Monday 1 December 2014

What to do with short orts

If you are collecting even short pieces of thread - orts, what can you do with them?
Well, why not curl them?
Wind them round a stick, bamboo skewer or similar.
Roller iron them.
Pull them off the stick carefully.
Couch them down and you get recycled thread waste. Pile 'em on.

19 comments:

Julie Fukuda said...

Mine are filling a large jar. I put them out in the trees for the birds to use for their nests.

Pamela said...

Great idea!

Chris(craft) and Dave(photos) Richards said...

Oh what a lovely idea.......Must try this !
hugs
Chris Richards xx

margaret said...

your have come up with a great idea here Queenie, I must start saving mine instead of binning them

Queeniepatch said...

These curls can also be used on the stumpwork portraits I make. How would you use yours? Maybe better bin them!

Queeniepatch said...

It is a smart way to use up stray pieces, but you need to be into free form embroidery, I guess.

Queeniepatch said...

I have heard of others who do this, and have read comments of 'Please don't do it'. The latter claim that the birds' claws can get tangled in thread, but I think that can only apply to longer pieces of string...

Queeniepatch said...

You've done a bit of Goldwork, haven't you, Pamela? I was thinking, if you starch the thread and then wind it over a very thin wire you could get 'purl'. Fill it with a thicker thread and you'll have another kind of thread... I'll have to try that!

Séverine said...

What a good idea! I have a jar full of little bits of thread..

Elizabeth's quarters said...

I was just thinking they'd make perfect hair for stumpwork portraits! I do a similar thing by unravelling tiny swatches of knitting, then steaming them to get crinkly hair for peg dolls etc.

Queeniepatch said...

Are you saving them for something special?

Queeniepatch said...

That is a smart way to use up smaller pieces of knitting. Another way would be to add thread or yarn to needle felting...

https://linsartyblobs.blogspot.com said...

I do tend to dump my short orts, but I'd never thought about curling them, good idea.

Queeniepatch said...

For artists, and those who work with mixed media craft, why not coat the thread with bond before winding it around a stick it can easily slide off, skip the iron and leave instead the curl to self dry. I guess you would end up with a neat 'spring' of thread!

carorose said...

Clever. Mine decorate the floor then get eaten by the vacuume cleaner!

Anonymous said...

A good idea, I may be able to use this idea myself!

Queeniepatch said...

Well, there are all sorts of things to do with short orst, aren't there, ha, ha?

Queeniepatch said...

You are now into knitting and should have lots of curly yarn if you knit a bit and then unravel it like Elizabeth at Elizabeth's Quarters suggested, see comment above.. Perfect for curly hair on any doll.

Unknown said...

I have 3 bags and 1 jar. Not sure what and when I am going to use it, but, that is a good idea.