Most unusual craft?

I've dabbled in quite a few crafts over the years although nothing that unusual. However, I was recently Googling for a crochet pattern and was amazed when a couple of sites for making your own chain mail came up! That's not one I've come across before, and I can't think of anyone who would want to be the recipient of such a gift!

Ooooo I have just read this old thread, GREYDUSTER, can you tell me how to do the old fashioned way to make a rug (I once bought a kit but it was very complicated). I thought rag rugs were supposed to be easy and it might be that you know how and I need a hobby, many thanks x

Suedonim

I seem to vaguely recall hearing something about making your own chain mail. I can think of a couple of uses for it, actually. There are people who engage in live-action role play (aka LARP) as a hobby. They act out characters from fantasy and/or history and dress in costumes. A knight might need chain mail. There's also the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). This is an organized group that engage in LARP related to history. One of their common activities is to hold mock battles. You have to wear certain pieces of armour to prevent injury (e.g. gorget to cover the neck, codpiece or something similar, etc.) and someone might decide to make chain mail to look more authentic.

Never ventured beyond knitting, and being a Charity knitter there is always plenty to do, just finished knitting by request a balaclava which was challenging to say the least!

I have always loved knitting & crochet, also tatting, but the trouble with tatting is finishing up with lots of pretty lace mats, lace edged hankies etc. and not knowing what to do with them. In the old days a tatted mat was useful to protect wood surfaces, but these days with melamine, granite, marble and other stone & plastic finishes a mat serves no purpose. Tatting is also hard on the eyes!
Crochet is more practical, if only because mistakes can be undone, unlike tatting. Crochet is easier than knitting (only one stitch to drop accidentally!) and I love it.

I do pyrography, mainly on boxes which I hope to sell to fund my hobby. I didn't realise how much I'd enjoy it but I love working with the wood and I want to learn to make my own boxes and also to do wood carving

Over the years I have done so many different crafts. In the past I have done basket making, dough modelling, upholstery, jewellery making and making porcelain dolls, just to mention some. More recently I have made dream makers, felt toys, fabric dolls and now painting.
What do I do with my completed work!! Each of my granddaughters has a porcelain doll to remember me by. My gr-granddaughters have fabric dolls which I love to make. Surprisingly I have very little myself. When someone really likes something that I have made I make a pressie of it, intending to make myself another one. I never do as I am on to something else.
The only things that I ever sold were cane items which were made to order. Arthritis in my hands restricts me now but I still make for my own pleasure.

When DH and I were first married we stuck googly eyes on pebbles and made 'licorice allsorts' out of wood and threaded them onto cord for necklaces as gifts which turned out to be quite popular. I enjoyed rug making and dabbling with paint but I'm no artist. I currently knit items that don't take too long! A visit to Hobbycraft is a real treat - it's good that we don't have one nearby though