Sunday 27 April 2008

Recycling

My friend Helen came up with an idea a couple of weeks ago that the two of us should make bags from recycled fabric. We set aside a Saturday and spent the morning exploring the Red Cross, Salvation Army and Hospice stores. Helen fell in love with denim and chambray shirts for her bags, and I found tablecloths and scarves for mine.

This first bag is made from a small souvenir tablecloth and lined with homespun. The front:

The back:


The lining:

This bag is made from leftover fabric from an earlier bag project and lined with a 50 cent silk scarf.



It's challenging working with these fabrics because you have to make the pattern fit the fabric. Both bags turned out smaller than I planned and the designs changed along the way.

My April Journal Quilt was from another silk scarf bought on the same shopping trip. I wasn't happy with the first try so recycled it into this. It now has lots more texture (one of the themes for the month). I think some beads down the panel on the left would be good.


This weekend I also finished the Split 4 Patches for Bonnie's Orange Crush mystery. I cut far too many big triangles so now I've got lots ready for another project. Roll on clue 3.

3 comments:

  1. The bags are great, and I love the idea behind them. The Eiffel Tower one is a terrific use of those souvenirs that you don't know what to do with.

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  2. Clever idea Lisa!
    Thought I recognised the statue in the top photo then noticed Adelaide written at the top! - yep it is Colonel Light, surveyor of Adelaide the capital city of South Australia.
    The statue is atop of Montefiore Hill and overlooks the city.

    Another thing about recycling shirts is that if you line the bags with the shirt fronts you can have readymade pockets!
    Sandy - in South Australia.

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  3. Your bags are wonderful, what a great idea!

    ReplyDelete

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