Craftzine.com blog: November 2006 Archive

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Archives: November 2006

November 30, 2006

NPR Holiday Contest: Make a Menorah, Create an Ornament

Hey Crafters! Our own Carla Sinclair from CRAFT and Phil Torrone from MAKE are judges for a fun DIY contest @ NPR. Here's the scoop:

"Make a timely ornament (or a menorah, for the Jews!). NPR's First Ever Holiday Craft Contest. Design either a handmade menorah or a Christmas tree ornament. We are looking for designs that reflect the news of 2006. We also welcome quirky, funny and/or offbeat designs." - Link.

What do you win? Swag from the NPR Shop: The Hanukkah Lights Gift Set for the menorah winner; an NPR Jazz Christmas Collection with Marian McPartland for the ornament winner.

How to do you enter? Post your creation on Flickr.com with the keyword: NPRHOLIDAYCONTEST. Be sure to include a short artist's statement and a way we can contact you. If you have any questions, please email holidaycontest@npr.org

It would be great to see one our makers and crafters win!

Sewing Machines We Use

A few of us from the CRAFT and MAKE team have volunteered to show off our sewing machines and tell you why we like 'em and how we use them.

This is my sewing machine, a computerized Euro-Pro 9120 I bought this back in 2001 for around $499. I had a mid-range Singer before (and still have that) but as a gadget girl at heart, I wanted all the cool computerized functions for embroidery and stitches to play with, but wasn't looking to shell out over $1000. This sewing machine also looks like the old iMacs with it's clear blue flip lid top. Maybe that's why it was calling to me? I love the programmed stitches though. There's about 300 and you can program it to remember up to 100 settings. My favorites are not just the type (only an Arial style and a script style font), it can also embroider fun borders like hearts, flowers, curly circle shapes and more. Everything works well on this machine and nothing has ever broken. I've sewn thick jean material to light silk and its' worked with all fabric perfectly. My one annoyance is that it beeps everytime you take your foot off the pedal, but I've really gotten used to it by now. Heidi Kenny of My Paper Crane had the same issue. I've made a lot of things on this machine everything from making a skirt or totebag to hemming pants. I am in the market to upgrade from this to a better machine possibly one where you can attach a laptop to in order to do custom designs, but I'm in no rush. This sewing machine continues to serve me well for my craft projects. Link.

Arwen Sewingmachine
Arwen O'Reilly, Staff Editor
My parents got me this portable Singer at an antique store when I graduated from college because I was moving around so much. It drops right into this little carrying case with all the attachments and the original instruction booklet. I love it because it's absolutely gorgeous (who wouldn't love the gleaming black metal with gold lettering?) but also because it's so old-fashioned. It's electric, but otherwise so simple I've been able to figure out how to fix it every time something's gone wrong (which isn't often). Plus I like the idea that I'm somehow connected to the people who owned it before me. It's in great condition, so they must have loved it, too. Link.

Terrie Sewingmachine
Terrie Miller, Online Manager
This is a teeny sewing machine, the Euro-Pro Shark. I bought mine at Target for around $20-30, and they're available on Amazon, too. It was perfect for doing some simple sewing to make a dog bed. I had every expectation that I'd return the thing, but I decided to try it before buying something more expensive, and I'm glad I did. I thought I'd need to bungee-cord it down to the desk to keep it from moving around, but it worked just fine. It only does simple stitching, but for sewing parts of projects for someone who doesn't plan on doing lots of fabric work, it's been great. Link.

Bre Sewingmachine
Bre Pettis, Media Maker
I love my old singer. It's a hand me down from my step-grandma and it's been through a lot and if something ever breaks, which has never happened, I could just go to the goodwill, buy another for 20 bucks and be good to go. I had a second one as a backup for a while, but never used it so I gave it away. It can be a bit fussy if I don't get the bobbin tension right, but I made a few hundred rag dolls and hand puppets on this thing to support myself as an artist back in the day and it shows no wear. This one has all the bells and whistles and there are a bunch of pattern disks available, but I gave those away since I never used them. I took it apart once to see how it works and there is actually quite a bit of clever mechanics in this thing. Link.

Let's Talk about Sewing Machines!

An article in Time.com this week, "Circling Back to Sewing", declared the sharp rise in popularity in sewing. Ok, we knew that already! Next was an article where I was interviewed for in the Washing Times called "Sewing the threads of CREATIVITY" which talked about sewing machines and technology. I also got a big holiday mailer from Bernina where you could buy one of their sewing machines and get a free iPod. This got me thinking more and more about sewing machines as the holiday's approach. These handy machines help us create our latest craft project, from sewing plushies, clothes, handbags, totes, to fixing hems, and more. With so many machines on the market and with more touting computerized technology, where do we go? Which ones do we choose? Which ones do we like?

Starting today on the CRAFT blog we will start this interesting discussion and I invite everyone to help participate. For the next few weeks before the holidays (and ongoing), let's talk sewing machines! We'll show you the one's we use, talk to sewing crafters and makers about their own machines, see what's out there...and we want to hear from you too!

So upload the photo of your sewing machine to our CRAFT flickr pool and write a little blurb on why you like it (or hate it). There's also a Sewing Machine topic in our CRAFT forums. You can also email me as well. I'll be posting up the interesting finds from those places to the blog. So just know as you post, that your comments and photos could end up here to help everyone. Most people nowadays are looking to upgrade sewing machines (I know I am) and this would be a great resource. Who knows, maybe you'll find the sewing machine you want under the Christmas tree!

(Photo of the Singer Symphonie 300.)

No Coast Craft-o-rama

Allison Thrash tells us, "It's not "west coast", nor "east coast", it's "No Coast" as in No Ocean! Super funky craft show in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday, December 2, 2006. Come purchase lovely handmade stuff and get in the holiday spirit with live local music and entertainment - even a kissing booth with the MN Roller Girls!" CRAFT is one of the sponsors of the event too! Come by if you are in the area and say hi to Arwen O'Reilly at the CRAFT table. Link.

Meet Us at Urban Craft Uprising in Seattle this Weekend

Bre and I will be at the Urban Craft Uprising fair this weekend in Seattle. The event features over 100 indie crafters who will be there selling their wares. Just head over to the Seattle Exhibition Hall from 11am to 5pm on December 2nd and 3rd. There will also be lots of events that are scheduled to happen throughout the days as well, including a fashion show on Saturday and free giveaways! Yes, free crafty things! Come by, do your holiday shopping, and say hi to us at our CRAFT table! Link.

Win a Lifetime Subscription to the Sampler - Deadline Today!

We love the Sampler and founder Marie Kare! Now you can get yourself a lifetime subscription to this fabulous subscription-based mailing of wonderful samples from a variety of small, independent businesses, sent straight to your door just about once a month! Just check out the Sampler Gallery for a peek of what's inside.

As part of fundraising for the upcoming Felt Club XL Holiday Fair, just buy a $2 raffle ticket to be a part of the fun! Proceeds from the raffle go directly towards putting on FELT CLUB: XL Holiday event in LA on Dec 9th where CRAFT is one of the sponsors. Hurry up and get those tickets now, November 30th is the deadline. That's today people! The winner will be announced on Dec 1st. Also, look for an interview with Marie Kare of the Sampler on the CRAFT blog next week. Link.

Holiday Project: Make a Scrap Fabric Ornament

Melissa has added scrap fabric ornament to the CRAFT flickr pool. The full tutorial is included and easy to make. Link.

Old G5 Monitor is now a plush hamster pad

Posted in the new CRAFT forums - Bjornyeo of MacHam figured out how to reuse his old G5 monitor. He cleverly turned it into a modern den for his hamsters, Gucci and Prada. Link.

Grow Some Winter Bulbs

Sarah over at Pink of Perfection has a great project on growing bulbs, which she can watch grow over the cold winter days. Check out her post and how you can make these great looking bulb holders from old soup cans and fabric. Just beautiful! Link.

HOW TO - Knit a Tissue Cover

Karrie at Girl on the Rocks has created a great knit pattern for a tissue cozy. Perfect for cold and flu season. Link.

November 29, 2006

Get CRAFT vol 1 in our Maker Store!

Hi Crafters! Just in time for the holidays! If you can't seem to find CRAFT on your local newsstands and aren't sure yet if you want to subscribe, buy CRAFT: Vol 1 from our Maker Store online for only $14.99. Link.

Need a great gift idea for the crafty friend or family member in your life? Give a gift subscription to CRAFT magazine. Link.

Holiday Project: Make a Snowman Ornament from a Light Bulb

Now there's no need to throw away your light bulb when they burn out. Why not transform them into a cute snowman ornament for your tree? Thanks Mark D! Link.

Domo-kun iPod Case Tutorial

Inspired by a classic desktop picture of a kitty running from little Domo-kuns, cookiedough on craftster.org has a tutorial on how to make a monster iPod case. Link.

HOW TO - Make fabric flowers

Blair Stocker of Wise Craft has another perfect embellishing flower you can make, this one out of fabric. Blair gives you the full photo-tutorial as well as a flower template you can download. These cute fabric flowers can adorn anything you make and would even look great on their own as brooches. A nice quick holiday gift to make! Thanks Lil! Link.

Moebius Capelet

Marie-Christine of Fuzzy Galore has created a Moebius capelet. Her pattern includes instructions on how to knit the long rectangle and directions on twisting it, thereby turning it into a Moebius strip. Looks like a super fast project you can make on size 17 needles. Link.

HOW TO - Make a Star Wars X-Wing Fighter out of old Paris Metro tickets

Hubert de Lartigue has found one of the coolest projects to make out of old metro tickets. Of course his are metro tickets from Paris, but you can use tickets from your local metro. The full tutorial is explained in both French and English with great photos. Que la Force soit avec toi! Link.

Related:
Japanese craft book showing Paris metro ticket lampshade - Link.

HOW TO - Crochet a five petal flower

Applehead has a complete tutorial on how to crochet a basic five petal flower. This is a great pictoral step-by-step reference for those that don't crochet as often and sometimes get stuck. Crochet flowers are the perfect embellishments for your projects like a hat, bag, or scarf! Link.

Holiday Project: Snowmen Origami Advent Calendar

Myra from My Little Mochi has contributed a cute snowman Origami advent calendar to the kids craft site, Kiddley. The snowman design is provided with a PDF file you can download and print from your color printer. Link.

November 28, 2006

HOW TO - Make silhouette necklaces

Abigail Percy has a great jewelry tutorial on Whip Up on how to make silhouette necklaces. This season animal shapes are all over the place and Abigal's deer is a cute choice. You can also use the Fitzpattern bird stencils we've provided in a previous CRAFT Pattern podcast to create your necklace. Link.

Rock and Shop Market in Raleigh, NC - Dec 2nd

The Rock & Shop Market. The next event is Saturday December 2nd from 1-5pm in Downtown Raleigh, NC. Since 2004, The Rock & Shop Market has been combining emerging designers and live music into a hip, urban market in Downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. The event showcases designer goods from local & national artists as well as music by the area's most talented bands & DJ's. Shop the indoor aisles, grab a beer and listen to some great tunes. Link.

DEPART-ment: Get your handmade goods for the holidays, Dec 1-3

If you like the sound of freshly crafted, one-of-a-kind goods in your hands this holiday, you'll have to get down to the winter installment of DEPART-Ment, a collective of local artisans who gather together four times a year to bring you their best and brightest wares. You'll find knowlegable folks at DEPART-Ment, who are none other than the artists themselves, guiding you around the space. Everything's organized to make your shopping easier! Link.

DEPART-Ment
Friday Dec. 1st, opening 7-11p
Sat + Sun, Dec 2/3, 11a-5p
cash only, atm onsite

open-end
2000 w. fulton *310
chicago, il 60612

Interview with Cathy of California

Cathy of California - Cathy Callahan
Website - Link.
Blog - Link.
Etsy Store - Link.
Flickr Photos - Link.

If you need a burst of fun inspiration look no further than the vintage inspired styles of Cathy Callahan who runs her own crafty business, Cathy of California. I first met Cathy last May at the Maker Faire and was in love with her cute hanging owls and colorful crafts. With her newly launched website and blog, Cathy shares tons of inspiration with photos of her projects or cool craft photos from her vintage craft book collection. I got a chance to talk with Cathy to find out more about her own inspiration and what she's working on during this busy holiday season!

Nat: Please tell me a bit about your crafty background and your business, Cathy of California.

Cathy: My crafts are based on the crafts I made when I was little or inspired by projects I find in vintage books and magazines. Everything I do is in small runs, I suppose you could call them "limited editions". I just make a few and play around with different color combinations. My current crafty business more or less grew out of my work as a window dresser. Many of the props I was making had a crafty vibe. It was always a little frustrating for me that the props were used once and thrown away. My crafts now give me an outlet to create things that people can use and enjoy.

Nat: Your crafts have a vintage 60's look to them which I love. Tell me about your inspiration and how you came up with your design style.

Cathy: It's hard for me to pinpoint exactly where my design style came from, but it's definitely informed by a few things. I was raised in Southern California in the 60s and 70s by a very crafty mom who was always whipping something up for the church bazaar or PTA. I majored in art in college with an emphasis in "applied design" (that's what they called "crafts" in the 80's when crafts were not considered to be worthwhile) -- fiber art, jewelry, ceramics, etc. I went on to work in the fashion world which is very long hours with no time for my own projects.

As the result of a couple of big changes in my life I found myself with the time to start making things again. Around the same time I discovered all of the independent crafts shows that were going on. I was so excited by the incredible things people were making. I applied for the Bazaar Bizarre in San Francisco and got accepted. It seemed only natural for me to work in the style of crafts that I had been raised on.

Nat: Please share with us some of your recent projects.

Cathy: I have just launched my crafty website and blog. My blog will focus on crafts and design form the 1960s and 70s. I will be featuring images from my collection of vintage books, magazines and ephemera as well as some found photos.

My newest crafts that I am selling on Etsy are waste paper baskets, boutique tissue box covers, and pincushions. I am also making some holiday decorations.

I have been working on some papier mache. I also now have access to a kiln so I can start enameling again. I plan to incorporate both of these techniques into some jewelry and home décor projects for next spring.

I was also just a guest artist for Susan Beal's new book. I was assigned the "sparkle cocktail brooch" project. I based my design on the floral patterns from Enid Collins' handbags.

Nat: Are there any favorite craft books, magazines, or web sites you like?

Cathy: I have such a huge collection of vintage books and magazines it's hard to pick a favorite. There were so many great things going on in the world of craft in the 60s and 70s both "high" and "low". I equally respect, admire and am inspired by both the "how-to" books intended for housewives and the museum catalogues.

Nat: Can you share with us a special crafting tip you have?

Cathy: Just make sure that you're having fun. It's not worth it if it becomes a chore. Your crafts should make you, who you're going to give it to and/or who eventually might purchase it happy!

Nat: What are you working on this winter?

Cathy: I'll be a vendor at the Felt Club on Dec 9th and Bazaar Bizarre on Dec 16th, so I've got lots of crafts to make. For the entire month of December my blog will feature all holiday crafts.

Nat: What's one thing on your holiday wish list?

Cathy: A vacation!

Holiday Project: Knit Tech Socks

We are all nerds at heart so why shouldn't our socks reflect that? These knit patterns created by Alison Hansel for Magknits shows two cool patterns - Atari Breakout and the Apple logo. A great gift to make this holiday season for the techie in your life, even if that's yourself! Link.

Send your unfinished knitting or crochet to be part of "Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

Kw01

Calling all Knitters and Crocheters! Here's a note from artist Kristina Wong:

Got an old knitting project that you don't plan to ever finish? Half done socks? Five inches of a scarf? Now they can be part of a touring theater piece!

Help performer Kristina Wong demystify the knitting circle and unravel the deep psyche of the master crafter in her new solo show "Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Your donations of unfinished knitting pieces from around the world will be included as part of the set for a live serio-comic exploration of maintaining sanity in times that seem almost fictitious. All contributors will receive "set construction" program credit for the life of the show.

Why Unfinished Knitting?
"Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" originally set out to explore the sky-high rates of mental illness and suicide among Asian Pacific Islander Women. Asian Pacific Islander American women have the highest rates of suicide in the country in a statistic that seems to be widely unpublicized and often disregarded. The unfinished knitting collected represent incomplete intentions, women's work, "spinning a yarn," and loneliness. During the show, Kristina uses the knitting pieces to represent "unravelling" women and even unravels some of the pieces during the show. These knit pieces may also be displayed as part of an art installation later in the run.

Read more after the jump for instructions on how to submit your knitting or crochet.

Read full story

Whip Up Whiplash Alt Craft Contest Winners

And the winners are in! See all the winners of this month's Whiplash Alt Craft contest over at Whip Up. This months contest caused a bit of debate as to the notion of alt crafting, read on for Kathreen's thoughts. Shown here is a felted rocket by brain smatter and completely cactus' cow necklace. I personally really enjoyed looking at all the interesting and ingenious entries. Link.

Japanese nut crafts

I can't believe all of the cute things that are made from nuts on this Japanese Nuts Craft site. Take a look at the 49 pairs of mini shoes and little kitchen set, yup, all made from nuts. There are a few other things made from natural materials and fabric. Definitely click around in this inspirational site! Link.

November 27, 2006

Furoshiki - Japanese Art of Cloth Gift Wrapping

The Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan has a guide (PDF) on using cloth as opposed to paper for wrapping gifts to cut down on the wasted paper usually used in gift wrap. This is also a great way to use up fabric scraps. Even if you don't have enough to wrap one gift, you can sew patchwork pieces together. Thanks Lil! [ via ] Link.

Related:

Stitch and hem gift bags - Link.

Wee Wonderfuls Put Together Book #2 - Spaceboy and Robot

It's finally here! Hillary Lang of Wee Wonderfuls' new Put Together Book #2 is for sale ($10), featuring her Spaceboy and Robot patterns. Link.

Holiday Project: Sassy Snow Bowls

Crafty Chica Kathy Cano Murillo has a great project for your upcoming holiday cocktail parties. You can make your serving dishes look like giant snowballs! Link.

Related:
See Crafty Chica's archive of past holiday projects. - Link.

HOW TO - Grow your own Loofah sponge

Groovygreen has a tutorial on how you can grow your own Loofah sponges. I had no idea this was actually a veggie you can grow. Looks like a fun, easy gardening project too. Link.

Holiday Gift: Handmade Notebook and Bookmark Set

Kristy Boucher of Bookworm Sukie has made some great holiday gifts you can give for under $10. These soft cover notebooks have 50 blank pages each. The front has a name plate attached so you can write your own name on it or the title of your book. Each notebook comes with a matching bookmark. Visit her esty shop for all the selections. Link.

Holiday Project: Soft Tree Pattern

Stephanie Barnes of little birds handmade has a cute soft trees pattern PDF, you can download from her site. I love the modern style of her tree designs. Link.

HOW TO - Make Japanese paper dolls

Elizabeth Marsten gave us the heads up on Glue Gun Crafts. We love the tutorial on how to make Japanese paper dolls. Link.

Interview with Shannon Riffe of Make It

Shannon Riffe
Make It Blog - Link.

Reading Shannon Riffe's Make It blog has become part of my daily routine. Not like any other craft blog out there, Make It is "a blog for craft entrepreneurs". Shannon brings focus on business issues and tips for crafters who are looking to start their own craft business. She also explores other aspects of the craft world, such as her recent visit to a fabric mill (see her post here) where we get to see the behind the scenes on how fabric is made. As a crafter herself, Shannon brings us lots of cool blog finds and interesting crafter profile/business interviews. Now we turn the tables on Shannon herself to find out all about the Make It blog, crafty business tips, and her current craft projects.

Nat: Please tell me a bit about your crafty background.

Shannon: I consider myself a "jack of all crafts, master of none" because I am interested in a wide range of crafts but never really seem to devote myself to any one thing long enough to master it. The thing I like about crafting is that it's pragmatic and that's empowering: learning a skill that has an actual application. In early 2005, I wasn't able to find jewelry that I liked, so I taught myself how to string beads and do wire wrapping to create my own necklaces and earrings. I have a very basic knowledge of knitting - the only thing I can knit is a scarf, but that is extremely useful here in Massachusetts! I'm mostly self taught via online tutorials, books and magazines and trial and error. The only thing I've taken a class in is batik. Batik is a wax-resist dyeing technique for fabric. I enjoy batik because it allows me to decorate fabrics (silk, cotton, linen) and create a truly unique product. And unlike jewelry and knitting, it's not a very popular craft right now, I like being different. I loved going to my boyfriend's house after class and showing him my dye-stained fingers. I'm currently teaching myself to sew so I can do even more with my custom dyed fabrics.

Nat: I love your blog "Make It". Why did you decide to start a craft blog that focuses on the business side of things?

Shannon: I started Make It because I wanted to learn more about the selling crafts but I didn't find a "one-stop-shop" for all of this information. At the time, I had been reading the forums on Etsy, I checked out the Switchboards and I read several craft blogs and collected great little bits of info from all these different sources. I wanted a place where all that information would be consolidated and easy to navigate. I figured, if I'm interested in this type of information there must be others out there who are also looking for something like this.

Nat: What are some of the interesting business tips you have learned from your interviews or research?

Shannon: Pay attention to branding. Successful businesses of any types always convey a consistent brand in all of their communication and their products. Your packaging, your blog, your website, these should all convey a recognizeable brand that is instantly associated with your product. This sounds easy enough, but this is one of the most popular topics that I find readers are interested in learning more about.

The best marketing tool a crafter can use to promote their business is their blog. It's a very low cost (and sometimes free) way to get your name and your product out to a targeted market. I'm always amazed at how many craft blogs there are and new ones are popping up all the time. My mom just started hers a couple of weeks ago!

Also, don't stretch yourself too thin. Make sure your product doesn't suffer because you're overextending yourself with all other aspects of your creative business. Resist the urge to grow too quickly or take on too many tasks. If you have a quality product and are consistent with your branding, you'll be prepared when your lucky break comes.

Nat: Why do you think that crafting as a business has taken off?

Shannon: For one thing: it's fun. Lots of people, like me, think "Hey, making jewelry is fun, how can I find a way to do this all the time." Entrepreneurism is more popular than ever and this is in large part fueled by the Internet. The Internet provides pretty much every resource imaginable: access to tutorials, supplies, customers, answers to questions, etc. Additionally, Etsy has now consolidated all these disparate small-time business efforts and now craft business has one central hub, which has been huge for raising visibility. It makes people realize that there is money to be made from selling crafts. It's not easy, but it can be done and you can find out how to do it by visiting any number of great online resources.

Nat: Can you share with us a special crafting tip you have?

Shannon: I am a master thrifter, my tips for thrift store success are: Go to thrift stores in the suburbs if you can (forget the city thrift stores, too picked over). Check out the bed linens section for sheets with cool patterns or colors (recycle them into pillows or patchwork pieces). Or pick up plain white sheets and tshirts to use for dyeing. Always check out the housewares section (cups, plates, and decorative items). I love using thrift store pottery as storage or as decorative elements. Enjoy the thrill of the hunt!

Nat: What kinds of craft projects are you working on this winter?

Shannon: I started a scarf in September, hoping to finish it by the time I'd actually need to wear it. Unfortunately it's been neglected and is still unfinished. My goal is to now complete it before the weather starts to warm up again. I recently purchased Amy Butler's book In Stitches and she has alot of great sewing projects in there I want to try. My latest ambitious project is inspired from a patchwork throw that is in the book. I've dyed a few thrift store sheets and pillowcases and am now attempting to turn them into patchwork curtains. I'm really into the idea of reusing materials, thrifted textiles are so cheap and versatile.

Nat: What's one thing on your holiday wish list?

Shannon: Classes. Though I've avoided craft classes for the most part, they are a valuable way to not only master a new skill, but also to meet like-minded class mates. I'd like to take a sewing class, a web deesign class and a writing class. What can I say, I want to do it all!

Origami Kits

Cindy Ng of Finger Magic has some cool origami kits for gift giving this holiday season. I love the cute animals like bunnies and frogs. Check out all the kits and her line of DIY origami greeting cards, jewelry and more. Link.

The Yarn Museum

Linda Scharf of the Yarn Museum says, "The Yarn Museum honors the artistry + beauty of handspun yarn. Requesting submissions from all spinners for lots of different galleries + shows for when it opens in early December 2006!" Link.

Knitted Princess Leia wig gallery

Ansley at Bleu Arts has posted up a gallery of crafters who have made her knitted Princess Leia wig. If you've knitted a Leia wig yourself, please send a photo in to add to the gallery! Link.

November 24, 2006

Angels Die Hard Art Show

Angeles Die Hard is an Art Show of Imaginary Biker Gangs starting Nov 27-Dec 14 at the University Union Gallery at Sacramento State in California. This Yahoo Yankees vest with detailed embroidery is part of the exhibit and was made by Candice aka "Snaggs" in Seattle.

Snaggs says, "I should start out by saying I've just been sewing for the past couple of years, and sorta just learned different techniques through experimenting and trial and error. I have found a VERY laborious way to stitch all of the detail in my pieces. It's actually pretty ridiculous because I sew the image slowly, stitch by stitch, minute by minute, hour by hour. I'm sure there's easier ways to do it. Perhaps one of those fancy embroidery machines... but until that day I'll just keep my eyes right up to the fabric until my eyes bleed." Link.

Fun animal crochet hats by Nazli

Nazli makes the cutest crochet hats to the likes of owls and frogs. The owl hat, as worn by her brother, even looks like a pilot's hat when it's on. You can visit Nazli every weekend from 1-6pm on Prince and Wooster St. in NY where she sells her hats.

Nazli says, "Having learned knitting and crocheting from my grandma, I've been doing it for a long time now. I never follow a pattern and just go with the flow. What made me inspired making these hats was the fun of childhood and creating a hat which can also be a toy when it's not worn. Putting eyes and a mouth on them gives them a character and eventually the hat becomes more than a hat: a friend. The way to make these hat is just you start a circle and double crochet around it increasing, and then when you have the exact circumference of your head, just decrease a little bit and that's it!" Link and Link.

November 23, 2006

A Closer Look: Thanksgiving Etsy - Pumpkin Pie Handmade Shea Butter Bath Soap

Pumpkin Pie Handmade Shea Butter Bath Soap by Kimberlee of BathLife
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=620155

By Arwen O'Reilly

Bathlife's handmade soaps sound good enough to eat. Kimberlee's pumpkin pie bath soap is made from scratch using the cold process method. It has almond oil, shea butter and naturally occuring glycerin, which is left in the soap to make it extra moisturizing; a layer of dried pumpkin flakes helps exfoliate (my favorite part!) and get your skin glowing. I wouldn't have thought of soap and Thanksgiving together, but what better way to get in the right mood for the holiday? Be sure to check out the Bathlife shop on Etsy, too. There are tons of different flavors (oops, did I say flavors?) of soap, and some lovely sounding lip balms, too.

Arwen: What are your thoughts about Thanksgiving?

Kimberlee: For me, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the past year. I like to take stock of my accomplishments as well as disappointments, plan for the future, and remember the good times I enjoyed throughout the year. Thanksgiving weekend is also my husband's and my wedding anniversary, so it's a time of celebration, too.

Last year, my husband and I were on a road trip to Portland, Ore., and had our Thanksgiving dinner at a charming little restaurant at the base of Mount Shasta. This year will be a little more traditional: an early dinner with turkey, cranberries ... all the favorites, then off to the cliffs for some hiking.

Arwen: How did you get involved in crafting?

Kimberlee: I think I w