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October 31, 2003
farm cross stitch
I started a new cross stitch project a couple of days ago. I've been wanting to do an easy one I could work on while watching TV. The other projects I've got going are all a little harder (on evenweave, or silk gauze), so this one (Dimensions "Scenic Farm") is just plain Aida cloth. I think I got it on sale somewhere a year or two ago. It's working up fast, mainly because a lot of it is in half cross stitch. This is what it's going to look like, and I'll post the finished product once I'm done.
Posted under Cross Stitch/Embroidery at 05:22 PM | Comments (0)
October 26, 2003
failed cross stitch
A failed cross stitch is even worse than the failed scarf since I consider myself a pretty good cross-stitcher. This was from a Drawn Thread freebie, the pumpkin keeper. I used a little bouquet garni bag for it. I got a whole bag of these a while ago for like a dollar or something, and they're perfect for cross stitch. Except that they're a pretty high thread count, the thread is thin, and I managed to lose my place so the pattern turned out all lopsided. Also, I should've used 1 strand of floss instead of 2. It really turned out bad (those are supposed to be leaves around the pumpkin). I think it will become giftwrap for a hopefully better present for some unsuspecting friend or relative.
Posted under Cross Stitch/Embroidery at 06:48 PM | Comments (0)
failed scarf
Yes, I know, how can you screw up a scarf? Well, I managed it. From the Yarn Girls book I posted about earlier, I tried a short scarf that has a hole in it, so you pull one end through the hole and it fits snugly around your neck. I wanted to make if for someone's birthday, and it only needed 1 ball of yarn and sounded fast. I bought some katia reno plus yarn (color 614, cream with flecks of light blue, green, and pink, and a thin strand of thread running with the yarn) that was on sale at Pins and Needles, a yarn store in downtown Princeton. There was only 1 ball left of it, and when I got home and started knitting it (stockinette stitch, with the recommended 7 mm needles), I realized there was no way it would last for the whole scarf. That's when I thought to look at how many yards were in the ball. Whoops. So I decided to simply knit it half as wide as the pattern. This worked, but the edges rolled up and made it a funny short snake thing that is only a scarf in the loosest sense of the term. You can pull the end through the hole, but it's a small hole and I'm unconvinced it would be big enough in the full width version. Then I decided to felt it and do something with the felt. The yarn's 81% wool, 7% mohair, 7% acrylic, and 5% nylon. Apparently this is not enough natural fiber to make it felt, as 2 cycles in the washing machine have not done a damn thing. I don't know what to do with it now.
Posted under Knitting at 06:28 PM | Comments (1)
October 24, 2003
Drawing site
How to Draw a Radish is a very cute web site. It's like an updated Ed Emberly. I loved Ed Emberly books as a kid. Maybe my niece is old enough for one of his books now. I'm going to look for the How to Draw a Radish day calendar. Looks like a good Solstice present for someone (maybe me!).
Posted under Crafty Links at 11:59 AM | Comments (0)
Craft fairs
Crafts Report magazine has a searchable listing of craft fairs. Oooh.
Posted under Crafty Links at 10:48 AM | Comments (0)
October 21, 2003
artist blog
I've been reading wish jar journal lately, the blog of Keri Smith, the same person who does the wonderful Aunt Bea's Diary. She just recently posted a mobile pattern, and she always links to neat places. I might upgrade her to Daily Read if it stays as good.
Posted under Crafty Links at 08:05 PM | Comments (0)
Still More Stationary
Cool mod graphics at Rock Scissor Paper.
Fishcakes Designs also has some fun graphics.
Paper Palace has cute cutout people cards.
Alphabetique has more classic style, but not a full-fledged online store.
Posted under Inspiration at 07:53 PM | Comments (0)
Windy doll book
I really like the combination of little dolls and cut-paper backgrounds in the illustrations of Robin Mitchell and Judith Steedman's Windy, which I found on Buy Olympia, which has all sorts of great stuff.
Posted under Inspiration at 01:49 PM | Comments (1)
lampshade trim
I want to put some lampshade trim on my curtains or something, like on this bag from susanstars.
Posted under Inspiration at 09:36 AM | Comments (0)
October 20, 2003
Vintage Cross Stitch Site
I like the vintage style of the cross stitch patterns at ABC Cross Stitch, especially the holiday ones. They've even got a few freebies. Kristen Edwards' free cross stitch website mailing list is awesome.
Posted under Crafty Links at 07:55 PM | Comments (0)
October 15, 2003
box notebooks
These, from Polaire are pretty cute. I wouldn't be able to bind them as they did, but I'm sure I can come up with something.
Posted under Inspiration at 07:56 PM | Comments (0)
Pamela Barsky
Pamela Barsky's web site has some gorgeous things on it. I really like the idea of using vintage scarves and embroidery and dishtowels as covering for journals and photoalbums. I'll have to hunt the thrift and antique stores for some.
Posted under Inspiration at 07:42 PM | Comments (0)
October 12, 2003
craft organizer
I found these great organizer pocket things at Old Navy today. They are supposed to be bed skirt hanging organizers, i.e. they have a flap of fabric you're supposed to put under your mattress and the pockets hang down by the side of the bed. I'm going to hang them on the walls of my craft room to help cover up the horrid wood paneling. They are perfect for all my miscellaneous crafting supplies. Right now I have everything in little boxes and crates, so it's a little bit of a pain to go find supplies. They were deeply discounted to 97 cents each, so I bought the 4 they had. Unfortunately, the matching magazine organizers (fabric pockets on metal folding racks), which would have been perfect for balls of yarn, weren't on sale, otherwise I would have gotten them too. Maybe next time.
Posted under Craft Room at 07:55 PM | Comments (0)
October 06, 2003
The Yarn Girls' Guide to Simple Knits
The Yarn Girls' Guide to Simple Knits by Julie Carles and Jordana Jacobs is the knitting book I have been looking for. I am a new knitter, and the patterns in the book look reasonable. I like simple sweaters anyway, so the simple designs using chunky yarns are perfect. They also include some scarves and hats and ponchos. I'm going to make a trip to the yarn store tomorrow, I think. I might actually buy this book if the first pattern works out.
Posted under Crafty Book/TV Review at 08:02 PM | Comments (0)