Guerilla Bagging

PurpleDragon · Guerilla Bagging

What a fab idea!!

Maidenstone

Is there a pod around here?

PurpleDragon

A pod?

Do you mean like a craft group?

wildgarlic

I joined up last year and thought we could form a Neeps pod - (the name given to a group of people making these bags) - it's a good idea. Does anyone fancy giving it a go?

zombiecazz

No we don't have a pod.
But I have a fab idea if we can get enough Neeps to take part.
Why not have SHOPPING BAG SWAP.
A bit like we do for the ATC swap. People sign up. Fill in a short questionnaire. Then the organiser assigns swap partners. You then have a certain amount of time to make and send your bag to your partner. Everyone gets a bag and it's a surprise.

There would have to be a few rules. Such as:
It needs to be a shopping size bag. Strong enough to hold a certain amount of things. That it should be made out of recycled material. So either old clothes, or charity shop buys or freecycled material.

What does everyone think?

wildgarlic

That is a great idea ZC!!

monkey nuts

I'm in

jaydee67

http://neeps.myfreeforum.org/about2142.html

Julie

I wouldn't mind making a few bags but I don't want any more, I've got ten in my car as it is and they are all 'Tardis' bags. They swallow up as much stuff as you would get in four carriers so I've never managed to use them all at once.
Perhaps we could make more impact if we made them for friends, neighbours and family to make a few conversions?

wildgarlic

That's the whole idea Julie - we could hand them out to complete strangers outside tesco/asda/wherever.

Julie

We should stamp the neeps logo or web address on them too.

jaydee67

Tardis bags - now I like that idea!

Julie

They are easy to make, you just have to over estimate how big you'll need them to be

:oops:

The best one is the one that swallows up six family sized loaves and a box of cornflakes - it always gets a comment from the cashier.
You know the best thing about cloth bags though - you can tie up the handles and all the stuff doesn't fall out in the car

DiddleDeDum

It always annoys me when you have these voluntary groups bag packing in supermarkets as they put so little in each bag and use plastic bags. Why can they not make bags first from scrounged material then pack goods in them - that might make a few people think about reusable bags as well as raising more for the groups!

wildgarlic

be a great idea to do a packing day and supply the cloth bags - really make an impression. Nice idea DDD - you fancy helping us make some bags then?

Julie

Last time there was a group in the supermarket I use I asked an assistant if i could use a till where there wasn't one on. They had to open up a checkout just for me

It's not that I mind giving to charity, I just resent being made to feel uncomfortable asking to pack my own bags as I prefer to.
Coupled with that, the last few times they have had such a thing going on they were a dancing school trying to raise funds for something or other, a school sixth form who wanted a skiing holiday (don't we all), and some bowling club or something. Now call me picky, but these aren't charities and they should finance their own bl***y hobbies like the rest of us do.

That feels much better aaah......

DiddleDeDum

Happy to make bags and get fabric but don't think I could hack the packing thing!

DiddleDeDum

Should've said - had my sewing machine serviced in Urquhart Road a month or so ago = few days before she shut down for good - Mum had a guy last year who did a home visit and she said he was great - but he has stopped too - is this the demise of the sewing machine??

Sassinak

I think they are about to become as disposable as most other modern day appliances

PurpleDragon

I have to disagree. I have noticed an increase in people looking for sewing machines. A lot of folk I know are into making their own curtains and so on.

Julie

You could always service your own like I do, it's not rocket science. All they do is clean out any lint from the working parts and oil it where necessary. The modern ones are made with nylon threads and they tell you not to oil them but I still like a drop behind the shuttle race and the feed dog. As long as you take careful note of what went where when you are taking things apart, you can reassamble everything easily enough and once you have done it a couple of times you will wonder what you ever thought was so mysterious about it.
Really, you should clean out the shuttle race and under the feed dog after every ten hours of use - more often if you are sewing high lint fabrics such as velvets, velours, brushed cotton etc. If your machine sounds noisier than it used to or you are breaking/bending a lot of needles, odds on it is lint in the works.