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Getting a bit arts and crafty...

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  • I find felt craft is a good one to start with - so much you can do with it, easy to get hold of and in lots of fabulous colours :-)
    Snowball
    OH Mum Loan - £1010
    OH CC - £1200
    My CC - £3831.75
  • Hermia
    Hermia Posts: 4,473 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    As well as blogs and Pinterest YouTube is great. There are some talented people on there doing tutorials.
    Miss_Fox wrote: »
    Does anyone have any tips for a beginner who wants to create quality items to give as gifts to family yet without breaking the bank?

    If you are mainly wanting to craft so that you can make gifts then surely you need to target your crafting to your audience. If your friends are all stylish young things who live in minimalist city apartments there is no point learning to make ye olde shabby chic homewares or cheap acrylic scarfs!
  • sewandsew03
    sewandsew03 Posts: 33 Forumite
    I second felt, it a fab versatile fabric that can be made into loads of things.
    And, Pinterest is my bible!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Cacran
    Cacran Posts: 536 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    I like to make things from things that would normally be deemed, rubbish.
    It gives me hours of pleasure, some things work, some not, but it keeps me out of mischief.
    Keep on trucking!
  • flea72
    flea72 Posts: 5,392 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Paulap wrote: »
    I would recommend starting with http://pinterest.com
    .

    No dont recommend pinterest :eek:

    I spend so many hours pinning stuff i no longer have the time to do any crafting :rotfl:
  • Katiehound
    Katiehound Posts: 8,125 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    If you have a local craft shop they may well run classes. This would be money well spent as you get a day (or half day) to try a craft and then you can move on or say "That's not for me!"
    If you have a sewing/wool shop they too may have either classes or knit & chat sessions. This is another opportunity to see what is happening, maybe try something and meet fellow crafters.

    I have been to evening classes, shop classes, full time art college courses and 1 hour sessions on cruises........all have been interesting and my house continues to fill with card, wool, paper etc!! Oh, and I do make things too!!!
    Being polite and pleasant doesn't cost anything!
    -Stash bust:in 2022:337
    Stash bust :2023. 120duvets, 24bags,43dogcoats, 2scrunchies, 10mitts, 6 bootees, 8spec cases, 2 A6notebooks, 59cards, 6 lav bags,36 angels,9 bones,1 blanket, 1 lined bag,3 owls, 88 pyramids = total 420total spend £5.Total for 'Dogs for Good' £546.82

    2024:Sewn:59Doggy ds,52pyramids,18 bags,6spec cases,6lav.bags.
    Knits:6covers,4hats,10mitts,2 bootees.
    Crotchet:61angels, 229cards=453 £158.55profit!!!
    2025 3dduvets
  • DollyDabbler
    DollyDabbler Posts: 211 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper
    Cacran wrote: »
    I like to make things from things that would normally be deemed, rubbish.
    It gives me hours of pleasure, some things work, some not, but it keeps me out of mischief.

    Have you got some pictures?
    I like using stuff that would otherwise get thrown away and use pinterest for inspiration. My next project is using plarn to either crochet or knit a bag.

    .
  • Cacran
    Cacran Posts: 536 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    edited 22 July 2013 at 7:22PM
    I don't know how to send pictures. I am crafty, not techie,lol.
    I have just finished decopatching a coffee table with pages from old Roget's Thesaurus. It is totally covered, legs and all, then clear varnished. I made a bag from an old pair of jeans. I made a deck chair cover with the patched legs of old jeans, it is very strong. I am in the process (and have been for ages) or making a tab rug from old woollens which have been shrunk and matted.I have crochered bags from dish cloth cotton. I made a patchwork quilt from old clothing. I made skirts from jeans. I decopatched an old worn lampshade with paper napkins. I often utilise different containers, covering them with fablon. My latest hobby is making greeting cards from old cards. My friends pass their old ones on to me. I pick out bits and pieces to cut out. I use old buttons and beads. I do buy a few bits and pieces, but not much. It is great fun trying things out. Not everything turns out as I had hoped, but what the heck, it keeps me entertained.
    Keep on trucking!
  • Any
    Any Posts: 7,959 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Cacran wrote: »
    I don't know how to send pictures. I am crafty, not techie,lol.
    I have just finished decopatching a coffee table with pages from old Roget's Thesaurus. It is totally covered, legs and all, then clear varnished. I made a bag from an old pair of jeans. I made a deck chair cover with the patched legs of old jeans, it is very strong. I am in the process (and have been for ages) or making a tab rug from old woollens which have been shrunk and matted.I have crochered bags from dish cloth cotton. I made a patchwork quilt from old clothing. I made skirts from jeans. I decopatched an old worn lampshade with paper napkins. I often utilise different containers, covering them with fablon. My latest hobby is making greeting cards from old cards. My friends pass their old ones on to me. I pick out bits and pieces to cut out. I use old buttons and beads. I do buy a few bits and pieces, but not much. It is great fun trying things out. Not everything turns out as I had hoped, but what the heck, it keeps me entertained.

    Sign up with photobucket. It's free, you only sign up with email and password and once you upload a photo, just copy a link (it will give you that), copy the link here and oh lala, we can see the picture.
    I only learned that myself last week. It took 5 mins to sign up and post a picture.
  • glynisrose
    glynisrose Posts: 199 Forumite
    Try your local library, there will be many types of craft books available. Personally I would look for something that is not going to cost the earth to set up, for instance don't go for pottery, even though its a nice craft its expensive to set up, buying a kiln etc. Something where you can buy tools as you get more proficient or fewer tools are needed. Cross stitch? You can buy a magazine with a small kit attached to try it out.
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