DIY (do it yourself) paper bag with old newspapers

Plastic bag ban yay for that should have happened much earlier. Wanted to DIY an easy paper bag (my version) with the good old newspaper.

I first thought of painting the newspaper with some cool things, but changed my mind and left the newspaper in its usual wordsy style. Yes I know that’s not a word, but it is now!

We will need one full newspaper with all its pages, Scissors, glue, cardboard for the base of the paper bag, a thick box or book, this is only as a guide to help us fold the paper bag properly, a punch, a ruler and cord for the handles of the bag.

Lay out your newspaper as shown in the picture below. Place the thick box or book on the paper, this box  is just to act as a guide and to help us glue the sides of the paper.

Fold the top part of the paper; about a one inch fold, this is the fold where we will eventually attach the handles. The box has to be in the middle of the paper.

Next get a clean fold at the base of the bag, just like wrapping a gift and stick the edges with glue on both sides. Stick only the paper folds, do not stick the paper to the box. Use a ruler to press down the folds. It should look like this.

Now remove the box or book out carefully you will see the basic structure of the bag. Cut out a cardboard of the size of the base of the your paper bag, just eyeball it, and put it in the bag, this gives the paper bag a sturdy base. Also cut 2 strips of cardboard 1 inch wide for the fold where we need to attach the cord which act as the handles of the bag. Stick it inside the folds for the handles of the bag as shown below.

The above image shows the inside of the paper bag with the cardboard at the base and the carboard for the handles of the bag. Punch in the holes with the help of a punch then treadle the cord and tie a knot towards the inside of the bag and we are done. 

Strength test: I put in the flowers and some other things including the punch inside the bag just to see if it could carry the weight and it held on fine. How’s that to pack a punch! 

How cute does the paper bag look? I know the lilacs make the bag look cooler; no denying flowers make everything look good. A DIY should be easy; cost effective, practical. This one is quick and environment friendly too. Did you like this easy DIY paper bag with old newspapers? Hope you put those old newspapers to use.  Until next time I wish you happiness and glee always.

Grace