Diaper Cake

I know the diaper cake has been done to death, but when people invite me to a baby shower this is usually what I end up making. They are just so cute and practical too!
This is my super deluxe version, there is a lot of stuff packed into this one...56 diapers, 2 receiving blankets, a hooded bath towel, 3 bibs, 1 burp cloth, 6 pairs of socks, 8 washcloths, lavender lotion and bath, 2 mini baby powders, 2 car seat dangling stuffies, 2 hats, key teether, a comb and brush, and a nail grooming kit. This is the third cake that I've made and it is by far the best. I followed the instructions on this youtube video for anyone who would like to make one of their own.

Jayne's AP Bag

While I was in the swap for knitters on Craftster I visited my local yarn store in Lincoln(Nebraska) and I bought 3 skeins of lamb's pride wool. I knew I wanted to make a felted purse, but I did not have a specific pattern in mind. I spent about a week looking for the perfect pattern and I found Jayne's AP bag pattern and immediately knew this was the pattern for me. The pattern uses four different colors of wool and I only had three, I just used orange for color A and color C.

This is all the yarn I had left, I guess I cut it pretty close.

Here's the final product, I have felted it, but I may felt it more I haven't decided. I think that I will make a lining for the purse, I like to have a small pocket on the inside of my purses and I think that a cardboard liner in the bottom would help the bag hold its shape and set better.
I really like how this pattern knits up, there is no seaming, just a lot of ends to weave in. When I was knitting the flap I accidentally knitted the stripe pattern wrong so the stripes on the flap don't match up like they should. I should also mention that I used a "bulky" wool and in hindsight I should have used larger needles(10.5 was recommended for the yarn) and that would have made the knitting looser and I think the bag would have felted better. I also like look of the leather strap on the original pattern better than my knitted version. I really enjoyed making this purse and I plan to make this pattern again.

Fused Plastic Messenger Bag

I finally finished my first fused plastic messenger bag! I did decide to use a different style than the one featured in the video and so my seat belts will be saved for another project. I am really pleased with how this one came out, I see a lot more fusing in my future.

I really like how the gear appliques turned out and I think that the bias binding really adds that "extra" detail.Here it is modeled by my husband who is trying to look thoughtful.And another shot to show how the bag hangs. I was really surprised at how light this bags is and the texture is like elephant skin. I must get more colored bags, my mother did find some old blue *mart sacks and a purple bag from lord knows where in her bag holder and I have everyone I know saving yellow dollar store bags for me. I seem to only have white ones and the only reason I keep them is for scooping the litter box.

Seat Belt Collecting

Mondays are my days to get things done and today that involved a trip to my local auto recycling center(you know, a junk yard). After seeing this video I just had to have some seat belts for my next project.

I was given directions from the owner of the place(he drew a map in the dirt and said to look for the cars that were stacked) I set off with my box cutter down a slightly muddy path. I walked about a quarter of a mile following the landmarks: past the white one ton truck and around the first curve to the right and found the stacked cars, which I avoided totally because they looked like they could fall at any moment! I will have to take my camera if I go back! Basically I just looked into every car that what sitting around, I was hoping to find black and grey seat belts. I was startled by a bob-tailed siamese cat that was hiding in a van and then I got to thinking about what else might be lurking about. I was able to collect six buckles and webbing to match before I got the heebie-geebies and decided to leave.
What really happened was I started thinking about how some of the cars were really crunched up and that maybe someone had died in them and I'm rooting around in the seat crevices where there might still be blood and guts, eeeewwww. I did come directly home and threw the whole bunch into the washing machine with hot water and lots of soap. They did wash up nicely and they look new!
I have started fusing the plastic and cutting out the pieces, but I am waiting to get some yellow bags for the design I want to fuse onto the pocket and I also need some piping. I can't wait to see how this turns out, I'm thinking it would make a great man-bag.

A Swap for Knitters - Received

I absolutely adore the package I received from auntiem! Everything is just perfect.This is the full package there is a knitting bag with day of the dead fabric, yay!, size 15 needles, size 2 DPNs, The Knitters Bible, 8 skull stitch markers and holder, 8 knitted hair rollers from my wists, wrist warmers and the pattern, 6 finger cots and holder, 2 skeins of caron feathers yarn, 1 skein of denim tweed yarn, and the rest of the skein used to make the wrist warmers, some sheep magnets, and a pattern to make socks. Here's some detail shots...

The set of rollers are orange!!! and they match the ones that I have been making perfectly(pattern). The finger cots are so cool, I just started knitting a wool purse and they are saving my fingers and the stitch markers are also being used in that project. The wrist warmers are so cute I almost wish it was winter again, almost.

I love getting stuff in the mail. I have found that as a crafter I am always making stuff for my friends and family and often times I don't keep anything for myself so getting crafted stuff from my swap partners is always special.

A Swap for Knitters - Package Sent

I shipped my knitters swap package to auntiem today and am anxiously waiting for her to receive it. Here's the whole package.There is a yarn caddy made from a 2-liter bottle(pattern) and holding a skein of corn yarn, a circular needle holder(pattern), a row counting bracelet, some yarn bobbins, some stitch markers, and some patterns I found online. (Not pictured is a knitting book and some Workbasket magazines from the 1980's.)This is a detail of the bracelet, yarn bobbins and stitch markers. I use Swarovski crystal bead for the bracelet, the smaller beads are used to count the individual rows and the larger beads are for every ten rows, they each have their own elasticised silver markers. The bobbins and charms on the stitch markers are made from shrink plastic that I stamped with hand carved stamps that I made when I was in college. The shape of the yarn bobbins is inspired by bread ties, I just scanned one and enlarged it 400% and traced it onto the shrink plastic, they work great for holding yarn tails!I coated the back of them with a thick layer of diamond glaze (go here to get a form for a free sample) to make them super shiny. I love diamond glaze, but if there are any bubbles in it when you apply it they have to be popped or they will be there forever! I've had very good luck using my engraving tool on the right side of this picture.
This was a really fun swap, stay tuned for what I received!

Reusable shopping bag

I made two of these bags for my friend Lisa to use as a totes, one for her and one for her daughter.

I love this bag it is made just like those plastic bags that you get at the store only is fabric! They are lined and can even have a pocket to fold up into! The detailed picture tutorial can be found here.

I also made this one for the reusable shopping bag contest on craftster.

This is the front. I made the drawing with a regular black crayon and the leaves are rubbings. Once you are finished drawing, iron with a pressing cloth to set the crayon. This bag is machine washable, but no dryer!!!
Here's the back, you can see the pocket for holding the folded bag.

And here's the bag all folded up. I need to make more of these, they are really sturdy(they can carry 3 2-liter bottles). The tutorial also includes instructions for making button holes so the bags can be placed on the bag holders at the stores. This is a great way to cut down on plastic bag use and the design options are limitless!