Making A Fabric Shopping Bag

Protect the environment and your pockets by creating beautiful fabric shopping bags. They are easy to make and perfect for giving free rein to your creativity.

Making a cloth shopping bag is a good way to protect the environment, save money and give a special touch to your look! Making a shopping bag yourself is the perfect opportunity to customize it with your own style.

It is not as difficult as you think. You just need some skill, free time and patience. The result will be really nice, so much so that in the end you will want to make others. Let’s find out how to make a fabric shopping bag .

All the steps to make a fabric shopping bag

The introduction of pay bags in the supermarket has resulted in a significant reduction in plastic production. However, we suggest you go a step further and make a cloth shopping bag so you don’t have to buy additional plastic.

Materials needed

• 2 pieces of fabric, in the color you like best
• 2 thick tapes
• Printed fabric for decoration (as required)
• Cardboard
• Wire
• Ago
• Scissors
• Chalk for fabric
• Pencil
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Iron

Making a fabric shopping bag step by step

Decoration

1. Cut a rectangle, or any other preferred shape, out of cardboard measuring 15 x 11 cm.
2. Place the cardboard on the chosen printed fabric and use chalk to mark the outlines.
3. Allow about two centimeters for the hem.
4. Iron the selected area, marking the hem. This will allow you to sew it more easily.
5. Pin it and place it wherever you like: in the center, in a corner …
6. Sew with your sewing machine or by hand. However, we recommend that you machine-sew the bottom edges of the shopping bag to make it more secure.

The bag

1. Place another piece of fabric on top of the pattern and pin it in place. Remember that the pattern should be in the center of the two pieces of fabric, as you will sew it inside the bag.
2. Sew the three sides of the pieces of fabric, joining them together. Pay particular attention to which part to leave open so that the decoration is positioned correctly.
3. Attach a triangle to the bottom of the bag. Sew to form the base of the bag. Repeat in the bottom corner.
4. Make a hem over the bag (the open one) and sew with the machine.

The handles

1. Now is the time to place the handles. Cut a strip 30 centimeters long (you can make the handle longer if you wish. Measure according to your height and choose) and then do the same with the other one.
2. Attach the handles to the top of the bag with pins.
3. Sew the handles to form a rectangle with an X inside. In this way, you will give the bag more stability and strength.

Ideas for making original fabric bags

Using all these guidelines, you can make shopping bags of different styles. You just have to let your imagination run wild and soon you will have many different designs to go shopping in style.

• You can use a piece of white cloth and paint over it. You can even invite your children to help you. You don’t have to be Picasso to make a nice shopping bag: cut a potato in half and dip it in fabric paint, or just put some paint on your kids’ hands and paint the bag with them!

• Another option is to use pieces of fabric in various colors, with patterned fabrics or otherwise for a very colorful and original style.

• If you prefer not to paint, how about writing a sentence? You can use fabric markers. Easy and beautiful!

Making a stylish and practical shopping bag isn’t as difficult as you might think. Remember to sew it with a sewing machine to prevent it from breaking and turning the contents inside out.