The apartment complex that I’ve been living in for the past year and a half has really begun cracking down on how the community properly disposes of our pet’s ‘messes’.  I have always complied with this rule (cough, cough – ok, maybe once or twice I ignored one of Bruce’s ‘messes’), but now that I’m REALLY focusing on complying, I’ve noticed the price in doggie disposal bags are rising.  So, I’ve opted to start reusing plastic shopping bags I acquire when I go shopping.  Only problem with that was that I had no proper storage area for the bags, so they were just getting thrown into a drawer.  And then every time I went to retrieve one of these said bags, I could never just grab one, they all had to come out.  Annoying.

The answer?  A Plastic Bag Dispenser!

So, to keep along with the New to You series, I decided to take this shirt I had recently discovered a hole in, and revamp it for my new dispenser!

First step, I a large rectangular shape (as large as I could) from the back panel.  I didn’t measure, but just be sure that one edge is longer than the other.  I also cut two smaller rectangular pieces for the ties – just guestimate it.

Take your tie pieces, and press them in half lengthwise.

Open your pressed pieces and fold the long edges in towards the center fold.

Open again, and press one of the short ends in about a 1/4 inch.

Close again, press well, and sew along the two finished edges.  Set aside.

Next, take your main piece and on one of the short endges, press in 1/2 inch.

Fold over another 1/2 inch and press again.  This will be your encasing for the elastic band.

Then, on the other short end, fold and press in 1/2 inch, and repeat.

At your sewing machine, unfold both of the short ends that you just pressed, fold in half to form a long rectangle with right sides together, and stitch along the long edge.

(unfold ends)

(stitch long edge)

Now you should have a tube with two open ends.  Re-fold your elastic edge (1/2 inch, 2 times).

Edge stitch to close the elastic casing, leaving a 1 inch opening.

Using a safety pin, feed a piece of elastic through the tube you just created.  Make sure your elastic is 2 – 3 inches shorter than the diameter of the bag dispenser to create ruffling effect. Stitch edges of elastic together, and finish off the edge stitching to close the elastic tube.

Now we want to attach the ties to the body of the bag.  To do so, find the center of your bag and pin one of the ties in center of the other end of the bag.  Note – the edge should still be unfolded!  And you want to pin the tie so that the raw edge of the tie is flush to the first fold line from the edge of the bag.

Sew into place.

Repeat with second tie on other side of bag.

Refold these edges along fold lines (1/2 inch, 2 times), pin in place, and edge stitch around the entire tube.

Press well, then fold the ties up so that they are coming out of the open end of your dispenser.  Pin in place, and restitch along your edge stitching from the step before, but just over the ties.  This is to double secure the ties.  (Sorry this one came out a little blurry!)

Clip loose ends, tie to a hook or shelving unit in your closet, and voila!  A New to You plastic bag dispenser!

Have you completed any DIY thrifty projects recently?  I’d love to see!  Upload pictures to my Facebook wall!

Thanks again for tuning in for the New to You series!  See you next week!