Construction and deconstruction

While I was knitting and crocheting up a storm indoors -- see the latest bag, made from freecycled thick and thin yarn -- great deeds were being done out of doors.



The bag, knitted, and with crocheted edges and strap



is lined with sparkly fabric left over from the Dollivers' evening gowns, and came originally from a little dress at the dumpster. Total cost: zero.

I was pleased with this one, since I started it at the point of the flap, then figured out how to continue to make a bag shape while keeping the point at the right place, which worked out. I also needed to stiffen it, since it's wide and shallow, clutch style, which sort of collapses in the middle without help. So I got a piece of black foamcore left over from my black and copper wire artmaking period, and slid that in behind the lining, the overstitched it in place. Lightweight, but sturdy and does the job nicely.

It occurs to me that it would be a good practice to send pix of stuff I've made from freecycled yarn to the donor, so they can enjoy seeing what happened next. Usually they're crafters or related to crafters, and they like to know the donation was used, not just stuffed into another closet in another house.

Meanwhile, outside, the friend next door's landscaper, moonlighting from his regular job, removed a lot of ugly old shrubs that the HOA declined to help with, including a giant one full of poison ivy. He was well warned, and knew how to proceed.





He's also Guatemalan -- translation: brill gardener. I never met a Guatemalan, and I met a lot in my ESL days, when I ran tons of programs to help incoming refugees get their English up to speed, who was not a terrific worker. Most of the guys I came in contact with were rural people who knew all about planting and care of plants, even ones they'd never seen before, this area being different from their home climate.



It's good just to watch that expertise at work. He tamed those shrubs in no time, and made recommendations about what ought to be in that small space instead.



Very nice man. Totally happy to be in the picture, saying, ah, advertising for me! but too shy to give me his name, oh well.



And the new area, ready to plant with better stuff