Monday 23 September 2013

Altered Mini-Suitcase to Nail Polish Storage Case

I altered a dollar store cardboard mini suitcase into a box to hold my nailpolish. I covered it using a wrinkled Taiwanese newspaper my son sent me which was used to wrap a breakable item. The dragonflies are images I found, printed and painted using watercolours, then I applied glitter to the wings.  Everything was set into place using Mod Podge.


My son had a seal made with my name on it, and that is stamped in the lower left hand corner. Seals are used to 'sign' your name on official documents in China and Taiwan, and no two are alike, even if you have the same full name as a thousand people. Fun fact!

I told my son that I chose to believe that the Chinese writings were all thought provoking or spiritual articles, but it's actually the classified section and contains ads for iPhones and Honda Civics. Ha!

Wednesday 18 September 2013

Altered Stationery Box Turned Sewing Stash Box




My son gave me a boxed set of stationery eons ago, and I have a thing for boxes and save everything he's ever given me, so this box sat empty in a drawer for over a decade.

I've recently fallen in love with altered art in all its forms, so it was only a matter of time before I remembered the existence of this box, and tried my hand at turning it into a useful item.




The image of the ladies came from a photocopy of an Advantage sewing pattern from the early 1960s and was printed using an office laser printer (Shhh!), and the embellishments were items I gathered up from my sewing stash.

I haven't quite decided it I've achieved maximum overkill with all the elements I've added because I tend to keep things simple, but it's growing on me.

I keep it on end table within reach of where I sit on my couch and it's filled with the items I am constantly in need of when I'm hand sewing, because I'm too lazy to run a flight of stairs to retrieve them.

Here's the before shot:


Saturday 14 September 2013

Cables & Lace Knit Cardi

I found this sweater while browsing patterns on Ravelry and wanted to knit it. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the pattern itself, so I decided to write my own pattern based on the existing design.  You can find my pattern by clicking this link:  Cables & Lace Cardi Pattern

Be warned that this is only the third pattern I have developed, and there may be some typos or mistakes in there.  I have done my best to avoid errors, I can't guarantee it's perfectly composed.

If you knit this sweater and find a mistake, please let me know by way of comment here, and I'll correct it.

I'm going to try and get better photos one of these days...

Hand Knit Wee Baby Uggs


These measure 4 1/2 inches from heel to toe.  Knit for sale at my Etsy Shop.  Buy my Uggs!

Tuesday 10 September 2013

Criss Cross Baby Shoes

I knit an updated version of Baby Jane shoes which are apparently popular among moms these days.  They're in my Etsy shop. 

Will someone please buy all my stuff?!?!




Friday 6 September 2013

Mary Jane Baby Shoes

I'm still powering through this leftover blush pink cotton and still wishing I had a baby girl around to put inside of the finished items.

Alas, these go into my Etsy shop but have given me pleasure while I knit them.  Each stitch was knit with a good thought of the wee one who will one day be trying to kick them off.