crafts are very versatile.

[eleanor2]

i am using my new light board.you use little brass templates to emboss on to card and paper.it leaves a lovely upraised outline of your template .i am using it to make cards.it is so effective.i have also bought some caligraphy alphabet stamps.i am going to personalise all my stationary i am knitting a bag.last week i was hemming trousers on my sisters sewing machine.i bought some old cotton monographed hankies from a brocante in france.some were a bit age marked.so i dyed them a lilac splash colour.do we have skills of crafts that we dont realise we are being creative. what sort of craft skills you have used in the last few months.

[eleanor2]

do you realise in the jane austin era the middle class and above.the women would spend hours each day doing a craft of some sort.there are some beautiful items around today from the fine embroidery and silk pictures.people used to knit their own socks and darn them when they got holes.everyone used to knit for new born babies,now its easier and cheaper to buy.i do think handknitted is coming back tho because its now more classy to have individual hand knit items than run of the mill.do you still mend clothes or just buy new. i still have my sewing box full of needles and cottons for mending jobs.

[eleanor2]

i am quite pleased with myself today.my niece has just had a baby.i made my own card with all my craft stuff.wroe a lovely personal verse with my calligraphy set.then i found a gold gigt bag in my store cupboard.so i looked through al my cut out pictures save for cards.found a lovely baby picture stuck it on the plain bag.it looked great.put in the pressy and there you have it.all my craft stuff helps me be creative and feel good.

[keepersdaughter]

Seems to mean so much more Eleanor when it has the personal touch, knowing someone put all that effort and care into making something personal. Glad you are enjoying your new hobby. I bought myself a new sewing machine last year. Made my daughter a skirt so far and I'm about to start making some fancy aprons. Lots of projects in store.

[Oola]

I admit I don't put much time into crafting things for myself. I really want to - it's just finding the time and the inclination, rather than dreaming about it. I have my knitting stuff, but I find that it's more of a winter thing - something to do through the long evenings. Summer tends to be all about outside, veggies, garden etc.

[franbee]

I've always been crafty. I made a lot of clothes for myself and my children when they were young, as well as curtains and other furnishings. I also invariably have to alter clothes to fit as they are usually too long or otherwise ill fitting. I have phases of crochet, embroidery, tapestry and patchwork. I started making cards a few years ago, sometimes by cutting up old cards and pasting them, or making from scratch. The only craft I've never done is macrame, and I suppose we should all be making our own string bags now.

[eleanor2]

one thing i really want to do is paint and decorate a plain pine wooden tray i have.i have never done anything like this so i have got to find out what paints i nedd.i am not sure what paint to cover the tray with before i decorate it.anybody have any ideas.

[Crocus]

I want to do another wall hanging, but can't decide on the design! I'm getting a bit tired of the one I've made about 7 years ago! Will have to be replaced soon.......

[franbee]

Eleanor, treat your tray as though you were painting a new wood door, primer/undercoat, then gloss or whatever with your design. Might finish with a coat of varnish.

[eleanor2]

thanks fran it needs to be tough in case i want to still use it.it will look nice actually to serve cold drinks in the conservatory in summer.
today i had a good idea.to jazz up my new skirt i am going to sew some mother of pearl heart shaped buttons on.for my new plain t shirt i am going to sew some small beads on. as well as my craft stuff.i have a vanity case full and bulging of beads and accesories.i absolutely love doing crafts.i am not very dainty with my hands.but the end results are not to bad.

[eleanor2]

just off to get my calligraphy set out and write up all the verses everyone has given me.for my autograph book.

[eleanor2]

i have sewed a lovely delicate design with small glass beads and heart shaped mother of pearl buttons.my plain linen skirt is now designer.

[JacquiMcR]

A bit of impromptu crafting yesterday, as my daughter was invited to a friends birthday party and the invitation stated "must wear a tu-tu". A quick trip to the haberdashers and I was home with three different colours of tulle (turquoise, black and purple) and some waistband elastic. Niamh thought she was the bees knees and it cost only half of what her friends paid in the fancy dress shop. Its the first bit of hand sewing I've done in ages and I found it very theraputic despite the fact that everything around me is under two inches of dust( I gave up cleaning when the hoover started blowing dust out rather than sucking it in). I can't wait for these renovations to be finished!

[eleanor2]

good on yer jaqui i am finding it quite thrilling every time i use my own skills to make something or brighten something up.hope your renovations soon finished.then you can have some peace.