Homemade Reusable Grocery Tote
I made my own reusable grocery tote after learning you can make different sizes using the same basic pattern. A couple of square pieces of material with notches cut out of the bottom corners. Easy peasy, even for beginners.
I’ve been using reusable grocery bags for many years now (since plastic bags were banned in my County). Once you start using the reusable kind, you’ll find they’re nicer than the plastic ones, and better for the environment. Reusable grocery bags do not contribute to the plastic pollution that’s destroying the environment. They’re sturdier, hold more groceries, and reduce plastic waste. I keep them in the trunk of my car so I don’t have to remember to bring them every time.
In the movie “Aquaman,” all the plastic waste and pollutants are thrown from the ocean back to land. So poignant and well deserving. Oceans on this planet have had enough plastic pollution. What concrete action can you take to curb the ever increasing plastic usage? You can read my posts on the recycling myth, the environmental effects of plastic, and the toxicity of plastics.
Here is a tutorial to make a grocery shopping tote that’s roomy enough, but still looks good on your shoulders. This pattern will make a tote that will fit 5 kg of rice, 2 kg of flour, and more. If you’re crafty and comfortable with a sewing machine, then check out my more recent post. There you can make this much more sophisticated (and reversible!) Petal Pockets tote and purse, including a cosmetic bag.
This tote is made from something called “Oly-Fun” fabric. It resembles the fabric that other reusable bags are made from. Oly-Fun fabric is an interesting material that’s a combination of fabric and paper. It’s simple to sew with because it has no grain or bias. No right or wrong side, no fraying, and no pre-washing needed. It’s reasonably priced, widely available, and sturdy enough to make a reusable bag,
The only tricky thing about sewing with Oly-Fun, is that it’s not meant to be ironed. I tried a cool iron with a pressing cloth, and it sort of worked. I found it easier to use “finger pressing” if I wanted to open a seam, or press down a fold. Finger pressing is done simply by rubbing your fingernail over the area you want to press down.
Other Ways to Reduce Plastic Use
- Make this tote bag and carry it everywhere. To go a step further, check out my posts on reusable bulk food bags and reusable produce bags.
- Take drinking water in a stainless steel bottle, everywhere you go-refuse to succumb to buying water in plastic bottles. Bottled water is the number one plastic pollutant. It takes 450 years for a single use plastic water bottle to break down. Styrofoam is even worse, it NEVER breaks down.
- Recycle old newspaper and “junk” mail.
- Get ice cream in a cone, not a plastic cup.
- Carry your own ceramic, stainless steel, or glass mugs to office for coffee. The paper cups you use still have a plastic lining inside and is just as bad.
- Buy more stainless steel or glass containers and store food in them rather than in plastic containers.
- Use beeswax wrap instead of cling wrap.
- Store food in compostable or reusable silicone “zip lock” baggies.
- Use compostable parchment or reusable mats to line your baking sheets.
- If ordering food through food delivery apps or takeout, insist on “no plastic containers,” and bring your own. Also request no plastic silverware, and use your own at home.
- Refuse condiments that come in those small single-use plastic pouches. Instead, invest in purchasing your own condiments and keep them in your cabinets for multiple uses.
How To Make
This is my method for making your own reusable grocery tote bag. You can follow along the instructions on this screen. Or to save this for later, then just download the instructions in this PDF file. It does involve sewing, but it’s a pretty easy process for beginners. And if you’re using the Oly-Fun fabric, it’s even easier as it doesn’t fray or need hemming like traditional fabric.
You can also use cotton canvas, upholstery fabric, or duck cloth. Those are all very sturdy fabrics that can withstand the heft of carrying groceries. I recommend purchasing multiple yards of fabric at one time. And then making many bags. If you usually purchase groceries for a whole family, buying in larger quantities is more economical and efficient. Just wait for your local fabric or craft store to have a sale on any of the fabrics mentioned above.
This a pretty close version to the type of reusable bags sold in stores. This pattern was created to be the same size and shape as store-bought bags. Except you can make our own in any color and size. You can even customize with your name embroidered or silk screened.
Here are the complete instructions. I’ve included photos for each step which I hope helps to explain things.
DIY Grocery Tote
Materials
- 1 yard fabric (Oly-Fun or any other, you should be able to get 2 bags from 1 yard)
- Coordinating color thread
- Sewing machine
- Scissors
- Tape measure
- Straight pins
Step 1 Cut Out Your Pieces
- Cut two pieces for the body of the bag that are 20″ wide by 18″ tall. Cut a 4″ square out of each bottom corner on both pieces.
- Cut two 4.5″ x 20″ pieces for the handles.
Step 2 Sew Side & Bottom Seams
- Pin the two body pieces together (Note: There is no right or wrong side to the Oly-Fun fabric, for other fabrics, pin right sides together).
- Using a 1/4″ seam allowance, sew both side seams and the bottom seam, leaving the corners open.
Step 3 Sew Bottom Corners
- Open up one of the corners and match the side seam and the bottom seam. Pin, and then sew the corner seam using a 1/4″ seam allowance.
- Repeat for the other corner of the bag.
Step 4 Sew the Handles
- For each handle piece, fold up 1/3 of the piece (1.5″) and then fold up again, lining up the fold with the top of the piece. Pin and then topstitch around all four sides of the handle piece. Repeat for other handle piece.
- Set aside.
Alternatively, if you do not want to sew handles, you can use two pieces of cotton webbing, cut to a 20″ length.
Step 5 Finish the Top
- Turn the top edge down 1″ and pin.
- Insert one end of a handle piece under the fold, 5″ from the side seam. Insert the other end of the handle piece 5″ from the other side seam.
- Repeat with the other handle piece on the other side of the bag.
- Sew around the top, 1/4″ from the “raw” edge that was turned down, sewing the handles in as you come across them.
- Next, turn the handles upward and pin.
- Sew around the top again, 1/8″ from the top edge of the bag, sewing across the handles as you go so that they are now secured pointing upwards.
Step 6 Turn Bag Right Side Out
At this point, you have a tote bag that’s all put together and you can stop here if you want— but, a few more finishing touches will give you a tote bag with more defined edges and structure that will help it stand up better and more closely resemble the store brand reusable bags.
You can stop here, or continue with the steps below for some finishing touches.
Step 7 Define the Edges
- To define the sides of the bag, you will keep the bag turned right side out, and will be sewing “ridges” on the outside of the bag.
- Find your vertical line up the side of the bag by measuring 4″ from the side seam. Then sew a 1/8″ topstitching seam on this line, which will go from a bottom corner point to the top of the bag. Do this for each of the four corner points.
- Define the bottom edges in the same way, using a 1/8″ topstitching seam, measuring 4″ from the bottom seam to find the lines to sew along.
- You can also define the short sides of the bottom too, by sewing a 1/8″ topstitching seam on the outside of the bag, over the corner seam that was sewn.
Step 8 Reinforce the Handles
- You can also reinforce the handles at the top of the bag by sewing an “X”
- Sew your “X” as shown below for each of the four handle areas.
One final optional step is that you can also create an insert for the bottom of your bag. To make is just a little sturdier, cut a piece of heavy-duty interfacing (like Pellon) to a size of 11″x7″. Lay it inside the bag on the bottom. And with those finishing touches, you’ve completed your homemade reusable grocery bag. The Oly-Fun fabric is water resistant, but can be cleaned with soap and water if needed. Other fabrics are machine washable.
For any size tote, you can simply refer to the dimensions in the image above and reduce or enlarge them as needs. This graphic is a pretty good rule of thumb for a generic fabric tote bag with handles. Feel free to leave any questions about this tutorial below. And if you do end up making your own tote, I’d love to see it. Take a pic, post it to your social media, and tag me.
If you want to educate yourself on this issue of plastic pollution, there are numerous credible sources. You can read the article published on Plastic World, titled “The Plastic Age.” The “Plastic pollution” entry on Wikipedia is a good starting point. Read about plastic bottles in an Healthy Human Life article titled, “Plastic Water Bottle Pollution: Where do all the Bottles End Up?” And this other PrintWand article published on April 4, 2018, titled ”Stop Polluting the Planet with Disposable Plastic Water Bottles”. You can also view and download this easy to read plastic pollution infographic below.
Source and photo credits:
https://sewguide.com/make-reusable-grocery-tote-bag-in-fabric/
The Make our Own Zone
https://www.themakeyourownzone.com/how-to-make-a-reusable-grocery-bag/
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https://www.pinterest.com/bevmyo/
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https://www.youtube.com/c/BeverlyLeestma