Monday, June 2, 2008

To the Pool!

Summer is now officially allowed to begin, because (ta-da!) I've finished my pool tote. And I'm thrilled with it. It's crocheted completely of Kroger grocery bags, which is why it took a month. (I'd crochet as much as I could until running out of bags and continue after the next shopping trip.) I finished it off with polka dot ribbon in exactly the same blue as the printing on the bags.

It's perfect timing, too, because Nicky's swim lessons began this morning. (I couldn't get both boys in this month, so Kalen will start with a session in late July.)

I also finished another nifty project this weekend, but that will have to remain a secret, as certain people who have access to this blog may find one under their Christmas tree this year! I started two more projects over the past couple of days with the same restriction.

However, my newest plarn project is for my sister, at her request. I'm making a messenger bag out of bags she sent me from Virginia. (Giant grocery stores have bags in a beautiful aqua shade I can't get here in Georgia!) There aren't enough blue bags for a complete project, so I'm creating a striped bag that will showcase the blue nicely. I'm excited for it and am improvising it, so I'll keep track of the pattern as I go. If it turns out well, I'll post it here for anyone who wants to make one.

5 comments:

Nate's Mom said...

Love that tote. Love the ribbon. Can't wait to look under my Xmas tree ;-) We'll talk off blog about your projects. Can't wait to see what you are up to now.

Sheri

YarnThing said...

Great job...I have been thinking of doing the same thing :-)

xoxoxo
marly

Kari said...

Super cute! I've tried making plarn, but just don't have the patience to make it neat and even like that. Any tips?

Aimee said...

Thanks, Kari, sure! I think it helps a lot to cut the plarn thinner than some of the tutorials out there suggest. I cut mine about 3/4-1" thick, max. If you use thicker bags - like department store plastic rather than grocery store plastic, go for a spiral cut to eliminate the bulk. I also use an N hook, where I've seen people suggest an M. The thinner plarn and larger hook may make a difference?

Is it the cutting of the plarn that's not going well, or crocheting with it?

Kari said...

Well, the crocheting with it isn't going well because I'm not so great at cutting it evenly. I start out nice and even, but then get impatient and try cutting faster which makes my yarn a think & thin:P