fiber arts and handicrafts

[Impenitent]

Unexpectedly pretty considering it's made from those ugly grey plastic bags, and quite capacious. I'm going to experiment with another style I have in mind.

Sent from a tiny phone keyboard via Tapatalk - typos inevitable.

[Maria]

Oh, that's neat! How did you make the plarn?

Edit: never mind, I looked it up.

Now I want to try it!

[Impenitent]

Maria, cut it spiral-wise rather than in strips. Just as easy to do and takes maybe 2 minutes more per bag, but far fewer knots.

Sent from a tiny phone keyboard via Tapatalk - typos inevitable.

[Cerin]

What a wonderful use of plastic bags! It's lovely.

[Impenitent]

Design #2

I think I like it better. Takes about 35 used grocery bags.

Sent from a tiny phone keyboard via Tapatalk - typos inevitable.

[Frelga]

That's so very cool!

I just realized that one of my t-shirts is made from recycled plastic. I don't think I realized it when I bought it. It's nice soft fabric, good for exercise.

[Inanna]

That's so very cool!

I just realized that one of my t-shirts is made from recycled plastic. I don't think I realized it when I bought it. It's nice soft fabric, good for exercise.

Huh. Had no idea that’s possible.

[Frelga]

That's because I can't read, as it turns out. The label was made from recycled plastic, not the t-shirt.

However, when I was looking for a mother's day gift, I found a scarf that was super soft and I thought it was wool. Nope, recycled bottles.

On an unrelated note, I had a complex but visually pleasing dream in which I became a superhero named the Yarnkeeper. My superpower was controlling wool. I had all these soft, fluffy scarves flock to me and make themselves into a cloak that allowed me to fly.

[Primula Baggins]

OMG, that’s awesome, Frelga.

If I decide to steal it, I’ll ask first.

[Frelga]

The dream was possibly influenced by the tumblr post about The Knitter here http://dc-the-knitter.tumblr.com/ but if it's in any way useful, it's yours.

[Primula Baggins]

I wouldn’t steal it, but I’d love to help write the comic.

[yovargas]

Would that super power let you control sheep? If so, that is terrifying indeed.

[Maria]

One who controls sheep is called a shepherd.

[Inanna]

The Knitter is hilarious!

[Alatar]

This was primetime TV in Ireland when I was growing up!

[yovargas]

That was surprisingly pleasant to watch, beautiful landscapes, adorable doggies, and Irish accents.

[Sunsilver]

I wish they'd show stuff like that here! The closest I've seen to it was a series Martin Clunes did on animals that was broadcast on Nat Geo Wild.

As a German shepherd owner, I am very interested in herding. The type of herding the GSD does is very different from the border collie, though. They act as a 'living fence' to keep the sheep out of crops, and do not herd with a strong eye the way the collie does.

In order to get the German herding title, the GSD has to move a flock of at least 200 sheep through several fields, negotiating bridges, roadways with traffic and gates. (The car(s) they encounter are owned and driven by people involved with the trial.)

Competitions for border collies use much smaller flocks, and the dogs never have to negotiate traffic.

A litter sister to the dog I am planning to breed Eska to has her HGH title, and the stud was in training for his, but unfortunately, the herding club was torn apart by internal dissension;and fell apart before he could get his title.

[Sunsilver]

Found a video of the stud's sister, Kira, herding, so you can see the difference in the two styles:

It's interesting to see how you can trace the HGH herding lines in the GSD breed right back to its very beginning at the turn of the 20th century. This is how the breed got its start. Its use as a police dog, seeing eye dog, etc. came later as Germany was industrialized and sheep no longer grazed on large open unfenced grazes.

[Frelga]

So cool! You can clearly see how it was originally a hunting behavior.

Better than most of the prime time stuff today.

[elengil]

I've recently taken up needle felting. Here's a wolf I just finished using wool from my sheep.

Does that make this a ... wolf in sheep's clothing?

Such adorable little felted critters! I especially loved the dragon (those wings are fantastic!!! AND BABY DRAGON!!) and trash panda!

Those blankets are fantastic! I lament somewhat never having the chance to learn crochet or knitting.

I briefly poked at felting but didn't do so well. I have sewn a few cuties, like my octomermaid



But otherwise I love embroidery:

I hope this isn't considered out of place, as it's made of plarn rather than a natural fibre.
I think I used about 20 or so plastic supermarket bags to make the plarn.
I quite like it.

Oh Impy, that's fantastic! We've just been talking in my house what to do with our drawer stuffed full of plastic bags! How do you make it? Do you have a tutorial or instruction you might suggest for someone wanting to try?