Tutorial: Cutifying Re-usable Grocery Bags

I'd been wanting to bring my own grocery bags to the store, but knew I wouldn't get around to making the kind I really wanted from scratch. I thought about buying bags from the store, but couldn't bring myself to sport around the lovely grocery store logo. So here is my compromise: Purchase grocery store re-usable bags, and use fabric to cover the logo, between the handle straps. This is a great way to use medium-sized fabric scraps.

I've made bags two ways. The easiest is to use one piece of fabric to cover up the logo area on the bag and top-stitch it all the way around. This tutorial will show how to make a pocket. I used a piece of non-fraying, stiff linen (salvaged from our extra window shade fabric from Ikea!) for the inside piece of the pocket, but you could use any fabric and simply press a seam allowance under.

Okay, here we go:
Cut out the piece of non-fraying fabric to fit the space between the handle straps. I made a template out of cardstock so that I could trace it on future fabric.

Cut out a piece of patterned fabric with a 5/8" seam allowance added. Press 5/8" seams under. Open seams, and clip each corner off, right at the point that's created where the two pressed seams intersect. Fold and press seam allowance under twice so that the raw edge is tucked underneath (so tuck 5/16" under).
*Note you can also cut out a second piece of fabric to the size of your template, put the patterned fabric wrong sides together, so that the seam allowance hides the raw edges of the inside fabric.
Top stitch top edge of patterned fabric.

Stitch top edge of linen fabric to grocery bag toward top edge of bag, fitting fabric into the space created by the straps. I used a zigzag stitch to "finish" the edge a bit.
Fit patterned fabric on top of linen fabric in space created by handle straps. Pin into place. Top stitch down the side. Be careful not to catch the other side of the grocery bag under the seam. Check frequently, and ease out any excess fabric.

At bottom corner, stitch to the edge of patterned fabric, leaving same amount of space as your side seam allowance. Leave needle in fabric, lift your presser foot, and turn 90 degrees. Continue to stitch along the bottom, again checking for excess fabric.

Turn again at corner, and stitch up the side of the bag.
Hooray! It's a pocket!
Repeat steps for opposite side of bag.

Grocery store, here I come! And library... and Grammie's house...
By the way, Albertson's gives you 5 cents off your purchase for every bag you bring with you. My bags were purchased from Stater Brothers, Target, and Albertson's.