Recycle Hockey Jersey Baskets

Recently I was given a bundle of hockey jerseys that had been used to make quilts. Chris Wenz, of Over the Top Quilting Studio, apologized for the mess. I’m sure she was thinking what will she do with that. I spent the summer cutting a large bag jerseys into yarn. The rough, polyester fabrics turned out to be perfect for baskets. The colors are bright and bold while and the fabric is thick and durable.

All the handmade crochet rag rugs and baskets are projects of love. I like unusable fabric with no life. When fabrics are cut into strips the colors and textures change and have a new depth. The baskets show how even the must unexpected material can have a second life.

Gardening

Our garden is looking pretty good though we got a late start. My Swiss chard is still generating and it is in it's second summer. Austin went through a long freeze and it is still beautiful. I have my first two heirloom tomatoes. I bought the tomato plants at the Austin Downtown Farmers Market, Cherokee Purple Heirlooms. I will pickup some fresh mozzarella cheese and make a small salad with the chard. A garden takes a little time but I went for items we use most often, tomatoes and salad. My husband is handling strawberries, peppers and herbs.

If you'd like to start a garden there are many sites to help. I recommend starting small maybe container garden. Large pots can do wonders and in Austin you could look on Freecycle for pots, seeds and even tools. There are also companies that will put in the garden and all you have to do is water and pick the veggies. City of Austin is a good place to start for resources.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AustinFreecycle/