How to #1 : Creating Yarn from Old T-Shirts

This is the first of a series of 'How to's'. I'm always on the look out for new ways of reusing, recycling and upcycling, so whenever I try out something new I will try to remember to show everyone how it turned out here. This time I am trying out making T-Shirt Yarn. Once made the yarn can be knitted, knotted, crocheted or plaited into just about anything you fancy. I found a few tutorials online showing how to make the T-Shirt Yarn, the 2 most useful ones were:


http://mousechirpy-polkadotpineapple.blogspot.co.uk/2008/03/tutorial-t-shirt-yarn.html

http://knitting.about.com/od/yarn/ss/t-shirt-yarn.htm



Step 1: Grab an old t-shirt - ones without a side seam are best. You also need a decent area without graphics as the print will make the yarn not curl at the end.

Step 2: Cut off the bottom hem and across the t-shirt below the armpits ( or far enough down to remove any print)

Step 3: You should now have a tube of fabric. With the closed edges top and bottom, cut strips, around 1 inch wide from the bottom to the top. Leave a 1 inch margin at the top.

Step 4: To create a continuous loop of yarn you now need to join up the loops of fabric. Insert your arm (or someone elses arm) through the top of the fabric to seperate the 2 layers. Make a cut from the right side of the top of the first strip on one side to the right side of the bottom of the second strip on the other side. (see dotted line in picture below)

Step 5: Once finished you should end up with one long line of fabric.

Step 6: To create the curled around yarn that can be used. Hold the first part of the fabric between your hands with a 10 inch gap and give the fabric a tug, then  move along the fabric with your hands giving a tug every 10 inches or so.

Step 7: Roll in to a ball to use in a project

This was my first attempt at this and it was really easy - now on the hunt for some colourful t-shirts !!!!

Victorious Vintage at Portsmouth Dockyard

I have been getting ready for the Victorious Vintage Festival next weekend (2nd /3rd June). A free music festival with loads of great acts and a vintage market alongside. Really hoping that the weather will hold up and its a fun weekend.

I am sharing a stall this time, so the space I have is fairly limited. 1.5m x 1.5m approx. Below is my attempt to set up the stall at home - quite pleased with how it looks, but as I'm sharing I'm not completely sure how my partners will want there half.

I have a few new products ready this time. 

Book ends created from an old coffee table and decoupaged using a worn out book.

Cake plates created using vintage plates and upturned tea cups.

Oak racks created from a vintage table.

Garden markers, created from cutlery.

Have a look at the Victorious Vintage  website and come on down and see us - it's FREE

Port Solent Sunday Market

Today was the first of 3 Port Solent Sunday markets I am booked in to. The weather has been so bad for the last couple of weeks and it was so cold this morning I didn't set off with too much hope.

Set up was straightforward and well organised and the stall was ready without any problems.

Looking at the pictures now I need to sort out the table covers more carefully in future.

Other lovely stall holders included

www.deliciously-decadent.co.uk
www.sudzfun.co.uk
www.materialgirls.org

visit their websites or visit Port Solent next month to see them

Given the weather, it wasn't too bad a market - lots of nice customers (I'll forget about the man assumed 'my husband made all my stock for me !!!!) and lovely location. Let's hope the weather is better for Alton Craft Market next weekend - hope to see you there :)

A place to paint - my new workshop

What a lovely weekend - loads of sunshine, perfect weather, and now I have a new painting workshop too !!

Up until now I have been working in my 'What I call' den - a sort of large shed at the bottom of the garden. This is great but my problem is that half of my work involves sawing things up and sanding  (so loads of sawdust) and the other half painting (sawdust not welcome !!). So I have been rotating between the two jobs - a week of sawing and sanding / a week of painting.

I needed a (cheap) place to paint, and I have been thinking about a tent as a possibility for a while. Still quite expensive though and also I needed one I could walk around in. Then over the weekend I discovered the base tent that halfords make - it's only £40 and huge - loads of space to paint and loads of headroom - really pleased with it :) (Let's hope it's waterproof !!)

Alton Craft Market - First fair of the year :)

First craft market of the year today, at Alton in Hampshire. The market is run superbly by the local Lions and you can find more information about the market on the website

http://www.altoncraftmarket.co.uk/

We arrived (me and middle son) at around 8am and were shown to our pitch which was down a small street connecting the high street to the market square. We set up fairly quickly and it was great to have Jack with me to help unload.

The morning was quite slow - the weather was a bit overcast and cold - but once lunch time approached things picked up nicely with a steady stream of customers and the sun came out. The market is put on at the same time as the Farmers Market which means there are plenty of people mooching around.

We got some great feedback on the products and sold a fair few items too (Chalkboards proving to be very popular). All in all a successful first outing and feeling a bit tired now.

I look forward to being back in Alton in May.

Craft Fair Checklist - What do I take ?

Panic now beginning to set in as first craft show in less than 2 weeks, so I thought I would make a list (I love lists !!!). Although I have done fairs before, it was several years a go and I am trying to remember all the lessons I learned then. Somehow writing everything down in to a well ordered list stops me fretting. So what do I need for my craft fair ?

1. Gazebo
2. Tables
3. Chairs
4. Products to sell
5. Packaging / Bags
6. Labels
7. Signs
8. Table covering
9. Display stands
10. Warm Clothes
11. Money Belt
12. Change
13. Coffee !!!
14. Food
15. A smiley face
16. Business cards
17. Pens, paper, scissors, sellotape
18. Gaffer tape
19. Paracetomol
20. Receipt book
21. Mobile phone
22. Camera
23. Tissues
24. Calculator
25. Cardboard to stand on
26. My list

If anyone has anything to add to the list please leave a comment. I will update the list after the show !

Other sites I found giving useful help and advice:

http://www.annieandre.com/2009/10/craft-fair-check-list-things-bring-craft-fair/

http://brightoncraftaganza.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/cheklist-what-to-bring-to-a-craft-fair/

http://www.artisimportant.com/SRAJD/resources/CraftShowChecklist.pdf

http://indiefixx.com/2011/06/08/craft-show-checklist-what-to-bring-with-you-2/

Upcycled Packaging and Display Stands

I am trying to stay as true as possible to my business idea of upcycling, recycling and reusing to create packaging and display stands for my products. There has been a lot of experimenting with cardboard !!! In the end, because my products range in size so greatly - from necklaces to long coat racks - I decided to try drawstring bags made from old duvet covers, sheets or any other cotton material I can find.

There are plenty of free patterns on the internet, and I am no seamstress, so after looking around for a while I found

http://www.purlbee.com/easy-drawstring-bag/

Although I didn't follow the pattern exactly, it gave me the ideas I needed. My bags are even simpler to make (no block bottom and drawstring on only one side)

So now I just need to set about making 70 or so bags for my first show in a month !!

Pallets seemed the obvious thing to use to create display stands. Seems they are really difficult to take apart though !!! So after a lot of sawing to create lengths of  wood I have managed to create the first crate of five I need for my stand. It will be finished my painting it white with emulsion for a 'shabby chic' effect.

Phewww !! Now all I need is to finish making products !