Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Father's day Craft

Any ideas for Father's Day? I've been looking through books and patterns...

Always popular - a string picture of a vintage car.
A ceramic flute?













This fun little book of gifts belonged to my Grandma Tum and I spied a couple of great gifts in here...



 including a crocheted spectacle case..








and what every Dad needs - a crocheted record carrier.

Perhaps you can see Dad wearing this crocheted singlet? Or is a monnogrammed hankerchief more his style?

The Dad in this house is getting a garland of these.

Crocheted chillis. Are you making something for Dad?

Thursday, August 25, 2011

wilful waste makes woeful want

So says the Scottish proverb. Or, if you like, more simply - waste not, want not.
 The sister outlaws hate seeing something go to waste. So in our process of recycling jumpers for our re-sew-cool kits, we have to cut out and discard the seams.  I kept thinking I could do something with them and started collecting them.

I discovered that if you hot wash them again in batches (I pop them in an old pillow slip and seal it with a rubber band so they don’t get too tangled) they come out really strong and neater in appearance. 
When my craft queen friend Sue came to visit, her eyes shone when she saw them! She suggested I could crochet them together.



Once I had this big basket of seams, I began to sew them together. As a fan of random colour combinations, I tried not to blend the colours together too much.



Yesterday I got down to the business of crocheting and I must say it was quite a physical work out to crochet this thick stuff on a big hook!I'm attempting an oval rug for the kids room.




So far so good but I think I'll unpick the last few rows and try and keep the shape more regular. The seams vary in thickness and I'm just shaping as I go. The rug is small now but I know the outlaw stash will have more many seams for me!
  
posted by Julianne Sister Outlaw

Monday, August 22, 2011

I heart crocheted collars!



This collar is from the same Shara Lambeth Design's pattern as the sugar skull collar in the last post. To make it small enough to fit four year old Pepper, I used 20g crochet cotton and a 2.50mm hook.

The hearts are from embroidery thread and I made up the pattern.Not sure I'm happy with it and am looking forward to Shara posting a heart pattern soon!!!

The heart pattern is:

5 ch sl st to form a ring.12 ht into the ring.
3 chain then a dt into the same stitch, tr in next stitch, ht in following 3 stitches, then ht,tr,ht, into the next stitch (to be the point of the heart) then a ht in each 3 following stitches, tr in next stitch, dt in next stitch, 3 ch into same stitch (to match the other side)
sl st into centre stitch then dc around the whole heart except for at the point where I did a dc, ht, dc.

***I'm a novice at this crochet caper so my patterns may be a bit unconventional! Hope it makes sense. Here's the pattern for the sugar skull toggles in last week's blog post...

Crochet Sugar Skull Pattern:
I've used cotton and I've used four ply wool to make little 4.5 cm (1.5 inch) long skulls
5 chain then sl st to form a ring then 6 ht into the ring 2 ch turn ht in same stitch

2 ht in each stitch following (12 ht in all counting first 2 chain as a ht)
You then have a semi circle. 1 chain then 4 dc across the bottom of the semi circle. I use this opportunity to dc in the end from the starting point then it’s less sewing in later!)

2 chain then 1 ht in each around the semi circle.

Then sl st in 2 across the bottom edge of semi circle 2 chain and ht in same st followed by 3 ht across


3 ch and turn 3 tr across
then 1 ch, turn and 3 dc across and fo 


To decorate the face, daisy stitch the eyes and use a satin long stitch for the nose. 


I've got about 20 faces to stitch then I'm hoping to starch these to be Day of the Dead ear rings. I've made some from wool but love the ones from cotton the best!


posted by Julianne Sister outlaw

Friday, August 19, 2011

Thanks Shara Lambeth!



I made this using a pattern, generously posted on Shara Lambeth Designs!
I added sugar skull toggles at the request of my daughter, Hazel, who is 16. I have been crocheting these skulls lately to make ear rings so they are lying about the place in pairs. Next I'm trying the collar with pink love heart toggles, as requested by Pepper who is 4 years old and loves anything pink or sweet. Micmac, who is 18 years old, has requested a collar with cat head toggles (!) and Wanda, also 4, wants toggles crocheted to look like Jessie from Toy Story. When she saw my eyebrows rise up at that request, she looked at me and said, "Come on! It will be easy."

It took several tries to get the sugar skull pattern right. Will post the pattern and a bit of a photo tutorial later...but for now - the sun is shining!!!We're off to the creek for a picnic!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

craft crime 2


"Many people tend to think rather vaguely of seeds as small round things which you push into the soil in the Spring" So says the "Golden Hands Encylopedia of Crafts". Well yes.The book then continues with "Handle them and you will begin to see their potential" Yes. Potential dinner.

Seed craft. I just don't get it. I can try to see the retro cool in the tones of browns and oranges but really, I just see lentils. I see food waste! I see bobbly dust collecting textures - I see craft crime!!!
In the case of this portrait in seeds, well I just see super creepy craft crime!
But perhaps I hadn’t considered this- practical seed craft. Well. That makes all the difference doesn’t it? Well...not really. I charge seed craft with CRAFT CRIME! What says the jury? Guilty?




















posted by Julianne Sister Outlaw
 

Sunday, August 14, 2011

confession

Well I have to confess - I have an addiction. It’s starting to impact on my life. It's stopping me from leaving the house. It’s affecting my parenting. It makes me cry everyday. My teenage kids are too embarrassed to bring their friends home anymore. 
You see, I’m obsessed with Dolly Parton.
The kids say each day when they come home from school I ignore them because I’m at the computer either watching Dolly on Youtube(and shedding a tear), or I'm searching ebay for the right blonde wig.
But who can blame me? Who can ignore the purity of that voice? The open honest dimpled smile? The sharp intellect? The songwriting genius? Who can fail to be impressed that she can fingerpick the guitar with nails that long? And who could not admire the hair?








I particularly love the Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton duets. The sweet kindness in Porter’s voice combined with the soaring ease of Dolly’s harmonies and the heartbreaking hope and good nature of the songs. Well, it’s enough to bring a tear to anyone’s eye!



Yes, I have my ticket for the concert. I’ll be wearing a red spangly seventies dress with silver beading, high neck and long puffed sleeves finished off with huge cuffs. Loretta Lynne eat your heart out. I'll also be adding a big white hair piece to my short white blonde hair. You know the joke? Someone asked Dolly how long it takes to do her hair and she answered “How would I know? I’m not there when they do it!”
I’ll resist bombarding the blog with youtube videos of Dolly in her youth (although I think you should check out her first appearance on the Porter Wagoner show singing her big hit from 1967 "Dumb Blonde") but as this is a recycling focused craft blog, I have to show you this. Dolly Parton singing “"Coat of Many Colors" about her Mama making her a coat from the rags. Now. Tell me you can watch that and not weep!


What was that kids?? You're starving? Just hang on a minute... I'll be here soon, just one more song...
posted by Julianne Sister outlaw

Friday, August 12, 2011

Short term vs long term

Which do you prefer? The short term craft fling? Or the long term craft commitment?

Yes, the craft one or two night stand has certain attractions, thrills and excitements. No strings attached (unless of course it’s knitting, stitch work or crochet!)and it doesn’t infringe on your life (unless you are of course making fringing).

You can learn something new! Get a fresh idea! See the end in sight! No need to linger on it, ponder on it – just get it done and dusted! Thrilling!Feeling pretty pleased with yourself right?


But can you go past the ever faithful long term craft project? The project that, even when you have stuffed it in a cupboard or plastic tub out the back, still unfurls all its charm and promise just for you?
The craft that may require more toil but brings with it more rewards than the fleeting highs and lows of a crafternoon fling?

Working on it is like slipping on your slightly worn but most comfortable boots.


You feel the right “fit” and you start up where you left off. 


                                                                               Craft commitment has it’s challenges too –keeping your eyes on the overall goals, staving off the boredom of the domestic every day. Sometimes, so familiar, you take it for granted and don’t realise a problem can arise just a row or two into the future!


But whatever happens, you know it is there for you, for as long as it takes, for as long as you want it to take.

When the flings are all over and your tired from the roller coaster ride of learning new tricks, soaring on the heights of completion endorphins and the lows of post craft completion blues, the long term craft is there waiting. You can snuggle up for the evening and continue like you’ve never been apart.
Well, I don't know about you, but this crafter needs a bit of both!This week I have dragged out the latch hook rug made from recycling jumper seams.I started it late last year. It's for my teenage daughter’s room – but let’s face it. There’s hardly a floor space in there anyway!
It’s so relaxing to be working on something simple, methodical, deadline free and easy!
And I'm not monogamous in my long term crafting – I also have my crochet pants made up of several flower squares. 10 made so far – only 90 to go. We’ll be together for the long haul.

Images from golden hands encyclopedia of craft
posted by Julianne Sister outlaw