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Summer Market Bag Tutorial

Market bag edit

Remember this market bag? I am giving it away today to celebrate lovely bud reaching 150 followers. Random.org picked 72, which makes aimymichelle the winner! Don't worry if you didn't win I will be giving another one to a follower when lovely bud reaches 200. Check out mu current Give Away in my sidebar! And here is a tutorial showing you how to make one yourself! Gather up the supplies pictured below – the ones with * beside them are optional (you will also need a disappearing ink fabric marker)

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Draw a curve on each of the bottom corners of your t-shirt. Tracing a large bowl is the easiest way. Then cut along the lines so you have a nice round bottom for your bag.

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Next draw a tank top shape on the top of your t-shirt. You can trace a tank top or just draw how you would like the straps of your bag to look.

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Then cut the along these lines to remove the t-shirt's sleeves and neckline. You can fold the t-shirt in half and cut both sides at the same time to make sure they are symmetrical.

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Pin the bottom of your bag shape together…

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then flip the t-shirt inside out so that the right sides are together and sew the bottom shut.

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There are several ways to print designs onto your bag. If you would like to make a linoleum block print for your bag you can get linoleum, carving tools and an inking brayer from some Micheal's stores, your local art supply store or Jerry's Artarama. You can draw a design freehand or use carbon paper to copy a photo onto the block. Then just carve away the areas that you do not want to be visible.

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Next put some fabric paint on an old plate or a palette and roll it out evenly with your brayer. Roll the brayer across your block print to apply the paint. Then press the block print onto the fabric to print your design.

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An even easier way to print a simple design is to cut out pieces of foam and adhere them to a piece of cardboard to make a custom stamp. You can get the rubber at Walmart or any craft store. I just applied the fabric paint with a brush and stamped this flower over top of my block print.

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If you don't feel like making designs from scratch you can use pre-made stamps. Apply the fabric paint to your stamps with a brush or roll it on and have fun! Any of these methods can be used alone or together.

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While the paint is drying cut three squares of varying sizes out of scraps of cloth. If you use pinking shears the edges won't fray.

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Layer the squares on top of each other and make wide stitches through the middle of them. As you make each stitch pull it tight so that it gathers the fabric together into a flower shape. Then stitch it onto your bag wherever you like. You could even make several flowers.

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Now you have a bag ready for filling with fresh fruit and vegetables from this summer's farmer's market! I bet you could even carry a book and some snacks and such to the beach or pool in it – I doubt it would mind:)

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I have some more fun market bag ides to share with you soon and remember I am Giving Away This Bag to celebrate when lovely bud reaches 200 followers! All you have to do to win it is sign in to the Google Friend Connect widget in my sidebar. (I haven't finished the ballerina series so the artwork will have to wait for a later giveaway)

If you make a bag please share some lovely photos of it in the lovely bud Flickr pool and click here to check out the link ups I share my projects with. 

oneprettything

Visit thecsiproject.com

  • Sue - Adorable….and sooooo simple. I might do this with my textiles students the last couple days of school. Thanks for the idea.
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  • Melissa - I just LOVE this bag! Thanks so much for sharing the tutorial 🙂 If I was crafty enough (or could sew!) I would attempt one myself 🙂 Great Idea!
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  • Tricia - Great idea!! Much quicker and more GREEN than going out and buying fabric to make market bags with!! Thanks for the idea. I think that for today, I’ll make one and use my 7 month old’s little hands as my “stamps”!!
    PS I’m signing up to become a follower.
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  • Marj McC. - Great idea and thanks for the tuitorial. I am bag crazy so I can go wild with this.
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  • Kaysi @ Keeping It SImple - That is super cute!!
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  • connie - I so have to try this cute bag idea. Maybe I’ll try it with my old rock n roll concert t-shirts I don’t wear anymore. Thanks for sharing. I also a new follower.
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  • Renee Alam - I signed up for the google connect so I hope I can win this bag.I would love to use it for library visits with my daughters….so fun! 🙂
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  • Lauri M - Very cute….I’m going to have to try this out! I’m following from Tue Tag Along!
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  • Mandy - thanks for linking on Take-A-Look Tuesday! Mandy, http://www.craftedition.blogspot.com
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  • CC - Hi.. I’m visiting from Tuesday Tag Along..and have become follower #181. :). The bag you gave away was just adorable..I might,with your instructions, be able to make one for myself.
    I also am having a giveaway..for a Wilton Cupcake Holder..it’s really cute and holds 13 cupcakes. A comment will enter you, and if you follow..that’s another entry. I will draw the name this coming Sunday..
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  • Brianna - Oh MY!!
    I adore this…it’s so girly and pretty!
    Thanks so much for sharing!
    xoxo
    bB
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  • Leslie - I love this bag. I can’t sew a stitch, but I wish I could…
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  • carolyn - What a great way to repurpose an old t-shirt! Thanks for the great tutorial!
    Thanks for sharing at My Backyard Eden!
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  • The Starr Family - This is by far one of the best ideas I have seen in bloggy land. Honest to goodness, I love it. Fantastic way to reuse an old T-shirt and leftover fabric. Thank you for sharing this.. and kudos to you on your amazing creativity!
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  • Bobbie - I love all those colors! I have a ton of extra t shirts that I don’t know what to do with…This would be great for reusable bags for the grocery store. I have a link party that I would love if you participated! it is on saturdays http://www.iamonly1woman.blogspot.com
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  • Virpi - Great idea! Thank you for the tutorial. Still I would like to try my luck with your giveaway cause I think I won’t manage to make as pretty bag as yours.
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  • Leah - wow that bag is so neat and I just happen to have some t-shirts maybe I will give it a try. But I would still love to win one.
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  • Mallory O - Crossing my fingers!
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  • Peggy - Thank you for the tutorial! Now I have something to do with all our old T-shirts!! ANd i love this particular design… Thanks for the resources for the linoleum block carving supplies!
    (I just joined.. following now!)
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  • Carrie - What a great idea!
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  • Susie - I love that this is recycled, so beautiful, and so useful!
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  • Desiree - Its beautiful.
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  • Michelle - That looks so easy!! I would love to make one like that! Thanks for linking up!
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  • Candace Henderson - WOW how wonderful is this bag! Thanks for a great giveaway! And now that I know how to carve stamps I am totally going to try it…. if I don’t win this one which I hope I do!!!! 🙂
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  • miktha - Great idea with the T-shirt, I love it
    mikthasq(at)gmail(dot)com
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  • shannon - I love this concept! I’m a follower!
    shannon.mangerchine(at)gmail(dot)com
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  • Donna Warrington - What a clever idea, thanks for showing us.
    Donna
    dwarrington1@gmail.com
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  • Judy - looks great. thank you for the tutorial and a chance to win.
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  • Sara - I’ve got to try that stamping technique.
    Love this bag. saradfarris(at)hotmail(dot)com
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  • lifeologia - How cool is this bag. I want to try this so bad 😉
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  • julia Reedy - What a wonderful idea!
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  • meg/brassyapple - fabulous job!
    stopping by from the CSI project! 🙂
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  • Tausha - This is a fabulous idea and a fabulous tutorial! I can’t sew-but I think I could do this-with liquid stitch!
    Thanks for the inspiration!
    So glad that I came by!
    please, stop by sometime and say hello! Love meeting new people!
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  • Sarah @ Thriftydecorchick - Absolutely adorable!!
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  • jenjen - What a wonderful bag for summer. I love it!
    Thanks so much for linking up to the CSI Project! We really appreciate it. I hope you will come back next week for our Hardware Store challenge!
    XOXO
    Jen
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  • maria - que buena idea!
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  • GrannyTo8Boys - Very quick and easy. Thanks!!ReplyCancel

  • Anne Marie - This is a lovely idea. I have several tee shirts that I was going to throw out. Not now. These will be great to keep in the car or caravan. I think I might overlock the edges on the handles so that they don’t stretch too much. Great tutorial.ReplyCancel

  • Atreyi - amazing invensionReplyCancel

  • Norma miller - Love everything you doReplyCancel