A few years ago I ran into the same problem with finding a replacement bag for my clothes pins. 
With the warmer weather finally arriving, it means an opportunity to "go green" by hanging out the laundry
My problem was the bag I kept my clothes pins in ... a gallon sized ziploc baggie. Don't get me wrong, the plastic baggie did the job, but it couldn't hold up to long-term use -- nor multiple hands at one time (I'll explain that one later on).
So I went shopping for a clothes pin bag, you know, the kind made of cloth. Problem was I discovered that nearly every store in the area is sold out; clothes lines are on the scarce list too. This is because many people are re-embracing hanging clothes out in the sunshine to reduce electrical bills AND to help save the earth. As I returned home I decided to use yarn from my stash and create my own.
How I designed my bag:
Having decided to use fibers from my stash, I learned I did not have enough cotton, 
such as Sugar'nCream pictured on the left here. So I looked around some more and decided to mix Caron's "One Pound" in creme, with a yellow and blue thick & thin cotton thread (no label available). I decided upon these two fibers because:
A. Most bugs would rather dine on wool not acrylic
B. The cotton thread would help prevent stretching, and
C. The acrylic & cotton blend would dry rather quickly should the bag be accidentally left out during a rain storm.
D. It would be easy to hose off/wash should a bird decide to "poo" on it ...
Armed with the crochet hook I made last year at the National CGOA Conference (I really do need to measure it one of these days), I started with a few rows of single crochets, and then worked around using very tall linked stitches. (Linked stitches are similar in technique to Tunisian.) The reason I used the linked stitches was because I could shape as I worked around AND because there'd be little chance of a clothes pin falling out.
I attached the bag to a plastic clothes hanger using the "padded crochet" stitch, added some long stitches to close up the bag a bit and wha-la! It was ready for it's maiden voyage. I loaded it up with some 100 clothes pins with plenty of room for more!
So, not only is it attractive (in my eyes), it will do the job intended. Whoo hoo! Oh, and that need for larger opening I mentioned earlier -- it's good for multiple hands. Yes, we've made a sport of it with the kids, Mini~Dee & Dee Jr., to be involved in going green too.
How about you? How have you made your life easier & greener with something you've crocheted?
Tags: crochet, laundry, green, clothes pin bag
Forgive me; it's been, what? Four days, no, it's been five days since my last blog entry, and just about as many days of not responding to the many, many emails sitting in my IN box. This is because it's been a bit busy here at the CrochetWithDee household, and none of it (brace yourself!) 
has been crochet related. Egads! Yes, I know! I know! I'm already feeling the shame -- and the twitch -- of not working up one single crochet stitch. Ack!
We, my family and I, took some time off to enjoy life. Our initial plan was to visit Rhode Island and go sailing along the coast. But with weather forecasted to be wet & raw, we decided to hold off on that idea. Instead we enjoyed spending time in the "Last Green Valley" -- a beautiful sight to see, and visited the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center.
One thing I learned from the Museum is what the Indians used as thread/string. Seemingly pretty gross but inventive if you ask me, is that it was made of animal intestines (otherwise they used thin strips of leather). Did the thought to crochet with intestines ever come in to my mind? No! But, if I were stuck for 39 days on some "Survivor TV Show" and had to, well now, that just might be a different story. heh heh heh
So, for now, I'm going to finish unpacking, get my crochet hook out and whip something up -- I've got that itch to get some stitches going! -- and to get us back to our regular blog postings.
The self-proclaimed "world's largest crochet website" is apparently just that. But they forgot three words to their title. So, I've taken the liberty to add them here: "world's largest crochet website violating copyright laws." Sound the alarm!!
Now, I know, normally I don't post negative theme postings here, but this topic needs to be posted because it effects hundreds of people!
This first came to light when I was alerted last week that this website had stolen my Crochet History essay from my CrochetWithDee.com website. This means that they bypassed my "right click disabler" and ignored the fact that the word "copyrighted" is right on the material. They knew they were stealing.
Upon further investigation of their website, it was discovered that they stole more than just my essay. They deliberately stole hundreds, let me state that louder, HUNDREDS! of images from all over the Internet -- from designers, publishers, people's blogs, websites & flickr accounts and such. They've also stolen many crochet related articles -- from myself as I stated just moments ago, from the Crochet Guild of America, and from many, many more people. Although my image here says "Copyrighted Patterns," their website does not have any. Instead, they're offering to mass-produce these copyrighted materials. Kinda makes you feel queasy doesn't it?
Don'tlet them get away with it! If you have any type of crochet related work hosted on the Internet, you might want to visit the site and see if any of YOUR work is there. Then, if there is, contact them and demand they take it down!
I don't want to give the website a link to make search engines boost it's popularity, so to visit this website and search for your own material, type in the name from this blog entry title and add the dot com part. If you find someone else's work, notify that person.
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UPDATE: July 13, 2008: It seems CrochetCN is back at it again! After contacting them last year about violating my copyright, they took the page down. When they thought I wouldn't notice, they stuck it back on their site. This really makes me angry! Are they not capable of having an original thought, researching and writing their own theory on the history of crochet?!
I sent them another notice to take my material down. If they don't, then I will be billing them for $150,000 for damages.
Many thanks to Jane for the alert.
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UPDATE: July 16, 2008: In recent days I have been asked by others who have also found their material illegally posted on the CrochetCN site how I managed to contact the violator and demand to have my material removed from the site.
In 2007 I emailed them at this address: china-crochet@163.com
This time, on July 13th 2008, I used their FEEDBACK link that can be found at the bottom of their website. Prior to sending it, I copied the content of my message and emailed it to myself along with the URL of the offending page.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Phyllis Howe
Coats & Clark/Media Relations
917.847.7377
Kassie DePaiva, ABC Daytime TV Star and Recording Artist To Host New Knitting & Crochet Show
Fall 2007 on PBS
Candice Jensen Productions has announced the fall launch of a new TV show, Knit and Crochet Today, which has been underwritten by Coats & Clark, the manufacturer of Red Heart Yarns. Devoted exclusively to the art and craft of knitting and crochet, the show is a 30-minute homage to two of the craft world’s most popular pastimes. American Public Television has picked up the show and they have received confirmation that 41% of the PBS markets that were polled, including 12 of the top 20 markets, are intending to run the show. In addition, the show will be seen on the CREATE network, a public television network that runs how-to, DIY, and other instructional programming from the libraries of PBS and American Public Television, nationwide. “This is confirmation from the PBS stations that this show fills an existing need in the top markets”, said Ms. Jensen.
Described as a “how-to show in an entertainment format,” the show will feature projects and techniques from experts in knitting and crochet, as well as field pieces and human-interest stories. Well- known designers such as Kaffe Fassett, Brandon Mably and Kristin Nicholas will be featured along with editors from leading magazines such as Vogue Knitting and Crochet Today.
To aid in reaching and teaching the huge US audience of knitting and crochet enthusiasts, the show has enlisted the help of one of daytime TV’s most popular stars, the Emmy-nominated Kassie DePaiva. Ms. DePaiva, who plays the popular character “Blair” on ABC-TV’s daytime drama, One Life to Live, is well versed in the craft of crochet and, as a beginning knitter, she is an ideal voice for others who are on the learning curve.
On May 22nd, Kassie DePaiva will release “I Want To Love You," her third cd, and she will co-host and perform on The View the same day. Recorded in New York, "I Want To Love You" showcases the star's beautiful, country-style vocals on a variety of upbeat bluegrass-inspired tunes.
Kassie’s wide appeal was not lost on the management team at Coats & Clark. “We are thrilled to have Kassie on board,” said John Laurie, President of Coats North America. “She brings an excitement to the show that will attract all levels, and ages, ofknit and crochet fans.”
That’s no small number, either. The Craft Yarn Council of America estimates that over50 million people know how to knit and/or crochet – and the growth among the younger segment of the market has been climbing at an astonishing pace. The popularity of these crafts has also been aided by the number of celebrities who have openly endorsed them by knitting and crocheting in public. When people such as Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz pick up their knitting needles and crochet hooks, fans tend to take notice and interest quickly mounts.
from "One Life to Live" will cohost on ABC's "The View." Kassie, known to be an impassioned crocheter, will be the host of the new PBS program, "Knit & Crochet Today," produced by Candice Jensen Productions and underwritten by Coats & Clark. It is reported that almost half of PBS Stations polled will air the 30 minute show starting this fall. While cohosting on "The View" on May 22nd, she will talk about the new Knit & Crochet Today show and debut songs from her new album, I want to Love You. 
