Saturday 18 April 2015

Bunter, Buntress, Buntle, Bunting ?

billybunter

Bob was trying to find a word for someone who makes miles of bunting. We have ruled out “Bunter”.

Billy Bunter aka “The Fat Boy Of The Remove” may have been popular for the first half of the 20th century, but now he is definitely out of favour, for so many reasons.

Buntress” is slang for an ugly woman “Buntle” is urban slang for ‘little bits of grit that get between your toes, then deposit themselves in one’s bed”. And “Bunting Tosser” is naval slang for a signaller [can you confirm that one, Jane and Chris?]  None of these terms seems very polite. Whatever the term is, I have made 150 metres of the stuff now and I am calling a halt to the exercise!

But what’s this? This looks suspiciously like rows of rectangular pink and black bunting. But it isn’t – it is mass production tissue holders!

P1010116P1010118

Steph wants to give each of the guests at her hen party a goodie bag – and so she and Liz have blagged a load of freebies from various sources [cosmetics and toiletry samples] and thought a handmade gift would be fun too. It doesn’t take long to run these up – particularly if you sew them in a line and trim later. I’ve done loads in the past and taught others to do it too. You can find loads of easy tutorials on the net, with ideas for personalising too.

P1010119One useful tip – they turn out so much better if you trim the triangle at each corner.

Some of my more enthusiastic pupils cut rather generously – and snipped a hole in the pouch. P1010120

So I taught the girls this tip – hold the corner with your finger and thumb just on the edge of the stitching, so that when you cut, you do not cut into the seam!

P1010121Turn them out, and load them up with little packs of tissues. Job done! By the way, my rectangles of fabric are 6” x 7”, and I sewed on the trim before sewing the final two seams.P1010131

I shall deliver these black and pink treasures to Steph next weekend, and possibly have some more handmade items for the goodie bags. Prototypes are under way [ok, they’re all over the lounge] right now. Poor Bob has abandoned all hope of me doing Proper Housework whilst I’ve got these many and various Wedding Projects on the go!

14 comments:

  1. The tissue holders are fab, I admire your mass production and look forward to the unveiling of the next project, Vee x

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  2. Busy bee again!
    How about , 'Bunterina' fo someone who churns out metres and metres of Bunting? !

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  3. I recognise that pink fabric - I am sure I made a patchwork cushion cover from that when I was at school in Textiles! It was lovely and I wish I still had it now...well done with all that you are doing for the wedding - it is wonderful x

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    1. Sadly I have used it all up, or I'd have posted the remainder to you so you could make a replacement cover!!

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    2. No problem - sewing and I are not best buddies these days and I have to be content with admiring all your creations and sticking to yarn work which suits me better!

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  4. Oh isn't Steph a sweetie to think of that idea, usually it is the guests who have to shell out for gifts and goodie bags for the Bride! You are also sweet to oblige in the making of items! If I'd have thought of this for my hen picnic, I would have made button earrings as I have loads of jump rings and earring backs! Ha, that made me laugh about your messy front room. I went downstairs earlier to make tea and saw our front room strewn with my craft mess and I have no such excuse!!!x

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  5. Bunterina, Buntiphile, Buntologist...these all sound much better. But isn't a Buntiphile a girl who loved that comic years ago? [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunty]

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  6. Yes indeed..a Bunting Tosser is a signaller. Its quite polite, considering some of the terms sailors use!
    Jane x

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    1. Thanks - it's wonderful having an expert on these matters to refer to!

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  7. I have just seen an article in the daily paper in which someone who does facials is referred to as a 'facialist'.
    Could you be a Buntingalist?

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    1. Would a buntingalist have to live in a buntingalow?

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  8. I really think "Buntinger" would be appropriate. It has a sort of official ring, and you could have all kinds of scholarly debates as to the proper pronunciation of the "g"....

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