Crafty Thread - what are you working on at the moment?

[Greebo]

Am looking at iron on transfers for t-shirts, has anyone any experience in this area?

If you've got an inkjet printer, you can make your own iron on transfers (paper for this is usually sold in the stationery section) and they're usually suitable for T shirts.

 

[wayward bob]

If you've got an inkjet printer, you can make your own iron on transfers (paper for this is usually sold in the stationery section) and they're usually suitable for T shirts.

if you're printing your own you need to choose the paper for either dark or light fabrics, you use them slightly differently.

 

[Boudicca]

Am looking at iron on transfers for t-shirts, has anyone any experience in this area?

Yup, you can buy the transfer paper in places like WH Smiths, or, if you are very lucky, you might come across some in a poundshop. As bob says, the stuff for white t-shirts won't work on a coloured t-shirt - I know this from experience!

 

[red rose]

I've just ordered some of the iron on transfer paper online actually and if I can get my poxy printer working then I shall be testing it out later this week.

I'm using it to make faces and things for dolls though, rather than for tshirts.

 

[wayward bob]

i've done some arcane things in my time but this has to be the most bizarre - reeling silk.

you have to soak and simmer the cocoons, then catch the fluffy outside on a toothbrush and tease it out until you're left with just a single thread - you can see the threads against the drawers in the background. this part is exactly as difficult and time consuming as it sounds...

the threads run up, through a hook and join together...

and are wound onto a skein winder. this bit is a lot easier than it sounds, after the tricky first bit the threads wind off really quickly and with very little breakage.

i got a surprising amount of thread from 7 cocoons. it's very fine and i'll need to twist - or ply - them together to get something thick enough for weaving or embroidery. this was just a test run, you'd normally reel 15 or so at a time, so the resulting thread would be correspondingly thicker.

i'll save you pics of the not so pleasant bit at the end - to keep the thread in one piece for reeling the worms inside have to be killed before they hatch (when you buy cocoons this has already been done), so at the end you're left with a pan of worm soup

still, i'm well fucking squee that i managed to do it

 

[Callie]

bob you amaze me! is there anything you cant do?

 

[blossie33]

Oh my goodness - you must have the patience of a saint!

 

[wayward bob]

i have to admit at the beginning i was thinking what on earth possessed me, that no matter what the internet said it couldn't be done, but i got there in the end and the whole process only took a couple of hours i have a hunch that plying is going to be much more tricky and time-consuming.

 

[albionism]

Polymer Clay Cane in progress.

 

[albionism]

....and finished pendants.

 

[Boudicca]

I've always wondered how those were done and now I know!

 

[blossie33]

Like making rock

 

[albionism]

I only ever intended to make one Fimo pendant as a
gift for someone...400 + pendants later!

 

[ViolentPanda]

I'm working on infusing vodka! I'm not sure this technically counts as a craft; but I used mason jars so I like to think of it as being crafty. So far I've got cherry-lime, cucumber-dill, blackberry-basil, pear, serrano pepper-orange, and watermelon.

I've had a dill vodka. Nice in an "I wasn't expecting to like that" way!
A mate used to infuse cracked black and red peppercorns in his vodka (3 weeks, then filtered through a coffee paper). Also nice, but a bit wearing on the throat after a couple!

 

[ebonics]

^^ Was going to respond to the above but scrolled up and read the phrase "worm soup" and now my soul has gone on to glory

 

[red rose]

The Gordon Freeman doll that I've been making for a friend is finally done, this is the third time I've attempted it, I'm so relieved that it's finally finished, and just in time for his birthday

 

[fishfinger]

The Gordon Freeman doll that I've been making for a friend is finally done, this is the third time I've attempted it, I'm so relieved that it's finally finished, and just in time for his birthday

Brilliant! Loving the crowbar and head crab too

 

[Greebo]

Binding around the shortened peplum finished, concealed zip tacked back in. It was at this point that I tried the dress on again.

To put it mildly, it needs boning.

 

[moon]

I made a Kudu Antelope cutting file

 

[spirals]

Got pics of some of my creations made into badges

 

[Arolyn]

Love this thread! Seeing what everyone else gets up to is really interesting

I've just made a couple of Rag Wreaths with some leftover scrap fabric....

 

[8115]

Arolyn those are beautiful. I've just been looking at rag rugging on the net, ironically.

I'm just steeling myself to take the plunge and buy all the ingredients/ tools to make cold process soap. My theory being that then I'll just make it for everyone for xmas. But a) when push comes to shove I'm actually more afraid of lye burns than I thought, and b) what if it doesn't work and I have to buy other presents instead. Eeek.

 

[Arolyn]

Thank you
I say go for it and buy some light gloves to protect your hands....
I'm into all sorts, depends what mood I'm in at the time.
Would love to see the outcome of your project!

 

[moon]

I painted my antelope head in watercolour, am also trying it in Gouache and Inktense blocks

 

[Biddlybee]

What's a cutting file moon?

 

[Greebo]

I painted my antelope head in watercolour, am also trying it in Gouache and Inktense blocks <snip>

Very clever use of colour to make it look more three dimensional, it wouldn't have occurred to me to do that.

 

[moon]

Hi Biddlybee, a cutting file (or SVG) is a vector image that can be convered by an electronic cutting machine such as the Silhouette Cameo to cut the lines/paths as shapes in paper/card/fabric/vinyl etc with a blade.

 

[zoooo]

I made some Christmas tree ornaments out of dinosaur figures.

And now I'm making some necklaces.

(Sorry, those pics are a bit big.)

 

[wayward bob]

want! triceratops

 

[wayward bob]

Hi Biddlybee, a cutting file (or SVG) is a vector image that can be convered by an electronic cutting machine such as the Silhouette Cameo to cut the lines/paths as shapes in paper/card/fabric/vinyl etc with a blade.

so effectively a small laser cutter?