Secret Santa 2018 - Juggling Balls

Video HERE

Yes, my intention was to upload the making of my Advent Houses, but the PC gremlin has stolen it from me - I still have the disc on which it's saved, but there is no way I know of to recover the three videos contained therein... any tech knowhow would be appreciated...

Anyway, this year I signed up for the You Tube Secret Santa, and then couldn't decide what to make...

One of my New Year's Resolutions for next year is to learn to juggle (Odd, but it makes sense to me) and for that I have taken a few of my patchwork ornament balls (another video that is MIA) and filled them with lentils rather than stuffing fibre to give the right amount of weight. A challenge shared is a challenge ...well, shared as my giftee is in the US, but I like the idea of sharing this skill (or of making someone else also suffer through the frustration) so I decided to make another set of balls.

This template gives you three options, depending on the amount of time you want to spend sewing, and the relative size of your fabric scraps. The triangle needs to be an equilateral one - equal sides with all angles at 60, or things won't fit together neatly - you could go for a football-style of patchwork, but I will leave that much geometry to you.

You Will Need:
Your chosen template shape in sturdy card
Scrap Paper
Pencil
Scissors
Fabric Scraps (Or fat quarters)
Contrasting Thread*
Pins and Needles
Thin Ribbon**
Stuffing***

*My fabrics were all Christmas shades of red and green so I chose a white thread. If you want your stitching to be less visible then you will need to match the colours, and probably sew the pieces together from the inside.
**When I make these as hanging ornaments I always sew in a small loop of ribbon to hang from, and I did that here for ease of packaging so that I could tie them together - with a pretty ribbon - and keep my lentil-filled ones from the internationally safe set.
***The stuffing material is up to you. As I said, mine are filled with lentils, you could use rice or other small grains. For balls that are likely to go any distance - ie. in the post - something non-biological is wisest, beads, gravel or plastic pellets are probably best. You could send them unstuffed, but that would just spoil the whole thing!

Method:

1. Draw round your template onto the paper and cut out the pieces - depending on which shape you use there is a considerable difference in the amount of sewing you will need to do, so take this and your own level of patience into account before you decide which to choose. You can make as many as you wish, I hope to get to juggling 3 balls by the end of next year, but I made 4 in case I excel.
2. Pin the paper pieces to your fabric and trim the excess to a sensible margin (1cm) before folding the sides around the paper and pinning into place.*
3. Align 2 patches with paper-sides touching (ie. good-side out), making sure that the edges are precicely aligned, and sew together using a crossed stitch of about 2mm (roughly the same width as the thickness of the fabric to make an even cross pattern). Add another piece and continue to build up the shape**
4. Once each piece is completely sewn around pull out the paper, it shouldn't be stuck firm. You will end up with the last two pieces on the inside, but they are easily pulled out before stuffing.
5. Fill with your chosen stuffing material until firmly filled, but not packed tight, then sew the opening closed.

*If you want you can fiddle with the corners, but I find that they settle themselves pretty much as you start sewing the sides together. If you have a limited number of pins available you can either make up and combine a few patches at a time or run a tacking stitch around the shape to hold things together and free up your pins.
**Triangles - Sew together two sets of 5 into pentagons, then the rest into an alternating up/down loop ( /\/\/\/\/\/ ) before adding the top and bottom
Diamonds - Sew together two sets of 5 into pentacle stars, but leave one space unsewn in one star (I used a neon thread to tack the fabric flat and free up the pins, which also meant that there were no sharp points remaining once the equator was sewn) Sew around the equator, bringing the edges together as you go rather than pinning first to avoid unnecessary finger-stabbing.
Lozenge - I prefer to start at one end and sew down and back all the way around, leaving an opening in one of the flat sides rather than towards the points so that there is less fabric to deal with when closing up.

Each of the Monthly Reports on my You Tube channel will feature a quick segment on my juggling progress, If you would like to join me you are welcome to follow along as I fight my innate clumsiness and frustration and -hopefully- master at least 3 balls by this time next year!

Making and Using Paint Skins

Video HERE

This is a great way to find a use for leftover paint - and a great way of building colour and interest.

This is mostly about preparation, and the choice of paint you use. Acrylic paint will swirl and spread into a layer and dry into a usable skin without much added effort, whereas waterbased paints won't unless you blend them with PVA glue (see below)

You will need:
Leftover paint
Plastic lids (The ones from stackable snacks are ideal, smooth, not textured work best)*
Glue spreader or scrap card
Time

*Over the years I have collected dozens of these lids, which means I can always have clean ones ready for use as mini paletts whilst others are drying.

Method:

1. When you have finished your painting project use a spreader or piece of card to spread and swirl the paint into a fairly uniform layer. If you don't have a lot of paint on the palette you should ideally scrape some off another lid, or add a splodge of fresh colour. I would suggest aiming for 1-2mm thickness.
2. Place the palette somewhere safe - ie. where it will not be knocked over or stepped on, until COMPLETELY DRY. This can take over a week, depending on thickness and ambient temperature.
3. Flex the plastic - if the paint does not release around the edges then it is not dry, so leave it for another day - then peel off the 'skin', it should come off cleanly in one piece. Leave bottom-side up for a couple of hours at least before cutting. I tend to peel and keep the skins as they dry, although I usually trim off the outside edges as they are often thicker and too chunky to use.
4. When you have gathered enough skins (kept flat in a box as they dry) decide on your pattern and cut the skins into mosaic-style pieces.

To Use:

1. Prepare the surface with sanding, and raise the grain with water or white spirit to get a good finish, as you won't be able to do it once the tiles are on.
2. Paint a base coat, then sand back until smooth.*
3. Spread on a thick layer of acrylic paint and press the tiles into the surface so that the paint squishes up evenly around each one.
4. Work in stages, allowing each side to dry COMPLETELY before moving on.
5. With acrylic paint you won't need to add a lot of finish, I usually go for a coat of spray varnish if it's really necessary. Acrylic paint has a tendency to be a little gluey for quite a while, so I'd allow at least a week to dry.

*If the design is very dense, or the actual surface wood will never be visible then I often don't bother. The choice depends on your design, but it is good practice.

Water-based Paints - Gouache, Poster Paint or Watercolour

These can't be spread and dried like acrylics, because they will dry brittle and just crumble into a mess when you try to peel them, however... tip a layer of PVA onto a lid and blend the paint in sections before swirling to create a marbled colour, or keep to a single colour to make large and almost transparent 'skins'. Once dried these can be peeled and cut the same way, and even used to build up mosaic pictures on windows without needing glue (as long as you don't have a problem with condensation). PVA-based skins can be stuck with PVA or paint.

Slow-Cooker Beef Rendang

Video HERE

I love a good curry, but I've found it difficult to make a good one in the slow-cooker. Long and slow cooking is great for those tougher, cheaper cuts of meat, but it doesn't do much for the spices so many recipes call for a sambal, or spiced oil to drizzle on top, which adds a harsh heat, rather than helping the overall flavour and kinda negates the point of a slow-cooker recipe. This does take a whole day, but only requires 10 minutes of actual hands-on time.

This is a really rich, dark curry that doesn't lose it's flavour even over a 12-hour cook. If you have the time I would suggest making it a day or so ahead of time, chill it in the fridge then reheat to serve. Giving the spices time to develop only adds more richness - some coconut oil might rise to the top, but don't be tempted to skim it off, just stir through and heat.

Ingredients: SERVES 4
2 Onions, diced
3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 stalk Lemongrass, bruised and chopped
2 Red Chillis, chopped*
2tbsp Brown Sugar (or palm sugar)
1tsp Tamarind Syrup
1" Root Ginger, grated (or 1/2 tsp ground)
1tsp Coriander Seeds
1tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
1/2 tsp Ground Mace
1tsp Oil
500g Stewing Steak, cubed
1tbsp Soy Sauce
1tbsp Thai Fish Sauce (or 2 anchovies)
400g can Coconut Milk
200ml Water-ish
Seasoning

*You can use 2 dried chillis, keep them whole and don't blend into the paste. Just add them to the crock instead.

Method:

1.  First make a paste by blending the onion, garlic, lemongrass, chilli, sugar, tamarind, ginger, spices and oil.
2. Massage the paste into the meat, cover and marinate overnight in the fridge.
3. Transfer the meat and marinade into the crock, drizzle over the soy and fish sauce and stir to coat.
4. Pour over the coconut milk and enough water to just cover the meat, then stir to combine.
5. Cook on HIGH for 10-12 hours.
6. Don't panic! it will look curdled and wrong before it comes together.
7. If you have the time, transfer to a container to cool and chill overnight before serving, if not then serve over steamed rice or with flatbreads for scooping.

 This does not make a particularly large batch, but it is rich enough without adding extra flavours. I find it useful to make a double - or even triple - batch, cooking for around 14 hours. Portioned into freezer pots with a scoop of rice make great microwaveable meals. Rich, spiced comfort in about 8 minutes!

Christmas Cryptex

Video HERE

I have seen a number of turned cryptex videos, and I used to think that it would not be possible to make one without a lathe... looks like I was wrong!

You will need: (Particular sizes are dependent on your design, this is the general list)
Veneer and/or Card
A Mandril*
Strong Glue
EPA Foam
Plastic sheets (I used document wallets split into two)
Pallet Wood
Scroll saw with blades
Black sugar paper
Printed papers
Ribbon
Pyrography tool
Green paint or stain
Varnish
Coloured tacks, diamontes etc.
Laminated pages**
Copper wire

*Whatever you use to roll your central core - this will effect the final dimensions and limitations of your puzzle. I used a hairspray can, Ideally you want something with straight sides.
**My choice of lubricating washers is EPA foam topped with a layer of laminated paper. If you have the tools to get a consistent finish on your wood then you may not need them.

Method:

1. Wrap your mandril with plastic to keep things from sticking. Glue and roll a couple of layers of veneer and/or card around the mandril - secure in place with thread or tape. Wrap another layer of plastic and then a single layer of EPA foam to create separation before wrapping with another layer of veneer and/or card. Repeat until you have 3 layers of veneer. Leave to dry for at least 1 hour before removing from the mandril, but keep the layers together until completly dry.
2. Measure the diameter of your largest cylender, this will be the minimum internal measurement that each of your tumblers needs to have. The smallest diameter should be no less than 15mm wider than the inner ring. Each tumbler MUST have a key slot.
3. Each of the tumblers should be slightly larger than the one before to create a tree-like shape. The bottom two should be around 3x the diameter of the top tumbler. If you're adding a couple of gift layers then they can be a little smaller.
4. From the top tumbler up you can draw out gradually decreasing parts to create the top.
5. I chose to cut each layer of branches on a gradually tightening angle, from 25 degrees to 45 - although I should probably have started with 45 at the bottom rather than the top. If I had the patience I would have carved the branches, instead I burned in some texture with a pyrography tool before painting on a wash of colour to create raised grain texture.
6. The two bottom tumblers are stacks of gifts, each one wrapped with printed paper and a ribbon. The base is wrapped in sugar paper to create a solid colour base. Apply finish as you like.
7. Apply your tacks and decorations, being sure to align the right ones with the key notches.
8. Once you're happy with your tumblers cut the largest tube up half-way, then glue it to the base, slide the tumblers on top - with whatever washers you're using - and mark the tube on the ring just above the top tumbler, then remove them. Complete the cut of the slot, then trim it to size.
9. Carefully glue the tube to the top ring, fixing all the tumblers in place.
10. Glue together the lid branches, and glue the middle-sized tube to the base, then trim to fit.
11. Trim the smallest tube to just below the outer rim and glue into place
12. Bend the wire into a tooth and stick into place inside the middle tube.

I'm not sure if my description has done this justice...

Making Plant Pots (My herbicidal tendencies)

Video HERE

Anyone who has followed me on Fb for a while will recognize this aloe as the unfortunate little plant that I won in a raffle some 8 years ago that has survived my -limited- care and actually done quite well, despite being ignored for months on end...

This project didn't begin as a pot-making idea, but rather an exercise in scroll saw cutting. I had actually run out of my preferred thin blades and was limited to using the pin-fitting ones from the tin and I was looking to test the limitations of these - as they actually fit my machine without adapters. Off-camera I tested the cuts on gradually tighter curves and decided that this arc was about the best that I could cut whilst maintaining the line. From this point I started planning a project to use these blades and pallet wood.

I didn't really have a plan in mind, so I cut a number of strips with curves on one side and straight lines on the other, then complicated the idea by adjusting that idea for a hexagonal shape with graduated levels.

Given the opportunity to re-try these pieces I would have to adjust the width of the strips themselves, as there is a gap at the bottom of each curve, which means that water runs out, rather than through the soil - although in this case it does reduce the chances of over-watering.

As of Now - about 4 months after re-potting - Nigel is doing rather well on the windowsill in the bathroom, I give him a splash of water when I remember, but he is also able to gather moisture from the air. Boris is back on my windowsill, probably drier than is healthy, but looking OK generally. Once a month I place the pot in a shallow bowl of water, which might cause issues with the glue later on, but hasn't been a problem yet. I also managed to take two small cuttings as well, but only one of those has survived - he/she will be transferred to the other pot next year, when I have decided on a name... probably around March, when all things will be decided.