Hand/Needle Crafts

[Gwynmael]

I know there are several of us who do one or more hand/needle crafts such as sewing, quilting, crochet, knit, embroidery, etc. and thought it'd be nice to have a kind of gallery to show what we're working on or finished.

In my generation at least, it seems that these skills have become somewhat of a lost art. Thankfully they seem to be making at least a small comeback. I'm always amazed by the amount of interest or comments I get when I've brought a project along to work on while waiting at appointments and such. Maybe some of y'all will be inspired to learn a new skill.


So I'll go first. This is a baby afghan I just finished for neighbor friends of ours who just had their first child, a boy. (the colors look different due to lighting, the closer up one is the more accurate)

[Betty Buckshot]

It's beautiful Gwyn. I haven't done much since the pics of the 'shirt' quilts posted before. Just finished the pillow covers to match them, will mail them off tomorrow. Projects are kind of on hold for a while.

[midFL]

rileysbed.JPG

I made a small doggie bed from my husband's old t-shirts

[Gwynmael]

midFL

That looks nice and I like reusing materials to make something that's going to get some abuse. Did you use any kind of "core" material or is it multiple strands together of the t-shirt material?

[redman2006]

Nice, I like those old rag rugs.

Does anyone do work like this and sell it? Not just the rugs, but knitting, sewing, spinning and weaving?

[W.Lynn]

I've taught some spinning, knitting, felting, and tatting - free. I don't want them to disappear. I have sold some tatted lace, crochet, and small yarn-crafts. If I had a place to build as I like, space would be dedicated for a workshop, I could have a loom in it, and have real classes.

[redman2006]

The reason I ask is that I have always wanted a heavy wool "anorak" or Boreal type jacket. I would rather support the small guy than a large company, not that many large companies make them.

[W.Lynn]

The blanket shirt? I bet you can do it. Get a few wool blankets and have fun!

[redman2006]

Lynn, yes sort of. I know what I am after and I have seen a few, but they either were not wool or cost 2 arms and a leg.


I was curious about a weaver making a heavier wool than just an army blanket. More like horse blanket weight.

[W.Lynn]

You still need a lot of smaller yarn or thread for the warp. There's just so many threads and each of them needs wound onto the warp beam, and threaded through the heddles to the take-up beam. It's easier to do with those done in a small, consistent thread. The loom I want to build - much like a pit loom, but I don't want a pit, would do the job, but there's a reason that the item you want would be so expensive.

And that's a lot of wool, fortunately you're looking at an outer-wear item so a cheaper wool might do the job. If you wanted this to be skin-worthy, you'd be looking at merino or something, then the price would really go up!

[redman2006]

I have no issue paying for a really good one, but I would rather that money go to someone that did it at home as a cottage industry than a large firm.



Btw, books get there yet?

[W.Lynn]

Not yet, but eventually they'll get somewhere, maybe even here!

I'll keep my eyes open for any extra heavy "blanket shirt" jackets or custom job weavers. It's not something I could afford, but I'm with you on supporting cottage industry.

[redman2006]

It may cost a fortune to have one hand done. I don't know. I do know there is a lot of time that goes into them. My wife would sew up what I want if we could find a really heavy wool blanket, but the army surplus are about 1/2 the weight of the ones that I have seen and would like to have. Being a once in a lifetime purchase, spending a little makes sense. My brother wears my Dad's old Woolwich coat still. A couple of leather patches on the elbows and that is all he has had to do to it. I wish they still made them as tight and heavy as they did when Dad bought that in the 50's

[Concerned Dad]

Very nice

[John McCann]

We like re-purposing things to make new things. Here is a trivet my wife made using strips of old t-shirts.

TrivetFromT_Shirts.jpg