Sunday, January 31, 2016

Sewing with Joann's Shopping Bag Fabric

Finally getting around to using this fabric purchased long, long ago.  As I said a few posts back, this is the same as the fabric that is now being called Oly Fun.  Here's my first reusable grocery bag from Joann's shopping bag fabric.
Straps are too long.  Will have to fix that.

I'm pretty sure my grocery bags are gonna be prettier than yours---and yes, I am bragging.  I used a ready-made shopping bag for  measurements.  That worked well except that I picked up the wrong bag to measure for handles.  These are a bit too long.

You have to press the bag to get sharp, easy-to-fold corners.  (Not too hot!  Fortunately it peeled off my ironing board and pressing cloth easily when experimenting last week.) Without pressing, it balloons out when open and doesn't fold well.

My bag before pressing--the pretty one--next to the ready made used as a pattern.

Once pressed, it is easy to fold back up for storage and seems to hold the creases well.

Nicely pressed and folded.
 I serged the seams although the fabric doesn't unravel. I think I'm still trying to justify my serger's existence for something other than sewing up the edges for fabric for prewashing.

Yes, those are nicely serged seams!

I like this stuff.  I know it will wear faster than other fabrics, but other fabrics don't stand up for easy filling at the grocery store like this does.  It cuts easily, sews easily, and is only $2.99 full price for a yard of 60 inch wide fabric. Then there are always those Joann's coupons for 40 or 50% off.  Can't beat that unless you have a mismatched set of bags with all kinds of company logos on the front--which is what I am presently using.  Looking forward to finishing a few more of these.

3 comments:

  1. That's a great bag - it's so pretty! The serged seam finish looks really nice, and I'm sure it gives the bag added strength. Potatoes are heavy! Mine bags are crap, lol. Hubby won't use any of the nice ones I've collected - oh no - we have to keep the boring black Canadian Tire bags (along with the 3 cooler bags) in one spot, and they're the ones we take into the grocery store. My collection of random and ugly and pretty bags - NOT from Canadian Tire- are in another bag which he doesn't want in the car, but which I keep tossing in, lol!

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  2. Oh, SO much prettier than my plain green bags with 'Coles' lettering and logos. I also have some nylon bags which fold up really small, but unlike yours, they don't stand up by themselves.

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