Trendy Produce Mesh Bag: Zero-Waste Sewing!
We all buy vegetables in mesh bags from time to time and usually throw them away. What a waste! It is a great material for sewing a bag. A Japanese-style produce mesh bag looks luxurious, is very simple to sew, and is surprisingly durable, even if you make it from regular thin cotton. Tip: choose a printed or patterned fabric as a base; this tote bag will look even brighter!
What you need to sew it:
- Fabric: cotton, linen, sateen; you can even use a finished quilt block if you are into patchwork.
- Produce mesh approximately 50 by 40 cm.
- Fabric for trim; lining fabric works well, or you can buy ready-made bias tape.
- Ready-made decor or handmade tassels.
Bag pattern
Draw the pattern on paper following this template:
Cut it out, unfold it, and shorten one of the handles by 8 cm.
Cutting
Cut 2 pieces from the fabric with a seam allowance. Cut the mesh into 2 parts and cover the fabric pieces with them.
Pin, cut, and sew along the contour. If you have a serger, use it; if not, finish the seams with a zigzag stitch.
Cut bias tape from matching lining fabric.
Sew the handle joints and finish them with bias tape.
Optionally, you can sew a separate pocket and stitch it to the inside of the bag at this stage.
Sew the side seams. Your produce mesh tote bag is ready!
Add some decor, for example, a handmade tassel using this tutorial.
I read the thread and regretted throwing away my husband's old shirts. They were hanging in the closet doing nothing, I got tired of them. You know, in the 90s there were those for summer – synthetic mesh. It was fashionable back then. They would have come in handy! Especially since the color was already faded – they had bleached in the sun. But they were very durable (I don't know what kind of wire they were made of). :unsure:
Yes, you really shouldn't throw anything away. :ROFLMAO: