The previous gang of Holiday Hints for Handmade Gifts were all bags made of felted wool. I mentioned that I had more bags up my sleeve and this time they are either made from repurposed materials or have an eco-friendly purpose behind them.

The first 5 bags below are from the pages of my book Sewing Green. (photography by John Gruen)

Pg 58: Tyvec Tote. This lightweight bag is made from 4 Tyvec mailing envelopes, printed with bubble wrap! Really fun to make and easy to roll up and take anywhere.

Pg 120: Beach Bag. A set of 4 place mats and some cotton webbing become this sturdy, roomy beach bag.

Pg 94: The Denim Shopper. 1 long denim skirt + 2 belts = a multi-pocketed, multi-pupose bag.

Pg 104: BYOB Water Bottle Sling. It’s so much easier to bring water with you when you’ve got a handy way to carry it. I designed them as a single or a double version to fit your style and needs.

If you’d like to see what people have made from Sewing Green, be sure to check out the Sewing Green Flickr Group.

Need even more bag ideas? Here’s some free-bees, courtesy of my tutorial list in my sidebar.

The Shoe Bags, made from vintage sheets…

The Canvas Tote Refab, made from a boring promotional canvas tote with a snazzy *slip cover*…

and one of my faves, the Two-Tie Sling, made from nuthin’ but 2 vintage neckties!

Oh, look at the time! I better light a fire under my Holiday Hint feature if I hope to squeeze them all in before Christmas. Next my focus will be shifting to smaller, last minute ideas, so stay tuned!