This weekend I have mostly been ironing plastic bags and making a wig…I know, I know you think I’ve gone slightly bonkers. Honest I’ve not. Let me explain.
The plastic bag ironing thing was brought to my attention by this fantastic tutorial at the Etsy Labs blog. I don’t even know how I came to find it. You know sometimes you’re browsing away and you get sidetracked and you find a little gem? That was me on Friday night. Naturally, upon finding this, I searched high and low for some inspiring things to make with my newly melted plastic. I found out I can make anything from this new substance so I made this very cool and funky tote bag. It’s not quite finished yet. I was having so much fun I didn’t realise the time and was so tired I couldn’t see the sewing to finish putting the handles on…it was practically the middle of the night after all!
All this from a handful of sainsbury’s bags and an old local authority bin bag. Obviously the next stage in all of this is to experiment with different sorts of plastic to see which makes a good bag…I’ve already got my eye on the dog food bag with a stunning border collie on it and the compost bag with the flowers on it.
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This delightful little lady is going to be part of Iona’s Christmas present this year…shhh don’t tell her.
All this from a couple of old vests, a pyjama top and a pair of very fetching pink socks! She was feeling a little naked so I dressed her in some of Iona’s old baby clothes although I intend to make her some dresses and dungarees if I have the time. I also started to add some ‘hair’ after a rather lengthy investigation as to the best method to use. To do this I unravelled an old jumper and used the same technique as is used to make carpets but with an old dish cloth as a base (it still needs to be sewn on at the left hand side). I think it’s working out pretty well if I do say so myself. Of course more pictures will follow when she’s finished.
She’s also sporting a very nice pair of underpants but they’re private…shame on you for thinking I would show you them!
All in all I’m pretty proud of my weekend craft activities. I’ve managed to have great fun making these things and haven’t spent any money on the materials for them – a bonus considering how skint we are at the moment.
Filed under: Clothing, Family, Kids, children, parenting, sewing
please don’t tell any of my man friends that i read this article…
…im going to change the oil in my car to see if any manliness has been extracted from my soul.
charlie
The doll is adorable. I can’t sew at all but I can iron. I think the fused plastic bags, well… let’s just say I think I know what I’ll be giving people for Christmas this year. Thanks for the link!
Charlie…your secret is safe with me.
Bellevelma…my mum has asked for a sandwhich bag and I believe she is on the lookout for some biohazard plastic tape for it. I can’t wait to get started on that one.
Jolene, I don’t think your pics show the bag to its best … I think it’s important to highlight that it says on the front: “NO SHARP OBJECTS … NO HOT ASH”
… but not so useful for emptying the ash pan!
Granted it would be pretty useless for the ash bucket but then that’s why it has the handy instructions on it…duh!
I reckon the best thing about it is the proclamation that it’s made from 33% recycled material…courtesy of the good people at Sainsbury’s.
The doll is fab…really puts my sewing skills to shame. Can’t wait to see her again when you’ve finished.
Thanks 21st Century Mummy
“Can’t wait to see her again when you’ve finished.” … there might be a wait for that, I don’t call her ‘half-a-job jo’ for nothing
Ahh that’s fab Jolene.
How do you find time.
Iona will love her.
Alasdair, if you must be nasty please do so on your own blog
Jo,
I don’t normally find the time which is why Alasdair refers to me as ‘half a job Jo’. We don’t have a TV and the kids go to bed really early so mostly I do crafty stuff in the evenings but I get bored so easily and distracted by all the other nice things I want to make and do. There really isn’t enough time in my life for everything.
Iona doesn’t seem to be able to stop kissing this particular doll so I have no choice but to finish it. And David has now decided that he wants a boy doll the same. I’m pretty sure there’s enough time before christmas to fulfil the order.
You’re right! That wasn’t nice … I apologise.
Now, wasn’t that nice
xx
[...] glance there is very little that we have in common. After all, I am a man and she is not. She makes homemade toys for her children and sews ridiculous costumes for her family to wear in public. All of which I [...]