Crisp Packets WOYWW 339

The table will be clear for most of today because I am rag rugging again today at crunch but this time using crisp wrappers for some ornaments for the tree.  So far on this one I have used the empty packet for the 6 pack of cheddars which has a silver backing unlike the individual ones. I am now adding the Hula Hoops - it takes a while to collect wrappers because I don't eat that many crisps. Just a tip if you want to have a go - no strong flavours like cheese and onion. I have done this with children and crochet hooks.


I finished my giant crochet rug - it only took a couple of nights watching TV but took up a lot of fabric. The pink rows were done from an adult full length coat (mum-in-law didn't want it anymore - honest)

Pop along and see what other crafters are doing today by clicking on Julia's link HERE and you may feel inspired to join in.

Upcycled Christmas - WOYWW

An early start this morning watching America implode and all I can say is zeitgeist. Anyway it's that time of year again where we think of a new style for the Christmas tree festival at Maxstoke Church. We are upcycling a wooden pallet so here I am making thing to hang from it which are a bit rustic. I am using old potpourri (can't throw that away either) together with stuff from my pantry e.g. cloves and cardamom, and the hessian also makes strings to hang the ornaments. What did we do before glue guns? Below are some already finished.

On Sunday I went with a couple of the 'Shedders' to the NEC for the Christmas Crafts Fair and met up with Shaz Brooks, and Doug of course, for a natter and coffee. It was great to meet one of the WOYWW crowd. I bought a giant crochet hook - I have toyed with making one from a broom handle for the last couple of years so I realised I would never get round to it - so many things to do. Here I have started a sample for a rug made from one of my old jackets - orange of course - it will be good to do in front of the tele and at least it will not have any more election stuff on it now.

Empty Tubes - WOYWW 387

Here are the empty thread tubes I was given to upcycle which I talked about last week. I am making them into Christmas treat holders for the tree - the images, printed on thin card, can be coloured by the folk at Marie Curie during one of the art sessions. Because the hanger had to be made an integral part I decided to do Nutcracker soldiers so that once I'd sprayed them black they would be hats - then I thought if I made them with animal heads they could be good tubes for cat or dog treats and I'm sure patients at the hospice have grandchildren who would like a couple of these for them to colour for pets. If you look in the corner of the picture you will see a little friend has joined me today.





And here she is - Humbug who lives a few doors down but really loves my hubby - that's his chair at the table she's lying on.

The bauble seconds I have decorated to disguise the flaws - ideas courtesy of Pinterest of course. I think the snowman will be great for the hospice - very simple using odd socks for the hats and Sharpies to add the face. The dots are just blobs of acrylic paint and the cupcake is acrylic paint 'icing' with some beads and a pompom sitting in a paper case. Just the smallerbaubles to find ideas for now.

Proggy Cushion - WOYWW 386

After missing a few weeks I'm back in the flow posting my workdesk. This is a rag rug cushion in progress made from old t-shirts that I started when I wasn't feeling too good a week ago - I hadn't got round to putting the stuff away from a demo I had done and so it was something I could do without really thinking about anything else - rag-rugging as therapy. I usually choose to hook through the hessian with long strips with my lovely Irish tool I've had for donkeys years. 

My friend Pat from Spellbound Beads in Lichfield has given us some baubles that they cannot use in their kits because they are flawed so that we can find ways of using them on our craft days at Marie Curie - and also a lot of empty thread tubes to upcycle. I have some ideas already so watch this space.....

If you want to see other crafters workdesks follow the link to our host Julia's page here

Scrappy Trees - WOYWW 381

This is my table from last night since it is totally clear this morning as I'm off to physio and then onto Crunch - Craft @ Lunch. I had been making brooches ready for Artists Open Studios at the weekend and these are made from felted jumpers - bits not used when I made the cushion few weeks ago and oddments of hand-made felt. Bits of silk were added along with cut and frayed sheer fabrics over painted paper scraps. Here are some already finished - mum-in-laws moth-eaten cardigans have gone a long way.







The  Open Studios day is really devoted to showing my paintings but I love chatting about all types of creativity. Hoping for a dry day I have even got my deckchair back out - I made this about 15 years ago now from hand-appliqued turban muslins and it had held its colour surprisingly well.

If anyone would like to check out what other crafters are doing this week follow the link to Julia's page.

Knitted Square cats - WOYWW 379

Late posting today having just been for physio on my leg. I am setting up what I will be taking along to Marie Curie for the ladies to make. I have a load of donated knitted squares (think someone thought I would make a blanket!) that I have been slowly ploughing my way through. So this week it is cats - the larger one I got from the Internet link here and is made from two squares. The tails were made from knitted i-cords with wool from unravelled squares using double pointed needles. That spool of orange ribbon must be a few years old  - it's price was £1.25 for the reel.

These are the rabbits and owls we have made in previous weeks. The rabbit is really simple so there is the link. The owls are made from one whole square and another which I cut in half diagonally for the ears and top of head. They will eventually find there way into gift boxes our church make up. Time now to finish the eyes have a coffee and check out other Wednesday desks.

The Larger Lady WOYWW 378

This is not a very interesting workdesk - These are pages, painted with emulsion, from a small catalogue (the type which is screwed at the edges) which I intend to use as a workbook for an idea I have for a group of paintings.


It was more interesting last week but my internet was down. I bought a mannequin from what was BHS a couple of weeks ago - I only wanted the torso and thought the price at £30 was too steep but behold.... Evans department in there were selling the whole mannequin for £10. I asked why it was so much cheaper and the sales girl said that no one wanted the 'larger lady'... well this one did. I have collaged it with papers and then over painted/inked it with the intention of making it into a light when I have a bit more time. It is wearing one of my knitted creations. I still have a bottom and a pair of legs to think about.

If anyone would like to join in desk hopping on a Wednesday click on this link to Julia's place.

Granny Squares Cushion - WOYWW 376

Got the machine back out to finish off the cushion cover - this is the back. The backing is an old pillowcase (light pink) and turban muslin in a darker pink. The front if made from crochet squares (I'ts not really my forte) knocked up from some left over wool given to me by sister-in-law. To make it slightly different I have free-machined on top of the pattern to emphasise it and give a more sculptured look. I have added some old fabric covered buttons and just a bit of hand embroidery needed now to finish off the front and voilà another creation without buying anything.


If you read my blog you will know that last week I made another cushion from the stash and here it is finished. I liked using the front bit of the cardigan and buttons for the back enclosure - too pretty not to.

Jackie

Recycling Jumpers WOYWW 375

Back from a nice break in Yorkshire and didn't get wet! So I'm back to converting the stash which had a bit more added to - mum-in-laws jumpers which had been shrunk by the carer and my friend Pat who had a couple which were felted and used by pets. I have decided to make a cushion and use up a few of the old buttons using only hand-stitching this time so I can do it in front of the TV since I have a backlog of recorded stuff to watch. I'm not wasting any bondaweb and so am using a frame and tacking the pieces down. Will show the result next week - I am looking forward to using up some of my chunkier threads on this.

Went to a craft fair in Skipton where I met a lovely lady making jewellery out of recycled bits Daisy Louise - I had to buy one of her pea pod necklaces. Yesterday I made an exciting purchase - yes I know I wasn't supposed to add to the stash but will show you next week - I can't wait to get started but my hubby is not impressed with the space it is taking up.

Owls for Donna - WOYWW 372

So I am in the process of making some owls for a fundraiser on 23rd August in celebration of Donna proceeds to Marie Curie. She was one of our ladies at the Hospice on Wednesdays who liked to make cards and loved owls - so I thought I would make a few bag charms/ key-rings to sell. I didn't have any dainty patchwork type fabrics in the stash (I always printed most of my own) so I asked my sister-in-law Sheila if she had any tiny bits she had no use for - and she obliged with a lovely variety.

The backing for them is an old Witney blanket which I have sort of felted - this has been used on many quilting projects over the years. I thought I could ask the ladies who Crunch if they would like to contribute a few owls too - for the non-sewers I have found an easy crochet pattern which is free on Ravelry here. The orange owl is made from left over bits from a coat and skirt I made, in a style I have seen done in many ways on Pinterest.

Well it has been a bit hot and sweaty over the last couple of days - hope it stays fine for next week - off on holiday to Yorkshire.

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Feel like joining in? -  hop over to Julia's blog where she kindly hosts WOYWW every week.

Jackie

Cat Tissue Boxes - WOYWW 370

The last time I made these covers for tissues was over 25 years ago when I made loads for a charity Edwards Trust which was set up following the death of my friend's son from cancer. Of course the pattern has long since gone so I had to work out another using one I had made for mum-in-law. My first mistake was using the fabric from an old table runner left by my daughter before she emigrated to Australia - it disintegrates when you touch it (not ideal when you have to re-cut to adjust the size).

Anyway I seem to have cracked the pattern now so I am doing a couple more for gifts using bedroom curtain off-cuts this time and I even still had eyes and pompoms in the stash. The orange one is the new one and the other I made all those years ago from fabric samples given to me by a local decorating shop - I've always recycled.

It will be Crunch at The Core, Solihull later on so I will have to think of something to take along when I've finished these - we have been given permission to sell our crafts whilst there on a Wednesday starting from next week we will be working out what we've got and pricing it. 

If you want to follow other peoples workdesks on Wednesdays click on the link here

Jackie

Felting Crewel Threads WOYWW 369

A few weeks ago my friend Pat from Spellbound Beads came to CRUNCH and brought a bag of woollen skeins which she had been given. Some of the ladies took some which left me with a puzzle of what to do with the rest. They are wool so they will felt methinks and this could use up some of the 'short' skeins. So today I am finishing off some of my test pieces to show at lunchtime. Here I have stitched using large stitches into cotton fabric, aida and scrim with most of the stitch (mainly chain) on one side of the fabric and then cut around close to the stitches and felted it.

I love the scrim version because the loose weave of the scrim combines with the wool fibres in an uncontrolled way giving a white 'vein' in the felting and also this may technique I can use with folk who are unable to use fine needles over at Marie Curie. The pink flower is the  done on cotton - I have shown the back of a petal.

Last week some commented on my thread organisers - I do not keep mine in number order because they have no numbers since nearly all the threads are dyed by me over many years. I love the subtle variations in shades you can get on one skein this way.

For those unfamiliar with Wednesday desk-hopping check out this link - you may like to join in.

Jackie

Pin Weaving WOYWW 368

It's CRUNCH at lunchtime today so I am preparing something to take along and show. I saw dolls made from pin weaving on Pinterest (here) and thought they were a good way to use up more bits and bobs. These I have made smaller so that they can be made into brooches and all you need is a piece of card and some pins with some sort of foam board underneath. A pipe cleaner is used for the head and arms and beads for the legs.The one on the board at the moment will use the face from my daughters old ring. Some of the fancy yarns in the bag I'm sure date back to the 1980s.

I missed last week because I was at Ascot - it was forecast a wet day so the hat I'd done never got there because I changed my whole outfit (cream not good in mud), and at the end of the day although we only had a couple of showers we had to have our coach pulled out of the mud by a tractor. The only alcoholic drink you are allowed to take is sparkling wine/champagne so I came away with a lot of corks and some cork cages.

So here's a place setting I knocked up for when the Queen comes for dinner.

Have a good WOYWW - if you would like to check to see what other deskers are doing follow the link here

Jackie

Hat for Ascot - WOYWW 366

Had a wasted week due to illness but getting back to doing a bit more now. This morning I am titivating an old hat ready for Ascot Races next Wednesday (hope the weather is as nice as it is now). I have already altered the shape of the top of the hat by putting a 'dent' in it because it was too tall by dampening it then resting a weight in it overnight and then pushing back a bump for the top of my head. I have dug out all my old lacy bits and made a couple of flowers and just made a band out of some fabric scrap which I know will go with my jacket. The lace I have draped over the brim is a shaped piece of vintage handmade lace which has been waiting for a project. It is too good to just use on the hat so has been lightly tacked in place so I can remove it afterwards. Let's hope it doesn't rain.

A few weeks ago I mentioned a friend had given me another challenge - this time it was to use up some empty wire spools. Here is the result - I painted the tops of the spool with acrylic paint and then screwed them onto a backing board and voilà a hanger for all my necklaces - guess who wears a lot of orange. Off for a drink - can't face coffee at the moment -and to do some desk-hopping now. 

Jackie 

Wallpaper Bags - WOYWW 364

Today I've been sorting the stuff to take to demonstrate gift bag making using wallpaper. There are some really nice wallpapers about at the moment and I just had to take some test samples to try at home. You can see how to make these from the Crafty Beggars video (2 minutes in) I have made some cords from threads I have (hence the drill with a hook) or they are recycled ones.

The flower wall - hanging I showed in my blog (link here) is finished and we took it to the Gallery on Friday for the official opening by the mayor of the Core Theatre. The mayoress was incredibly impressed. It took me and my mate Steph ages deciding on it's final configuration but in the end we decided to mount with a frame - donated from my stash. All the ladies who made flowers haven't seen it yet but it will be put up properly in a couple of weeks - I had to grab a bit of wall on the day and re-figure a bit of metal on the wall with duck tape.

Off to do some desk-hopping now with a coffee and if you want to join in follow the link  for the WOYWW 7th anniversary.

Jackie x

Felt and Feathers WOYWW 362

This is my table as I left it last night - I packed in when the bobbin ran out. I am using up some old pieces of handmade felt (done as a demo 20 years ago probably) and some 'feathers' I made for a wall hanging which are about the same age.

The leaf brooch was the first one made because I wanted to give something to a friend for her birthday and obviously whist I had all the stuff there I have to use up the felt. In the light of day I realise I have to get more machine threads out - the industrial cops (have about 60 of those in drawers in the garage. The other material on there is viscose/silk velvet so colour looks odd on camera. 

So I will have a peek at some desks before I do more machining this morning then I can do the hand stitching bits at the lunch craft group - although I may not get to do this since Monday morning I received a bag of zips from the wonderful Chris Dann for the group to play with. There is a big zip in there which I am claiming - it says 'necklace' to me.

Jackie x

Brooches WOYWW 361

After  missing a couple of weeks I am back on the blog. Today I'm just adding the brooch backs to zip brooches and the felted knitting flowerbrooches made using oddments of wool from the stash. A couple of weeks ago someone at the Wednesday Crunch group asked if I could do anything with old zips - and thanks to pinterest I have been able to oblige. Fortunately a friend had got some old zips so I did not have to buy anything I have added fabric to three and the fourth has needle-felting. I prefer the look of the metal zips so I will be on the scrounge for those methinks.

Another friend also gave me the challenge of making something using her medicine dosage cups ( on the right) and here is the result which I will show her later today - it is a pincushion using a couple of old socks. The ribbing was glued in place with a hot glue gun as were the socks which were rolled together (minimal sewing required) and cut to a depth to fit the cup. The plastic headed pins look like 100s and 1000s - not bad for only about 10mins work.

Happy upcycling - I'm now checking other folks desks now so if you want join us click on the link for Julia's blog here.

Jackie

Remaking Jewellery WOYWW 358

I have just finished making a bracelet using beads from a broken necklace. I am not a 'beader' but friend Pat from Spellbound Beads brought some beading stuff to CRUNCH  last week to show us how to 'knot' amongst other beady things. She let me bring back a demo board (the one on the left) to play with so now I have another way of using up all the beads in my stash - I don't have that many pretty little beads (I think I built up a dislike of these after having to bead wedding gowns for a couple of years) so I have to make something a bit more striking. I completed this bracelet but the finishing is not up to scratch so I will remake it - at least I will have something to show Pat at lunchtime.



This a bit of embroidery that I will take along to the craft group today so others can play with the beads. It is onto an woolen old blanket - not much of this left now since it has been used on many projects - which I will probably turn into brooches. I will have to clean my front window before I go because the sun is shining on it and it is disgraceful - what would my mother have thought! She would have got out the newspaper and vinegar water.

If you would like to join in deskhopping on a Wednesday check out Julia's link here.

Jackie

Flowers in the Rain WOYWW 357

So today I thought since it is so miserable outside I'd break the back of this wall hanging so I can take photo of how it has progressed to the CRUNCH group at midday. All the flowers were knitted or crocheted by all the ladies who CRUNCH (Solihull craft at lunch group) and I just have to get the edges sorted out before I add the leaves and final flowers. There are some very large tulips to be added which I am struggling to incorporate at the moment but I think this may resolve itself when the hanging gets its boundaries.






My favourite bits of knitting are the lavender and my mate Steph made this lovely blackberry. A lot of the patterns for the flowers can be found online at Oddknit. Click on the link for the pansies although I lost the will to live darning in the ends. I will post the hanging when it is finished. Have a good Wednesday - for those who wish to know about WOYWW is all about click on the link - thanks to Julia for hosting.

Jackie

Saved from a skip beret WOYWW 356

Just finishing off a beret today made from wool cops rescued from a skip at college when they got rid of machine knitting classes. I remember at the time seeing knitting machines being thrown away - criminal. The wool is too fine to hand knit as is so I used 4 strands together and knitted a large rectangle that I then felted and cut up for the beret - the shapes are applied with free-machining. Now what to do with the rest? I just need to apply the binding to the edge - in this case some tape which was a handle on an upmarket carrier bag and luckily the right colour. Should be finished before I go to CRUNCH at lunchtime. Have a good Wednesday - if you want to check out other workdesks follow the link to Julia's page

Jackie