My favourite shopping bag!

I'm so glad it's Friday! 

 I'm also very pleased that the newest pattern I have for sale,  is  my Fold'n Roll Shopping Bag   

 (available as a PDF download).  It's my favourite shopping bag and a happy finish for my week!

Although the Fold'n Roll Shopping Bag may be new to you...

 I've been playing with this design a few years now and I wanted to tell you a bit about it.

Want to see how it looked when I first began working with the design?

My first Roll'n Fold Shopping Bags were made from vintage sheets and folded into a pocket at the bottom of the bag.  (click here to see more).

Pretty humble beginnings, right?  Yet, I saw the potential and want you to know that I still use that bag shown above (I wore out the pink one).  I really liked the idea but knew it could be better. Perhaps, I should take a moment here, to apologize to all my girlfriends for gifting them bags made from my initial design - I haven't asked if they're still using theirs.

 It didn't take long for me to realize that my design needed some tweaking, if it was going to be able wear well, be easy to use and look good.  More prototypes were made and used and then I came up with this ruffled version as a gift for a friend.

 Who said you can't dress up to go shopping? ;o)

I used my ruffler foot on ribbon to make this pretty design feature.

The biggest  design change is the pocket and working with the dimensions so that the bag would be able to fold up to fit behind it and then be easy to open for use.  I don't know about you, but if it's too fiddly to operate, I'm not going to bother using it! 

 It was also a concern to have a bag that would fit those bag holders at the grocery store.  We shop at a couple of places that have you pack your own groceries and the last thing I want to mess around with is a floppy bag with dangling straps.  My husband has even less patience for dealing with that! lol  This bag will slide onto those holders, to making packing them easy

(whether you pack or the clerk packs for you... or if you're lucky like me, and your hubby does the packing... boy, does that man load up the shopping bags! lol).

Another important detail for me is that I want to be able to fill the shopping bag to carry a sizable amount - whether its groceries or books or even items for a day trip.  Having enough room for everything mattered, so I made sure of that, by including generous side gussets that will expand as you fill the bag.

That front pocket is a handy place to tuck your shopping list!

Next on my design checklist is comfort and durability - without unnecessary weight.  That explains the use of bias binding for the bag openings (including the ones on the sides that help form the straps).  The binding gives a clean finish and with the straps doubled, you get a solid yet comfortable hand hold on the bag.  Yay, for not having to line the bag with another layer of fabric in order to finish the bag openings!  Then I finish things off by double seaming the bottom of the bag, because nobody wants the bottom to drop out. ;o)

I've used ribbon  and I've use fabric for the ruffles, but you could always skip adding any.  Try piping or nothing at all for a clean, modern look!

I think they're pretty, practical and versatile.  I always have at least one with me when I go out.  You can tuck them in your purse, in a pocket or into your glove compartment!  Better yet, use them as gift bags (really the bags are a gift themselves, don't you agree?)!

I love having re-usable shopping bags and especially when I can choose what they are made from.

Now, if you're interested in trying my pattern for

 Fold'n Roll Shopping Bags, 

  please visit my Payhip shop to buy your own copy.

Did you know you also have a chance at winning a copy (a PDF download)

 if you enter my giveaway by Jan. 21st?

  (click here and leave your comment to enter, but be sure I have a way to contact you if you win!)

I love coming up with designs I like to use and I love being able to share them with you this way.  It makes my day when I hear from you that you've made something from one of my patterns and I LOVE when you share your pictures.  So, let me know when you've sewn something I've designed so I can add it to my Pinterest board for everyone to admire. :o)

I'm linking up with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts for

Finish-it-up-Friday!

P.S. In case you're still wondering... I finally sorted out my problem uploading photos to Blogger (I switched browsers and that did the trick!).  How nice to be able to share photos with ease, once again!

Hope you have an amazing weekend!