Get The TechniqueMaybe it has something to do with my line of work, but my magazines are precious. I love the new smell, the smooth cover, and the crisp pages. I save and collect them carefully, for future inspiration and entertainment. Unfortunately, as precious as they may be, I tend to toss my magazines into purses, beach bags, and suitcases, where they often get dog-eared and ripped.
I recently transformed a cheap reusable tote into a "magazine sleeve," in hopes of preserving my beauties exactly as they were when plucked from the newsstand, or pulled from my mailbox.
1 I love these reusable totes, but I seem to have a lot already. I had to find a good use for this bright pink bag.
2 I cut the front and back from the bag, and snipped the handles off. I love this material because it seems to be somewhere between plastic and textile, and the edges won't fray.
3 Magazines come in all different shapes and sizes. I measured around my favorite magazine :) and added an extra inch on the sides to allow for storing a few at a time.
4 I sewed the sides together, trimmed the edges, and... Voila! No more damaged magazines!
I love this tote bag material (somewhere between plastic and textile). It won't rip or fray, and it has an interesting texture. How else can we use it?
From: Janet | 9/17/10 at 10:02 am
Love this idea! Do you have any ideas on making a closure for the bag to keep the magazines from falling out?
From: Blake Ramsey | 9/17/10 at 10:08 am
What about velcro? Or a snap? Let me know if you try something and it works out!
From: sue | 9/17/10 at 10:14 am
why not leave one handle on and just add a button to the other side. |_|
From: Blake Ramsey | 9/17/10 at 10:15 am
That's a good idea- you could also snip the handle, leaving two tabs that fold over, attaching with buttons or velcro... This project is improving already!
From: sue | 9/17/10 at 10:19 am
loving that idea 2....think I'm going to have to pull out of those totes to give it a try myself. A mini for my everyday food mag will need a bag 2.
Love you ideas, they always inspire me!
From: *gemmifer* | 9/18/10 at 2:51 am
I am so obsessive about keeping my magazines pristine! Especially if I plan to keep them forever; I've got every issue of MSL since February 1992 and they're all in great condition. One of my pet peeves is when someone looks through one of my magazines and puts that big v-shaped ding in the pages due to the way they're holding it and flipping the pages. And after it made it safely through the mail or I picked the best copy from a newsstand! This sleeve is an incredibly simple and great way to protect mags in transit.
From: Lori Richards | 9/19/10 at 3:48 pm
for a fastener? why not grab the bottom snap from the groc. bags if u are scrapping one? U know the ones where they have cardboard and only fold in half. Also an idea for the sides if fairly wide--make a can holder like those can-coolers you buy or get for samples, that fold kind of flat. This material is great for that, just hold it length wise, fold crosswise for the bottom, and copy the notched edges...sew up the sides.. see next post
From: EG | 10/4/10 at 9:01 pm
Another use for extra reusable totes: Donate them to your local food pantry. Check out Bread for the City - (the largest pantry in DC, offering free food to thousands of low-income families)'s Reusable Bag Campaign: http://breadforthecity.blogspot.com/2010/05/more-bags-please.html
They take donations by mail.
From: kay Saenger | 10/5/10 at 9:13 am
Great idea!! You are so smart!!