Easy Purse Shopping Bag

Alright, here's an easy option for those folks (like me) who are always forgetting their reusable shopping bags at home. These two bags are made from pretty inexpensive materials with minimal effort. The red one is made from a child's t-shirt (hanes irregular shirt picked up at a dollar store) - The sleeves have been removed and the neck cut down until it resembles a shopping bag. Hem the straps and sew the bottom together to make a bag. I also sew corner triangles inside like this purse, but smaller. You can use the sleeve to make your "stuff sack" and follow the directions below.

The pink one is even easier. It's made from a pink silk camisole (to you men, that's a tank top) that I bought at Goodwill for a couple bucks and the bag is made from a really inexpensive remnant of brocade. The trick with making a shopping bag from a tank top is to find one really cheap (or free) that has the same neckline as the back line (i.e., not a scoop neck). If you find one like this, it's the perfect shopping bag and no need to hem the straps.

Turn the "stuff sack" inside out and sew it into the inside seam of the bag facing the top. Now, when you turn the "stuff sack" rite side out you can stuff the shopping bag inside. You can close your "stuff sack" with a drawstring, or as I did with the purple brocade, you can use a simple snap button.

They make great gifts and they're good for the environment. Plus, you're not paying $5 for a brand name "Chico Bag," which uses the same concept. And, if you're into it, you can make it much prettier than a chico bag!