Pillow Case Grocery Bag

Re-useable grocery bags are all the rage right now as we are becoming more and more eco-friendly. I have bought a few although I don’t grocery shop often but the other day I stumbled upon a DIY re-useable grocery tote idea using pillow cases. I thought this was a great idea seeing as though we change bedding every few years. They are easy to make, however they do require straight-line sewing. The materials needed for this project include: scissors, any size pillowcase, a sewing machine and an iron. To begin, turn your pillowcase inside out and fold it in half. Cut a 3-4 inch strip off of one side to use for the straps later. Open the pillowcase and lay it flat. Pin the open sides together and sew along this line leaving about a 6-inch gap in the center. Cut a 2-inch square off of all four corners, measuring from the folded edge. Sew each corner and pull the correct side of the pillowcase through the small gap. Sew the gap closed (you can do this by hand) Now to make the straps! Cut the hemmed end off of the strip. Fold the strip in half (long ways) and cut again to make two separate straps (They will each be roughly 12-16 inches long). With the correct sides facing inward, sew together the short ends of each strip, leaving one long side open. Trim the corners of the strip and turn them right-side out. Fold the ends toward the inside so that the raw edges are tucked inside. Once it is straight and flat, use your iron to flatten completely so it is crisp and sew them together. To finish the bag, sew on strap on the inside of each side of your bag. This idea was found on a craft blog called creative kismet. For more detailed instructions and step-by-step photos, visit the original website: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/5AjAPF/blog.creativekismet.com/2011/01/06/little-guiding-stars.

Has anyone made re-useable grocery bags out of anything besides pillowcases? Share your ideas with us!

Written by: Karly Poole