11/12/07

What is next, my lovelies?




The big X-mas is around the corner. Its newly November and already the grocery stores and shopping malls are playing "Jingle Bells". Terrible ploy to start your pockets shaking. Well, Crafters, it doesn't have to be this way!!! They do serve a purpose by reminding us that we only have 44 days til Gift-apalooza. They remind us that Cousin Jimmy's sweater won't finish itself and Grandma Betty's afgan will be Grandma Betty's scarf if you don't get your needles moving!!



Come on troop, left, right, left, right, knit, purl, knit, purl...



By the way, I totally stole the sad little boy's image from the internet. I have no idea where, so don't give me credit (or take any for yourself, greedy booger).

11/11/07

Backpack Baby, oh yeah

I am so proud of this project. I made my little girl the characters, Backpack, the Map and a star, from Dora the Explorer. Dora (she says Dee-uh) is my 19 month old daughter's favorite show. I hope that she will love this cute little trio. I love to see her little face light up when she is excited. Christmas should be fun (if I can wait that long to give it to her).
I machine sewed most of the project with only a small amount of hand stitching. I used a standard stitch with no frills so this is, by far, an easy thing to create. Freehand drawing means no pattern, so one step is eliminated. The faces are painted on by hand with washable/dryer safe Tulip paints. (The kind of paint we made t-shirts with in middle school.) This entire project took about two evenings. It takes a while for the paint to dry and, well, I have a 19 month old who requires ...demands attention. Honestly, the cutting and sewing took only a couple of hours.
The bag is lined with pink flowered flannel. It makes the bag soft and ready for a bit of a beating. This was helpful when I ironed the bag (which should be done BEFORE painting on the face) to smooth out the folds. The star and the Map are both stuffed with basic fiberfill and hand stitched closed.
The best part about it is that the whole project is washable. The instructions call for a painted garment to be turned inside out for washing. I simply drop it in a pillow case (trusty old laundry saving friend) and tie it closed for a normal wash. Drying is up to you. Machine drying of a handicraft item is for the brave of heart. I find myself being the "lay it flat" type for something I put alot of time into. Give me a few years, though. With a few kids around, I'll be saying, "Who cares how it gets dried, they're lucky its clean!!"


11/8/07

Ready, ready, sweaty...

I am not afraid of commitment. I have gathered the courage to try my first sweater. I'll be attempting the Skully Sweater from Stitch n Bitch.

I have lost weight due to medication and dietary changes from this illness. I am in need of a few new wardrobe pieces, but I don't want to go shop. I'm not through losing weight yet. I plan to make the sweater for myself and make it a little too small for my current size. This way, it should fit by the time I finish it. Weightloss will inspire me to knit and the sweater's imminent completion will inspire me to drop some more weight.
Now, off to the yarn store....

Check out the website:
http://www.knithappens.com/

10/31/07

Halloween furfest

Unga-bunga.

I have (just in time) finished our costumes. We're cavemen! I made a smock type for him and a dress for myself. Our shoes are covered in fur to look like boots and also to add some warmth to our costumes since it will be freezing tonight! I made a cute little purse as well since I have no pockets for my id and things.

For the purse, I used:

one bank bag, rectangle with zipper
fabric cut large enough to fit around the bank bag wth a 1/4 to 1/2 inch seam allowance ( i used fur to match my costume)

Fold fabric and sew up sides (right sides facing). Turn project right side out. Place bank bag inside (pocket) that you have just sewn. Tuck the edges in to give it a hemmed appearance. Use sewing maching to stitch around top edge to attach the fabric to the bag (like sewing in a liner). It is kind of tricky to maneuver the bag around since the zipper is already installed, but have patience. This is the easiest way to "make" a bag. No zipper to sew in, no liner to measure.

Its cute, simple, fun and the most original addition to my costume. Buttons, flowers, or other small items could be glued or sewn on to add some flavor. Match or contradict your fabric. Make it original! I glued a bone on the corner of the front side. Its Cave-chic.

Have fun, Kiddies, don't eat too much candy.




****Whoo-hoo to Walmart's fabric counter for having the perfect Woolly Mammoth fur for our costumes. Only $6.97 a yard I think.

10/28/07

Monster bag

The finished product!!!!!! Lining and everything!! Read the adventure below...

Oh, my. I've knitted a blister. Terrible really. I began a new project and its kicking my tushie.
I'm doing a variation of a monster bag I found online forever and ages ago (it is unfortunate, but I cannot recall the pattern's creator OR the site where I found it). I'm trying a few different things with it, though, so hopefully that lets me off the hook. This pattern is so very, very flexible and you can make changes as you choose. **Keep in mind: larger needles will make more space between your stitches. It may ruin your hopes of a trustworthy bag.

*Try your local Dollar Tree, Everything's a Dollar, Big Lots, or other one price store. I've found a great stash of yarn for $1 a ball. The same yarn is $4.99 at Michael's craft store!!! Oh, savey savins, fun, fun, fun...

I am using 2 strands of lime colored Boucle yarn and 1 strand of a green eyelash yarn. I have no idea how many ounces I'll need, yet. Best bet would be to try this with a yarn that is unlikely to dissappear on you since you may realize you need another ball or two near the end. Remember, the dye lot rule!!

*10 1/2 straight needles

Cast on 38.
Rows 1-3: Knit every row.
Row 4: Knit 12 stiches, bind off 14, knit 12.
Row 5: Knit 12, cast on 14 stitches, knit 12. (I used single cast on. Cable would work, too.)

Knit every row for 16-18 inches.
Next row: knit 12 stitches, bind off 14, knit 12.
Next... knit 12, cast on 14, knit 12.
Knext...... knit 3 rows, knitting 38 stitches each row.
Lats row: Bind off all stitches. Weave in ends. (I'll be tying a small knot on the inside/wrong side of the fabric to solidify the last stitch. Before weaving in ends of individual strands in separate lines.)

White felt eyes and teeth will be sewn on one side of the folded work to give the appearance of a monster head when the bag is finished.

I plan to fold finished work in half and sew the sides using the green eyelash yarn. Leave a space at the "top" of each side to allow handles to move with the dowels in place. I will be sewing a short, thin dowel into the 3 row space at the beginning and end of the work to give the bag more structure. I'll post pics when I get there. Don't fret if you can't picture the dowels being comfy, its another take it or leave it suggestion.

Lining is possible, though not necessary. If your stictches are tight and consistent, you should have no problem of holes in the work. If you want to add a lining, measure the lining fabric against the finished knitted work before sewing the sides. Machine sew fabric right sides facing, bag measurements ( I won't go into detail here, because I'm sure you know how to sew a "pillowcase" type liner) will need to be measured since not all bags will match this pattern. Hand stitch the hemmed liner into the bag with right sides facing so that the patterned side of the lining will be visible when looking into the bag.

This should (cross your needles) have worked out magnificently for you and there should be an adorable bag sitting in your lap. Toss in your change purse, a lipstick, wallet, pack of gum and a power bar. You've got some yarn shopping to do and this "scurry" bag will be just the thing to warn the other shoppers, "Back off. That's my skein."

*** I finished the knitting and sewing of the bag. I love it. The "fabric" is strong and tightly knit so I am using it without a liner right now. I chose not to use the dowels to strengthen the handles. I ran a simply stitch through the handles (straight across) to add some invisible strength.
I ended the project with quite a callus on my 1st finger on my left hand from fighting my needles, so make sure that you choose needles that the bulky yarn will slide on easily. Multiple strands make it tough on novice knitters, so....make a swatch to practice. (Arrgh, the dreaded swatch)

******Kelly gave me the wonderful idea of using this method to construct a laptop cover. Oh, the fun....

10/22/07

Begin at the beginning...


(pssst...thats me in a new hat I made for my kiddo)

I am not at all original in this idea. I saw a crafter's blogspot and thought "what a great idea". She uses this as her motivation to finish projects. So, I steal. I stoly-stole the idea and ta-da...

I have an illness that shakes up my emotions quite a bit. Crafting is the best way to deal with it, for me. I create something with all the energy that the worry stirs up. I grow tired alot, so projects are usually quick, easy, or done in steps so I can return to it later. (I hope to post exact directions so you can stealy-steal the projects, too.) I knit, paint, sew, sculpt, decoupage, build, and just generally make something out of something else. I would love to learn to crochet, but I'm all thumbs when it comes to that. (Is there a craft using all thumbs? That is your first homework assignment.)

Some projects will be my own creations, some will have been dreamed up by others. All crafts will be attributed to the right creator and I hope you will do the same if you choose to repost in anyway. (I know you crazy kids will do that.)

Craftitude is about attitude. The stranger is no danger here. Strong, fun, crazy things are waiting to be dreamed up by anyone willing to think outside the box. So, grab two things and glue them together, hey you made something... now, figure out how to get the remote unstuck from the dog.