Eco/shopping bag instructions

I said a while back that I would put instructions here for the bag that I gave away on the One World One Heart tour.  Each time I write them, I get myself confused.  But here goes!

First the bag:

I made these for gifts and I wanted to use "eco friendly" as my theme.   I had this handy little shopping bag and it became my inspiration.

Here is it all folded out. 

So, I figured what is more eco friendly than using a bunch of fabric that I already have?  I looked through my stash and found this huge piece of fabric that I bought for a project that I never finished.  There was a LOT of it!

So, I just cut a couple of large pieces to get started.

The bottom was the fold, so I would only need to sew up the sides.

This fabric would look cool on either side.  I even ended up mixing the sides for variation.

On the top I just folded under, ironed it and sewed.  

I ended up folding under twice.  It looked better and seemed sturdier.

I sewed the sides up.  On the next few bags I ended up making french seams.  That made the bags pretty much reversible and sturdier.

So there is the basic bag.

I used the same fabric to make the straps.  You can make them any length you like.  I just made them the length of the fabric that was left over when I cut out the bag.

I made two strips about 2-3 inches wide.

Folded.

again

and ironed.

Then I sewed each strap.

 This is the outside pocket.  I just wanted something big enough to put a magazine or such in it.  

Some velcro to hold it closed.

This is where the inspiration piece came in handy.  There was a flap that made the bag stay rolled up small.

I sewed the soft side of the velco on the top of the outside pocket, and the sticky side on the inside of the flap.  That was so that the velcro on the outside of the bag would "catch" on everything.   Do the flap, but wait on the pocket so you can put it in just the right spot.

I sewed the flap on to the pocket before I sewed the pocket on to bag.  As I made more bags, I realized that the pocket should go on before I sewed up the sides....much easier. 

Then I sewed in the straps.  I folded the bag first to decide where I wanted the straps.

I made the little box with the x inside to make the handles sturdy.

This fabric frayed very easily.  I decided to make that a feature in my design and I pulled all the threads around the pocket and the flap. 

Getting ready to fold it up and decide where the pocket velcro would need to be.  

Fold each side in.

And then fold the entire bag twice, so it's in thirds.

With the flap out.

fold it up.

That's where your matching velcro needs to be.

Sew it on and you are done!

Here is another one with the wrong and right side of the fabric mixed up.   I like the way it turned out. 

They are really cute if you fold them up with the handles out.  

Hope that works for you.