In the end, I used the Morsbag pattern for both of the bags I finished this week. But I did modify it a bit. As I mentioned before, the Morsbag did not have a square bottom. So, I used the technique I learned in Bend the Rules Sewing, and practiced on the Little Boxy Pouch. Incidentally, once I did that, the bag appears to be remarkably similar to this week's tote at Sew, Mama, Sew.
The fabric I used for this bag was actually a curtain I bought at Target about a year ago. It's from their Amy Coe line and was on clearance at the time. It was the last curtain left, and I think I paid about $4 for it, thinking it would be a great piece to cut up for other projects. I don't remember what I had in mind at the time, but I think it makes a very fun shopping bag. A big bonus, since the curtains were lined, this particular bag is now also lined. No extra work required.
This bag is also based on the Morsbag, but I made another one using the tutorial from Wisdom of the Moon. The bag from Wisdom of the Moon also has a square bottom, but uses a slightly different (and easier) technique than the fold-over-line-up-the-seams-measure-and-sew technique that I usually employ. It's a neat folding trick that forms a square bottom as you sew the whole thing up. It was really, really easy. The tutorial was really well done and makes a nice, quick bag.
I am ridiculously proud of the handles on this bag. They look really professional--the same width all the way around and that sort of thing. Handles are the part of bag making I dread most of all. I'm not sure if that's because I have a difficult time getting them uniform, or because every single time I make a handle I burn my fingers with the iron steam. Either way, these handles just came together perfectly, and I don't remember any injuries. So we're good.
I didn't have a chance to test out the third tutorial--using an actual paper grocery bag as a pattern. I might give that a try later this week, if I find the time between the holiday and finishing my placemats for the swap.
In any event, if you didn't have a chance to make a reusable grocery bag of your own this week, fear not. Leave a comment on this post before next Wednesday and you will be entered into a random drawing to win the striped grocery bag pictured above. Seriously free.