for all you font fanatics

[dropkickjessie.livejournal.com]

check out richard niessen's file sharing font
http://www.howtoplays.nl/
go to "get font" and you can download it (macs only)

if you dont have a mac, you should still check out the site
his designs are really dynamic and creative
be inspired!

(no subject)

[thawedtime.livejournal.com]

I bought some Baltimore Orioles fabric at Wal-Mart because my boyfriend loves the team. (I'm a rabid Phillies fan, in case anyone is wondering.)

I was bored a few days ago and decided I would try to make a purse.

( The results... )

... problems meeting gauge in a crochet pattern ...

[guppygrrl.livejournal.com]

crossposted to crochet

I picked up the Spring/Summer 04 issue of Family Circle Easy Knitting because there is a crocheted boyshort pattern in there I really want to make.

However, I canNOT, for the life of me, get gauge on this pattern.

( Here are the vitals as written in the magazine: )

I just can't get that gauge. I checked the Easy Knitting website for a correction and there isn't one for this pattern. While I'm not using Cotton-Ease, I've never had a problem substituting before, and in fact, I looked up the info on Cotton-Ease (linked above) and I get gauge on it's label with the yarn I'm using if I go up a hook size (my most recent yarn attempt for this pattern is Red Heart Cotton Twist or something like that).

I've crocheted very loosely, I've tried doubling the yarn, I've gone up the alphabet of hook sizes to a very impractical L and STILL haven't gotten gauge! I had some Wool-Ease around, so I tried to get gauge on that since they're similar weight - no go. Not even close.

I wrote to the webmaster, but haven't heard back yet (I only wrote yesterday, so I'm not overly pissed or anything about that yet *L*). I'd think it a misprint, but another pattern in the same article lists the same gauge requirements. I mean, they could have just copy/pasted and both are wrong, but still.

Even trying to work backwards, that gauge just doesn't seem to work, unless I'm doing the math wrong (that's why I included all the other pattern info besides the gauge). It doesn't seem that I'm chaining enough to get around my waist if I do what it says...

So, am I a basket case who can't read a pattern all of a sudden, or does something seem wrong with this? I just don't know how to get 8sts/3" in what's supposed to be a smidge bigger than generic worsted weight.

Help?

~A Depressed Yet Determined Kissy

Plastik vinyl wallets

[bittenbefore.livejournal.com]

I made this ages ago but i thought i share it anyway.

I saw the gorgeous wallets found at http://www.poketofriend.jiyendesign.com/ and was inspired to make one myself.



I used wrapping paper cos the person was giving it to loved hamsters or rather hamtaro. I didnt need to use my leather needle at all cos the vinyl was quite thin. It stuck a little to the machine but i used tissue paper to cover the bottom while sewing.

if you're curious, this wallet now belongs to agenthelen so i dont have any other pictures to share either.

any questions or comments are welcome ^^

updated:
The tutorial is now available!
Go to http://www.geocities.com/dynamiteparty/vinylwallet.html
Hope its helpful! Do sign my guestbook or look around my site and tell me what you think! [i know its in need of an update but i havent really gotten round to it]

Apron Dress with matching skirt

[marbleeye.livejournal.com]

I SWEAR I'll try to come up with a tutorial as soon as I start on another top. This one was just about done, so I finished it last night. I'll probably just take pics during each step of making the next top, as that's about as self explanitory as it can get.

( One of thease days i'll make somthing with no blue in it... )

License plates

[ginnski.livejournal.com]

I have 3 license plates, just waiting to be used for something. I've seen purses made out of license plates before, and I am most interested in doing this. However, I have no idea how to go about making one. Does anyone have any instructions, advice, or perhaps even some pictures of ones they made?

Fraying edges

[dougdougdoug.livejournal.com]

So I foolishly sewed up some denim without folding over the edges, so now I have a nice raw edge that is fraying like crazy. Is there anything I could put on the edges to stop the fraying (cotton denim so burning the edges won't work) or am I destined to take my project apart and resew it?

war bowl

[sourmix.livejournal.com]

Does anyone have any idea how this bowl project could be re-created? http://mocoloco.com/archives/000320.php

I've thought about melting the soldiers into a cirle on wax paper then forming them somehow over a metal bowl. But would this creat a wavy record-bowl effect? Maybe one could just wait until the soldiers are semi-soft then put the circle onto the bowl and let it squish down naturally? Or maybe one could put the flat circle on top of the bowl then put it back in the oven for a bit? Also, does anyone know approx what temp one cooks toy soldiers at?

For the time being, I am suspending my knowlege of how toxic this craft could be and am just trying to rough out some ideas for experimentation.

Thanks!

Growth Chart

[reebert.livejournal.com]

I forgot to mention earlier that a new edition of Mosaic Minds came out on April 1st. This month in the craft column, Slapdash, I show you how to make a fun growth chart. You can always check out the past projects as well.

I craftied my entire bedroom!

[indignant1.livejournal.com]

Check out the ( bedroom )

jordy bags...

[ad0rablexx.livejournal.com]

lately ive been seeing the craze of these "jordy" bags... and wow.. i so want to make one... but what i was wondering was if it would come out the same if i handstitched it, and didnt use any interfacing... and is there any certain type of fabric that would be best for something like this if i dont use interfacing? or when i go out to the store and buy my zipper for it and possibly some fabric just get interfacing too?

if it can't be handstitched then maybe i can possibly get my hands on the sewing machine and make it work for a whole 5 minutes before breaking the needle.. or it not sewing right... stupid oldschool sewing machine :/ thanks :P

Restore damaged leather?

[dr-topsight.livejournal.com]

Does anyone know how to repair small scratches on shiny leather? I found really nice thrift store shoes, but they have been through a lot. Now I'd love to nurse them back to health - any ideas? The leather is smooth, semi-shiny and black.

Sculpey / Acrylic Water Concerns

[leopardwolf.livejournal.com]

I have a little dilemma, and I'm hoping that someone around here has had experience dealing with something similar, and might be able to suggest what I should do with this project.

It all started a number of months ago. I wanted to make something special for my grandfather. I pictured a fish, hooked, in a bowl. I figured I could make the fish from polymer clay, put it in a large vase bowl, and use some of the acrylic water I have seen in craft stores.

My major concern was the color bleeding if I used water based acrylic paints on the fish, then used the acrylic water. I tested a small piece and it seemed to work fine. So I went ahead and put everything together in the bowl.

The acrylic water I used is called Everlasting Elegance. I had to use one whole box, and then some. The problem is, the stuff has to be mixed together in portions, and obviously has to be mixed together very precisely or else you won't get the desired results.

Well, I didn't get the desired results:


The surface of the stuff remained tacky after I finished. I figured it needed some time to sit, so I gave it time. It is still tacky, and it's been well over a month. I've kept it covered with newspaper just to keep dust off of it. Otherwise though, it should have dried.

The test runs I did set fine. Now I am unsure what I should do. I worked really hard to sculpt the fish. Should I try adding in more of the Everlasting Elegance acrylic water, with more parts of the hardening solution? It suggested somewhere in the directions that you might have to do so to make it firmer in certain areas of the country.

I just don't want to ruin it any more than it has already been ruined. If I have to, I'll try taking the fish out. I just can't tell how far down the tackiness goes.

The other concern I have about adding more of the acrylic water, is that when it sets and dries, it will leave a line between the new and old layer. So I thought perhaps I could just pour in enough to lightly coat the surface and hope with enough of the hardener solution it will set and work right this time.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Also, I'm looking for some good sculpey sites that show how to work certain textures into the clay. Specifically for doing fur and feather textures with animals. The more realistic, the better.

clear duct tape

[ripnj.livejournal.com]

Has anyone seen the new clear duct tape from 3m? Do you know what stores carry it? Think of the wallet/bag possibilities.

http://www.3m.com/us/office/scotch/transducttape/

My new folder....

[myheartisglass.livejournal.com]

I didn't really have anything to do this evening, and since we have binder check tommorow, I had to organize my binder. However, my folder was all messed up so I made a new one. The pictures don't really do justice, but oh well.
( The folder )

(no subject)

[super-rad-casci.livejournal.com]

www.photobucket.com user name : super-rad-casci

password : ritchie

sorry bout the whole logging in thing but i cant handle all things techical lately

i dont use my photobucket at all (cept from the occasions) so i can scarp the old password and make a new one up once folks have commented

i'm new here so i'll say my hellos - I am Casci, 16 hailing from the Bonnie Scotland so yeh on with the good stuff

making a bag nearly finished blah blah

all my stencils are on the right side and i was wondering if i should stencil a piano key down the left side to kind of even up the bag since the left is very lonely and plain

any comments critiscisms tips will be welcomes

thanking you casci xoxo

oh yeh before i forget dont mock my pissy assed attempts of stencilly its a bit messy and rought but um...what can you do

whitestrips premium boxes

[whaticantholdin.livejournal.com]

I just got some of those Crest Whitestrips Premium (the kind for only 7 days) and the container they come in would make a great makeup box. It could probably fit in most purses and has a mirror on the inside lid! Just an idea. :D

(no subject)

[exousia.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to show everyone the new hair falls I just crafted. They took me about 4-5 hours but I think it was worth it.

(no subject)

[midnightsheep.livejournal.com]

hey everyone I'm jaime... I'm 21 and I live in new jersey.

I have a mystery... hopefully someone can help me solve it!

my great grandmother passed away last week. I was lucky enough to be given the chance to pick a few things from her home to have as keepsakes. in a drawer of her bureau, I found a bag of little crocheted circles(there's a photo behind the lj cut below- it's kind of big, sorry!) that she apparently made years ago and never put together. according to a tiny note great grandma left in the bag, there are "6 sets of shells. 60 to put together." does anyone have any ideas on what she could've been planning to do with these shells? I'm assuming these are for making afghans, but I'm not sure. I'm going to learn to crochet in hopes of putting together these puzzle pieces. if you have any ideas on how to go about this, please share! thanks. :]

( ????? )