Dylon Dyes 50 - Refreshing

About 1o years ago I bought 2 hats from the markets. I love these hats as they stay on no matter how windy it is. I bought the cream one first and then realised that it was an impractical colour for gardening etc. So I bought the navy one. While we were away I considered buying a new hat but quickly reconsidered when I saw the price tags. With a little help from Dylon I can have a new look hat.









You can see that the crown has faded badly. I'm going to pop this one into Jeans Blue.

The cream hat always seems to be grubby. It's going into Tropical Green.

This is Linda's shirt. The cotton lace has faded unevenly so I'm going to refreshen it with some Jeans Blue.

Not sure if they will gt done today but definately by the end of the week.

Kumihimo Prep

My takadai lives near the back door. As I walk in and out everyday I see it and it reminds me to braid. That's the theory anyway. A couple of months ago I dragged out a packet that I had brought back from Japan. It was the result of the bobbin switching class I had taken. The packet sat unopened on the takadai until this morning.












I've started to unravel the silk ropes. This isn't as hard as it sounds. Tha Japanese have a method of wrapping the silk so that you can take it on and off the takadai. It isn't a method I perfected however I was able to unravel without too much stress.

Like most of us I don't have huge blocks of time to spend braiding. I'm just going to plod along doing a little everyday. Hopefully I will get back into the swing of Takadai Braiding.

The Crafter's Way 116 - Scrapping with Discover Scrapbooking

This week's Messenger column.







Scrapping with Discover Scrapbooking





Scrapbooking is a creative way to preserve pictures, personal and family history, letters, clippings, and other precious mementos. While Scrapbooking is extremely popular at the moment many enthusiasts may be surprised to learn that the practice dates back to the 15th Century with ‘commonplace books’. These books were a place to keep recipes, poems, each was personal. Friendship Albums were popular during Victorian Times, allowing the creator to keep a record of visitors, cards and travels. A practice very similar to today’s scrapbook albums.

Famous Scrapbookers have included Mark Twain, who was so enamoured by his hobby that he sold his books via mail order, and Thomas Jefferson the 3rd President of the United States. Jefferson kept newspaper clippings from his presidency and together with drawings and other personal memorabilia created leather bound albums.

Modern day scrapbooking encourages the crafter to create one-of-a-kind page layouts mixed with notes, illustrations, borders, stamping, and printed paper ephemera. First time scrapbookers can feel overwhelmed by all of the colours, tools and techniques. The wonderful thing about scrapbooking is that you don’t need to break the bank to get started. Robyn from Discover Scrapbooking suggests that beginners start with the basic tools and take some classes to learn the basic techniques. Robyn’s favourite tool is a cutting knife, “I like to cut everything”.

Where to start? Robyn begins with her photos, “with 3 children and 7 grandchildren I have plenty to inspire me”. From there she selects her papers then finally her embellishments. As you become more experienced you can experiment with other formats such as mini-albums and mixed media artworks. Scrapbooking is a creative pastime that you can enjoy with others. Robyn holds classes and get togethers where you can enjoy your favourite scrapbooking activities and make new friends.

If you would like more information on Scrapbooking give Robyn a call at Discover Scrapbooking on Ph 3204 2333or call in at 657 Deception Bay Rd. Deception Bay.

Want to read more of The Crafter's Way? Click here.

Green Goes Country

Old Petrie Town has been the venue of the oldest continous markets in QLD for ever. These have always been held on Sundays. Today, Peter Hackworth's Original Green Flea markets went Country for the very first time.












This photo was taken before the markets opened at 6am.

We could hear music but couldn't see where it was coming from. Finally I spotted them.

I took 3 photos before the crowd thinned enough for me to snap them clearly.

And here is Peter Hackworth and Noel Clarke from the YMCA celebrating the markets success.

Markets are on every Saturday, from 6am - 1pm. Can't make it Saturdays? The original markets still operate on Sundays from 8am -2pm. Pop in and say hello.

Dorset Button Christmas Decoration

This time last year I posted about the Dorset Button Christmas Decorations.










I made them for a Blog Swap.












In the original post I briefly explained how I made them.












And then finished the post with a promise to post a step by step tutorial.

As we are all starting to think about the holidays now is a good time to deliver on my promise.

Step 1: You will need a wooden curtain ring with the screw eye attached. Thread, tapestry needle, beads(optional), ribbon to hang.

Step 2: How much thread you will need depends on how big the curtain ring is and how much filling of the centre you plan to do and type of thread. For the orange one I used 2.5 skeins of Stranded Cotton. Unravel the skein so the thread pulls freely. Hold the tail of the thread as in the picture.

Step 3: Make a loop over the tail of the thread. Pull the remaining thread through the loop (imagine a button hole stitch).

Step 4: Pull the "knot' firmly capturing the tail of the thread securely.

Step 5: repeat this step a couple of times then cut off the excess tail.

Step 6: Repeat this step until the entire ring is covered. Make sure that you roll the 'knot' to the inside.

Keep going.

Just a little bit further.

Step 7: Now we are going to make the spokes. I thread the needle (with this thread) before starting this step as its easier than stopping a doing a bit later. Wind the thread around the outside of the ring, down the front side, around the back. You need to be careful here that the point where the threads cross on the top is centred. Ignore the back for the time being.

Step 8a: The photo below shows and even number of spokes on the top. You need an odd number.

Step 8b: Bring the thread from the back onto the front side. Instead of winding completely around push the needle down to the back at the half way point.

Step 9: Now you are going to secure the centre point and at the same time bring the back threads into alignment with the top threads. With the needle threaded criss cross across the centre point pulling the back threads into place as you go. Continue until all are aligned. This is important. If you don't make sure that they are aligned before beginning weaving your button will be off centre. Try and keep the centre neat but don't stress too much as it can be covered by beads or sequins.

Step 10: Now we are going to starting filling in the centre. This is a basic over, under weave. This is why you needed an odd number of spokes. I always start at the top near the scew eye.

Over.

Under

Continue over, under until you get back to the top. The odd number automatically makes sure that the next time around the moves are the opposite.

Step 11: Now is when you get to start to personalise you decoration. There is no need to completely fill in the centre. You can see by the samples that I decorated all differently.

I sewed beads on to the front.

Don't forget the back.It will be seen hanging on the tree. Add some ribbon through the screw eye and pop it onto your tree.



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Christmas Decoration Tutorial 1.5

This is the next in the promised tutorial for making your own Christmas Decorations. Well, this one is half a tutorial. Not every step has a photo but its pretty simple so I think you will have no problems.




You will need: fabric scraps in plain fabric, fabric scraps in coloured or patterned fabric, stamps and ink pad, sewing thread.










Step 1: Using an ink pad stamp some suitable warm and fuzzy words onto your plain fabric scraps. These won't be getting wet so a normal stamp pad is fine.

Step 3: Using some cardboard templates trace a shape around your words.

Step 4: Using pinking scissors cut out your shape.

Step 5: Place your plain fabric shape onto patterned or coloured fabric.

Step 6: Sew around the edge of plain fabric shape. I used different coloured threads. using up the small bits left on bobbins. Don't try to be neat. The effect is gained by being 'scribbly'.

Step 7: Add the metal grommett, add some pretty ribbon and hang from your tree.

This can easily be adapted to use paper or a combination of paper and fabric. Don't have a sweing machine. Try some simple running or back stitch to join fabric pieces.

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Christmas Decoration Tutorial 1

Want to make some decorations? How about having a go at making a Suffolk Puff Christmas Garland?






From paper towel. You will also need: needle and thread, small amount of stuffing/filling, glue and sequins.

First you need to colour the paper. You can use paint, food colouring anything really. My paper is leftover from mopping up dye spills. I have heaps of it.

Now you can use the Clover Yoyo Maker if you have one. Just follow their directions. It is exactly the same except you are using paper. For those of you who don't have one I'll show you how to make a suffolk puff the old fashioned way.

Draw a circle onto the paper. Make sure you cut just inside the drawn line so you can't see it when its cut out.

Thread a needle with coordinating thread. I only used black so you could see it. Fold the raw edge over a little, approx 6mm, and start stitching. You are making even stitches these were about 6mm with a 6mm gap in between. Keep folding and stitching.

When you get back to the beginning make sure that you take the extra stitch back to the first stitch. I hope the picture shows that the thread is in the same place as the tail of the knot. Hold the knot between your finger and thumb, this will stop it pulling through, and gently gather up the paper. The paper towel is surprisingly strong but just the same it will rip if you get too carried away.

The flat shape will start to form into a cup.

At this stage pop a small amount of stuffing into the opening.

Continue gathering up the stitching while gently pushing the stuffing down.

When the puff looks like this secure your stitching with a couple of backstitches. Don't panic if the puff hasn't formed this tight in the centre and the stuffing is showing.

A few drops of glue,

And a couple of sequins will conceal all. Make all of your puffs first, then add the sequins before stringing onto stong thread to form the garland.




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