How to Sew a Grocery Bag Holder the Easy Way
If you're tired of that "bag of bags" using over the cupboard under your kitchen sink, learning how to sew a grocery bag holder any of individuals small DIY tasks that makes a massive difference in your daily organization. We've all been there—you bring home the groceries, unpack all of them, after which you're stuck with a dozens of plastic bags that will somehow multiply when you aren't searching. Instead of letting them overflow through a kitchen compartment or stuffing them into a bigger bag like a chaotic nesting toy, you can whip up a simple fabric tube that retains them tidy and dispenses them 1 by 1 from the underside.
The best part? This is a perfect task for newbies. It requires mostly straight lines, and if your seams aren't completely even, nobody is usually ever going to see them. Plus, it's an excellent way to consume those random "fat quarters" of fabric you bought since the pattern was cute but had no plan for.
What You'll Want to Begin
Before you sit down at the machine, you'll need to gather a several basics. You most likely already have the majority of this in your sewing kit.
- Fabric: A piece roughly 18 simply by 22 inches functions perfectly. If you have a fats quarter, you're already good to go. Cotton is usually the best choice because it's easy to clean and holds the shape.
- Elastic: You'll need about 12 to 14 inches of thin elastic. The 1/4-inch width is usually the easiest to work with for this project.
- Safety pin: This particular is your secret weapon for threading the elastic through the casing.
- Ribbon or fabric scrap: About 6 inches long for the particular hanging loop.
- Standard sewing supplies: Thread, pins (or clips), scissors, plus of course, your sewing machine.
Don't feel like you might have to go out and buy brand-new fabric regarding this. A vintage pillow case or a shirt that doesn't fit anymore works simply as well. Since this really is going to live in a pantry or on the back of a door, it's even more about function as opposed to the way high fashion—though it doesn't hurt if it looks pretty!
Preparing Your Material
First items first, give your fabric a good press with a good iron. It might seem like an annoying extra phase, but sewing flat fabric is a hundred times simpler than fighting along with wrinkles.
Once it's toned, lay it out. If you're using a standard fat quarter, you can leave it because is. If you're cutting from a larger bolt, goal for that 18x22 inch rectangle. The 22-inch side will be the length of the particular holder, as well as the 18-inch side will be the area. If you need a "jumbo" edition your own grocery store habit is obtaining out of hand, take a moment to make it wider.
Finishing the Sides
For those who have a serger, you can zip around the edges to prevent fraying. If you don't (and most people don't), a basic zigzag stitch upon your regular device does the trick. Or, if you're feeling lazy (no judgment here), you can just keep the raw edges since they'll end up being hidden inside the casings anyway.
Developing the Casings
The "casings" are usually just the little tunnels at the top and bottom part where the flexible and the opening will live.
- The Bottom part Casing: Fold over one particular of the 18-inch edges by regarding 1/4 inch and press. Then, flip it over again by about 3/4 inches. This creates a clean edge and a tunnel for the elastic. Pin this in place plus sew along the particular inner folded advantage. Essential: Leave a 1-inch distance open! You will need that hole to slide the elastic within.
- The Top Casing: Do the particular identical thing upon the other 18-inch edge. Fold 1/4 inch, then 3/4 inch, and sew. You can keep a gap right here too if you want elastic in both ends, yet many people choose a wider opening at the best to make it easier to stuff the bags in. When you want this open, you can just sew the hem all the way about without leaving a gap.
Sewing the Main Pipe
Now that your top and bottom are prepped, it's time to turn that smooth rectangle into a tube.
Fold the material in two with the particular best sides together . This means the particular "pretty" side from the fabric should be inside. Match upward the long 22-inch edges. Pin all of them together so nothing shifts while you're sewing.
Beginning from the top, sew a direct line all the particular way down to the bottom. Make use of about a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Be careful when you cross over your casings—you don't desire to accidentally sew the "tunnels" close. Just sew over the vertical seam. As soon as you're done, you'll have a long fabric sleeve.
Adding the Elastic
This will be the part that will usually intimidates individuals, but it's actually the most satisfying a part of learning how to sew a grocery bag holder.
Reduce two pieces of elastic, each about 6 or 7 inches long. Connect a safety flag to one finish of the 1st piece of elastic. Push the protection pin into the gap you remaining in the bottom casing. Use your fingers to "scrunch" the fabric along the pin, pulling the elastic through the tunnel.
Professional tip: Pin the some other end of the particular elastic to the fabric close to the entrance gap. Absolutely nothing is more frustrating than pulling the elastic just about all the way by means of only to recognize the tail end slipped inside plus you have to begin.
As soon as the safety pin comes out the other side, overlap the two ends of the particular elastic by about an inch and sew them along with a messy zigzag stitch. It doesn't possess to be pretty; it just has to hold. Stick the elastic into the casing and sew that 1-inch gap shut. Repeat this for the top if you want both finishes gathered, though many people take action with regard to the bottom.
Attaching the Hanging Loop
You will need a way to hang this thing! Take your 6-inch piece of ribbon or even a folded strip of fabric. Form a loop and pin it to the very best edge of your holder, generally right in which the long vertical seam is.
We like to sew the loop on to the inside of the top advantage so it's concealed when the holder is hanging. Stitch back and forth over the ribbon a few times to make certain it's secure. Grocery bags aren't heavy, but when you stuff 50 of these into one holder, they can obtain surprisingly weighty. You don't want your loop snapping away from and sending bags flying throughout the cooking area.
Turning plus Finishing
Right now for the huge reveal. Reach inside the tube and draw the right part from the fabric out. Provide a little shake. You should now have a nice-looking fabric pipe with gathered finishes.
If you want to be extra, you can top-stitch round the openings to give it a more professional look, but it's totally optionally available. At this stage, you're generally done.
Why This Task is a Game Changer
As soon as you've mastered how to sew a grocery bag holder, you'll realize how versatile this design is. You can make smaller ones for used clothes dryer sheets, or also larger ones using mesh fabric regarding things like laundry or sports balls.
It also makes an actually thoughtful, low-cost present. If you're planning to a housewarming party, a hand crafted bag holder within a fabric that will matches their kitchen is a "grown-up" gift that people actually use. Throw a few high-quality reusable bags inside, and you're the celebrity of the celebration.
Troubleshooting Normal Issues
If you discover that your luggage are falling out there of the underside, your elastic is probably too loose. You desire the opening to be small enough that the bags stay put, yet stretchy enough that will you can draw one out without fighting the fabric. If it's too loose, just tear out a several stitches at the particular casing, pull the particular elastic tighter, plus sew it back down.
On the flip part, if you can't get your hand in the very best to stuff the bags, you might have got made the best elastic too limited. For the best, I usually recommend a much wider loop or actually no elastic in all—just a great clean hem.
Final Thoughts
There's something incredibly satisfying about getting a messy part of your home and fixing this with a bit of fabric plus thirty minutes of your time. Since you know how to sew a grocery bag holder, you can finally claim back that space below the sink. It's a simple, sincere project that will exactly what it's supposed to perform. Plus, every time you pull out there a bag to line a small trash can or pick up after the dog, you obtain that little hit of "I produced this" pride. Content sewing!