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Arts & crafts

What project are you most pleased with?

(68 Posts)
Witzend Fri 27-Apr-18 10:35:22

For me recently it was a couple of gigantic box cushions for a large garden seat in between 2 big raised beds built by son in law.
Having rashly promised to make some, since nothing to buy would fit and would be so expensive to have made, I then wondered whether I was mad! (Or rather more mad than usual...).
However, I ordered 2 big pieces of foam to fit, and then fiddled out patterns, with the help of squared pattern paper from John Lewis.
Lovely garden-flower fabric also came from JL.

My only sticking point was zips long enough to go right round the ends so covers could come off for washing. I was too dense to think of what Dh finally suggested - 2 to meet in the middle! Dhurr... I do sometimes wonder where on earth I was when logical thinking was being dished out!

But they turned out so well and have been much admired. When not used outside they live in dd's new kitchen extension, where little Gdcs enjoy jumping/playing on them.
I'm sure other GNers will have rather more accomplished projects under their belts, but that's my best so far.

maryhoffman37 Sat 28-Apr-18 10:27:29

I think all the crochet blankets I have made for babies. My three, four grandchildren, one great-nephew and several friends' babies. Then I made a full-sized throw from leftover wools in the same colour palette and my oldest daughter bagged it for herself. She is child free but I did make two blankets for her cat!

Legs55 Sat 28-Apr-18 10:32:15

My sewing machine gave up & went to sewing machine graveyard many years ago never to replaced, I have no spare room to use for sewing although for many years I made a lot of my own clothes including a linen suit.

My proudest achievement in the last 3 years is transforming the overgrown wilderness of the garden when I moved here into something which resembles a loved garden, still a work in progress as I need to start saving now for some paid labour hmm

missdeke Sat 28-Apr-18 10:51:40

I always used to make clothes for my kids, soft toys, curtains etc but stopped when they grew up and I moved abroad. On returning to the UK my 9 year old granddaughter asked me to make her a Victorian costume for a School visit to a Museum, I happily agreed but then I realised I no longer had a sewing machine. So having measured her I made a template out of newspaper and hand sewed her a very successful dress from a double bed valance and the requisite frilly pinny from an old sheet, adornments of broderie anglaise and ribbons completed the costume.

She looked a picture and I was so pleased it revived my interest and I bought a sewing machine.

Lilyflower Sat 28-Apr-18 11:04:00

I made a cushion to see if I could manage to do proper piping. It turned out that I could but my zips were shaky. Theoddbird's sculpture makes me blush with inadequacy, however.

Nanny41 Sat 28-Apr-18 11:05:59

Hopeless at sewing, needlework etc, never completed a project,but I have just finished writing a bok, chuffed with that project.

GreenGran78 Sat 28-Apr-18 11:39:23

School aprons! You all got off lightly! We had to make a school blouse, with collar and cuffs, and a nightdress made of horribly cold slippery fabric, which had a square faced neckline (which I NEVER wore)
I'm not very good at handicrafts, but I made a huge hand-sewn patchwork quilt, which took several years of my life in fits and starts. I was very pleased with that.
My most proud achievement, though, was a knitted waistcoat that I made for my mother - round about 1950 - when I was about 12. She wore it all the time, until she put on weight. Then it disappeared. She died many years later, and when I was sorting out her possessions I was amazed, and deeply touched, to find the waistcoat lovingly folded away in a drawer. I have tears in my eyes even now, just thinking of how she must have cherished it for all those years.

barbaralynne Sat 28-Apr-18 11:40:57

I have made knitted or crocheted blankets for most of our 6 grandchildren as well as aran jackets and sweaters but the thing I am most pleased about is the last knitted blanket, single bed size for our youngest gc and my 95 yr old father in law knitted some squares, the little boy's eldest aunt, my eldest dd knitted a couple and her eldest also knitted a few so it was made by 4 generations!

GannyRowe Sat 28-Apr-18 11:46:09

I think my best thing was way back in the seventies. I had just left home to begin working as an Air Traffic Control Assistant at Gatwick Airport. I had access to my Mums sewing machine......back home on the Isle of Wight, but nothing in my digs! So I ended up making myself a lovely summer dress completely by hand. It took a while, but I was chuffed to bits at the result!

Jan51 Sat 28-Apr-18 11:50:51

I do a lot of knitting and crochet but I think the ones I'm most proud of are the blankets I made for my grandsons. The word one I charted myself. They both loved them.

Hm999 Sat 28-Apr-18 11:51:33

Since retiring I have learned to quilt and to crochet. I'm proudest if completing jobs, I get fed up with the colour/pattern/duration it takes to finish.

starlily106 Sat 28-Apr-18 12:10:57

Tutankhamun and Nefertiti tapestries. I bought a bag of tapestry wool at a boot sale for £2, and the pattern was inside the bag. I had never tried anything like this before, and I can't really say that I enjoyed doing them. It took me months to do, but when they were finished and I framed them I was so pleased. They look really good and I am so glad that I persevered with them. Over the years I have gone to local classes for all sorts of crafts, and I still find it strange that these are my favourite things even though it was something I didn't really enjoy doing.

lovebeigecardigans1955 Sat 28-Apr-18 12:43:41

I made a small needlework (mix of patchwork, applique and embroidery) wall hanging of Queen Elizabeth I. If I was as clever with the computer as I am with a needle I'd be able to put a picture on here, but sadly I'm a bit thick in that department. Still, if I was that clever a know-all I'd be really insufferable, wouldn't I?

Peacelily Sat 28-Apr-18 12:44:25

I am working on a project, at the moment, with equal amounts of pleasure and frustration. I decided to collate photo albums of my 2 AC. These will span about 35 years each. They start with baby pics, and go through their individual lives, with holidays, birthdays, Christmas etc. I have had to get copies done of all the pics. The problem comes when lots of the pics have no dates on them. I have to try and guess the ages of the child. At the moment I have pics of 3 Christmas dinners which have the same date. lol

pennyh47 Sat 28-Apr-18 12:54:40

How I envy all you creative and capable people. I am useless with my hands. My late mum was a whizz with a sewing machine but sadly her genes passed me by. We have a house in Spain and I would like 2 royal blue rugs and a matching silk throw across the bottom of the bed. However I can’t find anything in the right colour. You clever ones would buy some fabric and make your own throw but it’s just beyond me

tanith Sat 28-Apr-18 13:37:27

When I was 14 and taking dressmaking at school we had to make an item of clothing for one of the staff. I got the music teacher and she chose a blouse with leg-of-mutton sleeves and a silky material in a tan colour. I thought it was horrendous and the trouble I had setting the sleeves in and hand sewing all the button holes ( a requirement of Mrs Swingler the teacher). But in the end after much angst on my part it turned out well and the teacher loved it. I was very proud when she wore it to the school concert .

gillyknits Sat 28-Apr-18 14:20:24

The project I’m most pleased with is this caravan that I crocheted for my GD. She absolutely loved it.

newnanny Sat 28-Apr-18 15:07:40

I am so envious of those of you who show creativity. I am not an artistic person. My sisters are more artistic as they make cakes with excellent decorations on and flower arrange. At Christmas we all meet up and make a hand made wreath to put on our parents grave. I try my best and do push a few pieces of holly and ivy in but my sisters tidies it up at the end.

tanith Sat 28-Apr-18 15:22:10

gillyknits I’d love to make that for a granddaughter it’s fabulous. Did you have a pattern?

Happysexagenarian Sat 28-Apr-18 16:32:12

gillyknits that's fabulous. I can crochet but it's not one of my favoured crafts! That must have taken you hours and lots of patience. Destined to become a family heirloom I'm sure. smile

Happysexagenarian Sat 28-Apr-18 16:54:29

As I'm sure I've mentioned before here cooking/baking does not come naturally to me, so when I rashly offered to make a Fairy Castle birthday cake for DGD a few years ago I was particularly pleased (and surprised) with the result. I confess I cheated and bought ready made sponges and swiss rolls and 'remodelled' them, but the fun part for me was the icing and decorating. DGD was delighted with it.

I have made countless sewing / craft / DIY projects over the years that I've been pleased with, but last year I made some some Hobby Horses for my grandchildren which turned out well. They love them. I still have three spare ones for sale on Folksy if anyone is interested. folksy.com/shops/Overner
I probably won't be making any more though as the turning and stuffing is too painful for my hands now.

Currently I'm experimenting with book making and binding with varying degrees of success. So many things to try and not enough time!

chicken Sat 28-Apr-18 17:20:05

Alas, can no longer knit or sew because of arthritic hands. I used to make all the clothes for myself and the kids and for some of the first grandkids. We were taught to sew in the first year at grammar school; my project was a hideous blouse, red with white polka dots, with a Peter Pan collar and puffed sleeves. Luckily, I had grown out of it before it was even finished. The project I'm most proud of at the moment is my new vegetable garden, two large raised beds which are already full to bursting with healthy little veg. plants all grown from seed. I really need another two beds now!

chelseababy Sat 28-Apr-18 17:26:24

Up cycled 4 chairs from my late mums house. It was my first attempt at covering a seat. Have also made various patchwork quilts but the time and money involved means I've called a halt after 3.

AdeleJay Sat 28-Apr-18 17:29:14

Those cakes are fantastic Nandalot

AdeleJay Sat 28-Apr-18 17:32:45

Very creative blankets, I love them

gillyknits Sat 28-Apr-18 18:06:30

Hi Tanith .Yes there is a pattern, it’s from a book called ‘ Let’s go camping’ by Kate Brunning. There’s a cabin, tents and my next project, a canal boat. I adapted things to suit available materials but cotton yarn certainly worked well. Hope you give it a try. It’s a bit fiddly but the rewards are worth it!
The book was on Amazon when I last looked.