String Nest Bowl for Easter

I've been wanting to make a giant double sided string bowl ever since I made the little ones for Easter a couple of years ago. They came about because our string eggs were squished and I loved the double weave and the little space in between the layers.

Materials:
Cotton yarn skein
Balloon
White glue
Popsicle or craft stick   
2-3 Plastic trash bags
Glass bowl
Measuring cup

 
Get ready:
Protect the table surface with plastic bag (maybe even the floor).
Cut armholes and a neck hole in the other plastic bag and put it on like a smock.

Make:
Add ¼ water to ½ cup glue in the measuring cup –mix well with the craft stick.
Pull the yarn end from the middle of the skein.
Add the cotton yarn skein to the glass bowl.

Pour the glue water straight down into the middle of the skein.

Swish the cotton yarn skein around with the craft stick and let it absorb the glue water.

Pull the string from the middle of the skein and wrap the wet yarn around the balloon.
Cover the whole balloon.

This is messy- that’s why you’re wearing a trash bag to protect your clothes – you'll find that you need to brace the balloon against your tummy to wrap the gluey string around the balloon (notice in the picture my bag is too small).

Set the balloon on the bowl to dry overnight (don’t worry, you can wash the bowl later).

Turn the balloon to make sure all the yarn is COMPLETELY DRY.

Gently check to see if the string is pulling away from the balloon then use a pin to burst the balloon.

Carefully pull the deflated balloon out from the egg.

Push the middle top down into the center and squish the side edges together.

Square Christmas String Ornaments

For today's ornament (my personal challenge to make an ornament a day using only what I have on hand) I wanted to recreate the string disks I made last year (for work) but to try them as squares-or diamonds as they hang better diagonally.

Materials:
•Bakers twine, string, Perle cotton or light weight yarn
18 feet/216 inches
•Light weight cardboard (from a white gift box or a thick paper plate)
•Plastic jewels (or sequins or pom-poms plus glue or glue dots-use what you have)
•Pinking scissors
•Push pin
•Needle 

Cut the cardboard into a 3” square with pinking scissors.
Poke a hole with a push pin in the center of the square.

Thread one end of a length of string (about 18’) through the hole.
Remove the needle leaving a 5" tail on the back to tie off later.

Wrap the string around the square starting in one corner, moving from one notch on the top and then down around to the bottom until the square is completely filled.

Tie and knot the twine off with tail.
Add a decoration (plastic jewels, sequins or pom-poms) to the center front and back of the square.

Poke a hole with a push pin at the top of the square and insert a hanger or string loop for hanging.

String Nests for Easter

Yes! It’s something new to do with those crazy string eggs!

Last year we made them for work (in December, because that's how we roll around here) and then put them out at Easter time.

When I unpacked the Easter stuff last week --Yawzaa! one was squished! But I think it was such a great happy accident because immediately --I saw it as a cool design-y nest. So I did it will all the eggs.

Cut a little paper egg for a place name and now we're good to go!

I’ve seen the string eggs used to make garlands, wreaths, and ornaments but – only here folks - are you seeing a lemon made into lemonade- metaphorically speaking.
I’m going to tell you the truth. I could not blow up the water balloons and I used regular balloons when I made ours. 

Here’s a video of the balloon shrinking.

So let’s say you made the eggs last year or last week… then just push the middle top down into the center and squish the side edges together.

Really, it's not rocket science but it's super cute. 

I suppose if you were making them into nests on purpose - you could just wrap half the balloon but I like the double weave and the little space in between the layers and the jelly beans seem to stay inside the bowl just fine.

If you’re wondering how to make the eggs here are some more links:

http://craftwhack.com/cool-craft-string-easter-eggs/
http://www.instructables.com/id/String-Easter-Eggs/

Christmas String Ornaments

These string disks are one of my favorite projects I made for work for Christmas this year. They may even use things you already have around the house (because everyone has adhesive jewels- right?) They're fast and easy to make and are a great idea for an ornament exchange.

These pictures were taken in July-my camera is broken! It's been acting wonky since Halloween and now the lens is down for the count.
Very sad. I have some projects planned but will have to wait to post until a fix is found.

Materials:

• Bakers twine
• Light weight cardboard (from a white gift box or a thick paper plate)
• Adhesive Gems (or sequins or pom poms plus glue-use what you have)
• Pinking scissors
• Optional: Glitter paper/ tacky glue

Trace around a can or lid on the cardboard then cut out the disks.
Trim each disk with pinking scissors.
Tie one end of a length of bakers twine around the middle of the disk with the knot on the "back".
Wrap the twine around the disk, moving from one notch on the top and then to the bottom until the disk is completely filled.
Tie and knot the twine off at the back.
Add an adhesive gem to the front center (and the back if you like) of the disk.
Determine which edge looks best at the top and thread a short length of twine through the string in the notch and tie the ends together to make a loop.

You could also add to the "back side" with a slightly larger disk cut from glitter paper.

Glitter paper doesn't stick well to things - double sided tapes and glue dots haven't worked for me. So far- tacky glue is the only thing that has done the job.

 

 

Twig Necklace

 

 

Cut small disks from a hardwood branch and sand them using 150 grit paper flat on the sandpaper.

Drill a small hole and decorate- the possibilities are endless-you can use scribbles glitter, permanent marker, paint, initials, words, glue things on like a tissue paper flowers or a real dried flower?- possibly seal it?

You could put a jump ring in the hole but we used lightweight twine (which might be itchy but it was what we had on hand) in the hole and back around in on itself. It would look nice with a light linked metal chain I think- more finished?