I had wire and beads in mind from the very beginning.
First of all I collected the medium that I needed.
I pre strung the wire with the beads.
Then I began to crochet away, beginning with a chained circle and increasing for 3 rows only.I noticed that this wire was very hard to crochet with and it was scratching up my good no 6 hook. I have crocheted with wire before and I do not remember it being this hard before.
I eventually changed to another no 6 hook and kept going on for the outer side of the holder. I eventually ran out of one whole spool of wire, but I knew I had back up from another spool of wire.
It was not until I used the back up spool that I realized the wire was a thinner gauge. I had been crocheting with 24 gauge wire, I usually crochet with 28 gauge wire and it is much easier on the hands and the hook!
Now I had used that spool of wire too. I had no more back up on hand.
So I just sat the unfinished wire toilet paper cover on the toilet roll, whilst I thought about my next move. Wait and buy more wire, I couldn’t even remember where I had bought it in the first place, or try another medium. Oh yeah sure what could possibly look good with the wire?
Brain storm, try this. Crochet a lacey bottom.
So I did.
With a no 2.5 hook and some fine crochet cotton I made up the design as I went around the out sides.
As it started to take form, I got more and more excited, “this is going to work I thought”.
But my job was not over as I finished my final round.I must stiffen this lace for it to stay in place for ever.
I wanted the perfect shape, but I knew the glue would stick to the toilet paper roll. So I wrapped the toilet paper roll in glad wrap to prevent this from happening.
Using a mixture of both PVA glue and water slightly heated, I dipped the lace into the mixture and shaped it around the paper roll.
My next step was to sit back and wait for the lace to dry out and hope that it will hold up the wire and beaded top part.I would venture out side now and then with an egg flip to make sure the cotton was not adhering to the plastic board.
Finally I knew the cotton crocheted part was dry enough, due to the extreme hot weather we have been having. So I removed it from the toilet paper roll and it was upright and sturdy. Yay!
Sharkey the toilet lid cover was now going to have a new friend.
But I really wanted this to match the large toilet paper roll holder and the toilet brush, which is a steel look.
I think it is actually too delicate for this toilet and I know my sister-in-laws bathroom in her holiday house is decked out in all of these colours. So guess where it is headed? Off to Phillip Island where it will truly blend in and show off its unique individuality.
Oh boy it looks good on my kitchen table with all of my stainless steel.But I do not think that is really an option, do you?
