|
|
My P&P market bag... |
My first one was from Sears, made out of a strong cotton canvas and quite massive. I routinely managed to pack all of my weekly groceries into the one bag. I don't know where it's disappeared to, but I miss it, especially since Sears is no longer with us.
When I started shopping with my mom, I switched over from that single bag to the bags sold by Superstore that are made out of recycled plastic beverage bottles. They're black, washable and strong and I don't think we've managed to wear one out in the many, many years since we first purchased them.
In two of my purses, I also keep a bag handy for non-grocery store shopping. They're made out of nylon; one rolls up and has a snap fastener tab to keep it secured while the other folds up and is stored inside a small pouch. They're both what I call "tank top" bags; as in, they look like a tank top when you lay them out.
When I got back into sewing in 2012 and made my first tote bag, it seemed a natural progression to make a so-called market bag at some point.
So why did it take almost eight years?
|
|
Matching pouch for my eco bag... |
Here's the thing: my Superstore bags are durable. Not only that, since I like everything about them, I have no reason to replace them. Mainly though, making a market bag requires a significant amount of fabric — even the simple tank top style that I described — and for that alone, I can't rationalize going to the expense. (Especially since those Superstore bags only cost me a buck each when I originally bought them.)
Yes, uses too much fabric at too high of a cost is another of my sewing dilemmas. It's why my eyes pop when I see projects described as needing "only two yards!" Only?
As a person who doesn't have a large fabric stash to burn through, I have to consider carefully the material requirements of a project before committing to it.
|
|
A new version of my Pride & Prejudice fabric... |
That said, back in April, Spoonflower held one of their popular fat quarter BOGO sales. (They were subsequently overwhelmed by the response, as they did not fully realize how many people were interested in making their own face masks with custom fabrics.) I decided to give one of their newer substrates — organic sweet pea gauze — a try.
|
|
My method of constructing a market bag with one fat quarter of Spoonflower's organic sweet pea gauze... |
At $5.85 (net cost to me) for a 28" x 18" fat quarter, it was well within the ball park for what I wanted to pay for a market bag featuring a new version of my P&P fabric. (What's new about it? The text in red used to be black.)
|
|
Had just enough fabric to make a bag and a pouch to store it in... |
I decided that I would make a smaller version of one of those "tank top" bags with it. It would be unlined and I would have to piece together the front and back since I didn't have the unbroken length of fabric that's usually required for this style of bag.
Even though this gauze is thin and it's only one layer, once it's folded up in the traditional way (and stuffed into the little pouch that I was able to make out of the leftover fabric), it's got a bit of bulk.
|
|
It doesn't fold down into as thin a package as I'd like... |
If you use some kind of nylon, you'll definitely end up with a more compact unit.
|
|
View of the side seams... |
Since the bag is unlined, I rolled the seams to hide the raw edges as much as possible. The bottom corners are boxed.
|
| Used some scraps to cover the seam under the two handles... |
I protected the stress points and seams on the handles by sewing on some reinforcing pieces of gauze. (They were taken from the borders that surround every piece of Spoonflower fabric.)
Many, many variations of this basic bag pattern are available on the internet. Some, like this one, are unlined. Shabby Fabrics has a video tutorial of an unlined version that has a partial inside facing at the top, so that the handles and the opening of the bag show a bit more "nicely". (I mention it because I happen to have the pattern saved.)
|
|
I couldn't have fussy cut this any better had I tried... |
Still others are fully lined and some might even be reversible. Some include a built in pocket that the whole bag can be folded into; the famous "strawberry" bag being a well-known variation of this design.
|
|
It's small, but perfect for carrying unexpected purchases... |
With stores in our area welcoming back reusable bags, my main objective with this one is to have something on hand to carry small purchases. (This one stays in my crossbody sling bag.) For groceries, I'll still rely on my Superstore bags.
How about you? Are reusable bags once again part of your shopping routine, and if so, are they handmade or store bought?
'Til next...
I live in New York where all one-use (plastic) bags were banned on March 1, 2020. Then the state was locked down on March 16th and plastic bags disappeared (for health reasons or a law suit?). The bag ban was just reinstated 😻. Like you I've used reusable bags for yonks, and like to have a foldable one handy "just in case". My personal preference for a grocery bag is one that stands up and open, and my favorites are the cute Trader Joe's 99 cent, seemingly indestructible ones.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the cost of fabric to sew a bag is a bit steep, but a foldable one like yours, and in your own fabric, would make a wonderful gift!
Thank you for your kind words about my market bag. I hadn't thought about giving them away, but you make a good point. People will always find a way to use a unique shopping bag. Funny how those really inexpensive options — like your 99 cent version — seem to last forever, right?
DeleteWhere I am (even though we are more seriously into the pandemic than we were back in the spring), reusable bags are still allowed. Plastic bags are no longer a free option in most cases and I believe discussions are back on the table about banning them next year. It's just a crazy time!
I love your tutorials and I have the same issue with the cost of fabric these days. I scour out the clearance and deeply discounted fabric sources. I never run out of fabric! Sometimes it's not the "top of the line" but it works for me. Try "Marshall Dry Goods." They buy the overstock from many of the big names. Also "Quilted Twins." They offer half yard packs that are deeply discounted and other sales and sometimes this is from the big names also. Where there is a will there is a way hahaha
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and leaving a couple of suggestions for discounted fabric. They won't necessarily do me any good (shipping to Canada starts at $25 USD from either source) but perhaps some of my US readers can benefit.
DeleteGood for you for being thrifty!