Baling Twine



My egg basket

One thing that exists in superabundance on most farms is baling twine.  Over the years, I've tried many different ways to use the stuff so that it doesn't have to go into the landfill.  I use it, of course, for all sorts of repairs.  Here are some other things I've done with it:

• Made it into a rope.  For this, I braided strands together, then braided the braids.
• Used it in fencing.  I've tied up rails rather than nailing them.  I've also tried tying it into squares to replace page wire, but this was just too time-consuming.
• Wove it into a porch mat.
• Tied up all sorts of plants in the garden.

The most successful item I've made from baling twine is my egg basket.  To make this, I turned a mixing bowl upside-down to use as a form, then I wove the twine around it and braided a handle.  This basket will hold 2 dozen eggs and has been in daily use for well over a decade.  Once, I dropped it and some animal carried it off into the bush, where it was lost for six months.  It has so much history that I can't bear to part with it, even though it's looking pretty disreputable these days.



Baling-twine rope

Darn It!

Knitting has become cool.  Reduce, Re-use, Recycle is the latest mantra.   "Retro" is cool.  Obviously, then, darning should become the latest cool "retro" skill.

Once you've put many hours of time and care into knitting a pair of socks, it doesn't make a lot of sense to throw them away because of one little hole.  Here's how to darn it:

Thread a blunt needle with yarn that matches your sock yarn in colour and weight, if you want the patch to be inconspicuous.  If you want to show off your skill, thread it with a contrasting colour.  Put something round into your sock to hold it in shape while you darn: a lightbulb, or an orange, maybe.

Sew a series of parallel lines across the hole, making a few stitches in the good fabric adjacent, to "anchor" the yarn.

Now sew a series of lines perpendicular to the first set, weaving the yarn under and over in a basketweave pattern and again "anchoring" the yarn  in the good fabric.

Your patch is done.  Show it off.