Purple Filigree Donut and Other Pendants

I spent last night sanding and buffing the pendants I showed you yesterday.I love how this balinese filigree donut turned out and I am already planning to make more, I just need to decide what colors to use. I normally just loop cord through these and add some clasps, but for this one I'll be gluing a silver bail to the back, I didn't want any of the filigree to be covered by cording.
Here's a better shot of the bullseye and marbled sets. I was thinking of putting the heart and the rectangles together into one necklace, but I think they will look better separately.
I used my new embossing sheets to make the pink ones. I really like the effect of the lacy pattern and the pearl clay really accents the pattern, but the design seems kind of large for these pieces, it would probably look nicer on a tin (Maybe it's just me). This was a fun little project that kept me busy for a day and it was nice to try some new techniques, I even managed to sand up a couple of new pieces for my etsy store.

Polymer Clay Play

Today I worked on polymer clay pendants for a friend. I made one balinese filligree donut (which is my favorite), a bullseye set, a lacy embossed set, and some extra marbled pieces. I used three colors purple, fuchsia, and pink pearl.
Please excuse the picture quality, an overcast day with flurescent lighting doesn't make the best photos ;) I still have to bake and sand them, but that's the easy part. Once they're finished I'll get the light box out to photograph them properly.

Bargain Hunter #6 Package Received

I received my package from MsMia today for the Bargain Hunter #6 swap on Craftster today.

First she crocheted me a capelet. I reminds me of a spiderweb when it's on, it's very lacy.

An Embroidery kit that is almost finished, see weird white shape on lower left, but the floss needed is in the envelopes.

Two cotton sweaters, an eyelash scarf, a butterfly hand puppet, 2 skeins of eyelash yarn, a belt with a great buckle, scrap booking chipboard pieces, a pillowcase, 2 plaid place mats, and 4 patterns. There were also some chocolate covered fortune cookies, but they have been carefully hidden away from the children.

And this is Pandora wearing the eyelash scarf (it's a tube scarf), we think she looks like a wookie :).

I have not sent her package yet, the last day to send it Monday, so that is what I will be working on this weekend. I actually still have some money to spend!

Summerlin Dress

The Summerlin Dress pattern was just to cute for me to resist! Knitting and sewing in one pattern and quick to make too!!! I love this pattern and could make a million of them, I wish that there was one in my size.
This knitted up very quickly and was super easy. I had some cotton ease yarn on hand from a frogged project and this cute vintage pillowcase from a yard sale, so this was a great stash busting project. I have enough yarn left over to make a little shrug or sweater to go over it if I find the right pattern.I still need to prewash everything and attach the skirt, but that should be easy enough. Action shots coming soon.

Welcome to My Garden

My four year old son has taken an interest in plants and growing them and so we needed a garden. We live in a very "cozy" two bedroom apartment and it is February, so I did some research and found this self watering planter from 2 liter bottles. The only things I needed to get to make this was soil and seeds, for a total cost of about $10 we could have a nice little indoor garden.

Cutting the bottles was easy with the use of an exacto knife and fascinating to my son, who admired the "good cutter".

Drilling the holes with the dremel and putting the string was probably his favorite part. He really liked looking through the little holes we made in the caps.

The one in the center is ready for planting (for this photo shoot anyway) and the rest are draining from the soil saturation part of this project. I need to get some goo gone to get that bit of glue and label off the greenhouse part. We will be planting a selection of herbs and flowers tomorrow and I'm excited to see how they will grow. We will also be planting some beans in cups for a quicker result, the patience of a four year old is short.

I think that we will probably paint some paper sleeves for the bottoms of the bottles to make them pretty and we will also need some stakes to label our garden.

Ball Band Dishcloth part 2

I finished my set of ball band dishcloths. I did rip out the original crochet edging and redid it using a smaller hook and I am satisfied with how they look now.My husband and I have been debating on which one we like best, I like the red in the background and he likes the other one. Now I need to look through my stash and see what other cotton yarn I have and what color combos I can try. I used up all but a tiny bit of the red to make both of these, so it is definitely a good stash buster.

Ball Band Dishcloth

I think that knitted dishcloths and washcloths are a luxury, it's funny how they used to be practical and now we just buy them in sets to match our towels. I like to knit them up once in a while for myself or to save for gifts, everyone I've given them to loves them.
I am always looking for interesting patterns to try and I have seen the ball band dishcloth everywhere and thought it would be complicated to knit, boy was I wrong!
I knitted this up in an evening while watching TV. The pattern gives the cloth great texture and, I imagine, scrubbing power. I decided to add a crocheted edging, but I think I used to large of a hook and it came out rippled, so I am going to go back and redo it, but I was excited to share. Now I need to make one with the variegated black for the background and red for the bands! The pattern is on the peaches and cream label or here if you would like to try it for yourself.

Bucket Organizer Tutorial

I used 1/2" seam allowances one everything to make everything nice and even. I think that you could get by with 1 2/3 yards of fabric if you seamed together the scraps to cut the bottom circle or use another fabric, who's going to see the inside bottom anyway?Press the tops of all the pockets down 1/2" and stitch 1/4" from top.

Place crochet pocket and knitting pocket 3 1/2" from the bottom of outside lining (see drawing), sew at 3", press pockets up. Baste pockets to lining along sides. Sew lines from bottom of pockets to top about 1" apart, (I used the width of my ruler to mark the lines). Pull threads to inside, tie off and trim.

Turn sides under 1/2" press and sew 1/4" from edge. Turn bottom edge under 1/2" and sew/zigzag close to raw edge to for a casing.

Place 1 inside pocket 3 1/2" from bottom of inside lining, sew at 3", press pocket up. Align other pocket with bottom of inside lining, baste both pocket sides and bottom to lining. Sew dividing lines in pockets, I sewed a line in the center and then 1 line on the center of each half making 8 pockets.

On other inside lining sew elastic or ribbon to hold yarn caddies. Sew inside lining pieces together at sides.

Gather bottom edge of inside lining and pin to bottom circle adjusting gathers to fit, sew.

Gather top edge of outside pocket slightly (like easing a sleeve) pin to top of inside lining, butting edges together, sew, press seam toward inside liner. Put into bucket.

Thread string or yarn through casing on bottom of outside lining, pull tight and tie. Fill it up and you're done.

Caftan - After

I happily sewed all last evening and this afternoon and this is the result.
I used McCalls #5626 View A with the length of C. I really like this pattern, it is loose and flowing without looking like a tent. I think that all of the different lengths are great and that the details that can be added to the yoke make this a pattern that can be made again and again without being boring. The only problem that I had was getting the yoke attached to the dress front, but with a little fiddling I got it.
I know that it is hard to see, but there is are ties under the bust to give it shape. This fabric is like camouflage for itself! I normally do a bust cup adjustment on commercial patterns, but I thought there was enough ease to get by without one. I think that it would look/lay better if I had made that adjustment, but I will still wear this, I'll just need a good minimizing bra :).

I hope that you can see the ties in this one and also how close fitting the bust is. I also thought I should share this "out take" to give you a better idea of the chaos that is really going on here at my house and maybe explain why I look a little worn out on some of these photos.

Caftan

I bought this "lovely" caftan at a yard sale last fall for a dollar or two, I can't remember. What I do remember is that everything in the whole house was for sale and I got a lot of great bargains that day.
I really like the fabric and there was so much of it I knew I would find something to make with it. Today I began taking it apart, it seems to be cotton (I know, I was surprised too!). I cut the front and the back apart, ripped out the hem, and took out the zipper. I have started cutting and expect to finish that later today, hopefully tomorrow the sewing will begin. Stay tuned, more to come (hopefully tomorrow).

Knitting Bucket Organizer

I have been doing a lot of knitting lately and it has taken over our apartment. The ottoman is stacked up with yarn caddies, patterns, needles. The bedroom floor is covered with crochet hooks and stitch markers. There are random balls of yarn, row counters, point protectors, and darning needles everywhere. I really knew that there was a problem when I found my "fancy" stitch markers in the bathroom vanity.

In order to get more organized I decided to make a bucket organizer. Something functional for storage and easy to stow away in a closet when guests are coming or I take a break from knitting. It has spaces for 30 knitting needles and 30 crochet hooks/double pointed needles. I used a sheet that I bought for a dollar at a thrift store and supplies I had on hand.

There are elastic bands to hold my 2 liter bottle yarn caddies and on the opposite side there are pockets for cable needles, scissors, stitches markers and other miscellaneous notions. I'll be able to store several work in progress projects and patterns on the inside. Everything will be easy to find when I'm ready to work on a project.

I will need to make something to hold my growing yarn stash, but that is for another day. I am really excited about finishing this project and I can't wait to start knitting something new!

Happy Friday the 13th!

My instant cemetery is featured in today's storque article on etsy. It's always so exciting to be picked, it makes me feel famous.I know this picture is tiny, but I'm there in the forth row, center. I am glad I decided to relist my cemetery, I think the pictures really make it look spooky, I wish all of my photos looked this good.

New Style of Pendants

I added a some new pendants to my shop today. Some of them were mokume gane and these, they are made from bullseye canes that are stacked, sliced and formed into sheets that I cut into pendants.

I love the pink white and brown color combo and I think these look really modern.This green one reminds me of some sort of animal skin in a kaleidoscope. I also have some smaller ones that I wrapped in black that I think I will make into stitch markers for myself :).

Recycled Jeans Apron

I love aprons and while wondering around the internet I found this (snoop around this blog and you'll find more apron tutes). Just what I needed a sturdy, crafty apron.

I also needed to use that Alexander Henry fabric, I have a bad habit of buying quality fabric and then being afraid to cut it.

Here's a close up of the appliques and the scissor loop. I like it so far, but I think it needs something...sequins, embroidery, or maybe some of that pom-pom fringe. I'll have to check out the trims next time I go to the fabric store.

Another Slither for a Personal Swap

I am doing a personal swap with mieljolie on craftster and I am so excited!!! I'm making her a pair of "slither" armwarmers and she is sending me a pattern for one of her fabulous pop tab garments and some other goodies (maybe even a paper mache witches boot). I have been knitting away on the armwarmers and am over half way done. I think I will finish these up in the next couple of days.

The Bargain Hunter Swap is also back. Partners have been assigned and the planning is in progress...I think I will be making some jewelry and a top secret sewing project. I have to do some shopping and I have to check my bargain hunter stash.

I also finished my felted Kelly bag. As you can see the flap dried a little wonky, so I think I will have to wet it again and reshape it. Again I will say I really like the style of this bag and I wonder how a fabric version would work, I can't figure out how I would do the handle.

Pillowcase Pinnie

In December I ordered the Pillowcase Pinnie pattern from MakeDoMail on etsy. I have a large collection of pillowcases and have been looking for some cute things to do with them. I liked the simplicity of this pattern and thought it would be fun.

The pattern is easy, very well written and includes several helpful tips to make you apron successful. I opted to make the large size for my trial (the extra large would have been a better choice for me, but the chosen sacrificial pillowcase was not large enough). I also left off the pleats at the neckline because I like a larger neck hole, please note that if you are well endowed the neck pleats add shaping and keep the neckline from looking funny, so put them in!As you can see it is modeled by my husband and his nice flat chest. (I know it looks a little wonky in the photos, but it was just how he was standing). When I make this pattern again I will be putting in the neck pleats, making the extra large size, and adding the pockets.

I recommend this pattern if you like simple, smock style apron and are fond of applying miles of bias tape and I will probably make it again.

I would like to thank my husband for dutifully modeling my apron :)

The Kelly bag

I admit it, I joined ravelry (everyone else it doing it) and now I can super organize my knitting projects and find new friends and patterns. BTW my user name is crafterella, if anyone wants to add me to their friends :).

To start off my new, super organized knitting I whipped up The Kelly Bag a super cute felted bag. I love the way the handle goes through the flap!

Here it is pre-felted (it's in the washer right now).I decided to add a swiss darned initial (can you tell it's a K?). I'm anxious to see how that felts up. If it looks silly Plan B is to put an applique or something over it. I also mitered the bottom corners of the bag to give it a little dimension. I am planning on lining the bag to give it a bit more structure, I have made felted bags before and they are just to floppy for me, and I need a little pocket on the inside.

This is a nice straight forward pattern and definitely easy to knit, it was really fast too! Once it's done drying and lined I post a finished picture.

Art Supply Caddy

First let me state that I am definitely not above dumpster diving or picking stuff off the curb. Before Christmas I just happened to notice this wine carrier sitting on top of the trash in my dumpster and knew immediately what I could do with it.
All it needed was a bit of black paint to cover the words and some disposable cups. I present the portable kids art supply caddy.

This was a nice quickie project that made our art cart a bit more tidy and a nice home for all those brushes, markers, scissors, and glue. I think it should hold up well, the cups can be replaced if they get stained or broken and if the carrier itself gets a bit worn I can repaint or decoupage it back to new. I could use a couple more of these, but I don't drink wine maybe someone will throw another one out!

Slither and Swell from Knitty.com

The minute I saw the pattern for "slither" the super long armwarmers on knitty I wanted to make them, but I wasn't sure that I was up for the challenge. I still think of myself as a beginning knitter and all those decreases, intarsia, button holes and the thumb gusset? I went for it, after all you can always frog the whole thing, right?

I knitted frantically for three days and then spent the forth day sewing on the buttons. I really like how they turned out.I love the shaping, it is one of the things that I find so fascinating about knitting. This pattern is really well written, it was a little complicated to do the shaping and the striping at the same time, but once I got the hang of it I did fine.

I also had enough yarn left over to make "swell" an earflap hat. I could actually make one in all three colors and I just might!

I had to go up two sizes of needle to get the proper gauge on this one and I also changed it up a bit. I didn't do the intarsia wave pattern or the peace sign purls on the earflaps. I also made the back longer than the front and didn't purl across the earflaps to make a ridge where they are connected to the hat. The hat turned out light weight and warm. I may add a fleece lining, but I think this may be the perfect earflap hat.

Yarn used Cascade 220 in black, dark plum, and cabernet heather.