Bright and Cheerful Crocheted Bowl

Not exactly a recycling project this time - since I bought the coloured twine with something like this in mind! I just loved the colours and they were too good to use for the bean canes in the garden!

The quantity of twine more or less dictated the size and shape. In order to make the coloured stuff go further the base of this bowl is worked in parcel twine which I happened to find next to the tape dispenser. One row of double and one of treble (the first of the bowl side) were worked in the bright pink, Then one of treble in 'indigo' followed by a second treble row with alternate trebles replaced by as ingle chain - this produced a saving in twine and had the effect of curving the top of the bowl inwards slightly. Producing close work in quite stiff twine has been quite tiring for my hands. I have lime green and turquoise left, together with small quantities of indigo and pink and more parcel twine, a second bowl will follow in due course.

This first one has been put to good use as a temporary container for 'daisy brooch' background panels - awaiting their daisies!!

My work table - bookmarks in production!

There are several gaps in my stocks now. These two bookmarks will fill two of them - felted and embroidered, they just need their ribbon tails.

The bookmarks are part of my recycling philosophy. The backing felt into which I felt with my embellisher machine, is produced from recycled plastic bottles. Quite apart from a wish to use such materials as much as possible, I have tried using wool felt and I do not find it as effective. It tends to stretch very easily and this is particularly noticeable when the edges of the work piece become 'wavy'.

My threads and wools are grouped on the mat produced on my peg loom (see post from a few days ago). My plant pot pincushion is an aerosol spray lid, covered in felt, packed tightly with polyester wadding over which is stretched recycled T-shirt fabric, with crocheted daisies and ladybird button added for fun! It stands well and the pins cannot penetrate the base.

Perhaps the most important item in the photo is my snippets jar. As I stitch, particularly the garden designs which have a high density of embroidery, the yarn and thread snippets are placed in the pot. These, in their turn will provide the felted meadows and harvest scenes of future items.

Bookmarks to be listed shortly!

Work Baskets - from recycled materials

This was my first attempt at making a 'project' basket. It would no longer be an option in Wales, where, quite rightly, we are not provided with unnecessary carrier bags. This also precedes the days of biodegradable carrier bags which would, I fear, give an affect something like mouse or beetle damage might to other materials!! Anyway, this one has been much used. Carrier bags cut in a 'continuous spiral', wound into a ball and crocheted, using a 'slightly too small' hook to give a close texture. Work a circular base to the desired size, then stop increasing ( as is necessary to produce a flat circle) and, instead, continue on the same number of stitches to make the basket sides. Crocheted string provides the handles - the plastic may not have been strong enough. This one remains unlined. Pictured with a throw in progress - bright colours I thought I might use for the garden or camping - hexagonal patches in a 'cotton effect' yarn.

This one was my second - reclaimed red T-shirts this time (and kids pyjamas I think). Lined with a curtain fabric - hem a length which measures from the rim to the center of the base (plus turnings) and long enough to go round the basket rim (plus seem allowance). Stitch the 'side' seam to make a cylinder. Gather the unfinished edge tightly to make the center of the lining base. Slip stitch the neatened top edge to the inside of the basket. Long handles are made from plaited lengths of 'T-shirt' yarn. Pictured with more processed 'T-shirt yarn' awaiting a project:

This blue version is very similar to the red one. In this case 'T-shirt yarn' is combined with some rounds of torn, recycled shirt fabric in blue shades. The handles for this one are some recycled webbing - but I can't remember their original purpose!

Pictured with the collection of yarns used for the felted light house design accessories - bookmarks, pincushions etc, which I listed in the summer.