Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Reusable produce bags

I was up late watching the Olympics so around 12:30 am, I decided to make myself a few reusable produce bags out of some shiny nylon netting that I picked up at Wal-Mart this afternoon while school supply shopping for Chris. Don't ask how I managed to wind up in the craft department while doing school shopping but it was all planned, believe me. Anywho, I just picked up some CFL light bulbs prior to arriving in the craft department and they caught the eye of one of the ladies who works there. We started talking about how much energy we're saving by replacing our old bulbs, which led to how we're both using cloth shopping bags, to how ridiculous I feel using said cloth shopping bags only to fill them with plastic produce bags, to how she divorced her second husband only to discover that she's a lesbian at age 60, to how she's getting married in a Pagan ceremony, all in the course of about 10 minutes. I was all into that conversation when we were rudely interrupted by someone who actually needed her assistance. I told her I'd catch her later and went on to look at fabric. She actually caught up to me first to let me know that she saw some nylon netting in the remnant bin so that I can make some of those produce bags we were discussing previously. Shortly thereafter, her partner stopped by, I introduced myself and took my leave. See? I managed to get the story back to those produce bags! Aren't you so proud? I got 2 yards of netting for $1.43 and I've made 4 bags so far. Allowing for different sized bags, I figure that I can get 6 more done with what I have left. Here are the ones I've made so far. What did I learn from this project? Use a zigzag stitch on the top hem while slightly stretching the fabric to keep the stretchability factor in the top of the bag. I chose not to include a drawstring like some others that I've seen because I don't think I always need one and because I like to get the twist ties from the store, which I reuse for different things at home.

Now I don't have to feel half-assed when I'm doing my grocery shopping!

1 comment:

mama k said...

I have been really wanting to make some of these too. I've seen tutorials where they use old sheer curtains from the thrift store. I use as few produce bags as I can and then reuse them later for storage, but I think I'm going to put this on my to-dos. :)