One of the main reasons why it is so handy to carry a grocery bag with you is that it’s so tiny and easy to pack in your main, everyday bag.
However, plastic and fabric bags (especially if you carry more than one) can become very annoying if they start unraveling in your bag, eating up too much room. You begin losing other smaller items that entangle inside the grocery bag, so at some point, you get so annoyed that you stop carrying your bag with you.
The same thing can happen if you have a dedicated space in your home where you only keep the grocery bags. You may fold them nicely each time, but it will be challenging to keep everything in order after some time.
But what if I told you that it doesn’t have to be like that?
Enter: grocery bag holders.
A small, seemingly insignificant item that can completely change how you feel about your grocery bags.
Lucky for you, this is a simple, relaxing sewing project you can conduct all by yourself, relying solely on this simple tutorial.
What Do I Need to Make a Grocery Bag Holder?
This sewing project doesn’t require much from you. You can use larger pieces of scrap fabric or purchase a new piece of cloth if you have any preferences. Size-wise, I recommend a 20” * 22” fabric piece.
There are many options for the fabric. You can use cotton, spandex, polyester, or virtually any kind of leftover fabric you like.
Next, you’ll need a small piece of ¼ of an inch wide elastic. It can be as little as ⅛ of an inch long. You’ll also need a bit of ribbon or twill of the same length.
Along with these materials, count in the regulars: pins, needles, matching-color thread, a sewing machine, measuring tape, and an iron.
If you are missing any of these items, click on the clickable links I’ve added and check out my suggestions for the best online purchase of these products.
How to Make a Grocery Bag Holder
Finally, here we are. Let’s go step by step through the process of making a grocery bag holder. Prepare your tools and materials, put them in an easy-to-reach place, and carefully follow my tutorial. This is one of the easiest sewing projects you can find, so in case you are a beginner, I am sure you’ll have a lot of fun!
Step 1: Make a Casing for the Elastic
Turn the iron on. Take a piece of fabric and fold it by the shorter end (I know, it’s just 2 inches difference between them, but use a measuring tape to determine which one is shorter in case you can’t see it).
When folding, make the first fold over ½ of an inch and then make another fold also ½ of an inch. Take the iron and press the fold.
Now, take your sewing machine or hand sew along the fold with a ½ of an inch seam allowance. Leave enough room to fit the elastic in later.
When you’re done, you got your casing for the elastic done.
Step 2: Case in the Elastic
Now, you’ll need a safety pin to attach one end of the elastic so that you can begin to thread the elastic through one of the two casings you just made in the previous step. When you get barely close to the open end, sew it, so it stays in place.
Step 3: Pull the Elastic to the Other End
The next step is to use a safety pin as a kind of a gripper and pull the piece of elastic all the way to the other end. Sew in place there too.
Step 4: Finish the Holder
Now, you need to fold your holder over the longer side. Keep the right sides together.
Use a ½ of an inch seam allowance to attach the undone edges together. If you have a serger, use it to finish the edge of the seam. If not, you can also use some pinking shears.
Basically, that’s it. You got your grocery bag holder!
You can fill it up with smaller plastic bags and attach it in the storage area or kitchen, or you can place it in your bag. It should also be able to fit at least one nicely folded fabric grocery bag, so it doesn’t unravel in your purse or backpack.
Final Word
If you are a beginner at sewing, I hope you found this tutorial helpful and enjoyable. A grocery bag holder is one of the most straightforward sewing projects you can use to practice your sewing skills and have some DIY fun.
A grocery bag holder is super-practical for your household, but you can also use it as a gift for someone, as one can never have too many of these.
I personally love having these in abundance, as I keep one in the kitchen, one in my storage room, one in my bag, and one in the garage. You simply never know when you will need a grocery bag to grab or bag for any kind of purpose.
I also strongly recommend picking a fun-patterned piece of fabric so that the holder is always visible and easy to spot, in case you need a bag quickly.
For more sewing projects, feel free to explore my website. You will find many tutorials there, like how to make a throw blanket, make a dice bag, or make a cross-stitch pattern in Excel.
Easy sewing projects are a great way to make something useful for yourself or someone else, use scrap fabric (instead of throwing it away), and practice your sewing skills.
