We’ve had an email from Helen:

Hi, I cleared out my work’s first aid kit this morning and found all the bandages are out of date (no longer guaranteed sterile). We’re replacing them for safety reasons but I wondered what we could do with the old ones since they’re still in their packages just no longer sterile.

If it was at home, I’d be tempted to keep them around for times when sterility isn’t an issue (for example, just providing support to a sprain or something) but I can understand in the workplace, where numerous people might be using the kit, that might cause confusion and problems later on.

I remember using a number of different shaped bandages when I did my first aider training – I wonder if there are any groups that could use them for that purpose (am I right in thinking Scouts/Guides do some basic first aid training? Could they use them?).

As for a sillier idea, someone could use them to make an awesome mummy costume next Halloween.

Any other suggestions? Is re-sterilising them a possibility (at an industrial level if not a household one)?

I meant to post this last week but time got away from me (as it has a tendency to do these days).

Anyway, shoe company Above+Below London have launched a new partnership with FirstGroup and London Underground to make Chuck Taylor/Converse style basketball hi-tops – with a cute twist.

The shoes’ uppers are made from iconic bus and tube seat covers – from the garish to the very garish – but with that cool retro feel. (I remember the middle one from my youth on rattling MerseyBuses so they’re not just London designs, or rather not just designs only used in London.)

The rubber soles are incorporate recycled old bus tyres and apparently the trim includes “re-used leather cheque book wallets”.

They’re not cheap – at £80-90 – but are sweat-shop free – made in Portugal – and from “100% salvaged UK waste” — which is a LOT more than can be said for most trainers in that price range…

(Well, snapped is too harsh of a word for it but I can’t think of a better one ;) )

John and I had a major tidy/clean of our bedroom at the weekend and as well as collecting three bags of stuff for the charity shop, a giant bag of unwanted plastic coathangers and organising my crafting fabric stash, I found five old belts dating back over the last few years.

Two are woven straps that fastened with D-loops or those annoying slider buckles that come loose really easily. Both are quite fun designs so I’m thinking maybe casual bag strap?

The other three I got after I realised how much I hated D-loops/slider fasteners and are the more convention stick-and-holes style. The top six inches of those have pretty much fallen off – not surviving the repeated bending over the buckle and through the loops. I could trim the end neatly but would have to lose a bit of weight in order for the shortened belt to fit. And by “a bit of weight”, I mean my pelvis.

So what can I do with them instead? From end to end, they’re about 60cm (24″) and about 3cm (1.5″) wide. They’re pleather – which is, I suspect, why they’ve broken – with metal decorations. One of them (the black one with square studs on it) might work as a wrist cuff or as a “I’m well ‘ard” decoration on a bag ;)

Any other suggestions though?

We’ve had an email from Jacqui:

Any idea what to do with old karate belts? They are around 2m long, very strong and in all different colours. Thanks for any suggestions.

Using them as straps for homemade casual bags springs instantly to mind – but probably only because I was looking for something to serve that purpose last night.

Any other ideas?

(Photo by Sucker)

Amy Quarry dropped us an email this week with a link to her blog post on ten ways to repurposing old clothes, reusing as much of the original structure/shape as possible to save time.

Half the list take big clothes and turn them into little clothes: for example, with some pleating around the top and some arm holes chopped in the sides, an adult size skirt can quickly become a child’s dress (right). Or shrinking a woman’s blouse widthwise to make a baby/child’s dress. All very cute.

For those of us without small people (and/or willing cats) to dress, she includes ideas such as making a mini-skirt into a bag and sundresses into aprons (below).

I love these ideas because I’ve got quite a few items of clothing that I love but either which don’t fit any more or don’t suit me as they are any more – but could easily be repurposed like this. Time to unleash the sewing machine!

(Pictures with permission from Amy’s blog)