Garbage Bag for the Car
Last month I MADE The Mr. buy me a new minivan. It’s a Honda Odyssey and I LOOOOVE it. It was the object of all the other moms’ envy when I dropped my little boy off at preschool. I never knew how much I NEEDED automatic doors until I had them. Ahhh, it’s a dream.
Anyway, since we got the brand new {to us} van, I have vowed that I’m going to keep it clean. So, instead of tying a grocery sack to the door handles, I whipped up this little Garbage bag, complete with plastic lining.
P.S. It cost less than $2.00 to make, and only took about half an hour!
P.S. It cost less than $2.00 to make, and only took about half an hour!
Want to make your own?
Here’s what you’ll need:
1/3 yard iron on pellon plastic
1/3 yard fabric (or 20×12″ scrap plus ribbon for strap)
2 inches of velcro
Sewing Machine, thread, scissors, iron
I found this pellon at Joann’s, by the interfacing. It is basically iron on plastic. PERFECT!!!! I have since looked for it at Walmart and Hobby Lobby, with no luck. So, I hope you have a Joann’s close by or that you can find this somewhere else. When you buy it, remember that it’s only 20 inches wide instead of the standard 45. You can still make the bag without this, it’s just nice to have plastic lining so it doesn’t get goopy inside.
Cut your fabric and your plastic to the size you want it. Mine was 20 x 12 inches. But really, you can do whatever size you want.
I found this really thick upholstery fabric at Walmart on clearance. It was $2.00 a yard. What a steal!
Follow the instructions that came with the fusible plastic. Basically you’ll iron the non-shiny side of the plastic to the wrong side of your fabric.
Once it’s ironed on, you should have this:
Plastic on one side and the right side of the fabric on the other.
Now sew down the side seams, right sides together {plastic side out}.
You’ll get a little envelope like this.
This step is optional, but I wanted mine to have a bottom, so if you don’t, then skip this part.
Take the corners and stitch across like so:
Make sure you stitch across the same amount on both corners so it will be even.
Then turn it all right side out. You know you did it right if your inside looks like this:
You can stitch this down if you want, but if you’re lazy like me, then you can leave it.
Then stitch down the top of your bag. If your edges aren’t finished, you’ll fold it twice then top stitch. I serged mine, so I only folded once. And if you’re a better seamstress than I am, you would iron and pin the edges before you sewed them. But remember, I’m lazy!
Your bag should be all done now. Except for the strap. If you want an easier alternative, just hook a piece of ribbon on instead of making your own strap. But if you want to make your own strap, here’s how:
You’ll need a length of fabric about 3 or 4 inches by double the width of your bag {my bag was 12 inches across, so my strap was about 24 inches long.} Fold right sides together and sew down the length of the fabric and across one end.
Then turn it right side out.
Here’s a trick from my momma. Use a pencil or a knitting needle to turn it inside out.
Then iron flat.
And finish off your other end by folding it in and top stitching over the edge.
Now attach it to the back of your bag. I did it toward the top of the bag, so it wouldn’t sag.
You could have done this step before you sewed down the side seams, but I wanted to make sure I liked my bag before I sewed my strap on.
Then, once you’ve made sure it’s the right length and it fits where you want it in your car, add some velcro to the straps.
And there you have it!
The plastic lining inside should keep it nice and goop free.
By the way, you can use this same bag {without plastic lining} for a tote bag, library bag, church bag, or really anything. Just sew the strap to the top instead of the back, and you’ve got a bag for whatever you need!
This bag cost me less than $2.00 and took me about half an hour to make.
85 cents for the plastic stuff
67 cents for the fabric
Already had 2 inches of velcro and thread.
Wait…they make iron on plastic lining? I need to make one of these ASAP for our new-to-us Odyssey. So cute and functional. I love it! (And who new automatic sliding doors could be so life changing?)
What a great idea! This would be great to have in front of each carseat and store snacks in it!
Love it!! Love my van too 🙂
This is a great idea. It may just help my car stay a little cleaner!:)
Brilliant ideea!
I used to live across the street from Emily, and found your blog through her. I am completely obsessed and have already informed my husband of a number of items I will be making from your blog. I love that you do things the "lazy" way as you say, because that is exactly the way I do things too!