handmade gifts for christmas and celebrations 2011

youngoldlady

Laura_D wrote: »

Thanks Wammy - can't wait to get started now :j
Youngoldlady - my two favourite wedding presents we received last year were a coat hanger which was molded into my new married name (you can buy them from Lila Fancis on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/listing/62128167/sold-out-the-original-silver-lingerie although if you were creative enough I'm sure you could make one), and as we got married in a unique venue (a lighthouse) I was also given a loveheart framed map of the area we got married in - You can buy them from Not on the high street http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/bombus/product/bespoke_map_heart although again I'm sure you could make your own version. These along with a knitted bride are most definatly my favourite wedding presents

Just returned from a week at centre parcs where I was determined to learn the skill of crochet!!! Well I can do the first row (or whatever its called) but I'm confused when I try to do single stich as in the book the instructions look the same as double stich - which I seem to be doing to tight :eek: I WILL LEARN TO CROCHET IF IT KILLS ME :cool:

Thank you so much for your advice and inspiration Laura That's really got me thinking! They look gorgeous in the links

dizzytina wrote: »

Youngold lady had a look at my e-mails but can't find one from you even in my junk? Can you send another or pm me your e-mail address and i'll get a copy to you:D

Housewif i got mine from the Range its sold by the metre Dunelm also sell it. You can also use oilcloth which is much the same but usually a bit more expensive.

I have been making a few things for valentines day today - i'm off for a romantic night away with hubby tomorrow so have love theme on the brain today:rotfl:

mini choccies to go in hubby's pack lunch box

also some valentine gift cans which i am going to use to present hubbies pressies in. I am making a silver keyring to go in the small tin and homemade choocies in the large one.



Wammy can i ask how i fire my silver clay once i have made it into what i want? Can i use an oven? i'm guessing not as it probably isn't hot enough. What do you use?

Thanks for looking. I'll resend it and see if that solves the problem.

Having a manic few days so I'll pop in to catch up properly at some point. Yesterday I spent several hours handstitching a rabbit chocolate wrapper for OH and put his fave chocolate bar inside and sent him to work with it It still looks as if 5yr old DD made it though :rotfl::(

Has anyone tried one of those mini sewing machines for their first machine? I'm considering buying one from Netto for 25 quid. OH reckons I'd be better off with a "proper one!" I've never used a machine before, but I'd love one eventually! :A

esmer

Its eithe Lidls or Aldi are doing a sewing maching this week, and its 79.00 I think...........

dizzytina

Youngoldlady i used to have a mini machine years ago and ended up giving up before even really starting as i found it so hard to thread up and to use. I would say if you can stretch to the budget spend a bit more and get a proper one as they are easier to use and should hopefully last you.

I'll look out for your e-mail (or feel free to send me a private message on here with your e-mail address on it x x)

housewifeintraining

completely agree with dizzytina about the mini sewing machine - never managed to make anything with mine got really frustrated and threw it out. Bought a basic brother one from argos the other month and have managed so far to make an apron, a christmas stocking and 2 draft excluders - definitely much better if you can stretch your budget or hang on a bit and save for it.

nellis10

I just bought a coopers ruby red from their website and it only cost me £89 (but £9 of that was delivery to Northern Ireland) so you could get it for £80 if you lived on the mainland....

newmrslockwood

my starter machine is a regular sized one and its fab. so easy to use and i had NEVER used one of any kind before. BTW its a Brother and i love it. LOL

youngoldlady

dizzytina wrote: »

Youngoldlady i used to have a mini machine years ago and ended up giving up before even really starting as i found it so hard to thread up and to use. I would say if you can stretch to the budget spend a bit more and get a proper one as they are easier to use and should hopefully last you.

I'll look out for your e-mail (or feel free to send me a private message on here with your e-mail address on it x x)

Just resent the email and popped you a PM though to check I have the right email address for you x x

Thank you for your advice with sewing machines. I would love one. It seems like a false economy buying a little one only to progress to a normal one later on. I'm a total beginner so I need something that will be easy to use. I can save up for one, which would make my day! I've been handsewing lately and it's taking a few hours to do something that would take 10 mins with a machine. Which machine did you buy?

housewifeintraining wrote: »

completely agree with dizzytina about the mini sewing machine - never managed to make anything with mine got really frustrated and threw it out. Bought a basic brother one from argos the other month and have managed so far to make an apron, a christmas stocking and 2 draft excluders - definitely much better if you can stretch your budget or hang on a bit and save for it.

Wow!! Thank you for the advice. I'm glad everyone on here is much more experienced than me! x

nellis10 wrote: »

I just bought a coopers ruby red from their website and it only cost me £89 (but £9 of that was delivery to Northern Ireland) so you could get it for £80 if you lived on the mainland....

Thank you for your help x

youngoldlady

newmrslockwood wrote: »

my starter machine is a regular sized one and its fab. so easy to use and i had NEVER used one of any kind before. BTW its a Brother and i love it. LOL

Thank you for your help. Can I ask you what moel it is? My mum is an ex machinist so I'm hoping she'll be able to tell me what sort of spec I need and give me some lessons!

diddly74

Youngoldlady - I echo what the others have said. I had one of those mini machines but it soon found its way to a charity shop as we already have a full sized one. I bought it thinking it would be easier to whip out to do small jobs but it wasn't as reliable as the big one and I just wasn't compfortable with it.

My 11 yr old daughter is now starting to use my big machine which I bought for my Mom in 1992.

little_miss_moneysaver_3

Wow! I have just caught up with the last couple of weeks or so. Lots of lovely things. I have been occupied with university work which I should be doing now, but now I'm dribbling at all the lovely makes of here

Just wondered if anyone could point me in the direction of a simple crochet tutorial/book? I did some as a little girl but that was 20 years ago!! Have seen some nice things I could possibly make. Thanks in advance.

LMMS