Putting together a diy kit as a present - suggestions please

elsien

I'm looking to put everything this pattern needs together as a diy kit for my niece for Christmas, and not wanting to pay hobbycraft prices, can anyone recommend somewhere I can get all the bits and bobs more cheaply. I plan to trawl the charity shops, but wondering what the alternative to the filling etc might be, if anyone has any suggestions.
http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/craft-idea/knitted-dog-draught-excluder/IDEA01072

cabriolean

Most of this list is only worth buying online if you manage to get most of it from the same site/seller, or buy more than needed for this one project, otherwise the postage will outweigh the discount.

Ribbon: Such a small value item isn't really worth buying online, but Craftwise if you've got one near you, market stalls, or a local haberdashery, or Harvard Discount stores tend to be much cheaper than HobbyCraft.
Wool: I sometimes buy cones then make several balls from them, depends what kind you want where you are......

Filling: I get my stuffing from Leeds City Markets at £2.50 per 250g IIRC, you'll be hard-pressed to find it cheaper online including postage unless you want to buy larger quantities (minimal storage space plus not using much means it's not worth it for me), maybe try a local haberdashery.
Alternatives: Dryer lint (I only really use for miniatures, flammable, but if it's not going to be near any flames...), fake snow from £world/land/99p
store, finely shredded material (socks, tights....), with it being a draught excluder, it doesn't have to be soft, so maybe gravel, anything you can think of really

Felt: Remnant bin at fabric stores, Craftwise 30p last time I was there
Knitting Needles: 99p from ebay
Eyes: No clue

elsien

That's really helpful, thank you.

sethsgran

There is a fantastic Haberdashery shop in Farsley, Leeds. It's called Bonds. Worth a visit for anyone reasonably in the area.

cabriolean

sethsgran wrote: »

There is a fantastic Haberdashery shop in Farsley, Leeds. It's called Bonds. Worth a visit for anyone reasonably in the area.

Sounds good, I'll have to go there after my next grant installment, or maybe before for a preview and maybe one or two tiny little things;)

Katiehound

Elsien- you don't say where you are- at the end of the rainbow lacks a postcode!!
I think there are packs of googly eyes in Boyes Stores- they have lots of craft bits.They have cheaper (than wool) acrylic felt. Also Yorkshire Trading. Both sell bundles of ribbon cheaply.

I was going to suggest recycling the stuffing from a pillow (or buy a new cheapie cushion or pillow) for the stuffing.

Craft shops for knitting needles and maybe fancy buttons for the eyes?- especially if you have a 'down market' shop staffed by volunteers. Once they have a paid manager the shop goes up market and so do the prices!!!!

glynisrose

Try your local market for the stuffing, I use P3 from my local market, its the offcuts from duvet making and is cheap its also none - allergic so it doesn't cause a reaction in the most sensitive of people!! Lidl are also doing knitting yarn cheap at the minute.

elsien

Midlands, so I headed into Brum today for the rag market which I'd completely forgotten about until you guys all started talking about local shops and markets.
Having spent a happy hour eyeing up assorted bits of ribbon, materials etc I've now got the urge to start making things with a vengeance. And it's all your faults!

DigForVictory

Tape measure, one small pair of scissors (the so sharp they startle you sort), packet of sticky plasters, tailors chalk pencil (& sharpener!), a wrap of assorted needles (worth spending money there - cheap ones break too easily), magnetic pin holder & (*if* you can source them cheaply) wedding dress pins (thinner, sharper, longer).
With that, and a Stanley knife, quite a lot of crafty stuff becomes do-able!
She can make or source her own storage mechanisms...
Apart from the pins & needles, the various pound shops have had all of these in the last year.
Charity shops may have knitting needles for the asking but not on display.

sethsgran

cabriolean wrote: »

Sounds good, I'll have to go there after my next grant installment, or maybe before for a preview and maybe one or two tiny little things;)

From the outside the shop doesn't look much, not fancy. However they are currently embarking on major work which will include a total refurbishment of their premisis next door. No matter what the outside is it is a Alladins cave inside. Currently there is an upstairs which is stuffed with laces, trims etc. when the work is complete the whole of the shop will be on ground level.

Katiehound

Wilkinson's have crafty bits too at good prices: eg googly eyes