Reusable Shopping Bag Fun #1

I think I have a problem. It's name is Pinterest! Oh how I love it and hate it at the same time. I could spend hours (and o.k., I have!) perusing the boards, pinning my little heart out. Learning how to grow potatoes in landscaping fabric bags, make a fairy garden and whip up a cocktail dress from a reusable shopping bag! Alright, maybe not a cocktail dress (I'm not the cocktail type, more of a maple kefir or herbal tea type. No fancy duds required.), but many cute things! And, I have made some! I have seam ripped, cut and sewn 2 reusable shopping bags into some very cute and practical things. Some of them need to wait for their unveiling tomorrow, but for now I give you........

A purse set! Complete with wallet, change purse and another little pouch. This is from just one shopping bag. And I still have a panel of the bag left, which I'm going to use to make a Bible cover. Here is what the shopping bag looked like before:

This bag is just so beautiful, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it! After my Mom saw my first project, she brought this up to me. (And then proceeded to buy me 2 more shopping bags from T.J. Maxx! Gotta love your Mom!) I considered making a lunch bag/snack bag set for myself, but I already have a lunch bag. And this is just too pretty for occasional use. So, I made the purse set.

I used the seam ripper to take the binding and handles off of the bag because I planned on using them. You can just cut it apart, though if you want. The shopping bags are really easy to work with in terms of the fact that you don't need to hem for fear of fraying. Depending on what you are making, you don't need to hem. I chose to use the binding for a neater look, and I think it made it easier to sew. The only thing I would recommend is to use a needle designed for sewing heavy materials.

So, there you have it! My newest obsession, via Pinterest: making super cute things out of reusable shopping bags. And I'm just getting started!

Blessings,
Kelly