Recycling!

This bag was very interesting, both in its construction & its materials.  It is made with recycled plastic bags, just like you get from the grocery store.  It is knit along with yarn, so it will have body & strength.  The design is my own, something I made up as I knitted along.  It came out just like I wanted, so both things together made this a favorite project! 

Folks were talking about this bag on the About.com knitting forums.  I just HAD to check it out!  I was so inspired, I decided to give it a try.  The website showed pictures of how to cut the bags so you have one continuous strip.  I just tied the bag ends together & made a giant ball.  Then I began the knitting.

I chose white bags, & I tried to find different colors of text on them to make it interesting.  I have loads of blue bags, but I don't care for the color blue.  I used a worsted weight white yarn along with it & went to it.  I made 2 identical retangles for the bags front & back.  The pattern on the website called for sewing the 2 pieces together & adding handles, but I didn't like that.  I felt it would be too narrow at the bottom of the bag.  It needed some room for expansion. 

So I knit a long narrow strip, probably about 20 stitches wide.  It was made long enough to go from the top of the bag, down the side, along the bottom & up the other side.  I sewed this piece in & made some I-cord handles.  I also added a button flap for a closure.  I love how the design came out!  I still need to add some type of button, a huge one to accent the bag. 

Though this is a favorite project, it is not one I would attempt again any time soon.  I used larger needles to accomodate the yarn & the bags.  I'm just not used to the larger needles anymore. (Whine!)  Also, the bags tended to drag on my fingers, which made them extremely tired & sore.  I started getting to a point where I couldn't wait to finish it because it was stressful on my hands.  I'm glad I forced myself, cause I love the bag!

If you decide to do a project like this, I recommend the thinner bags.  My grocery store bags are perfect.  They are very thin & slippery.  Some of the retail stores have a thicker plastic, these were not as easy to knit with.  These are the bags that caused the most trouble.  They would drag on my hands & needles.  Also, have LOTS of bags ready, you go through them quickly!  

Bagging It!

I admit, I'm addicted to making tote bags.  I really don't need any tote bags, I have lots of them.  I have quite a few canvas bags, some vinyl bags, some cloth bags, but I can't help myself!  I just love making them!  They are so much fun!  You can experiment with colors, shapes, textures, yarns, patterns, sizes!  The possibilities are probably endless!  My next few entries will be about these bags & branching off to purses.  What fun! 

The bag pictured is not one of my first bags, nor is it my own design.  It is from a Knitter's Magazine pattern, & I fell in love!  Doing entrelac is not one of my favorite things to do because of all the turning, so I forced myself to learn to knit back backwards.  Hope that makes sense!  This way, I wouldn't have to turn on every row.  It worked out great!

I used Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride wool yarn for this in some very festive colors.  I thought it would be fun because the harlequin patterning of the entrelac is a great way to show off bright colors.  The bag started with an attached I-cord edging, then the entrelac was worked from the I-cord down to the bottom of the bag.  It ends in a fun looking star type design.  I just had to show that in the picture. 

I made some I-cord straps & threw the whole thing in the washer to felt it.  I love the way it came out, but I think next time, I would felt it a little longer.  I rather like the more blurred effect felting gives.  This one doesn't seem to be felted enough for me.  I followed the instructions that came with the pattern for the felting, but I would still go a bit longer.  I blocked & dried the bag on an old potato chip can, but an upside down bucket would work well, too.  I had some fun colored buttons that matched the yarn pretty well, so I picked on of each color to sew on the handles.  This way it keeps up with the fun harlequin theme! 

I have to fight my daughter for this bag.  At first, I didn't think she liked it.  Then one day, I was hunting for it & found it in her room.  She'd been using it for an overnight bag!  We can share!