Learn how to sew a reusable shopping bag organizer to keep your bags tidy and ready for every shopping trip.
Keeping reusable shopping bags tidy can be a challenge — they end up crumpled in the trolley, lost in the car boot, or scattered around the house. This simple sewing project shows you how to make a reusable shopping bag organizer that keeps all your grocery bags neatly stored and ready for every shopping trip.
I’ve already made one organizer for my own car, which holds four long‑life bags perfectly. My next plan is to sew a second one for my husband’s car so we’re both organised for the weekly shop.
Table of Contents
Reusable Shopping Bag Organizer
Materials
- Outer fabric
- Lining fabric
- Velcro
- 4″ piece of thin ribbon
You Tube Video
Step 1 Measure the size of your shopping bags
Bag sizes vary around the world, so start by measuring your own. Place your folded grocery bag onto a piece of paper or fabric to determine the finished size of your organizer.
My measurements are for four long life bags in the UK, however, I appreciate this may vary around the world. To work out the dimensions of your finished reusable shopping bag organizer place your folded grocery bag onto either a piece of paper or fabric.
My folded UK long‑life grocery bags measure 7½” × 9″. To give them room, I sized my finished organizer at 9″ × 10″.
With a ½” seam allowance, the front and back panels need to be 10″ × 11″.
The width depends on how many bags you want to store. I chose 4″, giving a finished width of 3″, which comfortably fits four reusable shopping bags.
Step 2 Cut out your fabric
Cut our your fabrics, the outer fabric and lining. For each you need two identical pieces for the front and back, two identical side panels and one bottom piece the width and length of the bag.
My pieces in outer fabric and lining fabric are:
- 2 pieces 10 by 12″ (front and back)
- 2 pieces 4 by 10″ (side panels)
- 1 piece 4 by 12″ (bottom panel)
- 1 piece – 3″ × 5″ (closure flap, outer fabric only)
Step 3 Sew the bag together
Place the bag base right side facing the front piece of the bag so the bottom seam aligns. Machine stitch the seam with a 1/2″ seam allowance starting and stopping 1/2″ before the edge of the bag. Open out.
Place the side panels, right sides facing, side edges aligned along the front sides of the bag. Machine stitch from the top, stopping 1/2″ from the bottom.
Align the bottom edge of the side panel with the side of the bottom of the bag. Machine stitch this seam 1/2″ in from the edge to the 1/2″ to the other edge.
Repeat these steps for the back panel thus completing the basic bag.
Repeat these steps for the lining so that you have an outer and an inner bag.
Step 4 Bag closure
Fold the bag closure piece in half, right sides facing. Sew the side seam and along the bottom.
Trim the corners and turn right side out and press.
Sew a piece of velcro 1 1/2″ long onto one side.
Step 5 Assemble the bag to finish
Place the closure flap on the back panel of the outer bag, centred and aligned with the raw top edge. Baste in place.
Fold your ribbon in half to create the hanging loop. Position it beside the closure flap, raw edges aligned with the top. Note the ribbon sits either side of the closure flap as per the picture. Sew in place.
Sew the matching Velcro piece to the front panel, centred and 1″ down from the raw edge
Now place the outer bag inside the lining so the right sides face each other. Align the side seams. Sew along this top edge allowing a turning gap of 3″ along the front of the bag.
Turn the bag right side out and press this top seam, folding in the raw edges along this turning gap. Top stitch to finish your reusable shopping bag organiser.
Your Reusable Shopping Bag Organizer Is Ready!
Fold your grocery bags, tuck them neatly inside, and close the Velcro flap. Use the ribbon loop to hang your reusable shopping bag organizer on your shopping trolley or keep it in the car so you’re always prepared for your next grocery run.
If you love sewing bags check out my many free bag patterns.
