(no subject)

[rivermilk.livejournal.com]

Since I am an extreme novice at crochet, I was extremely proud to finish my first project tonight!



The scarf is a holiday present for my boyfriend's sister. Some of the stitching is a bit wonky in places but given that this was my first attempt at an actual clothing item, I think I did a decent job.

.

x-posted to crochetcrochet & crochet_love.

Manifesting Machine Journal Page

[bestill.livejournal.com]

I did this journal page last Saturday, at night after I was relaxing from my open house. I was feeling so happy and like everything was finally starting to fall in to place. It feels so good to feel so light and happy. I was feeling (and still do) like I could make just about anything happen.

Homemade Candied Apples for Gifts

[silkpajamas.livejournal.com]

I would like to make caramel apples for stocking stuffers. They will be large, but we always have overflowing stockings. I'm trying to be somewhat frugal, but thoughtful. I've seen some gormet apples for sale with several coatings on them: caramel, chocolate, nuts, chocolate drizzle, decorative stuff.

Here's my question: How can I wrap these? I've seen decorative plastic bags at party stores or MarthaStewart.com. Do you think these would work? I already found some white wooden sticks called "cookie sticks." And I can put a bow on the stick.

I saw some boxes at Michael's that were maybe 9 x 4 inches, but they were brown, not white. And I'm not sure if this size is right. I don't have time to buy one, make a sample apple and then return to the store to buy more.

Any suggestions about containers? Any suggestions about the apples themselves?

Thanks.

Dinosaur plushie

[de3mental.livejournal.com]

It's the school holidays here over in Singapore so boredom made me do something.

I'm pretty new at plushie-making so pardon the unrefined limbs!

And another of Nessie in her natural habitat:


Also, does anyone know of elephant/hippo patterns available online? I've been looking online, but have been coming to deadends. TIA!

That's all for now, thanks for looking! :)

Garnets, Gold & Velvet

[talentshow.livejournal.com]

DSCN2574-
Originally uploaded by thekateblack.

I just started binding GIANT coffee table size sketchbooks. The first few were a custom order, it was so satisfying to make such dense, hefty objects that I went on to make a slew more for my latest show. (I'll be at BUST's NYC Craftacular tomorrow.)




[[ Garnets, Gold & Velvet. ]]

Vintage metallic gold and black velvet wallpaper with warm gold-yellow stripes.

Garnet red lokta fiber paper interior covers and spine reinforcements.


9.5" x 12.5" (24 x 32 cm)
- 200 pages, 60lb toothy, drawing paper.

I had to share this!

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

i have 3 huge canvases and i think i will use one for a project like this:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/how-to/how-to-make-a-glittering-lightscape-037077

(no subject)

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

This site is pretty nifty! I'm checking out the arts section now.

http://www.instructables.com

(no subject)

[le-soleil-noir.livejournal.com]

Diary of a Crafty Chica recently posted 50 Gifts to MAKE that look like you bought them. Lots of really cool, Mexican Culture inspired crafts! Just thought I would share! :0)

New Pendants

[workinggirl-ctv.livejournal.com]

( Vibrant )

Attaching metal to canvas

[chickbrarian.livejournal.com]

A few years ago I went through a divorce and didn't have a car.

When I was walking to work I would collect "treasures" off the street to sort of document my path.

I was fascinated with the wear on objects from being in the highway the same way rivers and water wear on things.

Anyway, now I want to display them all and I have 3 canvases. A lot of it might hold with some sort of super strong glue. Aluminum cans, paint cans, forks, photographs, pieces of plastic.

But at lest one piece is a heavy piece of metal about the size of an adult hand.

So, my questions are:

1.) What "strong glue" do you recommend?

2.) What do you think I could do to attach the heavy piece of metal to canvas?

Bracelet and unrelated question

[balamuthia.livejournal.com]

I made this "steampunk" inspired bracelet out of a rusty washer (about the size of a standard watch face) and a piece of left over framing wire. i rather like it, but I can tell I'll have to fix the closure since there are a couple of pokey bits:




Also, unrelated, I am trying to do photo transfer holiday cards and my method just isn't working. I bought a Prismacolor blending marker to use, but maybe the color photo copies I got from office max are too well coated? They aren't transferring at all, in fact the marker seems to be evaporating right off of the paper. I don't have much money, but I've heard rubbing alcohol would work. Has anyone had any luck with inexpensive, easy transferring?

Pinking shears + Felt??

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

I'm working on a set of play felt food items, and would like to make some bowtie pasta and ravioli- however, I can't seem to get a good, defined cut on the edges.


Does anyone have any tips?

I've used three different shears, all varying in sharpness- I really don't want to have to buy an entirely new shears just for this one thing. I'm using acrylic felt, and my guess is that wool is without a doubt better, but again, this is just one small component, everything else is turning out well enough.

Would starching the felt first work/help?


( Preview of what I've cut out (still needs to be sewn) )

Gifts

[mkissa.livejournal.com]

The gift has been gifted so now I can post pictures

( Photos )

Gingerbread embellishments and ornaments? Too much fun with the embroidery machine?

[elfie-elfie.livejournal.com]

Yep. I can't take decent pictures.  It's agreed.

Gingerbread cookie design from Urban Threads, available for FREE download until December 31.  It's available in most machine formats, as well as a template for hand embroidery and I think there's a clipart, too.  The site owner also gives you a tutorial for making these ornaments, AND a recipe for gingerbread cookies.  I haven't tried the recipe yet.

I stitched mine out on dark brown felt with black fleece back.  Because I like 'em BURNT.

I did a couple of things differently from the tutorial: I have a 5"x5" hoop, so I moved the design from the middle of the hoop to the lower left. Instead of removing and rehooping, I did another cookie in the same hoop on the same piece of brown felt, but turned it 180^ and moved it to the top right corner.  There is JUST ENOUGH room to do both cookies in the 5"x5" hoop.  I had scraps of fleece each big enough for the back of an individual cookie, so I floated them under the hoop and stitched out the "die-line" again.  The "die-line" - which is the outline for the cookie.  Most machine applique designs from Urban Threads have their outline stitched on the fabric.  Because nothing was unhooped, no position had changed, so all I needed to do was make sure the design was in the correct corner, facing the correct way.

In the tutorial, the designer has you cut out the cookies, then stitch them together on the sewing machine leaving a gap in the head for the stuffing and ribbon loop.  That's kind of fiddly, when all I had to do was run "step 1" of the design again, and cut out the shapes prettydarnclose to the stitching line.  The cookie on the right with the grey ribbon was done according to the directions, minus stuffing. I like my cookies FLAT, too.  The two with the black ribbon were done "my way".  I didn't bother popping the seam at the head, either: I just threaded my skinny black ribbon through a tapestry embroidery needle (narrow but long eye) and wiggled it through all layers of the fabric.

These things also make GREAT embroidered appliques for gift bags - all you have to do is stitch it out, float your UNSTITCHED bag material under the hoop, stitch out the die-line again, and you're ready to sew up without pinning a thing.  (I can't believe how much I love my embroidery machine...)

Cross-posted to craftgrrl , handmade_gifts , sew_hip .

b-b-b-back!

[talkproof.livejournal.com]

I haven't sewn in forever! College applications are finally over :)



( Christmas is almost here! )

(no subject)

[mouthfullofdust.livejournal.com]

I made some jewelry for xmas presents.

wanna see?