Making Market Bags

I'm tired of plastic grocery bags and not because they're bad for the environment. I'm tired of stuffing them together and dragging them off to the recycle center. I'm also tired of the flimsy market bags sold at stores. One fell apart under the weight of some canned goods.

So I decided to make my own. This will be an undertaking since I'm just learning to sew. Finding myself with plenty of time on my hands this afternoon, I grabbed some scrap fabric and gave it a shot. They still need straps, but for small purchases, they'll do:

They're far more attractive than I expected, and sturdier than the flimsy bags available at stores. In the near future, I'll purchase some nice sturdy fabric and make a few more, but this time, using a pattern at a site a blogger friend recommended:

http://sewing.about.com/od/bagstotespurseproject/ss/grocerybag.htm

No more plastic!