A produce bag is a simple way to cut down on plastic use at the grocery store. I keep a few in my cloth grocery totes for grocery trips. After seeing some on sale at the grocery store and online, I decided it would be cheaper and more sustainable to make my own.
There are a number of fabrics that can be used for produce bags, but I tend to favor the mesh style. I like being able to see what is inside without opening it up. At first, I started with a laundry bag and some scrap fabric, but then I found some mesh curtains at the thrift store that also work well. Next time I make these, I think I’ll try lace curtains from the thrift store.
For today’s project, I will be using a flour sack towel. I bought this one new a the Dollar tree and it made two good sized produce bags (ideal for corn), but could likely make 4 smaller sizes.
The first thing I did was iron the entire towel, fold it in quarters and ironed it again. I trimmed three sides, leaving the fold on the long edge in place.
In order to attach the drawstring, I used a 3″ strip from another fabric to attach to the top of the bag. Luckily, I was able to find a sturdy tablecloth for 50% off at the local thrift store. This strip was measured to the same width as the bag and ironed in half.
Fold in the ends of the strips so they are 1/4″ shorter than the bag and iron well. Pin in place and sew along the raw edge of the fabric.
Use an iron to press the seam between the bag and the drawstring strip (casing).
Fold the bag in half and sew the open side and bottom. Take care to not sew over the drawstring casing.
Cut a cord slightly longer than the bag is wide, and thread the cording through the casing.
If you have access to some hardware, it can be attached to the drawstring. These are easy to come by on old equipment and fleece jackets.
The Home Ec Lady 