Grocery Bag Holder

For those that don't know, I ended up getting a new sewing machine last year. My Brother machine broke, and sadly I haven't been able to look into getting it fixed. The machine I use now is a Singer Heavy Duty, which has been a nice machine to work with so far. Hopefully I don't have to replace this one for a while.

If you're like me and have small trash cans (in bathrooms and such), then you probably use old grocery bags as liners. Grocery bags can also be used as cushioning for breakable items or even as a lunch bag! I've been storing my old grocery bags in a larger plastic bag for a while now. The bag is bulky, torn up from the cat messing with it, and just doesn't look the best. This grocery bag holder was an ideal solution, and took me less than 1 hour to make!

Materials:

• 9.5 inch by 23 inch piece of fabric

• Something for the handle, about 7 inches long (I used bias tape, but any type of cord would do. You could use fabric to make your own bias tape)

• About 6 inches of thin elastic

• Basic sewing supplies (scissors, thread, etc.)

Instructions:

Use a 1/2 inch seam allowance for the entire project (besides the hem). Fold your fabric in half (hotdog style, with the wrong side of the fabric facing out). Sew up the side of your fabric to form a tube.

Fold up the edge on one of the tube openings. Sew a hem, but leave a hole at the end, do not finish yet. Thread your elastic through the opening until you reach the other side. Sew the elastic ends together, make the opening as loose or as tight as you want it. Finish sewing the opening once elastic has been secured.

On the other end of the tube, fold the edge and finish the hem. Take your bias tape or whatever material you want for your handle and finish any raw edges. Sew handle ends to the top of the bag holder. Make sure it is turned right-side out. Fill with old grocery bags and hang where you wish.