Eco Veggie bags and Shopping Bags

I seem to have a right "bee in my bonnet" at the moment about plastic bags and cling film, realising just how much we have taken them for granted without realising the full implications and effect on our environment.  I am holding my hand up. to be counted.  

Now however I am doing what I can to get organised on this front, what with the Beeswax wraps, my own version of Eco veggie bags and some cotton carrier bags for starters.  I have an embroidery machine to decorate the bags up and it will be a good starting point I think for me to learn to use the embroidery machine.

I also saw this link Eco veggie bags whilst on Facebook and was quite intrigued with it. However not with the price.  This led me to think and focus on what I really need when it comes to shopping in any event. I am keen to go as green as possible, I am thinking of investing a little money to get things right from the off.  My biggest problem thus far has been forgetting to take carrier bags with me when I go shopping, however I have always recycled the bags as bin liners. This has got to stop however but I am not going to pay an arm and a leg in the process I want something practical that is going to work for me long term.

I am already a keen advocate of a proper wicker shopping basket, or two or three...… (I have a fetish with nice baskets too).  So I need something that will store easily in there and be easy to carry.  Hence me coming up with the calico cotton carriers (I pre-washed the fabric first to save on shrinkage once made up).  They can be washed and reused long term and when they do end their days can be composted being made of natural cotton.  They do not take too much to run up either with my over locker.

I have a stash of prewashed cream calico in the house in any event.  I intend to make some simple carrying bags with straps and embroider them, but also to make different sized draw string bags as well (something like shoe bags but in different sizes) to keep in my shopping basket for when I go to the greengrocers.  I had thought of using what is called nylon aertex which is used as a liner in lots of sports clothing but compared to the calico that is quite expensive and I want the bags to be as organic as I can which I did not feel this was and so came back to the calico again.

Its a plan - but another one that is going to be seen through.  However before I can execute the computer/craft room needs stripping out so that I can get my stuff organised.  I think there may also be a room re-shuffle going on as well - we will see what we shall see.

I am also going to spend time with my cousin in a couple of weeks.  Apparently she has two embroidery machines and the plan is when I visit she will be on one machine and I on the other doing what she does (she has Brother machines) I have the Janome 500E.

I shall make the calico bags up in bulk, cutting them all out and getting the components all sorted in one session and marked up before I go to her and then hopefully can take one or two and get them embroidered there.

As I say an outline plan, but the plans are slowly coming together, growing and being given life.  Must continue as I want to go on.

Do any of you have any plans in place to do similar things.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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It is an outline plan of many things I want to achieve in the coming days, weeks, and months.