{ Blog 365 #22 - Homemade Plastic Bag Holder }

 

 

 

I have been wanting to make a plastic bag holder, for quite some time now.  I have a ton and I mean a ton of plastic bags, that are sitting in my pantry.  All rolled into a small ball and placed inside another plastic bag.

What ends up happening is that someone (me included), will go and get a bag and every other one will come tumbling down.  It's just always a mess and not very pretty on the eyes either.

Today I got home from church, had some lunch and the immediately pulled out my sewing machine.  The poor girl had been in the corner, in my closet, for so long that she needed a good cleaning.  So, I did that then set it up, grabbed my fabric bin, and pulled out a really cute woodland animal inspired, fat quarter.

Within 10 minutes I had the cutest plastic bag holder.

I could kick myself for putting this off for so long.  It was quick to make and so easy.  So I thought that today I would show you real quick what I did.  I even whipped up two extra for my niece and sister in law.

 

I also grabbed some elastic and ribbon.  That was it, just the fabric, ribbon and elastic.  I had an idea of what I was going to do, I had looked up some easy patterns quite a while back, but didn't save any and wasn't in the mood to go looking again.

So, I went with what I remembered and thank goodness, it turned out just as it was meant to.  

Ok, so I didn't measure out a specific size, I just used the fat quarter as it was.  I grabbed the shorter sides, and folded them up 1/2 an inch, press it down with an iron, then folded it up another 1/2 inch and pressed with the iron again.

I pinned the hem, then repeated on the other short side of the fabric.  Then I moved to the sewing machine and did a straight sew all the way down, about 1/2 inch seam.  I needed one of the sides to be a casing big enough to thread my elastic through.

 

Once the elastic was in place.  I did a quick double stitch on each end to hold the elastic in place, leaving just a tiny bit of the elastic sticking out.  Once it was stitched I was left with a ruffled edge.

Then I joined right side of the fabric together, and pinned down the side seam, then quickly did a plain stitch down the side.  Once that was done, I grabbed the ribbon I had cut (I cut both the ribbon and the elastic to be 9 inches long), pinned it to the inside of the bag, on the edge opposite the elastic ruffled opening.

That will be for hanging the bag.  Then did a couple stitches and back stitches over the ribbon to secure it.

I turned the bag inside out and was so happy to see the result.  The cutest plastic bag holder! 

I am in love with it, it's just what I needed and it's adorable too.

These below are the extra ones I made, for my sister in law and niece each.  How cute are the fabrics too?

It's moments like this, that I am eternally grateful to my grandmother, for teaching me how to sew.  I love being able to grab my machine, a piece of fabric and create something that is not only functional but beautiful for my home too.

And it's cheaper than if I had to buy it online, plus I already have all the materials I needed on hand.

I think this week, I am going to finally sit down and whip up some kitchen towels.  I have a ton of flour sack towels to use up.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed seeing the creation of these cute plastic bag holders.  What have you created lately?  I would love to know!