DIY "Wet" Bag Pail Liner

In my most recent post, I mentioned how I made a pail liner.  They sell "wet bag" pail liners online for $15 or more.  If it can be sewn easily for cheaper, I will at least try to find a way to do so.  This seamed easy enough.  The ones they sell online are usually made from PUL which is actually a pricey waterproof fabric unless you are buying in bulk.  The thing that doesn't make any sense to me is if you are sticking it in a trash can anyway, then why do you need it to be waterproof?  Trash cans are waterproof, too!

So I dug in my closet and pulled out a twin size sheet for a twin size bed that we don't own.  Looked good enough to me & a great way to upcycle for free!  Now I did initially measure my trash can to see how big my pail liner should be.  But then I got smart.  It's a 13 gallon trash can--why not use a 13 gallon trash bag as a pattern?

I folded my sheet in half and placed the trash bag on the fold to cut out.  I added about an inch and half to the top and an inch to the sides for seam allowance and a little wiggle room, and cut out around the trash bag.

I then turned it so the right sides of the fabric were facing each other and pinned the sides and forgot to take any more pictures after this, but you should be able to figure it out easily.  Meanwhile baby C.J. had fun looking out the window and at the sky, haha.

I then sewed up on the height and width of the fabric.  Next I turned it right side out and sewed along those same two seams on the outside for added durability.  Then along the top unfinished side, I sewed a casing to stick elastic in.  This part you might need help with, so here is a great tutorial for how to do this.  (I was lazy and did not iron anything though and just kinda winged it!)  I kept telling myself, "I am making a trash bag, I really don't care how it looks, just that it works."  You should do that too; it save you stress.

 After adding the elastic, here is the finished product:

And with my beautiful lid & sign so no trash gets mixed up in here:

As a side note, this is how I save money on those stupid refills for the Diaper Genie.  Just use a regular drawstring trash bag and wrap it around an old empty refill ring.