Okay, what the heck happened to last week? Where did it go, and can I get it back? No? Sheesh, well let's move on, then.
During the last week of Kindergarten, Rebecca's teacher asked me if I'd make her some reusable shopping bags over the summer. So now, three weeks after the new school year, I figured I'd better get around to finishing them up! Here's my utterly underwhelming photograph... note to self: white walls, white door, white blinds and white bag does not equal a stellar picture.
I love the fabric, a sheet I found at the thrift store. I don't think I paid more than a couple of dollars for it, and after making 5 bags, there's still a heck of a lot left. I really didn't use any one particular tutorial for these, but looked at as many as I could and pieced together ideas from several. I folded the sheet in half, and took advantage of as many of the already hemmed edges as I could, especially the top edge. I used French seams, so there are no raw edges, and I boxed the bottoms. The finished bags are about 15" x 17" x 3".
I bought webbing for the handles (cost almost 10 times as much as the sheet!), and made darn sure they weren't ever going to go anywhere... those suckers are secure. They're about 6", long enough to put over your shoulder, but short enough so you can carry the bag in your hand without it dragging on the floor.
Lovely tree! :P
Posted by: Cris | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 01:20 AM
sure is a cute bag tree!
Posted by: upstatelisa | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 01:55 AM
Those looks, when they just know you're using them as a (cute) prop really crack me up!
And your parcel arrived! Many kisses for you - thanks!
Posted by: Ali | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 06:39 AM
Well, gee would you want to be a shopping bag model? LOL!
They're very nice.
Posted by: anina | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 07:33 AM
Those are gorgeous! :)
Posted by: Gina | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 07:41 AM
how incredibly lovely. and your daughter makes the best model of your crafts ever.
Posted by: Lan | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 08:11 AM
What cute bags, and a cute little bag tree, if I ever saw one! :)
Posted by: mushroommeadows | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 11:58 AM
they look great!
Posted by: Casey | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Great bags! I especially love the bag tree! So funny. My little guy doesn't like to smile at the camera either! It takes daddy acting like a monkey behind me to get him to smile.
Posted by: Regina | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Michelle, Jessie is so funny. What a face! So cute. Love the bags too. I did some of those when the girls were in co-op preschool. How many years ago? Probably around the time those sheets were made! LOL
Posted by: Liz | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 03:09 PM
So cute and functional and I love the old sheet idea!
Posted by: Andrea | Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 07:18 PM
Great looking bags! and the best bag tree around!
Posted by: bigbucketgirl | Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 01:28 AM
Must admit I laughed out loud when I saw Jessie's face in the first pic :-) She is certainly the cutest 'bag tree' I have ever seen :-) The bags turned out so good.
Posted by: Jhoanna | Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 03:50 PM
LOVE that fabric!
Posted by: Little Birdie Secrets | Friday, September 19, 2008 at 02:18 PM
I just love that grumpy photo! (I can't believe how long her hair is getting.) Your bags look great, too!
Posted by: Beth | Tuesday, September 23, 2008 at 08:58 AM
First of all, your girls are adorable as usual, Michele, and second, I used to have those sheets!!!!
Posted by: Lynne | Wednesday, September 24, 2008 at 08:12 AM
Linked you to my blog - niftythriftynmore(at)blogspot(dot)com
Thanks so much for the great, kid-friendly gift idea! I had those sheets too!
Posted by: Jessica Edgar Worley | Thursday, May 06, 2010 at 11:06 PM