Brocade shopping bags and a gift bag

These are not really the most interesting thing to make but these are very useful and very stash busting for those small bits of brocade and velvet I really cannot find a better use for. And all my current bought bags are wearing out and I do not want to contribute to planet damaging plastic even if its meant to be longer lasting than the thin bags that you rarely see these days. I do not though think the heavier plastic shopping bags are really any better!

 

I only made 3 bags so far:

 

One in blue bocade - this is actually the reverse of the fabric but more inca type and more wearable I think than the pale right side would have been.

Two are made of this christmas tree like brocade which I have hung onto for years but never found a  use for - until now anyway

 

Because I was lacking in some tree fabric but had spare of the blue I went for one bag with contrast handles. I suppose that makes it look a bit more home made but I generally do not care a jot for what people think anyway so whatever. Thats just the way I made it. It works for me.

All three are very strong shopping bags with very reinforced over and over stitched handles and have so far stood up to carrying heavy cans and bottles, bags of sugar and flour etc for several months of shopping on a regualr basis. They have overlocked insides with a strong line of straight stitchig as well and are all unlined because I could not see the point of lining a shopping bag.

Its definitely a great way to delete a bit of stashed material!

 I have also made a very similar but lined bag for my Mum. I was looking for a Christmas gift pack but they all seem to have small sized cosmetics rather than the normal size and this is such a rip off because they cost just as much.

I wanted to get her some cosmetics she could actually use and that will fit her life rather than a pre-made gift pack where she will not want half ( in some cases) of what is in it.

 

So the obvious choice buy what she will actually want and make a separate bag for the gifts to be given in.

 I actually made this in October and took the photos then but decided because of this being a  present I cannot blog about this till after Christmas just in case my Mum decides to read the blog. She does know I blog, but I have no idea if she is a visitor so best not to risk it. 

Then comes Christmas and I am wrapping everything and it just doesn't seem very Christmasey - this bag that is - so I decide to wrap everything inside separately and put it back inside the bag then wrap the whole lot up afterwards. So kind of pass the parcel I suppose. 

This then is for my Mum. It will work as a proper small shopping bag and will also be a bag to hold her presents. Its not perhaps as well made as it could be, because maybe the straps should have been included in the lining and they are stuck on afterwards but I am not unhappy with the end result and the satin used as lining is a bit weak so I dare not unpick if possible to get away with not unpicking it. Hence they are stuck on afterwards. The bag is strong though and should work for shopping or short trips and my Mum does love bags. 

Outside is regular strong curtain brocade and the inside is a nice dress weight satin or maybe lining satin. I am not too sure. I love the bright turquoise though!

Hopefully my Mum will also love this and find it practical as well. She seemed very happy with her present anyway.

Bracken