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.

Linen and Lace patchwork

My linen mountain has now been laundered and pressed and inspected for any damaged areas. I love handling it and spend far too long agonising over how to do justice to the older items especially. So far, I have completed two items - a pincushion in ivory and a needle book in beiges. I have planned: pocket tissue cases, brooch pillows, trinket trays ( if I say "60's style' folded bread baskets with tied or buttoned corners you might be able to picture what I have in mind - if not, you'll have to wait and see!), possibly wedding ring cases and pillows, lavender sachets ... Perhaps you have other suggestions for me? I am particularly keen to try the trinket trays since they will post opened out flat and will, I hope, make an attractive gift item - easy to package and send onwards. Some particularly deep lace edgings have been reserved for summer bags. I also intend to search my shelves for a book, which I seem to remember, had various foldings for gift boxes and pouches. I remember the shapes being unusual and wonder if I could adapt them to interlined fabric in order to form keepsake/jewellery boxes. Notebook covers and the covers of hand bound journals would be other possibilities.

Anyway, for now, here are the pincushion and needlebook:

A Good Shopping Trip

A visit to a fairly local antique center, yielded quite a hoard of vintage linens, in varying stages of repair. Yet again, I chose a lovely table cloth, with a deep crocheted edging - the intention being to use the edging; only to decide that, with a few minor repairs to the drawn thread work it will still be lovely to use and shouldn't be cut up. Maybe, at some stage in the future, I'll re-purpose it. My husband was a little unsure whether to be amused or irritated. All these new textile acquisitions now have the same recycling/re-purposing/absolutely non to landfill promise as all the other items already in our possession. I must make more stitching progress. Here is the little 'lace' mountain acquired yesterday:

A set of four coasters in progress: three stitched, all four needing the ends tucking in.

Linen and Lace

These two pieces of recycling will become a needlebook and a glasses case respectively. Stitched from a patchwork of reclaimed table linen, embellished with vintage lace, some ribbons, more modern lace flowers and hand stitching in the lovely vintage flax floss which I am greatly enjoying using.

I shall probably edge the finished items in crochet as with this bookmark:

Trying out my Peg Loom

I had this peg loom made to order a few years ago. As you can see, I have three sets of pegs -  small brass, medium (I think beech) and large (also beech). I struggled to decide how wide the loom should be. Large looms can still produce narrow work, but I wanted something quite portable - in particular, something which could be used in our campervan - although, as yet it hasn't been! I settled for this one - about 25 cm wide, thinking that, if necessary I would join strips to make a wider item.

The medium pegs produce work roughly similar in density and feel to the strips which are produced on my weaving sticks - see previous post.

This is the result of weaving on 19 medium pegs using craft cotton as the warp and strips of torn cotton fabric about 2 cm wide as the weft - the work being in the process of removal from the loom.

The finished piece. I deliberately kept the weaving quite loose - in the sense of not compacting the fabric down the warps too much. I orginally had an idea of using the weaving to make a bag. However, although it feels tactile and 'drapes' nicely, it is too thick to be practical so it will find use as a table mat - just the right size for a mug and cup cake plate - unfortunately, yesterday's daleks have now been consumed so you'll have to imagine the presence of a cake.

Since this is comparatively loose I shall probably back it with some washable fabric stitching the edges through and also following one or two of the warp threads with small 'tacking stitches' to ensure that it keeps its shape. I shall also try to find, and slip stitch in place any weft ends which I can find. This will then enable me to put this 'prototype' to good use. However, if I produce any for other people, I shall ensure a 'tighter' weave to hold the weft ends within the weaving, or deliberately leave them trailing at the row ends and stitch them securely to a backing fabric. I must try washing and drying the 'looser' version to make sure that it is a practical option.