Credit crunch crafting: raid your cupboards to make a wallhanging

This lovely hanging cost me nothing except for the time it took to make it. The fabric came from a swatch book I was given by a journalist who is sent lots of samples from shops - you don't need to be a journalist to get them, as many shops chuck away sample books regularly (previous season, discounted stock, etc). I asked a shop once and got some amazing swatch books that were going to be thrown away. The key is to ask posh shops as smaller shops might want you to pay for them!

This swatch book is precious to me as it reproduces William Morris' designs. I used to  live opposite the William Morris Gallery in London, I bought that house because it was across the road from this wonderful, free museum not many people know of. The archive of Morris's designs belongs to Sanderson, which sells reproductions for soft furnishings and of course wallpaper.

I found matching ribbon and thread among my stack of sewing materials, the bamboo canes inside the top and bottom of the panel are gardening canes I cleaned up and I had the hooks in my DIY box!

So look inside your cupboards, among your sewing materials and even in your garage, you might find unused materials to make a stunning hanging like mine.