If the RSA did Dog Vests

I know it's been a while, all my stuff was packed up for the 1st half of the year because of being given notice to quit my accommodation.  The new place fell through on our move out date and we eventually got a place in July.  The rest of the year has flown by.

So back to the task at hand, I rescued a pooch and he's been the light of our lives, as well as a huge handful in the beginning.  Thankfully he's less like a wild dog and more a cuddly ball of fluff now.

I wanted to make a quick and easy coat for our winter walks.  I had a hi-visibility bag (which I think might be waterproof too), it was meant for shoes or gym kit, you know, the kind with drawstrings.

Basically I unpicked the stitches and removed one of the reflector strips, then cut it in half.  I drafted a basic pattern, by using a paper rectangle and putting in over the dog (much fun he thought).  I folded it in half lengthwise, cut out a U shape for the neck.  Tried it on again to see if the tips overlapped at the front.  Marked the tailed length and the depth.  Then laid the folded sheet on the floor, to draw another U shape from the tail to the front.  Tested it on the pooch to see if it was ok.

All looking good I cut out a piece of the bag and pinned cotton twill tape all the way around the edge.  As seen in the photo below.

As you can see it looks just like a bib vest.  After carefully sewing the tape, I added Velcro to the front closure. At this point I fitted onto the pooch (who still wasn't fed up) to locate the best place for the strap.  Using the cotton twill tape, I pinned it to one side and measured it under the  belly until it overlapped the hem on the other side by 2cm, I gave it an extra 2cm to fold over and sew on another bit of Velcro.

Ta-Da!! Here's the little rascal modelling his new vest. Note the bits of paper he was shredding while he was waiting.

Shoe Dye

Gosh it's been a long time since I posted.  Well am still waiting to move into my new pad and I've boxed up my creative side.

Well I decided to give some preloved shoes a bit of a makeover.  Now as gorgeous as these shoes are in red (which I adore) I don't really have anything to wear with them.  I love the style so much I decided to have a go at dying them black.......eeeekk!

I used Black Dylon Leather Shoe dye it comes in liquid form in a little bottle with brush. Now before you get all excited, this is like mixing paints, whatever colour your shoe is and whatever colour the dye is will determine the outcome.  So  in my case red + black = Brown (yellow + blue = green) get the idea....... wish it had said that on the outside of the darn box!  Anyway I was lucky.

You will need 

1. a cloth 
2. white spirit 
3. newspaper or glossy mag/plastic sheet
4. rubber gloves
5. old plastic tub
6. tissue
7. Shoes
8. Dylon Dye
9. Shoe Polish (Kiwi is my fav)

So to prepare the shoe for painting, you have to clean them with white spirit thoroughly to remove any polish so the dye will absorb, I must have been a bit lazy or not as thorough as there was one patch that didn't take as well as the rest.  Once that's done you have to let them dry and stuff the shoe with newspaper.  Then you are ready to paint.

I recommend  using a glossy mag or plastic sheet to cover the surface you are going to work on as the dye if dripped/spilled will seep through newspaper.  Also a plastic apron as the paint can splatter if you're not careful.

Shake the dye bottle well and pour a little into the tub. Apply paint evenly all over the shoe (careful not to put too much on the brush as it will dribble all over the shoe and work surface) Now at this point it will look pretty rough and you might go into panic mode....... don't worry.  Let it dry and continue to paint the shoes paying particular attention to any spot that might be patchy, until you get an even look.  Now I saved a little in the bottle just in case, I need to do a touch up some time in the future.

At this point mine looked a minky brown/black and some patches had a sort of metallic hue to them.  To be honest I was a bit worried. 

I let them dry overnight (as we had fab weather and it was hot).  In the morning I had to decide which polish I was going for Black or Brown (either would have been lovely), I went for black as that is what would go with most of my wardrobe.  I applied the polish thoroughly to the shoe but did not buff.  Here is a photo of the shoes with the right one with polish applied.

I left them to soak up the shoe polish for the rest of the day, then buffed them to a shine in the evening.  The polish made them darker and almost jet black, and made the colour even getting rid of the patchy metallic bits, so I'm really pleased with the end result.

Happy New Year!!!

Bliadhna Mhath Ùr 

Glückliches neues Jahr
 
Athbhliain faoi mhaise dhaoibh

Seasons Greetings

Everything has taken a backfoot since October due to me being on a course.  I can safely say I've done zero crafting, although I have had stuff out to start, only to put it away again.  I got as far as drying lavender for some sachets.

So I just popped in on my first day off to say........

Friendship Bracelets

Lately I've had the urge to do something different, since I seem to have run out of steam with knitting.

When I was a teenager we had this phase or craze in making friendship bracelets.  Now I have to tell you that was way back.  Some things are like riding a bicycle, once you learn it you never forget.  Well in this case, for me, it was more like swimming.  I had to learn it all over again! Yep I learnt to swim twice.

Well I went to the euro store and picked up a pack of embroidery threads for the practice runs.  After a little google, I found a pile of tutorials and patterns. So I did my practice run in knot tying and had my first one done in no time.  Next I went to complicated,  think I must like the challenge.  I made a strap for my watch.  You knot the threads around the pins and work from there.  When I reached the buckle, it got a bit messy and I could have done it better. (next time I know better).  I sewed in the ends of thread, another not so tidy job. But no-one is going to see it right.  repeat for the longer strap, shaping the end.

And there is the end product.  Of course now I just have to get a battery put into it.  But it is so comfortable on the wrist and my skin will love it.

Having done that one I was ready for the big bad boy of a cuff, with 12 threads.  Yup double whammy. I had to look up and take note of how all the different knots were done to carry the threads.  I have to say when I started it was confusing and painfully slow.

But definitely worth the effort.  I had found the middle of the bundle of threads and braided them, before securing them with the white thread you see in the picture.  This is just to hold it all in place while I work on it.

What I haven't figured out yet is the length you need for each colour.  for example I ran out of yellow and had to join more, the orange only just mad it and there was plenty of blue, but the red and green just managed to be long enough.

This is the end result, I split the ends into two sections and braided them, so one slips through the other end, which is then tied. Below is the blurry shot on the wrist, well it's not easy taking a shot one handed and with your other hand!

Drum Roll........eh?!

Some people really do know what to do with the most unlike things.  Really, who  would have thought a washing macine drum would have so many uses in it's next life?

This is what I love about the internet.  You can find out so many things and even how to do them.

I've collected a few of my favourite recycled images for uses of the drum.  First up is this fabulous floor lamp using a tripod and washing machine drum, which has been covered in a variety of designs.

The  recycled lamps are a project of a Portuguese designer Tó Martins, check out Rewashlamp.

Number 2 is a firepit, to keep you warm in the garden.  Just weld some legs on, give it some stove paint and away you go. Instructions on How To are here

Number 3 is another firepit, but with an added extra of a grill.  So you can have a BBQ and be cosy, if you want to.  It's also quite decorative with the stones surrounding it.  Perhaps this is also a good safety precaution.

Number 4 and Number 5 are both the same purpose but different styles.  Stools or pouffe, one is called an ottoman so perhaps some storage space in that one.  Above No.4 made by Junk Munkez, whose designers are working hard to turn their city’s trash and junkyard scraps into bold furnishings inspired by their Lebanese roots. Their line, dubbed Knit Knack, uses old drums that have been cleaned and painted as colorful canvases, with what you might call the tapestry effect.

Number 5 has had wheels added to it and a nice bolster cushion, which is also a lid. You can find out more about this on Esprit Cabane.

Lastly, but certainly not least is Number 6.  This idea is just so brilliant I want to make one or two, but would have to sabotage my machine (not gonna happen) to get the drum, or beg for one!
this could do as a large side table or small coffee table even. Although you would have to think about the cables.   This one will set you back a cool £350 to buy.  Created by UK designer Max McMurdo, Silvana is Reestore’s most popular product.

Goodness I don't think there are enough drums to go round, hope you've been inspired now! :)

The Eco Scarf Hanger

Just a quick share of an interesting but usefull idea for those small branches or sturdy twigs.  Why not turn them into a scarf hanger?  This was an image found on Tumbler ~ no I don't use it, I have enough trouble undertanding the point ot Twitter let alone Tumbler.

I would imagine that you assemble the branch pieces in the order you want them.  Then perhaps drill holes top and bottom to glue wooden dowels in (although this frame looks a bit thin for this, screws would be secure but untidy in my opinion).  Perhaps another way is using a glue gun to secure them and then when the frame is fixed in place everything is secure.