Thursday, June 21, 2012

Plastic-Free Preparations

As a way of getting ready for Plastic Free July, I have been looking closely at the plastic we use around here. We are all pretty conscious of plastic but there are still the bits that manage to make their way into the house.

One of my greener aims this year was to make all of the bread that we eat. Generally there are rolls in the freezer ready to be defrosted, filled and packed for lunches. I find rolls to be a better way to go for us as this way I don't need to worry about trying to cut even slices and there is a lot less no waste of leftover bits of a loaf.

Some days I need to rely on the local bakery for rolls and bread, and here is the dilemma. I had been trying to go for the compostable option of a paper bag but still wasn't happy with the production aspect of the single use bag. I know these can be reused, and generally are, but they still have a limited life span. With a perfectly good sewing machine sitting on the bench and fabric scraps in a box I thought I would have a go at a reusable fabric bread bag.

As is my usual way of doing things, I made a start by drawing a rough sketch using some size estimations, cutting the fabric, sewing some seams and then looking for a tutorial.


I was pretty much on the right track which was a relief. I decided to make a drawstring version (which had nothing to do with the fact that the bag would have been too short for the tie in the tutorial)

I used it for the first time this morning as I generally find that wet, cold weather and a sick child aren't really the best conditions for baking bread.

Edit
Linn reminded me how fabulous tea towels can be to store bread so I thought some of you might be interest in these gorgeous little tutorials.
I Eat Food Bread Bag Tutorial
Double Layer Storage Bread Bag from Mousy Brown's House
Midwestern Girl Drawstring Bread Bag Tutorial
Our Wee Farm

Plastic Free July Update
If you have signed up for the challenge, you should have received a Survival Guide email today. In case you haven't signed up, you may be interested in some of links that were included.

Take care

14 comments:

  1. That is a very pretty bread bag. I usually just wrap my loaves in a clean tea towel. Maybe I should look up the tutorial and have a go at making some.

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    1. Linn, a tea towel would be ideal too. I even saw quite a few tea towel bread bag tutorials out there. I have added some links for you. I hope these are useful

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    2. Absolutely beautiful way to store bread - so simple to make - thank you!
      Bren
      Holistica Australia

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  2. couldn't find your contact email on your blog -
    I just wanted to let you know that I’ve nominated you for the Sunshine Award! Here's my post if you'd like to check it out:
    http://www.thingsforboys.com/2012/06/sunshine-award.html

    Don’t feel bad if you can’t post about it. No one wants this award to turn into a chain letter. I just wanted to let my readers know that I think you are awesome!

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    Replies
    1. Aren't you a sweetie. Thanks so much for nominating me. What a wonderful way to start Friday.
      x

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  3. Make me one! I'll even supply some nauseatingly awesome cup-cake fabric...

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  4. I love your bread bag! I made one a couple of years ago http://ourweefarm.blogspot.co.nz/2010/01/i-just-made-this-sue-and-tammy-at-down.html and have been using it ever since. I did the tea towel method! it's incredibly simple. We've not got one for the potatoes as well.

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    Replies
    1. This you made is gorgeous. Such a sweet embroidery. I'll have to add yours to the list of tutorials. I like the idea of a potato bag too.

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  5. great idea! I've been making my own bread, partly because I got sick of the bread bags. Plastic free July isn't easy, the more ideas and encouragement the better!

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    1. I'll hopefully have some more ideas for you once I have been to the Jude Blereau workshop in Saturday. I'll keep you posted.

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  6. I should try and make a bread bag, yours looks lovely. Although it's been so long, I think I've forgotten how to use my sewing machine.
    Are you still making sourdough?

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  7. The bag is really easy. It had been a while since I had used the sewing machine but I just had the need to make something.
    I have been bad on the sourdough front. I haven't made any since we came back to Perth. I was reading through the Hugh book on e weekend and was thinking it was time to get started again.
    Make sure to enter the giveaway for the bag.

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