Hoping to get this little lady finished and mailed out by early next week.
1. I and a couple friends were fortunate enough to see Avenue Q on Tuesday. For Free! It was amazing and the cast performed far beyond my highest expectations. One of my biggest issues with touring musicals is that the current cast might not be the same performers that made me fall in love with the show. As a result, I’m pretty narrow-minded on who is allowed to perform Fiddler on the Roof, Godspell, and Little Shop of Horrors. But these guys, they were perfect. I laughed so hard.
At the beginning of the show, I was singing along with every song (sorry neighbors) and squealing with glee when I recognized the opening cords to some of my favorites. But the performance was so good that, near the end, I was completely swept up in the play and happily surprised when the songs began.
2. We still haven’t turned on the heat in our apartment. It’s starting to get pretty chilly in there and Big Guy is hardly leaving the flannel sheets on the bed. Last night I threw a second quilt on the bed and slept in pajama pants, a t-shirt, and a hooded sweatshirt. But the weather is supposed to be back up in the 70s this weekend. We may need to have a talk about turning on the heat when we have houseguests in a couple weeks….
3. Justin made me dinner on Monday. It was ridiculously sweet.
4. I only read one book in all of October. I had a lot of grand plans for lots of Halloween themed stories but…one book. Sure it was nearly 900 pages but come on…just one? I’m losing my grip. If I want to finish 52 books in 52 weeks (what? I didn’t tell you about that goal? …..nevermind), then I’ve got a ways to go.
5. My hand-knit sock drawer is surprisingly bare. I have a few striped socks and 1 patterened pair and that’s it. When I couldn’t find any to match my dress clothes this morning, it made me sad.
6. Which reminds me, Justin’s birthday alpaca socks still aren’t finished. Oops.
7. It’s knit night. You’ll know where I’ll be. See ya there!
Welcome to the third installment of the weekly craft round-up! This week’s entry is going to combine my halloween costume and the crafty links for the week. You can find the first round-up here And the second one here
For my costume, I was inspired by this tutorial on making fake black birds on Dollar Store Crafts. I can never justify spending a wad of cash on a Halloween costume, so I began plotting on how I could get by on the cheap with this.
Supplies:
1 gray suit: on hand
1 pair vintage-esque heels: on hand
1 vintage-esque clutch: on hand
blonde hair: thanks genetics!
fake blood: red face paint, on hand
bandage for my fake wound: on hand from our first aid supplies
And the only expense for my costume,
4 black birds from the Dollar Tree: $4
These weren't a few birds! There were hundreds!
And in the remastered, colorized version
I wish I never came to Bodega Bay.
I also had paint/blood on my legs from my bird attacks but they don’t show up in the photos. Many thanks to Heather at Dollar Store Crafts for including my costume on the site!
And if you’re still looking for some halloween costumes or crafts, try these links from my daily internet rovings.
If I had seen this in time, this adorable owl costume would have been a clever idea.
How cute are these halloween hair barrettes?
Amigurumi zombies. Enough said.
The Not Martha Blog has cleverly created a gruesome meatloaf hand. I want to make this one soon! Check out the rest of the blog for some great halloween crafty ideas.
And of course, my very own Brain Slug pattern. It wouldn’t be a halloween without a brain slug, right?
Happy Halloween Everybody!
I’m married to a photographer. As you can imagine, I get my picture taken a lot. Anytime he wants to test a new setting, or background, or angle, I’m in front of the camera. I don’t mind really. 99% of those photos never see the light of day and we end up having fun together.
But an unforeseen side effect is that, we, as a couple, do not have any photos together. Well, let me clarify that a bit. We have lots of photos of us that we took ourselves. Like this one from Sunday.
Taken with my camera phone and edited lightly with Paint Shop Pro.
It’s a perfectly fine photo. But, because I took it and was also in it, only our faces are in the photo. And that’s how it is with 99.9% of our photos. Since we got married, 3 years ago, at our wedding, there have been 3 good photos of us together that we ourselves did not take. And those were mostly just Hey guys smile! type photos.
This one was taken the fall after we were married. In somebody’s living room. I don’t know who’s baby that is.
This one was snapped by my mom when we were visiting with her and Dad back in July.
Wherever there is a creek, we will be in it.
And last is this photo from our trip to Louisville this past August. Justin’s dad snapped it while we were in a record store.
That’s it. We’re always together on trips and always snapping photos but one of us is always behind the camera. We always try to make sure to switch at family events so we’ll both be in the photos but none of us together. This wouldn’t really be an issue but… folks. I’m married to a photographer. It’s like a baker not having any bread. Or a knitter not owning any handknits. The work is always being done for others. So I’m on a mission. Whether it’s through use of the timer or somebody else does it, we will have a photo together. A nice one. Creek optional. It is getting colder outside after all.
Wish me luck.
Today I’m going to share with you how I made the tape measure cozy that I shared last week.
Disclaimer: I know there are dozens of tutorials on this very process out there. If you like one of those better, use it. I didn’t follow a tutorial for this. It’s what I made up on a trial and error basis. Any similarities between this and another tutorial are merely coincidence since there can’t be that many different ways to sew up a tape measure inside some felt.
Materials Needed:
1 8×10 piece of felt
1 round tape measure. You can get these at any craft store for under $1
scissors
embroidery thread and embroidery needle
sewing thread and needle
pins
pencil or other washable marking tool
Instructions:
First you need to cut a piece of felt just a little bigger than your tape measure that you’re covering. If you wanted to be specific, you could take measurements and so forth but I prefer to just eyeball it. It’s how I get through life.
Once you have a piece cut out, trim the felt to about 1/4″ or more to your tape measure. You want to be sure to leave enough space around the edge so that you can sew all the pieces together later and still have the measure fit inside. Cut one more matching piece using this circle as a template. You need 1 for both sides!
Next is the only bit of real measuring I do during this. Take another tape measure (because if you’re like me, you keep a dozen on hand since they disappear as quickly as leprechauns) and measure the circumfrence of the one you’re covering up.
Now lay that measurement out on the felt and make about a 1/2″ cut. This is for the piece that will cover the sides.
Using the width of your tape measure as a guide, cut the felt just a bit wider than your measure. Remember, we need those seam allowances for sewing up later.
This is what you should have so far.
Now it’s time for the embroidery. If you don’t know how to embroider, there are lots of places on the internet that will teach you how. The Embroiderer’s Guild is a good place to start.
I used a white chalk, washable pencil to mark out the design I wanted on the front of the tape measure. Once I had it like I liked it, I embroidered on the design using DMC embroidery floss and an embroidery needle. (Side note: the words “embroider” and “tape measure” don’t look right to me anymore.)
Dont’ forget to embroider the piece for the back as well! I free-handed the flower designs. You can also stitch on a design on the side piece as well if you like. I did not for this one. Other good ideas include adding beads, ribbon, or even leaving it plain if you like.
Now you need your handy dandy sewing thread and needle. Because a tape measure gets lots of wear and tear from use, I prefer to sew this up with the thread doubled for extra strength. I am using plain sewing thread as well. Nothing fancy. I’m not sure how old it is either since I think it’s sewing thread my mom gave me when I got my first sewing machine.
At any rate, you want to pay attention to a few things here. You want to make sure to put the end of the side piece starting where you want the tape part to come out of the cozy. If you want your design to line up correctly, I recommend putting the start on the side of your design. If you’ve done a design that is abstract and has no up or down, then it wouldn’t matter where you started. I started mine to the left of the M.
Because the place the tape comes out is going to be getting a lot of abuse, you want to start sewing here by going up and down in the same spot for a few stitches. This gives the area a little reinforcement. I used a basic running stitch because I like the look of it. But I just sewed straight up and down and here’s why. Because the tape measure is circular, you have to keep lining up the edges of the round piece and the flat, rectangular piece. So just keep your edges together and don’t mind how it bunches up in the middle of the fabric there. It will work out in the end.
When you get round to where you started, stop a little under half an inch from where you started and cut the remaining square of felt off. This will leave a little hole for the tape to pull out. Remember to sew a few reinforcing stitches at the end.
This is what it should look like now. But when you lay the tape measure inside, it works out.
The retracting button can go on either side of the cozy. It’s really up to you. Now, you need to line up your back design so that it lines up well with the front design. Unless you want the back and front to be mismatched. If that’s your thing, then have at it my friend. You can use pins here to pin it in place while you sew. Or, if you’re like me, just start sewing. It’ll work itself out.
Remember to start with a few reinforcing stitches at the beginning. I use the same style running stitch as before. I go down through the flat piece into the round piece and back up next to the stitch I just made. And don’t forget those reinforcing stitches at the end either!
This is what you should have when you’ve gone all the way around on the last piece.
Now, you can see that because I didn’t use any measurements and freehanded the whole cutting process, my edges look a bit rough. Easy enough. Just take your scissors and trim away the excess until it looks neat and finished. Be careful not to get too close to your sewing though. Felt won’t unravel like fabric, but you don’t want to stress your seams.
All finished!
If you have any questions feel free to ask me in the comments. Or you can email me at wildwoodflwr (at) gmail.
There were puppies.
And playing with our nieces and nephew. (This is Justin’s photo. Amazing isn’t it?)
Nerdy party favors
And, of course, birthday cake.
Happy Birthday Justin. I love you.
(for the record, his birthday was last Friday and the party was last weekend. I’m a bit slow in the blogging.)
I am seriously in love with this tutorial on button brooches.
If you’re as confused as I am (or can be) about short rows, techknitter has a fantastic tutorial going on.
I love beads on craft projects. The more beads the better.
The great thing about being a crafter and being married to a sci-fi nerd is that the two are often so compatable. There is always a ton of inspiration out there for me. Like this Bones pillow.
The Plush You 2009 show is up and running. Take a look at these photos for some intense plush inspiration.
Not for spinning obviously. I’ve only spun for about 5 minutes since that last episode. I think I’m still a little scarred.
Instead, I’m making amigurumi bits. Constantly. Here’s some creepy eyes staring out at you from a monkey I’m working on for a friend.
About two years ago, I had a boring day at work. That boring day lead me to discover Craftster and all its amazing creations. It was also the same day I discovered amigurumi and I fell in love instantly. I love their out of proportion bodies and arms.
But as with so many things in my life, I quickly became obsessed, learned everything I possibly could, made a couple from patterns, and moved on to a new obsession. It’s how I work. Not very efficient but loads of fun.
Now my obsessions are slowing down and I’m taking more time to delve deeper into crafts that I perhaps didn’t give my full attention. A few weeks ago, I started my first free-hand amigurumi based on a drawing I did back in the spring. Let me introduce you to Water Monster (I’m ever working on my naming skills).
The original drawing was green, had a rabbit face with a pink nose and smaller eyes. But I’m very satisfied with how this turned out. He has button eyes, beads for water droplets, and a whole heckuva lot of tentacles that were crocheted individually and sewn on. Individually.
If I could do it over again, I’d make the head and the body separate pieces and sew them together afterwards. On this guy, they’re all one piece and I’m not crazy about the finished look. I also wished I’d done a little firmer stuffing with the fiber fill. We live and learn.
Overall, this has only worked to feed my obsession. I’ve got loads of ideas for amigurumis.
And on the crafts from drawings theme, here’s a tape measure cover I put together from some felt embroidered with my doodles.
The robot was the result of a boring phone conversation and the planets on the other side are from…well.. I like space.
I’ve had the felt pieces cut and embroidered for a month or so now but just got around to sewing the pieces together last night. It was great embroidery practice (and boy do I need it!) and I want to make more of these. But a girl only needs so many quirky tape measures. I’m thinking Christmas gifts.
I drive a 2001 Ford Taurus. My parents bought it for me in my senior year of college. In the years since then (nearly 5), I have driven the Bonnie Lass all over central Appalachia and other points on the Eastern Seaboard. I’ve driven it across mountains, to the ocean, around cities, and down all sorts of country roads. It’s actually reached a point that I and my parents are continually surprised that it is still holding together after all the rigorous roads it has been on. (I don’t happen to think my car is a he or a she. It’s a car. I did name it though…)
But in the past few years, the Bonnie Lass has been falling apart a little more and more every day. The air conditioning doesn’t work. Thankfully it was a cool summer. It takes longer to warm up than my commute is to work. We had to replace something important and relatively expensive on it this past spring (I can’t remember what it was… an alternator..starter..something important and expensive). The windshield cleaner doesn’t come out onto the windshield anymore. It just kind of dribbles down the hood. And, important to our story here today, it leaks coolant.
The Bonnie Lass doesn’t leak coolant in a fast predictable way or in a slow predictable way. Sometimes it will be months and months without needing to be filled. And then, Bam! It will need to be filled several times in one month. We’re currently on a several times in one month cycle. But I didn’t know that today when I left for my lunch break.
I got into my car and tried to start it. And it wouldn’t. It tried to turn over but just couldn’t do it. I called Justin to let him know and went to ask somebody for a boost. When I popped the hood on the car, out of habit of having to fill it a lot, I looked at the coolant. And it was empty. Bone dry. No wonder the car wouldn’t start. I filled it up with the little bit of coolant I had left in a jug in a trunk and went on my way to lunch.
After work, I went grocery shopping and picked up a few groceries and a couple more jugs of coolant (I really should invest in their stocks). And I filled the coolant up. Again.
Such a familiar scene to me.
I took this photo because I got cocky. I thought, Haha, I’ll take this and send it to twitter and people will see…that I need coolant. I’m not sure what I was thinking. But before I knew it, I had done the unthinkable. I got clumsy. I knocked the lid of the coolant off the spot I laid it and it fell. But it didn’t fall all the way through the engine and onto the ground below. That would be too easy. It got stuck about half way.
Blue Lid seen here playing hide and seek.
But I didn’t start taking photos for more twitter posts. First, I panicked. The engine was still a little hot and quite frankly I was afraid of sticking my hand in there and getting burned. I sat the jug down and ran around to the trunk and rummage around for something I could fetch the lid out with. I searched the trunk for something small, long, and pointy. What on earth would a person like me have that could reach into a tight spot in a car to fetch a lid? Hmm… how about a knitting needle?!
A DPN going where no DPN should ever go.
You’ll notice that I have my car key in my hand. I’ve already locked myself out of my car by leaving my key in the trunk once before. In the very same parking lot. I only needed that lesson once. This is the point where I got cocky. While digging around in the trunk (there’s a lot of stuff in there. It’s my dirty, little secret.), I realized that I have knitting needles. And my next thought was, Oh! This will be great for the blog! I’ll use a knitting needle to retrieve my lid and I’ll have a nice bit of blog fodder. I’ll be so clever by fixing my situation with a knitting needle and proving that a woman doesn’t need a man to mess around with cars as long as she keeps her wits about her. That’s really something I strive for in my day to day life. Not needing a man to help me make my car work. When your car develops quirks as often as mine, it’s a sometimes obtainable goal, sometimes not.
Except I’m clumsy. And the very next thing I did after taking that photo was drop my DPN into the engine. After all that, I ended up having to stick my hand in the hot engine anyway. I fished the needle out, and set about getting the lid. Which is, after all, what this whole long, winded thing was about. You’d think after all this, all this talking, and reading of this blog, that it would have worked. Haha, silly girl had to use a knitting needle to get a foreign object out of her car engine. Sorry.
The only thing the needle did was to lodge the lid further into the …well.. I’m not sure where the lid ended up. It wasn’t on the ground. I looked. It wasn’t in any place I could see by craning my neck around under the hood. Thankfully since I have that dirty little secret of a trunk, there was still about 3 empty jugs of coolant with lids. So I took one of those and put it on the new jug.
The new lid matches the old lid!
Then I went home. It was an exciting day. The day I lost a lid in my car and also dropped a knitting needle in there. Never a dull moment around here. Joke’s on you though, since you read the whole ordeal.
And I still didn’t have to call a man to come help me.
And I don’t know what happened to the lid. Hopefully it didn’t get stuck in something expensive. Hopefully it just fell out on its own accord and is now living somewhere happily with other roadside litter.
