Rag Rug with Fabric Strips

I did not stop making rag rugs :)
Now, I wanted to make an oval one.

At this time, I used fabric strips: I had three sheets and 4 pillow cases that I cut - mine are about  1 1/2" wide. You can cut them, but I found that tearing is much faster.  To do this, just cut  the starts to your rip lines, then rip the rest, as shown.  Then wind up the strips into balls.

My cat Masha loves this rug :)

I used a big hook- size Q (15 mm). The most challenging thing was to keep the "roundings" even. My rug is not perfect, but we love it! And it is not small - 52" x 31".
And the cost of a rug is only  $3 or so! I had to buy only the hook. All my sheets were free- I had them for years in my closet and never used them. Now, they have a new happy life:)

Upcycled Crochet Rag Rug

Let’s make something new, that’s useful from old and unwanted.
My rug is crocheted using strips of old T-shirts. I needed something for my apartment patio, so I could walk with bare feet and not freeze (or burn) them:).

Materials you need:
- T-shirts: I recommend same materials (cotton works the best) and same thickness... The bigger rag you want to make the more T-shirts you need. I collected all old t-shirts from my closet and asked my friend for "donations" too :)
- Scissors (bid and sharp)- you will need to cut a lot :)
-Big crochet hook ( I used 10mm, but bigger will work too)
-Needle and thread to sew the ends of Tarn (T-shirt+Yarn).

 

I used the same technique as for making my Wash Cloth.
To finish my rug, I used black tarn to crochet two rows of border.

 

Important: Variations in fabric content and thickness can make your project uneven. I have places (see red arrows) where Tarn is made of thin t-shirts with some elastic, so my rug has its "character" :)

New Life of Old Tires

Recycling is a great way to give a new life to the things people don't want anymore. My father is good at inventing things that are practical. He made a wash stand for their garden out of 2-liter plastic soda bottles. He also made a sauna oven out of metal barrel and built a green house out of old window frames.

This year I visited my parents again (in Russia). Now, they have new  "flower-beds" that my dad made out of old tires!

The tire has to be turned inside out (I do not know how he did it). The top can be cut out.

Also, this "flowerpot" can be painted. Add some soil and plant your flowers in. That's it!

But wait! You can go more "fancier"- make a swan!

 I wish I had a garden here :)

Case for Knitting Needles

You know I love to knit. I do not knit as much as I make jewelry. My jewelry tools are more or less organized. Every tool has it's own place, but not my knitting tools. They can be in the cup with pencils, in the box with yarn, or somewhere else. I needed to organize them too! And I did!
I spent all day doing this important job. My husband was not allowed to disturb me. Dinner was cooked by him as well ... OK, at least he started it :))
Did I mention I made two cases? To make the first one, I use my hubby's jeans (his price for dinner) and piece of colorful fabric with butterflies. I bought that fabric years and years ago to sew something good for my daughter, but I did not. I killed It took a half day, probably, to finish this first case. It has 28(!) pockets where you can put long and short items (needles, crochet hooks, scissors,  brushes, rulers, etc)

Upcycling Sweaters. Part 2 - Coasters

I made a lot of stuff out of felted sweaters: bags, gadget cases, little cute toys ....And I had a lot of small scraps that I felt sorry to throw them away. What else could I make out of little pieces? Well, they are not tiny-little, something about 4"-5" (13cm) across....
Coasters!!! They do a fantastic job protecting your furniture from those inevitable water rings made by our drinking glasses and coffee mugs. Right? So, I made coasters, and they are double sided!

Upcycling Sweaters. Part 1- Big and Little Bags.

This is a great time to find sweaters in your local thrift store - many people are putting away their winter clothing and getting rid of some pieces. You can make everything from sturdy tote bags to felted jewelry. 

It's quite easy to felt a sweater, really - just run it through your washer with hot water and soap, and then through your dryer. 

Only animal-fiber sweaters will felt, so look for wool, alpaca, cashmere, or a blend of these. If you find a great sweater that's at least 80% animal fiber with a little synthetic thrown in, give it a try - sometimes, they may felt just fine. It felted when you cannot see the stitches, and it will not unravel when cut.

 I made this bag from upcycled 100% wool sweater that I felted. I used all scraps from that sweater:flowers were made from sweater's sleeves. You will love it because it's soft, light , beautiful, and did I mention warm?