounGrey (Jun 7, 2007)

Jeans would be great to use. Good idea, might start saving my old ones now!


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## sewsilly (May 16, 2004)

I got 'scraps' from an interior decorator in town. They have good sized pieces of fabric that gets thrown out after jobs. I've made pillows and really nice 'designer' grocery sacks. I order the webbing for handles from Newark Dressmaker supply in 50 yard rolls. they make fabulous gifts and great things for craft sales. As they're made from scraps, with just the cost of handles, they are profitable when sold for reasonable prices. I check with a couple of decorators about once every two or three months and get a couple of trashbags each time. Get some cool trims as well. I am careful to make them an occasional neat pillow or totebag as a thank you for all my free fabric.

I also keep a cooler in the van for dropping my cold 'bags' in for the drive home. This works well for some 50 miles as well.


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