Guest Post : Teresa Peschel

Teresa has produced a book all about sewing your own grocery bags. As someone who sews, I was happy to be able to beta test this book and I know it’s a good one. The instructions are easy to follow and the illustrations helpful. – Vicky

Blurb: Plastic grocery bags are on their way out. They’re a littering hazard and a terrible use of limited resources. Many communities have passed laws banning them, and stores have taken to charging you for them. The solution: Make your own tough, high-quality bags from cloth. Cloth bags can be washed, repaired, and will last you a lifetime. They are also not hard to make if you have a sewing machine and basic sewing skills.

You also need “Sew Cloth Grocery Bags,” the one-stop solution where you can learn to make dozens of bags using either the efficient “boxed” bag or the intuitive tailored bag. Teresa Peschel, an experienced home sewer who has made hundreds of these bags for her Peschel Press publishing business, sits down with you and describes in detail and with shortcuts how you can turn new or salvaged fabric into sturdy and sellable cloth grocery bags.

* How to source your material from fabric stores and thrift shops
* How to prepare it for sewing
* How to cut the panels with minimal waste fabric
* What to use for the straps
* How to sew six or even a dozen bags at a time without losing your mind.

Peschel also provides you with expert advice for unusual situations such as piecing together bags from scraps, fabric that bunches up while sewing, and dealing with fabric that has a clear direction. There are even chapters on setting up your own business selling bags at craft shows and art fairs.

“Sew Cloth Grocery Bags” is an easy-to-understand guide to making market bags that helps you make a more sustainable future for you and your family.

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