Here are three grocery bags I made for my wife's charity fund raiser. They are made from the skads of leftover diagonal squares that I can't seem to use up. I put a pocket on the front of them between the handles, as defined by the burgundy horizontal stripe. Just another way to use up these squares. They are fun to do if you don't mind seeing the same thing for endless sewing sessions. Oh well, I can put the squares away until my memory fades and I forget about them and then when I come across them again I can whip out a couple of more bags and nobody is the wiser. So, here you go.
We had a fantastic day there. FF enjoyed every bit of it and I loved the buildings and craft work. Even did a bit of loom weaving myself! FF was even more in awe of your cabinetry prowess. It was a fine day weatherwise for our picnic lunch in the grounds. Bronnie
You and your DW are going to have the best looking grocery bags in town! Whew! Those are gorgeous. I'd say it's a wonderful way to use up those squares.
The dimensions are. Side; 12" High x 17" long. Ends 12 High x 7" wide. The handles just go to the bottom of the bag and are cut off even. The bottom is made separately out of cotton duck Canvas and quilted with cotton batting between, The sides all around, are also cotton batting. the bottom is x quilted, and the sides and end are stitched in the ditch. I use black cotton duck because it is long wearing and will take the scuffing of having groceries inside and then being placed on the floor. The binding is done just like quilt binding. I hide the joint under one of the handles. The handles are made from 2-1/2" strips about 38" long which are sewn together and then folded over a piece of 2" or less cotton batting. Tuck the edges into the inside, and stitch close to the edge to hold everything together before you apply it to the bag before the bottom is set in place and sewn. On these three I added a quilted pocket from the same fabric that fits between the handle straps, so that is another bit of fabric to consider when you are sewing that bottom seam. I also reinforce the top of the bag, where the handle strap leaves the bag, with an x stitched reinforcement. By sewing the bottom in, you lock the cut ends of the straps in place, and transfer some of the pull to the cotton duck. You could completely wrap it under and make it a continuous strip of handle but it really is not that necessary. I serge the seams on the inside, but if you don't have a serger you could overcast them, and then I fold them down and stitch them to the sides and ends and bottom. that makes for a pretty thick pkg to sew through, so you should use a 16-18 needle and go slow, or you will break a needle when you go over the larger seams. Ask me how I found that out. Those dimensions are not written in stone, as I have made some deeper and some longer, and some smaller. It all depends on how the pattern runs when I am sewing the patchwork. This is a good general size to carry a couple of gallons of milk and other sundries, without spitting every seams and showering the parking lot with goo. Lois can sell every one I make for her charity auction, for rather nicely done ones. They average $25-35. I know I didn't need to go into all of the detail I did for you, Ginger, but I thought some of the lurkers might benefit from the thorough explanation. They sound a lot more complicated than they are of course. but they are sturdy and will hold a lot of stuff. Depending on your choice of pattern and fabric, They can be utilitarian or show stopper. The choice of yours. John
Oops! I see that they are grocery bags -- not purses. I guess I was very tired last night when I looked at this. The bags do look good enough to be purses.
Thanks for the info and instructions, John! I want to make a book bag of sorts for my co-worker. She is in a two year course, and commented about the current way she transports materials. I'll have to look for the cotton duck before tackling this ;)
I know what you mean about duplications. I did this series in stages, sewing all the pieces of each process in batches. It made it seem like it was one large project rather than replications of three smaller ones. That made it easier to do, in my mind, anyway, without getting bored John
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