Crochet Solves Problems

I'm an uber practical kind of girl. I think I get it from my mom. She's always been about functionality over form. Not that she doesn't clean up good and appreciate a nice Coach bag like the rest of us. But if it doesn't really serve an everyday purpose, then she ain't having it. 

Coincidentally, my Mom is the one who taught me how to crochet. There were blankets and pot holders - all useful everyday items. But that was about it. I don't think I even made anything crocheted, other than blankets, until I started my own family and kept coming up against "problems" that were economically/ecologically wasteful. That's when using crochet to solve problems became a natural part of my life. 

I think one of the first things I made was a reusable shopping bag. This was way back in the day before reusable shopping bags were part of the norm. I hated all the plastic bags floating around the house and I knew that they were just going to end up in the landfill. So I crocheted a bag, specifically for holding the softer objects from the supermarket - like bread and chips. 

Then came the tomato cradle - basically a mini version of the shopping bag. I love those litte grape tomatoes but I'm not a huge tomato fan (yes, I understand the irony of this). So when I get a pint of those little jewels I delight in their smell and their beauty. I bring them home and lovingly wash them so that they will be ready to go when I am ready to eat some. Which usually is a lot longer than you would think for someone who says they love grape tomatoes. So, more often than not I end up with a little moldy mess in a plastic clam shell. Or worse, I would have placed them in a larger fruit bowl and they would fall to the bottom, never to see the light of day again. With the tomato cradle I can wash the tomoatoes and then put them into the bag and hang it up in plain sight. The cotton absorbs whatever moisture is left over from washing, is nice and airy to keep the tomatoes ventilated, and it hangs in my line of sight. All very important features if I actually plan on eating these damn things before they go bad!

If you're interest to see these items "in action" you can see them here (timestamp - 17:44)   dollbellieknits Episode 28: Stay At Home Parents Unite!

The next problem I tackled with my crochet skills was the "no-pockets in the dress"... 

When my girls were younger, the school they attended had a “tuck shop” every Thursday. This was an opportunity for them to purchase a baked goodie or a drink in the afternoon as a snack to get them through the rest of the day. But, seeing as they wore uniforms with no pockets, I struggled with how they should transport the money to school. Throwing it in their book bag or their lunch bag seemed a surefire way for it to get lost in the due course of events (taking books in and out of the bag, etc.). 

Additionally, the no-pockets issue meant they couldn’t easily carry a packet of tissues or a cough drop if they happened to be suffering from a cold. So, I decided to make them these little pouches to hold all of the things their missing pockets couldn’t.

After the pouches were made, the girls began to carry them on a daily basis. I decided to take advantage of this and started including little notes and a sweet treat to give them encouragement should they happen to need it. And, who doesn’t want a little piece of chocolate when they can get one! 

So if you are interested in making your own sweetie bags, I wrote up the pattern and it's available over on my Ravelry page: Sweetie Bags Crochet Pattern

Next problem I tackled was the Swiffer....We've all done it - bought the dusting wand with the one fluffy cover. Or it's the mop where they include two wet wipes in the package. And then we're left with the wand and the mop stick.

Because our only option is to throw them away or buy more refills. Both not so great options as both choices would only add to the amount of trash already in our landfills. So what to do?

Well, for about the same amount of money that it would cost me to buy one pack of disposable duster covers, I found I could buy some chenille yarn and make several eco-friendly covers. The textured-duster head is perfect for all my dusting needs, readily grabbing those dust bunnies and making quick work of them. Same for the mop covers. One small ball of cotton and I've got a mop cover that fits perfectly!

And when you are done, simply toss them in the washer and use again and again. You won't have to buy anymore refills for your sweeper and you can feel good knowing that you are helping to keep unnecessary trash out the landfill. Who knew cleaning could feel this good?!?

Now, with all the gardening we've been doing and the flock of chickens we added to our little homestead, perhaps this summer I can tackle the need for bras for cantelopes and chicken saddles (yes, these are real things, lol). Oh, I probably could use an egg apron too; although not sure that's a real problem-problem. I think it would just look cute. Perhaps I am a fashionista after all?