Brainwaves issue 14: fun crafts to try at home

Pole POSITION
I was getting rid of an old wardrobe, but before I chucked it out, I wondered if I could reuse any of it. My daughter had some macrame pot holders she wanted to hang from her ceiling, so I had an idea. I bought some cheap metal hooks online and screwed them into the ceiling, then I took the pole from inside the wardrobe and rested it on the hooks. It was the perfect place for her to hang her pots and dried flowers.
Julia Zlatohlavkova, Borehamwood, Herts

When the chips ARE DOWN
I was getting fed up of picking loose peas and chips from the bottom of my freezer. But with no spare food bag clips to hand, I had an idea. I cut an inch strip from the top of the bags they came in, twisted up the opening, then tied the strip around the top of the bag. It stopped the food spilling out — and I didn’t have to buy any new clips.
Donna Mass, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire

Top DRAWER
My little chest of drawers was very handy, but it had definitely seen better days. It had stains on from where I’d placed my cuppa and the corners were looking battered too. I thought about throwing it out, but then my daughter decided to give it a revamp. We bought some sticky-back plastic and she carefully covered the whole thing for me. It’s given my tired old drawers a fresh new look. 
Shirley Fothergill, Leicester

Safety FIRST
I’m a keen crafter, but when I put my kit away in my sewing box after a session, my tape measure always got in a tangle, no matter how carefully I rolled it up. But then I found the perfect solution. I also had some spare safety pins in my box, so once my tape measure was rolled up, I secured it with one of the safety pins — no more tangles!
Patricia Forsyth, Flint

Plant POTS
I’m always looking for ways to reuse various items and when I ended up with a couple of empty chewing-gum pots, I knew they’d come in handy. After collecting some seeds from the garden, I used the pots to store them until I was ready to plant them up the following year. 
Nicola Richardson, Withyham, E Sussex

NEAT idea
My microfibre bed pillows were in need of a wash, but I was worried about the filling turning upside down and becoming twisted in the machine. To stop this happening, I put a stitch in each corner, about two inches from the edges. It kept everything perfectly in place and then it all fluffed up nicely after a blast in the tumble dryer — sorted!
Roberta Howieson, Poole, Dorset