Four Bags Full

At a big craft fair in Vancouver last December my daughter and I came upon a booth selling "green" reusable bread bags.  They were selling for around $15 apiece.  Admittedly, they were nicely made with liners of "food grade" plastic.  We did a bit of online research and found that a liner isn't necessary if the bread is used within a day or two which, of course, in a family of four is easy to do.  We weren't thrilled with the idea of the plastic liners anyway.  You might just as well put the bread in a plastic bag.  

Not so long afterward I found this tutorial.  Off I trotted to a nearby grocery store where I purchased a pack of four tea towels for $3.  I washed and ironed them, squared them up on my ironing board and took their measurements.  They were about an inch smaller than the tutorial guidelines so I decided to just wing it, using the tutorial for the sewing up but not the dimensions.  I made four bags ~ three for regular loaves or buns, each made from one towel folded in half cross-wise, and one folded in half length-wise for a large French loaf.  I used the overcast stitch on my sewing machine (I am still afraid of my serger) and rounded the bottom corners so it will be easier to shake out the crumbs.  I used the cut-off hems of the towels for the ribbons/ties.  

I hope she likes them.  And my bill for $60, $30, $15, okay free.