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Story by
julieincharge,
katherineabell
Published on November 6, 2009 in Craftivism |
Photo by |
Stitch-by-stitch throughout the decades, the art and craft of quilting has long held a quiet power to gather communities together — whether it be through quilting bees, wartime efforts, painstakingly creating heirlooms and gifts, or resourcefully gathering together fabric scraps to mend a garment or create an object of comfort.
Katherine Bell's new book, Quilting for Peace, explores the the stories, social causes, and common threads of making the world a better place one thoughtful stitch at a time. She also includes a plethora of projects and inspiration for reclaiming peace and meaning in our world, using your own two hands and a few basic craft supplies. Below Katherine Bell has generously shared with us the 30 Minute Shopping Bag project from her book.
Purchase Quilting for Peace from Amazon or an independent bookseller.
Project: 30 Minute Shopping Bag
Use recycled fabric or leftover scraps from quilting projects to make this bag extra
eco-friendly. If you want to use small scraps of fabric, read the patchwork instructions at the end of the pattern. Double seams make the bag more durable for heavy groceries, giving it a longer life.
Finished Size:
Approximately 15 4/4" z 16 3/4"
What You'll Need:
- 3/4 yard of 44 inch wide quilting or home decorating weight cotton (preferably recycled)
- Knitting needle or chopstick
- Matching cotton thread
Sewing Instructions:
1. Cut two 18-inch x 20-inch pieces of fabric for the front and back of the shopping bag, and two 18-inch x 4-inch strips for the handles.
2. Fold and press a 1/2-inch hem on one long edge of one handle strip. Fold and press a 1-inch hem on 
the opposite long edge of this handle strip. Fold and press the side with the narrow hem so it overlaps the side with the wide hem by 1/2 inch (see Diagram A).
3. Edge-stitch the edge of the overlapped hem, and then topstitch 1/4 inch on either side of the first seam.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make the second handle.
5. Working with one of the 18-inch x 20-inch rectangles, fold and press to the wrong side a 1/2-inch hem on one short end. Fold and press this hem edge another 1 1/2 inches to the wrong side. Next position each end of one handle 4 1/2 inches from each side edge of the rectangle and tuck the handle ends under the double-folded hem, snugging them to the base of the hem (the handle will now face into the center of the rectangle), as shown in Diagram B. 
Pin the double-folded hem and handle ends in place, and edge-stitch as close to the edge of the hem as you can, taking out the pins as you come to them. Fold the handle up over the hem, and press it in place (see Diagram C).
6. Topstitch a box with an X inside it on each end of the handle, covering the bag’s hem (see Diagram D).
7. Repeat steps 2-6 with the second fabric rectangle and handle.
8. Place the bag’s two sides with wrong sides together and the edges aligned. Sew a 1/4-inch seam along both sides and the boom of the bag, backstitching at the beginning and end of the seam to secure it. Turn the bag wrong side out, using a knitting needle or chopstick to gently push the corners fully out. Press the bag’s edges, and, with a 1/2-inch seam, sew around the three closed sides, again backstitching at the beginning and end of your stitching. Trim any loose threads, turn the bag right side out, and press it again.
Patchwork variation:
Piece together strips or scraps of fabric, and trim your patchwork to create the two -inch x -inch rectangles. Then follow steps 1-8 above to make your shopping bag
Thank you to Katherine Bell and the good people at STC Craft for sharing this project with us. For more ideas on how to improve your world through quilting, check out the website, Quilting for Peace.
More Craftivism Posts | Quilts Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide
Come craft with author Katherine Bell at two upcoming events in Brooklyn, NY:
Saturday, November 14 (12-6 p.m.): DIY Design Day at 303 Grand. More details here.
Monday, November 16 (4-8pm): Bag-making Craft Night with Bags for the People at Etsy Labs
| Tags | bags and purses, Craftivism, Craft Night, eco, how-to, Katherine Bell, lifestyle, needlecraft, project, Quilting for Peace, Quilts, recycling, sewing, tutorial |
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102 comments Login to add your own!
elizabethwrenvintage
CarryTheWord
VixVintage
satellitedaisy
FluteTeacher
SusanFaye
What a beautiful concept! I totally believe that creative self-expression leads to a nurturing, loving spirit!!!
recycledwares
wow, what a cute bag to carry to the store. thanks for sharing your idea with us.
JeannineRobertsRoyce
This is an important idea. If we buy new cloth bags for shopping we're still consuming and creating more manufacturing. Making your own bag from scraps is brilliant and sustainable.
poppyswickedgarden
oooh this is awesome! I love Quilting (I know Poppy Quilting LOL)but I never have any time, I bet I could do this one though! Thank you:)
Funny my Captcha says I'm Tangy(how did they know)
hypothesis
girltuesdayjewelry
beezmiller
Great idea. I have been thinking of making my own shopping totes for some time now. Thanks for the motivation!
BeadinBabe
warmnfuzzies
Oh wow! I wish I could come to Brooklyn and craft one of these with everyone. How fun! Congrats on the book, Katherine! Thanks for the features too.
FoosieDesign
very inspiring!! not only are these shopping bags adorable but they cut down on waste, which is really what it's all about :) I'm whipping out my sewing machine as we speak!
HoneysuckleLane
Great selections and looks like a wonderful book!
Thanks for sharing! :)
LittleWhiteDresser
baconsquarefarm
Congrats to you katherine on the book, Quilting for Peace, great choices you two of the quilted items made by hand. Wish I could sew.
23rdstreetvintage
1AEON
paisleybaby
pinpinn
lainedesign
BizzieLizzie
Oh, love quilts of all shapes and sizes! sewmarie's quilt is exceptional! Great post!! Lovely choices!
BizzieLizzie
Oh, love quilts of all shapes and sizes! sewmarie's quilt is exceptional! Great post!! Lovely choices!
blueskyclouds
I love quilts. They are truly labors of love. I know, because I make them! I'm interested in getting this book. Thanks for the introduction to it!
jolinne
thebestvintage
FabricsAndQuilts
Great article & pattern! Thanks for featuring the fiber arts!
DalkullanJewelry
TheEnchantedSquare
wristielove
anticovalore
rosebudshome
love to quilt, it's been awhile.
thanks to your blog maybe I will start again.
rosebudshome
Love to Quilt, its been awhile, but thanks to your blog I want to start again.
oldworldprimitives
I am sending this article to my husband! He just got into quilting, and we love our reusable shopping bags.
paramountvintage
Leocardia
I love to quilt and I´m looking forward to my new project:
a new shopping tote
linkeldesigns
GgaBulShop
uncljohn
Great article, fun to read and close to home. Can't Quilt, love to see it. I deliver Quilts for Project Linus (Google for information) and just had a T-Shirt Quilt made to honor the memory of my father.
snollygosters
This book is on my Christmas List! Thanks for this fun project. Vivid selection of quilts too!
moonstr
QuietStorytellers
Thank you for letting us know about this book and the message it shares. The quilted art picks are also inspiring.
breadandroses2
Being an instrument of peace is sometimes best achieved by being peaceful/pieceful (sorry, couldn't resist). I've quilted since a wee one and it's an ever growing, dynamic art medium. Love it. Great post.
bylynnkrestel
carolinasquirrell
Quilting is such a peaceful, giving, loving activity, to which I have personally been addicted to for over 30 years. And when we can recycle and reuse quilts from the past, it's even better! If you have a chance, please check out my recycled selvage quilts and quilted items in my store. Waste not, want not!!
Quiltedhearts5
OttavaStudios
I love it when authors post projects! This one looks gerat and simple
DebiDesigns
MomNMiaQuilts
Great project - thanks for sharing! And those lovely quilts are nice to look at too!
EarthGirlKnits
I love quilts! While I lack the patience to make a large one of my own, I greatly admire the time that goes into sewing each and every stitch. These are absolutely beautiful.
AMIdesigns
sakizome
magpieknits
These quilts are wonderful. It makes you want to just curl up with one of these beautiful quilts with a cup of tea and a good book. Ahhhh!
BlackStar
We have some wonderful quilters on Etsy!
I've had the honor of going to a few quilting bees in TN; sitting around a quilting frame suspended from the ceiling and socializing with women of all ages.
PennyFabricArt
That will help me get rid of some of my bins of fabric scraps! Great idea.
solsticehome
quiltingcafe
LetsShall
Those are so nice I really have to try to make one. They are way better then the ones you can buy at the grocery store.
Carling
amamabear
There are typos in the finished size description...
Approximately 15 4/4" z 16 3/4" 4/4 = 1/2 and shouldn't the z be an x?
voleurdebijoux
thank you so much for these wonderful instructions!
love it...xxx
prendasbyenid
Quilties
Check out morsbags.org for a movement centered around these kind of bags.
seedknits
lovejill
OwlandMouse
crystalpeacestudio
Thanks for posting this, I'm going to pick some fabrics with my kids and share this story. Then we can make a few as holiday gifts so we can spread the peace. :)
licgifts
notionbyleandra
I love quilts! Such stories it tells. Thank you for sharing!
pikurnoze
blueturtlepatchworks
To me, quilts are the ultimate in useful art. I love the concept behind this book. Thanks for the recommendation.
busterandboo
Iammie
BaldiBearART
Note to self ...... pull out some left over fabric from HUGE pile and get sewing!!! This project looks great. Thanks for sharing
mgilinfo
gilstrapdesigns
I too have always wanted to learn how to quilt now that I've gotten laid off of my old 9-5 I expect that I will have time to learn and enjoy such things.
impromptudesigns
dementedsnowflake
amysfunkyfibers
Thanks for sharing the pattern. I haven't had my sewing machine out for a while, this might do it!
MurphysHouse
I would only make one change to the pattern. I would sew the sides of the bag first, so that the top hem covers the side seams. I also have wall quilt on display in my shop. It's a beautiful blue circle design.
sewhome
Looks like a great book and project!
Now I feel like doing some patchwork!!
retrofied
This bag tutorial is amazing!! Gonna have to get a group together to make some.
quiltitems4u
Thank You So Much for sharing your "30 Minute Shopping Bag" Project instructions. Fabulous Gift Idea for Family and Friends, and even for myself!!! Thank You for your time. Best Regards.
VeritysGardenStore
Inspirational stuff - I love the idea of using up all those little scraps of fabric to create something so functional and cool!
Constructivism
Lovely! How about an Etsy Finds about patterns & ebooks for sale on etsy?
FXZombie
Yay--30 minute reusable bag project after my own heart, fabulous!! All your work is lovely, thanks so much for sharing it with us.
KimsCraftyApple
pussman
mandysmix
I never would have thought of making bags out of quilts. I have thought about making a quilt out of my kids favorit t-shirts. Love the idea and I might have to try this.
TwistedThings
Thank you so much for this pattern. These will make great gifts for our environmentally conscience friends as well!
TwistedThings
Thank you so much for this pattern! These will make great gifts for our environmentally conscience friends as well.
bstrung
ArtfoolDesigns
CaptiveStudio
tomatored
designsbyv
nowonder
Lori411
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so great! I'll do this for sure!
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Whew - I've got work to do! Thanks!
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Will get to work on this right away! Thanks!
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can anyone suggest how i can start tagging for shipping ...
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This is exactly what I needed!!!!
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