Make a bird seed bag grocery tote!
By stepheeI am looking everywhere for reusable materials these days, and I found my husband throwing away this giant bird seed bag, which was about to be used as a trash bag. Unfortunately (and fortunately), I made it into a tote bag so fast that I forgot to take a before picture. This took about an hour total, and that's with a break and a bobbin-winding. This is an easy project!
The material's a bit hard to work with - a kind of woven plastic, so I used my heavy duty needle in my sewing machine. I am certain it would bend a regular needle (beware, a bent or broken needle can kill your machine!).
Basically I cut the bottom off, then I cut about a 3-4" strip off the top and bottom (to keep the image somewhat centered) to use as the straps. I folded the strap material in on itself and stitched them first (as you can see, I did not hide my stitches!). Then I sewed the bottom straight. I also put a zig-zag stitch below the bottom seam to protect against fraying.
I've been skulking around several tote bag tutorials, but this one made the most sense to me in how to construct the box-bottom effect, seen here, from the inside. Basically you stitch perpendicular to the bottom seam, across the corners. It works like a charm, but the only problem is deciding where to draw the line. Where you sew that perpendicular bit determines how thick and deep your bag will be.
After I got the bottom together I hemmed around the top (you might want to do that bit first, because it will turn more freely in the machine without the bottom closed!), and then attached the handles. I plan to use this for groceries, so I want the handles to be sturdy, so I reinforced the stitching like this:
This was a quick and dirty, minimal measuring, sloppy first try. But really, it's not bad, and it will definitely do the job. It will easily carry a couple of large organic juice bottles and a couple of boxes of cereal (see the test run below). Of course I had to carry these around the house to test the bag! They did not fall out the bottom! Yay!
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Anonymous
Stephee,
My bag was the same size. I made the bottom much wider, so much so, I can lay a piece of 8.5x11 inch paper in the bottom. That took up a lot of the height of the seed bag is. It's nice because I can lay library books in it and the fit all laying down. I made a cardboard piece to fit the bottom for stability. Thanks so much for getting me started. ~Carla
stephee
Bravo Carla! That is great! I am so glad to see that I have started something! :) Your tote bag looks great! What will you use it for? I notice it looks a little smaller than mine, so maybe you started with a smaller sack?
Carla
Sorry, here's the link: http://gallery.me.com/alicialemar#100096/100_4350&bgcolor=black
Carla
Finally, I have handles on the bag. This blue bag (brand Morning Song) my son from Purdue University brought home for me from their Wal-Mart. The black bag from Stephanie was my first bag and I made fairly big, so I didn't have enough left for handles so I'm going to buy web strapping from Wal-Mart and add them this week.
I think people in my backyard birding club are going to love these. Every month at the club meeting my job is to give 'penny-pinching tips' I think this will be a hit. The link to the picture is included!
Carla
My bags are done except for attaching the handles. I've been so busy canning Salsa and trying to stay ahead of my garden. My son gave me a seed bag he had and I made one out of it too. Pictures later.
~Carla
Ann
That's awesome! I'm gonna make one today, for my sister and I. Thank You!
Anonymous
Dorothy you can find similar items at a local farm supply store. I even found Pedigree dog food in this type of material!
stephee
Dorothy - my husband gets them at Superpets - they are just big giant bird seed bags. He empties them gradually into the bird feeder and then gives me the bag. A friend also gave me some beer grain bags (from a local homebrew supply store) as well, which would even do better for this project because the material is more flexible.
Dorothy
could you mention where to get these kind of birdseed bags? I am 70 yrs old and would love to make one.
stephee
No idea what kind of thread - whatever was in teh machine. Probably not the best quality.
Carla - hope to get a couple bags in the mail to you this weekend if all goes well.
Anonymous
What kind of thread did you use?
steph
sure Carla - I may have one in my sewing closet actually. Email me at steph (underscore) lamphere (at) yahoo (dot ) com and I will send you one, if I have one or certainly try to remember the next time I have another. Also have beer grain bags and rice bags of similar woven fabric (though much softer).
Carla
Stephee~
What part of the country do you live in? Our seed bags are no way like this. Could I get you to mail me one of you next empty bird seed bags before your husband throw it away. It's odd, but my nature loving college daughter is saving all kinds of sunflower seed bags that I get to put up in her room as posters! I live in Indiana. All I ever get when I buy seed is paper bags.
~Carla
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