Tutorial Tuesday: reusuable produce bags

Over at Monkeys On the Bed, there is a feature called Tutorial Tuesday where a tutorial is provided for some awesome task each week, such as this one on how to make your own baby cereal. She has a cool, animated Tutorial Tuesday button that I would have posted here, but I think something is currently wrong with the server the button is on because it isn't showing up...if I check back later and it is working again, I'll post it.

So, this week I am joining in the tutorial fun with my own Tutorial Tuesday. Yes, I am aware that it is Wednesday. But, I didn't get around to writing it up yesterday, and I don't want to wait until next Tuesday, so here you go.

First, though, for any good lesson, it is best to have some students.  Below, you can see my "classroom" and "students."  Wembley had enough fun and is seen cutting class early.  I think the Bumbo chair (Lincoln is sitting in one) is absolutely hilarious.  If you have one, isn't the juxtaposition of a tiny baby in a chair with a "desk" sitting on the floor next to full size chairs or couches or even counters ridiculous?  I laugh every time Lincoln sits in that thing.  He just looks so miniscule, especially when I am standing up next to him!

Ok, now that class has started, here is what you need to begin:

1.  Net produce bags, such as the kind that clementines or potatoes come packaged in.

2.  yarn

3.  scissors

4.  large needle

First step:  After you have removed the items that originally came in the net bag, cut straight across the top to even out the sides.  Wash bag with dish soap and water and air dry.  (sorry, no pic of that step).

Second step:  Thread your large needle with the yarn.  Cut the yarn longer than you think you will need--you can always cut off the extra later.

Third step:  weave the yarn into the holes in the netting.  Start about 2" from the top of the bag.  You don't need to thread every hole--I did about 6 total holes all the way around.

Step 4:  Cut excess thread, but leave enough so when you fully open the bag, the thread doesn't come loose.   Next time you go to the store, fill your new produce bag with the produce you want and leave those plastic bags on the rolls!

For those worried about the extra weight on these net bags vs. the nearly weightless plastic bags at the store...I weighed one of the finished net bags on my kitchen scale and it was 1/8 of an ounce.  Pretty negligible.  Sometimes, stores can zero out the scale to the weight of the bag, but I'm not sure it is worth the effort for an 1/8 of an ounce.  

So, there you go!  No more plastic bags for your produce!  And, should you have more net bags than you need, you can always use Laura's tutorial over at Household Treasures to make a net scrubber.