For years Hannah has been sending me scraps of fabric, the leftovers from her sewing. They are mostly small intriguing pieces and I have used them to make many potholders.
Last week I got to send Hannah something that I always would rather not have to throw away. I saved up five or six feed bags from the sheep hens, birds and dogs and sent them to Hannah.
Hannah makes feedbags into shopping bags and gift bags.
“I make tote bags, and smaller gift bags, by reusing feed and seed bags that I collect locally from various friends, some are farmers.” She wrote me, “We have a small flock of chickens and feed the wild birds, so generate some bags at home too. I scrub them clean, trim them to size to take best advantage of their design, and use the excess plastic to fold and sew into straps.”
Hannah sells her bags at The Rusty Button Shop in East Aurora NY and right now she has a couple for sale online for $10 + shipping at Whispering Pine Farms. You can see them and buy them here.
Hannah told me that it’s sometimes impossible to get the smell out of the dog food bags, so she may not be able to use the one I sent her. Just like how sometimes, I just can’t figure out how to use some of her scraps.
It’s a good balance.
