Re-usable bags

This is by far the simplest bag pattern I have used.  Years back I had a re-usable bag someone had given me.  It fit two 1 gallon jugs of milk in it perfectly.  When I gave it a good look-sie I was surprised to see how easy it would be to make my own bags.

Materials:
1 yd of Fabric- (in this demo I used oil cloth) 
Ribbon (go nuts- make your bag fancy)
Sewing machine 
cardboard (to make the pattern)

Step 1: Cutting out the pieces

I like to cut my pattern out of cardboard for this project.  You can make the pattern just as easily from fabric.
There are two pieces:
1) the main body- a large rectangle that is 36"x16"
2) the sides- a smaller rectangle that is 7"x16"
*on piece #2 at one end of the width curve the corners. 

Now that you have the patterns, use them on your fabric and cut it out.
Note that with piece #2 you need to cut 2 of these out.

If you want to get fancy cut piece #1 from one fabric and #2 from a different design of fabric.

Comments

[Very Interesting]

Pretty!

[blossom9283]

Good Details on how to sew these together

[jessyratfink]

Lots of great pictures and I love that you do your patterns in cardboard too. I do that so they don't rip or go all funny when I store them. :D

[Chicken Girl]

I 'stack' all my cardboard patterns for easy storage. My other alternative pattern material is muslin. Every year or so I buy a bolt of it for about $.50 a yard.

[Penolopy Bulnick]

That is such a cute bag! I love the fabrics you chose to use.