Ultimate plastic bag!

Last Saturday I received a present of a magazine (back number) - some of you will probably already be familiar with this publication but it was new to me - from a good friend and spent the rest of the weekend engrossed in it and in trying out some of the things I read about in it.

First off - ironing polythene bags - yes really!! Following the instructions in the article:

I layered my plastic bags in a sandwich with paper to protect both the iron and the ironing board and then ironed over it. This fused the layers together into a thick plastic sheet which can be embellished with paint (I had none - so didn't try this) bits of coloured plastic from other bags, scraps of paper ephemera etc and then machine stitched it all to hold it together. Of course now that I rarely accept a plastic bag in the shops and use a cloth bag instead my stash of plastic bags was somewhat limited.

Voila!!

I tried another sample with some mesh from a bag which had contained this week's oranges and it worked OK. I quite like the way bits of the mesh have melted away altogether.

I did wonder if I might make some small pieces and use sequins or other small bits under a layer of clear plastic to make jewellery but it wasn't long before I thought ***er this it might work but I don't actually like what I am producing and I can't imagine actually wearing it when made nor using a pochette made of the stuff either so I think that we'll call it a day! Well I tried!

I did make a couple of cards using small pieces of the stuff so it didn't all go in the bin you'll be glad to know. I stuck a square of the plastic fabric I had created to a plain card and then drew a border round it with a red gel pen - as I sent the one I made to said friend to say thanks for the magazine I don't have a finished card to hand just now!

It kept me occupied and was fun to do but I must say I prefer my previous plastic bag which I wove from carrier bags years ago. (By the way if any of you should be tempted to try out weaving carriers make sure you use non biodegradable ones or it will just disintegrate in time!!)

Some more articles and ideas I want to try out :-

Many thanks to all who visit my blog and leave such encouraging comments - I do read them all and visit your blogs too and only wish time permitted me to reply personally to you all. Thanks for visiting and every comment is much appreciated.

And finally a bit of my crazy patchwork - I was packing up a little package to send to Linda at Ae Fond Kis for her British Heart Foundation sale and wondered about including this little scrap which I made into a brooch. Not sure if anyone will want to buy it but as it's for a good cause they might!