Friday 3 April 2015

EDIE & RUBY GET CRAFTY!

Want to get crafty this Easter break? My clever, creative friend Ruth has a great project to share with you!

Ruth says:
I've been wanting to try this project for ages… yarn chandeliers are kind of egg-shaped, so Easter seemed as good a time as any to have a go at making them! I roped in two brilliant helpers, Edie and Ruby, and this is what we did. Kitchen towels at the ready, folks!

First gather your ingredients…
Yarn - wool or embroidery thread, something thicker than sewing thread
50ml school glue (ie, white PVA glue)
1/2 cup of corn starch (we used cornflour)
1/4 cup warm water
coat hangers
scissors
balloons
vaseline

1. Blow up the balloons. You can go as big as you like, but we wanted smaller, egg-shaped ones (and of course they are less work!)

2. Tie the balloons onto coat hangers and hang them somewhere they are easy to reach and won't knock against anything (the curtain rail in the window was perfect - make sure the curtains are at a safe distance!) Put newspaper down underneath them to catch the drips - there will be lots!

3. Cover the balloons with a thin layer of vaseline so the yarn doesn't stick to the balloon once it has popped.

4. Mix the cornflour or starch, water and glue in a plastic container. (We used an old butter container!) Dip in a length of yarn. As you pull it out, try to slide your fingers down it to get rid of the excess paste - this bit is sooo very messy, but everyone's fave bit! Ruby and Edie (and Boo the dog!) stored the undipped string on their heads. (No, don't ask why…)

5. Begin to wrap the balloon with the dipped yarn, starting vertically, then switching to horizontal so the lines go all over. Don't try to be neat - it's joyfully random!  Cover about 3/4 of the balloon.

6. Go and clean up before anyone discovers the mess!

7. Allow to dry for 24 hours. They must be left for at LEAST this amount of time, no matter how hard and dry they may seem, so don't be tempted to rush things!

8. Pop the balloons and pull the bits of scrap balloon out through the gaps. Fiddly but fun! There will be dried crystals on the yarn, but these knock off easily. Ta-da!!! Now you have your finished chandelier - hang lots of little ones on some twigs in a vase to make an Easter tree, or place larger ones around the house as cool decorations!


Cathy says: 
Wow… I love these! So simple and so, so cool! I will definitely be having a go… how about YOU? Email me your fab crafty ideas and don't forget to COMMENT BELOW if you liked what Edie, Ruby, Ruth and Boo have made (or if you want to admire Boo's string-y Easter Bonnet!)

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