Reusable Snack Bag Tutorial

So with 2 fat quarters and a bit of time you can make 6 small reusable snack bags!  I wouldn't recommend this size for a male user, I'd make them a bit wider, but for kids and even women it's perfect.

Materials:

2 fat quarters
thread
ruler
scissors/ rotary cutter
chalk (or something to mark with)
velcro - just the normal cheap kind is plenty
** lightweight fuseable interfacing (optional)

Directions:

1)  Square up your fat quarters, place them on top of each other wrong sides together and straighten the edges.

2)  Cut the longer sides of your fabric in half.  This will be the 22'ish inch side and this will make each new rectangle about 10-11 inches long.  If you laid the fabric so that the longer sides were perpendicular to you then you would cut up the middle (again perpendicular). 

3)  Next you will divide the shorter side (18 inch) into thirds and cut.  The cuts will be about 5.5-6 inches apart.  I thought I took a picture of the cut fabric but it seems to have vanished...sorry!
Your resulting rectangles will be about 6" by 11" (or close, mine were 10.5 by 5.5) and you will have 6 of them.

4)  Now you will sew around each of the rectangles, right sides together.  Be sure to leave an opening to turn them, you only need about 2 inches or so.

5)  This step is completely optional but I wanted to add some interfacing to give it some stability where you will be opening it.  I happened to have some leftover anyway.  I did this 2 different ways since I started to run out and both work just fine.  I cut the interfacing to the dimensions inside the seam.  I didn't want to add any bulk to the edges when I turned it.

The first 3 had an entire side of interfacing:

The second 3 only had interfacing along the top and bottom (the short sides).

Like I said they both worked fine and again this step is optional since they would work without it too.  I thought they may hold up better with more stability.

6)  Clip your corners and turn the fabrics right side out.  Use something with a point to get your corners, my go to is a knitting needle!  Now turn under the edges at your opening and press your seams.

7)  Take all your pressed pieces and some chalk and mark a line down 1/4 inch.  This will be the where your velcro will go.  You do not want your velcro all the way at the top edge or it will be very difficult to open!

Take your velcro, line it up with the line and sew down the two long sides.  I cut my velcro a hair shorter than the fabric so you couldn't see it once it was finished.

Do that to both ends of the fabric.

8)  All that's left to do is fold the fabric in half, lining up the velcro, to make a pouch.  Topstitch down each side and voila!

*Now one thing I did realize was that since I left my opening at the top I had to topstitch along the top, above the velcro, to secure the opening.  You may need to do that too or you could simply leave your opening on one of the long sides and it would be stitched closed on the last step when you actually sew your pouch.*

These open just like a Ziplock baggie and they come open very easily since you have a bit of fabric at the top to grab on to.  Perfect for all the dry snacks your little ones love!  When they get nasty simply throw them in the wash.  Obviously I wouldn't put anything wet into them but things like carrot sticks should be fine too.

Reusable Produce Bags

So I have been using reusable grocery bags for a while now and lately have gotten very good about remembering to use them!  Despite this fact I would just use the plastic produce bags without thinking twice.  That is until I saw Alexis' post here about how she made some reusable produce bags.

I guess it have never occurred to me that reusable ones existed.  I probably just never put the two points together, whatever the reason I had a bit of an "aha" moment.  All of a sudden I had to have them!  She was nice enough to send me a set and I instantly fell in love.  Big thanks to Alexis for sending me a pair and for showing us all how easy they are to make!

I recently went to JoAnnes and bought some purple and blue netting to make myself some more since 2 don't always cut it.  Finally last week I sewed them and today I make the drawstring. 

I know have 4 blue ones to add to the 2 I already was using.  Want to make some of your own?  Head over to Full of Knit to get the simple instructions!

I Finally Made Something

My son started school this year and I have decided to do "garbage free" lunches (actually mid-morning meal).  My goal is to keep it about 80% garbage free and more is bonus!  I know the occasional juice box or applesauce container is inevitably going to end up in there at times but as I whole this is what I'm doing.

I saw a Lunchopolis system at Whole Foods and decided to get one since it was heavily discounted.  I loved the different sized containers and even more loved that it included a drink bottle.  All of these are designed to fit into the lunch box so I thought it would work for day trips, outings, etc.  Turns out it's been working perfect in my son's lunchbox, I just use a couple of the boxes and the drink bottle and it's great!

Anyway, I decided to make some fabric napkins to use in his snack to keep with the theme.  He usually doesn't even use one but I always put one in there.  I think over the next couple of months I want to make a stock of fabric napkins for the house too!

He decided on this bright orange flame fabric I got for $1.50 a yard once upon a time.  It's perfect and a yard made 5 napkins and 2 snack bags.  I made these napkins a little smaller since he's smaller.  They are super easy to make!

All I did was iron the fabric (leaving it folded in half) and then cut it into 12 inch strips.  I then cut off the selvage edge and the fold and cut each strip in half which turned out to be about 11 inches.  Simply put right sides together, sew around being sure to leave an opening to flip it, clip the corners, turn it right side out, push out corners, iron flat, and top stitch all the way around.

As a cool finishing touch I found a clip art flame and cut it out.  I traced it on the napkin with chalk and then sewed the line.  It was in yellow so it's visible but not outright obvious.  If you look close below you can see it.

I LOVE the way these turned out and so does he!!  I kinda have napkin making fever now since they are so darn easy and so darn cute!  I can be stylish and save the planet all at the same time.