Scrubber with grocery mesh bags

What happens to those onion and garlic mesh bags once you finish using them? Ever thought of creative ideas with such produce bags?

However hard I try to avoid them, every once in a while, I end up with a plastic mesh bag and wonder what to do with it.

What I tried out has been tried a good deal by creativists across the world. It was still an experiment for me - converting them into a scrubber for use either in bath, or at the sink.

Interestingly, the quick project did not need a drop of glue at any point. Wash and dry the bags before you do any experiment.

What you need for the homemade scrubber:

-- some plastic mesh bags that come with onions or garlic, or other items
-- a pair of scissors
-- tapestry needle with a wide hole
-- plarn (plastic yarn) made from a fairly thick plastic cover
-- optional is a skein of embroidery thread

I had in my stash, plastic netted bags that were bundle-taped at one end, and also bags that were heat-compressed to make for the bottom. The advantage was that I could use the bundle-ended bags to stuff into the flat ended ones.

You will need to cut off the bundle ends. And spread the mesh bag out. Stretch it well, so you can fold it. Do it with two bags.

Fold these bags in a way that they fit into the the flat-ended mesh bag. This is trial and error. You can try out the folds in different ways.

Gently push the folded set into the flat mesh bag. Make sure that the edges of these folds do not jut out from the mesh bag.

 Now fold this bag. Thread plarn into your tapestry needle and start sewing the edges. I used button stitch for two sides and overcast stitch on other two sides.You will need to crease the plarn from time to time. It gets rough with each passing stitch too, thanks to the sharp plastic in the mesh.

Stitch any left over plarn into the existing stitches. Your homemade scrubber is ready. You may use it this way. I had another idea to make it look better.

Out came my crochet hook. Using the existing hooks in the edges, crochet a single crochet chain around the scrubber.

I crocheted two lines with the plarn. Stitching plarn on to a plastic mesh, and crocheting it, are more difficult than working them with an embroidery skein or other threads. Do not give up. Here is where you can alternatively try edging off with embroidery skein. Am not sure about how long it would last with the scrubber though.

The scrubber is ready for use. I am happy with the result. It is not perfect. It's functional. It is satisfying.

I was lucky to have a red plarn ready. If you do not, try using contrasting colours. Experimenting has no end with such projects. Tutorials to convert a plastic bag into a single plastic yarn exist on the internet. They are easy and fun. If you do not have plarn, try using the plastic thread available from thread stores. Just make sure it is not too sharp on the skin. You can add more mesh bags into the flat ones for a fluffy piece. Fine mesh bags are more suited for bathing, while the rough ones come in handy for dishes in the sink. Use your discretion. At no point should you let the piece of plastic hurt you though.

Try your hand at upcycling those plastic mesh bags and save on some scrubber bucks.

Pictures Courtesy: Radhika M B

For permission to use, write to: radicreative@gmail.com

Cute kiddy costume bookmarks

Have there been times when a pile of ad-fliers got thrown around home for no reason? You had to toss them into the basket, but wondered what else could have been done!

Out here in US, that weekly mailbox flood of coupon fliers from local stores is a routine. Their volume and weight vary with changing occasions. And piles of fliers get heavier during the halloween-thanksgiving-christmas season.

Ahead of Halloween this year, my mailbox got full too, with some fliers of party stores. Cute pictures of kid costumes. I have not much use of them, as I do not have kids. Even if I did, am not sure the idea of all those cute but expensive costumes would draw me to the store.

So, I did what comes best to my head. Made bookmarks using some of those pictures.

It was not so much of an effort, considering I had supplies ready.

• a pair of scissors, glue
• felt pens, of the colour of paper that had to be used
• cardboard from cartons of products that I buy
• wooden beads, paper punch and yarn to match
• most importantly, pictures cut out from coupon mail or ads 

First step, cut the strips or blocks of the pictures from the main flier.

Get to work next, with each of those pictures. Choose individual pieces that have minimal or no pricing prints on them.

Here, they resemble stickers that you buy at a bomb of price from stationery and craft stores.

If you do not make bookmarks, consider using some double-sided tape on their rear so you can use for some other projects, or simply stick them up on your kid's shelves and storage boxes.

 I love the `prisoner' costume at the bottom of this picture.

I cut out enough to store for later use. After all, it is not all times of the year that you get such pictures on fliers!

I cut some cardboard from cartons to size, sand-papered its glossy side, stuck brown craft paper on its sides for one bookmark, and patterned `tablecloth design' paper on the other.

I also made use of a heart shape that I had cut out from a used gift-wrap or wrapping paper.

Next step: Stuck the pictures up, and used felt pens to touch the bookmarks up. I used the paper punch on one of the two bookmarks, and strung some thread into a bead for its `tag' feel.

Here goes another picture.

That's not all,

I used another picture, of a baby, that I had cut out from another ad, to make the following bookmark. This one can be used as a gift tag too.

Try this using pictures you see around home. It only needs some patience, the paraphernalia apart.

For use of pictures, write to: radicreative@gmail.com

Photo courtesy: Radhika M B