# Calling crafters and makers: Simple projects...



## Andy in Germany (23 Aug 2021)

I'm looking for simple craft projects to do with clients, in wood, metal, paper, leather, beads and wire, air drying clay... you name it. I'll have up to 15 clients, all adults. I can't supervise everyone all the time, but stages which need supervision are fine.

Something like this is ideal because it requires minimal tools and materials but means people can take something home with them:

Metal Man Pencil Holder : 6 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables 

Alternatively something papery like this:

Glossy Paper Beads : 13 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables

Any suggestions welcome...


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## Punkawallah (23 Aug 2021)

Plaster cast statues or similar?


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## Oldhippy (23 Aug 2021)

May I suggest simple jewellery making. Very satisfying, for me anyway.


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## Bazzer (23 Aug 2021)

Collage, if some have artistic leanings?
More longer term, if you can get your clients and/or their families to collect bottle caps, plastic or metal, they can be stuck to card or to each other, to make a specific shape, or a collage. Pinterest has image ideas.


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## Sittingduck (23 Aug 2021)

Personalised pet things - e.g. wooden strip customised with the name of the hound and some rustic metal hooks attached, for hanging up dog leads and the like. 

Add in a special birthday themed picture frame and have the client supply the photo of their beloved 4 legged friend.


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## icowden (23 Aug 2021)

Andy in Germany said:


> Any suggestions welcome...



Découpage is easy but takes a little while and has a result that you can usually take home as long as you leave some drying time.
You just need lots of bits of interesting paper, some pva and something to cover.

If you can get the raw materials (washers, nuts, bolts, wingnuts and a keyring) a nuts and bolts man keyring is fun. My kids did it at guides.

Again, if you can get the tools and components, then things like belt making can be relatively simple.


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## chriswoody (23 Aug 2021)

Would you be happy for your clients to do some whittling? these mushrooms are a great little project that I've done a number of times:







There are some instructions here:

https://richardirvine.co.uk/2014/12/mushrooms/

He has also written a fantastic book full of straight forward, easy to achieve projects out of wood. 

https://richardirvine.co.uk/forest-craft-book/

Not sure if this is a little tricky and too advanced, but I have a pdf of steps to build a twig chair. I've not written these instructions they were copied from the internet. 






I've a number of other wood projects and I'll have a ponder and post some more up if they're suitable.


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## MontyVeda (23 Aug 2021)

Picture frames?

small clip frames are a cheap way to get the glass and backing board... then make frames from card, decorated in some way; beads, glitter, twigs, leaves, etc. ...or wood of course. But I'd advise simple butted corners unless they're half handy with wood; 8 perfect mitres isn't that easy and if they're not perfect they look sh!t.


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## annedonnelly (23 Aug 2021)

I've a book that shows how to fold paper in different ways to make little books. Some have holes cut in so you look through one page to the one behind. It suggests writing or drawing on some of the pages. I can dig out the details if you thought it would be of any use.


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## Andy in Germany (23 Aug 2021)

annedonnelly said:


> I've a book that shows how to fold paper in different ways to make little books. Some have holes cut in so you look through one page to the one behind. It suggests writing or drawing on some of the pages. I can dig out the details if you thought it would be of any use.



Certainly sounds interesting: could you let me know the title and author?


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## Andy in Germany (23 Aug 2021)

MontyVeda said:


> Picture frames?
> 
> small clip frames are a cheap way to get the glass and backing board... then make frames from card, decorated in some way; beads, glitter, twigs, leaves, etc. ...or wood of course. But I'd advise simple butted corners unless they're half handy with wood; 8 perfect mitres isn't that easy and if they're not perfect they look sh!t.



Hadn't thought of that, but we get lots of frames so it would be a fairly easy activity, thanks...


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## slowmotion (23 Aug 2021)

Wooden spoon carving. Sycamore is easy to shape if you can get some.


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## Reynard (23 Aug 2021)

Dreamcatchers maybe. Good way of using old bangles or embroidery hoops, and old beads. Feathers can be easily picked up from various sources.

If you can get loads of shells and pebbles, then decorated plant pots.

What about macrame? You can make all sorts of stuff from knotted string.

Felt or paper flowers.

Mobiles with origami danglies.


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## annedonnelly (24 Aug 2021)

Andy in Germany said:


> Certainly sounds interesting: could you let me know the title and author?


It's this one, but there seem to be at least one more by the same author.


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## Cycleops (24 Aug 2021)

Can I suggest a simple foam board Chuck glider. There are loads of plans on the net but these guys come up with some good stuff. All you need is some foam boards and a hot melt glue gun or similar quick adhesive:

View: https://youtu.be/WeDy8WhYAUI
Theres a link to the free plans in the description.


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## alicat (24 Aug 2021)

I'm loving this thread ... they're about my skill level. Can I join your class @Andy in Germany ? I promise not to need much help, just praise for my efforts?


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## Reynard (24 Aug 2021)

If you can get some old slate roof tiles, they're easy to cut with a hacksaw and carve with small crafting chisels.

So drinks coasters, gaming counters (chess pieces maybe - the carved bits can be painted white & red with acrylics), house numbers...


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## KnittyNorah (24 Aug 2021)

For those who want to sit in peace, or for if there are almost no resources available, you can do a very simple thing based on a seven-strand straw plait, using a bit of sturdy cardboard and some scraps of yarn. It's like a very simple form of of kumihimo.
Here's a pdf download giving a basic introduction from the Braid Society; you just cut an octagon of sturdy card, make a little nick centrally on each straight edge and pierce a hole in the middle.


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## annedonnelly (24 Aug 2021)

KnittyNorah said:


> For those who want to sit in peace, or for if there are almost no resources available, you can do a very simple thing based on a seven-strand straw plait, using a bit of sturdy cardboard and some scraps of yarn. It's like a very simple form of of kumihimo.
> Here's a pdf download giving a basic introduction from the Braid Society; you just cut an octagon of sturdy card, make a little nick centrally on each straight edge and pierce a hole in the middle.


Sounds like French knitting - four nails hammered into (an old-fashioned wooden) cotton reel


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## KnittyNorah (24 Aug 2021)

annedonnelly said:


> Sounds like French knitting - four nails hammered into (an old-fashioned wooden) cotton reel



The concept of threads entering a hole separate and coming out all joined together, is about all it shares with French knitting! 
It's known as 'fill-gap' and you just move threads around to - guess what - fill a gap ... 
Most commonly done with seven threads (hence the octagonal card) but there are many and very complex variations once you enter the realms of 'proper' kumihimo. The seven-strand one is nice enough, though.

I do Anglo-Saxon finger-manipulated loop braiding, which requires no equipment whatsoever, other than thread or yarn, but although it is in essence extremely simple, it's one of those things that's apparently very difficult to learn. I've been able to do it since childhood but it was only a few years ago I learned it had a name and was of historic interest!

@Andy in Germany  - you might also want to look at whipcording; you just need somewhere to suspend the cord at eye level or above - a hook in the ceiling, or a loop of string around a branch of a tree. It can be done as a cooperative activity with two people, each controlling two of the bobbins which hold the thread used to form the whipcord. It's a much faster way of making long, long lengths of decorative - and functional - cord than most other hand-manipulated methods.


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## annedonnelly (24 Aug 2021)

KnittyNorah said:


> I do Anglo-Saxon finger-manipulated loop braiding, which requires no equipment whatsoever, other than thread or yarn, but although it is in essence extremely simple, it's one of those things that's apparently very difficult to learn. I've been able to do it since childhood but it was only a few years ago I learned it had a name and was of historic interest!



I did a workshop on that a few years ago but never practised afterwards. Every now & then I find the sample bits that I brought away.

I presume from your username you're a knitter. I can do this basics but it's not something that excites me at all. However, I do need to get started on a couple of dishcloths...


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## KnittyNorah (25 Aug 2021)

annedonnelly said:


> I presume from your username you're a knitter. I can do this basics but it's not something that excites me at all. However, I do need to get started on a couple of dishcloths...



Many years ago, I used to knit with one, two, four or five needles. It never really thrilled me - I always preferred dressmaking - but I found the repetitive actions soothing when I had a busy life and a stressful job.
Now I knit with up to 250 - much more fun and an entirely different skill of its own!


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## Reynard (25 Aug 2021)

KnittyNorah said:


> Many years ago, I used to knit with one, two, four or five needles. It never really thrilled me - I always preferred dressmaking - but I found the repetitive actions soothing when I had a busy life and a stressful job.
> Now I knit with up to 250 - much more fun and an entirely different skill of its own!



Knitting machine, perchance?


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## lazybloke (25 Aug 2021)

An early and not entirely successful attempt at felting merino wool into the Close Encounter mountain an ornamental pot.


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## KnittyNorah (25 Aug 2021)

Reynard said:


> Knitting machine, perchance?



Indeed! And it's all done backwards ... a bit like Ginger Rogers, who did everything that Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels!

My favourite is the entirely manual, plastic Bond from the 1980s - I have three of them which it is possible to link together (if you have a suitable surface on which to use the machine) and that's what gets me 250+ needles in one go. More usually I just have a single machine set up for 100 and sometimes just half a machine with 40 - 45 usable needles. I do have other machines as well, much more sophisticated ones, but there's something about the simplicity of the Bonds that I really like. 

I'm currently looking for a Record or similar garter stitch machine - these usually date from the 1950s. One of my contacts took one to the tip a couple of months ago because he had no idea that I might be interested in it ... aaaaarrrrgggghhhhh!


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## Reynard (25 Aug 2021)

KnittyNorah said:


> Indeed! And it's all done backwards ... a bit like Ginger Rogers, who did everything that Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels!
> 
> My favourite is the entirely manual, plastic Bond from the 1980s - I have three of them which it is possible to link together (if you have a suitable surface on which to use the machine) and that's what gets me 250+ needles in one go. More usually I just have a single machine set up for 100 and sometimes just half a machine with 40 - 45 usable needles. I do have other machines as well, much more sophisticated ones, but there's something about the simplicity of the Bonds that I really like.
> 
> I'm currently looking for a Record or similar garter stitch machine - these usually date from the 1950s. One of my contacts took one to the tip a couple of months ago because he had no idea that I might be interested in it ... aaaaarrrrgggghhhhh!



Ah. The marvel of trying to replicate human actions with engineering can lead to some interesting solutions. 250 needles must give you quite a wide bit of knitting.

Mum's the yarn hobbyist here - lace, crochet, knitting. I merely nick her needles for modelling and craft purposes...


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## KnittyNorah (25 Aug 2021)

Reynard said:


> 250 needles must give you quite a wide bit of knitting.


Because of the way that knitting machines work, holding the stitches on the needles under tension, the entire setup is ~ 3m long and the piece of knitting it makes is up to ~ 2.25m wide - so I've rarely had the entire thing set up. It is actually very impractical and uncomfortable to use at that width, and the knitting itself is very unstable, floppy and drags and pulls, as it has no seams or other stable 'constructional' points. It's just a curiosity, really. 

When making blankets and throws, from small lap blanket size up to large double size, which I've made lots of for various charities, I much prefer to make them in panels. With an odd number of panels - three or five - it's easy to make the finished item look 'planned' even when it's just made from scraps. 
Joining long panels is not as onerous as it sounds, as I use various types of 'SAYG' (seam as you go) techniques on the machine, which can be as plain or as decorative as I like. That means I knit the first panel in its entirety, then the next panel is joined to the first one _as I am knitting it,_ so when I've finished the second panel, it is already joined to the first, and so on.


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## Reynard (25 Aug 2021)

KnittyNorah said:


> Because of the way that knitting machines work, holding the stitches on the needles under tension, the entire setup is ~ 3m long and the piece of knitting it makes is up to ~ 2.25m wide - so I've rarely had the entire thing set up. It is actually very impractical and uncomfortable to use at that width, and the knitting itself is very unstable, floppy and drags and pulls, as it has no seams or other stable 'constructional' points. It's just a curiosity, really.
> 
> When making blankets and throws, from small lap blanket size up to large double size, which I've made lots of for various charities, I much prefer to make them in panels. With an odd number of panels - three or five - it's easy to make the finished item look 'planned' even when it's just made from scraps.
> Joining long panels is not as onerous as it sounds, as I use various types of 'SAYG' (seam as you go) techniques on the machine, which can be as plain or as decorative as I like. That means I knit the first panel in its entirety, then the next panel is joined to the first one _as I am knitting it,_ so when I've finished the second panel, it is already joined to the first, and so on.



I can quite picture that setup in my head - sounds a bit bonkers. Guess it's one of those things filed under "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" 

Mum uses a similar approach to joining stuff together when making larger lace pieces.


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