Chip packet bracelet

Have you ever made a bracelet like this before?  I hadn't but had fun trying it out with my girls at the weekend.

Just now, we're being extra careful and learning about what we can recycle, reuse and not put in landfill.  Chip packets were one thing that as yet we haven't found anywhere to take them for recycling here, so we looked for something we could upcycle them to instead.

Using this tutorial we cut up the chip packets we had and folded them into the mini chain links, tucking them together to make this cute shiny bracelet.

The girls decided to give this bracelet to their friend who loves crafting herself.  She was really happy to get the gift, and the next day sent them a picture of another bracelet she'd made the same way (we showed her how).

Not a bad way to use up those shiny chip packets.  You could make a whole set of jewellery with them, or bags...
So many possibilities! 

Have you ever done this kind of weaving with chip packets or junk mail - or anything else for that matter. I'd love some more ideas and inspiration for this!

How to make a mini pom pom using a fork

Did you ever make pom poms as a kid?

I did, and I remember cutting circles of cardboard from cereal boxes and wrapping wool around and around them.  

It was only recently, I learned that there is another way to make a pom pom. 

A mini pom pom that is!

I checked it out and showed my girls, who then went crazy making lots and lots of them, which they then tied to their pencil cases!

In case you're wondering how to make these cute mini pom poms, we made a short video to show you!

Hope you have fun making some cute little pom poms!

French knitting

At the beginning of this year, I began to learn to crochet with my younger daughter. She has enjoyed learning and likes to pick up the wool and hook and make endless chain bracelets and necklaces!

She's getting better and holding and manipulating the hook and wool, and even managed to make a little stuffed monster!

Then this week at school we saw someone in her sister's classroom doing some French Knitting, so a new interest was found!

We had a French knitting doll at home that we hadn't yet got out of the box, so that afternoon, out it came and with the help of a You Tube video to get us started we gave it a go!

It's such a simple craft to do, and our daughter (aged 8) took to it straight away, and it's now another thing that she can pick up and do bits of here and there when the mood takes her.  It's a great way for her to practice and improve her fine motor skills, and also her concentration!

We've almost got a piece long enough to make a multicoloured mouse with!  

We have a book from the library just now, that we'd got for crochet patterns for making cute creatures - but I noticed there were also patterns for making little animals from French knitting too!

It's a great book with all sorts of fun ideas for making cute little animals with wool!

If you don't have a French knitting doll - you can also make one with a toilet roll tube and lolly sticks! 

(see here for some good instructions)

Have you tried French knitting? Have your kids? What else can you make with these tubes of knitting?