more craftiness

been getting my craft on lately. here's what I've made:

seat cushion for uncomfortable chair, made with thrift store fabric. don't know why I didn't think of this ages ago, my bum would have appreciated it long ago!

and this fun frame-thingymabob, including this little inspirational quotation, which I think came from one of my fellow craft pirates...

Sock update! And next projects.

Dearest fellow craft pirates,

I'm happy to report that the second sock is now finished, achieving my goal of finishing the pair for Christmas (I even got some time to spare)! Unfortunately, it appears that while knitting the second sock, my stitches were significantly looser, because upon looking at the finished product, one sock is HUGE and BUTT UGLY compared to the other one. Oh well, so goes the life of a craft pirate. I'm pretty sure my brother will like them anyway.

In other crafty news, I've decided to craft all of my Christmas presents this year. This is something that I tell myself I'll do every year, and which I always fall through on (example: failed sock frenzy of last fall). BUT! This year, I'm starting early, I'm trying to plan my gifts now, and plus I already have one finished (the socks). My plans so far include a crocheted circle scarf à la this, and a shelf for my brother like these.

yay crafting!

When Nina grossly overestimates how fast she can knit

I've been a knitter for a few years now, but I have yet to actually finish a project. Remember that sweater I posted on here a few months back? I started it about five years ago and it's still sitting on a shelf waiting for the sleeves to be sewn together. Needless to say, I have a little trouble committing to projects, so last fall I decided to start knitting smaller projects: socks! Seems perfect, right? I figured compared to my 5-year sweater endeavor, a sock would come together in no time. 

Around October I started working on a pair of socks as a Christmas gift for my brother. I went on a little yarn shopping spree at Webb's, thinking I would knit socks for practically everyone in my family for Christmas. Ha! That was a funny thought, Nina. By the time December snuck up on me I was rushing around buying gifts, since I was clearly not going to be giving anyone socks this year. I carried Toby's half-finished sock to our holiday celebration and told Toby he would get a pair of socks for next Christmas. 

It looks like that more realistic goal will actually happen. I just finished the first sock and I'm getting started on the second one! Seeing as I'm currently unemployed, I have a lot of time for knitting.

The finished sock! Note: I'm modeling the sock on my own foot, but it fits much better on Toby's foot, for which it is intended.

With the beginnings of sock #2

tiny treasure tin

hello pirates,
big news crew! i was in my first craft fair and though i was not there in person (i had to work and rach graciously attended in my place) rach met some lovely people and as a result i am now famous: tbrwd.blogspot.com/2012/05/one-crafty-bandit.html  thank you brandon! check out his awesome buttons on his website! here's a tiny treasure tin by me:

altered book

here is an altered book i am beginning about things that are small wonders. i am going to send it on to lan who will send it on to someone else to someone else, each doing a few pages, until is is packed full. thank you to marcia for the ideas and inspiration! lan, i hope you don't mind being first to receive it? tell me true.

iPad Case from an Upcycled Sweater by Lan

I live in San Francisco, and let me tell you: we are as techie as everyone says we are.  It appears that everyone, no matter what their financial status, has bought, won, or obtained an iPad. When I received mine as a bonus from my last job, I felt the familiar twinge of excitement and resentment. I joined the hoard of upwardly mobile yuppies with a big fancy piece of technology that essentially did the same thing as my iPhone. Yeah, I have one of those too. The iPad, however, is pointless with out a transport case.  As mine is the iPad 1, I don't have the option to dress it up with a fancy Smart Cover. So in true craft pirate style I crafted my own awesome bunny cover!

 From an old sweater with a print that I love, I sewed a basic zippered pouch with dimensions that fit my iPad. 

I used some basic cotton for the lining, to keep my iPad nice and safe and scratch-free.

 

Now I can take my iPad everywhere so I can read/Google/download apps/look pretentious on the go. Smooth sailing Pirates :) 

recycled t-shirt scarves

as i crossedmyheartpromised to ninnerson here is a post. i have been obsessively making these tshirt scarves for a few weeks now because they are easy, fun, and addictive. there are quite a few tutorials out there but you don't really need one. just take a tshirt preferably one without seams down the side and one that is pretty big and a beautiful color. cut off the hem and cut across the shirt from armpit to armpit. now take the big middle piece and cut it into strips (they should be long and still attached to each other, like a long circular noodle) stretch them out and tie them together. it's really the stretching that is addictive i think. so here they are. i have taken a copious number of photos of them and i am going to load them all! thank you to my very patient model rach who just laughed and didn't complain.