Be Excellent To Each Other

Does 20 minutes spent chainsawing a thing count as craft?

No? OH NEVER MIND THEN

Coffee table!

niiiiice

You crafted it didn't you? It counts!

Very cool!

I have been asked to get crafty with a kitten in order to make it look like Toothless from the film how to train your dragon. Oh goodness me...! How does one make a kitten keep wings on?!

One doesn't. In my experience putting anything on a kitten will engage reverse gear, then its a game of "Catch the Rapidly Reversing Kitteh so You Can Take the Thing Off Because Now You Feel Bad"

Well yes, there is all that. I imagine that's exactly why I've been asked to make said costume... I shan't be the one putting it on him, that's for sure!

It might be more docile after you rip all its teeth out.

How could you say such a thing?!

Found this today: http://slugsontherefrigerator.com

Really quite a lovely site for crafty bits!

Because Toothless.

Twist! Toothless has teeth!

But only sometimes. So not only will you have to rip the teeth out, you'll have to fashion some sort of pop-up tooth delivery system.

Simply craft this, the JAY-M-L Safe-T-Mog, "An easy way to stop your cat from biting", using mostly nice cheap central locking parts!

Our customers say:

"My cat had teeth, now it doesnt!"
John from Oxford

"This was easy to fit so I had time to learn brain surgery!"
Tim from Aberdeen

"Please help, He's not moving!"
Mary from Brighton

So buy with confidence!

Well. That's the post of the week sewn up!

Like my cat's face

Actu-Lolz!

Totally, and utterly, AMAZEBALLS.

I have just shown the kitten owner - he was fairly amused!

Happy to be of service.

I think we all really need to see the winged kitteh when it happens so remember to take pictures!

Will do!

I may have to, you know, not do the tooth thing though...

Question for the upholstery experts here - I need to re-cover an old Ottoman - should I use the fancy brass/metallic finish tacks that look like drawing pins, or the blued nails?

So for example these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1000PC-Brass- ... 2c72c32a50

or these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110911663860? ... 1439.l2649

Which would hold the fabric the best through years if use?

I'm not so sorried about the appearance, more the durability.

Pom pom yarn is impossible to even cast on; I feel like I'm trying to knit a poodle!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-W2dCzNXc8 ... W2dCzNXc8w

Ta-da!!

Ooh, I've started something else now. I'll try that after though!

I am absolutely chuffed to bits.

When I was living in Burnley and collected my belongings I lost a lot of bits and pieces. I picked up my sewing machine, but all of the accessories apart from the pedal (so, the bobbins, presser feet, etc) were all missing.

The other day I found on eBay a little pouch of machine accessories from a seller who had since got rid of her machine but found the little bag of accessories that used to accompany it. I took a gamble, and they fit my machine, (with the exception of the darning plate, a spare of which I have also found)! All for £7



Anyhoo, now I have a zipper foot as well as zig-zag and straight stitch foot, so I was able to inset some xips and make a couple of little project bag box pouches:




And check out the fabric for this one, with some sexy zip action!





Anyway, yay for sewing machine

They are super! Here's what I am doing currently, making shelves fun!

How do you get your seams so straight meems? Is there a trick to it, or is it just practice?

I don't know to be honest. I've been able to sew straight since the first time I used a sewing machine. Shocked my gran a bit as she was a seamstress and took years if practice. I think I just have very steady hands and good hand/eye co-ordination.

That said, you can get something called a seam guide (the little doodad levelled F) that means you butt the fabric up to the edge on the right. It doesn't fit my machine as there's no hole on the bobbin plate. It might fit yours though! I'll bring it to the cottage in case, as it won't get used. Wouldn't help with sewing things like zips I guess, but might be of use.

Mali, they are great. You should make one with sheet music of the song you had for your first dance.

Sorted it now, thank you. X

Duh, must need pics of pompon knitting!

I'm trying to teach myself to sew, and so before letting myself loose on the fabric I bought with Jazzy in Wales I picked up a bag of scraps and offcuts for £1 at a local shop. Two of those bits were of matching fabric that showed a nice negative version of the design when reversed, plus there was a piece of plain coordinating fabric in the bag, too, so I knocked up this bag. Cost a grand total of 50p. Now emboldened to finally try with some fabric I bought on that holiday. Going to use a pattern for the first time in my life and EVERYTHING.

That bag is gorgeous, made me really want to have a go now!

Pompom knitting so far;

That looks so squishy! Is it fun to knit with?

What is porn porn knitting?

It sounds kinky.

The first couple of rows were tricky, but I was getting used to handling it and learning, after that it is stupidly easy to use. I bet if I had full evenings I could make a scarf in two. That photo was taken within about 45 mins of me picking the needles up.

I think it would have been easier to cast on with smaller needles (I used 3.5mm) but when you've started it makes no difference.

I think if I were to use the full size pom pom's I'd like to make something like a jacket.

So yeah, fun. (And super soft and squidgy)

I have finished my jumper

Russ will look awesome in that.

I'm getting my own, this is all for Mimi.

Lovely.

Yes, he picked the pattern and yarn himself. Hopefully both should arrive in the next day or two.

er, let's ignore that I am still only 50% of the way through Russell's jumper...

I thought I should learn to sew and over the last couple of days have just made my first ever non-bag sewn thing. I made a blouse.



Obviously the next pic looks really posed (it's for my blog, and my hand is behind my back as the camera has a remote control) but I am pretty pleased with the blouse on.



Next time I shall try something with a bit more bust shaping so it doesn't make my boobs look huge, but I am really chuffed with the collar, which I made in a contrast fabric, and the sleeves, which I redrafted completely and so redesigned the sleeve cap, changed the length and added a little contrast cuff to match the collar.

I chose the fabric from a craft show I went to with Jazzy and Russell, and I chose it because it made me think of Rusell's grandad, who was in the navy (it has little anchors all over it.)

Anyway, wheeeeeee

That's amazing Mimi! I'm constantly amazed at the skill you have, every time you post something that you've made I'm astounded that you've basically managed to create something beautiful from nothing.

Well, I didn't sew much after that top (wedding stuff kind of took over I guess), but these past few weeks I have got my old replacement machine out (the first blouse I did ended with my old sewing machine breaking) and I have been trying to incrementally teach myself a few things about fabric, sewing skills and finishes and fit. Saturday evening/Sunday morning I made a dress:



I even put a little lace collar on it which I embellished with a few pale pink pearls to complement the light pink in the checkered fabric.



I need a slightly lower cut top underneath to not show above the neckline, but it would have been a bit too chilly to go out without sleeves yesterday. I'm very happy with it so I'm going to try a wool-blend yellow based tartan shift dress next.

I haven't made anything in ages! Although next weekend I will be attempting to make my 1st year wedding anniversary gift for the Mrs, as she is away and I have time on my hands.

Bloody hell, a year?

Not till the end of November, but yes!

Make her a dress: I have leftover fabric and then we can be dress twins.

I hope that you show us what you make, and put it on your blog. I have commented on your blog a little while ago, to ask where your posts have been. Sharpen up, Trooper.

Or... I have enough fabric left over from that dress for you to make ties for most of the people on here. Then we can start some kind of vocal group where we all match.

I wonder if the second bottle of skittles vodka has mellowed yet