New crafts to get into .

I’m left handed too! I’m a bit of a dabbler and juggle or combine crafts to make items for a little charity corner in my friend’s cafe and to give to charity shops.
Last year I concentrated on using natural objects that I picked up eg cones, acorns etc.
I learned quilling using a cheap set from the Range and watching you tube. I used to needle felt but it’s quite an expensive hobby. This year I’ve been learning simple paper folding, and made little paper pots to put sweets in for the craft corner and for my friend’s cake stalls.
Last year a friend and I used you tube to help us to learn simple Iris folding.
Card making is a great hobby and you can give your cards to the people that you would normally buy cards for 😊

I like juggling different crafts as it stops me getting too bored and lets me use small windows of spare time.

I can knit and crochet but I’m very basic and slow and didn’t manage to complete my attempt for knit for nowt but you never know!

Knitting I understand, that could be something to wear, thanks all.

I've discovered how to make kickboards for my fence from cement 😆 😆 Some of them are strange lengths and I can't buy them so after watching a million YouTube videos of people making plant pots I finally made a wooden template and poured some cement. Think I've got the hang of it now.

My Mum used to make rag rugs. Is that still a thing?

Mine used to make them too, using strips of fabric cut from old clothes and pulled through sacking with a special kind of pointed pliers.. It was hard work on the fingers. I am using discarded T-shirts and the sort of woven rug canvas that was for the Readicut type of wool rugs, using a latchhook. That is much easier. For canvas of about 3 inches to the inch, you need lots of strips 5cm x2cm, cut "up and down" the fabric, not across it. You could use cross-stitch designs for your pattern. This is a photo of it so far.

Elegran that is very special and something that I would like to try.
Hope that you will share the finished article (please)

This is a close-up of a few strips that I added to see whether the colour is Ok as the "grass" in the centre of the rug. It is rather dark, but it is all I have so it'll have to do (I don't wear green very much. This T-shirt used to belong to my grandson) The grey border is a pair of jogging trousers.

Elegran your rug will make a beautiful focal point!

nanaK54

Elegran that is very special and something that I would like to try.
Hope that you will share the finished article (please)

It is a good way of using up those T-shirts thet are damaged or stained but the fabric is still mostly sound. It is better than sending them to the tip. the knitted T-shirt fabric is solid enough to fill the holes in the canvas. Woven cotton would have to be cut in wider strips, and is more likely to fray. T-shirt fabric is too stretchy if the strips are cut sideways. I shall probably have to back the rug with something. Trial and error is needed.

My friend does cross stitch and makes lovely birthday and christmas cards

I have been making hand made cards for years and have just discovered journalling, I am loving it and can also use my card making stuff in creating journals.
Both are really lovely hobbies.

Elegran, your rug looks beautiful!

Witzend

*Elegran*, your rug looks beautiful!

Yes, it does.
A work of art.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202409/medium-268552-img-1884.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202409/medium-99663-img-1976.jpeg

I learned how to machine patchwork during lockdown. It’s a lovely thing to do. The WI has online courses, free if you’re a member, modest if you’re not.

Pyrography is great fun too, we started with cheap burners, now have better ones.

Elegran - your rag rug looks amazing so far! Do you just make up your own design? Hadn't thought of using T-shirt fabric but it makes sense.

Just re-read post where you suggested cross stitch patterns for design

I've done basket making and felting,, but for things to do at home how about rag rug making like they used to do in the past. you can use any old garments and I love the results...

Farmor15

Just re-read post where you suggested cross stitch patterns for design

For the flowers I just drew circles round a handy-sized glass in the corners, leaving a large plain space in the centre. In between the flowers is brown for earth and and a few (blue, yellow and green striped) leaves. I haven't followed the arrangement exactly, but it does give a preliminary shape to it. I will probably have to put another flowerbed in the centre, as I won't have enough green to fill the whole space. It is very easy to pull out anything that doesn't look right and redo it.

I am left handed and my hobby is leatherwork. I used to sell my work but now I only make things for raffle and tombola prizes.
It's reasonably expensive but I have acquired a lot of equipment over the years. It gives me a lot of satisfaction.

This is the sort of thing I make.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202409/medium-3860-20240915-131957.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202409/medium-595389-screenshot-20240915-124424-samsung-internet.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202409/medium-774454-20240916-095819.jpg

How about acrylic pen rock/stone painting, we're on holiday at the moment and having a great time painting these, we leave them on the promenade for people to pick up and smile at them, if you are really arty you can google rock painting for more inspiring ideas to copy/paint.

I knit jumpers for the poor battery hens which are pecked nearly bald whilst in their cages.

The rescued ones need a cover up until they grow feathers again.

Patchwork is great and you can either use bought scraps or cut up old clothes etc. I use old birthday/Christmas cards as templates.

Needlepoint .. There are some wonderful historical as well as modern art which have been transferred onto needlepoint mesh and create beautiful framed artworks or pillows for a special chair or sofa .. Can also needpoint some Christmas ornaments too.

Creating a Gingerbread House is another idea to be used as a center piece for the holidays.

Making red felt Christmas stockings ..