How to make AMAZING up-cycled card holders!

Can you find a better way of using all those plastic bags than these card holders???? They are so fun to make and soooo easy, and you can experiment with so many different colours and patterns!

This idea came about yesterday, when me and my Mum decided to take a wander through the Renegade craft fair up in London. From wall to wall the place was laden with designers, artists, jewellers and knitters - it was craft heaven! I was so inspired by all the unusual designs and fun items that I rushed home to give all that I had absorbed a try. This idea was first on my agenda, after seeing beautiful card holders and wallets made out of mere plastic shopping bags!

SO VIBRANT!

 Things you will need: 

• Around 4 - 5 plastic shopping bags (any kind will do - I used 2 Sainsburys shopping bags, 1 House of Fraser one and then decorated it with a plain blue off licence bag.) 
• Sewing machine (Optional - you can always try by hand but I think it would be quite difficult) 
• An iron 
• Lots of sheets of paper / grease-proof paper (recommended, as it is easier to peel off the plastic)  
• A average sized card (like a credit card, oyster card etc.) 
• Thread for the sewing machine 
• Scissors 

Method: 

1. Set Iron to a MEDIUM heat - on the DRY setting (you don't want any steam) 
2. Prepare all the bags: Trim off the handles and cut a strip of the bottom of the bag. 
3. Lay out the plastic bags in the layers that you want them to be in when you fuse them together - this will make the base layer of your plastic fabric (you want at least 2 - 3 bags layered on top of each other for this base layer so that it is sturdy). So in my example (pictured above) I used the two Sainsburys bags as my base layer. I flattened them out, layered them on top of each other and fused them together (next step). 
4. On the ironing board lay down lots of sheets of greaseproof paper / plain paper so that no plastic is touching the ironing board. Then repeat this so that the paper covers all the plastic - you don't want your iron to get ruined! 
5. Iron over the paper for several minutes or until you have a flat sheet of plastic fabric sandwiched between the paper. Peel off the paper. 
6. So here you have your first plastic fabric sheet! 
7. If you want the framed effect (see in the picture how the sainsburys bags frame the house of fraser one) then repeat steps 2-4 with the other bag (in my case the house of fraser bag)
8. Lay a credit card on the sheet of plastic and draw around it - leaving a 1cm seam allowance. Repeat this and cut out the two rectangles from the fabric. 
9. If going for the framed effect cut out two slightly smaller rectangles from the other bag. Lay them over the first cut rectangles, sandwich between paper and fuse together. 
10. Embellish my cutting out shapes from other plastic bags and laying them on top of the pieces for the card holder. Sandwich between paper and iron over it until it has fused. 
11. Take the two pieces, place them together and run a running stitch along the two sides and bottom. 
12. AMAZING!! You now have your very own up-cycled plastic bag card holder!!!!! 

If you find it hard to follow these instructions (don't worry I learn from visually seeing how it is done - so I understand!) then this video is really helpful to show you how to fuse the bags together! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNziDXtm1SA - However I didn't fold the bags (to make it 8-ply) I just layered bags on top of each other and that worked really well. :)

Have fun with this - you don't have to copy my design (you can if you want!) but take the most amazing plastic bags (I don't know about you - but in my household we are unable to throw away really pretty plastic shopping bags, but never know what to do with them!) and turn them into useful card holders, wallets, make up bags, pencil cases - anything you want!