Gleaning Bags - Where Fashion meets Function
Thank you Paula Vanderheul!
8/8/23
If you have ever have been at the top of a 10 foot ladder, picking apples and juggling grocery bags or boxes you brought from home, you'll appreciate the huge gift that longtime gleaning volunteer, Paul Vanderheul, gave to all Gleaners -- heavy duty, washable, and sized (S/M/L) gleaning bags. You can use Paula's pattern instructions below.
Paula (shown above) is a quilter. A few years back she was gifted a load of heavy fabric so she went to work and started making bags... and bags... and bags... beautiful and fitting every sized body. She's happy to share the fabric with others who would like to make their own. Contact us at foodbankgrowers@gmail.com and we let her know.
Above, notice how the bag is a bit higher on one side than the other. That makes the bag snug into your waist and also makes the opening more open. It's one less thing to have to manage while picking apples, or beans, or getting dog toys collected around the house. They are seriously useful bags.
GLEANING BAG DIRECTIONS
Cut a Fabric piece (20". 18". 17*) wide by (41", 40", 38*) length.
Strap should be 5"(3") wide by (46", 42", 38") length making a 2.5" (1") finished strap.
Make a 3" (2") cuff at each end of the length by folding the right side of fabric to the wrong side of fabric. Fold or press a 1/4" seam allowance. Press.
Top stitch folded cuffs. Topstitched both edges lengths on each cuff.
Fold right sides together with the back and front cuffs just meeting. Pin sides at lower cuff. The largest size should measure about 14" deep when folded and back about 16.5" high or so when folded.
Then Zigzag along raw edges from the total length of each side top to bottom to stop loose ends.
Next Sew the same sides seams with a 1/2" seams together. Reenforce a second seam with a 1/4" seam. Makes a sturdy seam.
Then make a boxed corners inside bottom and attached it to the side seams. Use a ruler to make a line 2 1/2" up from bottom crosswise aligned with side seam. Then sew on that seam line. The fold the boxed triangle on the sewn line up along the side seam. Pin and sew it to the side to anchor it.
Turn right side out and attach strap.
The straps have 1/4" pressed seam allowance along the long sides. I/4" at top and bottom. Then fold in half to topstitch all the way around the strap. Or design it your way.
Fold the top back side cuff along the length of stitched 1/2" seam to inside.
Place the strap on the folded edges and extended just above the front bottom cuff, and secure a top stitch box to finish the bag.
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