Holiday Wrapping and the Green Bag Lady Giveaway

If you read my blog last year you might remember my post on the Green Grocery Bag Challenge. Our guild got really behind the idea of using fabric to wrap presents instead of the loads of wrapping paper we usually use. I wanted to keep it going this year so I've teamed up with Teresa from Green Bag Lady to give away three of her handy grocery bags and three of my holiday bags!
 If you haven't heard about Green Bag Lady she has already given away 18,000!! fabric grocery bags to help us all cut back on those plastic ones that just end up in oceans or landfills. There are so many free bag tutorials on Green Bag Lady and other websites you have tons to choose from Here's my version of a quick and easy bag tutorial with a boxed bottom you can adapt as you need to. Scale it up or down once you make a few it's a piece of cake.


For this larger size bag I started by cutting two 14" by 18" pieces of fabric. The smaller bag was cut 10" by 15". For my bags I added button holes around the top to thread your ribbon through. For this detail I measured 4" from the top and marked the bag in three evenly spaced spots on the front and two on the back. I made my button holes about 1" in length. Having 5 button holes helps to make a nice tight tie so no present peeking for the kids. Next pin your fabrics right sides together and sew the sides and bottom with a 1/4" seam.

To box the bottom of the bag. With the right sides together still I turn the bag so the seam is on top and flatten the corner so you have a point. Smooth this out and measure the desired distance from the corner point. For this I decided to make it 2" if you want a wider bottom increase to 3 inches. If you are making a smaller bag decrease the measurement to 1" or 1 1/2".Draw a line across pin and sew. Repeat on the other corner. Now just trim off the excess fabric and you have a boxed bottom.

This photo is from the other bag so I measured 1 1/2" from the point.

For finishing fold down the top of the bag 1/4" iron fold down another 1/4" iron and sew all the way around to make a nice hem. 


Now for the giveaway! I will use Ms random generator and pick 3 winners to receive one ready to use gift bag made by me and the fabric ready for you to make one and one green grocery bag from Teresa. To enter leave a comment telling me what you want for the Holidays this year. I will pick a winner Friday morning on the 9th. If you are a no reply blogger please put your email in this form (jane at gmail dot com) in your comment so I can contact you if you are the winner.
  
Happy Holidays!
Pétra