I've been trying to do my green bit, but my supermarket 'bag for life' plastic bags are getting a bit holey. As my cucumber tried to escape earlier in the week, I thought 'must go an exchange this one for a new one' but something stopped me. Something fabric-y.
I've had this Japanese craft book (ISBN 4834724549) for a while and I love many of the bags in it. To have a look at the inside, check here.
But the combination of sewing inexperience and inability to actually read the instructions put me off. Until now.
It has this very cunning folding trick going on with the handles which forms a gusset, allowing you to stuff it with odd shaped produce.
I lined it with a heavy calico which gives it a pleasing 'stand up by yourself' quality. And I think I followed most of the instructions, apart from the double turned seam at the bottom. Because my poor little machine fought bravely through 16 layers of fabric, but there was no way it was going to conquer 32. It had to make do with a single seam and zig-zagged edge.
Now I just need a shopping trip to test-drive it...
24 comments:
Wow that's impressive - did you just follow the diagrams then?
It looks fab, can we see photos from the craft book too? I've never seen that one before, looks very interesting :)
Love the shape of the bag and the bold colour!
Love it! So into bags and using them instead of the supermarket plastic ones! In the middle of making one at the moment, pattern care of Tiny Happy Blog...Oh and I just love the fabric...Re Amy B - check out getknitted.com, have some of the fabrics and looks like the skirt pattern should be in very soon...
Love
Jane
x
LOVE THE BAG. It is fabulous - I have the same book and enjoy looking at the pictures but have never got my head together enough to try and work the patterns out.
Love the handles and shape!
My cucumber escaped from me last week when I was going to get the bus. By the time I traced my steps most of the way back to Sainsbury's to find it, it had had a nasty accident with about 8 cars and a double decker bus. Oops.
Impressive! I really am inspired lately to shop with cloth bags (thanks to the living plastic Free in 2007 blog: http://plasticfree.blogspot.com/ )
and would love to make some - not sure about figuring out the folding instructions in Japanese. English origami instructions have me in knots as it is! But you give me hope - thanks for the inspiration!
Love the bag Ali - aren't you going to tempt us with a peek inside the book and then we can all rush out to buy it!
I'm really impressed with the dovecote too.
BTW I did an extra long post on children's books or rather my obsession with them - thought you might be interested after that post you wrote a while back.
Simmy
ali - that is awsome! i love that bag.
Very useful and good looking, Ali!
I love it, it's so cute. Great for the environment too, I shall have to make a cute shopping bag now, I can't be seen carrying a holey plastic bag anymore either - it's just not attractive!
Victoria x
I've been trying to use fabric bags for shopping but could do with a few more. That looks a great shape for holding groceries.
excellent idea. i have a couple of cloth bags but they're boring and i often forget them. having a pretty one might just make it easier to remember!
that is wonderful!!
what a clever clog you are... (and it matches your crocs!!
Oh my goodness, that's really lovely! I bought one in a similar style from Lakeland a while back but it's not nearly as pretty as yours. I need to make some more - mine get used all the time so they're always full of stuff and not empty in my handbag where they need to be ...
OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH that is beautiful. Can I out in an order for model 2 please?
This is fabulous!! I love having non-plastic bags for my shopping and this is great!!
Oh that is a great bag. Much better than the Anya whats-her-face one.
I have managed to hold onto my cucumber but my celery did throw itself out of my trolley in Morrisons car park and then once again out of the car boot when i got home - both times I trod on it - i kid you not.
Great bag and excellent shape!
We have lots of enviro cloth bags including cold food ones for a couple of dollars at all our supermarkets but nothing as fancy as this - I love it! It's such a cool shape and gorgeous colour. Well done!
Lovely bag and in a great colour, looks just the right shape for shopping.
Oh.. that is so lovely... clever clogs! I am completely hopelessly addicted to Japanese Craft Books... Just looking at one is like having a 3 week holiday in the South of France.. hmmm perhaps that is exaggerating.. but anyway.. I am sure you know what I mean! What a lovely blog you have! xx pip
Hi Ali! Thanks so much for popping by & visiting! I sos, so ,sooooooo need a pattern for this shopping by, I just love it!!!! Fabulous job! Did u design it yourself, or follow the pattern??
~cheers~
Angie
Love this bag ....looks like another Japanese craft book for my list then. I'm a bit addicted to bags at the moment....particularly the pattern here www.morsbags.com (check out the "natter" page to find the forum where people have posted pics of the bags they've made http://www.morsbags.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=82)
...off to fold some fabric into cool shapes now...:-)
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