5 cents for a plastic grocery bag? Any easy patterns recommended?
 

My DS lives in the PNW and is charged 5 cents for each plastic grocery bag every time he shops! Does anyone know of a bag pattern that is quick and easy, but would be good for groceries? He eats a lot of fresh produce (dunno if they charge for those bags, yet). I'm thinking the bags should be able to be reversed, so they could be used more than once before washing. I know the pollution arguments for not using plastic, but now he'll be using water, detergent, and energy to wash these bags. Sometimes what seems to make sense...doesn't.

Where we live, our local grocery store sells sturdier bags for ~$1. They're re-usable and never need to be washed. They're made out of stronger material that can hold a lot more groceries. If you send me a pm with his address, I'd gladly send him a few. They come in fruit pics and beautiful colors. Some were sold temporarily in halloween pumpkin designs!

I think I would buy one of the bags that the grocery store (or Wally World) sells. Take it apart and use it for a pattern.
I must have 30 bags that I have collected over the years in my trunk.

Lynn

Here's a link with several patterns:

http://tipnut.com/35-reusable-grocer...free-patterns/

They are cheap in the store usually only $1. Trader Joes sells the best ones. If he keeps one special for meat he shouldn't have to wash them often at all. Some of them are made of waterproof material and can be washed in the sink. If you want to make them, I would suggest oilcloth.

There is one on craftster that is the same shape as the plastic bags. It makes a good sized bag.

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=177482.0

I made grocery bags from old jeans. The bigger the waist size the better around 44"- 48" makes a good size and men's have bigger pockets. They are washable and sturdy. I carry 2 gallons of milk in one all the time, I made mine about 5 years ago. Take the jeans and cut straight across a little above the crotch, I sew the zipper and waist closed. Then turn them inside out and sew the curve of the front seam straight and you can trim the bulk out. Then sew the bottom shut, I sewed the seam twice, then zz with a narrow tight stitch then went back over with a wide zz stitch. Lay one of the legs out straight and trim off the seams, fold in half and half again, the front and back make 2 handles. Sew the handles to the bag, I did a square and then an x to make them sturdy. If you want longer handles belts from a thrift store work well.

For me, paying the .5 is cheaper then washing all the bags and less hassle. Re used shopping bags have to be washed or sprayed after every use so the bacteria won't build up from various food packages/produce. A research showed reused shopping bags are full of bacteria after a few uses without cleaning.

no big deal. they just go in the wash with the kitchen towels

We are not charged for the plastic grocery bags here. I re-use them to 'scoop the poop' in our cat's scoopable litter box. I do have some bags I use when I go to ALDI for groceries as they charge for their bags. I keep a couple in each vehicle. They were given out free at something or other that we attended.