I have a special interest in recycling – it is in my DNA. Not only for the sake of the earth or anything noble like that (though that thought crosses my mind a lot too). I am a hoarder and a shopper. And now that I am both, what do I do with all the things I have shopped and hoarded over the years?! Make things. And because I am lazy I always gravitate towards the easiest projects.
This tutorial is for such a bag – the kind you can make in half an hour. And you can use any cloth you have lying around. And barely need to touch the scissors.
Checkout the recycled bag sewing tutorial in this short video if you are a visual learner :
When I say recycled cloth, it can be anything — anything salvageable from things you own around the house that can be joined to make a piece about the size of a napkin, 19 inches by 24″. As you can see I am using an old napkin.
If you want a narrower bag, get a 15″ by 30″ piece ; cut a piece of sturdy fabric from your old clothing in this size. Vary the size, but the method will still be the same.
Warning: the process is super simple
Fold the napkin by half with the wrong side outside. I am assuming that the napkin is already finished at the edges
Mark 2 inches up from the center fold . Mark on either sides.
Fold the center to the inside from this mark
Now pin this in place
Sew the side edges with this fold in place.
Turn the bag right side out and
you will get a flat bottom – just like that.
You can use a fabric strap of 24 inch long as bag handles. If you are super lazy just attach those plastic straps as they are.
But as we are recycling and mostly for eco friendlier options I would recycle jeans to make the straps for the bags.
Checkout this tutorial to see how you can make very sturdy bag handles from fabric cut out from old jeans:
Just make straps by folding a 3.5 inch by 24 inch fabric piece by the long side rightsides to the inside. Turn the tube right side out.
You have two fabric straps.
Finish the short edges of the fabric straps. Now, fold and stitch the strap so that the seam line is to the inside. This will give you a sturdy bag handle. Remember to not stitch the edges of these straps.
Stitch the bag handles to the bag, equidistant from the side seams. And, that’s it. I told ya!
