Around the corner from the college where I teach sometimes there is a super-cheap second hand shop, run by a local homeless charity. I sometimes go and have a browse there when I'm on a break. I buy most of my clothes, shoes, and various other thing like crockery from second hand shops, it's just so much better in every way. The current consumer madness worries me a lot - not only can our environment not sustain it, but so much money gets spent on expensive new things that people don't really need while so many more people live in absolute or relative poverty. Buying second hand clothes, furniture, crockery, etc, is such an easy way to recycle and to contribute to something good at the same time.
At this particular shop they sell old pillow cases and tea towels for 50 p. These are great for making your own book/grocery bags. You don't even need a pattern. The simplest way is to just cut two rectangular pieces, as large as you want the bag to be (if you're using a pillow case you could even just leave it as it is and just sew handles on to it). But if you want to get a bit more fancy, you can combine different fabrics, stitch decorations onto the bags, and so on - whatever you want really! To get a patchwork pattern, use a CD-case to draw squares on the back of the fabric, cut, and sew together. To make handles, cut long strips of fabric, fold lengthwise (making sure the side of the fabric that will show is on the inside), sew together, and turn inside out.
Easy and fun - and making things with your hands is also a great way to de-stress.
At this particular shop they sell old pillow cases and tea towels for 50 p. These are great for making your own book/grocery bags. You don't even need a pattern. The simplest way is to just cut two rectangular pieces, as large as you want the bag to be (if you're using a pillow case you could even just leave it as it is and just sew handles on to it). But if you want to get a bit more fancy, you can combine different fabrics, stitch decorations onto the bags, and so on - whatever you want really! To get a patchwork pattern, use a CD-case to draw squares on the back of the fabric, cut, and sew together. To make handles, cut long strips of fabric, fold lengthwise (making sure the side of the fabric that will show is on the inside), sew together, and turn inside out.
Easy and fun - and making things with your hands is also a great way to de-stress.