Sraphappy December 2021

I had to scurry around for this month’s scrap utilising day but, if my contribution is unexciting, at least it’s seasonal.

I had a kit to make a 2D needle felted picture and there was some roving and yarny bits left over.  When I thought about making a gnome or two, some of the curly pieces came to mind.

I needle felted a ball for the head/body, a little nose and a pointy bit for the hat then added the curls for a very unkempt beard – but that’s gnomes for you.

It took quite a long time so I had a go at doing the same thing with some scrap double knitting yarn but it took just as long and his hat isn’t as neat,

So, a new addition to the bauble box and some curly bits used up – I told you it wasn’t that exciting.

However, it is Christmassy and I wish you all a good one in case I don’t get chance to post again before the new year.

They will have company later just got to get last year’s baubles out of the garage.

 

Scraphappy Day is organised by Kate & Gun for anybody who wants to make new things from scraps of any kind – doesn’t have to be fabric or yarn.  Here’s a list of participants – both regular and occasional – if you want to have a look at the sort of things you can do with scraps.

Contact Kate or Gun (first names on the list) if you want to join in.

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynn(me), Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy,  Tracy, Jill,
Claire, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Jon, Dawn, Jule, Gwen,
Bekki, Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,
Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2, Bear, Carol,
Preeti, Edith, Debbierose

 

 

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Scraphappy Day April

Making things from scraps again this month and, although Mr. Tialys features again – 🙄 – I’m determined not to let him hog the whole post this time and, anyway, I think his contribution has been entered in a previous Scraphappy by somebody else.

Anyway, without further ado, plant pots were some of the many things we left behind in France which may or may not eventually arrive here but probably not.  Mr. T. ordered in some fibre pots which will eventually break down and, although he did give in and buy a pack of plastic ones the other day, the seeds needed small homes.  We’ve saved up the cardboard inner tubes from the loo rolls and Mr. T. manipulates each one into two small seed pots.  At first he was snipping around the diameter of the bottom of each half and folding them in to make a base but found this made quite a shallow pot so now he leaves the bases open and puts them in a tray with a layer of compost in it so that the roots grow into that which then makes it easier to pick the whole plant up and transplant it.  Apparently.

Here are the nasturtiums in their little loo roll homes.

So, enough of Mr. T.’s projects, I also have a contribution this month.  If you remember, I made a wigwam shaped peg bag a little while back and thought I’d make another.

‘But that doesn’t look like much like a scrap project’ I hear you say and you would be right.

I did, however, have scrap left from making the peg bag and this is what I made with it.

Which, I believe, is an excellent excuse for couple of doggie photos.

Kerpow bandana modelled by Stan.

Going grey now – he’ll be 11 in June – but still my handsome boy.

LAST MINUTE EDIT:

Just before ‘going to  press’ Mr Tialys had to have the last word 🙄

Remember all that wood and other old toot that he got off of the bank in the garden?

He just turned it into this

The roof protection is made from a bit of old butyl pond liner also found on the bank.

Then he climbed up the willow tree to position it.

Ready for the blue tits to find if they haven’t found accommodation already.

So, he trumped me again.

Show-off.

Scraphappy Day is organised by Kate & Gun for anybody who wants to make new things from scraps of any kind – doesn’t have to be fabric or yarn.  Here’s a list of participants – both regular and occasional – if you want to have a look at the sort of things you can do with scraps.

Contact Kate or Gun (first names on the list) if you want to join in.

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynn (me), Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy,  Tracy, Jill,
Claire, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Kerry, Claire, Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn,
Gwen, Bekki, Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin,
Vera, Nanette, Ann, Nancy, Dawn 2, Noreen,
Bear, Carol, Preeti and Edith

Scraphappy (birth)Day – June

Pssst!

I’ve got something to tell you.

Make it quick Short Stuff I need my sleep.

Well, today is the 15th of June so not only is it Scraphappy Day – hence the basket of felt scraps –

but it’s also The Servant’s birthday.

She’s how old? I don’t believe you.

It’s true, she remembers The Clangers * and she was even a bit too old for them then.

I’ve got her this flower.  What have you got her?

Let me think…..

Hmmm.  I’ve given her plenty of mice before but she doesn’t seem to like them.  She looks cross and calls me disgusting so I think you’re off the hook.

I’ll have to think of something else.  Maybe a lizard.

What are you doing done up like a cat’s dog’s dinner anyway?

She made me this little waistcoat out of scrap felt.

It even has a little vent to accommodate my tail.

I think the embroidery and the gold button from the vintage button jar make me look as if I’m wearing a Mayoral chain of office.

My whiskers are made from real horse hair taken from The Servant’s friend’s horse – does that count as scrap?

I’ve no idea, now shift over and let me get some shut eye, I think The Servant has spun this tale of a very small scrap project out for long enough now.

 

 

* For my non-British readers.  The Clangers (1969-1974) was a series that chronicled the melancholically funny lives of the Clangers, a flutey-voiced family of woolen, knitted aliens living below the surface of a knobbly little planet far out in space. Their misadventures brought them into contact with such unlikely creatures as the Soup Dragon, the Froglets, the Iron Chicken and the Glow Buzzers.  (IMDb)

 

 

Scraphappy Day is organised by Kate & Gun for anybody who wants to make new things from scraps of any kind – doesn’t have to be fabric or yarn.  Here’s a list of participants – both regular and occasional – if you want to have a look at the sort of things you can do with scraps.

Contact Kate (first name on the list) if you want to join in.

Kate, Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Lynn (me), Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy,  Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki, Pauline,
Sue L, Sunny and Kjerstin

Scraphappy February

This month I’ve used some scraps and managed to increase the stock, just slightly, in the most sadly neglected of my three Etsy shops.

I made a few needle cases a while back, gave some as gifts and took some to sell at a couple of the fundraisers for the dog refuge I support.  I had three left which I stuck in a drawer and forgot about until I came across them again a couple of months ago.  I thought I might as well put them in my shop so I did and sold a couple quite quickly.  Thinking to follow up on that success, I thought I’d make some more as they are the perfect size to use up scraps – albeit not the teeny tiny scraps.  The biggest piece of fabric you need is about 11 x 8 inches.

The first one I made with a precious scrap of Echino fabric by Kokka.  The quilting is done with the outer, wadding and lining, then the pocket and felt ‘pages’ added afterwards.  Then the whole thing is edged with binding in the same way as you would a quilt.

Unfortunately, I messed up the first one by not mitring the corners neatly enough so – what a shame – I’m going to keep that for myself as the little needle book I bought ages ago is looking a little tatty and is only big enough to hold needles.  I want something to also put scissors, etc. in for when I take small hand sewing projects downstairs occasionally (my workroom is upstairs).

The second one is also Japanese Echino fabric – another scrap from the same original yardage.

All the bindings, interior fabric, felt and trimmings are also leftovers from other projects.

The last – for the moment, but I have more plans – is the Llamas in Love.  Llamas are ‘a thing’ at the moment – I think they are the new flamingos – and this was a scrap of organic cotton I had left over from a bag project.

It’s fun trying to find coordinating fabrics from the scrap bin to make it look as if that’s the way you planned it all along.

I really enjoy making these although I would prefer a quicker way to bind them as I’m hand-stitching the binding down on the inside as I do for quilts and it takes time which doesn’t really make them cost effective.   Any suggestions?

Still, it’s using scraps and that can only be a good thing can’t it.

 

 

 

Scraphappy Day is organised by Kate & Gun for anybody who wants to make new things from scraps of any kind – doesn’t have to be fabric or yarn.  Here’s a list of participants – both regular and occasional – if you want to have a look at the sort of things you can do with scraps.

Contact Kate (first name on the list) if you want to join in.

Kate  Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn,(me) Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki, Pauline, Sue L
and Sunny

 

 

Scraphappy Day June 2019

Today, being the 15th of the month, is the day for showing off what you have done with your scraps.  You might remember this pattern I showed you at the end of last month’s Scraphappy post and it has driven me every bit as mad as you might imagine it would.

Having cut hundreds of 1.5 inch squares from scrap fabrics, I proceeded to lay them out in 5 x 5 blocks in the order shown in the pattern, like so.

Having joined the blocks up individually,  they must then be joined in rows which was much more interesting once the first row was completed and I could start adding coloured squares.  Here’s the first two rows joined together and hung out of the way.

I’m making this as a project for Wednesday afternoons when I sew along with a friend of mine and, for the first time when we’re doing a project together, neither of us has felt tempted to do any alone during the rest of the week.  I expect you might not be surprised to hear that.

I am not the most accurate piecer which is why I like to do foundation paper piecing as it enables me to achieve better results.   So, trying to join small squares together was never going to be a piece of cake for me.  I did try, originally, to place the squares on a grid made from fusible interfacing, fold along the lines and stitch then cut the seams open and iron out as I have done for individual ‘postage stamp’ blocks before but, although it made for  more accuracy, it made the fabric stiffer and, worse, took longer to do and I couldn’t face doing another twenty blocks.  So, I abandoned that method after the first row.

Almost worse than the piecing is the ironing.  Pressing all those tiny, close together seams open means burnt fingers and every time you press one seam, the ones only an inch away from it, risk getting ‘unpressed’ again.

I sometimes wonder why I decide on certain projects in the first place but what’s a (sewing) life without a bit of a challenge?

Now, I’ve done three rows and joined them up and can start to see the sewing machine shape emerge, I feel more encouraged.  Also, hung in my workroom window, there’s a nice stained glass effect going on.

Mr. Tialys says it looks like a  cow.  Ridiculous! Who ever saw a multi-coloured cow? Whereas there are plenty of multi-coloured sewing machines around of course 🙄

As it is the 15th of the month, and it’s June, it is also my birthday so I hope to be wining, dining, walking around admiring the scenery and generally enjoying a bit of a break over the border in Spain as you read this.

Just about here….

 

Hasta la vista, until next time.

 

If you like the idea of using your scraps (of anything, not just fabric) click on Kate or Gun(first two names in the list  below) and join us on the 15th of every month – or just those months you feel like joining in.  Here’s a list of both frequent and occasional Scraphappiers (?) if you want to see what everybody else is doing.

Kate,  Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn , Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan, Karen,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Johanna,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki, Pauline and Sue L.

A Cuppa for Scraphappy Day in April

Again, my Scraphappy project this month comes out of looking for ideas for my sewing sessions on a Wednesday afternoon with my friend, Sandra.  Having finished our coats (well, I have) I wanted something a bit less ‘major’ to do round at her house – lugging coat fabric, lining, my machine and all the other coat making paraphernalia round to her’s was a bit of a nightmare – so I bought a pattern I’d had my eye on for some time.

Patchwork Pottery’s teacup (or coffee/hot chocolate mugs) pattern.

When I’ve made make up and wash bags in the past I’ve generally used some linen/canvas type fabric for the outer and kept all the scraps as it tends to be a bit more expensive than cottons.

I thought they’d be perfect for this pattern not least because one of the fabrics actually has cups on it.

Of course, the teacup is my favourite.

But I made a coffee mug too.

The teacup is just the right size for bits and pieces for sewing – or even to keep tea bags in when travelling.  A pair of reading glasses even fits inside.

The coffee cup is large enough for a pair of sunglasses or even a crochet hook and some yarn for a small project.

Apart from wool, fabric is my scrap of choice (in other words I have loads of it) but I know Kate welcomes all scrap projects.  She reminded me recently, when blogging about her kitchen renovations and having shelves made from the same wood as her worktops, that Mr. Tialys had made a knife rack out of an offcut of our wooden worktops and a magnetic strip so, for the sake of variety, here it is.

If you want to turn scraps into something useful – doesn’t have to be fabric and doesn’t have to be every month – pop over to Kate’s blog and let her know.  Have a look at what everybody else has been getting up to this month. – here’s a list of people who often participate if you want some inspiration.

 

Kate , Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn (me), Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan, Karen,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Johanna,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki and Pauline

Another ScrappyDoo Scraphappy Day for March

Using scraps to make something new was all about the dogs again this month.

Well, apart from these cotton dishcloths I have been making as a ‘must do something useful while I’m binge watching a Netflix box set’  in the evening (which is ‘Dirty John’ at the moment by the way).  Recognise the colours? It’s the leftover cotton yarn from the niece’s baby blanket.  I’m actually going to start a new Eastern Jewels blanket – and keep it myself this time – because I had almost enough yarn left over from the first one to make another.  I just needed another four 100g balls and am waiting for those to arrive.  The cable cardigan I’ve started is far too complex to do without staring at it fixedly so these fit the bill.

But, I digress – back to the dogs.

Remember those fabric samples for car seats I showed you before ?  I made a dog collar for Stan with some of it on Scraphappy day in January.

I decided to have another look at the samples for March’s Scraphappy day and, bearing in mind the state of Flo’s blanket which she regularly pulls out of her bed and then uses it to tempt Stan into a game of tug of war, I thought it might be time for something new.

I feel quite guilty about that blanket as somebody had put a lot of work into making it but, if I tell you I rescued it from a charity shop initially, then used it as a throw over the back of a chair before demoting it to dog bed status, I hope you’ll forgive me.  It has certainly had a life.

Anyway, with ScrapHappy day approaching,  I got a few of the samples out again and took them off their hanging cards.

I decided to use an orthopedic pillow for the insert as I bought it for when I had a neck ache and it made it worse.

I joined a couple of pieces together for both back and front and closed one end – a bit haphazardly – with a snap closure.  I might as well have sewed it right up I suppose as the fabric pieces claim not to be washable but we’ll see about that.

Here’s the side with the ‘depression’ in the middle in case Flo wants to avail herself of its orthopedic qualities

and here’s the other side which is smarter in my opinion so will be placed facing up in the bed.

Like so

At first Flo studiously ignored it.  I expect she was upset that her old blankie had gone and was busy thinking of ways to destroy the new one.

Then she came round to the idea.

I must say, this monthly ScrapHappy challenge is good for me because, in an effort to join in, I usually come up with something useful that I probably wouldn’t have  bothered with in the normal course of events. Plus, my scrap bin gets smaller.

Joining in again this month with Kate & Gun’s monthly Scraphappy Day where you too can use your scraps of fabric, yarn, paper, wood, anything to make something useful or lovely or both and show it off to the world.  You don’t have to join in every month, only when you have something to show.  Details and a list of other participants’ scrappy endeavours over on Kate’s blog.

 

 

 

Scrappy July

Two more scrappy blocks to show you this month.

I’ve decided to make them – or at least nine of them – using scraps left over from making the F2F blocks so, each month I’ll make three 12 inch blocks for that month’s participant and, with the scraps, make a block for my eventual scrappy quilt.  That’s the plan anyway.

Confused? Join the club.

I was ‘Miss June’ and chose neutrals for my F2F colour palette so this is the scrappy block I made after making my own three blocks (well, I’m still part way through the third one but you get my drift).

Sue, from Washington, is ‘Miss July’ and her colour choices were different shades of blue with white.  Some of these scraps don’t appear in the blocks I made for her – the butterflies wouldn’t have been right for instance – but it’s predominantly blue and white so will serve as a reminder of the blocks I made for her.

I have loads of yarn scraps left over from my Little River Blanket  – remnants ranging from 3g to 5g – and I’m wondering what to make with those.  Anybody got any experience using up such things?  I’d be grateful for any ideas.  As I’m making another of these blankets, I’ll have another 48 so the possibilities are endless – aren’t they?

If you want to make use of your own scraps – can be anything, fabric, yarn, paper, whatever – just contact Kate or Gun who organise ScrapHappy Day on the 15th of every month and, if you have something, Kate will link to your blog, if not, nobody will mind.

Here’s a link to Kate’s post this month where you will see a link to the other participants.

 

 

There’s A Mouse In The House

Among the many books I bought when I took up the crochet hook was one featuring animal trophy heads.  A strange choice I think you’ll agree but one can only have so many blankets around the place and I thought they might be fun.

I started with the smallest animal in the book – a mouse – which may have been a mistake as I’m not used to using 4-ply yarn and a 2mm hook so it was a bit fiddly but it is done.

Mr. T. made me a little wooden shield out of some scrap wood he had lying about.

Now the cats have the first of what might well be several trophies for ‘their room’ aka our conservatory.  Maybe it will discourage them from bringing any more real ones in but I doubt it.

I think I’ll do the hare next but I won’t hang that in the cats’ room in case it gives them ideas.

I know they don’t look very dangerous but, trust me, I wouldn’t want to be a mouse (or mole!) in the vicinity (plus there are four others lurking out of shot!)

To think I used to say ‘life’s too short to stuff a mushroom’.

As I used some scrap yarn – albeit Jaegar alpaca no less – and the wood was scrap too, I’m linking up with Kate and Gun’s Scraphappy Day for which we attempt to make something using scraps every month – or just when we have something to show.

Kate,  Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn (me),  Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan, Karen,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry and Claire

Now, enough with the animal crochet – I have a half finished dress draped over two mannequins that won’t finish itself.