Shopping bag to sew yourself in 30 minutes - with floor / lining

• Material and preparation
• Sewing instructions: shopping bag

In Germany, every citizen consumes on average 70 plastic bags per year! Although we are below the European average, it is still not healthy, especially for nature. The plastic garbage harms the animals and plants. Therefore, today we have a nice and simple sewing instruction for you: we show you how to sew a shopping bag!

Learn here how you can quickly come to a nice and practical result. Even for beginners, this project is ideal, because you need only a few materials for the self-sewn shopping bag, which you probably have at home anyway. The shopping bag is also a real eye-catcher with the right fabric: the Arielle fabric of our exemplar makes the fabric bag a collector's item for Disney fans.

We wish you a lot of fun sewing, carrying or giving away!

Material and preparation

• sewing machine
• Iron
• material
• yarn
• scissors
• fabric marker
• ruler
• Pins / paperclips

The sewing machine

Every sewing machine is actually suitable for this project, because you only work with a simple straight stitch here. Of course, if you want, you can also incorporate decorative stitching, but these are not absolutely necessary. Our machine is a product of Silvercrest and costs about 100, - Euro.

The iron

Even with the iron, you can not go wrong. It just has to do what it should - iron. It is advisable to iron the fabrics to be processed, especially cotton fabrics and the like, before cutting, so the dimensions and blanks are more accurate.

The fabric

You can use any fabric for your bag. Leather, polyester, jeans, jersey, everything is possible. Of course, the fabric should be durable, because "in use" the bag must be able to withstand loads. For beginners, we recommend cotton, because this fabric is the easiest to process and the choice of colors and designs is almost limitless. We used a printed cotton fabric. These fabrics you get already for 5, - Euro per meter.

The scissors

Very important for all sewing: Use a pair of scissors, which you only use for cutting fabrics. Even cutting paper can blunt a scissors. It is also advisable to have a small sewing scissors in the Nähkörbchen. This makes it easier to cut off small threads and protruding fabric edges than with a large tailor's scissors.

The fabric marker

To mark the cuts on the fabric, we use a special fabric marker, which can be removed with a little water again. Alternatively, you can of course use a tailor's chalk or a soft pencil.

The pins and the paper clips

Pins should always have closer to each seam. In addition, we can recommend simple paper clips for certain steps. Especially when several layers of fabric must be held together, paper clips are ideal.

If you now have all the materials ready, you can work relaxed.

Tip: First read through our step-by-step guide completely. So you can go through everything once before and the steps appear more logical.

Now we start with the project shopping bag with ground, have fun!

Sewing instructions: shopping bag

1. We need a total of 8 blanks. The following measurements can be drawn directly on your fabric or you can prepare paper patterns. For the two sides of the bag you need a rectangle of 40 x 45 cm twice. Inside, an aperture will be incorporated later, measuring 15 x 45 cm . Also this part is needed 2 times. For the handles, cut 4 strips of 7 x 60 cm .

2. Place the two side panels right to the right, ie the two "beautiful" sides. Stick it all tight.

3. Now measure a square of 5 x 5 cm at each of the two lower corners and draw on them. Cut the squares through both layers of fabric.

4. Now it's time for the sewing machine. You can now sew the two long sides and the short bottom edge together. Important: do not forget to secure your seams. The so-called "locking" only a few stitches forward and then stitched back a few stitches. Then you can continue working the seam. Also at the end you should lock to prevent unwanted loosening of the seam.

5. Now let's take a look at the lower corners. Pull a corner apart on the side panels to reveal the hole. Pull on it until the gap closes again. This edge is then simply closed with a straight seam. Now do the same on the other side. Turn the bag.

6. Lay the bag aside and pick up 2 of the strips for the handles. Lay the two parts right to right on top of each other. Stick this tight. Sew the two long sides together.

Apply the whole thing. Proceed in the same way with the other two strips of fabric. Iron the edges smooth.

Then the long sides are quilted edged. Now the handles are ready.

7. Place the two parts facing each other right-to-right. Sew the pieces together on the short sides. Fold one of the long sides about 1 to 2 cm and iron it out smoothly.

8. Now all parts are put together. Stick the handles about 4 to 5 cm from the edge of the bag. The handles point down. Do this on both sides. Make sure that the handles do not twist. Sew now completely around the upper edge of the bag and fix it with the handles.

9. Slip the panel over the shopping bag with the left side out and the ironed edge down. Here you can best fix with paper clips. Of course you can also use pins. Make sure the seams on the pocket and panel are on top of each other. Sew around the bag one more time.

Important: the handles must point down.

10. Put the panel in the bag. Iron the top edge smooth again and stitch the edge one last time.

Your bag is now ready and ready for use. Have fun using it. That would certainly be a nice gift idea "> sewing pocket sewing