Hunting for my bag needles
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325793)
Rockingham, Australia
August 5, 2022 4:38am CST
Some years ago, I used to make mats from the strings that hold bales of hay together. The mats aren’t fancy but do last a long time and are suitable at back doors or garage entries, etc. I call the string ‘binder twine’ as that’s the name I know it by. It was first used in binders to make sheaf hay. It isn’t used so much with the big round bales.
When we visited the place where we’ll be house-sitting, there was a great sheaf of strings so I asked if I could use some of it.
I knew I wouldn’t have thrown out my bag needles which I use to make the mats. They may not even be made anymore as no-one sews up bags of grain these days. After a bit of a search, I found three needles of different sizes. I gave them a bit of a rub with sandpaper and they’re now packed ready to go.
I don’t think I can make one in a fortnight but, if I do, I’ll give it to the folks whose house we’re minding.
24 people like this
27 responses
@BarBaraPrz (45487)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
5 Aug 22
Did your grandmother make braided rag rugs?
4 people like this
@LadyDuck (458091)
• Switzerland
5 Aug 22
@BarBaraPrz NO, I do not know for what they used those needles, but I know that I have seen those in her home.
3 people like this
@kobesbuddy (74571)
• East Tawas, Michigan
5 Aug 22
@BarBaraPrz My mother made braided rag rugs, here's one that she made:)
4 people like this
@Juliaacv (48442)
• Canada
5 Aug 22
I remember when you used to make those mats.
In my Gramma's day they made rag mats which these remind me of.
I like the waste not want not strategy behind the materials used for these.
The people you're house sitting for will love to come back and find a new pretty mat outside of a door.
3 people like this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
6 Aug 22
May be you can go for door mats which are much smaller
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Aug 22
@allknowing They are not nice enough for table mats - too rough really.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62147)
• United States
6 Aug 22
That’s a wonderful talent to have! I barely know how to knit. I hope you can get a rug done while Vince is taking photos of all the antiques!
3 people like this
Yeah, put him to work!!!!
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
5 Aug 22
We called that "binder twine", too. Dad always wanted it to keep for tinder to start our wood burning stove with in the winter time.
I think I'd make off with enough of that, after finishing their door mat, to make a rug for your back door or garage door, too.(Yes, I'd ask first. 
)
)3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
5 Aug 22
@JudyEv Oh, nice... Yeah, a plastic-y cord that's hard to use for anything else now days.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (86754)
• United States
5 Aug 22
You are great to do these little mats Judy..how ingenious and pretty even to me.
I had never seen these needles.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (86754)
• United States
5 Aug 22
@JudyEv I bet they do Judy. I would like one of those
Oh they are tiny needles then.
Oh they are tiny needles then.1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Aug 22
@RebeccasFarm Sorry - no, the needles are 6 - 8 inches long. 
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38657)
• Midland, Michigan
7 Aug 22
I've never heard of doing that before but I've seen things made here with recycled plastics before although I don't remember how they were put. together
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (74571)
• East Tawas, Michigan
5 Aug 22
This is a wonderful craft, using binder twine. My grandma would get rectangular bales of hay delivered for the winter. They were bound with this intertwined string. I never learned how to make a mat, but this is a wonderful way to use leftover binder twine! They will love it
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (74571)
• East Tawas, Michigan
6 Aug 22
@JudyEv Mom would cut rags, then braid them together. She made lovely braided rugs for her family!
1 person likes this
@misunderstood_zombie (8142)
• United States
7 Aug 22
What a great idea to use these things that might be thrown away. It's a lovely mat also.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Aug 22
Thanks. I don't do them too often but I don't mind doing one now and again. And when I have a supply of string of course.
@oahuwriter (26780)
• United States
6 Aug 22
How nice! These mats looks very durable. My Mother and her friends, see together materials, to be an inch in width, then see ends making a big ball of material yarn. Crocheted them together to make rugs. I've this tiny rug, I put upon my sewing machine pedal.
1 person likes this
@oahuwriter (26780)
• United States
7 Aug 22
@JudyEv
Yes, our Moms sewed lots, so lots leftover material. These rugs made from all leftover material. She and her friends did a lot of sharing ideas and materials.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
5 Aug 22
It is great and practical to repurpose and reuse things like this. Your image looks great. I was thinking of our square bales here. Usually the twine on them is orange.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Aug 22
We used to get orange twine and sometimes black or green. I used to mix and match the colours but now it always seems to be blue. It's more plasticky now and doesn't rot as easily as the older type twine.
@snowy22315 (169966)
• United States
5 Aug 22
That sounds like an industrious project. My grandmother used to make rugs out of bread wrappers. I still have one of her rugs. My mother told me to always keep it, as it would be a way to remember grandma.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Aug 22
Someone here wrote about bread wrappers. I should research how to do it. I just put them in the bin. I used to work on the mats while Vin was taking photos at rides. We'd be out in the bush and it didn't matter about the dirt etc for the mats but now that I take photos too I don't get the chance and I'd also have to find some twine. When I saw this, my eyes probably lit up. 
@LeaPea2417 (36442)
• Toccoa, Georgia
5 Aug 22
I have tried to do embroidery with needles.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Aug 22
We learnt embroidery at school. My sister was really good at it but I'm not so good.
@JudyEv (325793)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Aug 22
It's something they can use and they don't have to be worried about breaking it/getting it dirty/etc.
