Two quick updates -- A second recycled t-shirt bag and new buttons for the Clock Towers

You may remember a few weeks ago I tried my hand at working with recycled t-shirts.  I finished one bag and had nearly enough for a second bag.  So, back to my drawer I went and scrounged up two more t-shirts that had seen better days.  Here is the second bag from recycled shirts.  I've been seeing a lot of grey in the stores this spring so I decided to make the top of the bag in shades of grey.  This also enabled me to put the darker colors at the bottom where the bag is more likely to get dirty.  I kept the ends visible on the top of the bag but buried the ends (where I changed color) on the bottom.  Again, because the bottom of the bag sees more dirt.  I may string some beads on these tails but the bag is already pretty heavy and it may not work.  Maybe I'll look for some wood beads rather than glass.

The bag is lined in the same fabulous floral as the bag below.  The handles were my one expense and were a significant one at that.  These handles are distributed by Jimmy Beans Wools, a great online knitting source.  They're made by Grayson B.  I've used them on probably 10 different bags.  Very high quality but not cheap.  I think these were about $35.  But, when the bag wears out, you cut the handles off and re-use.

So what am I going to do with the first bag?  Well, I'm saving it for one of my son's teachers.  He has three different main teachers.  They got lace scarves for Christmas so I'm doing bags for the end of the year.  More on the remaining two bags another time.  I finished one of them yesterday and it's great but I have reaffirmed my dislike of wooden handles.  Another story for another time.

Here's a shot of the new buttons I found for my Clock Tower tape measures.  I think they make a huge difference in the finished product.

All 11 tape measures are ready to be sewn and finished up.  I bought 15 tape measures so I have 4 extra to embellish in another way.  I think I'm going to do a couple of them as basketballs.  I have a fair amount of orange wool and I thought I could do the lines around the ball in a black satin stitch on the machine.  Cute, yes?  And, I guess I'll need a baseball as well since all three of my boys play.  Stay tuned...

What?!! Another purse?!

During the winter months, I live in long-sleeved t-shirts and sweaters.  I have lots of T's but noticed this fall that most of them were too short.  I wish I could say I got taller, but this is not the case.  I think it's a combination of laundry shrinkage and a change in t-shirt styles to a longer silhouette.  Anyway, many of my shirts were a little skimpy in the length.  And, not having the long lean figure of which I have always dreamed, any exposure (either perceived or actual) is definitely not the way I want to go.

So, I replaced a lot of shirts this past fall.  Gap, Target, Kohl's, etc.  And, I went through my drawer and pulled out the offending shirts and stacked them up to go to Goodwill.  That's when I noticed how nicely they all went together.  I had about 6 shirts -- chartreuse, grey, mauve, dusty blue, pale blue, and a soft brown.  What to do...

I did some research on line and on Etsy to see what other people were doing with old shirts.  There are lots of creative people out there making jewelry, clothing, and accessories out of old stuff.  Many are knitting with old shirts.  They cut the body of the shirt in a spiral, creating one long piece of "yarn."  So, I got out my scissors and started spiraling.  That's when I discovered that cutting up a shirt takes a LONG time.  I think it took about 20+  minutes per shirt to get it all done.  And I still have the sleeves and above the armhole pieces!  Still, I perservered and had a large pile of rolled t-shirt yarn.

I did a guage swatch on size 15 needles.  Two stitches to the inch!  Wow!  So, I sketched out a simple bag, cast on, and off I went.  I usually start with the bottom of the bag, knit back and forth.  Then I pick up all the way around and knit a tube for the rest of the purse.  I like shaped bags so I usually decrease a few times before getting to the top.  But, I always leave the top 2 inches straight so it's easier to line the bag.  The photos here show the bag before lining.  I purposely left all the knots and tails to the outside.  It actually looks quite cute!  I'm thinking about stringing some beads on there but the bag is already kind of heavy.  Cotton is not a lightweight fabric!

For the lining, I had the perfect Amy Butler fabric.  I found it in my embroidery/beading cupboard when I was cleaning it out.  I had bought it to go with a project from my sewing group but never did anything with it.  The color match is unbelievable!  So, free yarn from the t-shirts and free fabric from the supply cupboard.  Okay, I had to pay for the initially, but I love using things on hand rather than buying new.  Naturally I had interfacing down in my newly organized Purse Supplies bin.  I also had a cool leather belt purchased at a thrift store.  That would be my handles.

I lined the bag, added the handles and am all done.  Naturally, I have some odds and ends left.  I looked back through my t-shirts and found a couple more that are too short.  Now that I know what I'm doing, I'm going to make a second bag.  A little bigger this time and a little less garter stitch.  I'm thinking all grey and oatmeal on the top half and then all the colors at the bottom.  I'll post pictures when it's done.