What arts and craft things have you been making lately?

It made me chuckle when I read it Pol!!

I've just finished this using more of the yarn that I rescued from imminent landfill. I had set the yarn aside to take to the charity shop, but following on from making the net bag (see a few posts ago), thought I might be able to do something with some shiny pink yarn.

Another free internet pattern, that I adapted to a smaller size, and lo, another very different bag - a gift for my adopted niece. The fabric used for the lining was a remnant from a curtain fabric shop (just £2); the zip I had to buy new. It was a good opportunity to use my new sewing machine too, to assemble the lining, though I hand stitched both the zip into the bag, and the lining to the zip, as I didn't want the stitching to show on the outside.

Really pretty FB, I like that.

Managed to make a few cards today.  Really had to as I had a special one to make for a wedding.

FB that is lovely and I still cannot believe anyone would send that to landfill. What a waste.

Glad you managed to make some cards Pol.

I've almost finished the 2nd sock of a pair I'm making for a friend in the USA.

Then I must get on with my nephew's gloves. i know he doesn't need them now, but he is in Afghanistan and I want to make them while he is there.

Started another pair of socks and have done quite a bit today.

If I'm feeling better tomorrow I really will get on with the gloves. Should be seeing my nephew tomorrow as he is home on leave briefly

Had a quick 'make' this afternoon, with my charity shop booty (see Charity Shop Bargains thread). A big cushion cover to go on a small chaise - the chaise looks a bit doll's house, being very small to fit in an awkward space. So I thought I would add a big cushion to bulk it up a bit, visually.


Also finally taken a pic of a pair of slippers I crocheted for myself, with some of the wool that nearly went to landfill. I finished them about 3 months ago and have been wearing them in the cooler weather - they are rather covered in dog hair now. I sewed some soft leather on the soles, just to make them a bit more hard wearing.

The slippers look like they will be great in winter, especially when the dog is hogging the stove ! I bet they last longer than any you can buy.

Today I've started on a shirt for the man. We chose fabric and a pattern yesterday, but having got the pattern home, have found it is vast. He's a big lad, but it would look like a tent on him. Spent a good bit of time taking it in and redrawing the pattern. Fabric's in the wash overnight, to make sure it is fully shrunk. Looking forward to making a start. I'll post a pic once it's done.

looking forward to seeing it FB - how long do you think it'll take?

Finished it this morning. Wonderfully garish - it's deliberately 'loud' to wear to some of the dances we go to.



While I was in sewing mode, I made a new cover and padding for my sleeve board (a mini ironing board for pressing long narrow things like sleeves). My first mil bought it for me about 35 years ago, and the cover was in holes and revolting.

That is brilliant FB

Jaded Green wrote:That is brilliant FB

Brilliant is definitely the word. I have never been much good at sewing - a shirt is well beyond me. Good job FB !

Wow, I love the fabric. Grand job FB.

Stunning - well done!

Today i have restarted on a quilt that had been left in a corner since 2005.

First step, rethinking the whole project!

We would love to see some pictures of your work, Tamara.

What sort of quilting do you do Tamara?
I really like quilting but don't have the need for loads of quilts so don't do a lot.
I've done quite a bit of log cabin. I currently have an unfinished sampler quilt that is basted but has been put away for about 2 years. I must get it out & finish it (winter job I think). I didn't really know how to quilt it, I think it will have to be hand quilted.
I also have some Manx quilting on the go. I posted a picture of some bits a short while ago. It will probably come up if you put Manx quilting in the search.

Wow that Manx looks beautiful, not too complicated?

My granma used to make quilts for us but has now stopped due tu her arthritis. I am now making a few for me & my family. Traditionnal would be what i do.

It's been pouring with rain today, so no gardening and a chance to finish something I started last month.

My man and I dance - jive actually - and it can get pretty hot at some venues, so most women carry a fan. I have five, in different colours, to match different outfits. I'm always worried they'll get damaged at the bottom of my bag, so thought I would make them each their own padded carry bag.

Here is the first one off the production table.



The outer fabric was an 80p remnant and should be enough to make all five bags. Not enough for the lining though, so I've found some old lining material that was cut out of a skirt I shortened. I did buy a metre of wadding for £4.85, but that will do all 5 bags, and did my sleeve board, and plenty left for other things.



It's the first time I've attempted any sort of quilting, and I'm not too displeased with my first go. I've kept it very simple, with the coloured stitching and pull cord to reflect the colour of the fan (saves looking in all the bags for the one I want!). Despite being such a simple item, it has thrown up some interesting design problems though.

That looks good. Machine quilting isn't easy (as I've found out) with a domestic machine. Do you have a 'walking foot' or a dual feed on your machine that feeds top & bottom layers equally?

Ploshkin wrote:That looks good.  Machine quilting isn't easy (as I've found out) with a domestic machine.  Do you have a 'walking foot' or a dual feed on your machine that feeds top & bottom layers equally?

Yes I do - it's quite a new machine (I think I've had it about a year); the Pfaff Passport 2.0 I tried out some ideas on some old cotton sheeting, but found it extremely difficult to pass the fabric through by hand. It seemed to require an enormous amount of 'pull' without the feed dog doing any work. So I adapted the design to something simple with straight lines, so that I could keep the feed dog raised and it would do the job of feeding the fabric.

Pretty! Where do you buy the fans from? I have a colleague at school who routinely carries a fan to help with hot flushes - I think it's stylish answer to a problem!

Wow, Nice Job freebird! It's beautiful!

Dandelion wrote:Where do you buy the fans from?

Some of the regular dances we attend also have stalls, so that's where I tend to buy from. I think these fans are quite widely available though as I've often seen other people with them. They're just cheap and cheerful.

Following on from the loud and garish shirt I made for the man last month: there looked to be just enough fabric left to make something else as I'm quite good at cutting economically.

I decided to make a matching top for myself. I had to make my own pattern, as the pieces of fabric were on the skimpy side, to say the least. In fact when I came to try the pattern on the fabric pieces, I found they didn't fit all together. I could have the back and one side of the front, or both sides of the front and nothing else. In the end, I cut the back in half, and just squeezed it out the fabric. Not enough for facings, and on the front, not enough for an overlap for buttons.

It's been a real test of ingenuity, but I'm quite pleased with the result, and has cost about £3.50 in 'bits' such as bias binding etc. Pics will happen below - keep waiting......