DIY: Paper Pens [Pictorial Guide]

Paper pens are something very easy to make. It was during one of the solid waste management workshops that I came across the idea of making pens out of magazine pages. All you need is a pen refill / cartridge, a magazine page, glue stick, white glue (I use Fevicol) and scissors. 

Below is the pictorial guide.

Your Paper Pen is ready!

Thank You for staying. Hope you will make one 🙂

[*Mamtalaya is a Short Stay Home in Gangtok, East Sikkim, India, which shelters (female) victims of physical, social and sexual abuse.]

[Note: All pictures appearing on this site is a property of knittersandcrocheters. Please do not use them for commercial purposes]

DIY: Pompom bookmark

I came across the idea of making pompom bookmarks while searching for ideas over the internet on how to creatively use leftover yarn. Pompom bookmarks are easy and fun to make. If you have a friend who loves to read, then pompom bookmark serves as a perfect gift for them. Or if you love to read, make one for yourself. In my case, all my books now own a pompom bookmark.

Things you need: Leftover yarn and scissors.

Below is the pictorial guide:

Your pompom bookmark is ready!

Hope the steps were understandable. Do share if you make one.

Thank You for staying. 🙂

[Note: All pictures appearing on this site is the property of knitters and crocheters. Please do not use them for commercial purposes]

DIY: Magazine page gift decorative [Pictorial guide]

If you love putting extra effort while gift wrapping surprises for your loved ones, then this DIY is a must try for you. All you need is a magazine page and glue. I have used a single coloured magazine page, while you can make it with multi coloured pages or any way you like it to be. Below is the pictorial guide.

So, this is how I use them

Instead of using the regular gift wrappers, I choose to wrap my gifts in a newspaper. It compliments the decorative. My friends say it’s a cheap idea which looks classy 😀

Hope the steps were understandable. Do share if you make one 🙂

Thank You for staying.

[Note: All pictures appearing on this site is a property of knitters and crocheters. please do not use the ideas and pictures for commercial use]

DIY: Recycled Tote Bags

A tote bag is a large and often unfastened bag with parallel handles. Today I share with you three easy ideas to make your own recycled tote bags. These are easy to make and proves very handy. You can decorate your recycled tote like I have done with these.

Got an old umbrella? Transform it into a tote bag!

[P.S. I have also made an attached pouch to keep the tote just like those we get in the market]

Did you wear your favourite pair of jeans until it started to wear off? Transform it into a tote bag!

Fed up of empty rice bags? Don’t know how to do away with it? Transform it into a tote bag!

Hope you will make one.

Thank you for staying 🙂

[Note: All pictures appearing on this site is a property of knittersandcrocheters. Please DO NOT use the ideas and pictures for commercial purpose]

DIY: Recycled cell phone holder (Pictorial guide)

Now since spring is approaching and the winter lotion bottles emptied, why not do away with it (empty bottles) creatively.

[The actual idea of making a cell phone holder out of empty lotion container was shared to me by one of my friends who asked me to make one for her.]

You can either hang the cell phone holder or simply keep it on the table. However, I recommend you to hang it.

Things you need:

• Empty lotion (plastic) container
• Sand paper
• Glue
• Cotton fabric
• Punching machine
• Scissors

STEPS:

Hope the pictorial guide was understandable. Do post if you make one.

[Note: All pictures appearing on this site is a property of knittersandcrocheters]

What a wonderful world!!!

“…I see skies of blue and clouds of white…

…The colours of the rainbow so pretty in the sky…”

I have been decorating interior of the playroom of a nursery school. First it thought of decorating the room with Origami but I settled with Amigurumi. I wanted to make something which the kids can relate and at the same time brighten up the playroom and the kids’ mood. Here is one of my Amigurumi decorative. It comprises of a sun, clouds, rainbow and raindrops. It proves to be a great decorative for nursery schools and children’s room. You can find the free pdf pattern by clicking the link below:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Rainy-Day-Mobile/

Hope you make one 🙂

[All photographs appearing on this site are the property of knitters&crocheters]

Brooke’s Column of Leaves: Pattern

So far this is ‘the’ best knitting pattern I have ever found, learnt and made. Designed by Brooke Nelson, this wonderful pattern is easy to make and suits with yarn of every colour. Until now, I have knitted 12 pieces of Brooke’s Column of Leaves scarf and 2 sweaters applying this pattern. They sold like hot cakes!!! 🙂

Know the basics of knitting? You definitely can make this!

Happy knitting!!!

Brooke’s Column of Leaves Pattern (Scarf: 39 stitches)

Abbreviations:

S: Slip stitch

K: Knit

P: Purl

K2tog: Knit 2 together

P2tog: Purl 2 together

YO: Yarn Over

SKP: Slip1 Knit1 Psso (psso: Pass Slipped Stitch Over knit stitch)

P2tog tbl: Purl 2 together through back loops

Lets get started!

Cast on 39 stitches.

Knit garter stitch about some few inches (as per how big you want the borders to be)
Row 1 [Right Side]: s1, k2, SKP, yo, k2, p2, K7, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, p1, yo, k1, yo, SKP, k7, p2, SKP, yo, k4, s1 (You will have 41 stitches on your needle at the end of this row, and at the end of all RS rows.)

Row 2 [Wrong Side]: p1, k2, p2tog, yo, p2, k2, p6, p2tog tbl, p3, k1, p3, p2tog, p6, k2, p2tog, yo, p2, k2, p1 (You will have 39 stitches on your needle at the end of this row, and at the end of all WS rows.)

Row 3 [Right Side]: s1, k2, SKP, yo, k2, p2, k5, k2tog, k1, (yo, k1) twice, p1, k1, (yo, k1) twice, SKP, k5, p2, SKP, yo, k4, s1

Row 4 [Wrong Side]: p1, k2, p2tog, yo, p2, k2, p4, p2tog tbl, p5, k1, p5, p2tog, p4, k2, p2tog, yo, p2, k2, p1

Row 5 [Right Side]: s1, k2, SKP, yo, k2, p2, k3, k2tog, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, p1, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, SKP, k3, p2, SKP, yo, k4, s1

Row 6 [Wrong Side]: p1, k2, p2tog, yo, p2, k2, p2, p2tog tbl, p7, k1, p7, p2tog, p2, k2 p2tog, yo, p2, k2, p1

Row 7 [Right Side]: s1, k2, SKP, yo, k2, p2, k1, k2tog, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, p1, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, SKP, k1, p2, SKP, yo, k4, s1

Row 8 [Wrong Side]: p1, k2, p2tog, yo, p2, k2, p2tog tbl, p9, k1, p9, p2tog, k2, p2tog, yo, p2, k2, p1

Repeat these 8 rows until the scarf is the length you want. Then repeat the garter stitch for the border.

 Hope the instructions were understandable.

You make click the link below for the original pattern.

http://brookenelson.com/leafscarfpattern.html

DIY: Tetrapak Purse

Ever since I have been carrying my ‘self made tetrapak’ purse, many people have been asking me (to my surprise) where did I purchase it from. And to their surprise, I tell them that it is a ‘self’ recycled purse.  

The tetrapak purse can be easily made and is durable. I share with you the steps below:

Materials required:

Empty tetrapak (large)

Fabric (use only cotton fabric or jeans)

A button

Needle and thread to sew the button

A string

White glue (I have used fevicol)

Scissors

STEPS:

1. Clean the tetrapak, dry it and cut its ends (See picture below)

Rectification: Please note that the center picture is supposed to be the third picture and the third should be in the center.

2. Cut open the tetrapak from the center. Fold it the way you want your purse to be. (See picture below)

3. Sew a button on the fabric first (I have used an old cotton fabric). The button should be sewed on the part of the fabric where it will stick to the (top) flap. (See picture below)

Note: The size of the fabric should be little bigger than the tetrapak. 

 4. Apply white glue (I have used fevicol, since it gives good results) all over one side of the tetrapak. (See picture below)

5. Stick the fabric on the tetrapak. Let it dry. (See picture below)

6. It should look like this. (See picture below)

7. Now stick other piece of fabric to the other side of the tetrapak. Let it dry. Cut at the edges. (See Picture below)

8. Take two strips of the fabric. Glue it. Fold it. Let it dry. (See pictures below)

9. Apply glue on the folded strip. Use it to close the side ends. Let it dry. (See pictures below)

10. Take a string and attach it to the button. Tie it around the purse. The end result should look like below. (See the picture below)

In the above purse I have used jeans. I have also made another purse out of plain black fabric. Since it looked too plain, I have made patterns with acrylic colour. 

# I used a net fabric, white acrylic colour and a sponge. 

# Covered the purse with net fabric, applied colour on the sponge and pressed it over the net fabric. The result is below.

I have used jeans, plain cotton fabric and printed cotton fabrics to make such tetrapak purses.

Hope you will make one.

Thank You for staying 🙂

We are doing our part for a clean India, are you?

As the rest of the nation has been busy with cleanliness drives adhering to the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan‘ (Campaign Clean India), Sikkim has been busy making its citizens aware about proper waste management apart from organising cleanliness drives. The exhibition held at Titanic Park featured recycled products made out of household waste, tips on recycling, reusing and reducing, awareness booths and waste management models prepared by the school students. 

The Zero Waste Himalaya educated the public about the effects of using non-biodegradable items and urged the public to STOP using them.

Green Gangtok, an exclusive eco-boutique featured some amazingly crafted items made out of household waste.

The Kanchendzonga Conservation Committee (KCC), Yuksam, West Sikkim, exhibited and array of products handcrafted out of household waste.

The kid likes the cushion stuffed with noodle packets.

The students from Deorali Girls Sr. Sec. School too had displayed interesting handmade products made out of waste.

Baha’i School’s model on waste management was a great hit.

Kyi-de-Khang School’s model on drinking water management through railway systems in India was a brilliant one.

Lingchom Secondary Govt. School (West Sikkim) impressed me the most. The school had displayed useful items made out of household waste. The school has a Green Brigade Team which is involved in educating the students and public about waste management. The school every year organises a Waste Collection Day during which they collect all kinds of waste, segregate them and use them in some way or the other. Through them the villagers of Lingchom are now well aware of waste management.

As for me, it was great teaching the students in my stall. With the theme ‘Recycling is Fun’ I aimed in teaching the students the basic concept of 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). 

I want the students especially to understand the 3R concept (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). Even if one student out of hundred can take with him/her the basic idea of Reducing, Reusing and Recycling through my works and apply it in their lives, then I will believe that I have fulfilled my purpose.

“Swachh Bharat is not always cleaning. It is much more than ‘just’ cleaning.”

We, in Sikkim are doing our part for a clean India, are you?

About the exhibition: The exhibition was held at Titanic Park, Gangtok, East Sikkim from 28 Oct to 31 Oct, 2014 by the Rural Management & Development Department, Govt. of Sikkim.

About Swachh Bharat Mission: Swachh Bharat Abhiyan/Mission (Campaign Clean India) was officially launched on 2nd Oct, 2014 by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. It is a national level campaign initiated by the Govt of India.This campaign aims to accomplish the vision of ‘Clean India’ by 2nd Oct, 2019 (150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi). However, Sikkim aims to achieve this mission by 2017-2018 and become the first clean state of India. The state has already achieved Nirmal Rajya Puraskar in 2008 by achieving 100% sanitation.

DIY: Decorative lights made out of egg trays

My Diwali this year has been lit up by recycled decorative lights made out of egg trays. Making these are fun and easy and the result is simple and sweet. Sorry if I am late in posting this idea. If you could not make it this Diwali due to my late post, you can always make it for Christmas. Below are the steps with pictures. Happy recycling!!!

Things you need:

A string of decorative lights

Cardboard egg trays

Scissors

Paints and brush

Step I: Take the cardboard egg tray and cut the cones. Shape it’s edges.

Step II: Paint the cones. I have painted the inside of the cones in white (as the light reflects well in white) and the outsides are colourful. You may paint as you wish. Let the colours dry.

Step III: Bore holes at the base of the cones with a pointed object. Take the string of decorative lights and insert each light bulb into each cone. (Since blue is my favourite colour, I have used blue lights. You may use any color of lights as you please)

Your recycled decorative lights are ready!!!

Hope you liked it. Do post if you make one. 

Thank You for staying 🙂

Happy Diwali!!!