Sewing a bag

Simple sewing projects : a bag, an apron, a pillowcase and a washbag are examples of things you can make easily once you can sew by hand or with a sewing machine. You can use materials you like either new from a shop or favourite old clothes.

How to make these simple sewing projects by hand or with a machine

Handsewing

  • Threading up the needle . Put thread tight over the top of the needle. Pull it off
  • Thread it though the eye
  • How to hold the needle . Sew the material inside out.
  • Poke in the needle 3 cm behind the thread- back stitch





  • Draw the needle 3cm in front of the thread
  • A simpler stitch is this running stitch – weave in and out with the needle
  • Fill the needle with as many stitches as you can
  • Pull the needle and thread through and repeat this process till the end of the row – then lay it flat
  • Rotate the cloth and go back on the same row filling the gaps.
  • Fold the material 2cm down from the top of the bag. Sew a hem for a cord

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    Knit a lamb

    • Here is the kit and a finished example of two lambs you can make from it
    • There are 25 meters x2 in each kit below.

    Use size 3-4 needles and approximately 35 metres ( hand to chest or hand to elbow – 1m).Wind it round in 1m lengths.
     

    Cast on 34 stitches ..knit for 6 ribs (12 rows) plain knitting .
    Cast off 7 stitches loosely and knit to the end of the row and then cast off 7 stitches on the other  side .
    Keep knitting for 4 ribs.
    Cast on 7 stitches on both sides ,
    Knit for another 6 ribs .
    Cast off 11 stitches on both sides.
    Knit 8 rib
    Another 4 ribs in black ( another colour ) if you want or just the same colour ( this will be the sheep’s head)

    Sew together as in the photos and put filling ( sheep’s wool or fibre or cotton wool ) into it before sewing up the last bit of the body —maybe use an end of a pencil to spread it evenly into the corner.
    Sew the head together as shown in the pictures.

    How to crochet and put the tail on the lamb

    Below you can order a kit to knit two lambs, one black and one white. Provided is wool ( approx 2 x 25m )I have spun myself as well as loose washed wool for the filling. Please send an email stating what you require. Having received confirmation from me then please pay below or go to etsy.com and enter starfishcraftshop. Thank you .

    Two lambs- knitting homespun wool kit

    A simple knitting project. This kit provides black and white natural undyed home spun wool to make 2 lambs. Hand drawn instructions are also included as well as washed sheep’s wool for the filling.

    £10.00

    Spinning and knitting projects

    The long evenings are great for doing bigger projects like spinning or knitting jumpers. Perhaps listen to your favourite podcast or audiobook.

    I have been spinning since I was a child. Our mother set up each of us (6 children ) with a spinning wheel! We also had our own sheep so we wore their coats!

    • My Mum knitted this using alpaca wool
    • This sheep’s wool jumper I made is warm even under snow!

    I have spun and knitted my parent’s sheep’s wool all through my childhood and for my own children making them each a sheep’s wool and alpaca jumper in different shades. If you would like a bigger quantity of hand spun wool please contact me below.

    Hand spinning with a spindle

    All you need is a stick and a potato or apple stuck in.

    Below are links to kits to make lambs and chickens.

    Knit a lamb

    Snowdrops – pressing flowers

    • Put a few flowers on blotting paper or some other absorbent paper or newspaper. Then put another piece of paper on top. Put heavy books on top and leave for a week.

    You could take a few crocuses, primroses or other flowers from your garden to press throughout the year. You can use them for cards, or calendars or even a lampshade. You can also mount them on transparent sticky back paper and use them as a window display.

    Artists 1-10

    STAGE 1

    Dates can be learnt more easily if they are linked to a visual image such as major memory system outlined here. By assigning numbers a consonant you can create words and therefore images.

    • 0 = s or z
    • 1 = d or t
    • 2 = n
    • 3 = m
    • 4 = r
    • 5 = l
    • 6 = g,j, ch soft sounds
    • 7= g, k hard sounds
    • 8 = f or v
    • 9 = b or p

    Vowels aren’t assigned a number they act as blanks.

    So the word bat = 91, the word name = 23. It is a phonetic system so how things sound is how a number is assigned. The word cough for example is the number 78.

    So how do you memorize dates? Example 1255.

    The 1 can be assumed so the task is to memorize 255.

    2 is and N , 5 is an L . So Duccio’s birth year 1255 can be memorized by a simple sentence using the first letter of each word.

    Nearly Life Like.

    STAGE 2

    Each of the 100 greatest painters is hung on a key word representing the numbers 1 -100. By learning 100 words based on this system you have effectively 100 hooks to hang information on. This makes learning the hundred most important artists in Western history possible

    So number 1 is day, number 2 is noah, number 3 is ma, etc. Learn the first ten numbers first then work at the dates for each painter. You will soon get the hang of it.

    • day = 1
    • Noah = 2
    • Ma = 3
    • Ra = 4
    • Law = 5
    • Jaw = 6
    • Key = 7
    • Fee = 8
    • Bee = 9
    • Daze = 10

    1 DAY

    DUCCIO

    Nearly life like

    Multi dimensional View

    1255

    1318

    2 NOAH

    GIOTTO

    Now Giotto Gives

    Mary Magdalene Grief

    1277

    1337

    3 MA

    MARTINI

    Announcing Fab Result

    Martinis are Ready

    1284

    1344

    4 RA

    VAN EYCK

    Marriage of Oils

    Arnolfini’s Real Touch

    1385

    1441

    5 LAW

    ANGELICO

    Mary Followed Gabriel’s

    Rather Long Look

    1387

    1455

    6 JAW

    UCCELLO

    Magnificent Battle Clashing

    Rival’s Colour Landscape

    1397

    1475

    7 KEY

    Roger van WEYDEN

    My! Put Those

    Rich Sheets away Roger

    1391

    1464

    8 FEE

    MASSACCIO

    Really Sad Adam

    Wretched Naughty Eve

    1401

    1428

    9 BEE

    PIERO

    Renaissance Dove Softly

    Regards Piero’s Inspiration

    1410

    1492

    10 DAZE

    BELLINI

    Rigid Madonna Sits

    Through Light Thundery Showers

    1436

    1516

    Here are some links to great talks from the National gallery on some of the artists above.

    Paper Snowflakes and New Year Displays

    These paper snowflakes make a cheerful display in the winter when the world outside is quite bare and dormant. You can use white or coloured paper and can be made from circles or squares. You can also use thin felt or material as a fun alternative as a table decoration or mat.

    Here is an illustrated guide to making these attractive patterns

    • Fold in half 3 or 4 times
    • Draw a circle using something circular like a bowl
    • Cut out the circles
    • An alternative fold is to fold the circle in half and then both sides into the centre
    • Draw patterns to cut out on the paper if you feel artistic e.g. half a tree or half a heart. Triangles and curling shapes also work well
    • You’ll get a nice result if you don’t cut the outside of the circle more than once or twice
    • At the end if you cut at an angle it will make a star at the centre when opened up
    • IF the window tends to gather condensation the decoration is protected if you use self adhesive see through backing. It will then last several years
    • Self adhesive clear sticky backing
    • Hold the see through sticky paper down with some weighted objects. Don’t pull the paper right off the backing as it springs back

    Hanging Star- Christmas Decoration

    You need :

    6 squares of any sort of paper size to make this very nice decoration. You can also use magazines or photocopy paper with print on it! Practically anything works. Avoid hanging near a window which tends to get condensation.

    It is simple to make but produces a great decoration. Children above 7 can manage it easily.

    Video to follow on 18th Dec