Sunday, February 5, 2012

Reusable Snack Bags

Are you one of those people who never follows the recipe, but substitutes and doesn't measure and adjusts here and there according to their own preferences? Well, I'm not. I follow the recipe to a T, at least the first time I cook a meal.

But when it comes to sewing? I rarely follow a tutorial or pattern exactly. I tend to take the main idea and turn it into what I want it to be, making edits where I think they are necessary. Just like I did in the preceding projects and just like I did for this one (and a couple more that I've got in the works for posts!).

This one is very "green." Since having Jonah, I've tried to be a little greener when I can. I haven't gone overboard by any means, I mean I do serve him formula and use disposable diapers. But when I can can, I make. Like the burp cloths, receiving blankets, paci clips, and now snack bags.

I found the idea on Pinterest and used a cotton outer bag and PUL to line the interior of the bag, PUL is waterproof. I'm sealing the bags still with Velcro so the bag itself won't be waterproof, but I could put grapes or the like in it and it won't seep like regular cotton could.

PUL (Polyurethane Laminate) is a soft, polyester knit fabric laminated with waterproof polyurethane on the back. It is popular and effective for cloth diapers, washable menstrual pads, nursing pads, bed wetting pads and pants, training pants, mattress covers, and more.

I used 100% cotton fat quarters that I bought from Lola Pink Fabrics, an Ann Kelle collection called Zoologie.

1 .Prewash Fabric
2. Cut out 4 pieces per bag. Seam allowance is 1/4". If you want your liner fabric to be different like mine, you will need 2 pieces of fabric for the outside and 2 pieces for the inside. I cut my pieces to 6"x7" (seam allowance included, finished bags are 5.5"x6.5")
3. Cut a strip of Velcro to 5.5" long.

Now, iron your fabric and measure where you want to make your cuts. Cut fabric, and iron again.

Place either the loop piece or the hook piece of your Velcro 1/2" from the top of your fabric, and pin it onto the right side of your fabric. I measured down 1.5 inches from the top and used a disappearing ink pen to mark it, then basted the Velcro on using my basting glue stick.

Stitch Velcro onto fabric. I stitched 3 rows to secure it tightly.

Place the liner right side up on your work surface. Velcro is at the top. Place your fabrics right sides together lining up all the edges. Pin into place. Sew a quarter inch from the top. Then press seam open. If you use the PUL fabric, make sure to only iron on the colored side. I used my cotton setting and it pressed wonderfully, but if you press on the "plastic" side, it will melt to your iron.

Repeat steps for other side of bag.

Now to sew the bag together. Take your Velcro and stick them together. Make sure they even. Pin the liner pieces together and then the outer pieces.


Sew around the outside of the "box" leaving a 2" gap at the bottom edge of the outer cotton pieces, as illustrated below

Cut off your corners at an angle to reduce bulk.

Your bag is almost complete with the exception of pulling out the fabric and stitching the hole.

Now push your fabric through this hole. Use a turner tool to poke out the bottom corners carefully to have a sharper edge.

I iron the unfinished edge at what is now the bottom of the bag and then sew a top-stitch line across the bottom. Take care to catch both sides of the bag. You could also sew a slip-stitch if you wanted a hidden closure.

Then, align the top of the bag and sew a finish stitch a quarter of an inch from the top of the bag, this ensures that the bag stays right-side-out and provides a nice finishing touch.


Before starting any of the piece-work, I embroidered a small whale in the bottom left-hand corner of one side of the outer material.

Inside the bag:

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