I didn’t invent post-its
But I did make a fish out of one
I used this tutorial, but this one from Whip-Up looks awesome
Tag Archives: crafts
tee-shirt yarn
I’ve always loved rag rugs, but I hate that they either tend to look kind of messy because the rags aren’t hemmed, or would be an enormous amount of work to sew. So I decided to use yarn made of tee-shirts. tee-shirt yarn is a great alternative, it’s easy to make, has a good deal more stretch so it’s easier on the hands, is very cheap, and very durable.
I plan to dye the yarn and weave it into a nice big rug for my studio. Want to make tee-shirt yarn too? I’ve made a handy dandy tutorial for you to try.
Favday
This is by far the most awesome picture I took this week. Pico’s face is so concerned, bewildered, and dazed – I had just woken her from a hardcore nap.
Awards (my favorite finds of the week)
- Thing I’m most likely to do this weekend – postcards for the lazy
- ReUse it! – boxes out of paint chips (linked to my pin, the link doesn’t work anymore)
- Sweater pattern of the week - rililie’s The Perfect Snuggly Lounge Cardi
- Best blog – Diamond in the window. Best YA book blog I know. It regularly makes me nostalgic for the wonderful things I read as a kid. Read it!
- Best Freebie – speaking of YA, this week Redwall is free for your kindle! (as I write this, I have no idea how long that will be true)
- I’m still in love with Moonrise kingdom (see this post for examples!) and now an illustrated script is available!
Finally a Rag Rug of My Own
One corner of my craft room is finally complete (you definitely won’t be seeing the other corners yet), now that I’ve made my very own little rag rug. It’s made from the teeshirt yarn I made a while ago.
I used this rug by Little House in the Suburbs as inspiration, but had to improvise a little because the instructions were a little confusing, somehow you go from 4 to 8 strands of yarn, but I’m not sure how, mine only has 4 strands. Braiding a rug is a lot easier on the hands than crocheting, which is good because when I tried to crochet with this stuff, there was a lot of pulling of yarn and swearing and red hands.
I have lots of ideas for bigger, better, more colorful teeshirt rugs, including stripes and maybe gradients. the pattern it creates could lend itself to a lot of color and other shapes, it could easily be made into a circle or a more elongated oval.
Also, just so you guys get the scale of that chair in the first picture, here is me sitting in it, looking a little irritated.
now at 5’1″, I’m not exactly tall, but this chair makes me feel like a giant. In a good way. A friend and former next door neighbor gave it to me after I sat in it every time I hung out with him and constantly yammered on about how much I loved it. It is now one of my prized possessions.
Toilet paper roll owl
A super cute way to
a) wrap a very small present
b) learn to tie a tie
c) entertain small children (not that I had any around)
Inspired by toilet paper roll owls for a rainy day
Week 9 – Embroidery Resources
There are a ton of cool resources on my embroidery pinterest board, but I just have to share my favorite embroidery book. Or at least I’m sure it would be, if I could read it.
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I got this adorable book at the large Japanese book store called Kinokunia in New York, and I still regret not picking up it’s companion book. They were both so cute that I spent at least a half an hour vacillating between the two, finally deciding based on the feather pictured above. It’s sister book has a little girl on the cover and the cutest seal pattern. Someday…
It does have some diagrams, so this week I’ll try to recreate some of the most adorable critters this week!
Week – 8 – Rag Rug Progress
All was going well
I successfully took 7 extra large teeshirts and turned them into yarn using this tutorial. It went really well, I did a quick swatch after the first shirt and decided to reduce the width from 1.5″ to 1.25″ so that the rug would be a little thinner, but other than that it was smooth sailing. The next day I was going to dye it a lovely gradient of teal using food coloring and this tutorial.
The dye was lovely and as I pulled one skein after another from the crock pot, they were a little lighter than I’d hoped, but still quite pretty.
Until I went to rinse the yarn. I blame what happened next on my own hubris. I had told boyfriend about how I’ve become a pretty confident crafter and can generally tell what’s going to turn out well and what’s not. So I was suprised and dismayed when the yarn went from
this
to this
If I wash it again, all those specks of teal will probably also wash out. Since grey and white is also a nice color combo, I’m going to go ahead and crochet my rug, but it will not be the same.
Crafting lesson #129: Know your materials!
“Check the label on the shirts you want to dye. Do not use food coloring to dye cotton, acrylic or polyester because these fabrics won’t hold food coloring, and the color will come out when you rinse it or get it wet.”
-Sarah Metzker Erdemir, eHow Contributor
Week 8 – Rag Rug Resources
I’ve got big plans for this week. I will be buying out the local good will’s XXL stock of white teeshirts, turning them into yarn, dyeing them, and crocheting, braiding etc. (aka whatever works best) into at least 1 rug. Phew, and now I’m already tired.
Source: sugarbeecrafts.com via Davin on Pinterest
a traditional crocheted rug
Source: littlehouseinthesuburbs.com via Davin on Pinterest
a no-sew rug, this one turns out really cool, almost like a finger print
Source: craftgawker.com via Davin on Pinterest
I love this braided rug, but unfortunately it links to craft gawker and then disappears, does anyone know the original source?
Source: flickr.com via Davin on Pinterest
A petal rug. This is super girly. It’ll have to go in my room so it doesn’t offend boyfriend’s manliness.
Tutorial: How to make Teeshirt yarn
Source: maiyamayhem.blogspot.com via Davin on Pinterest
Food coloring gradient tutorial
Source: sugarbeecrafts.com via Penny on Pinterest
this is just too cute and made with Teeshirts.
This is going to be super fun, if it works out well, I’ll make 2 and officially start my 1 for me 1 for you shop!
Week 6 – Jewelry Week – Results
Here is my new favorite necklace.
I used this tutorial from flax & twine – A Strand of Pearls – a diy ribbon and pearl necklace and vintage purpleish beads from an old necklace, and a piece of ribbon that I’ve held on to forever for no reason, I think I’ve moved with it three times. Hint for the wise, when you’re wrapping the beads make sure there is enough ribbon to go around the bead, or the necklace will warp and the beads will bulge out, which isn’t super pretty.
I also tried my hand at working with sculpy and making and cutting canes using this tutorial for bullseye lace canes.
I learned a lot, first, to chill the canes before you cut them so they don’t get deformed, second, the more contrast the better, and third, you really want to start out with your cane much thicker than you think you will. I like my beads, but they’re a little, subtle. I’m going to get some small gold beads and string these with them to bring out the matte pinkness of them.
Week 6 – Jewelry Week – Thoughts and Resources
I’ve been looking forward to jewelry week for a while, the jewelry I can make at home (aka without a blowtorch and molten metal) is mostly low cost/time commitment, creative but not overly technical, and what’s best is that you come out with more jewelry. And as a moderately girly girl, I can never have too much jewelry.
Shopping List
- beads
- Thin Rope or cotton twine
- washers
- clasps
- grosgrain ribbons
- cord
- leather
- yarn
- embroidery thread
Inspirational Tutorials
Source: honestlywtf.com via Davin on Pinterest
Source: marthastewart.com via Davin on Pinterest
Source: johannainman.blogspot.com via Davin on Pinterest
Source: tinysparklythings.blogspot.com via Davin on Pinterest
Source: makebraceletsblog.com via Davin on Pinterest
Source: animatedknots.com via Davin on Pinterest
Source: minieco.co.uk via Davin on Pinterest
Source: minieco.co.uk via Davin on Pinterest
Source: henryhappened.com via Davin on Pinterest
