Still making something from nothing

Meanqueen · Post by **Meanqueen** » 22 Jan 2009, 21:07

Can you make beads out of old brochures, leaflets, magazine pages? Take any piece of paper, bright colours best, along the bottom edge with a ruler, make pen marks one inche apart. Go to the top edge, and start your marks half an inch in, making them also one inch apart. Join up the marks, and cut the pieces out with big scissors. You should have long narrow pieces one inch wide at one end and tapering to nothing at the other end. Get a toothpick and start rolling the paper round it very tightly from the one inch end. When you get near the top add a blob of glue, and stick the end down, you will get it all over your fingers. Make lots of these, give them several coats of varnish, nail varnish will do, and hey presto, beads.

Ilona

kate egg · Post by **kate egg** » 22 Jan 2009, 21:26

Ilona you have so many interesting ideas, I don't know how you think them up )t'

Nellie · Post by **Nellie** » 22 Jan 2009, 22:27

Could they perhaps be used to make a bead curtain - the ones which hang up over doors to keep the flies out in summer yet let the breeze through?

Post by **p.penn** » 22 Jan 2009, 23:03

They're fab - I see a book coming on........ )t'

Meanqueen · Post by **Meanqueen** » 23 Jan 2009, 00:00

Yes they could, Nellie. You could make them as big or as small as you like. For a curtain you could make the strips wider at the bottom, maybe 2 inches. You would need bigger pieces of paper, the longer the strip the fatter the bead. I am using tourist brochures free from the library. You could take the staples out and use them A3 size. Thinking about what you were going to thread them onto, you would need something slightly bigger to wrap the paper round, maybe like chopsticks. you would also need to get a small tin of varnish. It would take a lot of time to make all the beads but it would be possible.

Ilona

mellonia · Post by **mellonia** » 24 Jan 2009, 20:10

i needed the template to visulize how to do it, thanks Ilona, they do look good, i probably haven't the patience. a bead curtain would be good.

Regards

Mellonia

Meanqueen · Post by **Meanqueen** » 26 Jan 2009, 12:29

Just finished my handbag, knitted with video tape. Measurements are 11" x 9". The pink fabric is from a very old curtain, the white lacey trimming I salvaged from a skip (lampshade), small buttons from my button box, pink elastic from a box of chocolates, two metal buttons you cover yourself my friend gave me.

It's easy to make, knit an oblong piece, twice the size you want the bag, fold in half. The video tape will not slide along the needles as you knit and there is no give in the tape, so you have to adjust the tension of every stitch. Cut the lining longer, so you have enough to fold over and enclose the edge. Cut two long pieces for the handles, sew along the edge and turn inside out and neatly sew the end. You can decorate it with any trimmings you have.

Ilona

kate egg · Post by **kate egg** » 26 Jan 2009, 13:20

Wow Ilona thats lovely - have you ever thought of marketing these bags and so on, I'm sure that you could get a good price for them )t'

Meanqueen · Post by **Meanqueen** » 26 Jan 2009, 14:15

Thank you Kate, it could probably become a little sideline, but there are lots of people doing this at craft fairs, and they are not selling very much at the moment.

As I am writing this post I feel more explanation is needed as to why I am making things, so I have split my post into two. I have started a new topic in Ethical to explore this further.

Ilona

kate egg · Post by **kate egg** » 26 Jan 2009, 14:42

It is like the basket that was made on the Victorian Farm programme (I know you won't have seen it as no TV) but it was made from willow bent for the rim and oak, split very thin and weaved. It was very labour intensive, and took many hours to make. The end result was so strong that turned upside down and jumped on had no effect on it. The basket would outlive all of us and could be repaired.

Needless to say this chap is the only person left who knows how to do it. Imagine the cost to buy it!

yorkielass · Post by **yorkielass** » 26 Jan 2009, 20:37

Love the beads and as for the bag, you could start a new trend with that one! I would give Vivienne Westwood a call :shock:

Post by **p.penn** » 27 Jan 2009, 00:02

That really is very clever Ilona. )t'

ma larkin · Post by **ma larkin** » 27 Jan 2009, 20:29

Gosh Meanqueen. The bag is fantastic! I used to have a shop and I only sold british handmade items (including my own products) I would have loved to have sold your bags!

Have you ever looked at 'etsy.com.?' It's an american website and it promotes and sells everything handmade. I know you can sell from here in the UK now. The great thing about it is you only need to put on a few items.

You are right, it is a bad time for craft fairs. The last one I did was awful.

Meanqueen · Post by **Meanqueen** » 14 Feb 2009, 16:57

My latest bag. It's a smaller version of the knitted shopping bag. This one is a shoulder bag, 11inches x 8inches, lined with a cotton floral fabric, no fastener on it yet, but if you don't fill it things inside should be safe, if you keep it on your belly. More a summer bag I think. It took seven plastic sacks to make it.

ma larkin · Post by **ma larkin** » 14 Feb 2009, 18:25

I love it! you are clever! (f+