selfish crafting

ITEM ONE:

Love, Amy Butler's Weekender Bag is thy name.
Or, as Carrie Bradshaw would say, "Hello, lover!"
Okay, it was a major pain in the butt to match up all the patterns. And sewing that monstrosity together through eighty bajillion layers of fabric and interfacing and cording and Peltex tested the strength of my machine *and* myself. But, simply put, I LOVE IT.

I'm anal retentive, and glutton for punishment to boot. It took a lot of measuring, but the pattern is perfect all except for one spot...which my sewing buddy (Mom!) claims to not be able to see. But *I* know it's there.

Craftster user AriadnesThread made a backpack from this fabric, and I loved it so much I asked her where she got it, and bought some myself (FYI: 45" home decor section at JoAnn's, if you're interested).

The cording and (eventual) lining is cotton duck. It was a pain to sew through, but I couldn't find anything else that was the right shade of green. It's verrry sturdy, even without the lining. I cheaped out and used Peltex instead of Timtex. Hint: it's the same exact thing, only cheaper. The zipper is a 30" separating parka zipper that I 'modified' (read, 'almost killed my machine sewing over') to work. A.) I wanted big zipper teeth, and B) I wanted them to be plastic, not metal, and C) it was all JoAnn's had.

It isn't even 100% done yet (lining needs to go in), but I already have plans for a smaller bag, a makeup bag, sunglasses case (thanks, alwaysinmyroom ;)) and a shoe bag. A matched set, just in time for my beach trip in August! :-D

ITEM TWO:

Long story short: I've wanted to make a quilt very badly for a long time, but was intimidated by all the cutting out. So, for my birthday a few years ago, my mom (my sewing teacher since I was teeny tiny) cut out 12 different 12x12 squares for me to make. Each one was a different block, with a different color theme. Talk about a GREAT gift! I just finished the top last week (after adding three squares of my own), and here it is...(apologies for the wrinkles!)


Can you believe she only needed about 6 fat quarters of fabric to finish this? We had everything else. Yes, there are many, many large plastic totes of fabric in our household.

Cream baskets, purple card trick, pink pinwheels, yellow ?? (I forget), green flying geese, and med. brown bachelor's puzzle.

Lt. blue spools, grey fans, a yellow/orange star, purple patchwork hearts, green log cabin, red nine square, blue home sweet home, brown bear paw, and some cute black kimonos!

This quilt is not quite twin sized, so it's perfect as a snuggle-on-the-couch blanket! I'm adding a 5" border yet, and then it will be hand and machine quilted (hopefully sometime this decade). I'd like to have it done in time for my first apartment. We'll see how that goes. :)

Comments welcome!

swap update

After being flaked on in the DIY Kit Swap 4, I was very graciously swap angel-ed by Craftster user alwaysinmyroom. Well. She sent me the most AMAZING kanzashi kit. Kanzashi is the Japanese art of folding fabric into flowers for hair ornaments.

She included absolutely everything that I will need to make my own kanzashi...from a glue gun to pre-cut fabric, to barrettes, to a covered button kit, and so much more! And it was all packaged in the cutest tin.

I've wanted to learn for quite some time, but I've been frustrated by online directions. Alwaysinmyroom sent me the most awesome directions, complete with fabric examples. I finally think I can tackle these little beauties!

And some extra, really nice fabric for when I get good at it. ;) Thank you, alwaysinmyroom!

This one's a big oops...rosali sent me some wonderful Japanese fabric, and somehow it slipped through the picture-taking cracks. I'm so sorry!
I love them all, and I've got plans for all four already. Watch out for some FO's featuring these lovely prints...

This is the thank you gift that I sent to quincy134, my secret partner from the Friend of Craftster Swap 3. As you can see from my recent posts, she really spoiled me! I wanted to send her something really nice in return.
Look! A cute sheep tape measure, and a hobo bag that I made from the tinafish tutorial on Craftster.

!

My big projects for myself right now are a traditional quilt, and an Amy Butler Weekender Bag in a fantastic brown fabric with green flowers. Pictures tomorrow, I swear.

I'm in 5 swaps on Craftster.org right now...and having a blast. I have a ton of half-finished random things around the house. More when I've gotten some stuff done.

Very exciting news...I've been given permission to make a costume for the boy this Halloween. And I can keep it a surprise! It'a good thing he agreed to it, because I bought the pattern a week or so before I even asked him. :) His costume, in tandem with mine, should be verrry interesting.

Oh, and: I bought my own car. I'm a brunette now, for evah. I'm 22 (as of a month ago). And we got another dog. I'm not very good at this 'updating thing.' :-P

fabric overload

So, I wasn't going to buy any new fabric this summer, because I have more than enough to clothe a small army.

But, now that I have a big girl job -- and the paychecks to go along with it -- that lasted about a week. Here are some recent acquisitions:

I'm trying to decide if this unusual border print would be better utilized in a knee-length loosely pleated skirt, or a peasant top. Jury's still out.

This pretty fabric is so soft and drapey, I couldn't help but get some. I'm going to make a really pretty spaghetti-strap summer nightgown out of it.

This beautiful brocade will be the main fabric for my first-ever technically correct corset. I think I'm going to go for a sweetheart overbust, 3-4" reduction, with attached garters. We'll see how that goes :)

This, I think, will be made into a sundress. Very bright and cheery, and I love how big the scale of the pattern is!

This piece was given to me by the lovely tatoola on Craftster...she found it in a thrift store, and bought it because she remembered someone wanted kitchen fabric. And she sent it to me, without expecting anything in return. How sweet is that? (She definitely *won't* be getting nothing back from me :)) I love it...now all I need is a kitchen! :-D

Swing, swing...

Spent another wonderful weekend unwinding out west a bit...and got over my fear of roller coasters, for real this time. :)

The boy took a very cute picture of me while I was there, and I just had to share.


Would you believe that was taken at 10:00 at night?

Friend of Craftster Swap Revealed!

I've reached the (almost) end of the friend of craftster swap...and my partner is Gloria (quincy134)! She really, really spoiled me, as evidenced below.

Third package: cherry blossom t-shirt, flower hairpins, a cute white hat, and an AWESOME Shaun of the Dead T-shirt. It's pretty much my favorite movie of all time, and I was so excited to get something SOTD related!

Fourth (reveal) package: all the supplies to learn how to crochet a scarf. It's a really cute pattern, and I've wanted to learn how for ages. She also sent me Knit and Tonic's 'Something Red' sweater pattern, which has been on my wist for a long time.

THANK YOU, GLORIA!!!

Confessions of a Swap Addict

Booty from DIY Kit Swap, Round 4:
A yarn-dyeing kit from the organizer, sharc. It has awesome yarn, tons of Kool-Aid, vinegar, gloves, a brush, and instructions. I can't wait to get started!

And as a bonus surprise, she sent me a pattern for a knitted dragon that I've had on my wist forever! :-D Thank you, sharc!

Here is my second package from the Friend of Craftster swap. My partner spoiled me rotten! Check out the crocheted tote bag with cherry blossoms (my favorite), blue and brown (favorite color combination) needle roll with stenciled cherry blossoms, and a great green hat!



I absolutely love the stuff I've gotten in this swap. I can't wait to find out who my partner is, so I can send them something awesome! :-D

The frustrating thing about this swap is that I cant post what I've made for my partner! I think she'll really like what I put in the second sendout...

I've sent out four packages in the last two days, so I'll post when the recipients post pictures.

Today, a Craftster member PMed me randomly and told me that she picked up some retro fabric with kitchen stuff on it for me, because she'd remembered that I'd asked for it. How incredibly thoughtful! This is why I love Craftster...everyone's so awesome! I'm insisting on sending her something in return. We shall see what it will be.

Apologies...

...for the lack of posts and this plethora of pictures. I have been quite sick in the past few days, and I'm only now starting to feel human again.

First, vacation! I spent a week with my family and the boy at our vacation home up north. It was pure, barefoot bliss. :-D I have all the hallmarks of a vacation well spent: bugbites, sunburn, and some serious bruises from climbing in and out of boats and running around the island. Yippee! Working is so terribly grown-up of me...it's nice to be able to revert to childhood every now and then.

View from the porch.

A double rainbow! (It's faint, on the right)
It simply couldn't have been any more wonderful.

Second, mail! Coming home, I got a ton of swap packages.

Handmade stationery from flirtingwdisaster.

My first package from the Friend of Craftster Swap! Those are some beautiful blue Japanese fabric swatches and a rad crocheted panda.


And finally, three microscope slide pandants, a la catpants. I adore them!
Third, recent purchases!


I'd been coveting this Richard Kaufman print for a while, and I finally broke down and bought myself 2 yards for a really cute halter dress. I'm saving it for my beach trip in August, I think. :)

In one of the towns nearby our vacation home is my favorite yarn store in the world. I went a little nuts this summer...and spent way too much on this yarn (7 balls of Katia's 'idea jeans' in a lovely green colorway).



And I also got a Debbie Bliss Noro book that I'm in love with, and three more Sirdar patterns. A girl can never have too many patterns...

Fourth, an ongoing project! Knitty's Soleil, in a slightly sexier incarnation. Hopefully. :)


The yarn is dark purple cotton/acrylic blend unraveled from a thrift store sweater. Yay for thrift!

Also, family member is recovering well from surgery. :-D Big sigh of relief.

I had a huge update planned tonight, with about a zillion pictures, but life intervened.

A family member is in the hospital (doing ok, but will need surgery), and I just got in. Obviously, I'm not in a great mindset right now, but little did I know that there was a smile waiting for me in my inbox...


Click for full size. This is a panoramic view of a rainbow off the dock of my family's summer home, where I just spent a week. Thanks. :)

More tomorrow.

Work is eating my life (in a good way), but I've still managed to get some crafty stuff done. Most notably, a clutch for kittykill on Craftster, for Ongoing Wish Swap 10. As usual, I forgot to take pictures, so here are hers:




It's Amy Butler's 'Velma' pattern. I loved making it so much that I'm doing another one for myself, and yet another for batgirl (also for Ongoing Wish Swap 10). Yay!

I'm also signed up for a DIY Kit Swap: I'm getting a yarn-dyeing kit, and a lip balm kit, and making a stuffed animal kit and a purse kit; and a Friend of Craftster Swap. Expect pictures from the former, but not the latter...It's a long-term secret swap. I can't wait! :-D

In other news, I got my diploma in the mail today, so it's official: I'm graduated. Wow. I think part of me still believes I'll be going back to school, come fall. Wierd.

life, orchids, and swap booty

I've been bad about posting, but I have about a gazillion good excuses. Not the least of which being my move home and starting my full time job! :) Everything is going well on that front...but I'll save details for a non-crafty blog.

What I will not save you from, however, is pictures of the GORGEOUS flowers that my incredibly thoughtful boy sent me for graduation. They arrived just as I was unpacking my stuff at home on Thursday...I was tired, worn out, and very sad to be leaving Happy Valley for the last time. They were the perfect pick me up. <3

If I look harried here, it's because, well, I was! Two hours of packing, three hours of driving, and another two hours of unpacking had taken their sweaty, exhausting toll on me. Just ignore the gross girl and look at the beautiful orchids.

There were so many, I literally couldn't fit them into one vase. So I now have *two* beautiful arrangements of my absolute favorite flowers gracing my home.

I can't thank you enough for the wonderful welcome home. :-*

Here's an update on swap items I've recieved recently, from Ongoing Wish Swaps 9 & 10 on Craftster.org.
Kristen 81 sent me this Domokun cover for my Dell DJ! Kristen hand-sewed this awesome cozy for my MP3 player with nothing but simple dimensions to guide her. It fits perfectly!

Inside...

Attacking some classy cement bunnies!!

Batgirl sent me some beautiful roving to feed my needle felting habit:

Americandemockracy sent me this great sewing goodies bag, in my favorite color:

It has pockets for all my accessories. And look! She added a bonus matching zip pouch. :)

I think I'm addicted to swaps. :-D

fin

At long last, I have completely finished the Ribby Cardi. I like it very, very much. I would love it, except the damn thing is too short. I love the colors, though, and it is quite warm. It was very relaxing to knit. I got the yarn from my mom for Christmas, and had most of it finished by New Year's. I just dragged my feet on the finishing. What do you think?

Also...


We only had one (borrowed) gown (why buy another one if we're not going to graduation?), so I had to Photoshop us together onto the Lion Shrine. Can you tell? :) Actually, I just noticed one wierd spot as I'm looking at it now, but I'll fix that ASAP.

So now, I am officially done everything college. I await my grades, and my full time job, which starts on Monday.

PSi'llmissU

jabba the hutt wristlet

I've been participating in ongoing swaps on craftster, which have a really cool format. Basically, someone posts a list of what they want, then you claim one of their requests, then you get to post your own list and someone picks you. And on, and on, and on.

I've gotten to make some really neat stuff through this swap, but this is by far my favorite:

Hopefully you can recognize it...if not, it's Jabba the Hutt! [From Star Wars.] It only ended up taking a week to get to England, and that's pretty awesome. I took the first one, and the second is what she posted in the gallery.

I'm really starting to get the hang of this embroidery thing. I think I'm going to try a portrait next. Maybe Ziggy Stardust? We'll see.

I'm also working on Knitty's 'Soleil,' using purple cotton/acrylic blend that I ganked from a thrift store sweater. It is knitting up very nicely. I'll post pictures when it's a bit more formidable.

Here's a swap package I recieved from Batgirl: it's my needle felting kit!


Contents:
- wicked sharp, barbed felting needles
- a case for said needles
- instructions for a first project (which I completed...it's a gift, though, so I covered it up in Photoshop)
- 6 different colors of roving
- great smelling soap for soap felting!

I was waay spoiled. Thanks so much, batgirl!

My other two swap packages are being sent to my home address, so I won't get them until later this week. Campus mail is notoriously unreliable during move-out week. Speaking of which, my last act as a college student will be at 4:40 pm, when I take my last final exam ever. Wish me luck! Then...I'm outta here!