With the opening of the shop getting closer, I have been concentrating my creativity on making examples of what it’s possible to do with scraps. As I’ve mentioned previously, our first window display is going to be “ScrapHappy”. One of my aims is to demonstrate how beautiful the things we make from scraps can be – even if our starting point is less than inspiring.

When we moved into the shop we found three plastic packets, each containing a polycotton pillow case. Two were cream coloured and one was an uninspiring brown. In all cases, the fabric did not feel very nice and so I had no desire to use them as pillow cases, and the brown one had a frill around it, which did absolutely nothing to make is any less unattractive. I spent quite some time, therefore, deconstructing all three and this yielded quite a lot of fabric. I had a plan for the cream material (that’s coming in a later post), but it wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that inspiration struck about the brown. You may remember that some time ago I made a wreath from scraps, which was mounted on a polystyrene ring that I had been given. Having just acquired a lovely book by Kate Eastwood about crocheting garlands and wreaths, I was in the mood for another wreath. However, I was determined to make the base from something better than polystyrene. I hate weaving willow, so that was out and so I turned to that brown pillowcase. I made three long sausages, which I stuffed with tiny scraps of yarn and fabric that I had put aside for just such a purpose. I experimented with plaiting these and found that they made a very acceptable, but floppy ring. So, I started again and intertwined the plait around a metal hoop that I had salvaged from a lampshade that my mum was throwing out. The result was absolutely perfect.

Then, I fished around for some suitable yarn scraps and set about making a toadstool wreath because I had suitable colours. In the book, the author suggests attaching the crocheted leaves, acorns and toadstools onto a willow wreath base using a hot glue gun, but because my base was stuffed fabric, I was able to stitch them on.

Apart from the thread, this creation is 100% scrap, and I am very happy with the result. It’s not quite the season for it right now, but I don’t think that matters.

-oOo-

I’ve been inspired to write this (and future) ScrapHappy posts by Kate,  Tall Tales from Chiconia. On the fifteenth of every month lots of folk often publish a ScrapHappy post, do check them out:

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan (me), Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Bekki, Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin, Vera, Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2 , Bear, Noreen, Preeti, Edith and Jule

If you fancy joining, contact Kate and she’ll add you to the list. It would be lovely to see more non-sewing posts, but any use of scraps is welcome.