With the new 5p tax on plastic bags here, I thought it would be good to have an Eco Bag workshop in the summer, so folks could learn how to make their own bags for life.
I've been using my own handmade shopping bags for a while now, and made countless others for friends and family.
So far, I've experimented on 3 designs. They are a combination of ones I've seen around blogland and my own additions and adjustments. (Folks attending the one day workshop should be able to get 2 made).
I used a mix of deco weight, cotton and nylon fabrics, to give folks a choice between strength and compactness. They are all reversible!
Obviously the nylon one (a recycled shower curtain!) folds up nice and small, making it the smallest to fit in your handbag. This is an unlined bag, with French seams which I based on dimensions of bags I've made before.
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| Great for lighter-weight items |
Next up, is the largest, which is reversible and folds up nicely into a front pocket.
For this one I took my lead from this tutorial, but the pattern is not v.detailed, didn't provide the template, only uses 1/4" single seams and is unnecessarily complicated around the handles. So I made it up as I went along!!
Finally, this one!
I will be recommending folks to make this one first at the workshop. I found the template for it here, it is lined/reversible and the seam attaching the handles are flat fell seams (super strong, like the ones in the sides of your jeans!). I will be adapting it a little to make it easy to fold up and store.
There are many more styles of eco bags you could make, in as many different materials. I will continue to experiment with a few more before the workshop in August. (I fancy trying one out from a pair of jeans!).
