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Shopping Bag Instructions
On wrong side, find the middle of the bottom and stitch the canvas webbing across the
centre lengthways.
centre lengthways.
Sew down centre the length of
plastic canvas.
plastic canvas.
Pin the bag in position to the hooped stabilizer.
The first hole will not need the tacking stitch.
The first hole will not need the tacking stitch.
Send the oval design to the machine and embroider to the first stop
Remove the hoop - with bag attached - from the machine and cut the hole out as close to the stitching as possible without cutting the threads. I used a craft knife and the punch to do this.
Put the hoop and bag back on the machine and continue to embroider the hole. The satin stitches will mostly cover the raw edge depending on how good your eyesight is when you cut out the hole!
Put the hoop and bag back on the machine and continue to embroider the hole. The satin stitches will mostly cover the raw edge depending on how good your eyesight is when you cut out the hole!
This shows the completed hole. Still a few ‘whiskers’! I decided that these didn’t matter much. By the time these bags get used a few times - they will be a lot more worse for wear and I risked cutting stitches to get rid of them (that’s my excuse - and I’m sticking to it!) LOL
The next and subsequent holes.
Remove the bag from the hoop by removing the pins and cutting the stabilizer very carefully fairly close to the bag. This will leave the stabilizer still attached to the hoop - but with a jagged hole in it.
Remove the bag from the hoop by removing the pins and cutting the stabilizer very carefully fairly close to the bag. This will leave the stabilizer still attached to the hoop - but with a jagged hole in it.
Place a new piece of stabilizer over the hole. You need a piece about 8 x 6 cm (3 x 2.5 inches) when doubled. Sew this to the original stabilizer with the tacking stitch.
This is a very basic bag that I made because there is a need to eliminate plastic bags from the environment. The ready-made bags do not suit me - so I made my own.
The instructions for the bag are brief with not many pictures because (1) there are lots of instructions around and (2) I only decided to put them on my web site after I had made them!
The instructions for the bag are brief with not many pictures because (1) there are lots of instructions around and (2) I only decided to put them on my web site after I had made them!
You should be able to adapt the instructions for your own purpose
Materials - for each bag
Strong fabric - 1m x 50cm (40 x 20 inches)
Nylon webbing 2.5cm wide x 2.25m long (1 x 80 inches)
Piece of plastic canvas (for inside bottom - I found some sheets 34 x 27 cm (10.5 x 13.5 inches). I used one sheet for 2 bags.
Nylon webbing 2.5cm wide x 2.25m long (1 x 80 inches)
Piece of plastic canvas (for inside bottom - I found some sheets 34 x 27 cm (10.5 x 13.5 inches). I used one sheet for 2 bags.
Thread and sewing supplies
Cutaway stabilizer - for machine embroidery
Craft knife or similar
Hollow punch 6mm diameter (0.25inch) This is optional but makes a tidier hole
Embroidery machine if you want (or need) to make the holes to enable the bag to hang on supermarket frames. There could quite probably be some other way of making these. I tried to find some suitable grommets but they were either too small, too big, or too expensive!
Cutaway stabilizer - for machine embroidery
Craft knife or similar
Hollow punch 6mm diameter (0.25inch) This is optional but makes a tidier hole
Embroidery machine if you want (or need) to make the holes to enable the bag to hang on supermarket frames. There could quite probably be some other way of making these. I tried to find some suitable grommets but they were either too small, too big, or too expensive!
Basic bag instructions
Make hem approximately 4cm (1.5 inches) deep across both ends and sew only in the MIDDLE 30cm (12 inches) (Please note - the pictures show a 3.5cm hem which was not really deep enough)
I turned the hem over twice the full depth to make it as strong as possible.
Starting at where the center bottom of the bag will be - arrange the webbing to go up the bag, around to form a handle, down the other side, and up and over the other side to match, overlapping the ends at center bottom where you started. Sew it down along each side, reinforcing with extra stitching and large crosses at hem lines.
Make hem approximately 4cm (1.5 inches) deep across both ends and sew only in the MIDDLE 30cm (12 inches) (Please note - the pictures show a 3.5cm hem which was not really deep enough)
I turned the hem over twice the full depth to make it as strong as possible.
Starting at where the center bottom of the bag will be - arrange the webbing to go up the bag, around to form a handle, down the other side, and up and over the other side to match, overlapping the ends at center bottom where you started. Sew it down along each side, reinforcing with extra stitching and large crosses at hem lines.
Sew each side of the bag, up through each unfolded hem. Sew across the triangles formed at the bottom of the bag at each side.
Refold the unsewn hem at the sides and finish the hem.
Turn bag right side out.
Sew a topstitching line approximately 0.5cm (0.25 inch) from top edge of hem.
The basic bag is now finished.
If you want - or need holes -please continue.
Refold the unsewn hem at the sides and finish the hem.
Turn bag right side out.
Sew a topstitching line approximately 0.5cm (0.25 inch) from top edge of hem.
The basic bag is now finished.
If you want - or need holes -please continue.
Instructions for Machine Embroidered Holes
I did mine on my Bernina Artista using my smallest hoop. Please adapt for your own machine.
Download the design files. There are 2 - One is a tacking stitch file for tacking new pieces of stabilizer to the original piece. This enables minimum wastage. The other is the oval hole shape.
In case you are wondering, they are separate because it allows you to be able to position the bag more easily and less accurately in the hoop to allow for a bit of re-positioning.
I did mine on my Bernina Artista using my smallest hoop. Please adapt for your own machine.
Download the design files. There are 2 - One is a tacking stitch file for tacking new pieces of stabilizer to the original piece. This enables minimum wastage. The other is the oval hole shape.
In case you are wondering, they are separate because it allows you to be able to position the bag more easily and less accurately in the hoop to allow for a bit of re-positioning.
OK! Here we go!
Glue 2 layers of medium cutaway stabilizer together and hoop. I actually used a water- soluble glue stick and glued the fused layers to the bottom of my hoop in ‘sticky back’ fashion.
They managed to stay put extremely well through 16 holes in 4 bags! Mark each hole position with a cross about 30cm (12inches) apart and 2cm (0.75 inch) down from the top edge. These positions I got from my local supermarket bag holding frames. Yours may vary.
Glue 2 layers of medium cutaway stabilizer together and hoop. I actually used a water- soluble glue stick and glued the fused layers to the bottom of my hoop in ‘sticky back’ fashion.
They managed to stay put extremely well through 16 holes in 4 bags! Mark each hole position with a cross about 30cm (12inches) apart and 2cm (0.75 inch) down from the top edge. These positions I got from my local supermarket bag holding frames. Yours may vary.
Remove the hoop from the machine and proceed as above. When it comes time to remove the completed hole - just cut the tacking stitches to release it from the hoop and trim later.
Comments
I did this as a very utilitarian bag - designed for strength and longevity - not for its looks (It’s purely functional) This is why I used cutaway stabilizer under each hole. I realize that the stabilizer is not essential for all subsequent holes, but it does add to the strength.
I did this as a very utilitarian bag - designed for strength and longevity - not for its looks (It’s purely functional) This is why I used cutaway stabilizer under each hole. I realize that the stabilizer is not essential for all subsequent holes, but it does add to the strength.
I used fibreglass fly screen with poly cotton lining (sewn together) for my bags.
The thread I used was just a basic poly-cotton sewing thread with bobbin fill underneath.
I only had white cutaway so I used it. If you are in the same position - you could paint the remnants of it with a black permanent pen of some kind.
The water-soluble glue stick I used was Bostik brand and easily washes off the hoop (and fabrics) with water -even when dry.
The thread I used was just a basic poly-cotton sewing thread with bobbin fill underneath.
I only had white cutaway so I used it. If you are in the same position - you could paint the remnants of it with a black permanent pen of some kind.
The water-soluble glue stick I used was Bostik brand and easily washes off the hoop (and fabrics) with water -even when dry.
I hope some of you will find these instructions useful.
Please feel free to share with anyone else who can use them.
Please feel free to share with anyone else who can use them.
Copyright © 2001-2009 Trish's Machine Embroidery Designs. All rights reserved