Twisting, wrapping, and couching

Hello. 

I had a lovely day visiting family in Nottingham, yesterday. Nice to see Auntie and cousins, and kids, again. They made a lovely spread, I came away feeling full to bursting. 

Twas a fun crafty morning at the Village Hall today. A new lady came along and thoroughly enjoyed herself meeting new people. She is knitting some children's dolls. I think she will come again next week. 

A few people asked about the new picture, the techniques I am using. Sue asked what am I weaving onto. This one is not weaving Sue, I'll explain further. Caz asked what is this kind of work called. I don't know Caz. I found a video on yoootooob on how to make cords with a sewing machine, it looked easy to do, then I thought about how I could incorporate the cords into a picture. Rather than splash paint onto a canvas, I decided to stitch the cords on instead. Then I found a picture that inspired me to copy the outline and use it. 

How to make cords, I can't find the first video I saw, so here is my version. Cut strips of fabric about an inch wide, doesn't matter how long they are. Fabric that is the same colour both sides is best, and one that doesn't fray. 

These are the finished twisted cords.

And this is how you do it. Set the machine to a zigzag stitch, probably the biggest one. Start twisting at one end, hold it tight because it will untwist if you let go. Trap the end underneath the foot with a little bit sticking out of the back. You will need to pull it through because the feed dogs won't do that automatically because it is so narrow. 

Twist a few inches of it, hold it with the right hand, then pull through with the left hand. It would be impossible to do this with a hand machine. Use an ordinary foot, keep stopping and twisting a bit more, then sew a bit and carry on like that until you get to the end. One thing you will have to watch out for is the twists coming up through the gap in the foot before it has been wrapped. Try and keep it taught and hold it down as flat as you can while you are sewing, but if this happens keep going to the end because it will still sew if the twisted fabric sits on top of the foot.

I am using a plain piece of stiff, strong fabric, a bit like a closely woven sack cloth, they use it on the underside of sofas at the Lebus factory. You can use any sort of heavy fabric, plain is best if you want to draw a design on it. It needs to be heavy enough to support all the stitching without sagging, and puckering. 

 I am using a couching stitch, some of it is in matching cotton and some in contrasting cotton.

This is what the underneath looks like, hundreds of stitches. 

How to do couching, here are a few pictures to help you. Instead of making cords, you can couch anything onto a piece of work, from fine embroidery thread, to wool, or string. You can use one strand, or several strands, depending on the thickness you require. Basically the stitch is up through the fabric, over the top and down the other side. If you want a really neat job the distances between the stitches should be uniform. As I am going to be adding more detail later my stitching doesn't need to be perfect.

How to go round corners. If the corner is too tight, and the gap gets narrow, I have been cutting the cord to fit exactly in the space, then starting again a bit further down where it is a bit wider.

Anybody going to give this a go? You could start by making a smaller sample picture. I think I shall be working on mine for another two months. You know what I'm like, I faff a lot, ha ha.
Toodle pip

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Need some stuffing

Hello. Thank you all for your responses yesterday, it made for some interesting reading. I see there are some new people visiting, forgive me for not welcoming you earlier. I do take note of what is happening on my sidebar, honestly. I'll go and have a look at your blogs as soon as I've finished this. 

I have made a couple of cushion covers out of men's shirts, started at college, finished at home, but I don't have any cushions for them. The easy way would be to go to a cheapo shop and spend a couple of quid and buy them, but you know me, have I got anything in the house that would do the job? Yep, surely have. A garden recliner that I just don't recline on any more. The frame is metal with some elasticated panels, and is not comfy at all. Must be some stuffing inside the cushions. Let's have a look. The fabric is faded anyway, so it looks a bit dull.

Aha, lots of foam crumbs. Just the jobby, now I need to get a big bag and empty it all out.

Turn my back for a minute and a cat takes up residence. Ha ha.

Once it was emptied I discovered that the inside is still quite colourful. I shall remove the plain backing and this will come in useful for another project. 

Remember this cover, the photo's I took previously turned out a strange colour. Yes, it is blue, now with a cushion inside. Barry gave it to me as a shirt, now he has it back as a cushion.  

I bought a shirt from the Age UK shop for �1, to make the second cover. This one didn't have pockets which makes the job a lot easier. I suppose you could leave the pockets in place, but they would be on the back of the cushion, and as you have to cut the shirt across the width just under the armpits the pockets would get in the way. If you are going to do this choose a shirt without pockets. Doesn't matter if it has short sleeves or long sleeves. 

I'm not sure that sewing a lot of buttons on a cushion cover is a good idea, it might be a bit uncomfortable against your back. I think this one is more for decoration purposes, it's pretty but not very practical. 

You know me and rooting in bins, ha ha. There is a big one in the sewing room at college. Look what I found. One of the students is making a fancy dress costume. This will come in useful.

They have been making pompoms, I'll have the offcuts, thank you very much.

This week the teacher showed me how to make a corsage out of teeshirts. There was only me who wanted to know, everyone else was doing their own thing. Two ways, you can cut circles in different colours and different sizes, and layer them with a button holding it together. Or cut long strips, fold in half lengthways and cut into the open edge all along the length, then roll it up like a catherine wheel in a box of licorice allsorts.

Sew a pin on the back, if you want to fasten it onto your clothes.

What did I have for lunch yesterday? Salad, ha ha. A big plateful. I ate the whole tub of  lentil and bean salad. They put it in a big plastic container to make you think you are getting a lot, but the container is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top, and it is only half full. The cost of it is �2.15. Even if I split it in half over two meals, it would still take the cost of the meal over my limit of �1. Glad I only paid 1p for it. 

For dinner yesterday I made a pan full of veg curry stew with the chopped onions, potatoes, and carrots. I ate one portion last night, froze two portions, and had the last portion for lunch today. Tonight I have had another salad, instead of lettuce I had the spinach, and in the middle I had potato salad. Boy was it lovely. My pee is now red with all the beetroot.

It's very cold and windy here. I am treating us to a bit of heat. Bugsy gets a hot water bottle underneath the duvet, he is camped out on the bed. I am working on an idea for another picture. I fancy making some cording, where you cut long lengths of fabric, twist it, and machine over it with a zigzag stitch to hold it together. Then sew it onto a canvas. Never tried it before, should be interesting.

Must go, I've got a cat still out, need to go and look for her.
Toodle pip.

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It's not all rubbish

Hello. Question - who is a wombler and who is a dumper? Who saves things in the hope that they will come in useful for something at a later date, or who tosses things straight into the bin because they do not care where it came from or where it will end up? How do you know what is rubbish and what has value?

Some of you may have noticed a list at the bottom of my blog of free things that I have found, or been given, or I have asked for, if you have scrolled down that far. I started this list when I started the blog. but I have stopped adding to it because it was becoming a mammoth task to itemize every piece which came into my possession. I still continue to collect free stuff, either for my own use or to pass it on. I find it incredibly amazing that people regard it OK to chuck perfectly usable items in the bin, or a skip, or in the hedgerow if they can't be bothered to dispose of it through the correct channels.

So what's on my found list? Two small conifer plants found in a rubbish bin - with a bit of TLC they are thriving. Three plastic crates found in the Takeaway bin - they are in my shed with small items stored in them. An orange plastic pumpkin bucket - given to a small child for building sandcastles on the beach. Yellow plastic ball - given to a dog to play with. Three pallets, I asked for them, they would have been chucked. And so it goes on. There is loads of free stuff out there, you just have to keep your ears and eyes open.

You all know my stance on skip diving, if I see something I want I will ask for it. I have no shame in getting in there and rescuing useful items, I don't care if anyone looks at me in disgust. I am trying to do my bit for the planet, my conscience is clear. If I can find something free then I don't have to buy it, and if I don't want it I will endeavour to give it away. And while I am on the subject of buying, I wouldn't care if most of the shops on the High Street were charity shops. All I need are the discount stores where I can get cheaper human food, household cleaners and toiletries, and pet food. All the clothes shops, shoe shops, jewelers, fancy goods and frivolous non essential items and such like, I wouldn't miss them one iota if they disappeared. No Siree. I won't be going to the new out of town Marks and Sparks which has just opened opposite Tesco, they haven't got anything I need. I know that without even looking. The new Debenhams next door won't see me crossing their threshold either.

You might have seen pictures in the media of people in third world countries sorting through mountains of rubbish, separating plastics and metals etc, that is how they make their living. I can see that in the future this kind of recycling will be taking place here, where every single piece of rubbish will be sorted, graded and used as raw materials to make something new. Bring it on I say, we cannot carry on taking from this earth, there will come a point where we have stripped the land bare of all it has to offer, only then will people wake up to re using and re cycling on a massive scale. They will have to because there will be nothing new left to buy.

Have a look at this article which appeared in The Big Issue, about turning rubbish into art at the Science Museum. Then read more about the exhibition on the Science Museum web site, and watch the video. It looked very interesting, sadly it has finished now.

So, I offer you this challenge. Ok, so you can afford to buy new, but if you have a hankering to go to the shops for something other than food or personal essentials, think before you make that trip. Put it off for 24 hours and think about a plan B. Can you get it second hand? Will you find it at a car boot sale or a charity shop. Have a look on the free web sites, Freecycle and Freegle, is someone giving one away? Look in the small ads in the shop windows or local newspapers. Any jumble sales in your area? Mention it to your friends, have they got one they want to pass on?

When you are getting your presents together for Christmas look for toys in charity shops and car boot sales. Think small gifts, set a limit, can you make something? When you are getting your garden ready for veg growing don't go to the garden centre and splash out on tools, wood for the raised beds, etc, you can buy spades, forks, rakes, at a car boot sale, and get wood out of skips and back doors of DIY stores. Always ask before taking. When you want to do a bit of sewing, don't go to a shop and buy fabric, cotton etc, go to a charity shop and look along the garment rails for the colours you need. Re cycle unwanted clothes, make them into something new. Look in your own wardrobe, is there anything in there that you don't wear any more. Get a buzz out of your efforts, be proud that you made something with your own hands, whether it be a complicated piece of embroidery, or running up a shopping bag on a machine.

Here is something I knocked up before breakfast this morning, using materials that people have given me. Six small pieces of pink felt, 3.5 cm square. Decorate each one with gold and purple sequins.

Sew them all together with a running stitch, making a box with a lid. I used one strand of purple embroidery silk for the sequins and two strands to sew it together. You can use any colours you like.

Before you sew the last seam stuff it with scraps of any soft fabric you have, and attach a matching ribbon in the last corner with a few stitches. There you have a dinky Christmas tree decoration. I am going to make some more with different colours, I tried this one to see if it would work, and it does. You could make them bigger if you have a big tree, or smaller for a table decoration. You could make pyramids. You could sew beads, ribbon, or lace on them, any embelishment you like.

Have fun. I have things to do before sewing class tonight. Catch up with you tomorrow. Toodle pip.

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Brilliant day at Hull Scrapstore

Hiya all, I've had a brilliant day at the Scrapstore in Hull. It was very busy, there was lots going on, refreshments with scrumptious cake, childrens crafting activities, and lots of interesting stalls to peruse manned by lots of lovely people. The Scrapstore is in an old school building in an area where the housing has been extensively regenerated so there are lots of people within walking distance. We were busy for the whole of the five hours we were open. 

My stall was about ideas for art and craft projects. I wasn't charged a fee for the table, but I was able to sell a few things and donate the money to the Scrapstore. A lot of what I had on display wasn't for sale, it was there to show what could be done with rubbish that might be thrown away. Mind you I did sell some things I hadn't intended to sell. so I will have to make some replacements, ha ha. People wanted to buy the cat food pouches bags, but I held on to those, they are my props and I don't want to make any more. I hope people go away and try to make them for themselves after I explained how to do it. six of the seven fabric bowls sold, the only one which didn't was the biggest one I made yesterday. It was Pensive Pensioner who suggested they would look nice on a table with bread rolls in them, so if you are reading this PP, please email me your postal address and I will send you this one so you can use it as a guide to making your own. None of the bags sold, strange that, as everyone uses bags. I put a price of 75p on them, but no one wanted to pay it. I will put them out again on our cat stall at the end of the month, at the Christmas market. You will recognize some of the items on my stall. 

Some photo's of the other stalls. Lovely knitted items for sale.

This lady has written and published her own childrens books.

This lady makes beautiful doggy coats and accessories.

The Scrapstore Raffle was popular, only �1 and every ticket wins a prize.

Here is one of the visitors, I just had to speak to him. I love the way he is dressed entirely in vintage second hand clothes, his style is wonderful, very dapper. Love his long hair and eye makeup. Love his smile, in fact he made me smile. I love people who have their own style and are proud of their individuality. I had a lovely conversation with him and his parents, although I probably did most of the talking, so what's new, ha ha, and do you know what, he was just as nice inside as he was outside.  Pleased to meet you today, Jason, and if you are reading, take a look at Vintage Vixen's blog from Kinky Melon, the link is on the sidebar.

The best part of today was meeting people. I didn't need to push sales, I wasn't bothered about selling anything, I just wanted to inspire people to think about the rubbish they throw away, and the rubbish the good people of Scrapstore collect from businesses, and then get them to think about another use for it. It was definitely worth going.

When I got back I didn't feel like cooking, the weather is murky and I wanted hot food quickly. This mishmash took ten minutes, hardly any preparation and cooked in one pan. Two big mushrooms chopped and cooked in a little oil. Add lemon juice and some spices. Chuck in the rest of the pasta I cooked the other day, and some of the yellow sticker egg noodles. Then add the last bit of the curly kale soup. Sounds awful, looks horrible, but it was deeeeelishus and very filling.

Time for me to relax and put my feet up now. A glass of wine I think, and a look around the catch up channels for an hour's entertainment. Have a nice Sunday. Toodle pip.

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Make a crafty bowl

Hello. Feeling crafty today. Weather is changeable so I'm indoors when it's dull and out in the sun when it breaks through the clouds. I've made two more fabric bowls, and here's how to do it if you want to copy. Someone sent me the sunflower fabric a while ago, I knew I would find a use for it. Cut a perfect square of the fabric you want to use for the inside of the bowl. Then use this as a guide and cut a second piece exactly the same size in a piece of any old fabric you don't need because it won't be seen, thick is best, cotton is too thin. Then you want a backing which will be the underside of the bowl, I am using green felt. If you have something which doesn't fray that's better, but anything will do.  

The backing piece is cut 2cm larger than the others. Use a few pins to hold the layers together.

Then set the machine to a zigzag stitch, or whichever stitch you fancy. Start along the outside edge, and go round and round in ever decreasing squares until you get to the middle. Keep smoothing the layers flat as you sew to prevent wrinkles.

Turn over the 2cm backing to the front, pin in place, and mitre the corners. That's trimming off a triangular piece and hand stitch in place using matching cotton to make an invisible join. Then machine the four edges using whichever stitch you prefer. If your backing fabric frays instead of making it 2cm bigger, make it 3cm, and fold it over twice.

Fold the piece in half and pinch in 2cm from the centre of the fold and secure with matching cotton. Fold the other way and do the same again. And there is the bowl. Thank you to the kind reader who sent the sunflower fabric. 

I made this one yesterday. I made a patchwork of coloured scraps topped with snippets of felt and sequins, topped with shiny organza. 

Here are the two I made previously.

There's time to make some of these before Christmas. They can be made any size and filled with sweeties, or a smaller one with a soap inside would be a nice gift. If you don't have a machine you can hand sew but it might take a little longer. Instead of zigzagging do a few cross stitches one inch apart, to keep the layers together. Have fun. An easy project to get you started if you haven't tried crafting before. If you are a crafter, something to knock up in an hour.
Toodle pip.

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Making art from re cycled materials

Hello. You will be pleased to know there is no more waiting for the latest art work, it is done. Everything is stitched on in it's place, I just have to tidy the back up by covering the loose ends around the edges. I took the photo's while it was hanging on my living room wall, with the curtains wide open to get some light in. 

Each tree is made out of electric cable, first bound with strips from a light brown teeshirt, then a second coloured layer added. I decided to add some stitching to them. 

The weaving took ages and I found that some types of fabric wasn't suitable due to it easily fraying, and the heavier upholstery fabric didn't work well either, because I cut the strips too wide. This left the warp threads on show, to get rid of that the fabric had to be squashed up really tight.

The dark brown I used in the centre is felt, this didn't lie too well with too many ridges. I got over that problem by stitching over it with the same colour wool. 

I tried to use different types of fabric to give a variety of textures. A lot of it is cut up clothing, some of it is from the Scrapstore.

These pink flowers were given to me. They didn't have holes in them so I made four small holes in each one with a needle heated over a gas flame.

The orange fuzzy stuff in the bottom corner is a mesh fruit bag. There are other coloured mesh bits added as well.

And this is how it started out. I found this towel rack in a car boot sale for �1, and saw a picture in it. I got a friend to cut off the four legs with a hacksaw. 

Then a second one was given to me which is bigger than the first, and I thought it would make an interesting frame for the picture. Not really sure if it needs it, I'll think about it. 

The colours here are quite accurate to the real thing. I like it because it's bold and cheerful. I shall be taking it to the Scrapstore open day in Hull next Saturday, along with the fantasy forest picture I made. I am really getting into textile art, I enjoy the thought processes that go into it, and piecing it all together, then watching how it grows from a little seed into a fully fledged art work.

Tomorrow I am going to the AGM at the Scrapstore, and on Tuesday night I start a six week course at college to learn more about up-cycled textiles. They thought it might not go ahead but I had a phone call saying more people had applied, so I'm pleased about that. I've got more sewing projects here in the pipeline, plenty to get on with. Still not managed to connect the Hudl up the internet here yet, been busy with this. The next job will be to practice taking photo's with it, and finding how it all works. My brain is going to be steaming with all the new things to learn. Anyway, must go, it's barf night, I'm off for a soak. Toodle pip.

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