Last year that changed though. I started off with the idea that I should make a recycled, reuseable shopping bag. I really had no idea how I would accomplish it, but I had my heart set on it so I forged ahead. I started taking all sorts of books out of the library. I got macrame, knot tying, knitting and crochet. Books from before I was born, books that were brand new. I got books about recycling from both the kids' and adults' sections. Nothing seemed just right though. I knew from previous years' attempts that I couldn't knit. Just can't do it. I was stuck. Then while searching online I came across knitting looms. It seemed pretty straight-forward. Wrap your yarn around a bunch of pegs, use the hook to lift the yarn over and presto! You've made something. So armed with a 40% off coupon to Hobby Lobby and a vague sense that I could do it, I went shopping and came home with a set of 4 knitting looms of various sizes.
I decided to really go green by using the massive collection of plastic bags
that had accumulated in my laundry room as my "yarn" (it's affectionately called plarn in many crafting circles). Making plarn wasn't too bad. Slice the bags into 1/2in wide circles, loop the circles together and roll into balls. Time consuming, but mindless. Working with it was a different story. I wasn't prepared for how hard it would be to work with. I did finish the bag. But it was in no way present worthy.
that had accumulated in my laundry room as my "yarn" (it's affectionately called plarn in many crafting circles). Making plarn wasn't too bad. Slice the bags into 1/2in wide circles, loop the circles together and roll into balls. Time consuming, but mindless. Working with it was a different story. I wasn't prepared for how hard it would be to work with. I did finish the bag. But it was in no way present worthy.I liked the idea o
f the woven bag, even though I didn't like the plarn. I was downstairs playing with my kids when I stumbled on a half used cone of heavy cotton string. I decided to give it a try and it made a much nicer bag. Now that I liked the material, I had to find a more refined look. I played around quite a bit before I came up with my favorite design (which I just realized I didn't take pictures of, oops). I made several of the bags. I gave away 2 in swaps and the rest of them I used for Christmas presents with a loaf of fresh baked bread and apple butter that I had made and canned in the fall. As great as the bags are, I just couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to make something...more...and that's when the rug obsession hit...
f the woven bag, even though I didn't like the plarn. I was downstairs playing with my kids when I stumbled on a half used cone of heavy cotton string. I decided to give it a try and it made a much nicer bag. Now that I liked the material, I had to find a more refined look. I played around quite a bit before I came up with my favorite design (which I just realized I didn't take pictures of, oops). I made several of the bags. I gave away 2 in swaps and the rest of them I used for Christmas presents with a loaf of fresh baked bread and apple butter that I had made and canned in the fall. As great as the bags are, I just couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to make something...more...and that's when the rug obsession hit...