You can make a grocery bag holder in less than 5 minutes with this super-easy tutorial! No pattern needed - all the hard work has already been done for you. :)\

(This project is part of my Girl Scout Gold Award focused on upcycling and recycling broken umbrellas. See other ideas here: https://sites.google.com/site/upcycledumbrellas/projects)

Step 1: Gather Supplies

1 umbrella cover (beach or patio size)
scissors
coordinating ribbon (some bags may have a strap - you can use that too)
1 hair elastic
needle and thread
pencil (optional)
nail polish (optional)

Step 2: Cut the Bag in Half

We're using the closed end of the bag for this project. So starting from that end, decide how long you want your grocery bag holder to be and then add about 2 extra inches for the elastic cuff. Ours was about 2 feet long.

Step 3: Poke a Hole in the Top of the Bag for the Hanger

If you don't have a pencil, you can use the blade of your scissors instead. If you have nail polish, apply it around the edges of the hole to keep the fabric from fraying.. Take a piece of ribbon about a foot long and make a double knotted loop as shown in the picture.