12.09.07
Posted in Crafts at 11:40 am by rachel
Here’s a little project I’ve been doing for about 8 years, ever since I realized I was never going to use up all the beads I kept buying in college. Beaded snowflakes are a great way to experiment with colors while using up leftover beading materials you probably have laying around the house somewhere.
They’re quick, too, and a nice little hand-made token you can attach to a box of cookies or a Holiday card.
Materials:
Seed beads
Slightly larger beads, of any shape
Metal wire
Ribbon, for hanging
Step 1: Cut 3 pieces of metal wire: 2 of these should be the same length, which will be the diameter of the finished snowflake plus an inch. Cut the third to be one inch longer than these two, to make the wire loop for hanging.
Step 2: Tie the three pieces of wire into a simple knot in the middle. Spread out the 6 “legs.”
Step 3: Begin stringing seed beads onto one “leg” of the snowflake. I added larger beads at regular intervals, for more detail and interest. When you reach 1/2 inch from the end, string on one final, larger bead and loop the remaining wire around it. This keeps all the beads in place. Repeat for other 5 legs. On the longer leg, string on the final bead and then make a loop with the remaining wire, for hanging.
Step 4: Cut a longer piece of wire (about 2 times the diameter of the snowflake) for the connecting parts. Wrap one end about 1 inch from the end of one leg. String on beads to desired length (make sure it’s long enough to have a bend in the center) and then wrap the wire once around the next leg. Continue until to each leg and when finished, wrap the end around
Step 5: Make a tie out of some ribbon and attach it through the wire loop. Now you have a hanging beaded snowflake!
I made a bunch and hung them from this chandelier:
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12.07.07
Posted in Books & Paper, Crafts at 12:53 pm by rachel
I participated in an international Secret Santa exchange this year. With the help of the Elfster website, each participant “drew” a name and we each sent an ornament representing our country to that person.
While I don’t want to give away which ornament I sent (the exchange isn’t over yet), I will share with you this card I made to accompany it:
I found the image on – of all places – the side of a box of Kleenex tissues. The scene is the Place des Vosges in the Marais. I just cut out the image, cut a piece of nice resumé-style paper to size, then taped it to the back (I had misplaced my glue stick, which would have been better than tape).
The little Eiffel Tower pendant is a key chain I picked up for 50 centimes from a tacky souvenir shop on the Ile de la Cité. I love it! I just poked two holes in the card (before attaching the paper backing), and looped some ribbon through.
I’m sure to be able to make many more, since the cold season has only just begun!
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11.30.07
Posted in Books & Paper, Crafts, Embroidery, Sewing, Yarn Arts at 9:59 am by rachel
As you may remember, I have a stack of old craft magazines that date from the 19th century to the 1950s, thanks to a friend of mine saving them from a garbage pile. Last May this post featured the June 1949 issue of Mon Ouvrage. Now that there’s a chill in the air, I thought I’d share with you one of the winter editions. Today, excerpts from the January 1950 issue.
While some of the crafts and decorating projects are so dated they’re kitschy, I find that others are still useful and could be updated in today’s materials and colors. The caplet, especially, is tempting me at the moment.
Each issue of Mon Ouvrage usually has 24 pages, but unfortunately the middle section of this particular issue is missing. Judging by the page just before the missing ones, my guess is that it was about lingerie. Not the most charming of styles anyway, so no matter!
If you’d like me to send you the full-size scan of any of these pages, just let me know by e-mail or in the comments section.
Going on a ski trip? Don’t forget to make your own sleeping bag first.
Decorating project: a modern living room!
This is the caplet pattern I’m talking about. Without that ribbon and a little less baggy, and this could be the perfect cover-up for a holiday party. Here’s a close-up:
Smocking
An embroidered collar.
Ski Sweaters (from the cover)
Knit dresses for girls
Detail from the back cover: embroidered coasters
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11.22.07
Posted in Crafts, Family at 4:06 pm by rachel
::Chuckles:: Here’s one from the photo archives: a turkey my little cousins and I made for Thanksgiving in 2004. Recognize the parts? Construction paper, cut up paper towel rolls, cotton balls, and the body is a wedding bell decoration. It’s wonky, to say the least, but we had fun doing it and were pretty pleased with what we could make out of the materials on hand!
Happy Thanksgiving!
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11.20.07
Posted in Books & Paper, Crafts, Family at 6:08 pm by rachel
Last night I made a Photo Advent Calendar with files I downloaded from Kodak.
The directions on the link are very easy: just download the pdf files, add photos, and print them out. I took the more tech-intensive route by opening the files in Adobe Illustrator (you could use Photoshop or most any other design software), dragging and resizing the photos I wanted to use. That way, instead of gluing individual photos down, I just print out the entire page. My layout looks like this:
I’m going to either print them out to send, or just e-mail the files to my family members, who can then print them out themselves, though to actually assemble the calendar requires some extra effort, slicing the doors and windows with an Exacto knife.
For a more timeless and uniform look, I might transform all of the photos into black and white images. Next time.
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11.19.07
Posted in Crafts, Cuisine, Embroidery, Sewing, Yarn Arts at 1:08 am by rachel
Remember the bunny costume Ralphie’s aunt so lovingly imposed on him? This is the image many people picture when thinking about handmade gifts. So now that I’ve pledged to have a 100% handmade holiday season, how can I avoid being that relative?
I’ve spent a bit of this chilly Sunday gleaning my favorite crafty sites for some tutorials and simple gift ideas for everyone on my list. Here goes…
For Crafty Hipsters
Star-Shaped Books Tutorial on Craftster ~a little paper book you make yourself that folds out into a star; a great stocking stuffer for anyone, really, just pick graphics and papers that correspond to the receiver. I will be making dozens of these with my leftover papers.
Coffee and Hand Warmer ~think tea cozy for your coffee mug. Keeps coffee hot and hands from being scalded.
Funky Travel Bag ~tutorial for a travel bag that could also be used for groceries or as a gym bag.
Thin Credit Card Wallets ~who uses checkbooks anymore? cut out the bulk and try out this little sewing project.
Crafty Tool Belt ~for fixing, gardening, and general DIY
Wearables
Heather Bailey’s Headbands ~a sweet and stylish accessory for girls aged 4-104
Felted Gifts out of Old Sweaters ~make stuffed things or wearables out of sweaters you no longer wear by felting them in the washing machine
Mittens ~these are still one of my quickest “wow” projects, but still require a few hours to make one pair.
Edibles
Rock Candy ~make the candy to give away, or create a do-it-yourself kit for a kid to make it on their own.
Candied Citrus Peels ~winter is actually citrus season, so enjoy your Florida oranges and save the peels!
Peppermint Marshmallows ~Heather Bailey tried it using this recipe.
Recipes in a Jar ~They look cool if you layer the ingredients and make a cute little label to go along. If you live abroad, give a recipe for a cultural favorite, like pancake mix, chocolate chip cookies, or muffins.
For the Wee Ones
Homemade Playdough ~the smell that I will forever associate with my childhood. It’s simple and children will have fun helping. The cooked version will last the longest.
Basic Bib ~get festive with fabrics to make it fun.
“Taggie” Blanket ~little ribbons for little fingers to play with.
And Others
Felt Bird Ornament ~birds are popping up allover in fabric and graphic arts. This pattern has the look of a Scandinavian Christmas. Leave out the embroidery and opt for a simple embellishment (one bead eye?) and they should be quick.
Beaded Snowflake Ornaments ~see my (as mlle_rachelmarie) 2003 version on page 3 of this link.
Circuit Board Art ~for the geeks on your list (or if you are the geek in the family), make shapes or get creative to make lampshades and coasters.
Knit Dishclothes ~this reminds one of housework (such a downer), but you can make them fun by knitting a shape into the cloth. Just chart it out on graph paper and switch from knit to purl (or purl to knit) to create a bump for every square. Your pattern can range from the sweet to the obscene, but it’s always subtle.
Washclothes ~Similar to the dishclothes, but for exfoliating properties, my favorite pattern is just using a simple basket weave stitch and two strands of cotton yarn.
Snowman Pencils ~they look cooler than they sound, I promise.
DIY Digital Photo Frame ~a project only the ultimate crafter should take on. Have an extra old laptop laying around?
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11.18.07
Posted in Crafts, Family at 11:04 am by rachel
Are you ready to take the pledge? I just pledged to buy handmade this holiday season.
Every year I think I’ll have the time and motivation to make everyone on my list handmade gifts. After finishing 1 1/2 pairs of mittens, I realize this was overly ambitious and I have to frantically find a dozen gifts on December 24th. But there is another way! With websites like Etsy and all sorts of craft markets during the season, I don’t need to overwhelm myself with actually making everything to still give a handmade gift.
Like the eat local challenge, pledging to buy handmade is a small gesture which can raise awareness about the weight of our consumer decisions. It’s not going to solve global warming, but at least it gets people like me to think about what and why I’m buying. Moreover, a handmade gift requires some thought and may just make us focus on what’s important about gift-giving: not the latest consumer fad, but a token of friendship and love that is unique and tailored to your loved one.
I would only add to my “buy handmade” pledge that I will also consider antique, used, and recycled gifts in this category. I’ve already had my eye on a couple of old books for some people on my list, which is still in the spirit of supporting the little guy, cutting back on chain store manufacturing, and keeping goods out of the landfill.
We’ll see if I can hold out and pull this off! Now back to knitting mittens…
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10.28.07
Posted in Crafts, Embroidery at 3:52 am by rachel
I am back in New York City for a little over a week, for an academic conference. But I have managed to find a little bit of free time to finally share with you the monogrammed dish cloth I finished last week.
I used cross stitch designs from a vintage craft book available online at the Antique Pattern Library. What a wonderful resource! and I love old books…
The most challenging part was finding the “squares” on the cloth I was going to use for the cross stitch. Because the dish cloth is made out of linen, the threads are a bit raw in places and vary in thickness. It’s just a dish cloth, though, so why worry? Winging it paid off.
Can you believe this is what young girls used to learn how to do in school? I assure you, they also learned reading, writing, and arithmetic. But I find it interesting the way these monogrammed linens carry the memory of women through the generations. They may have changed their names when they married, but their maiden initials remain and are passed down on these everyday objects.
You could probably also argue that they were unglamorous objects, worn away by household chores and later forgotten - much like the (imagined) housewives of yesteryear, but I would have to disagree: you have not felt the durability and quality of these dish cloths! Some women still use their great-grandmother’s linens. I find the tradition neat, even though 1. I did not change my name when I married Seth, 2. if I had, my initials would not have changed, and 3. I let my dishes air dry. Sometimes it’s fun to create “vintage” family heirlooms, though, and add a little je ne sais quoi to the daily chores.
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10.24.07
Posted in Crafts, Embroidery, Sewing, Yarn Arts at 9:08 am by rachel
This past weekend was the craft fair hosted by my favorite quarterly magazine, Marie Claire Idées, and held at the Louvre. I went on Sunday with my friend Julie (of Knit-in-Public Day fame).
We didn’t attend any of the instructional sessions, but that was okay, since you could pick up directions for the “before and after” projects.
The exhibition halls were divided according to type of craft: yarn&fabric, home decorating, paper… My favorite section was the yarn& fabric one, with all of the soft yarns, pattern ideas, and quilting fabrics. The prices were a little shocking, however. Four euros for a piece of fabric measuring only 50×50cm (that’s only 1/4 of a square meter!). Luckily, I found a 2€ bin and found some prints I liked for my next quilting project; what that project will be is still a mystery to me. What is sure is that I will be finding the rest of the necessary material in the States or in second-hand shops!
In French, quilts are called “patchworks,” and why not? They’ve chosen the name for the piecing instead of the quilting, which is usually what we picture when we think of quilts anyway. The patchwork/quilting stands at the fair were beautiful. I particularly appreciated the “Frenchness” of the majority of the quilt designs. One vendor was selling directions for making a quilt out of your own family heirlooms: Grandma’s monogrammed napkins, your aunt’s antique curtains, redwork embroidery, Mom’s red-striped tea towels (and you know how much I love those!) Mostly in red and ivory patterns, it was definitely a French-country look. Sophisticated but slightly rustic. Definitely timeless. Check out this article about French quilting traditions. I’m only sorry I didn’t take pictures of what I’m talking about.
The popular yarn company Phildar was well-represented with their own knitting bar (which reminded me of so many knitting cafés in New York City) and a whole wall of gimmicky yarns with hot-pink fur-like fringe, curly queues, etc. Not my usual cup of tea, but it had a lot of people excited about crafting, so what’s the harm?
I was determined to find some yarn for my own mittens and purchase it from one of the other vendors, but in the end, Phildar had a color that matched my coat the best. So in spite of quite a rude sales associate and my best intentions, I came home with two skeins of almost 100% acrylic Phildar yarn called “Wilky.” Boo.
Wilky Yarn, in “Naturel” (photo from Phildar’s website)
The mittens are knitting up nicely, however, thanks to a combo of “Wilky” and some left over camel hair yarn from my stash. The wool mittens I made for Seth last year were a tad itchy, so this time I am not such a purist. More to come about that project!
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10.21.07
Posted in Crafts, Sewing, Travel at 10:40 pm by rachel
La Poste came through after all. The quilt I made has officially arrived in Hong Kong. I have realized I didn’t post a few of the pictures I took of the whole finished product, so here are a few:
What a crazy pattern this was, but so much fun!
I’m proud of two things in this photo: the other is the geranium plant in our window box that I revived. It’s still in full bloom!
This is what the quilt looks like on our bedroom chair. Those geraniums were a little late to catch up.
We went to Hong Kong in August (the hottest month) 2003. It was our first stop on a trans-mongolian rail (and plane) trip. The whole itinerary was New York - Los Angeles - Hong Kong - Beijing - Ulan Baatar (Mongolia) - Irkutsk (Russia) - Moscow - St. Petersburg - Paris - New York. Whew! I’ll have to write more about that later. In the mean time, here are some photos of the magical place to which the psychedelic quilt has just arrived.
The top of Victoria Peak. Who knew there was so much nature just minutes from the city center?
A Buddhist Spot on Victoria Peak
The long series of outdoor escalators we very much appreciated in the heat.
Hong Kong Night Life
Riding a Junk Boat on the South China Sea
We anchored and swam to this beach. Paradise.
Sunset on the South China Sea. Sweet dreams!
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