DIY Shopping Bag - Don't Waste

Shopping bags, the ones we pick up at the supermarket checkout when we go to pay, are never free. And that's not to say they don't pollute. To avoid these risks at the root, including wasting money on eco-friendly shopping bags, there's always grandma's old shopping bag and, even better, a DIY shopping bag, through creative recycling. Potential waste from our wardrobes: worn-out T-shirts and jeans, shorts, and general fabric scraps.

Index of topics

Maglietta

Photo credit | Facebook Creazioni Bijoux – Craft and Fun

If you want to make a shopping bag out of a T-shirt , get one, along with a sewing machine, a bowl about 23 cm in diameter, an iron, a marker, and a pair of scissors. Then, turn the T-shirt inside out and sew the bottom edges using the sewing machine: this will close it. Then, turn the T-shirt inside out and cut it, checking that the edges match. Now, take a bowl, turn it upside down, and place it three-quarters of the way up against the neck of the T-shirt. Use a marker to trace the edge of the bowl onto the fabric : this will be a guide for your final cut. After cutting the neck, move on to the sleeves, and your bag is ready.

Cloth

Photo credit | Facebook Re-fashion DIY

Take a heavy cotton fabric (about 80x35 cm), a rectangle of patterned fabric to match the first (about 30x35 cm), two rectangles of about 12x75 cm for the handles, some lace, some matching cotton, some pins, and a pair of scissors. Place the longer fabric on a work surface, mark the middle, place the shorter fabric in the center, and secure it with pins. Place the chosen lace on the edge of the smaller rectangle and sew with a zigzag stitch. Then fold the bag in half and sew the sides. Now, cut a square of fabric on the two inside sides of the bag, open the corners, sew, and finish the inside seams with the zigzag stitch. Finally, you can sew the handles by folding the sides of the rectangle in half, then folding it in half again. Then, curve the top edge of your bag about 1 cm twice and sew with a flush stitch. Sew the handles, one on each side. To make your shopping bag, you can also use tablecloths, which are made of a fairly thick and durable fabric.

Jeans

Photo credit | Facebook Yesterday/Today/Tomorrow

Why not opt for a beautiful denim shopper bag ? Get yourself a pair of old jeans, along with a sewing machine, scissors, and whatever else you need to decorate your bag. To make the bag, use the legs or the top part of the jeans (i.e., the waist). If using the latter, pin the waistband together tightly, as the front may be lower than the back. Then, cut the legs to the desired height, unstitch the crotch, and join the edges together to remove the legs. To complete the bottom of the bag, use a piece of patterned fabric, and use the legs of the jeans to make the handles. You can also join two bamboo handles for a more original design; the bag can also be closed with snaps or a zipper.

Furnishing fabrics

Photo credit | Facebook Design By Zam

To make useful shopping bags, you can also use furnishing fabrics , perhaps found at an upholsterer. Fabrics can be many: linen, cotton, silk, and the patterns are varied. To make the shopping bag, you'll need two scraps of fabric measuring approximately 45 x 42 cm, two strips of matching fabric measuring 8 x 82 cm, thread, pins, a measuring tape, a sewing machine, and an iron . Next, overlap the pieces of fabric, right sides together, and sew the three sides, leaving the top one open. Now fold the top of the bag outward by 5 cm and iron it, creating a hem. Then, twist the edge inward by another cm, making it 2 cm. To make the handles, you can fold the strips lengthwise and sew three sides, leaving one of the shorter ones open, then turn the work inside out. Then, turn the strips inside out and iron them. Finally, topstitch the long sides with seams 2 mm from the edge. Finish by tucking the two cut handle pieces under the top edge, so that they're 10 cm from the side edges. Then, turn them inside out and secure them with fabric glue. Finally, sew a cross stitch along the handle portion attached to the bag. The shopper is now ready.

Crochet

Photo credit | Facebook Rosella Mandolini

If you're familiar with crochet, you might have fun making a shopping bag like the one above. It's not only durable, but it's also easy to customize in terms of both color and texture.

patchwork fabric

Photo credit | Facebook Handmade Pretties

Patchwork is always a great technique , and it doesn't disappoint in this case either. To make a cute shopping bag like this, you'll need fabric scraps in different patterns that can somehow match.

Shorts

Photo credit | Facebook Wonderful DIY

Who would have thought that a pair of old shorts could turn into an original shopping bag? This idea falls squarely into the category of creative recycling . Think of how many items of clothing you've thrown away over the years and how many creations like this one you could have made...

Hinges

Photo credit | Facebook Örgü Agacı

If you have a good number of zippers lying around the house that you're sure you won't use, you could use them to make a DIY shopping bag unlike anything you've ever seen. All it takes is a little sewing to create an accessory that won't go unnoticed at the supermarket.

Carpet

Photo credit | Facebook Five Below

We all have at least one worn-out rug at home . Well, instead of throwing it straight into the trash, you can transform it into the perfect container for vegetables, greens, pasta, and more. Think about where you've been storing that old rug you haven't used in a while.

Plastic rings

Photo credit | Facebook The Upcycle Co.

How do you make a shopping bag you've never seen before? This is definitely one solution. First of all, it allows you to recycle a good number of plastic bottle cap rings (which is a real plus), and secondly, it's a really fun creative project to make (though not for the impatient...). The satisfaction once the project is finished will be unmatched.

DIY shopping bags to save money on plastic bags