Sunday, April 4, 2010

eco blue bag

for various reasons, one in particular, i've not posted for quite a while on this blog but i recently decided that, after all, one single disappointment was not going to keep me from your company. besides i'd like to share this idea because it's all about recycling and it makes a nice little Spring gift, for Mother's day, a friend or a sister...

all you have to do is to tear some old curtains, bed sheets...etc... into continuous strips (to avoid sewing them). the larger they are the bigger your crochet hook has to be.
the flower is simply made of several fabric squares stitched together. (best when viewed large, please click on picture)

i made this rectangle bag including the flower with a little less than 3 yards of fabric & a european hook size 9. i'm now working on a (crocheted) round rug & the fact that it is coming along fast is very rewarding.


edit : thank you all for the warm welcome (back) ! i'll reply to your questions in the comment section & i'm looking forward to maybe seeing some more bags here if you're up for recycling ;)

19 comments:

  1. I love this idea !! I haven't crocheted in a long time but this idea motivates me. How wide are the strips you used.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Perfectly! So I crochet the carpet: D

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love this idea and that wonderful shade of blue.

    Glad to see you back.

    FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete
  4. this is wonderful, what did you use for handles and how did you attach them?

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is a great idea. Wonderful way to use some of the material I have stashed with absolutely no idea why I bought it YEARS ago ~lol. I don't know what your disappointment was. I'm glad you have overcome it and hope you will be posting on a regular basis. I am new to this blog. I like this idea.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love your bag! It's so cute and very well-done. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love it, love it! I have about 40 scrub tops that I no longer wear, since I now work from home rather than in a hospital. I'm seriously thinking about cutting those up and making strips. What a neat idea. Do you mind sharing where you got the pattern for the bag, or is this your own design. I can't wait to make one (or two, or three)!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I just love this bag! Can you help us out further with some instruction/directions? I would love to make this bag. Glad you're back to blogging.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very cute! So glad you are posting again!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Valerie, I'm glad you're back and this bag is so adorable! I plan to make one--thanks for the instructions!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Beautiful bag - what a lovely reuse of fabric :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a good idea for a bag. Do you just knot the strips together as you crochet?

    ReplyDelete
  13. no I just don't tear them until the end, living about a width of distance and go back from this side to tear a new one -- maybe clearer here =
    http://vintagechica.typepad.com/the_life_and_times_of_thi/2006/10/rag_rug_tutoria.html
    The work is more regular you don't have to try & hide any knot.

    ReplyDelete
  14. deleted this by mistake :
    Joanne : the stripes for this bag were about 1/2 inch wide

    Miss Prudence : I bought these leather handles from an Etsy shop. they have been "pre-punched" so you can hand-sew them (just make sure you use extra-strong thread) -- honestly this is not my favorite part !!

    Keri & Barbara : unless it is a shawl, I'm not very good at following instructions, so yes it is my own pattern.
    It is so simple that I didn't have to brainstorm about it LOL!
    = a rectangle folded in two.
    For this one I chained 30 to start, and then single-stitched all the way & later to join the two sides together.
    You might want to add some lining inside, same color or opposite , so nothing (like pens...) falls down through the tiny spaces & get lost -- it all depends on what you want to carry in your bag...

    I hope my explanations are clear enough (?) because English is not my mother tongue, I'm a French living in France.

    And a big thank you again for all your nice comments !

    ReplyDelete
  15. love this piece so much... :)

    Zila
    Kuala Lumpur

    ReplyDelete