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

[campanula]

What are you doing with the paper quills, Greebo? When I was at school, I came across a paper sculpture book and for quite some time, I cut and folded, making numerous birds and the like. It was the very end of the 60s with all that psychedelia, op-art, geometrics - I made several lampshades - interlocking shapes which played with light and shadow (and collected dust). There was something very satisfying about turning 2 dimensions into 3D with engineered folds, cuts, crimps and I love the sound of sharp scissors cutting through paper (and hair)...as well as making curls with the scissor blades.

Knitting - yep, I also learned by sitting in my mum's lap - although it was much weirder since she only had one arm and held one needle between her knees - I can do it that way too. I made my own mittens when I was around 6 (but the ribbing...which kept turning into moss stitch!) Good idea about using nylon - the splittiness of wool is a major problem (making far too many stitches each new row) so I will definitely have a try with that. I have some old bamboo and wooden needles which ought to be good for little hands. Maybe this summer, when Phoebe is 4, I will sit with her in the woods and practice.

 

[Greebo]

What are you doing with the paper quills, Greebo? <snip>

Hearts, for next week. So far, so obvious. Except that these ones are to attach to things like railings and signposts, so they have to be stable without a backing, amd the smallest one is about 7" in each direction.

Thank you keithy and wayward bob for the idea of enlarging a usually intricate craft to get more visual impact.

Edited to add I might manage to do some lettered signage with it too, but the hearts on their own may be enough. Anyway, 1 gateway down, about 8 more of the same amount to go. And then some for the hall.

 

[campanula]

O, you old romantic! Sounds charming.

 

[Greebo]

O, you old romantic! Sounds charming.

It'll be part of a week promoting social housing. And a bit of a morale boost for people on the estate, or passing it, I hope. Pics Saturday week, once they're up.

 

[QueenOfGoths]

More crochet. This time an apple, I'm thinking of making a a couple more and maybe some other fruit so I've got a crocheted fruit bowl!

 

[RubyToogood]

One of them is a shirt dress I've made a million times before. I've always wanted one out of a cosy brushed plaid cotton, and finally found some cheap. However in a moment of madness I went for bright red rather than a darker blue/green version, and it's just a bit enlarging. I haven't hemmed it yet but it may be better shorter, I'll see.

The other is this pattern. I made some adjustments for big hips and have made it up in a rather thick black crepe with a bit of give in it, and it's come out kind of droopy and baggy. The fabric was thicker and givier than I'd realised. Again I haven't completely finished it, and sometimes things look better when you have, but it's not looking v promising.
View attachment 66545

I've had another stab at these and the red plaid one still doesn't suit me when finished so I've dispatched it to moose to see if it looks any better on her. I've put the second sleeve on the black one and the top half of the dress now looks great. There is something very not right about the waist seam and bottom half though, possibly because I did some alterations to the pattern and didn't draw the lines back in well enough. The whole thing has also dropped about a mile. Hopefully salvageable though.

 

[Greebo]

A very small sample of the finished batch - I lost count, but VP reckons it was 200 or so. Considering that they got wet and blown about, most of them were in pretty good condition when I went back to take them down.

Note to self: Large loops are (duh) structurally unstable.

 

[Greebo]

And there's more

 

[moose]

I've had another stab at these and the red plaid one still doesn't suit me when finished so I've dispatched it to moose to see if it looks any better on her.

I can confirm that Ruby's loss is definitely my gain - gorgeous frock that fits perfectly! Chuffed!

 

[spirals]

Crocheted polar bear complete with snow!

 

[campanula]

Spirals, I met a Hungarian woman who made the most intricate little objects out of horsehair - tiny, tiny braids and woven into minuscule baskets. Her eyesight was failing and she had tried to pass on the art of miniatures to her daughter who was resisting...but I confess to finding myself drawn to the magnificent attempt to do something so completely useless but utterly captivating - could almost be a definition of 'art' instead of 'craft'.
As it happens, this woman also had moved onto to felting and somewhat opened my eyes to the possibilities of bright wool articles which are less fiddly than anything involving pins, needles or hooks

 

[QueenOfGoths]

My most recent crochet project - hanging mandalas

 

[Cribynkle]

I've started a granny stripe blanket based on the instructions on Attic24

It's meant to be for my SIL's 40th but that's in June so she may well be getting it for Christmas instead, I've already had to rip it apart once when I realised after 6 rows that it was far too wide to have any chance of finishing it in time...

 

[Boudicca]

OK, just lifting my head from the paint pot for a moment. I bought a massive big house but forgot to keep any money for furniture so I've been spending hours on Gumtree and Ebay and shabby chic-ing with avengeance!

First up, 4 chairs bought for £25 on Ebay, a table from Barnados and a pot of Chic Shadow Made By Me from Dulux. Better than Annie Sloan because you don't have to wax it, but very shiny for a satin paint.


Next three fancy French chests done in Valspar Eggshell. Paint isn't too bad but it marks as soon as you touch it and will need a coat of varnish:


Cheap 'rustic' Mexican chests painted in Laura Ashley Pale Duck Egg. Shouldn't work but I think it's OK:


And crappy pine chest painted in Farrow & Ball white with wallpaper stuck on the drawers. Quite proud of it really, but it took forever and the chest more or less fell to pieces as I worked. Farrow & Ball really is the best paint.

 

[RubyToogood]

I've had this fabric in my stash for ages. It's some kind of ancient acetate satin I think.



I was going to make the jacket from this pattern (Vogue 9082)



I've got more fabric than I thought though - enough to make a skirt as well I think, but not very convinced of my ability to make one in my size that would look good on me, not least because there are basically no patterns that are not elasticated or have that vile fluting thing at the bottom. I suppose I could make the top but it seems a bit pointless to have matching top and jacket but no skirt

 

[8115]

Pair of socks, I'll post a photo when complete (she says optimistically).

 

[Boudicca]

I've had this fabric in my stash for ages. It's some kind of ancient acetate satin I think.

I've got more fabric than I thought though - enough to make a skirt as well I think, but not very convinced of my ability to make one in my size that would look good on me, not least because there are basically no patterns that are not elasticated or have that vile fluting thing at the bottom. I suppose I could make the top but it seems a bit pointless to have matching top and jacket but no skirt

I'm trying to work out what you mean by 'vile fluting'

 

[Greebo]

<snip> enough to make a skirt as well I think, but not very convinced of my ability to make one in my size that would look good on me, not least because there are basically no patterns that are not elasticated or have that vile fluting thing at the bottom. I suppose I could make the top but it seems a bit pointless to have matching top and jacket but no skirt

Use the patterned fabric as a pocket contrast, plus a godet or a kick panel behind a split at the back of the skirt? Assuming that pencil skirts suits you, that is. What you need to find is a pattern with a grown on waistband, they're never elasticated. Maybe even consider a culottes pattern if there'd be enough?

 

[Greebo]

I'm trying to work out what you mean by 'vile fluting'

I think Ruby means the type of hemline you see on so-called "flippy skirts"? If it's not exactly the right length, and cuts you off at the wrong place, it can make you look a lot shorter and wider than you really are.

 

[Boudicca]

I'd maybe try a 6 panel pencil skirt with a facing rather than a waistband. And something reasonable sturdy as a lining.

 

[RubyToogood]

Those have a separate piece for the fluting. The ones I'm thinking of just flare out in a revolting way at the seams for no good reason.

I think stylistically it would need to be a pencil skirt, but I'm unconvinced this would suit me and I won't find a pattern for one in my size.

I'm half wondering if I should make a dress instead and abandon the jacket

I think Ruby means the type of hemline you see on so-called "flippy skirts"? If it's not exactly the right length, and cuts you off at the wrong place, it can make you look a lot shorter and wider than you really are.

 

[friendofdorothy]

Those have a separate piece for the fluting. The ones I'm thinking of just flare out in a revolting way at the seams for no good reason.

I think stylistically it would need to be a pencil skirt, but I'm unconvinced this would suit me and I won't find a pattern for one in my size.

I'm half wondering if I should make a dress instead and abandon the jacket

I like that jacket. Great fabric too. Have you got enough for a dress and jacket? always chic.

 

[friendofdorothy]

I'll be remaking a funky patterned polyester satin top I almost made last week end. I was looking forward to wearing this week, I'd got it fitting really nicely and it was almost finished.

I just had the hem to do and was pressing it with a iron on setting 1 - when it MELTED! fucking melted! all the way through front and back! the iron was steaming on number 1 arrrgh! why did it only melt when I was so nearly finished, after 2 wasted afternoon's work. fucking buggery bollocks. Had throw the iron away too of course.

I've bought more of the same funky fabric and a new iron. I'll cut up the half melted one to use as a pattern. And I wont bother trying to press it.

 

[Boudicca]

((friendofdorothy))

 

[RubyToogood]

I like that jacket. Great fabric too. Have you got enough for a dress and jacket? always chic.

Sadly no... skirt and jacket or just dress.

I'm thinking I might reprise my lovely seaside dress instead actually, which is the top half of this with a circular skirt. I think I'd wear it... it would require a party. Damnit, I will go to parties.

 

[story]

My most recent crochet project - hanging mandalas

That's a really lovely and beautiful alter, QueenOfGoths , full of meaning and love. And that snap of Bowie with the dog is one of my all time favourite photos of anything ever in the whole entire world.

 

[Looby]

OK, just lifting my head from the paint pot for a moment. I bought a massive big house but forgot to keep any money for furniture so I've been spending hours on Gumtree and Ebay and shabby chic-ing with avengeance!

First up, 4 chairs bought for £25 on Ebay, a table from Barnados and a pot of Chic Shadow Made By Me from Dulux. Better than Annie Sloan because you don't have to wax it, but very shiny for a satin paint.
View attachment 68990

Next three fancy French chests done in Valspar Eggshell. Paint isn't too bad but it marks as soon as you touch it and will need a coat of varnish:
View attachment 68992

Cheap 'rustic' Mexican chests painted in Laura Ashley Pale Duck Egg. Shouldn't work but I think it's OK:
View attachment 68993

And crappy pine chest painted in Farrow & Ball white with wallpaper stuck on the drawers. Quite proud of it really, but it took forever and the chest more or less fell to pieces as I worked. Farrow & Ball really is the best paint.
View attachment 68995

Lovely! Looks like we're both on an ebay mission at the moment. I'm watching so many things I can't keep up and forget to bid.

Have you tried rust-oleum furniture paint? It still needs waxing but cheaper then Annie Sloan.

 

[RubyToogood]

This is the vile flutey thing I was talking about: http://www.simplicitynewlook.com/2058/#.VQxKYeFRrfc

 

[QueenOfGoths]

That's a really lovely and beautiful alter, QueenOfGoths , full of meaning and love. And that snap of Bowie with the dog is one of my all time favourite photos of anything ever in the whole entire world.

Thank you so much story that has really made me smile, and feel a bit weepy. But in a good way

 

[story]

Thank you so much story that has really made me smile, and feel a bit weepy. But in a good way

Be glad and proud

(Incidentally, my iPad corrected "glad" to "god" and I nearly thought to leave it there as that.)