Category Archives: Other crafting - Page 2

Voodoo Halloween

Posted by on November 3, 2010 2 comments

I love Halloween.

Voodoo Doll Me

This year, as you can hopefully tell, I went as a Voodoo Doll. I love my costume! It was so much fun to make.

Baron Samedi (Witch Doctor/Voodoo Priest) & Voodoo Doll

Even better, Mr. Pieknits was a Witch Doctor/Voodoo Priest (Baron Samedi inspired) to go with! (Although I’m missing my wrist grass “bracelets” in this photo.)
I made everything for both of these costumes, and was stoked that the grand total for both was under $15!

Stabbed in the heart

Witch Doctor Mr. PieKnits

For Witch Doctor costume we already had the suit, the top hat from last year, and even the skeleton t-shirt. Also had the basic cane that had a rounded knob top and the thrifted plastic skull. So to make the staff I cut a hole in the base of the skull and mounted it onto the top of the cane. Then I bought a roll of medical gauze from the dollar store, tea-stained it to off white and tore it up. Next I wrapped this along with string with feathers tied in it around the cane.

The skeleton gloves I also scored at a dollar store for $1. To decorate the hat wrapped it in some red ribbon and added lots of feathers. Also wove several strands of left-over rafia from my costumes to make another band (hard to see in the photos). Added a skull necklace got on clearance after Halloween last year and one from the dollar store. He also got to use his colored contacts he had gotten. I don’t really count these into the costume price as they weren’t specifically for it, just something we’d been wanting and can re-use. Got them on sale though and they really added a fantastic element!

Costume Pieces (minus the bag)

My costume pieces (minus my little draw-string bag made last minute). I’m pretty proud of this one, my sewing skills being what they are. I kept it simple and just winged this without any pattern. Took my measurements added about 3″ of ease with basic waist shaping for the top. The burlap I got 50% off for $1.50/yard. While this was a bargain, it’s not exactly the most luxurious stuff to wear next to skin. So I lined the top with muslin I had on hand. The skirt is a simple half circle skirt. The only closures as simple drawstrings with cotton yarn. I then embroidered the X stitches with some black yarn and drew on the Voodoo VeVe symbols in marker.

I used left over yarn for some more dreads (similar to here, tied on to hair elastic, just smaller strands). A grass skirt and wristlets I made from a big bag of craft rafia I got on sale. The skirt has knotted bunches of rafia tied to a waist band. For the wrists I glued down pieces to a braided strand then stitched over them to hold in place. The cowrie shell belt I had gotten at a thrift store for $1 to use for bellydance but ended up working perfect for this too. I also made a little draw string pouch to hang off my belt from the scraps.

Styrofoam backing insert

The red felt heart I fabric glued into place then embroidered the decorative stitching. For pins I used some old knitting needles I had on hand of course! This is my set up. I cut down a piece of salvaged styrofoam that I could slide into place between the burlap and lining. The knitting needles then stabbed through the fabric and into the foam to hold in place. That way I could take them when changing out of the costume. If I were to wear this again I’d probably glue a leather backing on to it however. Whenever I accidentally ran the needles into anything it gave a pretty good stab, ow.

Creamcheese "mint" skulls

And I always have to make some kind of little treat. These are “Cream Cheese Mint” Sugar Skulls like you find at weddings. Only instead of adding mint flavoring I added Almond Extract. I used a silicone skull ice cube tray from the dollar store as molds. I had originally hoped to put these on top of cupcakes but didn’t get that far. They were yummy by themselves however!

Tatted Skull Cameo

Posted by on October 15, 2010 3 comments

More skulls, and a pattern.

Skul Cameo pin

I was playing around with the skull pattern I posted here and came up with this variation. It’s a toothier skull sans the jaw bone. After coming up with a combination that worked I had this little tatted guy and wanted to do something with him (and not add him to the craft room bin of swatches, mock ups, trails and proof of concept scraps). So I thought I’d attach him to something, and then the idea of adding a tatted border around it to create a kind of cameo occurred to me.

my heart, it is bursting with love for this

I decided upon this edging (Victorian Edging by Eileen Stafford) with some modifications. To make it a little smaller to fit the size I wanted, I decreased all ds counts and changed the center clover ring to have only three picots instead of five as well as changing the joins to add a curve to the piece.

Both pieces were stitched to the green felt oval with black thread and a pin back was attached to the backside. Perfect for Halloween!

Skull Cameo Pattern

Size 20 crochet cotton and #7 fine tatting needle

For Skull:
R: 6
Split R: 8/6 RW
Ch: 34 RW
R: 8 + (to space between R and SR) 6 RW
Ch: 7-1-1-1-1-1-6
Attach chain to other outer eye and fasten off.

For Edging:
R: 4-4-4-4
*Ch: 3- (very small picot(vsp)) 4-2-2-4-(vsp)3 RW
R: 4+ (join to third picot of previous ring) 4-4-4
    (alternate every other repeat with 4-4+4-4, this creates a curve)
R: 4+4-1-1-4-4
R: 4+4-4-4 RW
Ch: 3+ (join to picot of previous chain) 4-2-2-4-(vsp)3 RW
R: 4+ (join to second picot of previous ring) 4-4-4 RW *

Repeat between * * for desired length (mine was 7 repeats) joining to first repeat at the end. Press flat with steam iron. Cut out a piece of felt slightly larger than the inside edge off the tatted band. Whip stitch pieces into place with black thread. Ta-da!

Tutorial: Wool Incognito Mustache

Posted by on October 5, 2010 6 comments

Needing a new disguise lately? A lovely full mustache could be just the thing. Great by itself for those looking for a minimalist approach to a Halloween get-up or as part of that period or steampunk costume.

Incognito mustache

Make your own Incognito Mustache! 

Demonstrated here is the classic “handle bar” style mustache. There are lots of other different style possibilities you can create, for some ideas check out this chart.

What you will need:

  • Needle felting tool, either individual needle like shown, or a purchased tool that holds several
  • Piece of foam, brush or something to place behind work so needle doesn’t stab through
  • Wool, either small piece of roving or several strands of thick yarn cut to approximate length will do
  • Small glass of water
  • Hair styling gel
  • For attaching, either Eyelash Glue or Spirit Gum
  • Alternately, can use a bamboo skewer to make a handle

Step 1: If using yarn, untwist each strand of yarn, teasing apart the fibers with your fingers. Start to lay the pieces down while pulling smaller pieces apart and building up the center. You want the ends to be a little longer than your desired final length and thinner than the center. (This is the same for roving).

Tip: Don’t cut your fiber! Always grasp loosely at each end and gently pull apart your desired amounts. This helps keep a more natural look. You can always give it a trim once it has it’s final shape if you’d like.

Step 2: Place your fiber on your felting surface and find the center.

Step 3: With your felting needle, start repeatedly stabbing along the center line. Keep stabbing (it’s fun!) until the center is firm and gathered, rolling the piece all the way around as needed.

Step 4: Wet your fingers in the water and start to vigorously rub and twist the very ends together. This will cause them to felt into shape as well.

Step 5: Place piece back on felting surface, and with felting needle begin to work all over one side of the piece to desired shape.

Step 6: Keep stabbing away, repeating for other side, as well as working in between wet hands until piece holds together in desired shape. Just keep going until you get it the way you want.

Step 7: Take a bit of styling wax on your fingers and work into the tips, adding extra twist and shaping the way you would real hair.

Tada! Admire your new ‘stache.

You can now apply a little fake eyelash glue or spirit gum to your upper lip and attach the mustache. It’s very light and holds really well this way.

If you wish your disguise to be more interchangeable, you can mount it onto a bamboo skewer. 

Simply apply a little glue to the tip and punch it directly into the wool on the bottom side. Let dry and you’re ready to go!

Cross Stitch Fun – Free Pattern

Posted by on September 20, 2010 6 comments

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a cross stitch but I remembered I had worked up this design a while back and then hadn’t gotten to it. Glad I found it again. There’s just something about working with an embroidery hoop that makes you feel way old-school.

Live Fast Die Pretty

Wee!

Of course I had to find a delightfully overwrought frame at the thrift store to go with it.

$1 ridiculously ornate frame = win

I’ve charted this up and created a PDF pattern you can download for free HERE.

Enjoy!

5 Minute Bracelet

Posted by on September 12, 2010 1 comment

Just another quickie. This literally took me no more than 5 minutes.

5 minute t-shirt bracelet

I had some saved scraps from a t-shirt modification (still need to photograph) laying around. Trimmed these into three strips about 1 – 1 1/2″ wide and pinned them together onto the carpet. I didn’t knot them as it ate up too much length (these are from a sleeve cut width-wise). A quick braid and then just pinned the ends together with a safety pin and wrapped twice around the wrist. I like the splayed raw ends, looks almost flower like.

And just for fun, a shot I took at the Iowa State Fair while on a recent visit back home.

Iowa State Fair Midway

Hat Habit

Posted by on September 7, 2010 3 comments

Little hats in a row

Lots o’ little hats, all waiting patiently for felting. It started out with the top hat, which had been on hold as I wasn’t completely happy with the felting the first go around. But it feels like a waste to run a whole washing cycle just for one little piece. This was my justification for more hats. A little fedora, a slightly modified version of my Dose pattern and a mini bowler are also in the queue now.

In other news, I mastered the square knot.

Mr. PieKnits new bracelet

Another by-product of learning jewelry making techniques for my job. Mr. PieKnits now has a new black hemp braclet that he had been requesting. Now dare I dive into macrame? I’m such a sucker for the kitch.

I learned something new- Needle Tatting!

Posted by on August 18, 2010 13 comments

I’ve loved the look of tatting for awhile now after coming across some amazing pieces around the web and bookmarking several sites. After finding this great video tutorial from TotusMel and seeing the needle tatting technique (vs. the shuttle type) I thought, “Hey I think I can actually do that! It looks a bit like working a backwards loop cast-on in knitting”.

First ever tatting

Also the needles are inexpensive and I already have several things of crochet cotton in the stash so minimal investment is always a plus for me. Sat down with the video and had this flower done in no time! I also had ribbon and some jump rings already so a quick new pendant necklace was made.

2nd attempt- little less wonky

This is a 2nd one I made and it’s a bit less wonky than the first.

Tatted ring attempt

I also took a stab at making Yarnplayer’s Tatted Ring. But I didn’t have fine enough yarn so mine is only half.
I’ve already started a few other pieces, I’m hooked.

Ear Decoration

Posted by on August 13, 2010 1 comment

Coincidentally, my regular work and crafting have come together of late. We have been developing some online courses for a major craft retailer and I got volunteered to be the “hand model” to demonstrate different jewelry making techniques.

During some down time in a photo shoot I started playing with some scrap pieces of jewelry wire, and inspired from a piece online, I bent this little ear cuff into being.

<3 my new ear cuff

It was super fast to do too! I added some beads I had at home and it can be worn with or without the dangle piece. It’s a simple zigzag pattern in the middle with the end pieces curled however you’d like. Yay for instant gratification.

Costuming DIY

Posted by on May 27, 2010 6 comments

My bellydance class got together to make these head scarfs as part of our costumes for our upcoming performance. I will tell you, making lots of pom-poms is really something best done in a group- much less tedious.

colorful, no?

It is rather incongruous with my street clothes, but you get the idea. We used  Full o’ Sheep by Stitch Nation yarn. I really love the great vibrant colors in this line. Nice to be able to grab a 100% wool yarn like this at a big box store too (I live in a No Yarn Store Zone unfortunately).

We just hand stitched a simple tube for the scarf from fabric scraps. I’ve inserted a clear headband in mine for extra stability. Excited for our performance next week when we’ll be wearing these!

ETA: Wow just realized I totally missed my 5 year blog anniversary! Probably because I can’t believe it’s been 5 years!

Wee Embroidery

Posted by on May 21, 2010 No comments

I found this great vintage auto-body work shirt at a thrift store several years back for a whole $0.62. I recently decided it could use a little extra personalization however.

Hello, my name is Jen

Locating a free script style font I liked (dafont.com is a great sight), I printed out a sample in my name. I then pinned the print out to the inside of the shirt in the location I wanted and held both up to a sunny window. (A light box is ideal, I’ve also used a clear plastic clipboard over a lamp light in a pinch.) Using a dressmakers pencil I traced the text onto the front of the shirt. Then using that as my guide, worked a simple split stitch in red embroidery floss over it. I think it adds that little extra somthin’.

View of the back and charmingly simple print.