Upcycled Plastic Fusion Laptop Messenger Bag

Outside made from fused bags from India

Here is my second upcycled laptop messenger bag. The first one was horizontal, but I like the vertical style better, especially for a larger 17" laptop.

Thanks to Etsy, this is the video that taught me how to fuse plastic bags. Then soon after I learned how to fuse, this video from Thread Banger taught me the upcycled messenger bag basics.

I inserted the plastic bags for the batting a bit differently than the Thread Bangers. Their method is probably best since mine caused the lining to be offset a bit at the top. Below is a view from the side before the bag was enclosed.

2nd-hand store shirt lining, plastic bags for batting

I love the look and feel of a cool plastic fused bag, but I'm trying to keep my eye open for repurposed "fabric" that doesn't need fusing (such as animal feed bags, coffee foil bags, juice packs such as Capri Sun). The last two pictures posted are of my latest laptop messenger bag made from a puppy food bag and trimmed with juice bags -- sort of gives it an "industrial" look! It holds a 15.6" laptop and accessories. If you know of any dog lover who'd like this, just let me know and we can discuss the price! I am just totally thrilled to know that functional items like these can be made from nearly 100% repurposed materials. Gosh, everything but the thread was repurposed here! I love that.

Puppy food bag trimmed with Capri Sun bags

2nd-hand store shirt lining; plastic bags for batting

Upcycled T-Shirt Scrap Rug

T-shirt rug completed

Happy 2012 Summer Solstice! What better day to begin sharing my crop rotations?

Here is my first T-shirt scrap rug. It's made from the scraps I saved from Ts that have served as linings to my upcycled messenger/laptop bags and scarves. Posts of those items to come!

I couldn't find the original blog that inspired me, but here is another blog with instructions. It's a "no-sew" method that can be done in the car, on the train, while watching TV,... I will probably reinforce the scraps by hand-sewing this fluffy chaos from the back.

Here's another take on the Tshirt rug that requires sewing. I may try this in the future.

Oh, do I have so much more to share, but need to get ready to go see my very good friend! Welcome to my crop-rotating world!

First row completed and peace back at ya, Jack!

Sharing What Rotates My Crops

"Estrella" by Joni Mitchell, felt pen on paper

"Any time I make a record it's followed by a painting period. It's good crop rotation."  

- Joni Mitchell 

That's right. To me, that's what it's all about. I first heard this quote about 10 years ago while away at a math conference, the evening before I presented on some math topic. I absolutely love this quote. From cooking to crafts to science experiments with my son, who knows what you'll discover in Crop Rotation.

And as much as I absolutely loooooove NPR, this blog will forgo the fluffy long NPResque storytelling and just try to tell it how it is (I get pretty turned off when I run across a blog that contains instructions of something I want to make but I have to read a long essay first). I do love to tell a story, but I will really try to leave out the extraneous information.

If anyone needs more information about any of the postings, feel free to let me know. Enjoy.