Happy Thrifting

Finally discovered some great fabric at the local thrift store! I love soft faded florals (small motifs)...sort of the Shabby Chic esthetic. Actually the quilted one (my kind of quilting...predone!) is a Shabby Chic pillow sham. When purchasing it, I had a tiny panic attack. While waiting for my money to be collected, the clerk kept folding and refolding it, gently stroking it...and I started wondering if she going to pull out her employee privileges and buy it. Not sure what project will be worthy of it yet....

The fabric on the right were "back-up" ones at Joann's, just in case I struck out again at the thrift store. I know it's silly but with gas over $3 a gallon, I want to have fruitful shopping expeditions! I would love to use the striped one as some sort of laptop sleeve, but hubby wants a more masculine print (go figure). The black and white floral...a nice way to still have black (where I live every year the new black is...black) in the warmer weather.

Call me Dr. Frankinstein

I've been crafting for others lately...I was asked to replicate a female version of a Zombie Kitten. It was quite a challenge to figure out a 3-D pattern for a softie (cut-stuff-adjust...cut-stuff-adjust) but I saw it as a paid internship, a fun way to try different technicues). Anyways, she turned out cute and cuddly...my girls agreed! She look a couple of spins in the Barbie convertible before she was rescued!

Another project is this messenger/fanny pack/shoulder bag. Using a channel in the back and a lengthly strap provided the versatility. The exterior is yet another hard wearing ulpholstery remnant. I love this leafy, ferny liner and the multiple pockets and divider.

Damage control

After reading some fearsome tales of sewing machine repairs, I decided to take some preventative measures. The Singer will only go on an extended vacation when I am on an extended vacation! After removing the plate without cracking it, I manage to exacate most of the dustballs with pins and tweezers. I was beginning to feel like a dental surgeon! Why am I using metal instruments on a plugged in machine? I figure having the extra light was worth the risk. Hopefully this will prolong the need for an unplanned trip to the shop.

Here is another custom order from one of my toughest clients ("Mommy, you have to lay her down gently after measuring. Don't just toss her!) -- a shawl and an Easter dress a baby Bratz. It would have been quick and easy, with this tutorial, if one the cardinal rules of sewing wasn't broken (right sides are always together).

Striking out

Unlike most bloggers (or so it seems to me), I have been striking out when rummaging through the linens at the thrift stores. Lots of acrylic afghans and Christmassy plaid sheeting, but no acceptable floral, retro or vintage prints. What's a girl to do? Visit a full price fabric store! Here are some of my finds. The first is a leafy print which would make a great liner for a messenger/shoulder bag design. The others are some fun prints that could possibly morph into totes, wallets, and purses.

The Halloween one would make great trick-or-treat bags (no matter how careful we are, we always end up with a sticky mess at the end of the night). The smaller prints could be wallets or business card holders. The red and blue toile, maybe another dowel handled bag to replace my current sewing/mending basket. I'm not sure about the blue gingham and the blue flowered linen yet. I am trying to have purposeful fabric shopping in order to justify my spending.

Custom orders

Recently, I have realized how much I enjoy doing custom orders. At Etsy, they have alchemy listings (basically classified ads seeking handcrafted items) which makes good reading ("I need 20 crocheted skull heads") along with good business. I love the challenge of designing something that meets their requirements with what I have on hand. It's also fun to add my own spin ( "if we do this, it would be machine washable").

Above are some of the results. The first is for a soft, machine washable bag that was crafted out of flannel and a quilted interior. The second request wanted a loud and bright wrislet -- I had just found the fabric (not normally my taste). It looks so cheery!

The last is my favorite, a design for a drawstring sock knitting bag. I want one for my scarf projects, much more chic than zip lock baggies!

The best laid plans...

We had been planning for months for a birthday party at the beach for my daughter. We literally spent five minutes there before it started raining...hard (it has never rained in the month of May the 14 years I've lived in the Bay area). Whatever...we are flexible parents and we adjusted...but then life became complicated.

We discovered a major leak (waterfall) in our basement, a direct benefit from the aftermentioned thunderstorm. While hubby was visiting neighbors to locate a ladder, I'm on my hands and knees under this waterfall trying to unplug the drain with a screwdriver (we could not have a flood on top of everything else). After checking on the kiddies, I notice out of the corner of my eye, our living room lamp was smoking (Hiroshima-like). Now I have 9 girls shrieking and barricading themselves in a back bedroom (they definitely need a fire drill refresher course) while I'm trying to figure out how to put it out (flinging my wet clothes on it was a brief option).

Anyways, the fire was put out (somehow the finial had fallen into the halogen lamp) and it was time for the parents to return. I'm trying to explain why my husband is on the roof, why all our windows are open despite the rain, and why there is a 2 foot layer of smoke in my house. Not sure how many will return for next year's party!

My agenda for the next day:
1) meet with roofer at 7:30 am
2) shop for a new lamp
3) fly to Barbadoes

Thanks for listening!

A bit of crafting amidst the chaos...a crocheted rosette square for Nikkishell's Wall of Yarn display. The flower is made from a strand of fingering weight wool/acrylic and Berroco's Opulent X. The other is a quickie beach tote from an ulpholstery sample. The texture remined me of those $1 straw mats in Hawaii.

Spring bags

This is a quick post...field trips, birthday party planning, and end of the school year events are all vying for my time. Here are some new bags I have been working on. They have quilted interiors to give them more structure without stiffness (I'm not a big fan of the stiff, but crunchy interfacing). I love the strappy bias tape handles and the overall softness! For more pictures check my shop. Have a wonderful weekend!

Knits in review: rebecca apricot cardi

Pattern: My take on the Rebecca Apricot cardi
Yarn: 50/50 cotton acrylic from a thrift store sweater
Gauge: 5 stitches/inch
Needle: #8 circulars
Wearability: thrown in the washer and dryer many times with very slight fuzzying
Rank: Love it!

Design: I had seen this sweater all over the web but I don't do well with patterns (especially poorly translated German ones). Basically my strong-willed nature revolts at following patterns (I succomb for lace, but only until the pattern is memorized). I'm always changing the neckline, sleeves (I have freakishly long arms with popeye forearms), waist shaping (I am short waisted), armhole shaping (I have broad shoulders), yarn and gauge, and construction (flat to circular).

After playing around with a swatch, I figured out the decrease eyelet pattern and began adapting the sweater. Abhoring seaming, I knitted this on circulars combining the fronts and back sections. The sleeves were knitted top down with a plain stockinette .

I loved knitting this sweater! The yarn was cottony soft with the nice elasticity of the acrylic (not as limp as Cotton Ease). Watching the pattern emerge was highly motivating.

Fit: Overall, it is probably my best fitting sweater. The shoulder fit is perfect -- the seam never falls over my deltoid area. The arm hole was a bit loose -- flappy and baggy. But being the anti-frogger, I used a crochet hook and slipped stitch along the seam (like taking in the sides of a big shirt) to pull it in. It's great way of fixing the armhole flappies if the yarn is not too bulky.

Horror story: After completing it, I threw it in the wash before the grand debut. Unfortunately, uncapped marker also joined in. There were blotches of red all over!!!! Praise the Lord for Shout and Oxyclean -- it all came out.

**** Oops I forgot to add one last instruction about making your own labels...heat set with an iron (press down first, and then start ironing to prevent smearing). I haven't put them through a machine wash, but it doesn't run when I scrub it in the sink. I used a laser printer, not sure if ink-jet printers are more water proof.

Creating inexpensive fabric labels

It seems there are two ways of creating your own labels -- iron-on transfer (via Grumperina) or laser/ink jet printing (via Soulemama). Choose the iron-on transfer if you wanted more unique ones (to include fiber content, washing instructions, size) or the laser printing for more generic ones (like for handbags).

Taking a cue from SouleMama (and I heard this is a common scrapbooking technique), here is how I make my labels:

1) choose a font , size and page margins until you have the maximum amount in two columns (need to allow room for seam allowances).

2) print on card stock/tag board (much easier to handle).

3) measure and cut out length of appropriate sized ribbon (I used rayon seam binding because that's what I had). The easiest way was to adhere a strip of masking tape along the edge (see picture) with only half of it behind the paper and the other half over the ribbon (if you're bad at pick-up sticks or Jenga place a coffee mug to hold the ribbon in place). Repeat for the other side. Make sure it lies flat and tight.

4) print and hold breath. Voila, instant labels! Since seam binding unravels a bit, I just leave on the card stock until ready to use. I left enough of a margin on both sides, I could just cut them without having to remove the masking tape.

**** Oops I forgot to add one last instruction...to heat set with an iron (press down first, and then start ironing to prevent smearing). I haven't put them through a machine wash, but it doesn't run when I scrub it in the sink. I used a laser printer, not sure if ink-jet printers are more water proof.

Whiplash week 4 -- Yarn

When I first saw the theme, I had a complete blank and took a pass. On Sunday night, when I was planning a new knitting bag, I realized I did have an entry! I have never been satisfied with my knitting bags -- a JJill thrift store find, the french market bag, and my constant companion bag -- because they kept falling down on the job! Saggy, droopy little things.


Onto design...I wanted a bag that stood alone (but soft , no wooden frames for me), not just the body, but the handles also. When changing locations, I wanted to just be able to pick it up quickly, instead of having to search for the handles and scoop up the spilt contents. It had to be wide but not too deep for easy access. Lastly, there had to be lots of pockets for pencils, tape measure, crochet hooks, gauge ruler, calculator, and etc.

Just using what I had at home, here are the results....I absolutely love it! I love just grabbing the handles and walking around with it. It reminds me of a modern day version of a carpet bag. I'm debating whether to add some no-sew snaps as a closure and some sort of a shoulder strap.

Inititally I wanted black canvas , but it would end up as a lint trap so I used an ulpholstery sample with a velvety texture. The interior is a quilted Asian print in cream and magenta -- much easier to find things against a light background. I love the felt kitty and her ball of yarn (it was a bit tricky machine stitching it in). I think my knitting mojo is back!

I can't commit

Since I have rediscovered sewing again, I have not been able to commit the time to a long term knitting project (the warmer weather is not helping and I'm not a big fan of heavy cotton tank tops). So I've been knitting what I call "shallow projects", that take an hour or two.

The one on the left is a mini neck cowl (can also serve as a headband on bad hair days). On the right is a ladder and garter scarf. I love both patterns -- quick and simple, yet beautiful. The yarn was gifted to me by my brother who lives in Singapore ("Just buy me some Singaporean yarn"). It's actually an Australian yarn, Patons Zhivago in a variagated pinks out of tencel and acrylic. The boucle texture is soooo soft and has a slight sheen. Tencel is sort of a man-made (though out of wood pulp) version of silk -- strong and silky.

Below is a short scarf in a diamond lace pattern -- it was my "waiting-for-the-teacher-to tell-me-what-to-do" project whenever I volunteered in my daughters' classroom. A few of the stitches were knitted by the their classmates -- I'm always ready and willing to teach the next generation of knitters!It was a pattern from the Harmony books, bordered with seed stitch -- I love the diagonal lines it creates. It used a single skein of a superwash sock yarn on #8 needles. It's soft and lightweight!

A quick comment -- even though sock knitting is rumored to be the ideal "shallow knitting" project, I stubbornly refuse to learn. I cannot, repeat CANNOT have one more reason to buy yarn! Everything I've read refers to the addictive nature of sock knitting and I cannot walk through that door. I already have overflowing bins of yarn, jars of knitting needles, and cabinets full of fabric!

But I am almost ready for a long term relationship again ...maybe a cabled vest...a lace shawl...

Beam me up scotty

A little toy for a new baby! Found this great pattern here (see the May 2 entry). It was a very easy (I now know what a gusset is) and quick project! The hardest part was stuffing it evenly. Embellishments were kept plain -- can't have junior choking on small bits, no matter how cute.

The mother, another knitter, and I had been looking around for knitting patterns rather unsuccessfully. Maybe that is a good thing since I suck at intarsia with cotton! Anyways, he's on his way to his new home!

Like mother, like daughter

Lately, I've been "displaying" handbags (it didn't seem right to keep them in bags and boxes while waiting for their new homes) for my shop in my living room. A few on an empty shelf, some hanging from wall sconces and one from a lamp top. My daughter added her collection as well! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Sweet.

whiplash - my version of chic to classic

This skirt has been hanging in my laundry room for 3 years ... how do I know? Because it was next to a pink satin dress that my daughter last wore when she was in preschool. I've always loved the print and the style, but after two babies it became too ...stressful... to wear. Unable to deal with it (or part with it) it was banished downstairs.

Today it was decided it could live again as a spring purse. After seeing all those images from Japanese crafting books, I wanted to make one too...I absolutely love it! I put my own spin on it, giving it a quilted interior. I can't stand floppy purses! It is the perfect size for warmer weather.

Sorry for the weirdness of the pictures, I'm still (and probably for awhile) learning about the placement of them after uploading. They never end up where I expect them too!

Moving from observer to participant

After much debate and hand wringing, I have finally decided to jump into the blogging world! A little intro first...I have been crafting most of my life, focusing mainly on the needlework arts (sewing, cross stitching, knitting, crocheting). But about two years ago, an off comment made by my mom while shopping ("I wonder if they have any lavender yarn. It would make a nice scarf"), I went into overdrive. The lavender yarn was never purchased or referred to again, but later I hunted down some yarn and needles and made a scarf (I would post a pic but I can't find it) and I never looked back. I knitted whenever I was seated with my hands free (waiting for pasta to cook, sounding out words for my daughter's homework, car traveling, etc) making ill-conceived yarn purchases through Ebay.

About a month ago, after being inspired by many great crafting blogs, I began sewing again. Above is literally the first adult handbag I ever made. I had some ulpulstery samples and I thought these colors would work together. Anyways, I hope to be able to juggle both knitting and sewing!

I'm looking forward for the opportunity to have an online log of my many ideas and hopefully projects!