Plastic Fantastic: The marvels of melting

Beautiful butterfly collage

Yesterday I ran a melted plastic decorations workshop at The Hut, which is part of Brampton Community Centre. It was a bit of a wet and grey morning but this worked out well as the session was over subscribed so very busy, a few more than I anticipated but it kept me busy! Last year I ran a similar session at The Kirkgate Centre in Cockermouth as a drop in workshop. The session was for children and there was quite a wide age range. Because of this I'd planned two activities so that they could choose what was most suitable for them.

Arranging bits and pieces

Laying the pieces out

Another collage ready to melt

The first option was plastic bag collage. This involved collaging and then fusing pieces of plastic bags together to make pictures or abstract compositions. Some of the children made really complex collages and there were some really fun ideas.

Melting!

Cat collage

The right trousers!

The second option was to crochet chains and then arrange the chains into shapes before melting. Because it was quite a large group it was difficult to have enough time help everyone with this but all the parents, grandparents and carers were really helpful and some of the children picked it up really well and made some really long chains!

Learning to crochet

Finger crochet

Chains arranged into a flower and melted

My main aim for the session was to give the children and their carers a fun and creative activity that they could experiment more with at home. As all that is needed are plastic bags, an iron and some baking parchment it is a cheap and easy thing to experiment but with a bit of skill and practice complex patterns and pieces can be produced. I've been melting plastic bags for about ten years now and I like the element of transformation and slightly unpredictable nature of it.

Fish Collage

Fish Collage #2

Wedding Bits and Bobs

Celebratory Bird

It is once again the season of weddings and we've had two close together this year. Both of them were close friends and both incorporated a lot of handmade loveliness so it was only natural I suppose that somewhere along the line I would get drawn in! I always like working on personal commissions and special occasion pieces as it is nice to know where your work will end up and I like to think that the little bits that I make go to helping make the whole occasion even more special.

Little bags

Bead and charm detail

Bead and charm detail

For the first wedding the lovely bride had done almost all the handmade bits herself but asked me to make a couple of little purses for her bridesmaids to wear round their wrists to keep all their essentials in. I used satin fabrics in the wedding colour scheme and finished off the bags with some heart shaped beads and little key charms. I did have a cunning plan of using bangles for the handles but it all went a bit awry so instead I used pretty ribbon and made them into drawstring pouches.

Corsage

Dress clips

Gathered jacket

I also replaced the buttons

The second wedding was very much a handmade affair with almost everything made by the couples friends and family. My contribution was altering the wedding dress, a lovely vintage piece with a lacy over jacket. I gathered up the jacket at the back to add a bit of structure and interest and made a corsage to finish it off. I also made some little clips so that the long dress could be (elegantly) hitched up for dancing and merry making!

Bird and Heart

Eye detail

Heart detail

As gifts for both couples I made bird cushions with hearts embroidered with their names and the date of the wedding. I forgot to take pictures of the first one but you get the idea from the second one! These birds are based on the one I made for another wedding commission earlier this year. Last, but not least, congratulations to both couples and may your lives together be happy and joyful.

Creative Wellbeing: Tote Bags

Getting stuck in!

On Saturday I ran a session on making and decorating Tote Bags as part of the excellent Creative Wellbeing Project at Carlisle's YMCA Shaddongate Resource Centre.

Ready for the group

Funky fruit

Preparing embellishments

It was a really nice session with a lovely group of people who all made beautiful bags. Most of the materials were either from charity shops or my own wardrobe so it was great to see them being given a new life. Everyone came up with different ideas and designs and created something unique and personal.

Rubbings from print blocks

With fabric paint additions

For a colourful creation

Bright and cheerful

Sewing and pressing

A cheery boat

A cute owl

Owl detail

Tote Bags

Purple trees tote

This week I have been mostly making tote bags. Way back in March I went to Bombay Stores in Bradford with some of the Prism Arts artists to stock up on fabrics and shiny things for various Prism Arts projects. I also got a few bits for myself (well, it would have been rude not to) and have been itching to use them for ages but have been so busy I haven't had chance. Anyway, I decided I would make some tote bags because they're useful, easy to make and I really wanted to play with my new fabric!

Lining detail

Pocket detail

The first bag I made is the most complicated, it has pockets and is not only lined but I also used interfacing so it's pretty tough. I love the prints on these fabrics and I'm really pleased with how this bag worked out. All the fabrics I got from Bombay Stores were salwar kameez suit packs; you get three lengths of coordinating fabrics (one for the tunic, one for the trousers and one for the scarf) so they're a great deal.

Blues and Greens

Greens and Blues

The second two bags are much simpler because I made them as samples for an upcoming workshop. On 22nd June I will be running a Tote Bag workshop as part of the Creative Wellbeing programme currently running at YMCA Shaddongate in Carlisle. We will be using recycled fabrics to create and embellish tote bags. The workshops are free and open to anyone. You can find out more details on their website. Again, I used salwar kameez fabrics as handily they come ready coordinated!

Lining detail

Lining detail

Published Pattern

My pattern in print!

I've been keeping (fairly) quiet about this but I'm very excited to announce that I've just had my first pattern published. You can find it in this month's Inside Crochet (issue 34.) The pattern is for a pair of earrings made from crocheted and melted plastic bags, as you know I do love to crochet and melt plastic. I sent the pattern off in April and was so excited to have it accepted and it was really interesting to find out what goes on and what you have to do to get your pattern published. So, finally, here it is!

Issue 34

My project is mentioned in the editors letter

My picture of the earrings

Detail of the earring

The Lace Space Revisited

The new and improved Lace Space

Last summer during Universal, our community arts festival up at The Heathlands Project, I created, with one of my groups, the Lace Space; made of knitted, crocheted, woven and melted plastic bags. You can find the original post and pictures here: http://www.delicatestitches.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/lace-space.html It took a bit of a battering during the high winds of winter and I was never totally happy with the top of the piece so over the past few weeks (months) I have been improving it. I've added a top tier and re-hung it outside on Monday. I'm really pleased with the new section, I think it looks a lot better and it also works better when you stand inside it. Many thanks to all the folks who helped me with the sourcing, cutting, knitting and crocheting of the plastic bags!

Looking up and out the top of the Lace Space

Seen through the trees

Swaying in the breeze

From the side

At the top

Looking up

Crochet detail

Crochet detail

More crochet detail

Lace detail

Looking out through the Lace



Through the Lace