The Making Granny

  Today we thought we’d make the most use of a teachers’ strike day, so my granddaughter decided we needed to upcycle an old, broken violin into a bedside lamp and produced her design ideas. First we gathered the main components we needed together: 1. Wood for base 2. Dowel 3. Light fitting  4. Old violin As we had chosen a random log slice, we needed to sand it smooth. Next we drilled 2 holes in the base, one for the bottom of the violin and one for the support dowel. Then followed up with some teak oil to help it match the colour of the violin.  We then assembled the dowel and added a coat of teak oil to this too! Next we added the violin… …and fixed it securely in place. Then we added the electrical wiring. …and then we were done!

DIY Inkle Loom Well, it’s been a long time since my last post. I have done some ‘making’ over the past few months, but during this awful pandemic, my heart has not been in it. Very little opportunities to spend time with grandchildren or family, which is where my inspiration usually flows from.  However, I thought the time had come to learn a new skill, so here it is - Inkle weaving. I found instructions on making a diy loom here:  http://heartsonfibre.blogspot.com/2011/11/diy-cardboard-box-inkle-loom-tutorial.html I decided to make a ‘mini’ version, so I halved all the measurements and it seems to work perfectly. I have made a few mistakes as I learn the method of actually weaving, but am improving as I go and am completely hooked now. The next step was to make the ‘heddles’ using this link:  http://heartsonfibre.blogspot.com/2013/02/inkle-tutorial-2-making-heddles.html Then onto the ‘warping’ and actual weaving using these really helpful videos and instructions here:...

Messing about with odds and ends of driftwood and off cuts today. I cut some shapes and sanded them smooth before starting on the design. Driftwood Bracelet  I drilled 2 rows of holes through some small pieces of driftwood I had in my store and then threaded 2 rows of shirring elastic through, tying off securely. I kept them uneven for a more natural look. I finished by decorating with a few burned dots. Bird Pendant Next I experimented with a piece of shell, which, with a little imagination and burning, could be made into a bird... Pearl Pendant Finally I drilled two holes into the knots of a small piece of wood and glued in a couple of beads... Let your imagination run wild...

As it was raining today, I thought some hearty baking was in order! I had small amount of mincemeat left in the ‘fridge and thought it was time I used it up.  I used an easy recipe I found on Pinterest at www.yummly.co.uk ( https://pin.it/5DOOubX ). Mix the dry ingredients together: 1.5 cups plain flour 1.75 cups of porridge oats 2 teaspoons of baking powder 1/4 teaspoon of salt In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup (110g) of butter with 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence, Then combine both mixes together. Spoon half the mixture into a greased 13”x9” tin and press down firmly (I use a potato masher). Spread one cup of mincemeat over the top and cover with the rest of the mixture, firming down again. Bake at 170°C for about 20-25 minutes until lightly browned. Leave to cool slightly before cutting. Delicious!

With the prospect of our lock down being relaxed in the near future, I thought I would research mask making! There are so many types that it wasn’t easy to choose the most suitable, but eventually I went for the popular 3 fold type with a wire insert and pocket for additional filter. This one seemed to make the closest fit to the face. My research suggested that closely woven fabric was ideal so I went for cotton, using an old shirt belonging to my other half  ( he’s unlikely to read this post, so will never know!). If you’re running short on ‘making’ supplies don’t forget that most small local craft shops are providing a postal and delivery service and really need your support at the moment so why not give them a ring. Our local one can be found at www.crispincrafts.co.uk and can be reached on their mobile number at the moment on  07867673105. So first you need a rectangle 12 inches by 9 inches. I found it easier to fold the material in half and use a 6 inches by...

So here we are in lock down all trying to keep busy and upbeat. As the weather has been so good we have been busy bringing the garden back into shape after it’s rather wet winter and so my ‘making’ has been rather curtailed. However, my daughter and son in law have a wedding anniversary coming up and as we’re self isolating there’s no chance of buying them a card. I had a look on line but decided to make my own. First I went through my stash of used greetings cards which are usually cannibalised by my granddaughters, but I don’t think they’ll be visiting any time soon as there is no end to the lock down in sight currently. Next I pasted over the writing inside the card with coloured paper. I used two separate pieces as the card didn’t crease correctly in the centre when closed with one continuous piece. I then cut out 4 large hearts in a contrasting colour, folding the paper so I could cut them out all in one go using a template. I folded each heart in half and stuck hal...

My eldest granddaughter loves to lie on the floor and watch TV and usually takes all the cushions from the sofa, much to the annoyance of the rest of the family! So, l decided to alleviate the situation with a simple pillow bed. I used an old double duvet cover which I have had in the airing cupboard for the last 15 years at least! I cut it in half across the middle, as it is the bottom half of the duvet cover we need, so we can use the fasteners along the side to enable easy washing! Once you’ve cut it in half, turn it inside out and sew up the long seam, leaving the fastener side open. Turn it the right way again and place 4 pillows on the right side. Make 4 compartments for the pillows by pinning into quarters using plenty of pins to get the straight lines. I also used tailor’s chalk to ensure the lines were straight. Sew the 3 lines across the cover.  Pop the pillows into the cover and if needed, open the seam at the bottom of the cover to enable the end ...