The Feed Sack Store at the Shadow J Ranch

proudly presents

Upcycled Feed Sack

Sewing Patterns For Tote Bags

Helping save the earth one feed sack at a time

By C. A. Johns & J. F. Johns

January 2015

Woven polypropylene feed sacks are a durable fabric often covered with stunning natural images. Upcycling feed sacks into stunningly beautiful and yet extremely practical products will reduce the amount of non-biodegradable feed sacks in our landfills. This is a book of tote bag sewing patterns designed to use woven polypropylene feed sacks as the fabric.

Contents

Thank you for helping save the earth one feed sack at a time. 2

Go Green and Upcycle Feed Sacks. 3

Feed Sack Fabric Preparation.. 4

Make sure the bag is Woven Polypropylene. 4

To Flatten or Not. 4

Cleaning Feed Sacks. 4

Feed Sack Fabric Sewing Hints. 5

Planning a project. 5

Cutting Woven Polypropylene Fabric. 5

Ironing Woven Polypropylene Fabric. 5

Yoga Mat Tote Bag. 23

Thank you for helping save the earth one feed sack at a time.

The Shadow J Ranch is dedicated to making the world a better place for humans and animals. Our efforts honor the natural partnership between humans and animals while developing environmentally responsible products that you can enjoy while saving the earth!

Please let us know if you have any questions or suggestions. Our websites are:

http://www.feedsackstore.com and http://www.shadowj.com.

Please feel free to contact us via email: trailboss@shadowj.com.

Please follow our upcycling efforts on social media and feel free to share your experiences. Our Twitter account is @FeedSackStore. Our Facebook and Pinterest accounts are The Feed Sack Store.

Upcycled Feed Sack Sewing Patterns for Tote Bags

Reproduction or use without express permission, of editorial or pictorial content, in any manner is prohibited. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

ISBN: 978-1-312-95328-4

Printed in the United States of America.

Go Green and Upcycle Feed Sacks

Woven polypropylene feed sacks are a durable material often covered with stunning images of horses, poultry, ranch animals, song birds, and wildlife. These sacks are being thrown into the garbage contributing to the growing landfill crisis. We would like to encourage everyone to upcycle feed sacks as part of their routine recycling efforts.

Upcycling feed sacks into useful products will reduce the amount of non-biodegradable feed sacks in our landfills. Products made of upcycled woven polypropylene fabric are extremely strong, lightweight, waterproof, and easily wipe clean with a damp cloth.

We have developed patterns specifically for woven polypropylene feed sack fabric to enable everyone to able to create products that are stunningly beautiful and yet extremely practical. The custom and recycled nature of each handmade upcycled feed sack product only adds to its charm and allure.

Feed Sack Fabric Preparation

Make sure the bag is Woven Polypropylene

These patterns are designed to use woven polypropylene feed sack as the fabric. Plastic, paper, and loosely woven mesh bags are not appropriate for these patterns. A woven polypropylene feed sack is made of tightly woven polypropylene threads and you can clearly see the weave pattern on the bag as shown in the following picture. For more information, check out http://www.wovenpolypropylene.com.

Woven polypropylene sacks vary greatly based on the type of feed in the sacks and the manufacturing process. The vivid images can be printed directly on the woven polypropylene or on a laminated layer adhered to the woven polypropylene. The tightness of the weave varies and some sacks have a waterproof coating for moist foods.

To Flatten or Not

Some patterns require the feed sack to be flattened while other patterns use the feed sack in its original bag shape (un-flattened). If the bag is to be used un-flattened, then simply remove all strings and tape from the top and bottom of the feed sack.

If the bag is to be flattened:

Remove all strings and tape from the top and bottom of the feed sack.

Tear open or cut the seam running lengthwise down the back of the feed sack.

The feed sack should now lay flat in a single layer of fabric.

Cleaning Feed Sacks

Cleaning can be the most challenging aspect of feed sack preparation. The inside and outside of the feed sacks must be cleaned thoroughly prior to cutting out the pattern pieces or sewing. An un-flattened bag needs to be turned inside out to thoroughly clean the fibers that may hold feed remnants. Use soap, bleach, and warm water to clean the fibers of the woven polypropylene. A stiff brush can be used to remove any mold or dirt in the fibers. Stubborn stains and mold may require the use of a strong mold and mildew cleaner. Dry the bags thoroughly prior to use.

Feed Sack Fabric Sewing Hints

Planning a project

The beauty of the final product can be greatly improved by selecting feed sack imagery that corresponds to the size and shape of the final product.

Read all pattern instructions prior to beginning a project. This will help you understand the best way to use the vivid images on the feed sack to create your product.

Cutting Woven Polypropylene Fabric

Woven polypropylene feed sacks can be cut with regular scissors or a rotary cutting mat and blade.

Ironing Woven Polypropylene Fabric

Feed sacks often have wrinkles that can be ironed out. Woven polypropylene feed sacks CANNOT be ironed with the iron directly on the fabric. A damp towel must be placed between the fabric and the iron.

Pins and Needles

Pinning woven polypropylene fabric can be a real challenge. The fabric is very stiff and regular pins bend and often break. Binder clips and clothes pins are easier to use on corners and straight seams than straight pins.

It can also be difficult to remove straight pins from the fabric. Straight pins with a ball head are easier to grasp and remove than headless pins.

Sewing machine needles often bend and break when sewing multiple layers of woven polypropylene fabric. To reduce needle stress, sew slowly across changes in the thickness of the fabric being sewn and make sure the presser foot remains as level as possible.

Thread

Woven polypropylene fabric should be sewn using 100% polyester thread. Cotton threads or a blend of polyester and cotton thread tends to fray. Seams sewn with cotton or cotton blend threads tend to break apart under heavy loads in tote bags.

Crisp Seams

The look of the finished product is greatly enhanced if seams are pressed flat with your hands. Feed sack fabric is stiff and can hold very crisp seams pressed with your hands. The pattern instructions indicate areas where pressing seams flat will improve the sewing process or make the product look better.

Tote Bag Patterns

Inspire your life with the vivid images of natural beauty found on woven polypropylene feed sacks. Upcycled feed sacks are an excellent fabric for making tote bags of all sizes and shapes. The fabric is exceptionally strong for safely carrying heavy loads and extremely easy to keep clean and sanitary with a damp cloth and household cleansers.

We have created four easy tote bag patterns to encourage everyone to recycle their feed sacks into beautiful and practical custom works of usable art. The first two patterns are for wine tote bags. The first pattern is a simple flat wine tote bag that is easy to fold up and put into your purse. The second wine tote bag pattern is a little more complex with a square box bottom. The third pattern is a large tote bag suitable for too many household purposes to enumerate; just use your imagination. The fourth pattern is a yoga mat tote bag.

All you need to get started is some basic sewing skills and a few woven polypropylene feed sacks. Use your imagination to add custom touches and trims to the patterns. And remember to have fun.

Flat Wine Tote

This pattern makes a flat wine tote bag from woven polypropylene feed sack fabric.

The finished wine tote bag dimensions are 9 inches wide and 12 inches high with a handle that is 1 inch wide and extends 6 inches above the bag.

Instructions

Step 1. Clean and flatten the feed sack using the Feed Sack Preparation Instructions.

Step 2. Cut out the wine tote bag and handle using the following dimensions.

Step 3. Make the wine tote bag handle using the following steps.

A. Fold 1: Fold the handle in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together. The handle will now be 14 inches long and 2 inches wide.

B. Use your hands to press the fold flat.

C. Fold 2: Fold each unfinished edge of the handle in half with wrong sides together to produce a handle that is 14 inches long and 1 inch wide.

D. Use your hands to press the folds flat.

E. Top stitch the length of the handle. The top stitching can be whatever pattern is desired. At a minimum, a straight stitch should be used in the middle of the handle to secure the folded sides of the handle.

Step 4. Make the wine tote bag body using the following steps.

A. Fold 1: Fold the bag in half with the wrong sides together. The bag will now be 14 inches long and 10 inches wide.

B. Use your hands to press the fold flat.

C. Measure 1 inch from each unfinished edge of the bag for fold lines.

D. Fold 2: Fold 1 inch of each unfinished edge of the bag with wrong sides together to produce a bag that is 12 inches long and 9 inch wide.

E. Use your hands to press the folds flat.

F. Lay the bag flat and top stitch a seam ½ inch from the top of the bag.

G. If desired, add fringe or other trim to the wine bag.

H. Pin the side and bottom of the bag with wrong sides together and top stitch a seam ½ inch from the side and bottom of the bag.

Step 5. Attach the handle to the wine tote bag.

A. Measure and mark 1 inch from each end of the tote bag handle.

B. Measure and mark the center of the top of the front and back of the tote bag. The handle will be attached at the center of the front and back of the bag.

C. Place 1 inch of the handle inside of the front of the bag and pin it in place at the center mark.

D. Use at least two rows of top stitching to secure the handle to the front of the bag.

E. Place 1 inch of the handle inside of the back of the bag and pin it in place at the center mark.

F. Use at least two rows of top stitching to secure the handle to the back of the bag.

G. Here are some examples of finished wine tote bags.

Square Wine Tote

This pattern makes a wine tote bag using woven polypropylene feed sack fabric. This tote bag has a square box bottom.

The finished wine tote bag dimensions are 4 inches wide and 12 inches high with a handle that is 1 inch wide and extends 8 inches above the bag.

Instructions

Step 1. Clean and flatten the feed sack using the Feed Sack Preparation Instructions.

Step 2. Cut out the wine tote bag and handle using the following dimensions.

Step 3. Make the wine tote bag handle using the following steps.

A. Fold 1: Fold the handle in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together. The handle will now be 18 inches long and 2 inches wide.

B. Use your hands to press the fold flat.

C. Fold 2: Fold each unfinished edge of the handle in half with wrong sides together to produce a handle that is 18 inches long and 1 inch wide.

D. Use your hands to press the folds flat.

Step 4. Make the wine tote bag body using the following steps.

A. Fold 1: Fold the bag in half with the right sides together. The bag will now be 16 inches long and 9 inches wide. The bag is wrong side out.

B. Measure and mark 1 inch from unfinished side and bottom edge of the bag.

C. Stitch the side and bottom seams. A double seam can be used for a sturdy seam.

D. With the tote bag wrong side out, press the side seam and the bottom seam of the bag open with your hands to flatten the seams.

E. Pull the corners of the bottom of the bag to create a flat bag bottom as shown in the following figure. Match the bottom seam to the side seam on one side of the bag and pin in place. Match the bottom seam to the foldline on the other side of the bag and pin in place.

F. Box corners will add depth to the tote bag. To make the box corners, mark a stitch line that is 4 inches long and centered on the bottom seam of the bag on both corners. Sew along this line to form the box corners on the bottom of the tote bag.

G. Turn the bag right side out. Press the box corners and the bottom edges flat with your hands. Here is the right side out wine tote bag.

H. If desired, add fringe or other trim to the wine bag with top stitching on the right side of the tote bag.

I. Measure and mark a line 1 inch from the top of the tote bag. Fold the top of the bag to the inside along this line. Top stitch as desired to finish the top of the bag.

Step 5. Attach the handle to the wine tote bag.

A. Measure and mark 1 inch from each end of the tote bag handle.

B. The handle will be attached at the center of two opposite sides of the bag. Measure and mark the center of two opposing sides of the tote bag.

C. Place 1 inch of each end of the handle inside of the bag and pin it in place at the center marks.

D. Use at least two rows of top stitching to secure each end of the handle to the bag.

E. Here are some examples of finished wine tote bags with different feed sack images.

Large Tote Bag

This is a large tote bag made from woven polypropylene feed sack fabric. This tote bag uses a full section of a feed sack; do not flatten the feed sack. The tote has a roomy box bottom and sturdy feed sack straps.

The finished tote bag width is determined by the size of the feed sack. The bag will be 14 inches high with 2 handles that are 1 inch wide and extend 10 inches above the bag.

Instructions

Step 1. Clean the feed sack without opening the long seam in the back of the bag.

Step 2. Cut out the large tote bag and handles using the following dimensions. The body of the large tote bag is a section of the feed sack cut to the desired length.

Step 3. Make the tote bag handle using the following steps.

A. Fold 1: Fold the handle in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together. The handle will now be 20 inches long and 2 inches wide.

B. Use your hands to press the fold flat.

C. Fold 2: Fold each unfinished edge of the handle in half with wrong sides together to produce a handle that is 20 inches long and 1 inch wide.

D. Use your hands to press the folds flat.

Step 4. Make the large tote bag body using the following steps.

A. Turn the bag body wrong side out.

B. Fold the bag flat with right sides together. Make sure the desired feed sack imagery is centered on the front side of the flattened bag.

C. Measure and mark a seam line 1 inch from unfinished bottom edge of the bag.

D. Securely stitch the bottom seam. A double seam can be used for a sturdy seam.

E. Press the bottom seam of the bag open with your hands to make a flat seam.

F. Pull the corners of the bottom of the tote bag to create a flat bag bottom as shown in the following figure. Match the bottom seam to the foldline side seam on each side of the bag and pin in place.

G. To add depth to the tote bag, mark a stitch line that is 4 inches long and centered on the bottom seam of the bag on both sides. Sew along both lines to form the box corners on the bottom of the tote bag.

H. Turn the bag right side out. Press the box corners and the bottom edges flat with your hands. Here is the right side out tote bag.

I. If desired, add fringe or other trim with top stitching on the right side of the tote bag.

J. Measure and mark a line 1 inch from the top of the tote bag. Fold the top of the bag to the inside along this line. Top stitch as desired to finish the top of the bag.

Step 5. Attach the handles to the large tote bag.

A. Measure and mark 1 inch from each end of the tote bag handle.

B. The handles will be attached to the front and back of the bag. Measure and mark the center of the front and back of the tote bag. Measure and place a mark 4 inches on each side of the center mark on the front and back of the bag.

C. On the bag front, place 1 inch of the end of a handle inside of the bag and pin it in place at the mark 4 inches to the left of the center mark. Place 1 inch of the other end of the handle inside of the bag front at the mark 4 inches to the right of the center mark and pin it in place. Use at least two rows of top stitching to secure each end of the handle to the bag.

D. Repeat step H to attach the other handle to the back of the tote bag.

E. Here are some examples of finished tote bags. Each feed sack was selected for the beautiful imagery that could be centered on the front of the tote bag.

Yoga Mat Tote Bag

This is a yoga mat tote bag made from woven polypropylene feed sack fabric. This pattern has strap loops at the top and bottom of the bag for attaching an adjustable strap. You could omit the strap loops and sew a strap directly to the top and bottom of the yoga mat tote bag.

This bag easily holds a thick 8 mm mat. The height width of the yoga mat tote can be adjusted to accommodate thicker mats.

Instructions

Step 1. Clean and flatten the feed sack fabric using the Feed Sack Preparation Instructions.

Step 2. Cut out the yoga mat tote bag and straps for an adjustable handle using the following dimensions.

Step 3. Make the yoga mat strap loops using the following steps.

A. Fold 1: Fold each strap loop in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together. The strap loops will now be 12 inches long and 2 inches wide.

B. Use your hands to press the folds flat.

C. Fold 2: Fold each unfinished edge of the strap loops in half with wrong sides together to produce a strap loop that is 12 inches long and 1 inch wide.

D. Use your hands to press the folds flat.

E. Top stitch the length of each strap loop. The top stitching can be whatever pattern is desired to secure the folded sides.

Step 4. Make the yoga mat tote bag body using the following steps.

A. Fold the yoga mat bag flat lengthwise with right sides together.

B. Measure and mark a line 1 inch from unfinished bottom and side edge of the bag.

C. Stitch the bottom and side seam along the marked line. A double seam can be used for a sturdy seam.

D. Press the seams of the bag open with your hands to make flat seams.

E. Pull the corners of the bottom of the tote bag to create a flat bag bottom as shown in the following figure. Match the bottom seam to the foldline side seam on one side of the bag and pin in place. Match the bottom seam to the side seam on the other side of the bag and pin in place.

F. To add depth to the tote bag, mark a box corner stitch line that is ¼ of the width of the bag (4.5 inches for the pattern dimensions) and centered on the bottom seam of the bag on both corners.

G. On the right side of the tote bag (which is currently inside of the wrong side out bag), center a strap loop into the box corner seam on the side seam side of the tote bag as shown in the following figure.

H. Sew along the box corner stitch lines to form the box corners on the bottom of the bag. Add extra stitching to reinforce the strap loop seam.

I. Turn the bag right side out. Press the box corners and the bottom edges flat with your hands. Here is the right side out tote bag.

J. If desired, add fringe or other trim with top stitching on the right side of the tote bag.

K. Measure and mark a line1 inch from the top of the tote bag. Fold the top of the bag to the inside along this line. Top stitch as desired to finish the top of the bag.

Step 5. Attach the top strap loop and strap to the yoga mat tote bag.

A. Measure and mark 1 inch from each end of the remaining strap loop.

B. The top strap loop will be attached to the side seam side of the bag top. Measure and mark 1 inch on each side of the center seam on the side seam side of the bag top.

C. Center the ends of the strap loop on the inside of the bag top using the marks 1 inch on each side of the side seam. Pin one end of the strap loop at each mark.

D. Use at least two rows of top stitching to secure each end of the handle to the top of the bag as shown in the following diagram of a completed yoga mat tote bag.

E. Attach an adjustable strap to the yoga mat tote bag using the top and bottom strap loops. If desired, a strap with an adjustable buckle can be made of feed sack material.

F. Here are some examples of completed yoga mat tote bags.