rescue and recovery…

Tags

cowl, drawstring bag, etsy, flop, knitting, rescue, sewing

… my first knitting project, a pattern for a cowl bought on etsy, the list of supplies printed out, a trip to my local knitting shop and I came home with the right weight (if that is the term) yarn and the correct sized circular needle. Sat at my desk, and with the help of youtube, I cast on the required number of stitches. Another video taught me how to knit and another explained the intricacies of purling. I followed the pattern to the letter until I needed to go back on to youtube to learn how to cast off…

… and I hated the result! So I pulled it all apart and vaguely followed another pattern to make a different cowl, but I got my stitches twisted before I started knitting in the round, I thought it might be an interesting effect, it wasn’t, so I pulled it all apart and started again… this time I had read about seed stitch, so off I set, I improvised and third time lucky… I ended up with a cowl people still compliment me on today.

… so I am used to starting knitting projects again (and again…)…

… a big ball of chunky wool, 2 evenings watching dvd’s (silk and Somers town), and knit, knit, knit, I made a simple cowl and ran out of wool as I was casting off the last stitches. I have already grumbled about this fail! With hindsight I could probably have just patched it up by using some other similar wool to finish it off, instead I tugged on the end of the wool and frogged it.

… I think I have already confessed to my love for the purlbee blog, I had already made their garter gaiter once and it had been snatched out my hands no sooner than I had finished it. I decided to use the pattern again. This time with a single ball of wool, so no stripes, but I like the texture the stocking stitch gives with a chunky wool. A couple of evenings, another 2 films (the killer inside me and on the road), and I have a completed cowl. I even “timed it” right so I had a tiny bit of wool left over. I might list this one on etsy as I seem to have rather a lot of blue cowls already…

… and if it wasn’t enough to rescue one flop, last week, packing for a weekend in the mountains, I realised I could do with a few more simple drawstring bags. I use them for shoes and to keep types of clothes together in my bag, to keep my yoga gear separate from my horse riding stuff, my underwear together and separate from my pyjamas, etc…

… a moment of genius, I could use the failed quilt material to make a few such bags! I trimmed and tidied up the wrong side as it would no longer be completely out of sight inside a quilt. I cut the material into 3 strips about 35 cm wide, folded them lengthwise, sewed up the side seams, folded a hem at the top to run string through, found some matching string, and voilá! I have 3 more drawstring bags for my travels.

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hidden surprise

Tags

bag, christmas, etsy, neon, sewing, surprise

… I wonder if she likes it?

… I have been making bags over the past months, each one is different, I start off with an idea, but invariably it evolves as I stitch and sew, never quite knowing what the end product is going to look like.

… a couple of months ago, with a friend, in our favourite fabric shop, and some neon orange material jumped off a bottom shelf at me, screaming to be taken home and made into something beautiful. I had to oblige. I found some grey canvas-like-cotton to accompany it, and home we rushed.

… a few days later, out comes the sewing machine, and off we set, with a clear idea of a colour blocked design – mainly grey and just a flash of orange at the bottom. The outside is quickly sewn up, then I start thinking about the lining, there needs to be a pocket, maybe I can use some more of the neon, things take shape and I end up with a hidden pocket in an orange stripe. Straps are added, a reversible bag is finished.

… an iphone snap, posted on instagram, and a friend comments immediately – he wants it, a present for his wife! More photos are sent, the request is confirmed, another friend travelling south who can take it, everything works out.

… preparing to wrap the bag, get it ready to go on its way, and I decide I could add a matching pouch, a little surprise to tuck into the bag, out comes the sewing machine, material, lining, a zipper, a pouch is made, wrapped, tucked inside the bag before it is wrapped.

… it should have reached its new owner today, I hope she likes it!

counting down…

Tags

christmas sale, cowl, diy, etsy, gifts, handmade, scarf, wallet

… tomorrow is the day…

… my first attempt at a craft fair, with a couple of friends, an opportunity to sell a few of the things I have made – maybe! I hope people will come, it is informal, it is a bit last minute, but I am always the optimist.

… suddenly I wonder if I have enough “stuff” to fill a stall, whether I am going to sell out in the first hours, it would be nice, it strikes me as unlikely, but just in case, I decided I should make a few more things.

… a few more scarf/necklaces as I seem to have given away almost all of the ones I have made to date, a couple more wallets that were made, but needed fasteners, maybe later, if I manage to fuse more plastic I can make some more wallets. And a couple of key rings, to use up scraps…

Finally some paper to wrap them… and I should be set!

fighting the crowds…

Tags

brussels, christmas, crafts, diy, etsy, sale

… the weekend before Christmas, it is going to be madness out there, wherever you are…

… a group of friends (and friends of friends) who decided to avoid the masses – or create their own madness – with a weekend sale for friends (and friends of friends).

… if you are in Brussels this weekend, do come along. And if you can’t make it, you can find a lot of my items in my etsy shop…

shopping – responsibly

Tags

etsy, holidays, responsibly, shopping

… looking for an excuse to shop? Wanting to shop responsibly?

…I don’t think I have ever hidden my love for etsy. My walls are adorned with art work discovered there; presents given are often chosen there; my wardrobe contains many items handmade by incredibly talented people from around the world found there; I have toiletries and accessories that I couldn’t resist there; even my favourite hot water bottle was bought there.

…but it is a labyrinth finding what you want there. I already mentioned the challenges of treasuries and followings, favourites and front pages… so a directory of (mainly etsy) sellers that have something in common with what you like – even if that something is a favourite blog – can only be a good thing.

… I don’t remember when I started following door sixteen, but it is one of the blogs I read regularly. Initially I loved it for the house renovation, which resonated with what I would love to achieve with a house if ever I owned one, but recently I have made recipes Anna has posted and even bought toiletries based on a D16 recommendation!

… I especially love Anna’s recent post on staying independent when doing your holiday shopping. But not only for the message which I fully endorse, but also for the invitation for independent business owners to list their shops in the comments… I have visited a few lot of them already – there are some really talented people out there, and a lot of beautiful things!

… I can only recommend wandering over and having a browse 🙂

a path traversed…

Tags

etsy, handmade, shopping, trading

… its a tangled web, etsy.

… like so many, I love making things, sometimes I get carried away, I end up with more things than I need, like the day I ended up making 10 wallets because I was on a roll, or the one I made 5 iphone cases because I was using up scraps.

… like so many I have adopted etsy as my market place. I squeeze in quietly, amidst so many talented people, people making stuff I dream of, people making things that look better than what you can find in the shops, people making such a variety of original and beautiful items. But like any market place, you need to get noticed, to draw people into your humble shack, to entice them with the things you have made, you have to be different, unique, competitive and dynamic.

… there are guidelines, recommendations, ways of getting noticed, that usually involve browsing everyone else’s shops, favouriting, creating treasuries (kind of wish lists). There are guidelines, recommendations, ways of getting your treasuries noticed, so you in turn get noticed. It takes a huge investment of time and energy.

… temptation! Such an investment wouldn’t be a problem if people weren’t listing so many gorgeous things. But a girl can only take a certain amount of monitor shopping before she cracks, slips discretely into a new found shop and makes a purchase. I have bought all kinds of things on etsy, from juggling balls to cardigans to hot water bottles and art work. It feels so good to support other artists and artisans, to help people who are launching amazing businesses, but…

… it doesn’t shift the numerous bags hanging off my radiator, the box full of wallets and pouches, the bag of scarves, the projects and creations I haven’t found a home for yet. And my idea to make a few euros to fund my crafting habits is completely lost as I spend far more than I earn!

… an etsy convo (that would be an email, a message, a conversation on any other social media!), someone launching a new initiative “do you want to trade some of your items?”. A list of people looking to raise their profile, pick up a few seasonal gifts, or treats for themselves, at the cost of an item from their own shop – seems like a win-win situation.

…a browse through a few shops that catch my eye, a scarf in Scotland, lip balm in Ireland, a bowl in Latvia, a bag in Cyprus. Messages sent, responses come in… the scarf gets exchanged for a trivet, the lip balm for a wallet… what a fabulous way to end the day!

logical progression – San Francisco style

Tags

etsy, placemat, sewing, wallet

… I spent a long time looking for the perfect material to make my ideal wallet.

… fused plastic works well, it is cheerful, colourful and makes a clear statement, but on occasions I thought I might prefer something more mundane, and a little sturdier.

…several experiments were made with differing qualities of felt. Conclusion: it has to be heavy duty, otherwise the wallet crumples in your bag like a well used note. But felt is cheerful and can be bright, there are a couple on etsy.

… oil cloth may work, I bought some, it is still in my sewing box, and other ideas on how I want to use it are swimming in my mind these days.

… visiting friends in California, a day trip to San Francisco, wondering from shop to shop, admiring, feeling, absorbing, dreaming… so many wonderful things – like in most new cities, I tend to do most of my shopping when I am travelling. A home decor shop, beautiful pottery, gadgets, objects that I probably didn’t need, that definitely wouldn’t travel, that mostly I couldn’t afford anyway. Then I saw them… the answer to that long standing question “what can I use to make a wallet like mine, given I don’t have old banners at hand?”. A stand of beautiful place-mats!

… the bright turquoise one chosen, wrapped, carried home across the Atlantic and duly stored in my sewing box. Moments of guilt, should I really be cutting up an expensive place-mat that would look pretty good on my table? A rainy day, out comes the battered old wallet, the place-mat, the scissors, the sewing machine… and anything else?

… ribbons! To finish off the edges, what better than bright colourful ribbons. The place-mat is cut, the edges are trimmed, the sewing is done, a wallet is made, and another, and another – two happy friends and I. And enough mat left over to make a couple of card wallets. Since then I have bought several other place-mats, dug into my box of ribbons, and made a few more wallets. I am pretty pleased with them!

recycling, upcycling, repurposing – to keep money in…

Tags

fused plastic, recycle, sewing, upcycle, wallet

… several years ago I bought a wallet made from upcycled banner, it was simple, it was sturdy, it was the perfect size, I loved it, but over the years it wore out… and I kept on using it because I couldn’t find anything that I liked to replace it.

… last christmas, the office end of year party, and we were all asked to bring a gift, suitable for anyone, ideally something home-made, recycled or local… I racked my brains, searched the shops, and the night before the party realised I still hadn’t found anything.

… thank goodness for the interweb!

… one thing I had plenty of was plastic bags, so a quick search online and I found a tutorial to make fused plastic, out came the iron, the greaseproof paper and a pile of bags, a couple of attempts later and I had a respectable sheet of fused plastic. Next step was to get out the falling-apart wallet and use it was a template. Then it was time to get out the sewing machine.

… by the end of the evening I had 2 wallets – one for me, one for the random gift receiver. It met all the criteria – except maybe the local as the bags had been collected during my travels 🙂

… the wallet was so well received, and I still had a whole lot of plastic bags, so I have since made a bunch more. Initially I just gave them to friends as gifts, but people started asking where they could find them, so since then I have also listed a few in my etsy shop.

… you might know someone who would like one?