Craftology 101

project: another laptop sleeve

2010-12-12T19:44:00.005-06:00

Friends, I cannot find the cable that connects my camera to my computer. I knew that technology would be the end of me someday, but I figured it would be dropping the hairdryer in the bathtub or connecting jumper cables to a car battery incorrectly, not misplacing a simple cord. It will turn up eventually--things like that always do--but I have only crappy phone pics to document projects until

project: fail

2010-08-11T21:00:00.000-05:00

I made curtains for my new kitchen this week. I attached the rod to the wall, cut the fabric, sewed the pieces together, and hung the curtains. They are the ugliest curtains in the history of time. I will not be including a picture; they're that terrible. I am not defeated! I will triumph! I will record the success! (Just not today.)

upcoming project: quilted coverlet

2010-07-04T13:07:00.001-05:00

These fabrics, purchased yesterday, will soon be a coverlet for my bed. I can't wait to get started. I'm painting the now-white room, too, based on the colors in this group. What do you think? Cream? Update (8/11/10): I painted my room. It's now gray (zircon to the folks at Benjamin Miller). Lovely!

project: laptop sleeve

2010-04-17T16:23:00.007-05:00

When I bought my laptop in November 2008, I grabbed a protective sleeve at the store. A plain, white sleeve, which was my preference over black, the only other option. “I need something right away,” I thought. “This'll do for now, but I’ll get a better case soon, something more colorful.” I never did. Until now! I made this using instructions from One-Yard Wonders, a book put together by the

guest post: glass etching

2010-04-07T23:43:00.005-05:00

Susan, frequent reader and guest poster two times over, tried etching glass recently, something that I've wanted to do for a long time. Here's how she did it, in her own words. Q: That's a pretty plain jar. Where'd it come from? A: It was a peanut butter jar in its former, non-etched life.Q: Was it easy to etch the glass? A: Yes. I let the etching compound work for five minutes before I rinsed it

project: bib and blanket set

2010-04-03T11:12:00.004-06:00

I probably shouldn't post this until I actually give the gift to my friend, but too bad! These things are too cute to keep to myself any longer!Remember those bibs I made a few posts back? I made quilted blankets to match. After finishing that huge, crazy-looking quilt, thereby earning veteran quilter status, I thought this project would be a snap. It was certainly a lot easier than it would have

project: quilt

2010-03-15T13:32:00.008-06:00

I can't believe I finished a whole quilt. Have you ever had a piece of material that you absolutely love? A print that you hesitate to use because after it's gone, it's gone? I had a piece like that--two pieces of the same print but with different color schemes. I wanted to make something with the fabric, but I didn't have a lot of it (about 3/4 yard of each) and I don't make clothes (yet?), so

project: not all camping is bad

2010-03-04T14:40:00.003-06:00

I don't excel in or enjoy advanced out-of-doors activities. A walk? Sure! A picnic? Can't wait! A campfire? Love it! Hiking and fishing and camping and kayaking? Not so much. But don't worry. All is not lost, friends. I have discovered that I like embroidering scenes depicting such activities. Does this count? I think so. All patterns are from Jenny Hart's Sublime Stitching. Look at this adorable

project: to-go silverware roll

2010-03-02T17:55:00.000-06:00

Guess what? Winter WILL come to an end, my dears! And why not be ready for picnic weather with your very own to-go silverware roll? I am.

project: banishing the boring

2010-02-25T14:29:00.005-06:00

I bought a pair of slippers at Bed, Bath & Beyond. I needed a pair and they fit all of my requirements (warm, a rubber sole, cushioned nicely for my feet, only $8), but hideous in that they were perfectly, completely, unapologetically white. I thought I'd get over it after a week or so, but whenever I looked down, I saw yeti feet. Or giant snowballs.One packet of powdered Rit dye later, I have

project: bibs

2010-02-25T14:10:00.004-06:00

A friend of mine is having a baby in April. This is the same friend for whom I made a sunbonnet out of pirate fabric to wear during our journey to the Laura Ingalls Wilder farm in Mansfield, Missouri in March 2008. I had some of the fabric left from our bonnets and decided to use it to make something for the baby. Hilarious! Fun! What baby doesn't need pirate-themed bibs?(I forgot to take photos

project: pennant banner

2010-02-08T13:29:00.004-06:00

I don't know why I wanted to make this so bad, but I did. I really did. It burned a hole in my brain until I finished. Now, I still like it. What is it? Um...a banner made of pennants. I thought it would be fun to have something on hand to hang up in the house when it's an especially good day. You know, like a sign to yourself and others that something good has happened or that you feel like

project: purse

2009-12-14T14:51:00.008-06:00

I made a purse! Cute, right?The fabric is a favorite. I picked it up in Chicago over a year ago and have been waiting for the right project ever since. In my old living room, the wall above the couch featured framed photos of old cars that I had snapped when traveling. I thought I'd make some pillows from the car fabric to go on the couch...but I don't have a couch anymore! The star print was a

project: necklace!

2009-11-13T13:55:00.004-06:00

I made a necklace! Yesterday afternoon, in desperate need of black embroidery floss, I sped to Michael's, determined grab my 37-cent item and proceed directly to the check-out counter, perhaps allowing myself a detour down the Martha Stewart craft aisle to curse her name. I should not have walked around the store, then I would not have glimpsed the adorable green glass fox pendant that I had to

Domino is dead, long live Lonny?

2009-10-01T19:33:00.003-05:00

Egad! Can it be true? A successor to Domino? Sadly it is online only, so hard to peruse in a bubble bath with a scotch, which was my preferred Domino reading method (don't judge - we all have our strategies for relaxation). Otherwise, does it live up?Lonny magazine

The Easiset, Most Flattering Skirt Ever

2009-08-05T13:27:00.006-05:00

Though my mother theoretically knew how to sew, I don't think I remember her ever getting through a project without massive amounts of fake-swearing (she likes to use expressions such as "God Bless America!" as if they were expletives. Possibly this is due to her southern upbringing). Each project took forever to finish and eventually, she gave up entirely. I was always afraid that sewing would

Comfy spring/summer PJ pants

2009-07-30T16:52:00.006-05:00

Sure, I still haven't finished the first pair of these I started back in Madison, but why should that stop me from making another pair? Quite right. It shouldn't.I used Simplicity New Look pattern 6160, which I think I liked a bit better than the pattern used in our Madison class. It was less fussy, a nice wide-leg style, and also called for a drawstring waist which I like better than the

project: brown sugar scrub

2009-07-05T17:18:00.002-05:00

Do you know how much the Fresh Brown Sugar Scrub goes for at Sephora? $65. I tried a free sample of it and LOVED the stuff (naturally), but that's quite a price tag. Instead, I made my own this weekend. You can, too! 1 c. brown sugar1/2 c. olive oilFew drops of essential oil (optional)Mix the mush together in a plastic container. Done! A glass container is fine, of course, but I thought it might

guest post: susan's hanging jewelry display

2009-06-29T23:48:00.004-05:00

Susan, frequent reader and one-time guest poster, was inspired by jewelry racks featured on etsy.com to make something to display her own necklaces and earrings. Jewelry stuffed in a drawer is easily forgotten, and Susan wanted to remember to wear the things she has instead of buying new stuff. Like shopping at home. Here's how she did it (in her own words). The etsy hanger that was my

Summer = Back to School Bags

2009-06-18T14:30:00.006-05:00

I started library school in May and realized that I need some school suitable bags for toting around my various books and papers. I made myself a sort of matched set with some Echino fabric I'd been eying for a while. I do love transportation stuff, so I could not resist the Vespas and classic cars.First, I made a tote for hauling my library books to and fro:I lined it with some kicky Amy Butler

project: from blah to fab!

2009-06-14T11:42:00.004-05:00

I bought a brown dress for $20. Good price, but the brown print was a little on the boring side. I thought I could make it a little more interesting with a belt of some kind, but a few shopping trips left me wondering if I could fashion something on my own. I settled on a ribbon belt or sash. I bought two different colors of the same grosgrain ribbon, used the iron-on fabric bond to join them,

craft+tat

2009-04-30T18:43:00.003-05:00

A flickr pool of sewing-inspired tattoos!!http://www.flickr.com/groups/sewingtattoo/pool/

table runner + napkins

2009-04-25T10:50:00.004-05:00

I made a table runner and matching napkins for a gift. Nice, don't you think? The runner is backed with ivory flannel. (I bought a ton of it on sale at Jo-Anne last year. Putting together little things like this is always so much easier with the flannel on hand. It's good for pretty much everything.) I made 6 napkins--4 out of the brown polka dots and 2 out of the flower print. A failed attempt

Another Inappropriate Cross Stitch Gift

2009-03-02T17:47:00.005-06:00

I love slang. My friend JD makes up awesome words. For his birthday I decided to immortalize his newest addition to my vocabulary.I kept the frame contemporary and sleek to fit in his Third Ward Loft. "Twinkle" needed to, well, twinkle, so I used some metallic embroidery thread (which was a B to work with - it kept splitting and rippling and doing all sorts of weird stuff - but looks great).Oh,

Film: Handmade Nation

2009-02-13T08:16:00.003-06:00

Last week I went to the Milwaukee premiere of Handmade Nation. The film was made by two Milwaukee artists, and includes interviews with crafters all over the country. The film shows artists creating their works, from a bookbinder to printmakers. The camera follows rogue "vandals" Knitta as they cover lamp poles with knitted fabric, and shows Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching fame in her company's

Oh no! Not another one!

2009-02-12T22:40:00.002-06:00

Crafters, I don't know how much more of this bad news nonsense I can take. The grapevine has it that ReadyMade magazine is going through some sort of restructuring, which involves the parent company transferring operations to Des Moines, Iowa (from Berkeley, California) and ditching all of the staff except the founders. Read comment #11 in the post linked above. It's not folding--yet--but you can

event: Do it Now! The February Jumpstart Project

2009-02-08T20:58:00.002-06:00

The folks at Apartment Therapy and Etsy have made February the month to tackle those small projects on your to-do list that have remained on the to-do list thus far this year. There's even a contest! See the announcement site for details.If you aren't familiar with the Apartment Therapy family of websites, perhaps you should be! Here's a list of all five. * Apartment Therapy - home decor

Limited Time Offer

2009-01-18T12:28:00.004-06:00

Several months ago my BFF told me about this sign she saw at a restaurant. It was hilarious, she said, and she loved it. I decided to make her a version of this sign in cross stitch. I used the alphabet template in Subversive Cross Stitch and some graph paper Craig made for me to create my own design. I chose embroidery floss colors to match her shower curtain and a tasteful silver frame. I think

link roundup

2009-01-12T22:32:00.002-06:00

I was in Colorado the week after Christmas visiting friends for the new year and went to two of the most fabulous bookstores: The Tattered Cover in downtown Denver and Boulder Bookstore in, um, Boulder. I love independent bookstores--the magazine racks are always full of publications I've never heard of. I picked up a new magazine at one of them and am so taken with it that I'm thinking of

resolutions of a crafty sort for the new year

2009-01-10T16:53:00.004-06:00

Resolutions to welcome a new year aren't a new thing. The ancient Romans thought the beginning of January (named after the god Janus, who had two faces--one to look forward and one to look backward) was just the time to make a fresh start, like we do today. They started off the new year by making amends for whatever offenses they may have committed in the previous year (cursing the neighbor?

Emerson Cod, Crafter (R.I.P "Pushing Daisies")

2009-01-05T22:28:00.004-06:00

One of my favorite shows is Pushing Daisies. It's not for everyone. I knew that since I liked it, it was only a matter of time until it got canceled (see Arrested Development, Sports Night, and anything with Andy Richter, directed by Bryan Fuller, etc.).Not least in its many sterling qualities is Emerson Cod, my crafting hero. He made me wish, if only for a moment, that I could knit (not gonna

Pillow Frenzy

2009-01-05T22:10:00.005-06:00

It started with this one, in which I learned how to put in a zipper for the first time ever.Then I had to make another. To match, of course.Then I made two larger ones in yellow. To practice my zipper.And then came 2 in a faux bois in blue because I couldn't resist the fabric.I made a round one, for the experience, though in decor I find them fussy and rather useless.Finally, I tackled one with

travel crafting

2008-12-28T15:38:00.005-06:00

I'm in California for Christmas, soon to be followed by a few days in Colorado for new year-related festivities. There's not always a lot to do when I'm home with the family. We usually go to the beach for an overnight trip, but we didn't this year. We usually take a day trip to the Los Angeles area for one reason or another, but we didn't do that either. So we're just hanging around. It kills me

A Cover for Henry

2008-12-27T14:47:00.007-06:00

At my last sewing class at The Needle Shop (more on that later), the instructor and I decided that my machine had a name and that name was Henry. Trusty. Reliable. Not moody, though occasionally overthinking things. And, by nature, tidy. The tidiness was a problem - the tea towel that covered Henry wasn't really the greatest for keeping him clean and dust free.A while back, I bought some oilcloth

Hello From FIB-land

2008-12-21T15:08:00.009-06:00

I'm back, after a longer than anticipated hiatus. And what did I do with my summer and fall vacation you may be asking? I moved to Chicago - first into a temporary apartment by the lake, on the north side of the Andersonville neighborhood, and then into my new permanent home in Ukrainian Village. Compared to most of my age and situation, I don't have that much stuff, but holy cow does it seem

days like these call for something special

2008-12-18T10:21:00.007-06:00

Make yourself a hot toddy. If you don't have any friends, make one for a stranger. You will then have at least one friend. Ingredients: brandy, chamomile tea, honey, lemon, cloves (optional)Steps:1. Make a cup of chamomile tea.2. Cut a wedge of lemon and poke a few whole cloves into it. 3. In a new mug (a glass mug would be best, but I don't have any except for the two that I keep in the freezer

out of control with gocco!

2008-12-13T16:06:00.002-06:00

Homemade notecards are a nice present, don't you think? Naturally, someone probably doesn't want to receive 100 of the same card, but things tend to escalate rapidly once one gets going with Gocco. As you can see. This particular run of cards is something I've had in mind for a while. My mom sent me a card (of the Hallmark variety) a few years ago and mentioned then that she really liked the

Posing Your Hands For Pictures is Awkward

2008-11-18T19:27:00.007-06:00

I knitted these eons ago. Two times. I cannot lie, the thing that drew me to this pattern was not just the cables but the line in the pattern where they are described as "twist[ing] fetchingly toward your thumbs."The blue ones use some fancy yarn whose brand I cannot recall. I remember going on a hunt for the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran specified in the pattern but ended up falling for this

Chillin' in the Yard with Peep

2008-11-18T19:22:00.005-06:00

While going through pictures for my next (real) post (not this one), I came across this gem, that I feel depicts my thrifted washcloth monster thing more fully. I wonder what our neighbors think when I'm outside taking pictures of stuff like this (and Little Obama) in my front yard.

the holiday craft fair circuit

2008-11-12T13:04:00.003-06:00

Guess what? It's time to hit the holiday craft fairs! Here's a list of events that I know about in driving distance. You can google for the websites and directions. If you want to hit any of these, let me know. I'm always game for an outing (and I might be going anyway!).Winter Art Festival (described as a smaller, indoor Art Fair Off the Square)When: 11/15, 9 am to 5 pm; 11/16, 10 am to 4

Little Obama Enjoys A Celebratory Cocktail

2008-11-04T23:02:00.000-06:00

Little Obama

2008-11-03T17:26:00.013-06:00

This is Little Obama.Here's Little Obama when he was just little pieces.Little Obama likes watching himself on TV.Little Obama supports live music.Little Obama knows who he's backing in 2016.Little Obama thinks...Bottom line, folks?Pattern credit: Lion Brand Yarn.

out-of-town craft shops are better than in-town craft shops

2008-11-02T20:32:00.004-06:00

I took a little trip this weekend.An adorable craft shop, recommended by a friend, was an incredible find. Why don't we have shops like this in Madison?I bought one book.Make that two books (among other not-pictured paraphernalia).And gasoline was cheaper than it is at home!

guest post: cardboard utili-tea

2008-10-20T22:55:00.006-05:00

Today's guest post is from Susan in Golden, Colorado. While delaying preparation for a *conducting* exam (yes, this type of conducting--she's a music education student!), she pulled together an impressive shelf to house her bountiful tea collection, which had outgrown its space in the pantry. Simply amazing! Here's what Susan says about her project: There's nothing like a midterm (and concomitant

small project

2008-10-18T12:53:00.003-05:00

I haven't had a lot of time lately for projects (as you have likely noticed from the lack of posts), but I did whip up a couple of handkerchiefs for cold season. These aren't the first I've done, but they are the first to be photographed. I think both patterns came from the Sublime Stitching catalog--I can't remember. I found the handkerchiefs with the outlines already sketched, probably

asking the room

2008-10-07T16:38:00.002-05:00

Question, Craftsters: I want a large ironing surface, about twice the size of a regular ironing board. What are my options? Please answer in the comments.

animal print

2008-09-30T10:41:00.002-05:00

In August, I ordered a zebra rug, a new couch, and a new chair with matching ottoman. It was time; the old couch was an Ikea hand-me-down from a long-ago grad school colleague who moved to Germany, the old chairs were Ikea classics, the coffee table a couple of sturdily woven basket-type containers with cushions on top, and while everything looked nice together, it was all pretty old and ready to

stuff on magnets

2008-09-22T22:47:00.002-05:00

I had the glue gun out over the weekend and remembered a request from a fellow poster for another episode of "magnets glued to stuff." We aim to please at craftology101, so Nikki, this is for you.From the top: 60-inch tape measure still spooled in its plastic container, glue stick, flexible ruler (for measuring pie crusts!), a packet of jolly roger-emblazoned tissues, two little wooden doll heads

I dreamed about this when I was six

2008-09-09T07:15:00.003-05:00

Tiny people everywhere, members of a secret world. An artist in London takes pictures of figurines he's placed throughout the city. (from little-people.blogspot.com via www.whorange.net)

event: renegade craft fair

2008-09-08T07:15:00.001-05:00

Hey, craftsters! Chicago's very own Renegade Craft Fair is coming up soon: Saturday and Sunday, September 13-14. Julie and I are going and I'm excited.

buying someone else's crafts

2008-09-07T14:18:00.009-05:00

I went to the Mt. Mary College art fair in Wauwatosa this morning (left at 9 a.m. and was back in Madison by 1 p.m., thereby missing Meet the Press, a favorite show quickly going down the drain with Tom "Lest You Forget, I'm an Author" Brokaw at the helm). One of the exhibitors at Art Fair on the Square (Mosaic Weh--we chatted a bit) told me about it and said I should go because there's a $100

project: cheap wall art

2008-09-02T07:08:00.003-05:00

I like cars, especially old ones. When on a trip to Colorado to visit friends a few years ago, we happened upon a car show in downtown Golden where I saw the car that I knew existed but, up to that time, had not yet seen in person: the 1957 Chevy 210 Wagon, a two-door dream in red with creamy white leather upholstery. Perfection. I could hardly tear myself away. Even if I never obtain one of my

project: hiding the sordid underbelly

2008-09-01T21:27:00.000-05:00

I have a devoted craft area at home. My home is small (just the way I like it), so sometimes the clutter of the craft area is hard to hide. Projects currently underway, tools that don't really fit anywhere but out where they can be seen, the ready-to-go items that I like to keep handy--all of these can be hard to contain if I'm not neat and orderly. Most of the time, I am neat and orderly, but

Q & A: Print Gocco! It works!

2008-07-28T22:28:00.010-05:00

Craftology 101: So, what do you think of your new Print Gocco system?Darcie: Honestly? It was so easy that I thought I was doing it incorrectly. True, the box full of stuff is a little daunting at first. The how-to video is a little creepy and dated--from about 1982, I'd guess--and clearly transferred to CD from an old VHS cassette, but the steps were clearly communicated and demonstrated. I also

Wristlets Galore!

2008-07-22T19:10:00.003-05:00

This weekend I made four wristlets, using this easy-to-follow pattern from Javajem. I had previously made one of these for a friend's birthday gift. I used linen and blue and orange accent fabrics for that one. She seemed to like it and a guest at the birthday dinner suggested that I make one for another mutual friend of ours. I decided to do that for her birthday... which was in June.

expanding my skill set

2008-07-21T07:22:00.000-05:00

This isn't really a craft, but I love my new piece of furniture! I bought this cabinet on double clearance at Pier 1 over the weekend ("double clearance" because the price was marked down quite a lot and I got even more off because this was the floor model). A friend came over yesterday to drill a hole in the back to allow for cords and cables, and now, I have a lovely TV cabinet and the DVD

incoming: gocco

2008-07-08T23:21:00.001-05:00

I just ordered a Gocco printer! Happy late birthday to me! I selected the PG-11 model over the PG-5 because the price difference wasn't too terribly great and the PG-11 has registration guides for multiple colors of ink. I ordered extra ink colors, too. The Gocco I ordered comes with the basics (black, brown, red, green, blue, yellow, white), but I couldn't do without gold, silver, purple,

handmade envelopes

2008-05-14T23:39:00.003-05:00

Naturally, you'll want to make envelopes to go with your cards, right? Maybe not, but it's a good way to use up those extra-thick pages in old magazines, out-of-date maps, or even good-quality wrapping paper. I have a template to use when making A2 envelopes (the size of a quarter sheet of regular 8.5x11" paper, or a half sheet of paper folded to make a card). You could just as easily pull apart

event: summer craftacular!

2008-05-14T12:38:00.002-05:00

The summer craftacular is scheduled for Saturday, June 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the High Noon Saloon in Madison. Who doesn't love a good craftacular?Click for event details, including list of vendors.

handmade cards

2008-05-12T22:43:00.004-05:00

Friends, you can make your own cards! This is not a newsflash, but a gentle reminder. I forget sometimes, too. For these cards, I ripped apart last year's Food for Thought calendar, cut out pictures to fit folded cardstock, and slapped the pictures onto the cards with my favorite paper adhesive (Monoadhesive). Cute, right?

a thimble on every finger

2008-05-06T18:58:00.002-05:00

Did you know that there's a thimble for practically every hand-sewing task? Me neither! Truly fascinating. I'd better pick up a few thimbles and lay in an extra supply of various odds and ends before Hans' Sewing and Vacuum closes its doors on June 28 after 54 years of business. (I didn't mean for this to be a sad post, but I'm sad every time I think of the store closing.)

on-the-spot crafting

2008-05-06T15:29:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I realized that I'd forgotten a co-worker's birthday. This was bad. How could I forget a Cinco de Mayo birthday? Shouldn't Cinco de Mayo have served as an automatic reminder? Anyway, I ran an errand at lunch and found some delicious, over-sized, chocolate malt balls. I scooped them into a small cellophane bag, found a card, and ran back to work. But wait! No ribbon! No ribbon with

sewing prep tip

2008-04-15T13:15:00.003-05:00

In sewing class last week, I learned a trick that makes the entire class series worthwhile. You know when you throw a piece of fabric into the wash and you have to cut all of those strings from the non-selvage ends and untangle the fabric before you can use it? Try this: Sew those edges together with a very loose basting stitch to make a big loop with your fabric. It's easy enough to remove after

question: are you loco for gocco?

2008-04-15T09:46:00.004-05:00

Gocco is a small-scale printing system similar to screen printing in that it inks an image using a screen as a mask of sorts. If you do any browsing on etsy, many of the handmade cards for sale on that site are printed with a gocco system rather than letterpress. I like the idea of gocco because you can create your own images from a variety of sources: clip art, printed images, things you design

I Am a Copycat

2008-04-10T19:29:00.002-05:00

After another sewing class this week, I decided I need a little break from machine-based sewing and am going to try another Darcie-inspired project. She has some cardigans on which she's embroidered things (e.g., a guitar), turning them from plain to fabulous.I have a few cotton sweaters that 1) had some fading in spots and 2) were kind of boring even before that. Last night I washed the

Pillow Project

2008-04-08T08:15:00.004-05:00

So I took this Sewing Basics class at Hans' - it was 2 sessions over the last 2 weeks. I found it very helpful for reinforcing the basics, as promised by its title. We spent most of the first session learning about machines, threading needles, etc. During the second, we learned how to cut out fabric and actually finished (or tried to) our projects, which were 14X14 pillows. People in our class

spring cleaning fever?

2008-04-02T10:51:00.000-06:00

I finally did it. I organized. Now, instead of a plastic tray (and a box, and a file folder, and a basket) full of pages ripped from magazines, newspaper clippings, handwritten instructions, and printed pages, I have one binder devoted to possible craft projects and one binder for design ideas (including pictures of rooms I'd like to live in someday, gardens I'd like to cultivate, and the photo

Give Handmade!

2008-03-30T15:48:00.004-06:00

In the words of the immortal Jim Anchower: hola amigos - I know it's been a long time since I rapped at ya!A combination of crazy work and a nasty cold left me unable to craft and without the energy to, you know, form words into sentences and sentences into a post worth reading. So, what I've been doing mostly is planning what crafts I'll be taking on in April now that work and sinuses have

coffee cup cozy

2008-03-24T21:19:00.003-06:00

I completed a silly little project today: a cozy to use with disposable to-go coffee cups in place of those cardboard things that never really keep one's hand from burning. I know, I know, the real solution is to bring your own travel mug to the coffee shop or, even better, to brew your own joe at home. But for those days when you're in a hurry, and your on-the-go mug is in the trunk (you think),

Report: Craft Magazine Release Party

2008-03-14T06:48:00.003-06:00

Last Sunday a friend and I went to the Craft magazine release party, where we got to make the monsters featured on the cover of this month's issue. The store (Fasten Collective) where the party was held was really small, and we were a bit late, so we ended up perched on chairs in the back of the room, which made crafting kind of awkward. We were directed to draw a pattern on cardstock, trace it

Amusement or treasure / these optimistic pleasures

2008-03-12T15:36:00.003-06:00

The next time I'm in Chicago, there will be a spot on my itinerary for Renegade Handmade, which has been open since July 2007. From the site:The store was created as an extension of the Renegade Craft Fair, an event founded in 2003 that takes place four times a year in Brooklyn, NY, Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA. The shop serves as a permanent location for people to buy handmade items from

Another Baby Blanket... Bo-ring

2008-03-07T16:13:00.003-06:00

I'm telling you, all I do these days is make baby stuff (or fingerless gloves, as you'll see next week).This blanket was made for E, who chose a delightful purple and yellow quilt for her baby's nursery. (My room was yellow and purple when I was little - love. And... er... looking at the picture below, I guess I have to admit that my room is still purple today.) Just seeing the quilt and wall

why buy the magazine when you can read the website for free?

2008-03-06T11:28:00.005-06:00

I asked for, and received, a subscription to Craft magazine for Christmas. I'll try something new, I thought. Well, I don't like it, which is a shame because it was a generous gift and I was happy to receive it. The problem with the magazine is that there are too many weird little things to create that have no purpose. Like small pebbles encased in felted wool, or a 3D cat made out of old

Yellow Blankie

2008-03-03T17:08:00.004-06:00

I blew it - missed a once-in-four-years chance to post on February 29. Sorry I've been lax on Friday detail - I'll post twice this week to make up for it!More baby stuff. My cousin Jenna is pregnant with her second kid and requested a blanket similar in size to the one I made for her first, because when little Evelyn carries said blanket all over the place it doesn't drag on the ground. Just her

I want to join a book club, but for magazines

2008-02-26T11:29:00.008-06:00

Nikki's post about the demise of Blueprint was timely, in a weird way. One of my favorite magazines, No Depression, a bi-monthly that covers alt-county, roots, and Americana-type music, is ceasing publication with the May-June 2008 issue. They promise to continue in a lesser capacity with a web presence, but they don't yet have a plan for the redesign. My penultimate issue arrived in the mail

Sewing Machine Cozy - Now 1 Step Closer

2008-02-22T12:02:00.004-06:00

It's been a little quiet on the craft front this week. I've been trying to get as much done as possible for the upcoming craft-a-palooza in March (more about that on Monday).I did, however, pick out oilcloth to use in making my sewing machine cozy. after rejecting many others as too kitchen-y, this one seemed like a nice bet. What do you think?Found this at Oilcloth Alley, which sells (you

Things purchased - Sewing mania continues

2008-02-14T16:00:00.004-06:00

Amy Butler Lotus tunic pattern and Anna tunic patterns from Repro DepotBetsy Ross circle and a-line skirts from Betsy Ross patternsS.E.W: Sew Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp. I'll give a review later when I've had a chance to read through and try things out.The first project I'm going to attempt from it is this sewing machine cozy (another no zipper, no button project).

project: corralling ticket stubs

2008-02-13T22:50:00.002-06:00

If you're like me (and why would you be?), you save the small pieces of paper that you collect at theaters, concert venues, openings, tours as little mementos of things you've experienced. Movie stubs, concert stubs (whether torn or scanned at the door), tickets or business cards from museum tours get tucked away. I even save those small, smooth fortune cookie strips, mostly because of their size

My first sewing machine

2008-02-12T08:50:00.003-06:00

Recently, I purchased my first ever sewing machine. I'd used one before, back in the dark ages when I was in junior high home ec class and found that I actually enjoyed that part of the class. My mother had one, but she actually loathed sewing and so was always a bit mystified when I wanted to use that one. So I drifted away from my initial interest.I found my way back over the last year - who

Baby Squash Hat

2008-02-08T16:59:00.000-06:00

Since pretty much everyone I know is having babies (ok, exaggeration, but not by much) I made this hat knowing that eventually it would find a good home. The yarn was one of those "I'm in the yarn aisle, picking up something I came to this store specifically to purchase, but dang, this is cute, and I love the color, and I'll make something with it someday, I'm sure" buys.When all of the baby

Event: St. Paul Craftstravaganza, April 26

2008-02-07T17:03:00.000-06:00

Saturday, April 26, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Free admission, free parking.http://www.craftstravaganza.com/

A foray into pseudo bread baking

2008-02-06T14:15:00.000-06:00

I've long wanted a enameled cast iron Dutch oven as well, but was put off by the price and icky 70s colors. I too broke down and got one recently - I went with the Martha Stewart collection from Macy's because 1) say what you will about her personally, she and her products have not let me down and 2) at 50% off, it was a steal (59.99). In addition to the disco-era red orange color, there was a

purchased: 2 things

2008-02-06T11:00:00.001-06:00

1. LBJ in wearable format. I love this pin! I picked it up at Art vs. Craft in Milwaukee in early December. The crafter makes various bits of decoration (pins, pendants, frames, etc.) from broken plates. When I purchased President Johnson, the booth attendant said that he'd sold Lady Bird a few weeks ago and was worried that the former President wouldn't find a home on his own. He also had a

giveaway! free book!

2008-02-06T08:27:00.000-06:00

Would anyone like this book? I don't need to keep it around anymore. If you want it, respond in the comments or send me an e-mail message; otherwise, it's going to the Frugal Muse book shop.

Going to the dogs

2008-01-31T09:22:00.001-06:00

So, henceforth I shall be posting on Mondays and Thursdays. I got a little sidetracked with photo difficulties and missed my Monday start day. Let's pretend I didn't - don't tell!Look at these furry faces - can't you hear them saying "Life is pretty good, but I could use a better accessories wardrobe"? And how could you resist such a request?Enter Darcie, her trusty sewing machine, and the

project: weird recycled plastic bag tote

2008-01-30T23:19:00.000-06:00

The craft blog world has been buzzing lately with a technique for fusing flimsy plastic bags into durable material. You can then use the repurposed plastic to make anything--more bags, wallets, envelopes, lunch totes, you name it. ReadyMade magazine and craftzine.com are the two places where I learned of this. Oh yeah, and etsy labs posted a tutorial, too. Doesn't that sound amazing? A way to use

R.I.P., Blueprint

2008-01-11T17:39:00.000-06:00

I learned today that Blueprint will be no longer, at least in print format. They are maintaining the website and blog, but still... not the same. I just gave a subscription to someone, who will now never know the glory of Blueprint.You will live on forever, in my heart, and in my magazine box in the craft room, dear Blueprint.

A Little Belated Holiday Cheer From the Dark Side of Crafting

2007-12-22T08:55:00.000-06:00

One reason I'm sometimes reluctant to embrace the world of craft is that I am not a cutesy person and so much of what is out there is, well, a bit twee for me. Before you flood me with protests and denunciations, let me state for the record that I do realize that etsy, et. al. are full of hipster punk rock craft. It's just a general vibe that still lingers and taints for me . . . Perhaps it is

fun with glue and magnets

2007-12-16T21:14:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I had the ol' glue gun out to attach a round magnet to a pencil so there's always one handy when I need to write something down on the grocery list. One thing led to another (as is so often the case with the glue gun), and I ended up making many things into refrigerator magnets. See for yourself. 1. Mechanical pencil2. Rock (from Halifax, Nova Scotia)3. Wisconsin Film Festival pin4.

not craft related

2007-12-05T19:23:00.000-06:00

Why do celebrities appear on Sesame Street? While eating dinner tonight, I was flipping through the great variety of channels I receive as a non-cable subscriber (9 channels at last count), killing time until I was ready to wash the dishes and move on to the night's festivities. I ended up on PBS after vetoing Wheel of Fortune, Entertainment Tonight, Wisconsin Gardner, and an interview with Fred

craftastic

2007-12-03T20:19:00.001-06:00

Saturday, December 1 was the No Coast Craft-o-rama in Minneapolis. It's not a bad drive from Madison on pleasant days--no winding roads, no rough patches, no climbing elevation, lots of weird billboards to see (the vertical semi?), and plenty of places to stop in between. Unfortunately, weather conspired against me. Snow, sleet, frozen rain pellets, and ice, all on the same day, completely killed

Winner!

2007-11-29T17:46:00.000-06:00

I did it! I won the NaNo. And early, too. Pat, pat on back. I don't know how to put that winner thingy in the sidebar doohickey, so I won't. (And also, clearly, I've lost my words.)Now excuse me while I back away from the computer and start furiously crafting for Christmas.

NaNoWriMo break

2007-11-18T21:56:00.000-06:00

I'm working on the writing project this month, I promise, but I needed a bit of a break yesterday. I framed a few things that have been just begging for my attention in the past few weeks, two postcards from Rar Rar Press and a print from Indie Fixx Shop, a new online shop. I think everything turned out pretty well, don't you?

for november--a different kind of project

2007-11-04T14:07:00.000-06:00

November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, as the kids say. Julie and I are participating (and Nikki, too?), which means that my sewing machine and fancy craft paper are downstairs, sitting alone, entertaining themselves, while I sit up here at the computer attempting to excavate some ideas that have been rattling around my old brain for a while. I imagine that Julie is looking

Cilantro Cables

2007-10-30T13:36:00.000-06:00

Huzzah, finally an actual craft from Nikki B!Friends Tom and Sarah were married at the beginning of October and, as is my way, I made them a blanket. Sarah knits, so I felt that I needed to "bring it" and do something a little more advanced than I've done for wedding blankets past. Plus I was looking for a challenging project after months of dishrags and baby burp cloths. So when I saw the flier

Furniture Facelift (or, yet another "I love power tools" craft)

2007-10-27T14:23:00.000-05:00

Before During (after I'd sanded and filled) After: the dresser in my guest bedroom After: the nightstand in my guest bedroom, plus a guest appearance

Reupholstery Made [Not So] Simple

2007-10-27T14:09:00.000-05:00

So, I took a class at the local technical college in upholstery, thinking it would be the perfect (less expensive, more satisfying) way to finally recover the ottoman that one of my dogs shredded during her puppy phase. I'd walk away with knowledge and achievement, and could then start recovering ever more ambitious pieces of furniture!Sadly, the class was not all that instructional. It was more

project: purse, part III

2007-10-17T21:35:00.000-05:00

I made another variation of the easy purse, this one with beads that I sewed on by hand! Unfortunately, blogger won't let me upload photos, so you'll just have to wait to see what it looks like.UPDATE: photos are uploaded!

project: purse, part II

2007-09-26T21:52:00.000-05:00

I made the same purse again, this time not reversible. I didn't have to worry about the upside-down problem thanks to fabric choice, and I added a decorative top stitch in a contrasting color. Also, Good-bye, ugly white elastic cord, and Hello, ponytail holder!

vintage matchbook covers

2007-09-24T09:15:00.000-05:00

Perfectly designed. http://www.flickr.com/photos/maraid/sets/72157594234429063/