Catch up with Shannon on the Knitgrrl blog and check out some of her beautiful fiber, spinning tools, and patterns in the Knitgrrl shop.

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Here's more photos and projects for inspiration:

Pictured clockwise: Hoodie Devoted by Laura Irwin from Boutique Knits, Pfeiiffer Falls Hooded Scarf designed by Anne Kuo Lukito from Interweave Knits Winter 2008, Free Pattern: Mossy Cowl designed by Katie Himmelbeg from Interweave Crochet Spring 2007, Never Wimpy Wimple by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts from Lace Style edited by Pam Allen and Ann Budd, and Nomad Hat and Scarf designed by Kat Coyle Interweave Knits Fall 2007

From the site:

This Cape, made out of maroon herringbone wool (lined with red herringbone) has this great English country living feel, that makes you think of a walk in the woods, followed by sitting by a crackling fire with your friends. A creative transition piece from a light jacket to your big wintercoat, this Cape can be made out of any weight of wool.

I can't get over how fun this skirt by blackmirrordesigns is. Not that my booty needs any more volume, but I'd still totally rock it! Coveting.

Kayte Terry shares a project from her new book, Applique Your Way, for this stylish rose petal applique t-shirt over at Etsy's Storque. The rose petals are actually made from additional tees, making it a great way to upcycle old or thrifted clothes.

If you have a question for Ask CRAFT, shoot me an email at becky@craftzine.com, or drop us a note on Twitter! We'd love to answer your crafty questions on any topic: technique, projects, crafty culture, or anything else! Each week the answers are here; include your name, where you're from, and your website or blog if you have one!

Eyela A. from Oregon writes in:

I love to sew, but am not quite at the level where I can design or modify patterns. However, I'm getting there out of necessity. My biggest problem is that the chest darts in dress and blouse patterns aren't sufficiently long to accommodate a larger cup size. It's also not useful to buy larger patterns since the rest of the proportions stop working. I've searched high and low for a good tutorial or guide for how to appropriately re-size a dart, but there's not much out there. I wonder if you know a good resource?

I can point you to two books and one website that will help you get the shape you want out of your pattern. You should read up on bodice pattern construction and learn all about the the bust point and where you'll need to move it on your pattern.

Here are my two favorite books about pattern construction/manipulation:

How to Make Sewing Patterns by Donald H. McCunn features a whole section on changing dart locations.

Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Joseph-Armstrong is a substantial book containing almost everything you'd want to know about making sewing patterns, and has a large section on darts. If you want the book but don't like the high price tag, look for previous editions that contain basically the same information. This is a textbook that is continually revised, and is priced as such.

Lastly, have you heard of BurdaStyle? They have a bunch of free tutorials for sewing techniques (including pattern manipulation) created by staff and users of the site. Check out this fullbust adjustment for princess seams turorial, a trick for natural-looking bust darts, and the staff tutorials on turning darts into princess seams and constructing the basic bodice block.

You know how when you are supposed to be working on a specific project, like say, sewing your costume for a party? And instead all you want to do is make hair accessories? I was caught in that conundrum today. While the task at hand was a last minute outfit, I instead became inspired, and singularly focused, on a little plaid fascinator made from some costume jewelry, a bit of tulle, and a clip. It's so easy, just choose a fabric scrap, sew some ruffles on, add a pin, and glue the whole thing to a clip. Now if only I can think of a costume to go with my new hair piece! Check out a picture of it on my head after the jump.

By Meara O'Reilly, projects intern

Ever since I found out about Brazilian craft cooperative Escama (featured in CRAFT Volume 03, "Pull-Tab Crochet") and saw some of their work at Maker Faire a couple of years ago, I've been on a thread-crocheting kick. I just love the way that the process involves a sort of functional, enterprising spirit (what can I cobble together and how do I invent the stitches to do it?) as well as a really interesting aesthetic.

Once I learned the basic stitches and figured out how to wrap them around just about any object, I was off!

Apart from making this pull-tab wallet for the CRAFT Archive and a few demonstration flowers from the article, I started covering everything I could think of: hoop earings, bracelets, and yup, recycled bra under-wire!

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to secure the ends of my crochet (I've so far used beads and glue on the end of each wire to keep the stitches on) but I love the structure of these bra-wire necklaces and I think somebody could make something really beautiful with the idea -- baby mobiles or lampshades, anyone?

I was shopping for some warm layers recently, and I got tangled up in a tiny dressing room with bad lighting. I accidentally put a loose and draping cardigan sweater on upside down. The funny thing was that it actually looked pretty cute. I was immediately inspired to stop looking for something new, and head home to cut up all my old sweaters and put them on upside down. With a sharp pair of scissors, you can take any sweater and transform it into a totally new shrug. For this tutorial, I used three different sweaters to demonstrate the versatility. The steps are the same, but the results are each one of a kind.

Captain Electric and Battery Boy is a heady fashion project with electronic elements in the clothing that respond to the actions of the wearer. The three dresses in the collection, Itchy, Sticky, and Stiff, each create a different thought provoking paradox. Stiff translates pressure into soothing music, Sticky harnesses the power of the wearers struggle against restraint into blue light. But my favorite, Itchy, makes good use of the agitated fidgets caused by it's purposefully uncomfortable and oversized wool necklaces. With enough fiddling, the kinetic energy powers jewel-like LEDs.

Coilhouse recently ran a roundup of ruff collars full of enough inspiration to get you moving to the ribbon isle at the craft store, plus a collection of awesome how-tos for making your own ruffs. Warning: there's one NSFW fashion image, all the way at the bottom of the page. [Thanks, Gareth!]

Bonnie Burton, our crafty pal over at the official Star Wars blog, shares an interview with Star Wars devotee, Damian Dayton, who customizes his shoes based on his favorite characters from the films. He explains his tips and tricks for making your own. I'm thinking I may need to make a pair of these for my Star Wars-obsessed son, and then .... a pair for myself.

Amy Karol of Angry Chicken shares a quick and easy way to add a simple gather to the back of a blouse for a more form-fitting, formal look.

Rachel spotted a beautiful version of the Ruffle Scarf inspiration I shared for the Me, My Scarf, and I Singer Sewing Challenge. It was created by Sadie Fox, who has the scarf up on her own blog, and posted on Wardrobe ReFashion. Her site has a ton of fun fashion projects with clever recycled and repurposed twists. I love the color she chose for her scarf, it just looks so great on her, and I hope she had a great time wearing it to the musical Wicked! I also hope that you will enter the contest, for a chance to win a Singer Serger.

I think I might need a tutu for halloween. I'm not quite sure what I want to be yet, but I think that about 10,000 yards of tulle will be incorporated. I found many tutu tutorials on the web, but this massive, ultra colorful, punk rock version is exactly what I was looking for. The designer Emi took great photos, wrote clear instructions and makes it look so easy!

[via cutoutandkeep]

CRAFT and MAKE friend Diana Eng a new wearable tech project going on; it looks awesome! The project description:

From October to December 2009, I will be making magical clothes for Fairytale Fashion. These might be clothes that have blooming flowers, living clothes that breathe, change color, transform. And guess what, YOU will be leading the design! Each Monday, FairytaleFashion.org will have a new video that introduces a technology like inflatables, deployable structures, muscle wire and microcontrollers. At the end of each video is a design question. Answer the weekly design questions on our website. I will use your answers to create the Fairytale Fashion. Finally, the finished garments will be presented in a fashion show in early 2010. Fairytale Fashion is produced with the support of Eyebeam.

Handmade clothes are one thing. A handmade dress reminds us that DIY hasn't always been a lifestyle, it used to be just life!

I found this treasure at my local junk store. This vintage piece is almost more art than function at this point. I love all the worn details: the bent and rusted metal neck, the faded blue pattern marking lines, the frayed edges of the canvas.

From Russia, with Love: Cabled Balaclava
By Nikol Lohr

The balaclava, named after the town of Balaclava in Crimea (now Ukraine), was originally worn by Russian soldiers in the Crimean war. While the balaclava retains a military association, it's also well loved by skiers and climbers for its flexibility and warmth. A sort of sock for your head, the balaclava is wonderfully warm and efficient — doing double duty as both hat and scarf in a single garment, without the added bulk and fuss of a separate scarf. It has an opening in the front, which can be stretched to reveal just your eyes, your eyes and nose, or your whole face. The extra length can be folded over to make an extra-warm hat, or you can pop your whole head through the front opening and wear it as a cowl.

The balaclava is a marvelously practical garment that everyone in a cold climate should own. It eliminates the trouble of finding hat and scarf and bundling up like Ralphie if you're just running to the mailbox or walking the dog on a bitter cold day. Of course, the classic black or olive drab balaclava might give you a S.W.A.T./bank robber vibe that you're not really going for — and it might not be the wisest look when you're popping into the corner store for some beer. To shake off the alarm factor, I've made this one in a totally plush sugary pink cashmere blend, with lots of cushy cables for added warmth.

Alice Wrist Warmers
By Vickie Howell

When a professional knitter and a movie critic live in the same household, there's bound to be some crossover. In our house, that convergence takes form as "Movie Mondays" on my blog. Every week I post screenshots of the knitwear I spot in one of the many flicks we're watching — we've become veritable eagle eyes of Silver Screen yarn; my sons even commenting when a beanie or blanket flashes across the television. Recently, while researching Twilight for his movie news website, smellslikescreenspirit.com, my husband came across this photo still of Alice wearing fingerless mitts in the upcoming sequel, New Moon. Enter this project: simple wrist warmers for a complicated girl!

(Photo: Summit Entertainment)

Today the Craft and Make teams held it down at the Great Santa Rosa Hand Car Regatta. The scene along the tracks was controlled chaos, with equal parts corsets and mustaches. Hand built mechanical wonders flew down the tracks, drag race style, and my team and car, the Bumpin' Contraption finished 4th!

Les Claypool announced the races. Children ran rampant on the rail road tracks. Costumes were SO inspiring. Musicians and magicians roamed around. It was like traveling through time to the past and the future simultaneously.

I'm off to pack up the Make Firetruck. Phew! If you were there, share your images in the Craft Flickr pool!

Today we're dipping into our pattern archives to feature one of my favorite hat patterns by the awesome Lee Meredith of leethal.net. (This was first featured back in April 2008.) Make your own short-rows wavy hat. A great way to mix up your favorite yarn colors and reate some great wavy stripes.

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Subscribe to the Leethal Quick Knits Club!
I just got my package for September's "Back to School Knit Set" and I love opening up and playing with all the goodies that Lee packs in each bag. Thank you Lee!

Three month subscriptions are now available starting with the October club, with the sign-up deadline next Thursday on Oct 1st. There's no club in December, so the 3 months will be Oct, Nov, and Jan, and you save $2 per month by subscribing! Find out more about leethal quick knits.

Each club package includes:

• a 15 yard mini-skein of recycled hand-dyed yarn
• a 10 yard mini-skein of spun recycled yarn
• quick knit patterns exclusive to the club*
• any crafty bits called for in the pattern (e.g. buttons)
• extra mystery leethal goodies and/or bits of crafty fun

Brimmed Beanie
By Juliene Ford and Jamie Chan

This brimmed beanie is a fun cap with stylish small brim, different from the hats we typically find ourselves knitting or crocheting each year. Dress it up by adding your own embellishment to it with special stitching or a crochet flower!

Download the PDF for the Brimmed Beanie
(Note: If you are having problems viewing the PDF, please right-click on the link to download the file to your desktop or read directions here.)

About the Authors:

Juliene Ford has been crocheting and designing patterns since 2002. She recently placed in the juried California Creative Arts exhibit at the 2009 California State Fair with a purse that she designed using crochet, knitting, and sewing. Details can be found on her blog, www.stitchify.com.

Jamie Marie Chan is a crafter, shop owner, and educator in San Francisco, Calif. She runs Urban Fauna Studio, San Francisco's only green-certified fiber arts workshop and Mary Jane's Attic an online hand dyed fiber web shop.

Grosgrain has a tutorial for converting regular pants into maternity pants that takes less than half an hour to complete.

Related:
How-To: Maternity Jeans From Regular Jeans and a T-shirt

These Super Mario themed hand-painted fingernails are almost too ridiculous to be true. I love/can't believe the shapes that break the "picture" plane. Via BoingBoing.

BurdaStyle and Bernina are having a contest to see who can make the coolest scarf dress, and the grand prize is a Bernina sewing machine!

Last month, I wrote about the gorgeous dresses Mena of Nested was sewing for herself and her friends to attend the Gatsby Sunday Afternoon event in Oakland, California. She's just posted pictures of the final creations at the event, and they are breathtaking. It looks as though the months of planning and work really paid off!