Plastic Bag Holder

Now this is a very simple little project I made with some scrap floral material (and yes, it does look a little mumsy) but it was mainly for practical reasons that I made it because in my student house we are over-run with plastic carrier bags!

Oh and yes, the photo's aren't great.  I was being pestered by a few of my friends at the time (hence why you can see a knee) and I do need to buy a cover for my bed so you can see the fabric I'm using and not just my duvet cover.

Step 1: Take a piece of fabric that's about 1m long and 50cm wide.

Try to ignore the knees/floral bedlinen!

Step 2:  Take a piece of elastic thats longer than the short ends of your fabric and place it along the edge, about 1 inch in.  Fold the raw edge of the fabric over it (encasing the elastic) and pin, then sew along it. Do this for one end only to begin with.

Step 3: Cut a 2 inch wide strip (about 5 inches long) and fold is down the middle along the long edge.  Sew the sides together, making sure to turn in the raw edges. This piece will become a loop for hanging up the bag.

Step 4: Repeat step 2 with the other end of the fabric, but pin the loop into place so that you can sew over it at the same time as the elastic casing.

Step 5: Turn the fabric right sides in and pin down the long side.  When you sew this seam, do not sew over the elasticated ends as you will need those loose in the next step.

Step 6: Turn the bag right side out and form the top opening. Holding both ends of the elastic, pull them gently, ruching up the fabric as you go so that the hole ends up about the size of your fist.  This is where you will put your balled up plastic bags in.  Tie the elastic in a secure knot.

Step 7:  Repeat step 6 for the bottom elastic but this time pulling them tighter (to about the size of a £2 coin) so that when you fill the bag, the plastic bags don't just fall straight out.

Step 8:  Get your charming assistant to hold up your (unfilled) masterpiece for the world to see - but then later hook it over a door handle to stop his arm getting tired!

With thanks to my lovely assistants, Elliott and Emily who came to bother me and made this 15 minute project last an hour :p