Recycled Lime/Lemon Bag

What to do with a leftover lime or lemon bag? They're durable, water -proof and useful. The only way to make them more useful? Add a handle.

Step 1: Let's Begin.

Your bag will vary in size, so you may have to modify your fabric to fit the bag. I had two 9"
scraps that were already cut. You could use two pieces, or you could use one longer piece. There are really no rules as long as they work for you and are big enough for the bag.


Iron a crease down the center of your piece(s) of fabric.

Step 2:

If you have two pieces sew them together with a 1/2 inch seam. If you just have one, skip that and iron a 1/2 inch fold on both long edges.

Step 3:

This is where I checked to see where I should sew the other short edges together. You can mark it with a pin or use chalk to make a more visible mark. Just line the bag up with the left edge on the center crease, or, if you have one long piece of fabric, fold it in half to find your center.

Step 4:

Sew the remaining short sides together, using the mark you made as a guide. Trim the edge so that you have another half inch seam. Turn the piece right side out, re-iron the 1/2 inch hems and then fold half of the piece in so that it forms a band that you can slide the bag edges into. Slide the edges in and make sure they are even.

Step 5:

Pin the edges so that the one inside of the bag matches up with the one outside of the bag. sew carefully and with a slightly looser tension to avoid bunching. (I did not avoid bunching. I bunched. And I was sad. )

Step 6: Handles

Take two pieces of fabric at least 12" long and at least 2" wide. Fold them in half the long way, right sides facing in and sew them together along the edge. Turn them inside out carefully, using a chopstick or other implement.

Step 7: Attach the Handles

Iron the handles so they are flat. I sewed mine to the inside: each end 3/4 inch from the side seam, stitching into the topstitching that goes around the bottom. You could also put them on the outside, use scrap ribbon, use one handle, what ever you think is pretty and fun.