I was doing a search for a recipe and saw this in the sidebar. How adorable are these? This may be my new favorite site. These are seriously the most adorable things I have ever seen. This was her first time using marzipan.
Go see them at VeganYumYum and fall in love!
Photos courtesy of www.veganyumyum.com
I'm back! My friend/co-worker made a point of telling me that since I started working full-time for our organization again, I haven't blogged at all. It's true.... there hasn't been much going on here but work this summer!
But now that's done. I'm in grad school now full time. I'm nervous...but most of all, I'm excited! And happy to have some time to decompress with some crafting.
In the last few weeks, I've cranked out some crafts. Maybe as I was working, the craftiness built up inside... and as soon as I found an excuse (e.g., a friend's wedding), it started me back on the creative front. I'll show the few things I've managed to make over the next few days.
I usually have lulls in my creative streaks that I let work out and find other arenas to occupy my need to do "stuff", like through yoga or hiking. I get frustrated when my life gets me so exhausted that I can't even get time to relax with a little mindless crocheting while watching television. It was only for the summer, but I feel so bad that I didn't get a chance to knit or crochet out IN the summer! I looked out my window (north-facing) as it rolled by as I sat stationary (with kitty on my lap). So, now it's Fall. Time to start the scarves and shawls and say goodbye to sunshine and hello to full-spectrum light bulbs. I made apple crisp yesterday. Soon it will be pumpkin soup!
Perhaps the highlight of my summer came at the tail-end. My good friend got married at the end of August and I made the bride and groom some homemade fabric bowls. I found a pattern at my new favorite store in the city, The City Quilter. They're called "Bali Bowls," which are bowls made from fabric covered cotton clothesline.
Rather than use a jelly roll of fabric, I cut the strips myself. The pink fabric with the balls on it is one that my husband picked out for himself when I made us some laminated lunch bags. Super cute.
(joining the strips)
I work from home and my organization gave me a laptop to use. I go back to our office in DC pretty regularly and up until now I've been using a huge, ugly backpack with a built-in laptop sleeve to cart my computer around. The backpack was free, and it's ugly and big and uncomfortable. I'm going back to DC this week for a few days, and I'll be traveling frequently for work, and I'm also going to DC for a wedding, so I don't want to carry around any extra baggage, so to speak! So, I finally broke down and made a laptop sleeve!
I don't have a pattern; I didn't even use any measuring tape, ruler or straight edge. I just eyeballed everything. I'm sure you can make it much more legitimate with a ruler! I had some scraps of neoprene in my stash that I got in the remnant pile at Joanne's, and some Amy Butler scraps for the cover. The neoprene has a black squishy side and a grey foamy side. The grey side is the "wrong side."
To measure, I laid my computer down on the fabric. For the width, I added about 2 inches on either side of the computer... the depth of the computer (how tall it is sitting on a desk) is about 1.3 to 1.5 inches tall, so 2 inches leaves enough for 2 seam allowances -- one to attached the cover fabric to the neoprene and another seam allowance to sew the front to the back.
Height -- fold over the fabric so it comes to just above the top of the computer, and then fold over the fabric for the flap and cut to where you want the top flap to end, plus 1/2 inch.
You'll see I sewed in a notch at the top flap. This is so the top flap will be flush with the width of the rest of the bag because we're adding the depth of the bag in with the width measurements. The width of the flap is just the width of the computer, plus 1 inch (2 x 1/2 inch seam allowance after sewing cover fabric to neoprene).
After cutting, place wrong sides together and pin cover fabric on top of neoprene and smooth out any wrinkles with your hand. Leave about 6 inches in the side to pull fabric through. Sew, trim seams and corners. Turn and iron.
Here it is turned.
Checking the measurements with my laptop. At this point, I sewed around the top flap to make a nice edge, just stopping at where the side "flaps" of the T start.
Sew on velcro. I only had skinny velcro on hand, so I doubled them up, and did a zig zag in between. Attached the velcro on with tape before sewing. To figure out where to put the velro, place your laptop on your fabric, and fold over the front piece and the top flap and see where a good spot is where they intercept to place the velcro. Mark with a pin, and before you sew your velcro on, center it width-wise on your fabric. Mine's a little off because I eyeballed it.
Then, sew vertically up the left and right sides of the fabric, lining up the bottom edge with the top of the T below the front flap.
Turn. Place your laptop in and smile!
If you want, you can see how the bottom edges are very triangle-y. You can box out the corners to make them look more sleek.
All in all, this project took me about 1.5 hours. Enjoy!!
I actually know this mom interviewed at Craft. This is a super cool family. Go read the interview with a DIY mom for mother's day here.
True story: I was sitting with the hubby talking about kids and crafting and about how I want to be able to pass on what little crafty knowledge I have to our kids if they are interested. I said, "I mean, look at the Sterns! Mrs. Stern [I still call her that!] is the Queen of Crafting and she makes them sweaters every year for Christmas and they're kids are totally cool. I mean, Becky's working at Craft!" Not that there is any correlation between crafting and being cool, but I like to think there might be.
I am ultimately saying that they all appreciate the world a lot, I think, especially the things that are made from scratch, with love. The values of patience and hard work, among others, are quietly instilled and appreciated when you take the time to sit and learn how to make something with a loved one. And I only hope to be able to pass these values onto our kids.
I first learned how to sew from my mom when I was in high school. She used to sew clothes for everyone, but mostly stopped by the time I could remember. But I would go through her fabric remnants, old homemade clothes and patterns and look at the sewing machine wondering what I could make. Then I just decided to try to make something and she took some time to answer questions and help me through. I made a simple a-line dress out of a psychadelic polyester that I used as a swimsuit coverup for a few years. I loved it. And it started me wanting to make more. I taught myself how to crochet and then knit and now she wants me to teach her. Now my sister crochets and we talk about crocheting when we next see each other.
Thanks, mom, for taking the time to show me how to make stuff. I can't imagine my life without it.
So, like I said: Go read the interview with a DIY mom for mother's day.
One goal I had this year was to make a knitted garment for myself -- the obvious option would be a sweater. Some folks have told me that cardigans are way too complicated and they never make them; others have said that they're just as easy as regular sweaters.
Well, after looking through many patterns, I decided on Lion Brand's Weekend Retreat Cardi made from recycled cotton (left) (here it is on ravelry). It was the simplest cardigan pattern I could find, and I knew I could find the yarn without any problem. And it's a light, natural fiber yarn so I could wear it easily in the summer to events where I'd need to cover up the tat.
The pattern seems pretty easy so far. I've messed up once already -- I purled 13 stitches instead of knitting, but I was in the park on a beautiful day, so I was very easily distracted by everyone else! And I fixed those easy enough by going back and undoing the stitches down to the purl and switching those around with the crochet hook. I was actually kind of impressed with myself that I could do that! Yay for learning!
On a side note, I got the yarn at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio on 15th Street, just a few blocks west of Broadway. It is a beautiful space -- very spacious! A class was just letting out and the students were pretty excited about buying yarn for more projects. I bought the yarn suggested with the pattern - recycled cotton in the green "seagrass." I am hoping the sweater will be a little small, so it will look nice over a little black dress for a wedding I have to go to later this year (one of three!). By the way, before you head over to the LBYS, check out their web site to see what yarn is featured this month -- there's usually a discount on them.
Let's hope this cardi goes well! I may be asking questions. I just hope I finish this baby since I have an apartment full of works in progress: The drop stitch scarf, the baby blanket for Jonah (who just celebrated his FIRST birthday - super ugh on that), my own ripple blanket, an orange seed stitch scarf, the soy silk cowl... not to mention the sewing projects! I think I need help!
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