Creations...

I love creating new things, especially in Christmas. It is special to create something for your love ones. I have a few good ideas for Christmas presents, I hope you like them.

Crispy Jewellery
- Even crisps packets can be recycled in rag-work! The shiny foil is perfect for modern jewellery, and it can be cut into strips and hooked to make a loop pile surface just like fabric or yarn. Here the foil in the middle of the heart-shaped brooch contrasts beautifully with the dark fabric border. The matching ring is made following the same instructions. The card templates used for both shapes are very easy to make. You could also design other simple brooch shapes, such as a star, a crescent moon or a flower.

Materials and Equipment you will need:
- Card
- Scissors
- Hessian, 30 x 30 cm
- Marker pen
- Embroidery hoop
- Dark Fabric
- Hook
- Foil crisps packets
- Latex carpet adhesive and applicator
- Clear-drying impact adhesive
- Black felt, 12 x 12 cm
- Needle and matching thread
- Brooch clip fastening
- Ring fitting
- Superglue

Steps to follow:
1. Make a card template for the brooch. Draw a heart shape approximately 8 cm across. Place the template on the hessian and draw round it, using a marker pen. Put the hessian into the embroidery hoop.
2. Cut the dark green fabric into strips 1 cm wide. Begin hooking, following the outline of the heart shape. make close loops, approximately 1 cm high.
3. Cut the crisps packets into strips 1 cm wide. Fill in the centre of the heart shape with loops of the same height as the fabric loops. Bring all the ends through to the top of the work, and trim any excess lengths.
4. Remove the hessian from the hoop and cut around the shape, allowing a border of 2.5 cm. Apply a thin layer of latex adhesive to the back and the border. Leave to dry for 3 - 5 minutes.
5. Using scissors snip the border in towards the design at regular intervals. Turn in the edges and press down firmly. Apply small dabs of clear adhesive to the back of the work, and then cover with the black felt. Slip stitch around the edge.
6. Place the clip fastening on the back of the brooch. Stitch, using double thread. To make the ring, use a 2.5 cm diameter circle for the template. Attach the ring fitting with superglue.

Geometric Hairband
- The long, rectangular shape of this hairband lends itself to a bold repeat pattern of squares or triangles. Alternatively, you could work out your own design and colour scheme on graph paper. Try hooking small flowers or heart shapes for a completely different look. Nylon fabrics have been used in this project, but you could use cottons or a mixture of fabrics. The hairband is fastened very simply with matching ribbon ties.

Materials and Equipment you will need:
- Card
- Scissors
- Hessian, 61 cm x 30 cm
- Marker pen
- Staple gun
- Wooden frame
- Ruler
- Nylon fabrics, in assorted colours
- Hook
- Latex carpet adhesive and applicator
- Clear-drying impact adhesive
- Black felt, 33 cm x 5 cm
- Needle and matching thread
- Dressmaker's pins
- Ribbon, 1 m

Steps to follow:
1. Make a rectangular card template measuring 32 x 4 cm. Place in the centre of the hessian and draw round it, using a marker pen. Use a staple gun to attach the hessian to the frame.
2. Cut the fabrics into strips 1 cm wide. Begin by hooking the outline of your chosen design, working in close loops. Shear across the tops of the loops to create a cut pile surface.
3. Fill in the shapes, using contrasting fabrics alternately. Shear across the tops of the loops periodically as the work progresses.
4. When the design is completed, remove the hessian from the frame. Cut round the hooked rectangle, allowing an extra border of at least 2.5 cm. Apply a thin layer of latex adhesive over the back, including the border. Leave to dry for 3 - 5 minutes.
5. Turn in the border and press down firmly. Apply small dabs of clear adhesive on the back, and then cover with the black felt. Slip stitch the felt in place, turning under any excess fabric.
6. Pin the ribbon along the centre back of the hairband, leaving equal lengths at each end to make the ties. Stitch the ribbon in place.