Upcycling!

I love the ethos and mentality behind upcycling but it isn't something I have done all that much of.  Has anyone been watching Kirsty Allsopps 'Fill Your House for Free'?  I've only caught a few episodes (J thinks she sounds like she's telling people off!) and I wish she'd set up her free-stuff shop near me instead of in Scotland ;-)  I'd happily take some of that lovely furniture off her hands :)

I suppose I do a fair amount of charity shop shopping but despite my love of shopping I genuinely would like to reuse more of what I have and be more intune with the make do and mend culture...

 

Ok so I have to be honest, I didn't chop all of these buttons off of old clothes myself, but I suspect someone did though!  There were lots of brand names amongst this lot that which I picked up from my local craft shop for around £3/4. I love buttons, who doesn't love buttons, but oh my there are so many!! I love them so much I bought another pack in green, they're an absolutely bargain in my opinion.

♥

I had good fun dividing them up into sizes in my melamine Ikea bowls because I had a plan...

 

Way back in...  I can't remember when... but months ago our WI had a clothes swap and I bought this skirt for 50p, which I thought despite having lots of skirts would be okay for work.

(This is not the greatest of photographs).

 

It's not very exciting though is it...  And it was obviously meant for someone taller because it was far too long, which is why you can see the bottom is full of pins where I chopped a good few inches from the bottom.

I haven't taken a photo of the back yet but it's actually quite a nice shape so I thought there was surely something I could do to bring it to life and make it more me. 

Buttons....

Skirt....

Buttons...

Skirt....

Yep

 

Bingo!   I've sewn about 50% on so far and need to get some motivation to finish it.  J thinks it's a bit weird but he'll see.  I'm not going to do the same on both sides, I think maybe a small cluster on the bottom right to balance it out et voila!  A fairly work suitable skirt that doesn't say I work a 9-5 office job (if only that were true!)

So there you are.  Maybe not truely upcycled as I bought everything but surely a lot cheaper than buying a brand new skirt from a shop?  Someone elses junk = my treasure. As soon as I'm done sewing I'll get some proper photographs taken.

x x x x

Choosing colour

It's not working!!! :(  

I totally thought I had it, what other colour would sort out my blanket than....  

Purple!

So I hooked up these four squares and I was pretty excited until last night when I put them with the other colours & it just doesn't work for me.  Not one bit.

I tried it without the green, and it's better but I do like the green so I'm not sure now what to do.  I've decided the purple is too dark, it either needs a shade between to made it blend or it needs to go.  It's only four squares and they can be saved for another project.

I went back to my original colour palette with an even mix of colours but the problem with this is I've run out of Pomegranate, Wisteria and Meadow
so if I want an even mix this is as big as it can get!

I added in the grey, which I'm still happy with because it's not too far from the Wisteria / Lavender shades.

I might have run out of Stylecraft but I do have some lovely shades of pink sent to me by Nanita who if you remember ages ago I did a swap with? I posted about it here, two years ago!!

I haven't used all of the yarn so I'm going to see how more pink works out...  And then decide whether to go all pink or try to keep with a bit of green... This was supposed to be fun right?  ;)

x x x x

Adventures in Paperchase

Paperchase might possibly be my favourite shop...  I don't always find things I want, but when I do I DO!  They had a little sale on in my nearest shop.  I came back with a bunch of lovely things more a mere £10 :)

One of the whole points of buying a house is surely to end up with something you've created and love right?  I think so too, so I've a new scrapbook that I'm looking forward to filling with ideas & inspiration.

I also miss cassettes, no one makes mix tapes anymore :(

I've seen Washi tape all over the internet although I had no idea what it was, well apart from being tape that is.  Google it (or bing it, whatever you prefer!) there are some fabulous and I mean fabulous things decorated with it, my favourite being a Mac Book keyboard.  Possibly un-practical but lovely.

I'm not sure what I'll do with these yet, but they're quite nice.

Lastly my favourite and best bargain a pencil crochet hook case!  The knitting needle rolls I've sewn aren't really suitable for hooks, especially as mine all have handles but this is PeRfEcT!

 

It's got lovely little side pouches too for my hooks that haven't yet been introduced to Fimo :)

 

Too dark to photograph now, but during the week & at our WI Craft Club I started hooking a new colour for my blanket and I think it works!  This might just be the missing link...  

Much love 

x x x x