By Helen

glass fusing…

A while ago I joined York Makers, an amazing Facebook group that organises fairs (lots more about that later), offers support and advice to makers in York and has started offering skill sharing sessions.  At the skill sharing sessions, the maker invites other members of the group to their home, or workshop, to share their skill and let members try something new.  Yesterday evening I was lucky enough to be at the first skill sharing session.  The incredibly talented Naomi, from Naomi's Stained Glass showed us how to fuse glass.  Naomi makes the most amazing fused and stained glass; you must pop over to her page and have a look (and a like)!  Lots of us gathered in her home, ready to try something new (to most of us).  It was amazing to be with such creative talent, including: Non Solo Guacamole, Hippystitch, Lucy Monkman, Sarah's Yummy Kitchen and lots of others (I hope I haven't missed anyone)...

Make sure you have a look at their work!  Anyway, back to the glass fusing.  Naomi stated by explaining a little bit about how the glass fusing process is carried out and then it was time to play.  Naomi had lots of glass for us to choose from, it was like being a child in a sweet shop, to help us make a coaster and two small pieces of glass, which she will turn into a key-ring or pendent for us.

It was amazing to see the creativity in the room: all making the same things but with our individual styles…

The evening ended with Naomi showing us her AMAZING workshop, which is where her kiln is…

Naomi is going to cook (probably not the right word) our glass and we can pick it up in a few days time.  Can’t wait to see how it turns out!

Naomi is a really brilliant teacher; she offers workshops for anyone to book onto, is thinking of offering workshops for children, she’s taking part in York Open Studios as well as working on commissions.  Make sure you have a good nosy at her work, along with the other artists mentioned at the start of this post and don’t forget that you can also find me on Facebook HERE :)

Happy crafting!

xxx

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ric-rac, rik-rak, rick-rack , roses…

For Valentine’s Day I made roses…

The roses are made from ric-rac (also known as rik-rak and rick-rack).  I hope you know what I mean?  It’s trimming that looks like this…

It comes in different widths, it really doesn’t matter what size you have to hand, you’ll just end up with slightly bigger, or slightly smaller roses!  I thought I’d share with you how to make these ric-rac roses.  Here goes.   You’ll need your sewing machine, thread that blends into the ric-rac (although I am using one that shows up, so that you can see what I’m doing), scissors, pins,a ruler,  glue (either fabric or hot glue-gun) and a peg!

Cut length of ric-rak, about 25-30cms long, then cut it in half.  Twist the two lengths of ric-rak together…

The peg comes in really handy for securing one end!  When you have twisted the lengths together, go to your sewing machine and make sure that you are using a straight stitch (average length will be fine) and set on the slowest speed:  your fingers are going to be close to the needle!   Carefully stitch down one side of the twisted ric-rak…

You might need a second peg to stop the other-end unravelling…

When you’ve finished stitching it should look something like…

Practice rolling the stitched ric-rak into a bud; do this a few times, so that when you start with the glue you don’t end up in a mess (like I did first time around).  When you are ready, roll the stitched ric-rak into a bud, gluing as you go …

When you have finished gluing, you might need a pin to secure the end…

Leave the roses overnight so that the glue completely dries.  When the glue is dry, gently fold out petals…

Decide what you are going to do with your lovely little rose.  I glued this on to a ring…

Let me know what you decide to you with your ric-rak roses, remember that you can find me on Facebook HERE

Play about with different lengths of ric-rak and different widths, until you have blooms and blooms of roses.

Happy crafting!

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buttons, buttons, buttons…

I’ve mentioned before how much love buttons.  Well who doesn’t?  So, you can imagine my delight my I got a button making manual from one of my loveliest friends.  The manual by Gina B, who I mentioned in my last post, on ganutell: yes, I am aware that I sound like a groupie.  It’s just that Gina B is soooooo talented.  The technique for ganutell and button making are very similar: both involve wrapping thread, only when making buttons you have to wrap really, really, really tightly and with ganutell you wrap really, really, really gently.  The manual is fully of delicious buttons to make, using a verity of techniques, including crochet!  I (for once) started off with what looked like the more simply designs.  Would you like to see how I got on? 

Wraps to make a star (my most favourite shape)…

Another star (because you can never have too many), but with a different shape base…

Death’s Head (not my name) wrap, which is the base for the more complicated buttons…

Getting more confident, I attempted weaving my threads…

Getting more ambitious (a little too ambitious, don’t look too closely at the stitches) with embroidery…

First attempt at the Union Jack, ended in Iceland…

Second attempt…

I am going to put brooch backs on to the back of my buttons and wear them, while I think of more uses and make more buttons!

Enjoy your weekend!

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something new: ganutell…

Every now and again I love to try something new.  I did make a promise to Si, that I would find my craft and stick to it, but sometime the lure of something new is just too strong.  I justify my breaking this promise, with the fact that I am making flowers.  I love to crochet flowers, make fabric flowers, so making flowers in a new way is just an extension of what I am already doing, not really something new!  Right? I am a massive fan of the incredibly talented Gina B (it is thanks to Gina B that I make finger braid) so when I heard the she had ganutell flowers kits, I knew that I had to give them a try.  I think the main reason I am such a fan of Gina B, is that she love heritage craft with a modern twist.  I also love, loVE, LOVE history: so what could be better than ganutell – history, making and flowers – what’s not to love?  What is ganutell?  I hear you ask.  Ganutell is a flowers made from coiled wire shaped into flower petals with thread wrapped over the wire.  I’ll show you…

I am sooooo happy with how these turned out: I can see a new addiction coming on…

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Remeber you can now find me on Facebook :)

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