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   Cassian [main] (cassolotl@eldritch.cafe)'s status on Tuesday, 18-Feb-2025 23:27:51 JST Cassian [main]

   Today I made a shopping bag out of half of a dead umbrella! I think it's pretty cool but I haven't managed to test it yet. (This is the second half of the umbrella. The first attempt came out a bit weeeeird.)

   The bees are hand-printed onto the umbrella by the former owner, so that's why it's off-centre. The seams are symmetrical, and some triangular bits got folded inside without being cut to make inside pockets.

   I found the umbrella abandoned on the side of the road and I love bees so my inner hoarder took over. It was years ago! I'm so glad it's done, and I'm very curious to know if it'll be strong enough. If it is, that means I have a potential way to recycle something that gets thrown out a lot, which I am very into.

   #upcycling #sewing

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     Cassian [main] (cassolotl@eldritch.cafe)'s status on Tuesday, 18-Feb-2025 23:27:47 JST Cassian [main]

     in reply to

     Success!!! One shopping bag made from half a broken umbrella, and I even reused the little velcro fastening!

     Complete with 2x inner pockets, and the point of the umbrella is the only bit that doesn't get used.

     #upcycling #recycling

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     Cassian [main] (cassolotl@eldritch.cafe)'s status on Tuesday, 18-Feb-2025 23:27:48 JST Cassian [main]

     in reply to

     I have active plans this week but they might be impossible because my PA has a cold and my hip and knee are feeling a bit subluxy. :S

     GreenSkyOverMe (Monika) repeated this.
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     Cassian [main] (cassolotl@eldritch.cafe)'s status on Tuesday, 18-Feb-2025 23:27:49 JST Cassian [main]

     in reply to

     Tomorrow I will attach the little strap that you wrap around the umbrella to hold it closed, with velcro on the end. That way you can roll the bag up small and then wrap the strap around it to keep it small and then shove it in your pocket. >:D

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     Cassian [main] (cassolotl@eldritch.cafe)'s status on Sunday, 23-Feb-2025 16:31:03 JST Cassian [main]

     in reply to

     I have published the umbrella-into-shopping-bag as a free pattern/sewing tutorial on Tumblr with lots of diagrams!

     https://cassolotl.tumblr.com/post/776141416570257408

     #upcycling #recycling #DIY #FreeSewingPattern #sewing

     GreenSkyOverMe (Monika) repeated this.
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     Cassian [main] (cassolotl@eldritch.cafe)'s status on Sunday, 23-Feb-2025 16:31:04 JST Cassian [main]

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     I just tested it with loads of heavy shopping and it held up well! 😁

     GreenSkyOverMe (Monika) repeated this.
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     Lana (lanaarts@mstdn.social)'s status on Sunday, 23-Feb-2025 16:59:38 JST Lana

     in reply to

     @cassolotl Neat! How sturdy is the umbrella fabric?

     GreenSkyOverMe (Monika) repeated this.
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     Cassian [main] (cassolotl@eldritch.cafe)'s status on Sunday, 23-Feb-2025 16:59:42 JST Cassian [main]

     in reply to

     • Lana

     @LanaArts Hard to know for sure without a few weeks of testing in real shopping conditions, but I've taken it shopping once and put a lot of heavy stuff in it and it was totally fine.

     The fabric umbrellas are made of is, I think, the same as the fabric that Onya bags are made of: https://www.onyalife.com/collections/shopping-tote-bags

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     GreenSkyOverMe (Monika) (greenskyoverme@ohai.social)'s status on Sunday, 23-Feb-2025 17:00:02 JST GreenSkyOverMe (Monika)

     in reply to

     @cassolotl Oh, I have a broken umbrella!