Everything is hand/homemade and is repurposed, re-used or recycled in some way. Panini has gone the way of home decor chocolate, and I have veered toward that I know so well: crafty, sew-y things for the self.
If you are free on 16 December and want something to mosey on down to, come visit our booth at the Community Care Carnival at the Tropicana Medical Centre.
So, for months I have been working like a little busy working thing, making lots of things that I would wear myself, and that I see many people wearing - but if I were to go buy it at a regular fashion store, I would pay relatively exorbitant prices, knowing the cost of the items needed to make the accessories.
I don't profess to having the best workmanship, but I can make something functional and pretty enough!
I love beautiful, luscious colours and things to look at. I particularly love arm candy, and wearing gorgeous bracelets on my wrists which look like cuffs or have that worn look. That was my aim when I started making these paperclip wrist straps.
The materials are paperclips and faux suede leather thongs or strings. I had bought some on the internet earlier this year and only just discovered they are newly easily available at that wonderous shop with the mysterious name, Bunga Reben. Double YAY!
My biggest problem was how to make fasteners for the ends, because it was very hard for me to find the ribbon crimp clasps that I needed, which are costly and also don't come in the kind of metallic sheen that matches the modern lines of the paperclip.
I also thought of stud clasps, the kind you get on baby outfits, but I was a little unsure as to how to attach them and I knew they required a bit of hammering too. It seemed too fiddly for me to attempt for now.
So I decided to go with what I am comfortable with: sewing the ends by binding them as you would the edge of a quilt, with foldover binding. However I cut the strips of material on the grain to prevent loose, flexible binding, which I sewed to one end of the strap, keeping all the thongs in order and maintaining a consistent width from edge to edge of the bracelet.
Neaten the ends and fold the strip thusly:
A little UHU or fabric glue dotted on the corners and fold all in to hide the exposed ends of the strap thongs.
Binder clips to hold the binding will I start sewing.
THe finished product before I sew on some press studs for fasteners. You can see the offcuts that I am keeping just in case I can make something out of them in the future. Waste not, want not. (Though it does take a lot of fiddly space)
Other things you will see at our booth:
Pretty, dainty wrist decor.
Christmas decor made from paper clay.
I do hope you can come over, even if to visit all the other booths. We hear there will be a gourmet delectables booth near ours, worth checking out!!
As Hubs ventures out to other lands to make a stand for the men, women and children of Palestine, we have in our tiny way, made a stand for the kids closer to home. ANd although our ultimate goal is to test the waters and see whether any of the stuff we offer appeals or is sellable, we are happy to be contributing in our small way too.
Lovey!
C
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