Don’t want to waste money on buying shopping totes or fill the landfill with plastic bags? Even more amazing is that only one percent of plastic bags in the United States get recycled each year. If you’re interested in doing your part I’ve got the perfect solution for even the not so crafty!
Eco-friendly tote bags are easily made from old t-shirts. Amazingly enough these bags are durable, easily stored, and machine washable. If you have any old shirts lying around why not them to good use?
Step 1:
Collect the following supplies:
An old t-shirt
Scissors
Straight Pins
A pencil
A dinner plate
A sewing machine
Step 2:
Lay your t-shirt out on a flat surface. Smooth it out and align the seams. If you’d like you can iron it to get any extra wrinkles out.
Step 3:
Use the scissors to cut off both of the sleeves. Leave the seam in place, this allows for extra strength for the handles.
Step 4:
Position the dinner plate about 3/4th down the neck opening of the shirt. Using the pencil, trace the plate. This will be your cutting line to create the opening for your bag. Cut along the traced line with the scissors.
Step 5:
Turn the t-shirt inside out and align the bottom hem. Use straight pins to pin the hem closed.
Step 6:
Use the sewing machine to sew the hem closed. Follow the hemline that is already on the t-shirt. Reinforce the hem by using a double stitch or sewing it over twice.
Step 7:
Turn the bag inside out. BAM! You just made your own super eco-friendly tote.
