Produce bag - prototype

[twylag]

Its not pretty, its just a prototype.  Made from some leftover bits of curtain sheer (which is tough enough for the project & light enough to not alter the scales) and some thin cotton for the binding .. and yes .. sewn with black thread because I was too lazy to switch it ti white.  french seamed, with shopping bag pleats on the bottom & with some (I don't mind saying myself) clever stitching to get the binding openings...
I could use some feedback before I start another one.

and shown with some cellery in for scale.

Let me know any improvements please. 

[BlueKarma]

Great idea, nice prototype.  Is the sheer easily washable?

I've also made some produce bags, but I go at it a little differently.  I don't bag my produce until after it is weighed, so I'm not so worried about fabric type.  I have been experimenting with the fused plastic lately.

Are you planning on doing different shapes for different types of produce?

[thriftjunkie]

wow, that's a really great idea. we really overuse produce bags, and they're not as recycleable as regular grocery bags. i was also wondering about the different shapes, but i can't think of any produce that wouldn't fit into there. maybe small/medium/large for when you buy more of a particular item? also keep in mind that cashiers have to look at the stickers on a lot of produce to ring it up, so it should be sheer enough for that to work.

it didn't even occur to me until recently that you don't have to bag produce- i thought i was protecting it from germs, but it's already SO dirty from transport and shoppers touching it. if i got these, i would use them to bag multiple items of the same kind of produce to keep them together. maybe something to keep in mind when you're deciding on a final size.

[spydyrgrrl]

Other than using a sheer fabric, I can't think of anything else.  I don't usually use the plastic produce bags, but just put everything in my basket and then go to check out.  I get dirty looks b/c I have to round up everything and the checker doesn't have a bag, but w/e.  I get dirty looks for using my canvas grocery bags, so that just adds to the fun.

[Diesels_Mom]

I made something similar for a friend  but without the pleats, which are a great idea! I used this pattern free from this website.
http://www.circleoflifefoundation.org/action/arts/bag/index.htm
I have been trying not to use plastic shopping bags, but I always reuse the produce bags, because I have dogs and I use them for doody removal when we go on walks.

[dcowherd]

I like your bag a lot I've made a few of this type of bag (without your fancy pleat though) out of muslin -- the sheer curtain fabric is a great idea. 

In addition to produce, I use some of my smaller bags for bulk items such as beans, rice and pasta so leaving these unbagged until checkout wouldn't work -- I just show the cashier what's in the bag if they're interested -- usually all they want is the PLU number anyway.  In fact, I need to figure out how to record the PLU number on them somehow -- right now I just keep a list on paper.

[twylag]

Thanks for all the feedback.
The sheer curtain fabric washes up great.  I think the only thing I would be wary of putting in it would be spices and flours/sugars/soup/gravy/juice powders.
Thanks to whoever suggested alternate sized bags ... my next ones will probably be shorter .. well maybe another long one for cucumbers or lettuce or something.  But the narrowness at the bottom where the pleats are make the size of the bag deceptive, and it rolls up really tiny.
I thought of using the fused plastic, but the tellers do have to read the number off the produce (plus the whole fumes & toxins created from the fusing have turned me off .. not sure if they are too good for a person either) and since they weigh everything at the til for checkout I dont have to worry about that either.  But I still have to write down the numbers for things in the bulk aisle (rice, nuts, etc) and haven't figured out a way to do that on the bag without using plastic (like a wipe off keytag or something).
But yeah .. I used to try putting all my produce and stuff just in my basket and man did I get lectures from cashiers, or I'd try to minimize the damage by bringing along one plastic bag and putting everything in there  .. you'd think it was the end of the world to have to touch my bananas at the til ... at least you don't really have to go home and wash bananas...
So anyways, while I am rambling on ... thanks again for the help and the next one will hopefully go a lot smoother.  I'll try to post some dimensions (the cellery & lettuce were my guidelines for length) for both the bag and the binding and maybe a pic of the pleats if anyone's interested (but they are just the same kind as in the tutorial for cutting apart a grocery bag to make a cloth shopping bag, so the bottom of the bag winds up looking like a >-< shape before you turn it inside-right to french it, so there's not that much to it.)
hmmm .... just a quick question ... how much heavier would a plain thin cotton add to the weight of what you are buying?  probably not much right? a few pennies maybe? ... and most places charge you now a penny a bag or something

[thriftjunkie]

But yeah .. I used to try putting all my produce and stuff just in my basket and man did I get lectures from cashiers, or I'd try to minimize the damage by bringing along one plastic bag and putting everything in there  .. you'd think it was the end of the world to have to touch my bananas at the til ... at least you don't really have to go home and wash bananas...

why did they lecture you?

[twylag]

:shrug: *apparently it is not *their* job to separate apples type A from apples type B at the checkout counter and that if I want to purchase them I have to bag them separately  and if I didn't like their policy I didn't have to shop there, etc

[feyleona]

oh my goodness, twy!     just a suggestion, if you have no place else to shop...talk to the managemant at that store.  it really IS the cashier's job to separate stuff to scan it - they don't scan all your canned goods at the same price, do they?  it is a few moments more thought, but trust me when i say that they know EXACTLY what the differences are with every type of produce that store carries.  i'm not trying to suggest that you get someone in trouble, but the management needs to know that:  1) their staff are treating customers in that manner  & 2) more and more people are (hopefully) going to get on board with not using plastic bags and they will have to compensate in these ways.  ***this saves them money!!!*** 

i really dislike it when people are rude and mean.  you keep on saving your piece of the world and i'll go on saving mine and sooner or later our children will have something to look forward to instead of something to fear. 

(now stepping off of the soapbox...)


~the produce bag looks great, black thread or not!  what a good idea!!  I just put mine loose into my canvas bags and then onto the counter for the cashier.  i've gotten funny looks, but no lectures, yet 

great job!