
2/27/2007
It's Official - I'm in Love!

2/26/2007
New Purses and a New Me!



2/22/2007
Sense of Humor
This is my sewing machine:
There's my backstitch lever, my thread tensioner, and my panic button. It's an old machine and not the best quality, so it has a lot of problems and I have to use that button quite often these days. Anywho, things are going kind of slow since it's midterm time. I need to get going on some new purses for the store but I can't seem to find the time. I've been working on a collage book for my bookmaking midterm and I got it done last night, hopefully I'll get a good grade, pics to come soon. I think I did a really good job on the Microeconomics test *crosses fingers*. Now that the work's winding down I should have more time to make stuff and get back to posting. Too much to do and too little time... Good thing I have a good sense of humor...

2/20/2007
I'm Back!

2/13/2007
Japanese Goodies!
I recieved my order of Japanese fabric and trims, much earlier than expected and with Japanese candy to boot!
I was tipped off by the Wee Wonderfuls blog about where to get these adorable fabrics, so go check it out! My little Japanese baking cups from Sweetkye also arrived today.
I'm planning on turning them into cute little pincushions (they're not as big as American muffin cups). I'm so excited and I can't wait to get started on my zakka purses when the leather for the handles arrive. I'm going to be on vacation for about a week, so postings may be sporatic for a while. Also, all shop orders placed from thursday till sunday will not go out until monday or tuesday, sorry for the inconvenience! See y'all!



2/11/2007


2/08/2007
You would not believe how hard it is to find leather bands in stores. I need some if I want to make the purse I put in the last post. I remember when there was plenty of it in the trim section of the fabric store, heck, even Wal Mart carried it. I found some in black at Joann's but I needed brown. I tried a bunch of places and eventually broke down and bought some small yardages of vinyl, but I wish I could find real leather in 1/2 inch to 1 inch strips. If anyone out there has an idea of where I can buy some please let me know.
Anywho, I've been a button making maniac lately because a friend gave me scraps of the most wonderful vintage fabric that was too small to make anything but covered buttons with. I've made a bunch of different sizes and put them on bobby pins and barrettes, and I'm selling some by themselves on cards too. Oh, and I sold Gertrude! She's going to a lovely new home, with a new owner. She has an etsy shop, http://reloveprojects.etsy.com. Her stuff is really cute, check it out!

2/05/2007
Makeover!

So here's my pattern, original and fairly simple:
Remenent of worsted-weight handspun style yarn
Siza US I9 crochet hook
Thread
Button
Felt that matches button
Metal barette or pinback
1. Begin with an adjustable ring. Crochet 10 single crochet (sc) into the ring, tighten, and join with a slip stitch (slst). (10 sc)
2. Work 2 sc in each sc around, join with a slst. (20 sc)
3. Now for the petals: *chain (ch) 1, skip one sc and crochet 5 double crochet (dc) into next sc. Ch 1, skip 1, and slst into the next sc*. Repeat from * around. (Should end up with 5 petals.)
4. Cut free and weave ends to the back of the flower's center, but leave them dangling.
5. Again, form an adjustable loop and crochet 5 sc into the ring. (5 sc)
6. Work 2 sc in each sc around. (10 sc)
7. Do the same thing as in step 3, but you should only end up with 3 petals.
8. Repeat step 4, then thread the smaller flower's dangling yarn through the center of the large one and tie the ends together. This will help them to stay in place while you sew on the button and give the finished flower extra strength.
9. Stitch a button in the center of the flower, a circle of felt on the back, and add a pinback or barette. Done!
If you have found this or any of my other free patterns useful and would like to help me keep creating them I accept PayPal donations!
2/04/2007
Love

On a final note, I have to give props to Christina's at etsy, because they're just so kind. I noticed thismorning that they listed a pouch they made (Super cute!) and they had the owl pincushion they bought from me in the picture, and they said in the description to visit my shop! Too sweet, I think I have a friend on etsy now, so I just have to repay the kindness. Their designs are beautiful and you have to check out all the wonderful things they have for sale!!! Thanks Hyein!!!
2/03/2007
Zombies Attack San Francisco!!!
How do I get in on this for 2007? 


It started with five people... Er, zombies... And eventually grew to a mob that went around San Francisco infecting passers by. People who wanted to participate would scream and be mobbed by zombies, get sprayed with fake blood and get their shirt torn a bit, and then they could march along. I say a ruined shirt is a fair price to pay to get in on the fun, and appearantly everyone else did too. The zombie hordes started on market, went to Union Square, and eventually ended up in the Apple store where the rally dispersed. I love it when people do awesome random things like this. I have to find out how to get in on the march this year. This has been done in cities around the world too. Go to www.youtube.com and search for "zombie walk San Francisco" to see some awesome videos!




Things like this remind me of how cool people can be, and of all the things that make life worth living. All the random little bits of coolness that surround me every day make me so happy. Things like the zombie walks. Things like a hairpin Hyein Oswald sent me with my purchase from her that she made out of a fabric she knows I adore, or the extra buttons from Auntie Di's. Or the owner of my favorite local restaurant giving me free pastries every time I come in for a Vietnamese sandwich. Or someone returning my lost checkbook instead of stealing from me. Or a man and his little girl buying lunch for the homeless man who's always outside of the post office, bringing it to him and sharing a kind word. I like to let people go ahead of me in traffic at places where I know how impossible it is to turn left. People are so cool *sniffle*.
Photos courtesy of www.laughingsquid.com and Scott Beale.
2/01/2007
A Work In Progress
Remember the felt I fell in love with? Well, I did end up turning it into a little clutch purse. 
I got some white pearl snaps and used one for the closure. It's not finished yet, but it's still cool. All it takes to make one is two pieces of felt. Fold the outer one in half longways, right sides facing (if it has right sides like the alligator skin patterned one I used does), and stitch up the sides with a 1/8 inch seam allowance. Turn right side out and lay flat. Then fold the inner piece in half and place it on top of the outer one (this is so you can use it as a measuring guide). The lining piece should be cut to the same length as the space between the stitchings on the outer piece. See my rinki-dink diagram, lol: This is because it needs to be a little shorter than the outer piece so it will fit inside better. After you cut it to the right size, stitch the sides with a 1/8 inch seam allowance. Don't turn it right side out. Put it inside the outer shell and line up the corners: I didn't trim the top becuse I liked the way it looks with the little strip of red sticking up. Sew around the top, pretty close to the border of the outer fabric. Add a snap and you have an awesome little clutch. But it's still missing something... Maybe a strip of ribbon or a grouping of red buttons. Ooh, I have some little gingham scottie dog appliques... I dunno, it's not quite ready yet. But when it is I'm keeping this one and making a few more in this and other animal prints for my store, so if it seems like too much trouble to make one, you can have your very own made by me!


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