Catching Up

Ok, I have taken break from posting over the past couple of weeks, but I have not taken a break from creating. Two weeks ago I worked on this lace shirt project. I got the lace off of a really horrid shirt that I bought at Value Village a while ago. I sewed it onto a plain t-shirt that I got at a craft store. Then, at the last second I decided to cut the sleeves off. So that it is, pretty quick and easy projects made out of stuff that I had sitting around the house.
I made a big batch of these bibs months ago and love using them more than anything else. This week, it became obvious that I needed to make a few more since Malcolm has learned how to take the store bought velcro ones off. They are super fun and easy to make, you only need little bits of scrap fabric. Now we are all set for a while until he learns how to undo snaps.

Apron

I was planning on doing a screen printing project this week. Well, actually, I did the project and it failed and then at about 7:30 last night I decided to do something else. I didn't want to post 2 failed projects in a row, so I sewed up an apron. I got this main fabric a few years ago at Crafty Planet. I was going to make a kitchen curtain with it. It would have been really cute, but as soon as I showed it to Benjamin, he told me that he pretty much hated it. I have been saving this fabric since then. I still have a lot left, so maybe some more aprons or pot holders will be made to match.

Not Quite a Success

I put this project off until today. I have been secretly working on a summer long sweater knitting project for myself, and this easy project bought me some time to work on my sweater. What I have learned is, just because something is easy doesn't mean that it will turn out. I ironed this onto a shirt that I already had that is 50/50 cotton and poly. I knew that maybe the results wouldn't be the best. The first time I tried to iron the design on from the paper, almost nothing transferred. It looked like a little pink smear. Then I took the crayon and drew directly on the fabric, put a piece of paper over it and ironed it again. It turned out ok. I think my biggest problem with it is that I don't think the texture of how a crayon transfers is right for my design. It comes out looking very sort of airy and smudgy and ... well ... crayon-like. I am sure that there is a project for which fabric crayons are perfect. I am just not sure what it is yet.

R is for Renae

When I was in Kansas City a couple of months ago, we went to the Crayola store. While we were there, I rediscovered fabric crayons. I remember making things with these as a kid and I haven't thought about them in about forever. Nowadays, iron on transfers seem to always include a computer, scanner, printer. I was excited at the idea of trying the plain old crayons again. I went home and drew up this design right away. It is sort of gothic monogram R.
I was all ready to iron it onto a shirt when I reread the instructions on the crayon box and found out that that crayons won't don't work well on natural fabrics. So, my design hit the shelf. The biggest part of my project this week will probably be finding the right shirt. Often I will buy just a really basic T and then alter it, so maybe there will be some sewing this week too.

Check out crayola's website in my links below. I can't say enough about how I love crayons.

Skull Sweater

For a while this week I wasn't sure that I was going to finish this one. Last week I had just started reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and this week the book totally consumed me. So, I had a few days where I was extremely tired. I had to make myself stay up at night and watch tv so I would have enough knitting time. I still have to block it, but it looks pretty good, I think it will fit well next winter.

I had an interesting conversation with Benjamin this week about artistic inspiration. I've been paying a lot of attention lately to the things that distract me and get in the way of finishing projects. Often these distractions are ideas of other projects that I want to research or work on. My inspirations are everywhere, everywhere! Now that I am making myself focus, I feel like I am being attacked by good ideas left and right. I already have a list of projects that is longer than the amount of weeks I have to work this summer.

So, I am super excited to have finished this sweater one day early. That means that I can spend all day today looking through books and websites and planning for next week. Sigh, happy day!

Skull Sweater

My project for this week is a another knitting one, but a little more complicated. I started knitting this sweater while I was pregnant. It is a size 2, so I figured I had a while to finish it. I got the pattern out of a book called Anticraft: Knitting, Beading and Stitching for the Slightly Sinister. I got the book at the library. Hennepin County libraries have so many knitting books. I have found almost every knitting book that I have ever wanted at the library. So, really, I just have to knit the sleeves and sew the seams. I hate sewing seams, that is the biggest reason that I have put this project off for so long. I guess I'd better get knitting.

Little Blue Bird

I put the bird together on Monday, and then waited until yesterday to realize that I didn't have any felt for the eyes and nose. Thankfully, my good friend Michelle gave me a few scraps, so I was able to throw this little bird together at the last second.

Malcolm seems to like it.