Reusable Gift Bags

These are so easy - and so "green".

First, you need:

Two coordinating fabrics (fat quarters), Interfacing (I'm a huge fan of Craft Fuse for things like this - I buy it on the bolt when it's on sale at JoAnn's), thread that coordinates with the "focus" or "outside" fabric, and (optional) a button and hair tie.

Cut 2 straps, 2 x 18 from the focus/outside fabric. Iron the pieces in half length wise (1x18) then open and iron to the crease. Close, and topstitch to hold in place. You should have two straps, 1 x 18. Set aside.

Now, cut the remaining focus fabric into 2 squares (depends on how much you have left and how generous your fat quarter was). This one I started with two 8.75 inch squares (because my fabric was short). A good, standard sized bag is more 9.5 or so. Cut Craft Fuse the same size and iron on.

From the coordinating fabric, cut 2 rectangles adding 1 inch to the square you cut before. The one I did was 8.75 x 9.75. (See picture) Cut Craft Fuse the same size and iron on. You should have two handles and four pieces of fabric with ironed fusible.

With right sides together, sew the bag and lining front and back on three sides (the lining sew on both long and one short side. Create "bottoms' using whatever method you prefer: I mark and cut squares (for this one 1.75 from the stitching line on each corner). When you're finished, if you turn them right side out you'd have two bags like this, one an inch taller than the other.

To finish the bag, iron the front bag under about 1/4 inch. Leave right side out. Put the lining, wrong side out, inside the other. The top should stick out over an inch. Fold the lining down to match the unfinished edges, lining up side seams. Put the handles in, down as far as you want to get the handle length: I place them in 3 fingers from the edge... If you want a closure, pin the hair ribbon between the lining and outside in the middle back. Sew around the outside bag, about 1/8 inch from the edge, which will capture the handles and sew the bag together. Stitch a button to the front.

Mine turned out to be 8x6, with a 3.5 inch bottom. It's a cute size, but not as functional as a little larger.