Sustainable sewing? Great idea! Maybe you have already sewn my reusable produce bags, the Japanese bag or the stylish Origami market bag to avoid using plastic bags anymore? Or how about an upcycling project? With it, you can upcycle your old T-shirts and sweatshirts, for example, and sew shopping bags out of them. Because with it, you are not only doing something good for the environment: Your new bag can also hold a lot! Maybe you have already read my post about 8 secret sources for fabric? In it, I reveal how you can get fabric and sewing accessories cleverly and, above all, affordably.
One of the best tips in this regard is upcycling. This means that, for example, old clothes can get a new life as a quilt, cushion, arm warmers or bag. And it is worth it. For your wallet, for the environment, and also for your sewing fun!
Sewing a bag from a T-shirt: Here's how easy it is!
I will show you a very cool project on this topic in this post: A practical shopping net that you can sew in no time from an old T-shirt. An old sweater also works. But it should definitely be knitwear, because it does not fray or tear when cut.What you need for sewing
- T-shirt, top or an old sweater
- Tailor's chalk*
- Patchwork ruler*
- Straight pins*
- Sewing machine or overlocker
- Rotary cutter*
- Fabric scissors*
Instructions: Sewing a shopping net from an old T-shirt
Lay the shirt with the right side facing out.
Fold the shirt in half.
Draw the outline of the future bag with a chalk pencil. For this, pin the four layers together with a few straight pins so that nothing slips.
Cut out the outline with the rotary cutter or scissors.
Unfold the bag part and now pin the two layers together with straight pins.
Sew the bag together all around. The top opening (the former hem) remains open.
By the way: I have already been asked about the heart pins several times on Instagram. I got them in the USA. Normally I am not very fond of such "trinkets", but these ones (they are from Dritz) are extremely good. Very strong, sharp, 6 cm long and equipped with a very grippy heart head that makes it easy to grab the pins.
Honestly, these are probably the best straight pins I have ever had. That is why I also bought the stylish pin cushion especially for them, which you can see above. Everything should be nicely "tone-on-tone".
But back to the straight pins*. They are also available here in Germany, if you look long enough, alternatively even in pearl white*, which I also really like.
*
*
But now to the point:
This is how it should look now:
Fold the bag together and mark a 5 - 6 cm long line in the middle, 3 cm from the top opening.
Cut the bag along the line. This is the future handle.
If you like, you can already use the bag like this.
But you can also turn it into a shopping net and thus create even more space for your shopping!
Mark a line every 3 cm starting from 10 cm below the bag opening.
Now cut into these lines approx. every 5 cm with the rotary cutter. The cuts should be approx. 3 cm long.
It is important that you arrange the cuts offset: The lower row always starts between two cuts.
Then you can turn the bag inside out and go shopping stylishly for the first time! ;)
By the way, your new shopping net can be folded up very small with the handle!
Great, isn't it?
Have you now gotten the urge to sew yourself such a practical shopping net?
Then get right to it!
Happy simple sewing,
your Sabine
P. S.: By the way, the net bag is also great as a laundry bag for travel!
Comments
Comments are loading …