Another rush job, as I'm getting ready to head to Philadelphia to hang out with N! And hopefully get some craftiness in while we watch movies and stuff.
Lots of links today, because I'm also doing stuff I found last week (but wasn't around to post).
Tutorials that rocked:
At Whip Up, I found instructions for a "teepee" Christmas ornament-- great way to use up scraps, and a fun idea to hide a small gift or stocking stuffer in! And also a tutorial for paper fortune cookies-- another fun scrap idea!
At Craft Tutorials, someone posted instructions for how to make transparencies for papercrafting out of packing tape.
Recycled Crafts featured a "bookring book" that would be good for notetaking, scrapbook journaling on-the-go, etc.
Thanks to Trail Mix, I found a link to Amandajean's storage cube tutorial-- so cute, but functional!
Projects I liked:
Both from Wardrobe Refashion this time. The first is Auset's knit maxi-dress that reminds me of a Mondrian painting. The second is Sandira's "boxy pouch", for which she was also kind enough to provide a link to the tutorial.
And finally... Carnival of Green Crafts #5! I think my favorite this time was the person who made paper out of daylily leaves. And a stick to beat them with. (I guess blenders don't work for pulpifying plant matter that wasn't already turned into paper.) Kind of makes me regret all those daylily leaves I had to toss at the garden center. But I guess there's no chance that homemade leaf paper would be acid-free for scrapbooking....is there?
Showing posts with label eco-crafting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eco-crafting. Show all posts
September 19, 2008
September 5, 2008
Friday Favorites, Episode 23 (and a craft quickie)
Ah, Fridays... all sorts of various goodies this week!
First off, I loved these cards that angry chicken posted on her blog. I believe they're a takeoff of something (though I've never seen cards like that in the store), but the combination of the simple design and the snarky phrases are just so fun.
Over at Cramzy, there was this really neat "shisha" embroidery. At first glance, I thought it was a necklace. I still kind of wish it was. Or that I had the patience to try that, because that would look so cool on a skirt or something! But I think one embroidery project at a time is enough for me!
Crafting a Green World pick of the week: a link list of all the organic/eco-friendly fabrics they've featured so far. So now I know where to look the next time I want to fabric-shop! (And that reminds me, I really need to start working on another article...)
My Half of the Brain had a link to a tutorial for a "pinch pouch". Kind of reminds me of these plastic canvas thingys that my mom and grandmother would make when I was a kid, where you pinched the corners and you could fit a Hershey's Kiss inside. Only it's fabric, and without the pipe-cleaner antlers to give it that reindeer look...
Over at Recycled Crafts, there was a feature on recycling tin cans into candle holders. I absolutely love the one pictured-- it has this kind of Moroccan/Middle-East feel to it that I really like.
And finally, the fourth Carnival of Green Crafts is up at Whip Up. I've already emailed my two crocheter friends a link to the star-shaped dishcloths with recycled bag plastic in the center for scrubbing purposes. And my cd jewelry article was in there, so that was a surprise!
Also made this drawstring pouch last night. There's a wipe-off board in the room I'm teaching band in, and the school gave me a pack of markers/eraser/board cleaner. So I'm going to keep them in this bag. The fabric was from some free samples that my mom was given. There were all sorts of fun tropical prints and such... I'll admit the reason I chose this particular one was so I wouldn't have to bother changing the thread after the Eva jacket!
And, since this is one of the first Friday afternoons I haven't had to work in a really long time that I didn't take off for traveling purposes or weddings (no students at the one music school yet for me, so I'm going to enjoy the free time while it lasts!), I am off to the sewing room. I'm hoping I can finish my blouse today. And maybe also pasting down the pics for my road trip scrapbook. My tentative plan for tomorrow, provided that almost-Hurricane Hanna doesn't knock the power out (as has been threatened), is to spend the day working on machine-stitching on pages while watching the DVD-ROM for my defensive driving insurance discount. I mean, I have to do something to keep my brain from checking out for that, right? :-P
First off, I loved these cards that angry chicken posted on her blog. I believe they're a takeoff of something (though I've never seen cards like that in the store), but the combination of the simple design and the snarky phrases are just so fun.
Over at Cramzy, there was this really neat "shisha" embroidery. At first glance, I thought it was a necklace. I still kind of wish it was. Or that I had the patience to try that, because that would look so cool on a skirt or something! But I think one embroidery project at a time is enough for me!
Crafting a Green World pick of the week: a link list of all the organic/eco-friendly fabrics they've featured so far. So now I know where to look the next time I want to fabric-shop! (And that reminds me, I really need to start working on another article...)
My Half of the Brain had a link to a tutorial for a "pinch pouch". Kind of reminds me of these plastic canvas thingys that my mom and grandmother would make when I was a kid, where you pinched the corners and you could fit a Hershey's Kiss inside. Only it's fabric, and without the pipe-cleaner antlers to give it that reindeer look...
Over at Recycled Crafts, there was a feature on recycling tin cans into candle holders. I absolutely love the one pictured-- it has this kind of Moroccan/Middle-East feel to it that I really like.
And finally, the fourth Carnival of Green Crafts is up at Whip Up. I've already emailed my two crocheter friends a link to the star-shaped dishcloths with recycled bag plastic in the center for scrubbing purposes. And my cd jewelry article was in there, so that was a surprise!
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| From sew and so |
And, since this is one of the first Friday afternoons I haven't had to work in a really long time that I didn't take off for traveling purposes or weddings (no students at the one music school yet for me, so I'm going to enjoy the free time while it lasts!), I am off to the sewing room. I'm hoping I can finish my blouse today. And maybe also pasting down the pics for my road trip scrapbook. My tentative plan for tomorrow, provided that almost-Hurricane Hanna doesn't knock the power out (as has been threatened), is to spend the day working on machine-stitching on pages while watching the DVD-ROM for my defensive driving insurance discount. I mean, I have to do something to keep my brain from checking out for that, right? :-P
August 22, 2008
Friday Favorites, Episode 21
Just one of those rushed days, so this is going to be a rush job.
Great stenciled skirt at Creative Kismet. She also did some fun painted cabinet hardware-- I would so steal this idea for my dressers if one of the drawer pulls wasn't missing!
The third Carnival of Green Crafts is up at Crafting a Green World. They also had some crafts to make from cassette tapes. (Which, incidentally, sort of inspired what I'm hoping will be my first guest writer post there... it's in the works.)
I had to link this tutorial from ThreadBanger... it's a vase decoupaged with sheet music!
This post from Crafty Daisies was fun. What can I say? I never grew up enough to stop playing with my food.
That's it for today. Next time (hopefully): impromptu social craftiness, and maybe some more jacket (provided I have time to work on it.)
Great stenciled skirt at Creative Kismet. She also did some fun painted cabinet hardware-- I would so steal this idea for my dressers if one of the drawer pulls wasn't missing!
The third Carnival of Green Crafts is up at Crafting a Green World. They also had some crafts to make from cassette tapes. (Which, incidentally, sort of inspired what I'm hoping will be my first guest writer post there... it's in the works.)
I had to link this tutorial from ThreadBanger... it's a vase decoupaged with sheet music!
This post from Crafty Daisies was fun. What can I say? I never grew up enough to stop playing with my food.
That's it for today. Next time (hopefully): impromptu social craftiness, and maybe some more jacket (provided I have time to work on it.)
August 1, 2008
Friday Favorites, Episode 19
It's that time of the week again...
Starting things off with a lovely little tutorial for fabric coasters, courtesy of tinkerwiththis. They look like a great way to use up those little tiny fabric scraps, and the best part? Her tip for how to get the quilted lines on the back perfectly straight and even, which also happens to fall into the category of "duh, why didn't I ever think of that?" I'll give you a hint: it has nothing to do with those little lines on the machine plate.
Also in the category of wishing I'd thought of this: headbands made from old records. Haven't quite figured out how to justify vinyl cuff bracelets in my "I'm trying to be a little funky but still look professional enough so you believe I know what I'm doing" teaching wardrobe. Maybe if I taught guitar. Oh well. But this is subtle enough that, provided headbands don't look completely stupid on me, I just might be able to get away with it.
While mostly a review of the book she got the idea from, I just couldn't resist this stamped teacup pincushion at Craft Apple. It's just too cute not to mention.
My favorite thing at My Half of the Brain this week: Graffiti furniture. So there's justification for every five-year old who ever took their markers to Mommy's couch! (For the record... I never did. Not intentionally, anyway.)
I'm still quite tempted to try making my own beauty products--partially for the environmental impact, and partially because I just have not figured out what my skin likes to keep it from looking all blotchy yet, and I'm tired of buying products that don't work. But the supplies to make those are expensive, too. So I was quite happy to see my Threadbanger pick of the week: How to make coconut oil!
This week on Crafting a Green World: going serious first, with a very thought-provoking post on consumerism and crafting and its impact on the environment. And then going more frivolous (and slightly ironic, given the first mention), with fabric colored with vegetable dyes. I wish the striped ones on the site were border prints. It looks like it would make a great hippie-influenced maxi-dress!
Last but definitely not least, three words: free clothing patterns. No, it's not BurdaStyle, though I do have to give credit to that site for having a member who posted a very cute dress made from one of these patterns in the creations. And also to Mirela, who subsequently posted a link in her blog. I haven't looked through them all yet, and some of the patterns look like they were stuck in the 80s (and IMHO there is no good way for that to happen, because the 80s were seriously the worst fashion decade of the twentieth century. And that is taking the 90s grunge and 70s disco influence into account.) But I have seen some things on there that I would wear. The one downside: you have to click link by link to see what they actually look like.
And now, tonight's agenda: the Sadie tank top. If all goes according to plan, I will be wearing this tomorrow.
Starting things off with a lovely little tutorial for fabric coasters, courtesy of tinkerwiththis. They look like a great way to use up those little tiny fabric scraps, and the best part? Her tip for how to get the quilted lines on the back perfectly straight and even, which also happens to fall into the category of "duh, why didn't I ever think of that?" I'll give you a hint: it has nothing to do with those little lines on the machine plate.
Also in the category of wishing I'd thought of this: headbands made from old records. Haven't quite figured out how to justify vinyl cuff bracelets in my "I'm trying to be a little funky but still look professional enough so you believe I know what I'm doing" teaching wardrobe. Maybe if I taught guitar. Oh well. But this is subtle enough that, provided headbands don't look completely stupid on me, I just might be able to get away with it.
While mostly a review of the book she got the idea from, I just couldn't resist this stamped teacup pincushion at Craft Apple. It's just too cute not to mention.
My favorite thing at My Half of the Brain this week: Graffiti furniture. So there's justification for every five-year old who ever took their markers to Mommy's couch! (For the record... I never did. Not intentionally, anyway.)
I'm still quite tempted to try making my own beauty products--partially for the environmental impact, and partially because I just have not figured out what my skin likes to keep it from looking all blotchy yet, and I'm tired of buying products that don't work. But the supplies to make those are expensive, too. So I was quite happy to see my Threadbanger pick of the week: How to make coconut oil!
This week on Crafting a Green World: going serious first, with a very thought-provoking post on consumerism and crafting and its impact on the environment. And then going more frivolous (and slightly ironic, given the first mention), with fabric colored with vegetable dyes. I wish the striped ones on the site were border prints. It looks like it would make a great hippie-influenced maxi-dress!
Last but definitely not least, three words: free clothing patterns. No, it's not BurdaStyle, though I do have to give credit to that site for having a member who posted a very cute dress made from one of these patterns in the creations. And also to Mirela, who subsequently posted a link in her blog. I haven't looked through them all yet, and some of the patterns look like they were stuck in the 80s (and IMHO there is no good way for that to happen, because the 80s were seriously the worst fashion decade of the twentieth century. And that is taking the 90s grunge and 70s disco influence into account.) But I have seen some things on there that I would wear. The one downside: you have to click link by link to see what they actually look like.
And now, tonight's agenda: the Sadie tank top. If all goes according to plan, I will be wearing this tomorrow.
June 12, 2008
Friday Favorites, Episode 13: The Early Edition!
Yes, I know it's only Thursday. But this is the weekend of J's wedding and therefore tomorrow will be taken up with all of the bridesmaidish things like getting our nails done/rehearsal/washing my hair in preparation for getting it done/a bunch of errands like an overdue trip to the bank, picking up a few last-minute things at the drugstore like a new tube of mascara, and hopefully managing to get my dad something for Father's Day (I think I'm just going to go with an ice cream pie, because I really have no time to actually bake him something, and my dad is one of those impossible to shop for guys). So it's either tonight or Sunday. (Too bad, because Episode 13 on Friday the 13th would have been kind of cool.) And Sunday is when I'm hoping to be happily making a mess of the basement in cutting up my recent Gorgeous Fabrics purchase. So here we go...
My Crafting a Green World pick of the week: Recycled fabric paper. This stuff looks pretty cool, actually-- a bit pricey ($6-10 for a 22x30 sheet), but I'm thinking it might be great for something like if I ever figure out the bookbinding thing so I can use it on the covers. I also have to mention their list of green craft blogs that they mentioned today-- in part because it gave me the next couple of items, but also because I made the list!
The CAGW spinoffs:
1. The last link led me to Etsy's Earth Tones blog, which in turn led me to this list of ways to reuse/upcycle "disposable" items. By no means comprehensive, but thought-provoking.
2. Another blog they had listed was Recycled Crafts, which looks like it's largely a link blog (links to tutorials and places to purchase other crafters' wares.) I'll have to peruse the tutorials more closely, but looks promising. (Plus the fact that the server is called Craftgossip just makes me smile for some reason.)
ThreadBanger pick of the week: This tutorial for a studded belt. I wear a lot of belts. I have to, because I haven't yet mastered the art of making pants that fit me, and the stores around here haven't mastered the art of selling pants that fit me (at least not after I buy them and take them home and wash them, apparently. Grrr. Had that happen at least 3 times recently). So belt options are definitely good.
One of my biggest struggles in life is time management. How do I balance working two jobs, one of which requires a fair amount of driving, finding time to practice, finding time to craft, finding time to devote to other favorite pasttimes (reading, craft blog-hopping, etc), finding time to spend with friends, etc? So I loved this thought provoking post at Consumption Rebellion.
Craft Tutorials had a post that showed an easy way to make those cute ribbon-and-bead bookmarks that you find at bookstores and stuff. Definitely wanting to try this.
Since my recent fabric purchase, I've been following Gorgeous Fabric's blog. A favorite post this week was Easy Ways To Ruin A Great Project -- a good run-down of details that I wouldn't necessarily think of that can often make or break an outfit. (The comments are just as helpful a read.)
Some more good advice came from Fiber Arts Afloat, who posted a tutorial on how to change a princess seam from coming through the armhole to coming through the shoulder seam. In doll-sized proportions. Hee!
Thanks to In A Minute Ago, I found a tutorial on how to make some neat soldered necklaces. Which means I'd have to learn how to use a soldering iron...guess I can always use that for some father-daughter bonding time over power tools!
Last pick of the week: As you all have probably figured out by now, I have this mild obsession with blatantly stealing clothing ideas from Anthropologie. What can I say... so far, it's one of the stores that fits my style the best. And we don't have one around here. And I can't afford their clothes anyway. So of course I loved Koti*Koti's blouse, which was also a blatantly stolen Anthropologie-based idea. I also liked how she made it her own (and more doable) by opting to do a paint job instead of tediously copying the embroidery.
Better wrap it up here... I have to DIY the non-nail polishing part of a pedicure tonight, since I got advice from several people (my mom and some friends who have had pedicures before) to forego the professional one tomorrow due to my toe injury. Risk of infection from bacteria in the water and their tools and all that. So have a fabulous weekend, all!
My Crafting a Green World pick of the week: Recycled fabric paper. This stuff looks pretty cool, actually-- a bit pricey ($6-10 for a 22x30 sheet), but I'm thinking it might be great for something like if I ever figure out the bookbinding thing so I can use it on the covers. I also have to mention their list of green craft blogs that they mentioned today-- in part because it gave me the next couple of items, but also because I made the list!
The CAGW spinoffs:
1. The last link led me to Etsy's Earth Tones blog, which in turn led me to this list of ways to reuse/upcycle "disposable" items. By no means comprehensive, but thought-provoking.
2. Another blog they had listed was Recycled Crafts, which looks like it's largely a link blog (links to tutorials and places to purchase other crafters' wares.) I'll have to peruse the tutorials more closely, but looks promising. (Plus the fact that the server is called Craftgossip just makes me smile for some reason.)
ThreadBanger pick of the week: This tutorial for a studded belt. I wear a lot of belts. I have to, because I haven't yet mastered the art of making pants that fit me, and the stores around here haven't mastered the art of selling pants that fit me (at least not after I buy them and take them home and wash them, apparently. Grrr. Had that happen at least 3 times recently). So belt options are definitely good.
One of my biggest struggles in life is time management. How do I balance working two jobs, one of which requires a fair amount of driving, finding time to practice, finding time to craft, finding time to devote to other favorite pasttimes (reading, craft blog-hopping, etc), finding time to spend with friends, etc? So I loved this thought provoking post at Consumption Rebellion.
Craft Tutorials had a post that showed an easy way to make those cute ribbon-and-bead bookmarks that you find at bookstores and stuff. Definitely wanting to try this.
Since my recent fabric purchase, I've been following Gorgeous Fabric's blog. A favorite post this week was Easy Ways To Ruin A Great Project -- a good run-down of details that I wouldn't necessarily think of that can often make or break an outfit. (The comments are just as helpful a read.)
Some more good advice came from Fiber Arts Afloat, who posted a tutorial on how to change a princess seam from coming through the armhole to coming through the shoulder seam. In doll-sized proportions. Hee!
Thanks to In A Minute Ago, I found a tutorial on how to make some neat soldered necklaces. Which means I'd have to learn how to use a soldering iron...guess I can always use that for some father-daughter bonding time over power tools!
Last pick of the week: As you all have probably figured out by now, I have this mild obsession with blatantly stealing clothing ideas from Anthropologie. What can I say... so far, it's one of the stores that fits my style the best. And we don't have one around here. And I can't afford their clothes anyway. So of course I loved Koti*Koti's blouse, which was also a blatantly stolen Anthropologie-based idea. I also liked how she made it her own (and more doable) by opting to do a paint job instead of tediously copying the embroidery.
Better wrap it up here... I have to DIY the non-nail polishing part of a pedicure tonight, since I got advice from several people (my mom and some friends who have had pedicures before) to forego the professional one tomorrow due to my toe injury. Risk of infection from bacteria in the water and their tools and all that. So have a fabulous weekend, all!
February 14, 2008
fabric scraps and pangs of conscience
I'm having a bit of a storage dilemma here.
I've always been a bit of a pack rat, especially when it comes to craft supplies. As a result, I currently have quite an accumulation of fabric pieces left over from projects that are big enough that I could potentially make something out of them, but too small to make anything like another article of clothing. The most obvious solution would be to make bags out of them, but the thing is, I really don't need any more bags right now. And I think I've finally completely abandoned the Etsy idea--I'm trying to simplify my life, and further complicating my craft time by feeling the pressure of making things to sell is not really simplifying. Plus that's just one more source of income I'd have to keep track of my taxes for, and my taxes are complicated enough right now.
The other obvious solution is to just throw these pieces out. But I feel totally guilty about it--not just because they're large enough to make things from, but because all I can think is it would be contributing to the already huge landfill and just sitting there for years and years. Having become far more conscious about things like this over the past year or so, I don't want to do that. But I also don't want to leave them sitting around my house just for the sake of keeping them out of the landfill, either.
If my life situation were different, a solution might be easier. But I still live with my parents, and therefore lack the space to use these in home decor projects. I'm hoping that in a few years I'll finally be financially ready to look into getting my own place, but that would still require storing them for a few years. And I certainly don't have kids to use these to make projects for them (and don't really have close enough friends with kids to pawn it off on making stuff for their kids.) So the question is, what is the responsible thing to do with these scraps? I had the thought that I might be able to incorporate some of these scraps onto scrapbook pages, since I like to sew on my pages anyway, but that only solves a small portion of the dilemma. Do I keep them just in case I can use them someday? Or do I throw them out?
This was so much easier before I actually started thinking about social and environmental impacts of my choices. :P
I've always been a bit of a pack rat, especially when it comes to craft supplies. As a result, I currently have quite an accumulation of fabric pieces left over from projects that are big enough that I could potentially make something out of them, but too small to make anything like another article of clothing. The most obvious solution would be to make bags out of them, but the thing is, I really don't need any more bags right now. And I think I've finally completely abandoned the Etsy idea--I'm trying to simplify my life, and further complicating my craft time by feeling the pressure of making things to sell is not really simplifying. Plus that's just one more source of income I'd have to keep track of my taxes for, and my taxes are complicated enough right now.
The other obvious solution is to just throw these pieces out. But I feel totally guilty about it--not just because they're large enough to make things from, but because all I can think is it would be contributing to the already huge landfill and just sitting there for years and years. Having become far more conscious about things like this over the past year or so, I don't want to do that. But I also don't want to leave them sitting around my house just for the sake of keeping them out of the landfill, either.
If my life situation were different, a solution might be easier. But I still live with my parents, and therefore lack the space to use these in home decor projects. I'm hoping that in a few years I'll finally be financially ready to look into getting my own place, but that would still require storing them for a few years. And I certainly don't have kids to use these to make projects for them (and don't really have close enough friends with kids to pawn it off on making stuff for their kids.) So the question is, what is the responsible thing to do with these scraps? I had the thought that I might be able to incorporate some of these scraps onto scrapbook pages, since I like to sew on my pages anyway, but that only solves a small portion of the dilemma. Do I keep them just in case I can use them someday? Or do I throw them out?
This was so much easier before I actually started thinking about social and environmental impacts of my choices. :P
June 16, 2007
scrapbooks and girly TMI
I feel like a one-woman sweatshop. I spent pretty much the entire day sewing... cloth pads. I got eighteen shells with wings done, except for snaps, which I think I'll sew on later because my carpal tunnel is flaring up badly today (I'm typing with braces on, but those don't work for hand-sewing.) I still have to make the inserts, but the couple I'd made up earlier and tried seemed to work pretty well. So here's hoping... though I'm not sure if I'll have enough to get through a whole period if they do work. I may have to acquire some more waterproof fabric.
This was another that was mostly finished but needed something, so I added the text blocks on Thursday.
I was intending to just crop paper down to size yesterday, but started working on this layout and ended up finishing it in stead. I had just enough time to finish it before the friend I was supposed to hang out with finally finished what she was doing and called me. Whoever thought of using the sewing machine on scrapbook layouts had the best idea ever. 
This one's not done yet, but I worked on it today after I finished with the pads since the tv show I was watching wasn't finished.
And, just for fun, this is how big a stack of paper I have paired with photos that I need to make into pages. Well over an inch. And this is not counting the Chile album that also needs finishing.
On a completely different note, I've attempted to take pictures of the scrapbook pages I've recently finished.
This one was mostly finished last fall, but it still needed some finishing detail, so I added the stamps this week.
I was especially proud of the flower detail--the best picture I had of the couple was given to me by another friend at the wedding, and it had a datestamp that I wanted to cover.
This was another that was mostly finished but needed something, so I added the text blocks on Thursday.
I was intending to just crop paper down to size yesterday, but started working on this layout and ended up finishing it in stead. I had just enough time to finish it before the friend I was supposed to hang out with finally finished what she was doing and called me. Whoever thought of using the sewing machine on scrapbook layouts had the best idea ever. 
This one's not done yet, but I worked on it today after I finished with the pads since the tv show I was watching wasn't finished.
And, just for fun, this is how big a stack of paper I have paired with photos that I need to make into pages. Well over an inch. And this is not counting the Chile album that also needs finishing.April 30, 2007
experiments and sweater knits
Warning: Girly stuff ahead.
I'd seen tutorials at craftster.org before for cloth pads, and I had to admit my initial reaction was, why would anyone want to do that? Since then, I have a friend who's switched to them and loved them. I've been becoming a lot more eco-aware as of late, and especially through people I've encountered from things like Wardrobe Refashion. I'm at the point where I'm quite annoyed with feminine hygiene products, of the disposable variety, because of just how much waste it generates. (Plus other things that I'm not getting into here because it's TMI.) So I figured it was time to give them a try. My mom was ordering some diaper material to turn into kitchen towels from some site (don't remember the name), and found some washable but waterproof fabric on there that's used for diaper covers, so I got some of that for the bottoms. They also had a pattern, and I made two winged pad covers and four inserts yesterday. I tested one today, and so far so good, though I'll have to see how it goes when things are heavier. But they were so quick and easy to make, and definitely more comfortable, so I hope it works! Even though all the flannel we had around here severely clashes with what I got for the waterproof layer. Oh well, I'm the only one that's going to see them.
I'm also making a shrug to go with the Morning Glory dress, due to the fact that I get cold ridiculously easily (one of my pet peeves prior to my ongoing conversion to granolaism was places that use excessive a/c, because I hate having to bring a jacket just to walk into a store without freezing in my tank tops!) I don't know how warm it'll actually keep me-- I'd forgotten how loose a weave the crocheted-like sweater knit is. But the color matches the blue in the flowers perfectly, and if nothing else, it'll keep the dress a little more modest for church (since I'm up front for the music a lot, definitely an important factor). I just hope I can sew it up all right-- I'm guessing I might have to French seam it all just to hold it together. It'll be an interesting challenge, since I've never worked with this sort of fabric before.
I'd seen tutorials at craftster.org before for cloth pads, and I had to admit my initial reaction was, why would anyone want to do that? Since then, I have a friend who's switched to them and loved them. I've been becoming a lot more eco-aware as of late, and especially through people I've encountered from things like Wardrobe Refashion. I'm at the point where I'm quite annoyed with feminine hygiene products, of the disposable variety, because of just how much waste it generates. (Plus other things that I'm not getting into here because it's TMI.) So I figured it was time to give them a try. My mom was ordering some diaper material to turn into kitchen towels from some site (don't remember the name), and found some washable but waterproof fabric on there that's used for diaper covers, so I got some of that for the bottoms. They also had a pattern, and I made two winged pad covers and four inserts yesterday. I tested one today, and so far so good, though I'll have to see how it goes when things are heavier. But they were so quick and easy to make, and definitely more comfortable, so I hope it works! Even though all the flannel we had around here severely clashes with what I got for the waterproof layer. Oh well, I'm the only one that's going to see them.
I'm also making a shrug to go with the Morning Glory dress, due to the fact that I get cold ridiculously easily (one of my pet peeves prior to my ongoing conversion to granolaism was places that use excessive a/c, because I hate having to bring a jacket just to walk into a store without freezing in my tank tops!) I don't know how warm it'll actually keep me-- I'd forgotten how loose a weave the crocheted-like sweater knit is. But the color matches the blue in the flowers perfectly, and if nothing else, it'll keep the dress a little more modest for church (since I'm up front for the music a lot, definitely an important factor). I just hope I can sew it up all right-- I'm guessing I might have to French seam it all just to hold it together. It'll be an interesting challenge, since I've never worked with this sort of fabric before.
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