Quick and Cute Chair Make-Over

Can it really be seven years since I made over my garage sale office chair?

Well, times have changed, and for the better. The office chair is now officially the craft room chair. It is now covered in Echino fabric, instead of an old t-shirt. And now the lone tiger has retired, bowing out to a big, busy group of animals and insects.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

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Legwarmers, Octopus and Owls, Oh My!

My knitting goal this winter was not to knit a scarf. When the temperature drops, and the knitting needles come out, I usually end up knitting a big ol' rectangle because:

a) I love scarves.

b) Complicated knitting patterns are intimidating.

While the former is still true, I decided to tackle the latter. I didn't choose complicated patterns by any means, but I tired to pick patterns that included some slightly-more-involved elements like increasing, decreasing, cabling, or knitting in the round. All methods that have previously made me think, "Hmm, not sure if I can do that... maybe I'll just make a scarf instead!" But this year: NO SCARVES.

I succeeded in my goal... and actually knit more this winter than any other year! I got mildly addicted to "just one more pattern"... Now I'm going to take a break from the needles for a while though. Between knitting and rock climbing several times a week, my fingers are in need of a break... though climbing is still on the schedule. Sorry, knitting, you'll start your annual hibernation now.

I'm really pleased with the fun non-scarf items I made. First off were my thick cabled legwarmers. You can read more about those in my post about them.

Next thing after legwarmers? More legwarmers, of course. I made a pair that I can wear when I go climbing and bouldering. They're off-white and yellow and a little retro sporty. They are definitely cozy to wear with my shorts or capris when in the climbing gym in the winter. Outdoor testdrive to come this Spring!

After all the legwarmers, I guess I was pretty obsessed with legs... cause I made an octopus.

I followed a pattern from the book, Little Knitted Creatures by Amy Gaines. It was surprisingly simple, and very satisfying to knit up curly little tentacles complete with wooly little suction cups.

Last but not least, I tackled a hat. I've been wanting to knit a cabled owl toque for a long time... and eventually want to make a cabled owl sweater one day. I used Sara Amoroso's "Who?" pattern on Ravelry, where there are many owl cable patterns to choose from. I had to adjust the number of repeats (ie. how many owls), as I was using a different yarn and needles that recommended. The cable is super easy, and oh-so-cute when you're done and have added buttons for eyes.

So all in all, not a bad winter of knitting for me, seeing as I'm not a serious knitter. And I accomplished my goal of a scarf-free season! As for the sore fingers, I did manage to find another string craft that wasn't so finger-intensive... more on that later!

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Round Up of DIY Paper Flower Tutorials

My friend Monique got hitched this past summer up on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, in a beautiful setting that was both rustic and elegant. Monique, Rachael and I made tissue paper flowers for the archway where the ceremony took place. They turned out beautifully, and suited the gorgeous day (and the gorgeous bride!) perfectly. The photos above and below are from the wedding.

We looked up paper flower tutorials for weddings, and tried a variety of techniques, in the end drawing inspiration from several of them, as well as making up variations of our own. I thought I'd share the links to paper flower tutorials that we found, in case you are looking for paper flower tutorials for weddings, parties, or just to pretty up your surroundings or brighten your day.

Flowers using paper or card stock... 

1. Rolled paper flowers tutorial by Jones Design Company
2. Paper flower tutorial by A Little Hut 
3. Paper poppies tutorial by It Happened Like This 
4. Ranunculus flower tutorial by DIY or Don't 
5. Vintage paper flower tutorial by Krista Sew Inspired
6. Coffee filter roses tutorial by Martha Stewart

1. Scalloped puffs, fringed flowers and spiral flowers tutorials from Scrapbooks Etc 
2. Huge paper flower tutorial by Brittany on 100 Layer Cake (pictured above)
3. Paper peonies tutorial by Martha Stewart
4. Pop-up flowers tutorial by Pink Paper Peppermints
5. Folded flower tutorial by  Whimsical World of Laura Bird
6. Brown paper bag flowers tutorial by Bliss

Flowers using crepe paper or tissue paper...

1. Paper flower wreath tutorial by Ruffled
2. Four kinds of crepe paper flowers tutorials by Bliss 
3. Crepe paper flowers galore: tulip, peony, lily, rose, spidermum, carnation, dahlia and daisy tutorials by Martha Stewart

Origami flowers...

1. Carambola flowers tutorial by Go Origami
2. Kusudama flowers tutorial by Folding Trees

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Handmade With Love!

SUPER excited to say that my wedding is featured on Poppytalk today, as part of their Real Weddings series featuring couples who tied the knot in DIY style.

It really was the best day ever, being married to the love of my life while surrounded by friends and family. Not to mention the sunshine, lemonade, garden games, bunting galore, BBQ, pie and dancing! :)

Lots more pics over on Poppytalk!

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Lovin' My Legwarmers

Remember a month or so ago, when I was dreaming about legwarmers? Well, I actually made some.

I'm really pleased with how they turned out. They are thick and oh-so-warm. And they're perfect to wear with my fave winter boots.

I used the Anushka Tay's Tree Tunk Legwarmers pattern on Ravelry, with Patons Shetland Chunky Tweeds yarn, in the "Charcoal Tweeds" colourway, on 6mm double-pointed needles. The cable was really quick and easy to knit. This was actually only my second time knitting in the round on double-pointed needles, and I've got to say it was not so bad. I'm inspired to knit more! Maybe even socks...?! But first, my next knitting project will be another pair of legwarmers -- this time, fun ones to wear at the climbing gym!

I also wanted to share with you a little gift I sewed up for my friends in Montreal (don't worry, they've already opened the prezzie, so I'm not spoiling the surprise!). They have the cutest puppy, Teddy, so I wanted to make a fuzzy felt version of Teddy to put on the tree.

Here's Teddy and his felty counterpart... not quite as cute, but come on, I can't really compete with a real live puppy.

 

I hope you all have warm, wooly and wonderful holidays!

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Hot One Inch Action Vancouver 2011

It's been so busy recently (helloooo, Christmas!) that I haven't had a chance to share a few pics from the Hot One Inch Action button show. Until now!

I was happy to see another dessert button in the show! And even more pleased that they placed our buttons side by side! :)

You can check out all the Vancouver 2011 buttons on the H1"A site.

The show was a lot of fun. Lotsa people, lotsa buttons - even some brought in from previous years! After we left the busy gallery, we were happy to see that the delicious Nicli Antica Pizzeria - where they make real Neapolitan pizza - was just a couple of doors down. So it was a good excuse to celebrate with a magherita pizza and wine! Mmm...

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Dust off your lapels...

A reminder that the Vancouver edition of the Hot One Inch Action button show is tomorrow night!

Did I tell you that the button design I submitted is going to be in the show? Well, it is! Pretty cool. Mine is the one with the slice of pie, called "I Heart Pie." I originally designed it as a part of the button collection for guests at my wedding this summer. Lotsa pie, losta love.

You can already see a gallery of the buttons from Seattle's H1"A show in November, but you'll have to go to the show tomorrow night to see -- and trade! -- the Vancouver buttons in person.

Hot One Inch Action - Vancouver 2011Saturday November 26, 2011 from 8-11pm
Gallery Gachet, 88 East Cordova St, Vancouver, BC
with DJ Darwin Meyers
Invite your friends on Facebook

The Vancouver show features button art by: Ada Fu, Adelle Bueno, Amanda McCuaig, Andrea Hooge, Anne Emberline, Becky McEachern, Ben Worth, Brian Bredonia, Carelle B. Dunn, Carita Ho, Charles Ferguson, Colin Moore, Dacosta!, David Camisa, Dusan Postolovic, Eileen Soo, Eleanor Rosenberg, Ensoe, Erica Lapadat-Janzen, Evin Gibson, Far Sebastian, Gayle Koyanagi, Jacqueline Klobucar, Janette Ussher, Jen Sheppard, Jenn Brisson, Joshua Johnson, Kalynn Kallweit, Kathryn Mussallem, kdot, Kel/Kel, Kris G. Brownlee (k.g.b.), Laura Eveleigh, M.el. Jensen, Maisie Lam, Matt Bowen, Mauve Pagé, Meagan Mah, Megan Majewski, Mélanie Kimmett, Monika Koch, Nicole Pinkerton, Rhys Edwards, Robin Konstabaris, Robin Thompson, Russell Alton, Shauna Eve, Siobhan Rich, Skyler Luke Punnett, and Skytox.

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More Hoopla!

If you're in Vancouver tonight, Leanne Prain will be speaking at the central branch of the library 7pm about her book, Hoopla: The Art of Unexpected Embroidery.

There will also be a little craft-in at the event, as Leanne will be demonstrating how to do the project from the book that I designed, Photo Feelism.

There are more details about tonight's event on Leanne's site, where she's also posted some great examples of Photo Feelism in action at her San Francisco event! So fun.

If you can't make tonight, there are a couple more Hoopla vents coming up later, too.

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Hoopla Happiness

The Vancouver book launch for Hoopla was really fun. It was great to see such a good turn out, and great to chat to everyone there, including the lovely Leanne Prain (author extraordinaire) and Kirsten Chursinoff (embroidery artist extraordinaire), and one artist who's project is featured in the book who had travelled all the way from New Zealand to be there!

I didn't know which photos were going to be included in the book, so it was a fun surprise to open the book and see. The photo of me and my husband got into the book, looking all super cute (even if I do say so myself, heh) with embroidered hearts all around us, as well as my favourite photo of all: my little nephew 'reading' the newspaper, looking very serious and dapper with his embroidered moustache!

I'm really excited to see my work in print. In my day job in the publishing industry, I work with books every day, but seeing your own work in a book is pretty thrilling. More of this to come in the future, I hope. There are so many awesome artists featured in the interviews and projects; it's interesting to see the different directions that makers are taking the medium of embroidery.

As it turns out, Leanne is going to be doing my project at the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Francisco, as one of their Craft Bar events this Thursday, October 6th. So if you're in San Fran, bring a photo and some embroidery floss and go to the event!

Leanne will also be in San Mateo, Portland, Seattle, and Bowen Island. All the details are on the Hoopla Book Tour webpage.

You can read more about Hoopla: The Art of Unexpected Embroidery on Arsenal Pulp Press website or on UnexpectedEmbroidery.com

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Hoopla! Vancouver Book Launch ... Tonight!

A little last minute.... but tonight is the Vancouver launch for HOOPLA!

 

Hoopla: The Art of Unexpected Embroidery is a new book from Leanne Prain, who wrote Yarm Bombing.

At 400 full-colour pages Hoopla: The Art of Unexpected Embroidery is a spectacular subversive embroidery opus. The book contains interviews, profiles, history, technique and over 28 innovative patterns for readers to create.

I am excited about this book because (A) it's a great topic, (B) is bound to be awesome and (C) one of the projects in the book is by me!

I can't wait to see a printed copy of the book this evening. Four hundred pages -- it's a beast!

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Rekindling the Kiln...

I took my second pottery course this Fall. I think I enjoyed it even more than my first course in the Spring, even though I was technically taking the same course again. I learned a ton of stuff and got to practice the techniques I'd learned in the Spring. Some things definitely felt easier the second time round and some techniques finally made sense to my hands. All in all, it was awesome.

I got to glaze and fire the teapot I made in the Spring. Despite my attempts to repair it, the handle is still/again unattached at the base, so I won't be putting my teapot to work in the kitchen.

Handles are something I need to work on. This little teacup is cute, but as you can see from the discolouration, also had to be repaired where the handle meets the cup.

I made a lot of pieces. Here are most of the blue ones...

I love how this mug turned out. The colours are perfectly wintery -- great for warm drinks! -- and the size is just right for warming your hands on.

This is my super-shiny bowl. I glazed it in clear over top of the colours, which worked nicely.

One technique I was really excited to learn was chattering. By holding a metal rib juuust on the surface of the piece while the wheel is spinning, you get repeated lines around the piece. The metal vibrating against the clay makes a cool sound when you're chattering.

The little cup above is my attempt at making an argyle pattern with the glaze.

This flat brown dish also has a light chattering round the rim.

In this class, I tried out lots of different kinds and combos of glazing, as this is most mysterious and unpredictable part for me. This bowl has a "lichen" glaze on it that adds a crackled surface. I only added a little bit on this bowl.

Nougat and olive was a glaze combo I found that I really liked, so I made a few pieces in these colours.

I haven't signed up for another course yet, but might have to join a local pottery club. First I have to figure out where I'm going to put all this pottery. Maybe I'll have to take a woodworking class to build a new shelf...

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'Tis the Season (... Already!)

 I'm super excited to see my wreath made from recycled cardboard coffee sleeves included as one of the "8 Great DIY Wreaths" roundup on Apartment Therapy today!

The whole tutorial is here on Magpie and Cake and also over on Cut Out & Keep.

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Summer in October

I realize that we're now deep into October, but this past Sunday morning has felt so summery. The sun was out in full force. I slept in, made a pumpkin pie, then did a few household chores, all while listening to Michael Franti's Sounds of Sunshine album and dancing around a little.



I didn't blog too much this summer, but it was not for lack of crafting. I was outside a lot of the time, spending time with friends, travelling, and getting up to Squamish to do some rock climbing. My sewing machine did see a little action, too, and I made a couple of handbags. I was really happy with how each of them turned out, especially as  I made up both patterns myself.

Little Sunshine Clutch
I made this bag to use at a couple of weddings I attended this summer. I planned to wear a charcoal grey dress from Smoking Lily, sassed up with bright yellow Miz Mooz flats. (I looove their shoes - super fun and super comfy.) So I needed a yellow bag, big enough to carry a camera and a few items, but small enough not get in the way. The wrist loop handle worked perfectly to keep the bag nearby, but out of the way.

Russian Doll Carry-All Handbag
I also wanted to make a giant summer bag, using this awesome Matryoshka doll fabric I'd been saving for something special.

My favourite part about this bag, beside the fabulous fabric, is the "tulip" top. I made the body of the bag, then left it on my workdesk for a few days, not quite sure how the top band should be... letting it percolate and sketching out ideas every now and then, till the right one struck. I'm glad I didn't just rush ahead with my first idea (which had buttons), as I'm much happier with the tulip.

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