JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - For Anne Majcher, empty feed bags are more than just garbage - they're a repurposing project.

For the past four years, the Westmont woman has taken the discarded bags and, with a little bit of creativity and sewing, turned them into tote bags.

Majcher said she got the idea after seeing a picture of a tote on the social media site Pinterest.

"We feed the birds, so there are feed bags in my garage, and we have cats, and their dry food comes in a bag, so after seeing the picture, I thought that looked cool," she said. "There were instructions, and I followed them and modified it. I made a couple and gave some to friends, and from there, it took off."

Majcher said she likes to sew, and the project uses materials she already had.

"I didn't have to go buy anything, and this is something that is useful," she said.

Majcher gets her bags from St. Mark's Pet Food Pantry, 335 Locust St., downtown Johns-town, where she and her husband volunteer, along with others that are donated from family and friends.

"Sometimes the bags just show up in my driveway," she said.

Bags feature a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, horses, chickens, cows, deer and alpacas.

Majcher, who makes about 50 totes a month, said in preparation for making the totes, she cuts the bottoms off and launders the bags.

"They are washed before they are offered back out to anybody," she said.

Majcher said she looks at what's cute on the bag and what would be an attractive centerpiece.

"I cut a couple pieces to make the straps," she said. "The sewing takes 15 minutes or less to make the straps and attach them, and then there's a few seams involved in getting that flat bottom so that it sits flat. I sew everything twice so they're very sturdy."

Majcher said she recently started lining some of the bags with patterned fabrics.

"It makes for a nicer-looking bag," she said.

Majcher has the totes available for purchase in the Inclined to Read bookstore at Cambria County Library, 248 Main St. in downtown Johnstown. Unlined bags are $2 and lined bags are $5 with proceeds benefiting the Friends of the Cambria County Library.

Paulette Solomon, marketing coordinator for the Inclined to Read Bookstore and a board member of the Friends of the Cambria County Library, said Majcher's project of taking empty feed bags and turning them into totes is a terrific idea.

"She keeps the bags out of the landfills, and creates useful and durable items anyone can use," she said. "She uses her time, materials and money to create the tote bags, and quietly and freely donates them."

Solomon said the tote bags are popular at the Inclined to Read bookstore.

"A few people have bought them to use as book bags for their library books," she said "Others use them as grocery bags. The totes have even been used as gift bags for birthday presents."

Totes also are available at St. Mark's Pet Food Pantry, 335 Locust St., downtown Johntown; Bottle Works, 411 Third Ave. in the Cambria City section of Johnstown; and through the 4-H group in Hollsopple.

"Everyone enjoys them," Majcher said. "Every time somebody who hasn't seen one gets one, they think they're so cool, and that just tickles me."