DIY Skirt

I picked up a meter of jersey knit fabric at the local fabric shop over a month ago with the intentions of making a skirt or shirt out of it. I think I might be able to make both now that I've cut it up! Anyway, I finally got around to making it today and it turned out okay. Certainly not perfect, it's the first skirt I've tried to make so I'm happy with it.

Waistband rolled down a bit, I'm not sure which I like more yet

There wasn't much selection for jersey knit at the fabric store, I'm not much of a tye-dye person but it was good fabric to work with.

I used a skirt I already owned for the pattern, just measured,
traced and cut. 

Sections for the waistband. I ironed a crease into them to
make the waistband more structured....it seemed to work

Waistband not rolled down
It's hard to take pictures of myself in clothing, since Greg isn't
home this weekend I went with the mirror option

Valentines Day Details

With the next 'holiday' around the corner I should start getting ready, here are some adorable ideas:

1. Clips (click caption link for a tutorial)

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2.  Other felt hearts

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3.  Nerd cookies

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4. Printable valentines (ROAR!) click the caption for the printable

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5. Valentines Day wreath (tutorial in the caption)

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Next Crafting Project?!

My friend Matt sent me this awesome project:

Greg should be preparing to live with a dozen new squirrel friends.

Gift Giving

I had intended on getting these pictures up earlier than now, but for the past few weeks I've been sick and spending most of my time sleeping and being a wimp. It looks like I'm finally on the mend and can get back to blogging about incredibly important things - success!

Greg and I decided this year to make as many Christmas presents for our family members as we could.  We of course had to buy the things to make the presents, but to keep costs down and thoughtfulness up it was a DIY year.

I couldn't post these pictures as I was making them since it would give away what people were getting so here they are now:

Laying the giant pieces of fabric on the floor for quilt #1

Ironing the GIANT sheets!

Laying out the squares after quite a long while of cutting

Terry in his quilt!

Quilt #2 - this one was much smaller (baby sized!)

Handwarmers, with ceramic pie weights to keep the heat

Snowman pin

Sewing kit in a jar

Omnomnom, homemade granola

Homemade salsa

These are just a few things we made, hopefully Greg and I can keep the creativity going for next Christmas, but I guess we have just under a year to prepare!

Homemade Toys!

It turns out that Santa and Mattel aren't the only ones who can make toys! Yesterday I started to make a stuffed elephant, it took a few turns from what I first imagined but I like what I came out with.

I drew a super basic elephant shape on paper and then traced it out onto a wooly sort of fabric I have. I actually have used the fabric to make myself a scarf so despite looking like scratchy wool it's quite soft.

The doodles are from fiddling with ideas for an elephant tail

I cut out the fabric and embroidered the outline in blue thread, made eyes, cut out ear shapes and sewed them on (with a super tiny stitch) and then pinned the middle strip on and sewed it up. Attaching the middle piece was pretty awkward and I stopped and started the sewing quite a bit.

Another view of the inside out elephant, the red thread is a heart I also embroidered:

One last inside out before I sewed up the other side and flipped it:

A much more rotund elephant, stuffed with...well, stuffing. It kind of looks like its ears are corduroy, but it's just the wrong side of the grey fabric, I was hoping it would add some contrast, it worked:

I added a tail, despite my initial drawing (I tried embroidering something a few times but it didn't look right) I went with the same idea as the ears  - fabric on the wrong side sewn on. It doesn't look quite like a tail but hopefully it's passable:

Depending on what other friends/family member have kids there might be other animals created in the future. Or maybe just when I get bored, so that could mean more animals shortly.

DIY Projects

While looking for Christmas present inspiration (and just looking because I love crafting!) I've stumbled across a number of DIY projects, either with tutorials or those you can take and figure out on your own.

Now they are not all Christmas-y but they are fun!

#1 - Gathered Clutch (tutorial!) This can be made as a simple clutch or more complicated with additional inside pockets. I love the fabric in the examples!

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#2 - Pinwheel Skirt (tutorial!) This is much more of a summer piece, but I absolutely love it! If you click the Source in the caption you can check out a number of other skirt tutorials.

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#3 - Pencil Case/Cosmetic Bag. This isn't a tutorial but a piece that was for sale on Etsy. I love the big stitching between the pieces of fabric.

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#4 Christmas Tree Skirt (tutorial!) - This is something I will be making this season, Greg and I are without a tree skirt (this year will be our first to share a tree) so I will be using whatever scraps I have in my fabric bin to create something that resembles a tree skirt.

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You can find a number of other crafting ideas on my Pinterest account. Happy Crafting!

Finished Slouchy Hat

With some time on my hands this morning I finished off my purple slouchy hat, and it's actually slouchy - huzzah!

Just in time for winter:

Knitting for Tiny People

Learning to knit is a bit daunting. I keep seeing patterns for beautiful sweaters with intricate stitches and think...someday I'll know how to make that!

Actually finishing a knitting project and being happy with the outcome is also something that I'm struggling with. So I've been really excited to make a pair of booties (really they are slippers for babies, I'm not sure why the name is booties) and a hat for a new addition to Greg's family. It's great because since many things about babies are tiny, it makes for a speedy knitted product.

It took me a day or so, knitting here and there to make these booties:

This was my first attempt and you might notice that they are both for left feet. I learned my lesson for the next pair and the straps are going in different directions. It would have taken me SO much longer to make adult sized slippers so it was nice to realize my mistake and view it in a tiny version - it was like they became cute mistakes!

Reading is Rad

While I might not be reading books that fill any canons I do enjoy a good read. I recently finished Bossypants and I highly recommend it (if you are a lady that is).

Perhaps your reading style is like mine (lacking focus): a few books on the go at once, each with a movie ticket stub or perhaps the library due date receipt marking my place.

Currently, my page is being held by a historical item, I honestly don't know how Greg's managed to hang onto this gem for 16 years!!!

Both sides, for full nerdery impact

I spied it one day just sitting on the bookshelf and decided it MUST be my bookmark of choice - can you blame me?

All of this rambling does have a point (which isn't necessarily required of one of my posts) I was browsing the ever-so-wonderful craftgawker.com and spied bookmark templates!

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If you have access to a printer and perhaps a bit of hefty stock paper then you are on your way to much classier bookmarks...although really they are on the inside of your book so perhaps it doesn't really matter what's holding your place?

DIY: Cotton Over Plastic

Although I try not to use much plastic, I am guilty of using ziploc bags from time to time. They are easy and quick, but lately I've been scouting sites for easy DIY reusable snack/food containers.

I found one! When I get back to Saint John it's going to be on the top of my to make list:

Check out the tutorial here!

Being environmentally conscious can be adorable:

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Here's another tutorial for making your own lunch bag

Love!

A few craftgawker finds:

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I actually follow this blog in my reader so it was exciting to see it in craftgawker as well, there's a DIY tutorial to show you how to make them. I'm planning on attempting to make one when I am reunited with my crafting gear!

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Fun DIY

I spied this fun project on craftgawker (as per usual!)

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It's a lamp with a map, cute!

Summer DIY Fun

Now that I'm a well educated and unemployed individual I will no doubt have lots of time on my hands. Maybe that description fits you as well?

I found this cute DIY project, homemade bowls out of magazines. Who knew that your giant pile of old magazines could be turned into something useful?

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Here's the blog where you can find the instructions.