I found this basket at a local thrift store and it had a wide but short wire pattern which wasn't about to hold any of my notions.  Nothing I can't fix with some plastic!  I used a couple methods of weaving because of the circular design, it made some creative 'windows' in both the top and bottom.

After last weekend's yardsaling found a stack of mismatched placemats for cheap, I ran across a project online here for some inspiration and added my own to it.  On the left can be seen the original size of the mat, 12"x16".  After folding the mat in half and then roll down the top edge, the finished bag is 7"x10".  I added a magnet in the middle and made the 32" strap from crochet plastic and twine which makes it a great long shoulder length.  Look for these soon on the store site and making their way to Pip & Lola's new location!

A combination trip of street fairer and yardsales gives me an opportunity to make something I've been talking about for a while.  These basic bag bags are 100% repurposed - napkins from a wedding for material, thread from an estate, and leftover rug yarn (colors may vary).  They can be turned either way depending on your style.  These are available for $1 or get one free with purchases totalling over $20.  In turn, I'll use the bags you collect in future projects or make a request!

This is a great way to reuse a handful of bright or accent colored plastic bags.  Using a couple baskets from the dollar store, I took my normal plarn and wove it through creating the pattern.  Crown Poly has an excellent how-to for making plarn - I typically leave loops in pieces until I need the next one on the project I am working on so that it's easy to compensate for the length variation.  For this project, pick a starting point and just work the plastic around like a thread and then finish the rim of the basket by looping around to cover the edge then tuck the tail of the plarn into the weave.
Pictured: White/Blue Older Walmart over black [Left], Tan/Black Fred Meyer over kiwi green [Center in progress], Yellow/Red Grocery Outlet over black [Right]

Its not anything different, however its a new take on my normal usage of plastic.  This is the first foray into ironing a material that can be sewn - so more to come shortly!

And by shortly, I actually meant later the same day.  After testing a bit with different temperatures, I found that 4 ply of material goes together well and still offers great flexibility with a little bit of stretch but no feeling that it will break.  Thereby inspiring me to start out with some card holders to see how well the new material sews.  This is as close as it gets to a duct tape wallet without the sticky!  Two of them have a divider on one side, and the one with the card actually has 3 slots on one side.

Welcome to the Synner approach to market bags.  These are quite a bit sturdier than the conventional net pattern.  Similar to my grocery totes I featured before, they feature bamboo pieces where the handles attach for excellent weight dispersal and prevents the odd plastic stretching.  The top row features two styles of bags constructed from Safeway material [white w/ red/black] and the third bag is Walmart material [white w/ blue].  The smaller bag utilizes a single handle which makes it a great option for fruits or vegetables.

Part of my incorporated materials include bamboo which grow quite well in this climate.  I planted these about a year and a half ago and have produced many new shoots this year so I have plenty for my creations.

The beginnings of the utility skirt.  Its a process, as any of my projects are, and an experiment in the making.  It'll take some breaking in, but I wore it out kite flying today and decided it needs some pockets!

I heard a rumor that embroidery thread is the answer to all obscure sewing problems.  Turns out it is [except maybe mattress thread] - a bit of a less industrial design and a rather spacious purse.  Modeled from Top Foods bags featuring a white base with red and green.

Inspired by a friend's design on StitchMeKnot, this is a forray into magnets.  Overall its about 6" wide by 4" tall folded and was created from 10 Grocery Outlet bags.  Look for more colors to come!