Techniques Revisited - Part 4 (Spirelli)

Good morning!

Today I want to share a lovely pendant/ornament I received with you.  It's the Spirelli technique. Makes you think of a spirograph doesn't it?

My friend Carol sent me this lovely piece:

This technique works well with any scalloped shape (and is a good way to use up some of those fibers in your stash).  

• I start with a piece of double sided tape on the back of my shape.  
• I lay the end piece of the thread onto the tape and bring up through one of the indentions.  
• Then take the thread down one of the scallops indentions. The look of the finished piece will change, depending on the spacing of your threads.  You can make a tight pattern with a lot of inner space (for stamping), or you can make a smaller pattern (or even no spacing at all if you put your thread straight across).
• Bring your thread back up in the next indention and continue with an over/under pattern until you are completely back around the piece.  
• The above piece goes through every indention twice to make the pattern.

My friend used a metallic thread and used a metal button for the center.

Other uses for those fibers you've been saving:

• Use instead of ribbon when wrapping presents.
• Use to make animal fur for stamped images
• Hair on your stamped people
• Use to make borders on your scrapbook pages (or cards)
• Use them to "hang" charms or embellishments
• Use them for "fence" wire.

Come on, let's add to this list...Just leave a comment and tell me what your favorite use for fibers are. Then pull them out and use them.

Put some color in your day.

Tuesday Tip Day - More Fiber Fun

WOW!! Less than 2 weeks til Christmas.  The time has snuck up on me, and I'm not ready.  Are you ready?  I did manage to get all my Christmas cards done, but I haven't finished my Christmas shopping.  Yikes, I'd better get a move on.

This blog is posted several different places, so not all the comments show up here. It's also linked to my Facebook page, and of course, the comments there don't show up here.  If you want to friend me on Facebook, please make sure you put blog in the comment section so I'll know where you found me.

Now, let's get some more fiber tips!  Some of these may also be used for scrapbooking. I like that you can use fibers in multiple places.

You can use fibers to:

• Map out your vacation route with fiber threaded through eyelets (great scrapbook page)
• Spell out the greeting, using fibers to stitch out the letters
• Make a frame around a stamped image.
• Use as laces on paper pieced shoes (great for paper pieced sneakers)
• Use fibers to tie 2 or more elements together
• Scarf on a stamped or paper pieced snowman
• Create bows
• Fringe on animals
• Build a water/mountain outline
• Attach a tail to a kit
• Use for seaweed
• Make clotheslines for hanging small clothes with tiny pins.
• Stitching a template design
• To hang or attach buttons or charms
• Use to hang signs from buttons, brads or eyelets

Can you think of other uses for fibers?  Please leave a comment and let us know.

I don't know if I will get to post again before Christmas, but I'll try.  If not, have a great Christmas.

Hugs,

Tuesday Tip Day

Good morning!  It's been awhile since I've posted, I know, but life has been busy.

Thanksgiving was a great success this year.  We didn't cook, we went out to a restaurant with a Thanksgiving buffet and enjoyed our meal immensely. Scott roasted a small turkey breast so we would have "leftovers" for sandwiches, and I bought a couple of pies, and we were good to go. And the best part was, we didn't have to spend 2 days cooking and all the mess to be cleaned up.  And we had turkey, ham, prime rib and baked stuffed sole, so the family members who really don't care for turkey were in heaven. Hope yours was fantastic, too.

I thought today I would give you some tips for using those fibers that you have left over from when fibers were all the rage. If you are like me, you still have lots left. Let's use them up.  Here are some ways to do that:

• Weave through mesh
• Create trees or grass
• Make hair or other features on paper dolls
• Use as a string for balloon diecuts or stamped balloons
• Tie through the hole on a tag
• Create a spider web
• Use as decorations on a Christmas tree
• Use as decorations on an Easter Egg
• Use as a blanket stitch around a border or mat
• Make tassels
• As needlepoint stitches on your page or card
• As an enhancement to die cuts
• Use to hang mini tags
• Use as an accent on Serendipity Squares
• As embroidery stitching
• Attach to a brad and use as a yoyo
• Use for wrapping presents
• Wind fibers tightly together to form the center of a flower

Can you think of other uses for fibers?  Please add a comment. We will keep adding to the list.

Have a great week and I hope you get to do something crafty.