Unusual knitting - knitting with jeans, fabrics, leather

[Giulietta]

Hi to everybody:
I would like to knit market bag handles with jeans' lace and I am just asking myself if somebody has tried knitting with fabrics or leather on the forum. How do you proceed to cut or get fabric lace or very narrow strips of jeans, leather, etc. Has somebody knitted handles with jeans or leather? I would appreciate hearing from you.
Giulietta

[Janiegirl]

I've never heard of knitting with fabric or leather, but you can cut straps with this tool http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/p...number=3080-00
There's another tool that will cut several straps at once. You could probably use that with demin, even though it's made for leathers.

[Mirl56]

I've crocheted with plastic shopping bags cut into loops and tied together into 1 long strip, and I've knit with cotton fabric cut into strips. I've never used anything as heavy as denium or leather strips, though. I knit a vest with the cotton strips and then sewed a matching skirt.

With the cotton, I cut it into 1/2" strips on the diagonal, keeping it as a continuous strip by not cutting thru the edge, but stopping 1/2" from the edge, then going back the other way. I only had scissors so that's what I used.

Not really sure what you mean by 'jeans lace' - but if you can cut it into strips, I don't see why you can't knit with it. The bulkier the fabric, the larger needle size you'd need. I can't help but visualize leather being too bulky, though.

Good luck with your project - let us know what you decide to do and how it turns out.

[Plantgoddess+]

I've crocheted rag rugs using strips of old cotton sheets joined together. It makes a very heavy dense object.

[Giulietta]

Hello Marilyn:
Thanks for relating your own experiences with cotton fabric. It gives me more confidence. I intend to knit jeans' fabric handles - for a knitted felted market bag if I can find the right color of fabric. If the result is unattractive I will opt for another solution. New experience.
Giulietta

[Giulietta]

Hi Plangoddess +:
Thank you for suggesting the cutter tool and giving me access to it. I ordered it today. I appreciate your help.
Giulietta

[Giulietta]

Mirl56:
I thank you for suggesting the cutter tool to me. I confused your id with that of another forum helper. Thanks again for your help.

[Janiegirl]

I've done a bit of leather braiding in the past. I enjoyed doing it, except that I wasn't sure what to do with the braids once I got them done. Now you've given me a great idea, to use braided leathers for bags and purses! Demin braid would be great too. Thanks, I'll have to give that a try one of these days!

[twisted sister]

I've knitted with rope so I wouldn't see why you couldn't knit with anything that was in string form, or make it into string form. I have cut netting, like for bridal wear into one long strip using a quilting cutter. Let your imagination run wild!

[Mirl56]

Funny, last night I was looking thru the book "Knit Wit: 30 easy & hip projects" and found a belt knit with leather lacing, similar to this"

http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.j...&source=search

They used size 13 needles. This could make a pretty decent handle.