Heath Robinson

I thought I might write a post about how fellow crafters (myself included) have found new purposes for everyday household objects.

Things I've seen online:

• a dog collar used to replace a broken case handle.
• weights for knitting machines - this is a combination of bent forks and fishing weights.
• fishing weights are another alternative
• someone crocheted little bags for baby food jars filled with washers to use as weights
• small locks used as weights
• make your own garter bar with some wood and some bobby pins
• using an old credit card with a V cut in one end as a latch opener
• rotating yarn holder from a CD case
• Woolly Weights used to sell metal bars and magnets (great for weighting lace or delicate projects) - you could probably rig something up at a hardware store
• hacking a standard gauge comb to fit a midgauge machine
• revolving yarn trees - ready made, or make one yourself
• using a dog bed as a garment drying rack
• plastic canvas can be made to work as a needle pusher (just trim to required spacing)
• home-made multi latch tools (video)
• dropped stitch tools made from bent but usuable latch needles

I don't know whether you can see it in the picture, but I'm using part of a plastic drinking straw instead of a quill for my weaving shuttle:

I will probably get some proper quills at some point, but not just yet, the bank account's a little empty this month! 

Can you think of any more innovative uses for everyday objects?

PS Heath Robinson was famous for funny cartoons of surreal inventions