Sharing recipes, crafts and frugal living, the challenges and triumphs of parenting a neurotypical child and a child on the Autism Spectrum. Yoga Instructor said goodbye to her nightly glass of Chardonnay to give up habits that were not serving her purpose in life! The CocktailMom name remains, however with a new focus on healthy and authentic living.

8/26/2007

My no-go coasters

So my project this week was slated to be coasters made by recycling plastic shopping bags into yarn and then crocheting the yarn into coasters.

Wow, I had missed crocheting! I'm not much of a summer crocheter. I'm not sure why? Perhaps I associate yarn with being warm and cozy and therefore shy away in the dog days of summer. I probably hadn't crochet or knit at all since April.

Crocheting feels really good. The actually act lifts my spirits and simultaneously calms me down. Sometimes when I am effortlessly making a granny square I feel a connection with women throughout history and women all oven the world. I know that plenty of men knit too - but it is the images of women that seem to collect in my consciousness. I feel a kinship with these women which makes me feel connected to all mankind and makes me feel slightly more at ease.

Even when the project turns out badly, I really love the process. I can't say that about many things.

Sidenote: I had avoided crocheting with the plastic bag yarn because I believed I would hate taking the time to make the yarn by cutting the bags and weaving them together, however; I think this project was actually quite enjoyable. I curled up with some DVR'd Jon Stewart and made a big enough ball of yarn to make a couple of coasters in no time.

I followed the pattern and created a perfectly fine coaster, in the sense that it is created to the patterns specifications and is indeed what I intended to create. Sadly, its just not something I would use. Just to be sure, I crochet another coaster prototype in a square - still a no go.

I think the problem is that I for some reason view the plastic grocery bags as being a little dirty. Not filthy, but not clean enough to have near food. I just couldn't see myself passing a guest a coaster made of plastic bags. I think I would actually like a bag made out of the bags so perhaps I make one of those in the future.

Here are some photos.

3 comments:

Gretchen said...

Oh I see what you mean. I can't say I'd feel secure placing my wine glass on one of those. :)

Anonymous said...

Not to mention that they don't look like they would soak up or otherwise protect from condensation. I don't imagine you'd have this problem a lot in Boulder. :)

Anonymous said...

Your coasters are cute - I can see how they might not be the most functional though. Allison and I are trying to do you proud. We're still making kitty blankets for the humane society and we're going to granny square instruction from her aunt sometime.

-Jen

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