Hello. What a dull day it has been. I took Bailey poodle out this morning, Ken his regular walker is on holiday, and when that job was done I was straight back home and haven't been anywhere else.
I am having an arty interlude at the moment, until the next project pops into my head. I remembered I had cut some fabric out to make shopping bags, from the last lot I got from the Scrapstore. A good idea to get on with the job. Might as well make a video as well, not a full and detailed tutorial, but just to get people motivated to have a go and make one for themselves, and to get the message across that we need to stop using plastic bags.
I haven't finished them all so no photo yet. They can be sold on our cat stall at the Summer Fair in June, and I will give some away when I go shopping.
Is anyone else making them? I don't spend time decorating them, or adding pockets, or patchworking them together with smaller bits of fabric, it's too time consuming. Plain and simple, two large pieces, back and front, and two handles. They are meant for grocery shopping so are going to get thrown around from supermarket trolley, into the car boot, then into the house, and back again.
Crikey, it's wind down time, so I'll put the big computer on and watch some yooootoooob. I'm hooked on Money For Nothing at the moment, I love to see what they will make out of any old rubbish that they pick up at the dump. I like Norman's creations, Josh and Ollie come up with some amazing ideas, and the two newish presenters are good fun. Haven't seen Bex the Blacksmith for a while, she makes me laugh.
Don't forget what day it is tomorrow. IT'S THE 1ST of APRIL, check in day for the International Walking Group. I love the way everyone is putting their name in the box before posting their comment. Now I know that you are all on board I can zap those pesky Anon spammers in double quick time. They are coming in thick and fast now, as soon as I see that word down the right hand side of my screen it's bye bye sunshine, off you go.
Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip
I was gifted a nylon shopping bag at some event in 2010. The print is gone, the fabric is stretched out and I lost it’s little stuff bag a long time ago. It is in my bag always for some gifts from the trash gods or supermarket deals. Still going strong - but after that...
ReplyDeleteMany charity shops sell little fold away bags, I've had them from the PDSA and Cats Protection League. If you are not a craft person, these are ideal, and they benefit two good causes, environment and the charity. They are good little gifts too.
DeleteTomorrow is Easter Sunday..not just 1st April ! Happy Easter Ilona x
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter - love that fabric you are using for the bag. I am surprised you haven't been colouring the circles. Its been a rotten day here too. WE scrapped the idea of cycle camping and I have spent most of the day either making a baby quilt or knitting.
ReplyDeleteSome of my recycled bags are about 10 years old now.Ive had them from charity shops,been given them at Christmas fairs and would never go back to using plastic bags for my shopping.A few weeks ago,I bought a bag of material,£1,didnt know what was in it.There was 10 vintage tea towels,most as new and lots of 70s curtains.2 of these curtains have covered an old vintage chair that i rescued from being thrown away and the rest will be recycled into shopping bags.Also in the bag,were some old but clean towels,which i now use for drying my cats off when they have been in the bushes..and they love it as though they are being pampered!!xx
ReplyDeleteOh,i forgot to mention,that I also use old clean pillow cases for my shopping!,As my main shopping is done at Aldi,i find it the cheapest place...but also the fastest place for getting your shopping through the checkout....so instead of trying to pack at the till...I keep my bags and pillow cases,in the boot of my car,then pack my things,into suitable bags so nothing gets crushed...like biscuits,crisp,salad...into bags...then potatoes and veg,in another...then meat for Hubby,in another..then cat food,which seems to take up most of my shopping money,lol,in another bag or pillow case.xx
DeleteWish I could find a bag of fabric like that for £1. I've read of another blogger making shopping bags from tea towels, must try that sometime, currently I use curtain fabric. Lovely to see your bags Ilona, keep spreading the word, and bags. :)
DeleteYes. I make shopping bags too. My friend has started to make them as well. So pretty, so useful and take up no space at all. Morrisons, I notice, still appear to give away free plastic carrier bags on the self service check outs, and in so many places food is still sold in heat sealed plastic bags. Loose fruit and veg and paper bags please!
ReplyDeletemomsav
ReplyDeleteIf this goes through, I will be surprised! Anon. has not been working all day for me. I don’t know if it’s my iPad or something else.
I like the fabric for the bags. I have about 8-10 bags in my car. I rarely use plastic anymore. If I forget a bag, sometimes i’ll just put my purchase in my purse or carry it.
Hi. I don't know what you mean by 'Anon has not been working for you'. No one is commenting as Anon any more. Did you follow the instructions, did you click on the little arrow to give you a drop down menu, and did you highlight the Name/URL option? Did that open up a box with two lines? Did you put your name in the top box, and ignore the lower URL box? Did you click on Continue? You have to follow these procedures every time you comment, it will not do it automatically for you. It's just a few extra clicks, once you get into it, you will do it automatically. Keep trying.
DeleteIlona, you must think I am an idiot from my last comment and questions. I was in a hurry when I read your post and didn't realize the picture was actually a video! Duh! You answered most of my questions and gave me some ideas I didn't have before. Apparently you don't miter the corners to make a bottom, which is also easy if you want a bottom.
ReplyDeleteLove a proper cloth shopping bag! I've used them for years, long before they became "fashionable." The stores used to either give away or still sell thin papery "fabric" bags that are simply garbage. I've sewn/mended many over the years, eventually lining one bag with another one in order to reinforce them. I ended up with less bags, but I've sewn many of my own as well. My homemade ones are far superior to what is "gifted" at the stores.
ReplyDeleteGreat looking shopping bag, one of our local charity shops sells 6 pillowcases for $1 so that is a very cheap way of recycling old ones that are not nice enough to use for anything else. Just chop some off the top where it is 3 layers, then top stitch some slices of the 2 layers for handles and whats left will make a pocket.The large bottom bit is then "box bottomed" at the inside corners, attach handles and there you are.
ReplyDeleteLove to make cloth shopping bags!
ReplyDeleteI love your bags
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your video, Ilona. I'm still using heavy plastic bags, one from Bransby Home for Horses, which is about twenty years old, and another which was given to me by my neighbour, almost ten years old. We use the fold up material bags as well. Yours are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLovely video. I have just been making something similar but they are drain bags for mastectomy patients so very handy to watch. I wonder what type of machine you have as it is very quiet and what is it that you have it sat on please?
ReplyDeleteHi. It's a Janome 2200XT. Not expensive, under £100. It sits on two pieces of thick corrugated cardboard, to lift it up to the height of an extension I made out of a cardboard box. Check out this blog post.
Deletehttps://meanqueen-lifeaftermoney.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/no-problem-ill-make-one.html
There is a community group in a small town near me. They have an extablished stand in the local supermarket where people can grab homemad shopping bags and return if they have extras. Several people worked for many weeks to produce the bags to get it established. A fabulous project for sharing with the community, raising awareness and getting people to work together. Seems to work well.
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