2 new bags

[annimatronics.livejournal.com]

Made two bags last weekend, this time not for myself:



( A lot more pictures under the cut! )

lurker needs advice

[yurtgirl.livejournal.com]

hello people! i've been lurking here for a couple weeks and love what y'all are doing so I figured there would be nice folks here to give me advice.
I just finished nursing school and for the last 5 yrs I've done next to nothing creative. I broke out my old Kenmore w/ 2 stitches (handmedown) sewing machine and made a dog bed this summer and got so frustrated with it jamming up in the bobbin, I have decided I want a new one. I will, i promise, get more use out of it other than hems and reinforcing crotches on my uniforms.
That all said I was hoping to get recommendations for a good beginner sewing machine. I about fell over when I saw that good machines are $500 and higher, but I'm willing to part with a few of those ben franklins if I can get a good one.
My goal:
create crafty items like bags, add embellishments to used clothing, home interior items like curtains and pillows and even funky new uniforms as the ones in the catalogs are not very flattering on my body. so, i guess i need an all around workhorse. there's a huge sale on them at the local stitching post this weekend and i'm itching to get one. They sell singers, Husqvarna, Viking, and a couple models of the Brother from Project Runway. I've been told a Janome Magnolia is perfect for me but, alas, no sale going on at that store. the cool thing about the stitching post is after a while if I get better they'll take my machine as a tradein at full value for another and they give free lessons!!!
Thanks!!

Un-sticking.

[geca.livejournal.com]

Hello, ever helpful crafty folks!

Any suggestions on how to unstick well-stuck-on bumper stickers from a fiberglass cello case? Don't care about the bumper stickers, but I don't want to leave gooey sticky streaks on my case, any idea?

Thanks!!

sewing w/ an old sweater

[assiram.livejournal.com]

i searched the memories and couldn't find an answer to this question:

i wanted to make a stuffed animal out of an old, knitted sweater. but i am afraid that if i cut the piece of knitted 'fabric', then it will just come unraveled. but maybe if i just use a small setting of stitch length on my sewing machine, then it won't unravel... has anyone ever tried this, and/or have any advice?

thanks!

Christmas Wreath Mini Quilt tutorial!

[twocheeseplease.livejournal.com]

What better to hang on the door of a quilter's home than a quilted Christmas wreath!

I'd like to invite you all to quilt along with me today!

Are you ready? Okay!

Let's go!

faux baby legs!

[ilea.livejournal.com]

Everyone meet Indira (Indy for short) my daughter and craftgrrl mod-in-training.


Anywho Indy and I are always on the go and when it comes to diaper changes...pants annoy me. But gotta keep her legs warm right? So I was perusing the baby section at target when I came upon these at $12 a pair.
$12 for what is basically a pair of socks?! FEH!

So I went home and looked at a pair of wool toe socks I was given that don't fit my oversized big toe. I cut off a 1/4 an inch above the toes and applied fray check to the ends. Then I made a rolled hem and hand stitched that up. They are the stripey leggings she's wearing above. They allow easy access to her diaper (cloth diapers are love btw) while keeping her legs warm.

Later on I went the store and bought 5 more pairs of toe socks at $2 each and made some more. So for what i would have spent for one pair of babylegs I got 5 pairs. yAy for craftiness!

I think this would work for any sock as long as it doesn't have shaping for the heel.

bleaching jeans

[witchikins.livejournal.com]

Hey guys bit of a lurker and occaisional poster. My craftiness is usualy modding up my jeans that have worn through and I don't wear that much so I just do some doodles on them. Anyway my boyfriend wants me to do his jeans having seen my latest creations but the colour's too dark for me and him at the moment so I was wondering what I could do to lighten the jeans up, I don't want to lighten them up too much just so they're not quite as dark. Also I'm in britain so can't get to any american stores for any products from the brands there. Thanks for any help guys.

Painting on vinyl

[yizzerg.livejournal.com]

( So I totally have an awesome crafty plan. )

Which brings me to my question:
What type of paint can I use on a white vinyl umbrella?

I think an enamel will hold up better to wear than acrylic, but I'm worried about the chemicals used in enamel eating the vinyl of the umbrella (the same way spraypaint eats styrofoam). It would be possible to use black acrylic paint and then do an overcoat of some kind of fixative (or enamel, see problem #1) but the finish wouldn't be glossy and too much paint on the umbrella will eventually crack and will make folding the umbrella up really awkward. I think fabric paint wouldn't be glossy enough either and would be really cumbersome to paint with. Sign paint would be excellent but I don't know how it reacts to vinyl.


Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Got any better ideas for transferring a logo onto a white umbrella?