When someone sends me an Ask Karen question I answer it with the lightening speed of a sloth eating a brick of saltwater taffy.
So when Leslie sent me a message last winter about how to open a bag that’s sewn closed with string … I got to work. I got to work cleaning the fridge, and brushing my cats, and making a house of cards out of Oreo cookies and avoiding any sort of organized exercise program.
I also taught myself to do origami out of homemade fruit leather.
After I’d exhausted all methods of avoidance, I set my mind to figuring out exactly how to open a bag that’s sewn closed with string at the top. Because who hasn’t been completely frustrated staring down at a bag of potatoes KNOWING if you just pull the right string … it’ll open like magic.
So I dressed myself in a suit made of cabbage leaves, went to the grocery store, crouched down low, and practiced on all of their potato bags. With my clever camouflage I remained inconspicuous for more than 3 minutes.
Then I got kicked out of the grocery store.
After months of research, vandalism and fridge cleaning … I figured it out.
This video is for you Leslie. I would like to extend an early “You’re Welcome”.
~ karen
I cannot overstate this Leslie … you’re welcome.
Never had a problem with your videos before – but evidentially “This video is private.”
Hi Liz – Give it another shot! I think Youtube was just a few seconds behind in publishing it. (it’s a scheduled video) If it still isn’t working lemme know! ~ karen
As always, you’re brilliant!
The video is up! Liz, time to crack open a “bag” of potato chips and watch the fun that is about to ensue on screen1 =D
Thats exactly how I do it. It works every time!
Oh, Leslie, I think you are going to like this one!
I usually end up doing exactly that with ziplock bags, so I guess your approach must be right. Ha!
I know that bag, Quickfeeds scratch for chickens, I open it the same way. First try the string trick, and then hack it open with scissors.
Sometimes I can actually open it the right way, its like winning the lottery.
Haha! I get my feed from the same place!! I swear they do something just to screw around with us! Sometimes you can find just the right string but sometimes you have to resort to whatever is handy! I found a good sharp shovel works when scissors aren’t handy and the girls are anxious for a treat!!
Sue – Just so you know. I have ONE egg in my basket. I think I might have the worst layers in the world. Norma started to moult in the spring then stopped! She’s had a bald patch on her chest and bum for months. She’s just now starting to grow feathers back there. Sigh. I hope they’re just slow learners and once this first moult is over they’ll be back on track for the rest of their lives. ~ karen!
I’ve been a lurker for a little bit, but this video inspired me to write. All I have to say is… “Hahahaha!!”
Welcome to commenting Lena. ~ karen!
Been reading for a while now, but this is my first post.
The video made me howl! Thanks for brightening up midterm time!
ACKKKKKKK. MIDTERMSSSSSS!!!! What a thought. Good luck. ~ karen!
Thanks! I’ll need lots of luck!
I suspect your technique will work on most types of bags. But I am bookmarking the video for easy reference just to be sure.
Ah and to think yesterday, I was thinking of your video…How to open pasta(Seriously, I was!)and along comes this!! Love IT!!! Fortunately, my chicken feed bags and dog feed bags come with the string AND the plastic runner strip…easy peasy…box cutter pleasey!
you are so funny! I have chickens too and I was all excited to see you solve the string mystery cause it pisses me off ALL THE TIME! then to see your outcome … priceless! I laughed out loud for real! hehehe I always wanted to stop some random farmer and ask them … they must know right?
L.M.F.A.O!!!!!!
My mom could open potato bags by pulling on the string and my sister and I can’t figure it out. I guess we still can’t. sigh
Good thing they don’t package scissors with string.
Hahaha brilliant! I’m quite new to your site and you are fab, really enjoy reading you (or hearing) no matter what you are on about!
Thanks Diana! Welcome to my site. ~ karen
I remember once many many years ago, that I lucked in to opening a bag of sunflower seeds by pulling the string. Haven’t been able to repeat it since. Stupid string. 🙁
Amazing!
Ha ha ha this is what I do with my kitty litter! I swear these bags are designed by little men intent on driving us all mad.
Wow–I stopped watching reruns of “Greg the Bunny” just to see this post. Your build up increased my anticipation so much I actually put off my nightly snack of raw cookie dough that I always eat while reading the latest “Art of Doing Stuff” blog. Man, what a let down. I totally expected a flaming can of lighter fluid, a hacksaw, or at least a bandaged finger (we all know about your tendency to self-harming posts). What I do love, Karen, is the color of your nail polish — ooh, la, la. Pray tell, what is the color named?
Actually, thank you, thank you very much. If you had been successful, you would have been forced to address the absurdity of what happens on the off chance one should actually find the frickin’ right string to pull: ‘Now what do I do with this stupid piece of string?’
You rock, as always!
Hi Rhonda – It’s Rimmel – Stiletto Red. ~ karen!
I love you — Rimmel, same brand I use. Isn’t it great to get such great colors for such a wee price? Thank you, thank you again. I’ll be flashing my Stiletto Red nails before nightfall.
Hahaha! I had this skill when I was 12 & we had chickens. I lost it over the years & now have to use this method on my potato bags.
So-o-o funny! Great way to start my early day. This always happens to me, too.
Now I see where your chickens inherited their graceful moves in “will they eat it?”
(PS It’s early and I’m still in bed next to my sleeping husband, so I had to watch the video in silence. It adds a certain frantic ‘je ne sais quoi’.)
Oh Karen, I got all excited! thinking you had the answer! (guess you do…)
HIlarious! That is EXACTLY how I opened the last bag of birdseed that I bought..only with a bit more swearing and finally stabbing it, Psycho shower scene style, with the closest thing I could grab–gardening clippers. Opened perfectly.
Yet another Karen video that totally ruins my mascara. I need to read your blog BEFORE I do my makeup!
Karen thank you for the laugh.
bahahahahahahaha Bloody brilliant.
LMFAO – Great start to my day!!
OH thank you. My first big laugh of the day and it very much appreciated! LOL
hahaha! I was so curious in the beginning thinking this would be a revelation on how to open them..your approach is perfect..
Hey, if at first you don’t succeed, hack at it with scissors…
The whole time I’m watching this, I wanted to scream with frustration, because of course, it should have worked. I’m yelling, “just get the scissors!”, and then of course….. What a great laugh! Thanks for sharing, as usual.
Your nails look great. Also enjoyed the occasional cackle in the background.
Scissors – Y-E-S!!!
Oh Karen!
Thank you VERY MUCH! That is hilarious! I’ve been watching for this post for months.
You’ve made my day! My week actually!
Still laughing!
Leslie
You are a hoot & it works for me! Just FYI though, sometimes on the bottom of the sewn bags is a thick paper binding along edge that has the same stitching running down the middle of it, however when you “simply” pull that string magic happens & it comes right off. Not all bags have this nifty option but it’s a dream when they do. Love your videos!
You are right Lisa..That kind of bag is very easy to open..My cat food has this and it opens in a zip!! Why can’t they sew them all this way??
Ha, I just go directly to your second method for the same reason.
That’s exactly how I do it. And I actually lol’d for real! Thanks for a good start to my day.
so my ask Karen question is how do you keep track of where the darned scissors are?
Hi Karen,
As a life-long barn worker, I KNOW your pain BUT I’ve managed to almost figure it out. Thankfully, most feed manufactures now have a lovely little arrow pointing to a pre-cut corner and you just get out your fingernails and yank the string they point to. These companies are smart and should be given an award of some sort, as it means NO hassle, guaranteed.
However if there is no time saving arrow, I take scissors or my handy pocket knife and facing the front of the bag cut the right side knotted end as close to the bag as possible. Then using the string of the first sewn “link,” yank the front string. Sometimes it needs yanking on the back side instead, or even both yaked at the same time but when that first link comes apart, it opens like magic. However, sometimes the magic isn’t at that end of the bag and since cutting the bag means having the frayed sections bags getting into the horse feed, I get stubborn and try the other end of the bag in the same manner and that one works.
Of course success at this “barn art” usually, in the beginning at least, just means being intensely stubborn, and losing stupid amounts of time. But the investment is worth it when you can open these stupid things 98% of the time without hassles. Too bad barn work is the type of work that often has no witnesses to appreciate the hard won skills. 🙂
I am standing at attention in my living room saluting you and all the countless others for the grossly unacknowledged and, therefore, even more grossly unappreciated ‘barn art’ you do, day in and day out. the closest I got to any of that type of ‘art’ was when I visited my Granddad about 55 years ago and he taught me and my brother how to milk his two goats that he sheltered in a lean-to in the back yard. A far cry from the ‘barn art’ of your type, ‘Taken For Granite’, I’m sure – if I was wearing a hat, I’d take it off and place it over my heart in honor of your ‘barn art’.
LOL! Thanks –
Aww Karen, when I saw the title of your post I said to myself (or probably out loud) ”No way! Why didn’t I think to search for that answer on your blog a long time ago?”.
All this time I thought there had to be an easier method to opening those bags, turns out I open them the same way you do. The right way!
Great video. Every time I feed the birds I shall think of you!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHHHHAAAAAA!!!
http://www.dawnajonesdesign.com/
Gosh, I have no problem OPENING the bag that is sewn with string…but I can’t figure out how to RESEW IT. Seed spills out on my sewing machine, it’s awkward & heavy, & my needles break. Sigh…;)
Seriously awesome post Karen! I keep a big old industrial scissors in my shed for that EXACT purpose. Once again you’ve made my day. 🙂
oh man. another Best.Post.Ever. hahahahahaha!
I love you so much. Seriously. so much you should be glad I live so freakin far away. snort.
Yep, that’s my solution too, Karen. Yep.
back in ’79’ as a thrifty newliwed, I hought that it would be practical to make a grand ball o’ string from the salvaged string from such sewn up bags.
It is now the size of a large double chocolate malted milk ball. Guess we have the same genetic predisposition to impatience with the chain stitch.
Why then do the hems of boughten garments unravel so easily when you are heading off for a lovely day but never unravel when you struggle with the loops so you can re do the hem?? And you can’t take a giant scissor to the task!!
Hah! True. They should sew the bags up like they do hems and buttons. ~ karen
Ha! I’m sure Leslie will find this to be worth the wait. We need to see a “behind the scenes” for this one. How did you hold the camera?
Thanks for the GREAT HOWL you brought to my house this morning! I’am “still” howling!
The first thing I thought when you showed the bag was “Just use scissors” ha ha ha ha ha!
This is probably my all time favorite video that you have done! LOVE IT!
OK Karen..You got me on this one..I thought you were seriously going to teach us the proper way to do this..As my fella said “you should have known better”..The neighbors probably heard me laughing this time..Also I love hearing your accent..
Nancy – I really *was* going to show you how to do it. It’s worked every time since I “figured it out”. This time … it did not, LOL. Apparently opening a string closed bag is not a science. ~ karen!
Every time I go to open a new bag of potatoes, I think to myself, how did I do it the last time? And I can never remember. I always try to get the string to zip across. I can never remember whether I should start from the left or the right, the front or the back. But I work at it, snipping away at a few stitches.until it works. Then I completely forget how I did it. But when it does unravel, I feel supremely satisfied, then I put the string in the junk drawer and completely forget how I did it. I’m going to video my next bag of potatoes being opened for future reference. Funny how such a little thing frustrates us all. Much easier to just open a bag of dill pickle potato chips.
ARGH, I hate being blocked from videos at work. I so need to know the answer to this. When I finally have time to get on my computer at home – maybe next month, I will definitely watch this video & learn something I’ve always wanted, neh, needed to know. Because those bags of chicken feed get me every time!
baha, that was hilarious! I was waiting for the bag to rip open and feed go flying everywhere…that’s usually what happens to me!
Hillarious. I love hearing the chicks in the background.
this is EXACTLY how I open such bags,,,,bad words & ALL
ROFLOL……Thanks for the days giggles…. Yep,forget trying to unravel the thing and use scissors
HAHAHAHHA! About 10 seconds before you did, I was thinking, “Geez, why doesn’t she just grab some scissors?!” HAHAHHAAHA!
Well it’s clear to me that you love to open things in October! it was October last year that you showed us all “How to Properly Open a Package of Spaghetti”
🙂
LOL, was it? Well if I ever decide to open a restaurant this is the month I’ll do it then. ~ karen
Fabulous! Glad to see that others revert to vulgarity as a means of enticing the package to open. It doesn’t typically work for me either but a girl’s gotta try.
THAT….was a giant “Karen Pill”….HAHAHAHAHAHA
Too funny!! What I really want to know is how to open a bag of potato chips without eating the whole bag? Love to see that video…
Leslie – Do not look forward to that video. I know my limitations. ~ karen
Karen,
I love you! lol I haven’t laughed this much since the video of your hiccupping (sorry, but it was funny) Thanks! I needed to laugh today.
Was the iPhone Hoo Hoo Hammock/Jock used in the making of this post? An inquiring mind wants to know?
Julia – It was not! I used a makeshift boob strap. I’m going to have to invent something more appropriate that doesn’t rely so much on my lady parts. ~ karen
Yep, that is exactly how it works!!! Especially when you have bags for horses, dogs, cats, chickens and anything else that eats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I use the same technique–now ASK KAREN. How come your seed doesn’t pour out all over the place?
hahahahahaha! I get the similar string closure on my cat food and always think “get the scissors” but because I have been faced with this challenge that I feel I need to overcome, I end up trying to get it open from the wrong side, then trying the right side, then not getting it open and finding out that the first side I tried is indeed the right one, and then halfway, I still need the scissors. Thanks Karen!
Hilarious! You’re stinkin’ hilarious!
perfect video, laughed so hard my eyes are soggy
HEE HEE HEE HEE HEEE HEE! I so needed a belly laugh! Thank you Karen. And yes, that is indeed how it is done! Hee hee hee…..
In my need for 20 hours of sleep a day, I have missed many posts. However, I really need this information so I can at least say at the Golden Gate that I was finally able to open these bags and died in peace. NOT! Now, I have to go on living until I learn this lost art. Thanks a lot! I do plan to ask God when first I see him why these first two fingers could not have been designed to work like a scissor so I don’t have to do a search for it every time I want something opened. I’d hate to add up the lost time I’ve spent jerking strings and then looking for a sharp object. Now, back to bed.
Gayla T – I’ve been wondering where you’ve been! ~ karen
Love! Love! Love! Oh the hilarity!
So funny!
As someone who grew up on a ranch in California I have had a lot of experience with these bags for feed, seed, flour, rice, etc. Most of the time they work but when they do not you did the right thing and I am STILL laughing. Great job!
Stupid bag! ~ karen
I should point out I’m referring to the sack. Not you. ~ karen
Just saw your project in the Lee Valley newsletter. nice 🙂
Thx Denna! I had no idea it was out. I write an article for them every newsletter. I’m kind of their poster girl. You know. Like a centrefold. Who has a vast array of drill bits. ~ karen!
So funny! Scissors are the. best. tool ever invented. Period.