Recycled Plastic Bag Pannier

I may have mentioned that I have been thinking of making panners.  So I ordered some fabric, thinking It was oilcloth and somehow I ended up with ordinary cotton. Silly me. So trying to make the best of what I had ordered,  I decided to find a way to make it plastic coated. 

While surfing I stumbled across a very interesting article on you tube titled  "how to make a cycle bag from trash bags" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB1mE8e35UY  I was totally inspired by the article and went off on one of my tangents and ended up with this







I started with the process shown ironing lots of bags together about 8 thickness thick.  They seem very bland to me, so I tried ironing right side facing, it worked, then there was no stopping me, as I ran out of carriers I started trying anything,  raiding the larder and freezer, and calling on my neighbour for resouces.  Some worked and some didnt stick. It was a real trial and error thing. 

As I didnt have any baking paper in,  I started off with the  plastic sandwiched between foil when pressing, but I later found that photo copying paper worked better for me, some colours did transfer onto the paper, but I just got a fresh piece.  This process takes up alot of carriers and a long time ironing.  I also found out that after you have ironed, to stop the paper from curling and to control it abit, I placed a flat object like a baking tray on top of the bag and paper until it cooled down.  

I built up lots of pieces and overlapped and machined patched smaller pieces together using a zigag stitch.  On hindsight I quite like the bigger pieces, they have more impact.  The style and measurement of the panniers were based on these gorgeous pink and orange clarijis panniers
http://velodrama.co.uk/shop/article_12/Clarijs-Double-Pannier-with-Shopping-bag---Orange_Pink.html?shop_param=cid%3D64%26aid%3D12%26
I have been  admiring for these for sometime, but a pit costly for me at the moment, hopefully one day I will have some.  
I havent quite enough for the other pannier yet, watch this space! I think when I have finished the other they will look fun and quirky, they are also incredibly light.  I dont know how long they will last, maybe intime the sun will damage them, they may fade and go brittle, time will tell. Ive used them  yesterday when I went to the village shop and they get quite a few comments.
What do you think?


Hubbie quickly adopted the bag on his bike, hope thats not the last Ive seen of them!

Quilting Fun

Just a recap on my last post, just when I though autumn was here  the sun came out and shone on Yorkshire. 

It is wonderful going out on the old bike again especially in this sort of weather.  The wind from the wolds is strong, a warm wind, at the moment, but very bitter in winter. Of course,  I ride it like an old lady, slow and steady, and I get miffed when I get overtaken, especially if they are older than me!!!.  My next job is some panniers for the back, jolly red ones I think.  Lots of  cyclists on blogs I follow name there bicycles, I havent.... yet.  As it was lovely and sunny I took the quilt out into the garden to show you a better picture, doesnt it look wonderful, next to the cycle.

I played around with the patterns for sometime with the quilt (arent digital cameras brilliant for this, click then compare.) I enjoy this part, mixing the colours around.

first I tried this idea



we also thought about traditional  small squares. My daughter decided on the 1st option, but as I had limited fabric I decided to only use 2 colours to the pattern and put spaces of purple inbetween.  Being a novice quilter I thought this was easier incase I didnt get good joins on my seams.


but in the end as we started putting the patterns together, we ended up going off a tangent and this is the end result. I know its not pefect, but my daughter loves it. Very young and vibrant. I cant wait to finish it.

Long time No See

Well it seems ages since I was last posting, days so quickly turn into weeks, and before you know it its Autumn. I cannot believe the wonderful weather we had earlier on in September, Harvest time is one of my favourite times of the year ....

 I love to see the fields with bales of hay stacked.  Im definately a country girl at heart. This so reminds me of my childhood. 

Its such a hive of activity on our road  with combiners and  tractors going backwards and forwards, working from dawn to dusk.  Trailers full of potatoes or hay piled a mile high.  (this kind of heavy traffic I dont mind, after all we are rural.) 

I tried to get a photo of the hay coming past our window, all stacked high on the back of the truck, towering over our little cottage, but sadly I wasnt quick enough with the camera and just caught it going around the corner, it makes a nice change from a delivery truck.

Im now mobile having finally got the vintage bicycle restored.  Its lovely to be back in the saddle!! so to speak. Ive missed the old bike.

At the end of September I organised a coffee and cake afternoon as part of the Macmillian Coffee Morning appeal,  calling on good friends to help and bake.

Its amazing what a few balloons and bunting can do to the Church Rooms

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves

We raised £130.55, which wasnt bad going for a couple of hours. 

All the cakes sold well  except my little choccie buns (No surprise there, Id much rather sew than bake)

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(a friend took these photos, she wasnt sure how to use the camera!)

When I got home,  I had a  few stickers spare, my daughter and I soon found a use for them!!

Im still quilting but sadly I havent yet got that blessed walking foot.  Ive now started another quilt, I find quilting very addictive.  Yes I know I should finish the other one first.  You can catch a little glimpse of it resting on the back of the sofa above.

Its a lovely mix of purples, pinks and blues, I will post some better pictures.  Im just going to have to buy a new foot as I cannot wait any longer. Having never used one before I do hope it lives up my expectations.