New year and my new years resolution is to start a craft...suggestions please!

[sammysam]

I really enjoy creative things but have done virtually nothing since having my DDs (and really not much at all since school) but I want to do things for me that I enjoy. I suppose it would be good if I could make something usefull. My 'thing' back in the day was acrylic painting but i'd like to do something more useful. I did GSCE art and textiles and think I'd love to get into knitting or maybe crochet. I've looked around at ideas and don't understand any of it! Sewing is something I'd feel more confident doing though tis a pain to have to get out the machine etc (I like the idea of just picking up the needles/hook and wool.

Anyway after my ramble I was just wandering if anyone could suggest something good to get me back into all things creative.....maybe some good books or blogs or maybe some type of craft I haven't thought of? I'm getting very excited about it but I think my problem is i'd like to try everything

[bumpybecky]

My vote would be crochet, see Attic 24 for much loveliness :)

[Niecie]

Ah now, that is a question and a half.

Knitting and crochet are the obvious ones, very popular at the moment and lots of lovely yarns around. Patchwork and quilting is also good. It can be arty or practical and it can be hand sewn or on a machine.

I think the first thing I would do if I were you would be to go and look at the craft magazines in the newsagents. There are loads. See which ones and which projects catch your eye. There are two main sewing ones Sew and Sew Hip which do both dress making and other types of sewing. There are 6 or 7 knitting ones. My current favourite is Simply Knitting which has large and small projects and also basic instruction in the back on how to knit. There also some crochet ones now.

Then there is the Ravelry website which is for knitters and crochets and has loads of free resources as well as the chance to have a nosy at what other knitters are doing.

I'll post some lovely blogs later. I have already typed this post once but lost it flitting backwards and forwards between blogs so I don't want to risk it again!

[wonderstuff]

My Christmas pressie to me was this which I'm very excited about
I also got this Which is soo much fun

I find knitting very therapeutic, but it takes so long and I tend to get bored before I finish any thing I did some last time I was on mat leave and found this book easy to follow - utube also a great source for learning how to knit.

[wonderstuff]

etsy is a site I stubbled on recently, very inspiring

[Niecie]

What about jewellery making?

I would have suggested Attic 24 as well.

Do You Mind if I Knit is a nice blog. She mainly does knitting and crochet although she has gone in for papier mache (sp) since Christmas so you might need to scroll down a bit. She has some crochet tutorials.

My Sewing Serenity a bit of knitting and sewing on this one.

Don't Look Now Some lovely patchwork and quilting.

[moocowme]

felting is nice and very trendy now.

i am saving up/looking for wool jumpers to felt and cut up for patchwork rugs. they are sooooo nice to sleep under being pure wool.

[NL3]

Love knitting and crochet - cross stitch is also fab.

[sammysam]

Thank you so much for all of your ideas and suggestions!
Niecie-I have absolutely fallen in love with teh quilts on Don't Look Now-I would love to make both my DD's one.......but i'm imagining that it is far quicker and more easy with a machine? How much do they cost?

I think my real problem is that I'd like to do everything..... I love the idea of knitting, crochet, sewing, felting, jewellery making, quilting...

I've had a lovely look around Ravelry and the blogs you've kindly suggested and i'm feeling very inspired but still very indecisive
Well-really i'd love to make a quilt.....nothing like starting small!

Great idea about looking in the magazines-i'll try and get to a big newsagents over the weekend.

Please if anyone has any more suggestions and good blogs etc to look at please tell me!

I'm so excited (does that make me very sad?!), but I really need to make a decision

[sammysam]

I've been googling quilts and i'm in love...then googled the machine shown on Don't Look Now blog and nearly had a heart attack
Can anyone tell me what kind of machine i'd need and how much roughly i'm looking at?
The quilt that I love on that site-does she use a computerised pattern-surely she didn't do that freehand?!!! I'm supposing you need a computerised machine or are there special quilting machines?
I'm getting all carried away....I just love those quilts! It is probably a stupid idea to pick something so amazing (and that looks quite hard) for my first project please tell me i'm wrong!

Can anyone suggest any more good quilting blogs, books or magazines? I think this may be my lust after project that I should do in a while.....

[Niecie]

Don't Look Now is gorgeous isn't it?!

You don't need an expensive machine to make - you don't need computerisation or fancy stitches. I did a course a couple of years ago at the local secondary school and we just used their old machines which I am sure are the same ones that I used when I went there 30 odd years ago! You can spend a small fortune on them but you don't have to so long as it does a running stitch. You can get a basic machine for £100, possibly less in a sale or second hand.

The Don't Look Now kits are quite hard. I did buy a pattern a while ago and haven't had the nerve to use it yet because I want to be as good as theirs and I don't think I will be able to! You can do it by hand though, it would just take a while.

You could also start simply and buy something like a jelly roll (a roll of 2.5" x 44" strips) and just sew them together in straight lines. The interest comes from the fabric and how you put it together rather than anything clever you do with it.

I have this <a class="break-all" href="//www.amazon.co.uk/Jelly-Roll-Quilts-Perfect-Making/dp/0715328638/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21#_" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">book with jelly roll patterns. The authors have written several more books with other patterns which are lovely.

[moocowme]

DLN are very nice and I have just discovered i have moved to the same place as she lives!!!! I am going over to see if they still have any of here quilts as addicted to fabric next week.

i shall have to do a class i think!!!

[Niecie]

moocowme -

[LemonDifficult]

Moocowme - that sounds ace, is there anywhere good to look for felting inspiration?

(I have lots of old jumpers I should throw away but this could be the answer. Does it matter if the moths have been at them?!)

[moocowme]

no moth holes are fine. only requirment is that they are woolOr cashmere) or maily wool.

you put them in the washing machine for a good wash. the fibres should naturaly felt (so they wont fray). cut up and sew just like normal fabric.

i have a couple of books on felting that i got at hobby craft and also dunelm mill a while ago on this.

i think their are a few tutorials on youtube now. you can also needle felt onto them. i have a bit of a stash saved up ready to start this in the winter.

felted blankets are so very snuggly and warm.