48th Project completed - a 'Bejewelled' Coaster ideal for your Christmas table!

Welcome to the 'unveiling' of the 48th project! 


The countdown to Christmas (and the end of the Challenge) is certainly under-way in our house. The Kid's are getting excited and the list of wants seems to be growing by the day, but I am concentrating on keeping up with the orders for supplies that are coming in thick and fast at the moment. I think a lot of people are choosing a crafty Christmas this year due to the lack of money everyone is experiencing at the moment.


So to try and help in this I have come up with a little idea for brightening up the festive table. 

A Bejewelled Coaster

You could of course scale this idea up into place mats as well. I only had time this week to make one coaster but I will certainly be making three more as we have four for dinner and four matching place mats to go with them.

Materials

• Old newspapers
• Thick string or piping cord
• PVA Glue
• A large bowl of water
• Beads
• Thin wire
• Metallic embroidery threads
• Acrylic paint 

Instructions

1. Firstly, cut your newspaper into strips about 1" wide. Then add some PVA to the water in the bowl and soak the piping cord / string in it for a couple of minutes. Squeeze any excess water out and carefully wrap the string / piping cord with the newspaper.

2. Now wind the paper covered cord into a spiral and leave to dry on a plastic bag.

  

3. Once dry, trim to tidy and give the spiral a coat of paint. 

4. Starting from the centre stitch, using backstitch in a 'star burst' pattern in a co-ordinating thread.

5. Once this is complete, add some bugle beads in the 'dips' of the spiral. 

6. String some beads onto a length of wire and stitch it around the edge of your coaster to finish.

Join me tomorrow evening for the next project's announcement!