Upcycled Sweaters + Pony Pack = Hanging Plant Pouches

Look what I made!

Just playing with some thrift store finds. Sometimes I get an idea and I just have to act on it right now!

 

A week ago or so, my car was in the shop and so I was without a car. I had to go to the thrift store that day so my husband kindly dropped me off on his way to work ... I than walked home.

Well, little did I know that I would be walking home with bags of wool sweaters and suits!

 Plant pouches ... so fun, super simple and look how cute they are on a chain linked fence!

Here's What You Do:

• Gather or purchase old wool sweaters.

• Toss them into the washer. Wash the sweaters using really hot water and a little bit of laundry detergent and start the washer. 

• Check on the sweaters every 10 minutes or so. You don't want the sweaters to over-felt and become super thick.

• Hang the sweaters out to dry or lay them flat on towels. This could take a good day or so!

• Next, cut out a portion of the sweater that measures roughly 6 x 15 inches.

• Overlap the seam and whip stitch it together with a large eye needle and yarn. Machine stitch across the bottom seam, then add a running stitch to the bottom of the pouch.

• Embellish the pouch with hanging buttons or dotted with buttons all over the pouch.

• Cut a length of steel wire approximately 24 inches long. Poke the ends of the wire into the sides of the pouch and twist together. Make sure the wire is secured about an inch down from the top of the pouch.

• Snip small holes into the bottom of a sandwich bag. I really like the ones that have the extra heavy zip lock tops. Makes it easy to add the soil and the plant.

• Fill the bag with potting soil, and then slip the bag into the pouch just to make sure it fits. Take the bag out of the pouch and pot your pony pack plant or two.

• Slip the potted bag back into the pouch and arrange the stems and flowers around the wire hanger. Hang and display anywhere you'd like!

 

• Note: You can water the plant while it's still in the pouch if you have them displayed outside. Excess water will just drip out the bottom, though some water will get absorbed into the wool.

Hop on over to Lark Crafts and check out other felt projects, as they continue to celebrate the release of their latest book, Stash Happy Felt! Flip through the book and see a couple of my projects in there.

Oh and ... I had the good furtune of photographing that book as well!

 Now go pot some plants in those felted old wool sweaters!

Comments

[donnalee]

oh awesome cynthia! what a wonderful concept for so many things for gift giving AND inexpensive for mailing. you know i'll be headed thriftying tomorrow. seriously, this is excellent for my snail mail swaps this season...THANK YOU MUCHLY!!!!!! :)

[Chiara]

Great idea!! Thank you for sharing!

[Gail Ellspermann]

Love the project! Wow, a thrift store within walking distance of home...that sounds dangerous...

[Helena]

Wow, Cynthia, there is no limit for your creativity. Awesome!

[shannon]

Oh my I am in LOVE with these! What a fabulous idea!! Thanks for the inspiration. So happy to have found you today.

[Kathy]

This is wonderful! Can't wait to try it:)

[Valerie Elson]

Thank you, Two Women and a Hoe, for recommending Cynthia on your facebook wall. She is indeed an inspiration!

[Jan @TWOwomenANDaHOE]

We love this, Cynthia! We hope our post on FB generated great traffic to your site!

May all your gardens grow,
Jan

[carol sims]

this is such a good thing. love all of what u do. thanks for all information. the plants, and blackboard are great for the kids.

[phyllis]

can someone send me the how tos for the painted tires stacked flowers inside them

[Clo]

wonderful and great idea..!!! Thanks so much.

[random Cindy]

You can actually dispense with the plastic bag if your felt is thick. Wool can hold several times it's weight in water and then release it slowly as your plants need it. Wool makes a great liner for coco fiber hanging baskets too.

[http://www.feltgasket.net]

Awesome idea