D.I.Y.


Newspaper Bag

I was recently invited to a fair to show my plarn baskets and realized that I didn't have a way to bag the baskets for my customers to carry (since using plastic bags would defeat the purpose of my plarn baskets). I opted for the alternative, an upycled newspaper shopping bag. I wanted to share the pattern of the bag with you so that you may also have an alternative to plastic. You can use magazine pages for a stronger hold. You can also double or triple the bags.

1. For this bag I used a half page of a New York Times Newspaper. Your width is going to be the widest part of the bag so place the newspaper so that the widest part lays horizontally (as pic. below).

2. Fold about a half inch (1/2) in the top (above) Then twice overlapping about a half inch (1/2) in the middle and glue the overlapped part together (below)


3. Fold about two inches from the bottom up. Proceed to open it and fold the sides to the center as in the pictures below.



4. Fold the flaps in half towards the center (as in the picture below) and then each one of them in half again . You are making this fold to make a mark that will serve you as a guideline.
5. Once you have made your marks you should fold the last fold towards the center as in the picture below. You will do this on both sides. (You will notice that one of your folds doesn't fold flat anymore, that's OK. We made that fold as a mark).

6. Press it down so it lays flat (pic below):

 7. Fold the sides in as in the pictures below (this will be another mark):
8.  This part gets a bit tricky. Fold he bottom down in half so that you can open the bag (see below) you want to reverse the fold of the marks in the top to fold the top of the bag in:  

(notice that the bottom of the bag is folded. You'll have to make it straight by inserting your hand in the bag and straightening it so it looks like the picture below.)


9. Now you can leave the bag open or store it by folding the bottom in as in the next picture:

10. Finally, if you'd like to add handles you can do so by taking a strip of paper and folding it in three times in, gluing it in the middle, folding it as in the picture below, and stapling it to the bag:




11. Voilá! Your bag is ready for use!
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8 comments:

  1. Wonderful tutorial! Thank you!

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  2. Great idea!! Thanks for sharing!

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  3. Wow how neat & great is that.
    Thank you for sharing

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  4. I was looking for that! Thank you so much!

    Akamatra

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  5. Really is awesome, you are a very resourceful person and I am glad you are part of our Tristate Area Team!

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  6. Love this idea! Thanks so much for sharing!

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