As I said... love it, love it, love it!
This is a speedy system of cutting which results in a long continuous strip being formed.
EDITED TO ADD - I have had a fabulous and simple suggestion from one of my regular readers (thank you Karen!)
if you are working with a flat piece of material, such as a sheet... take a few minutes to stitch a seam up one side and make it into a tube... then proceed with the method described below
I have used a pillowcase to demonstrate the technique, and taken lots of photos. Hopefully they will help you in your recycled crafting endeavours.
(click on the photos to enlarge)
1. lay the pillowcase flat, with the opening to the left
2. begin folding from the bottom up as illustrated
3. fold to about an inch from the top edge
4. trim the left hand side so that you have a straight flat edge... for a pillowcase you are removing that whole thick section of fabric at the opening... for a doona cover you are removing the strip which contains the fasteners/buttons... etc
5. start cutting strips approximately 1/2 inch wide... cut through folded layers all at once... stop before you reach the very top edge
6. continue cutting until you reach the end... cut the last strip all the way through
7. shake out the folds
8. slide your hand into the tube from the top left hand side
9. use fabric scissors to make cuts between the strips... start at the end of the 'spine' and cut diagonally up and left to the end of the first strip as illustrated
10. continue cutting from the top of one strip to the bottom of the next, moving diagonally up and left... until you reach the end
11. make the final cut as illustrated
12. you now have one continuous strip of fabric which can be rolled into a ball
41 comments:
Thank you for sharing that Sharon. Will have to have a go :)
I am so impressed I just rushed to get an old pillow case immediately! It worked brilliantly. I now have my first ever ball of recycled yarn waiting to be knitted into something. I may tackle my old pile of t-shirts next. You are a genius, Sharon!
how clever! i remember doing something like that with paper when i was a child... you'd make a big circle and you'd walk through it..
thanks for the tip!
dot
That is totally brilliant. I have been wanting to cut up some plastic bags for recycled knitting purposes, but have been at a total loss as to the best way to do it. So I have to agree; total genius!
Thanks for sharing. I'll have to try this out.
Thank you, this is very handy.
I turned a length of fabric into a tube by sewing up the two ends and then cutting with the 'no join' method - yes!!! How great to make small cuts and save the wrist and hand. Thank you.
Hey, I recognise that pillowcase! Delighted to see it being put to good use already.
Very cool! Thanks for sharing!
Fabulous!!
This is awesome. I cannot wait to try it out. Thank you so much for your awesome blog.
this is a wonderful technique - thanks for sharing it!
i blogged about this as part of MomAdvice's Notebook Experiments... come check it out!
Thank you, Sharon!
This is so clever and simple ...
I`ll have to try this out and make something new...
happy snipping everyone... but it really is addictive :)
What a brilliant method. I have sent this link to my yahoo groups. I am about to try one of your rag bags. Have never done one and the tutorial looks terrific for a beginner...thanks heaps. Hugs Khris
khris - fabulous... have fun with it, and feel free to pop back and ask questions if you get stuck with anything
I have just run into your site, and it's brilliant! I am going to use almost every single crochet related suggestion you've made!
shape5 - thanks... enjoy your wonderful world of discovery! so pleased you found my blog inspiring :)
Muito obrigada!
Gostei!
Beijos
Josi
http://josicroche.blogspot.com/
josi - glad you liked it!
That is great! But what do you like to do with your pillow case strip ball? Are you knitting with it? What kind of items?
That is great! But what do you do with your new ball of pillow case yarn? Are you knitting with it? What kind of things are you knitting? Thanks!
Love it! Thank you for posting this!
Amazing! And I've been a seamstress for millions of years and never heard of that!!! Thanks for sharing =D
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I have signed up for follow ups so hope you can tell me haw to subscribe I love your blog!
really useful thanks for sharing
EXACTLEY what I was looking for and good job on the foto's!
Thanx!
Thank you so much for posting such a time and energy saving method!
bobbie...
I have fixed the subscriptions, so you shouldn't have a problem now
This method looks so much better than the plarn method of loop ties that I was using! Can't wait to try it, have a big bag full just waiting... Love your designs and tutorials, and just subscribed to your blog. CU later.
Thanks for the great tutorial, I have so many clothes made of beautiful fabrics that I just can't bear to part with - this is a wonderful way to use them all. Now... What the heck DO I use them all for once I've made my fabric ball? Got any ideas? Maybe a hand bag would be nice... do you leave the ends as they are or stitch a hem in them?
Cynthia...
I've made hand bags, coasters, bowls, baskets and floor mats... and I'm sure that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as ideas go!
I haven't ever bothered with a hem, but then again, I do LOVE the scrappy look...
I just used this method to cut up old tube socks and used the “yarn” to crochet mop heads for an old “Swiffer” I found. They work beautifully and I can just toss them into the washing machine when I’m done. Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for this great tutorial. I've used this method in the past for cutting shopping bags into plarn. This is the first time I've seen it used on fabric.
I've added a link to your tutorial on my blog.
Thanks again!!
Thank you very much for sharing, especially for this method of cutting strips of fabric, I subscribed to your blog by email, but I will keep visiting the site, greetings from Chile!
Do you think thi swould work with tulle for scrubbies?
Can't wait to cut the 2 yards of fleece I have waiting to make my daughter a big scarf cuz she lives in Minnesota with her to be husband and last year she could have used it but I couldn't find anything to make it out of now I can hardly wait to get it all cut up so I can start on it
Just wanted to say that I love your blog and have posted a link on my new post on your tutorial for cutting continuous strips! thanks :)
http://www.babybellescrochetshop.com/free-crochet-pattern-for-grocery-purse/
You had some really great ideas and uses of materials like dressmaking fabric Kudos and thanks for the inspiration!
Awesomeness..such cool cute idea..will be making these..My fiance works in wood I'm going to see if I can make a 3 sided lil box for them ...to hold them..would make a cute gift..Thanks for ideas God Bless ya..debb
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