Tag Archives: recycling

This corner of the yard

15 Aug

has been reserved for compost of tree, shrub and yard debris for years.  The black compost bin in the background hasn’t stayed together even with a “zip tie” fix.  Time to shop!

Found on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085O6NXQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The cylinder in the foreground has an open bottom.  It was unrolled and secured with three plastic pieces that work like a key and lock inserted in slots.  The size is adjustable.  It is possible to expand the circumference an additional two feet.  Also, I could go smaller.

Last summer between kitchen, garden and yard waste, we yielded about 200 pounds of compost which we used at our remote garden site (future post).  We are on track with another 200 pounds…Eight  repurposed  cat  litter  buckets  filled (20 pounds each).  Two  more  to  go!

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2017 Recycling solution from sewing room

7 Feb

2014, I purchased flannel fabric in one to three yard lengths.  Each Days for Girls International kit includes 8 reversible, tri-fold, flannel pads.  My strategy included sewing pads from 8 different colors and patterns for each kit.  By year-end, I had over 30 types of remnants.   Variation due to cutting, shrinking from washing and fabric width created a significant amount of remnants in strips and block shapes.  I recycled these scraps into two light weight blankets.

In the three years since the original post, I tightened my strategy on purchasing flannel to reduce the waste (given my experience with shrinkage and end of bolt pieces).  The most significant change was to buy 4.5 yard lengths.  My 2017 striped flannel piece represents is a reduction of over 75% scrap.

Stripes

2014 pieced flannel strips, 18 fabrics in 18 different widths

2017 flannel recycling

2017 flannel recycling

 

 

 

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27 cubic feet

19 Apr

My survey of 50 years of accumulated personal files/papers….estimates 27 cubic feet….how low can we go?

“Eat the elephant one bite at a time.”

Left stack: scan and recycle. Right stack: straight to recycle.

Left stack: scan and recycle. Right stack: straight to recycle.

I purchased a Brother ADS1500W portable scanner.  This was my break through!  Compact, desktop, less than three pounds, scans two sides @ a time, sends new pdf files wirelessly to my laptop.  LOVE IT!

Tone and shred!

Tone and shred!  Three bags full!

Are you done yet? Yawn.

“Are you done yet?”  Yawn…..NO.

15 inches cleared/reclaimed! WooHoo!

15 inches cleared/reclaimed of 108! WooHoo!

For folks who are numbers and task oriented, I believe it helps to depersonalize stuff with numbers and the base line helps to quickly access progress.

This project is on HOLD at the half way mark, since higher priorities have prevailed.

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Recycling solutions from the sewing room

17 Dec

I purchased flannel fabric in one to three yard lengths.  Each Days for Girls International kit includes 8 reversible, tri-fold, flannel pads.  My strategy included sewing pads from 8 different colors and patterns for each kit.  Over the course of 2014, I had over 30 types of remnants.   Variation due to cutting, shrinking from washing and fabric width created a significant amount of remnants in strips and block shapes.  My year-end effort recycles these scraps into light weight blankets.

Stripes

Stripes:  18 fabrics in 18 different widths

I chose to have color transitions across the length for the stripe project.  Due to multiple blocks of bold colors for the patchwork layout, I used a random number table for planning.

Blocks

Blocks:  12 fabrics in various widths

Both pieced blankets will be finished with a border and backing.  Nearly four yards of flannel has been recycled!  Now that these projects nearly completed, it will be time to sew kits again in the New Year.

Bonus finding!  Flannel remnants are great for patching/reinforcing sweat pants.  🙂

From an earlier post:

The reversible, tri-fold, flannel pads for Days for Girls International have four corners removed for ease of insertion in the liner.  The math is (45) kits X (8) pads X (2) sides X (4) corners = 2880 remnants that filled a couple of shopping bags.

Remnant trimmed

Remnant trimmed

My idea for recycling was to make a small rug or seat cushion.

2880 times I trimmed the hypotenuse of the flannel triangles of 16 different colors and patterns of remnants.

The stash

The stash

The finished product…

Much better

Much better

 

Four examples of what happens when your conscience keeps you from hastily throwing scraps away.  My grandmothers and great grandmothers would be proud.

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Cut two pieces: a recycling solution

6 Aug

The opportunity to use remnant fabric from my Helping Hands, Touching Hearts projects to make kits for Days for Girls International set things in motion.  Alas, one thing leads to another.  Indeed, I reclaimed significant fabric for my latest project.  However, the pads for the DfGI kits are made from flannel and the four corners are removed for ease of use.  The math is (45) kits X (8) pads X (2) sides X (4) corners = 2880 remnants that filled a couple of shopping bags.

Remnant trimmed

Remnant trimmed

Please feel free to make other suggestions.  I reclaimed about a third of the small triangular pieces by cutting 1/4 inch strip from the hypotenuse for us in a latch hook project.  This was new territory for me.  I had never latch hooked.

Kitchen stool, short on comfort

Kitchen stool, short on comfort

I assure you this stool is not comfortable for sewing machine work.  My idea was to make a small rug or seat cushion.  Appearance does not matter when you are sitting on it 😉

2880 times I trimmed the hypotenuse of the flannel triangles of 16 different colors and patterns of remnants.

The stash

The stash

Testing….

Testing

Testing

The finished product…

Much better

Much better

Zoom…

Zoom

Zoom

Backside…

Random

Random

One example of what happens when your conscience keeps you from hastily throwing scraps away.  My grandmothers and great grandmothers would be proud.

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Domestic Archeology

5 Jan
Footstool circa 1960s

Footstool circa 1960s

This footstool has been under a chair in my guest room for years.  Several stains made it not presentable.  

My grandmother made it sometime in the 1960s.  I remembered it was made from juice cans.  My deconstruction discovered she also recycled athletic tube socks!

Tube socks revealed

Tube socks revealed

The structure of this footstool is two sizes of commercial juice cans with a large one in the middle surrounded by six smaller ones.  The ends of the cans need to be mostly in tack (of course empty of juice) for a solid top and bottom.  Covering the cans with tube socks keep them from clanging and provides an upholstered quality.

Foam topper

Foam topper

Decontructed

Deconstructed

One thing leads to another…I had 3 samples of discontinued Crypton fabric.  The upholstery features are 100% polyester, barrier and stain protection, abrasion resistant (50,000+ double rubs), heavy-duty and retails for $59.99/yard.

My first upholstery project in 2009 was 50% successful with seat covers OK, back and arms not so good.  

My second attempt is better than expected, since I needed to piece red and blue fabric strips to get enough length of the sage green to cover the perimeter.  I’ll give myself an 80% on this due to fit.  The fabric thickness made the radii fit more flat(straight) than curved.  It is clean and functional!

Top

Top

Bottom

Bottom

 

 

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