...to ask if you ‘make’ things?

[Merryoldgoat]

Just that really...

My FIL does lots of carpentry and I love it. I’ve been looking at a few easy projects to try and I’m reasonable handy so can use basic tools etc.

I also sew a bit, bake, and want to do more myself to my home.

I don’t have masses of time though so it’s slow going.

How do you fit it all in?

I have so much I’d like to do and not nearly enough time.

I also design houses in the sims. Its nice to dream of living somewhere one day. I am not artistic in the crafting sense.

I decopatch.

Shinyme, how did you teach yourself to crochet?? YouTube videos, something else? Would love to learn!

People that do projects on furniture (refuse to say upcycle) could you please advise me on something?

I have an old dark wood (varnished?) table and chairs + matching side unit.
I absolutely hate the colour of it but, as I say, it's very old and was passed to me.

What can I do with it to modernise it? Would painting work? And reupholstering the chairs, how would I go about that?

I'm okay with knitting, baking, sewing and adjusting things/remaking them in to things. This table and unit just have me stumped.

@Winter2019

What do you like? What have you thought you’d like to try even if it’s a bit out there?

Cake decorating is easy to try and there are loads of tutorials on YouTube.

Lots of furniture requires nothing more than some nice paint or stain and some sand paper.

I do diy from electrical and plumbing through to groundworks and building.

More hobby type thing are wood turning and blacksmithing. Currently my most creative outlet is making knives and axes. As can be seen in the attached photo this is a bowie knife made from an old, farrier's rasp and is modelled by Jeremy - the genuine, imitation, non-standard, reference skull.

Oh I tried to make soap from scratch, couple of batches worked out fine but rest of them I had to throw out. I've given up on it now, even though I bought a blender, oils especially for that 😏

I am not at all artistic but can just about manage basic pottery which I love.

I crochet, I sew, I cook, I bake, I throw pottery, I'm a writer, I build stuff, I do all the DIY and build racks and shelves and cupboards from scratch, I have an allotment, I grow and propogate plants to sell, I garden, I pretend to 'make' babies (ahem) a lot! I'm doing a degree too.

I also have a 2yr old DS.

I'm fucking knackered. Not always happy. Always trying to keep busy. But it all beats watching shit TV every night or staring at my phone.

@SeaSaltandLime

You can use Frenchic paint which is amazing (there’s a FB community) and you can use on nearly anything.

Good clean with sugar soap, light sand to create a key, thoroughly dust and then paint with thin coats and then use a wax to seal.

You should join the group to see some transformations.

Winter2019 have a look at Attic24.typepad.com. She has fantastic step by step tutorials and lots of free patterns.

I decoupage furniture, paint furniture, and have recently learnt to crochet. I’m currently half way through putting in a new to us kitchen, and am repainting the cupboards I bought off of eBay, and am going to give it a go at putting vinyl on the worktops to give them a marble look.
The picture I have in my head looks fab, whether I can recreate that has yet to be seen 😉

I’d love to learn how to dressmake and sew properly.

@SeaSaltandLime sand it down roughly by hand or strip it with varnish remover, use a neutral primer and then you can paint over it with furniture paint and sealer or varnish. If you can take it apart prior to doing this, that is best, then put it all back together again when finished.

@ferretygubbins

Wow!!

Ye Gods

(eg planting aloe in vintage tea cups which were my gifts for every female family member last Christmas)

Thats the thing- do the craft if you love it but please please don't pass then off as thoughtless mass gifts to friends and family- they really really don't want them. I know that they told you that they love them- they didn't they were being polite.

They are gifts for the giver not the receiver- the joy is only there for those who enjoy making the stuff.

You cant give homemade stuff to the food bank and so sadly it has to be binned if it is food and some charity shops won't take any home made 'craft' without a CE label.

Craft away- just don't give it away.

I have been taking private art classes with a local art teacher recently - basically every couple of weeks I get to try a new craft! Lino printing and clay sculpting have been the best so far 😍
Yes I have a 4 yo and a 1 yo and subsequently I also have a ‘projects to do’ list as long as my arm 😭
I make cakes for a living but not doing much at the mo. Just in a slump. Overwhelmed with housework etc. Craft is never a priority and if I make it one I feel bad eating into family time...... first world problem I know!

Currently on the go I have:
An embroidery - 18 months old, only need to do a couple more flowers
Painting by numbers
Trying to learn to sketch
Bought all the materials and tools to make a toy garage for my kids but haven’t found time in the past 8 months, ugh!
Cross stitch - older than my eldest son 😄

I don’t know why I can never find time, I barely have a social life 😄 weekends are for family though and so I feel bad eating into that. Sometimes I work on the weekend too so can’t take more on top of that really!

@TiredOldTable

I entirely agree about the giving as gifts - I only give them when they’ve been specifically asked for (almost always edible).

@Crochetymum They are so easy to make. I opened up one of DD old scrunchies to get rough measurements. I do the majority of sewing on the machine and then once the elastic has been added I have the end to sew up.

If anyone would like their makes to reach a wider audience and do some good at the same time, I highly recommend donating a piece or two to the Woolly Hugs Christmas Craft sale.

Woolly Hugs is a mumsnet thing that is also now a registered charity. Have a Google and see what you think.

I send a few bits of needlefelting and whatnot for their sales and it is such a brilliant feeling seeing that people actually want to buy them and the money raised does great things.

I love cooking and I do cross stitch in front of the TV a lot of the time when DS is in bed. Have made quite a few projects for gifts for weddings, to mark a baby's birth etc.

I just bake. I don't do it professionally or sell my wares, I feed up my family, friends and work colleagues!

I make fine art mosaics.

I do crochet, mostly for Woolly Hugs these days. I can sew a bit, tried needle felting, and went through a phase of making crocheted wire jewellery.

@CRAFTYNAMECHANGE caps lock there, not shouting! Love your crochet blankets! Is that a 'call the midwife' pattern I see amongst them? All beautiful. Am making a hugs and kisses (crossed DCs with a row of bobbles) crochet blanket. Wish I'd gone for brown and cream like yours.

I crochet, paint, sew clothes, do zenbroidery, tapestry, quilt,I'm learning to knit. I also do a pottery class.

I usually have several projects on the go and often get together with friends to swap ideas and craft together.