Amazing how knowing you have less than two weeks left of the children being in school focuses the mind.
So there has been progress on the UFO pile. Starting with some loose ends. These have been waiting for me since about Christmas, all because I couldn't put my hands on my yarn needle with the really big eye. Thankfully, it turned up this week.
So it was possible to sew in the ends of the seriously chunky yarn, made from recycled tshirts. I've been squirrelling away the worn out ones (with no side seams) for some time. To make yarn, you just cut a strip, spiralling your way round the body of the shirt, and pull on it which makes the sides curl in. Google will provide a tutorial if you need one, I'm sure.
I had plans for a bathmat, knowing the tshirt yarn would be super absorbant. What I didn't know is that one tshirt would yield only about 4 inches of knit bathmat. I had nowhere near enough yardage. Plus it is incredibly stiff stuff to knit with and hard on the hands. So serious design modifications were called for.
The finished bathmat has tshirt yarn either end, with the middle being Rowan Cotton Tape in two colours held double. Kristina gave me this yarn years ago - it became a table runner and a wrap which never worked out and was frogged for my bathmat. Which did work out. Even if it took me about 7 months to get around to weaving the ends in.
Not perfectly blocked, as you can see. But when it's raison d'être is to be stood on with wet little feet, there really didn't seem too much point in being pedantic about it.
Finished is good enough.
Oh my gosh--I love your new mat!
I once had visions of making T-shirt yarn, but all my T-shirts seem to have side seams. Sigh.
And so happy you were able to use the Cotton Tape. You should have some Silken Straw by tomorrow :)
K x
Posted by: kristina | 28 June 2011 at 16:30
Two weeks eeeekkkk - there is nothing like a reminder to kick you into touch......right!
Love the new bath mat - I may have to google that method.
Nina x
Posted by: nina - tabiboo | 28 June 2011 at 16:39
I love the new bath mat! I've got heaps of unfinished projects floating around which I am sure wouldn't take long to complete, but it is always reliant on finding something (other than time!) or I've gone off it by the time I come to do it!
Well done you for getting it done - it was well worth the wait!
Posted by: pinkgreen | 28 June 2011 at 16:46
More than good enough I'd say. I was thinking about crocheting a bathmat with yarn made from worn towels but you've made me wonder if I'd have enough.
Posted by: Sue | 28 June 2011 at 17:00
You are truly a queen! omg, it is so cool :)
Posted by: Claudia | 28 June 2011 at 17:34
I love it! The colours are perfect bathroom colours - you must be so happy with it.
Also, this has reminded me that I have an unfinished rag rug somewhere, that I last worked on over 11 years ago!
Posted by: Lesley | 28 June 2011 at 17:35
oh Ali, it's fab and what a brilliant use for old T shirts - I'd never have thought of that. It works so well with the cotton tape too - I bet it feels lovely on the feet.
Posted by: Julie | 28 June 2011 at 18:24
well it must be UFOs and bathmat month!!
I'm getting a bit cross with myself that I've procrastinated so long with so many stupid projects that haven't taken long at all to finish. Doh.
(I bet that mat is much softer than mine!!!)
Posted by: Monica | 28 June 2011 at 18:29
I. Don't. Need. Any. More. Ideas.
Posted by: Dragonfly | 28 June 2011 at 18:39
I swear, every time I read yours or Monica's blog, you've just finished making something that I have on my to-do list. A t-shirt mat being one of them. It's getting scary.
I love this! It looks so cosy too.
Posted by: Megan | 28 June 2011 at 21:05
I could never take a picture of my bathroom floor. Especially not the corners.
Posted by: The Coffee Lady | 28 June 2011 at 21:31
Oh Ali, it's scrumptious, such gorgeous colours. Terrible urge to go and cut up t-shirts now...
Posted by: Rebecca | 28 June 2011 at 22:33
Thats brilliant! I love those colours together.
Posted by: Caroline | 29 June 2011 at 09:07
Oh, now I do like that. Whether I'll ever find time to make one is another matter (or indeed find yarn to match the ill advised colour we painted our bathroom).
Posted by: dottycookie | 29 June 2011 at 10:04
I had No Idea that old t-shirts could be made into knitty stuff. Not that it makes any difference to me as my knitting is more like knotting. But I can drool from afar. It's fab, Ax
Posted by: Magic Bean | 29 June 2011 at 10:36
This is like reading Arab for me. I admire you and I love it.
Posted by: Paola | 29 June 2011 at 10:44
I love this Ali, it looks gorgeous and I bet it feels great underfoot too. Wonder how many tshirts I can sneak out of hubby's closet without him noticing...
Posted by: lina | 29 June 2011 at 12:43
I couldn't believe how yarn hungry that mat was. And I wish I'd been able to make it a bit wider too. Hey ho - it's just for feet, I keep telling myself!
Ali x
> To: alisonhudson03@hotmail.com
Posted by: domesticali | 29 June 2011 at 14:48
Great mat! Everyone seems very industrious of late - am feeling as though I should Do Something myself...!
Posted by: Louise | 29 June 2011 at 15:24
I made a bathmat out of a recycled towel and pretty pillowcase, so pleasing to make something old into something new. A great idea for using up tshirts and any stubborn grass stains wouldn't show!
Posted by: French Knots | 29 June 2011 at 19:39
Finished is Fabulous!!
Posted by: Esther Aliu | 30 June 2011 at 09:15
It looks fantastic! What a great idea.
Posted by: Katherine of Kitten's Lost Her Mittens | 30 June 2011 at 12:05
This came out wonderful! I love the colors, and it looks like it would be so cozy underfoot.
Posted by: {gemmifer} | 04 July 2011 at 05:12