These swans were inspired by a pair I saw in an antique shop. I took a photo of the antique ones on my mobile phone but didn’t use them as reference when I was making them in my pottery class (forgot to bring phone with me) so they have turned out in more of my own style than if I had looked at the photo.







They started out as pinch pots and are all made in one piece from earthenware clay. After the first firing I dipped them in white and used underglaze paints for the details before glazing. I haven’t tried them out with tealight candles in yet but that is my main idea for their use, in the darker months at least. A lady in my class suggested growing little plants in them or mini flower arrangements (I can’t quite remember which).

The orginals: not the best photo, taken on a phone and stretching over chairs in front.

I’m new to crochet but have been a knitter for many years and I have to admit I am enjoying learning crochet a lot more than I thought I would.





The bag is about 8x5 inches, I used just double crochet (UK) stitch and yarn leftover from another knitting project. I didn’t line it because I used a hook one size smaller than recommended to create a denser fabric. I wasn’t too sure of the thinness of the strap to start with but I’m getting used to it now.

I have a broken analogue watch lying around in a box but I can’t quite seem to get rid of it because I keep thinking ‘there must be something I can do with this’. It was a very cheap ordinary one, about four pounds, so isn’t really worth getting mended or anything. The second hand just unhinged itself one day and it stopped, so the second hand moves around completely independently and loose inside.
It doesn't have a strap anymore.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

I have been using the small pencil edging/rolled hem stitch on my overlocker to finish the edges of some veils. I noticed after I had edged the first two that the foot control was hot and was producing a nasty burning smell. I wondered if it was finishing the edges of the veils that was causing the problem as I have never had any problems with the machine before.

I took the foot control to a repair shop and they weren’t able to do anything with it so replaced it with a new one.

However when I tried edging a veil with this new foot I noticed the same thing starting to happen so stopped before it got too hot.
Does anyone know what might be causing this? Are domestic overlockers not made to sew for beyond a certain length of time? Is it something to do with the rolled hem stitch (I haven’t used this stich before having only just discovered it)?
They aren’t massively long or full veils and I have tried varying the speed as I sew around and stopping for a minute occasionally.

The overlocker is a Toyota SL3335.

Has anyone here had any problems with adjustoform dress forms?
Adjustoform was the only make of dress form I could find available in the UK and I thought a leg fitting one would be quite useful so I went for the adjustoform ‘sew deluxe leg form’. I had a few problems with the first one and then one of the white plastic bracket like bit that holds the adjusting screws snapped after a couple of months and the company were happy to replace the dress form whilst it’s under guarantee. The second one toppled over and several bits broke, it was on nearly the tallest height and on off centre so as to use the leg. Now the third one they replaced it with arrived already broken (the white plastic bit again).
I haven’t been misusing it in any way, maybe I am partially to blame for it toppling over but I expected it to be stable in any of its settings. I’m trying to get a refund now before it runs out of guarantee. Whenever ringing them up the people on their phone lines state that they haven’t had any complaints of problems before and essentially I must be doing something wrong.
So are they made with fairly cheap plastic or am I just rather unlucky? Are the different styles of adjustoforms any better? And anyone know of any other companies/brands available to the UK?
Thanks.

My Grandmother gave me a whole load of my Granddad’s old ties when she saw a bag I had made from old ties... I had been thinking of the idea of making a waistcoat type thing from ties for a while so I've finally gotten round to it now. After making it the thought occurred to me that my Granddad only bought pure silk ties.. and maybe it isn’t the best idea to make an item of clothing from them. I am really hoping it comes out okay in a gentle hand wash when I do wash it. Oh and it took six ties to make.

*Thank you all for the dry clean only advice which I will adhere to. I tend not to think quite enough about careful care required things and just go for the quick easy option then regret it.

I’ve made a few of these for divers people, but only have photos of two. From Pretty in Punk, but slightly altered I made it a bit longer, skipped the crochet edging and don’t think I used the same gauge and needle size. It's very lightly hand felted, which I haven't tried before and found it quite hard to find wool that wasn't treated to be machine washable.

After making this dress for a friend (http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=248756.0), her friend also wanted one so here it is..


Her sketch of her design.


My sister took this photo and wanted to take the credit for it. The bow has wire in it.

Having had a go at knitting gloves in the round I thought I might as well try socks. I knitted them in different shades of the wool because I get bored easily when knitting two or more identical things (still haven’t gotten round to the second glove two years later). Plus I figured I could give them to someone I know who never wears a matching pair of socks. They took just over five hours each.

From this drawing..




to this dress.






The photographs make it look rather wider and generally a bit bigger at the bodice than it actually is for some reason. Now I’ve finished the dress, a friend of the friend now wants one too which I’m currently working on.


*Thought I'd just add the little bag I made from left over fabric to go with it. Sorry for bad quality pictures.





It has a removable handle because she wasn't sure if she wanted a handle on it.