When I opened my sink cupboard last night, a bundle of loose plastic bags came tumbling out! And that was the inspiration for today's tutorial on how to make a DIY plastic bag holder. This dispenser will make it easy to store all those plastic bags and keep your kitchen looking tidy and organized. Coordinate the fabric to match your kitchen, or use a pop of color that will make you smile every time you open your cupboard.

DIY Plastic Bag Holder, Grocery Bag Holder Patterns

DIY Plastic Bag Holder Sewing Pattern Tutorial

This sewing pattern will show you how to make a plastic bag storage dispenser with a hanging ribbon. Han

DIY Plastic Bag Holder - Supplies

FABRIC - 18 x 22 inches of cotton fabric - This is the size of a fat quarter of fabric which makes the DIY plastic bag holder economical to make and gives you a vast array of fabrics to choose from. Fat quarters are usually pre-cut at fabric stores. Alternatively, purchase ½ yard (0.45m) of fabric and cut it to size. Medium-weight fabrics have more body and tend to look better.
ELASTIC - 8 inches(20cm) of ⅜ inch elastic (1cm).
RIBBON - 8 inches (20cm) of ribbon. The ribbon can be any thickness, but I used ½ inch (12mm) wide.
General sewing supplies - scissors or rotary cutter and mat, thread, pins, safety pin, sewing machine, ruler.
Plastic grocery bags

Supplies for DIY Plastic Bag Holder Pattern

DIY Plastic Bag Holder - No Sew Option

If you don't have a sewing machine, you can make your DIY plastic bag holder by using fabric glue instead. Follow the instructions below and use glue for the seams. If you prefer hand stitching, use a running stitch or a backstitch.

How to Make a DIY Plastic Bag Holder

Here is how to make a DIY plastic bag dispenser:

Step 1 - Preparation

Check your fabric is cut accurately and pre-wash and iron it. Stores sometimes cut quite crookedly!

FURTHER READING -

Step 2 - Sew Casings

On the shorter ends of your fabric, press over a hem by ¾ inch (2cm) on the wrong side. Press over the hems again by the same amount to form a double hem. Stitch across the folded edge with a coordinating thread.

NOTE: The photo below looks like I've hemmed the longer sides because the middle is scrunched up. You will hem the SHORTER sides.

Step 3 - Thread Elastic

Using a safety pin, thread the elastic through one of the casings. If your fabric is one-directional, make sure it is at the bottom.

Baste the ends so the elastic doesn't pull out. Pull the gathers so they are evenly spread across the elastic.

Step 4 - Side Seam

Fold the DIY plastic bag holder in half lengthwise with the raw edge right sides together. Stitch a seam with a ⅜ inch (1cm) seam allowance. Make sure you backstitch at the ends. Finish the seam with either a serger or a wide zig-zag stitch.

Step 5 - Ribbon Hanger

Attach the ribbon loop to either side of the top inside. You can use this to hang up your DIY plastic bag holder on a hook inside a cupboard or on the back of a door.

Step 6 - Finishing the DIY Plastic Bag Holder

Turn the holder to the right side and give it a good press. It is now all ready to hang up!

Feed the plastic shopping bags in the open-top one at a time. When you need a plastic bag, grab the bottom one through the elastic at the bottom. I usually don't fold the bags neatly but rather just push them in.

DIY Plastic Bag Holder, DIY Trash Bag Holder

Installing Hooks for Grocery Bag Holder

These DIY plastic bag holders will need to be hung on a hook. If you are renting and can't install hooks consider using 3M removable wall hooks. Plastic bags don't weigh much, but I always like to use the 1-pound (0.5kg) weight hooks. After you move, just follow the instructions to remove the hook safely without damaging walls or cupboards.

DIY Plastic Bag Holder - In Conclusion

A DIY plastic bag holder is an amazing tool to hold all the bags you wish to recycle. This easy project takes very little time and can be coordinated with your kitchen.