I have always been interested in various handcrafts, but after I retired, I was able to spend more time with it and enjoy it more. Knitting was one craft I did not continue in Florida.
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At a pioneer exhibit I was fascinated by a lady showing how to make baskets from long pine needles. The book she recommended helped with this project. I made these three baskets using needles I gathered on canoe trips and plastic strands from lawn chair webbing. The two smaller ones were given to our daughters as Easter baskets. I did not want to make any more of these baskets because they took too much time and patience to make. Also shown is a flower from a wooden dowel that was carved and shaped with a pocketknife. |
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A lamp similar to these two was given to us by a neighbor when we stayed for the summer and fall, living in a mobile home on the banks of the Wisconsin River. It is constructed of plastic canvas and yarn with a solid piece of wood in the base. The original was made for a flashlight, but these have little electric candle lights with a switch. They were given to RVing friends. |
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This ornament was made from plastic canvas, yarn, and beads. I learned to make these at craft classes in our subdivision. Different color combinations were quite effective, but the ornament was a bit too large for our Christmas tree so I hung them in the windows, using suction cup hooks. |
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The larger beaded candle was made in a craft class at an RV resort. It is made with beads and safety pins around a Glade candle holder. I also made quite a few smaller ones since the extra large safety pins were difficult to find in the craft stores. |
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These little angels made with wire and beads were perfect for decorating a Christmas tree. This was another project taught at our subdivision craft class which met once a week. These were so much fun making that I got interested in other beaded projects and still make beaded spiders, using larger beads for bodies and bugle beads for legs. |
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Frisky is enjoying her yellow personalized polar fleece blanket. It is made with a simple blanket stitch around the edge. This fabric improves with laundering, getting softer each time it is washed. |
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This was my sewing room in Illinois when I had only one sewing machine (Elna Supermatic) and a Babylock Overlock machine. Some spools of thread were kept on the wall using a discarded plastic greeting card display box painted to match the wall. |
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After two years of trying to sell the patterns and materials for these clowns, I decided to complete them myself. There were eleven clowns - each individually designed. Most of them have found homes, but a few have remained with us. They are quite maneuverable and each has its own personality. They have styrofoam heads, a short length of 2x4 wood for body, and wood clothespins for hands and feet. |
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