(no subject)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_tiltedtiara_/]

ok two random questions that are complete unrelated.

1. i'm making books for my two best friends/roommates. it's the ABC's of Mary and the ABC's of Christine and i have words for each letter that represent something we joke about or say a lot. now should i make it scrapbook style and print out pictures and paste them onto pages? or should i do the layout on the computer and then print the whole thing out. i personally don't care either way- they both have advantages but i wanted to see what you guys would rather get seeing as i cant exactly ask them without letting them know what they're getting...

and 2. i'm making shot glasses for my guy friends. do you have any fun decorating ideas besides etching? also what are fun things to put on them besides their names?

sorry i'm being needy. i'm psycho about gifts- its got to be perfect or i'll rip my hair out until it is haha.

<3 lauren

Attention those who wish to be included in my research paper!!

[bongurl.livejournal.com]

I was hoping that you guys would be interesting these questions really quick. This paper was due like two days ago, but no internet and power failures prevent me from finishing it. But I do need some quick follow up questions for an ethnography research paper that i'm doing.


First:
As part of the craftgrrl community, what would you guys like to be called? "craftsters, crafters, crafty people" just as some examples

SEcond:
How would you guys define yourselves in relation to other people who are not crafty people? Like do you categorize yourself? and how do you feel about that definition in your society?

Third:
Do you feel that crafting is a sort of cultural phenomena? or just a seperate culture by itself?
Do you feel that crafting could be an event/activity that a culture could be based on (even in cyberspace and knitting circles and such)

Fourth:
Are there any magazines, books, websites that you guys would refer to your fellow crafters or to people who want to know more about these types of activities?



If you can reply soon, that would be great. If you want to talk in person, that would be even better. my aim name is Bongurl and I'm even willing to call people if they're willing to go that far, please let me know!

(no subject)

[dropkickjessie.livejournal.com]

my sewing machine thinks its opposite day... and i dont know how to set it straight

the stitching that is supposed to be at the top ends up at the bottom... im not sure how to explain this correctly but right now i have teal thread in the bobbin and black thread on top... so when i sew, the black thread should be on top... WELL... the teal thread is on top and when i do zig zag patterns, the right side is always on the bottom.

i probably accidently hit something to reverse things but i cant for the life of me figure out how to fix it. any tips?

beading

[disclaimher.livejournal.com]

At the urban outfitters store there were some fabric wristcuffs for sale that had some applicque, as well as some beadwork done on them. I want to make my own, as well as do some beading on a purse for my sister, but I have never done beading before.

Can someone explain to me the basic idea of how to bead onto fabric?

(no subject)

[colourflake.livejournal.com]

Here is a pair of earings I made... what do you think about it??
Thanks

plea

[blunt-bruce.livejournal.com]

okay, so i used to get american girl magazine and there was a christmas issue a couple years back with a recipe in it for these little mint snowmen. and i want to make those for my hallmates for christmas, but unfortunately im at school and dont have my old magazines/probably accidentally threw the magazine away a while ago anyway. does anyone know what im talking about? does anyone have the recipe? ive looked online for ages....

Fleece paw gloves!

[matrices.livejournal.com]

I made myself some cute winter gloves!


( More pictures, as well as a shot of the gloves I made for my mom )

I made them out of fleece, the pads were sewn on by applique. and it was VERY simple construction using a sewing machine:
1. Trace around your hand, and cut out only TWO pieces (One for the left hand, one for the right hand. You decide if its the palms or the backs)
2. Applique your design on. (tight zigzag "satin" stitch on a sewing machine)
3. Lay your piece flat on a square of matching material right sides together. (you don't cut a seperate pattern and try to mess with matching it all up, just sew the piece you cut out flat to a square piece)
4. Stick your hand in there to check for the fit (the fingers will be "webbed" together), adjust if necessary, THEN trim your glove.
5. Fold under the wrist-edge and sew, then turn it right sides out and enjoy!

Special thanks to malytwotails for suggesting this method to me some time ago, and inspiring me to do my own version of some paw gloves. :3

Christmas skirt

[pidgit.livejournal.com]

hi all,

i was just wondering if anyone has made (or stumbled across a pattern for) a homemade Christmas tree skirt? i'm not good at following written directions, i work better with it broken down into steps and if possible, with lovely pictures.

thanks for your help!

~nik

mushroom beanie

[abinitio.livejournal.com]

It's getting a lil bit nippily 'round these parts and my boyfriend needed a beanie...with a mushroom on it. so naturally, my boyfriend & i designed it from my watch, but didn't want it to actually look like the 1-ups. oh, the coordination! *does a mad jig* the intarsia was a bit funky because of the large bulky stitches, and i double-stranded the green worsted weight yarn, so that was funkified as well. i generally like how it turned out, though. the black & white yarns are Jiffy. voila!


( +2 )

(no subject)

[pushmybuttons.livejournal.com]

Right now, my kitchen sink is filled with paper pulp, my blender has shredded paper and the kitchen counter is covered in 5x7 sheets of handmade paper (mostly from newspaper). Now that I have all of this paper, what do you recommend I do with it?

I would like to make books but I don't think that will work because the binding will take up a lot of space. do any of you know about glueing the sides of the pages together and possibly wrapping it in one larger sheet to hold together?

My whole idea is to not spend any money on this. I am using used envelopes, newspaper, printer paper, etc. to make the pulp, and when I take a shower I have been collecting the water that it takes to heat up the shower so that I can use that to put the pulp in. I'm hoping to be able to put these books together in the most environmentally conscious way. The paper is turning out pretty well. Maybe I'll take a few pictures of it.

I know that there are lots of memories about papermaking/bookmaking but I am looking for ways that don't involve chemicals. Does anyone know how to remove color from something without bleach? I know there are bleach alternatives but will they remove color? Would hydrogen peroxide work?

SOAP

[ticktockdead.livejournal.com]

Does anyone know a website where I can get some soap recipes and instructions (preferably easy instructions)?
Thanks!

(no subject)

[liliebelle.livejournal.com]

i made this bag from a vintage kitchen towel. i love the cows.
( 2 more )

woo hoo!

[shug.livejournal.com]

I just wanted everyone to know that I made my first hat today! I can't post a picture of it, but it is so ugly it is beautiful! That's about all, I just wanted to share my happiness with all of you ^_^

(no subject)

[nerdyglam.livejournal.com]

I've been googling the web, googling craftgrrl and searching the FAQs like crazy...but I can't find what I'm looking for...so I'm finally going to just ask.

I want to make a fleece blanket for my boyfriend, but I don't like the way the tied ones look and I don't want to just take a piece of fleece and put a blanket stitch around it like some tutorials suggest. I want one color of fleece on one side, and another on the other with some type of border and perhaps his initials in the corner. This probably sounds pretty easy, but I'm a newbie at sewing (especially with a machine) and I feel like I'll f*** it up if I don't have any instructions. Does anybody know of any tutorials for something like this? I'd be willing to do something a little bit different...but I just want something more finished looking than what I've been finding.

Thanks in advance.

attaching straps to a plastic bag?

[glitteranddenim.livejournal.com]

Hi, this is my first post in the community. I'm a rather new crafter- I never knew it was my calling until I started knitting this summer, and realized I was really into creating things. i don't have a digital camera, unfortunately, but it's on my christmas list so hopefully i'll be able to post finished projects here someday <3

We split into groups in math today, and my super-generous student teacher gave us group a huge shiny new bag of M&Ms. i ended up with the bag and about a pound of M&Ms. i decided i want to keep them in my locker, but that wouldn't be very practical. the bag is lovely and christmas-y, so I decided that the only sensible thing to do would be to make the bag into a purse!

problem is, I have no idea how to attach straps to it.

it's made of some sort of shiny plastic, and has a resealable zipper top... i don't know if i should sew straps on, or staple them or something. i also have no sewing machine...

can anyone help?

Thanks!

[00666.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to thank everyone who answered my questions yesterday. I appreciate it very much.

I had to have the dork question in there because all my friends tease me for knitting. But all the people in my class were in awe over my scarf so it evens out.

Anyways, I promised pics, so here's a couple...




( more! )

ok this is a random request

[deathbyuzumaki.livejournal.com]

Totally random request
Does anyone have any old x-rays they had taken and don't need anymore? Whatever body part. I was thinking of some crafty decoration ideas. I've been looking on ebay and there really aren't that many. So if anyone has some from when you broke your toe and you're not too attached to them, I'd be glad to take them off your hands. I'd be willing to pay, probably not too much, and i'll definitely pay shipping.

(no subject)

[toxic-divinity.livejournal.com]

ok ok ok heres what i have so far for my project...



now..on the rigth side...do I do "WARHOL" three times in different colors, overlapping, down the side? or should I do something else??

I need to finish this tonight so there is a slight sense of ergancy (sp?) :)

report cover?

[cookiezs.livejournal.com]

ok i have a report due tomorrow so i was thinking i could print it out on colorful pages and 3 hole punch them and design some sort of cover and tie string in the 3 holes to make a little book out of it. so i was wondering, i want the cover to be hard so what should i use? I went to the store to buy cardstock and i didn't buy it because i thought it was flimsy. and i don't have cardboard or anything to use.. i think i might have a posterboard but i dont wanna cut it unless i have to. so any suggestions? i was also thinking of maybe gluing 2 pieces of paper together using mod podge or something but im afraid it might come out bubbly.

if this idea doesnt work out i bought sheet protectors and a binder so i'll just use those if i have to.

thank you!

<3 jessica

(no subject)

[africanviolin.livejournal.com]

Another bracelet that I'm very proud of. I went out and invested in a NEW shiny glue gun tonight. WOO! Holy crap. I am already in love. Here's my first glue gun project. I made a few bracelets the other day, but the stitching I do looks so bad. So, without further adue.


( Read more... )

Holiday craftin' time

[chocoboprincess.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy, my boyfriend's sister is paying me to make a purse for her. I've only been sewing a few months so the fact that someone actually wants one of the purses I make...it just makes me really happy. I'm far from great but I keep learning little things with each new one I make. ^_^ Pics below the cut.

( *proud of herself* )

I just finished up with the present I'm giving my boyfriend's family too. My mom does scroll saw stuff so I asked her to make a few ornaments to give them. Couldn't think of any other spiffy way to send them, so I just sewed a little drawstring bag to put them in. The material was the only...decent looking thing I had to use, I wanted some pretty Christmas-y material but I'm really broke. =/ Still, it's decent I guess. This was the first time I tried to make a drawstring bag, hahah I really messed it up. Hopefully if I don't point out the flaws to them they won't notice. ;) And pics below.

( Christmas ornaments, bag and an ugly ironing board cover haha. )

soap-additive question

[cadences.livejournal.com]

I am planning on making soaps for the holidays and haven't done it before, and I have a question for anyone who has--

I read in the FAQ that someone used Dr. Bronner's peppermint liquid soap in their glycerin soap to add scent. Along those lines, would it work to take some granulated body scrub and use it as a soap additive? I'm thinking it would provide color, scent, plus those nifty little scrubbing grains, if i just swirled/ mixed it into my soap base? Or does anyone know if combining a pre-made bath product with soap base would create some sort of problem?

thank you for your help!

edited to add: what about other pre-made products, such as a touch of lotion, skin toner, etc? would the additives in these products mess up my soap? thanks!

(no subject)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_tiltedtiara_/]

i want to make collages into presents somehow.

whats a cool way to make it look more artsy than bored teenage afterschool activity? besides putting it on a box... help? i sound stupid i know... too much nyquil.

the flu makes you feel the need to create something besides mass amounts of used tissue mountains ; )

<3 lauren

(no subject)

[punkbanana.livejournal.com]

so i painted my friend mindy a picture today.. she wants a set of 3 of these.... kind of the coffee house/bistro style paintings.. so i jumped right in and painted the first of the 3 tonight...

check it( Read more... )

i'm thinking i might follow the idea and make next one in red/purple tones with little horns and a tail and make it a "Devil" coffee.. then make one in earthy/greens and make it a human..err.. sorta.. coffee...

cheesy..but it's fun.