Chainmaille Dice Pouch

This was another odds and ends project.  A few years back, I bought some chainmaille links on eBay to play around with and make some jewellery and such.  Well, I did make some lovely pieces, and found, once those were done, that I had some links left over.  But there weren't enough to make a necklace or bracelet or anything.

But there were enough to make a tiny bag.  And so I did.  I do not recall the guage or size of the rings, though 5/8 inch sounds right.  They are lightweight aluminum, and not my finest work, but not bad for something made at 2 am in a UConn dorm room with a couple of pairs of dollar store pliers.  I got some real pretty blisters with those babies.

General note of crafting advise - unless working with very delicate materials, for most projects that need pliers (ie jewelery), it is cheaper to get them from the hardware store or even a place like Target.  They are the same as the ones in the craft store, just not in frilly pink packaging.  If you need silicone tip pliers or something, you might have to suck it up and shop at the craft store, though.

Anyway, the weave I used is a European 6-1, with 9 rows, and then some connecting pieces at the bottom.  It was not a true circular bottom, by any means, but is tight and fairly neat.  If anyone is interested in learning chainmaille, it is really easier then it looks.  There are many excellent tutorials out there.  Perhaps when I get a bit of motivation I will post some directions and patterns for items myself. 

This pouch is only about 1.5 by 2 inches, and strung at the top with a scrap of fuzzy fabric that has held up surprisingly well.  I am (again) a huge dork, and use mine to carry dice for gaming.  Confession time: I had to go out and buy special tiny dice so the whole set would fit in the bag...and it was absolutely worth it. 

For the less D&D minded, it could potentially be strung on a necklace, or used to carry any small items - change, marbles, a spare key, I don't know, I'm just throwing things out there!

If you don't mind some hand cramps, this is a great little project.  The supplies may be a bit tough to get ahold of, though eBay and many websites have a wide selection of all shapes, sizes, colors, etc of maille rings.  Some craft store chains such as AC Moore are now carrying craft-weight rings as well, in many fun colors.  I do not personally find them a great deal, or a fantastic product.  They bend and scratch the color off VERY easily, as well as dent.  I am afraid they would not hold up well over time.  They do make great color accents for pieces, though!  For my money, I would say go with a reputable online retailer.

How to Crochet a Circular Expansion (Crochet in the Round)

As promised, today I will have a quick interlude and do a simple rundown of the directions for a crochet circular expansion.  This is literally just crocheting in a circle.  It has a thousand uses, from hats to amigurumi animals and such, to catnip toys and purses.  And, best of all, it is an incredibly easy skill to master.  It does involve some basic math skills, but can be done with multiples of any number.  I like to use 6 because it is a nice, even number, but you can switch it around once you've mastered it!

So, to begin, pick any sort of yarn and any crochet hook.  This is just practice, so it doesn't really matter.  Honestly, I would use a heavier yarn at first, so that you can easily see and count your stitches.  You can also use a stitch marker if that is easier for you!

Round 1: Chain one and single crochet (sc) into it. (6 stitches)
R2: SC twice in each stitch. (12 stitches)
R3: SC twice, SC in next stitch, repeat 6 times (18 stitches)
R4: SC twice, SC in next two stitches, repeat 6 times (24 stitches)
R5: SC twice, SC in next three stitches, repeat 6 times (30 stitches)

Etc, etc, etc, until the circle is desired size.  A word of caution: as the circle gets bigger, the spots where you SC twice, causing corners to be established.  This can be lessened by changing up where in the order of stitches you place the doubled stitch.  It takes a bit of extra counting and practice, but if you are doing a large circle, it is worth it.

This same pattern can also be applied to any other stitch.  It can be done in double crochet, half double crochet, whatever.  It will work just as well for all of them.  You can also experiment and change up the number of starting stitches.  You can do multiples of fives, tens, fourteens, etc.  Play around with it and have fun!  I'll post some projects using this expansion over the next few weeks, so stop back and try them out!  I would love to see some of your designs!

Renaissance Snood...forty-seventh attempt...

Well, maybe not forty-seventh, but it sure feels like it sometimes.  I have scoured the web for directions on making my own fancy snood, and have never turned up anything with merit.  For those who are not as big a geek as I am, a snood is a sort of medieval or renaissance hair net thingy, but without the negative lunch lady qualities.

The first time I tried, I didn't know how to crochet in the round, so I made a great big triangle, and sewed it up the side.  It came out as a far-too0tight cone.  Hideous.

The next few tries ended up in the trash as I used either difficult yarn or a bad technique and got them hopelessly tangled.

Finally, I gave up on the full-head look, and just made a fancy bun cover.  It came out nice and all, but wasn't really what I wanted.

So, after seeing the size of the gaps and such when I crocheted the Yarn Bag of Yarn (found here) I thought I might be on to something, and decided to give it ONE more try.

And it came out decent.  Still not amazing, but better then I thought.

I don't actually know what kind of yarn I used for this, as it was just plucked from the scrap bin.  I believe it was some form of Holiday sparkle something or other.  It has a thick strand of white, and a thin strand of a silver metallic thread.  The bulk of the snood was done on a US size Q hook.  It ended up being a fairly simple pattern.

I started with a chain of three, single crocheted two in each of those, so I had six, then started the double crochets that made up the body.  I did a simple circular expansion (I know, I keep using this and never explaining it!  I will do a simple tutorial for it tomorrow!)  The expansion went on for 7 rounds, adding 6 onto each round, so at the end, there were 42 double crochets.  I did a round of single crochet, then switched to a US size K hook and single crocheted two more rounds.

Confession time:  I have been crocheting for about ten years now, and it has only just occurred to me to try switching between hook sizes in a single project.

The finished project is a bit flimsy, but I think that is more from my rushing through it and not bothering to tighten everything up then anything.  Now, to make it really fancy, I want to try to make one following the same idea, but with only single crochet, and add beads onto it.

I'll post it when I actually get around to that one!!

EASY Renaissance Overskirt

This lovely skirt is actually far more odd then it may look.  For one, it's one of the few sewing projects I have done entirely by hand.  Conveniently, it was so very easy that none was needed.  It also is made out of some unconventional materials.

The skirt fabric itself is actually a pair of cheap round tablecloths that I bought a few years ago on clearance after Christmas.  I think they cost me all of fifty cents a piece.  They are also a good part of why this project was so quick and simple.  Most of the work was already done.  I folded each of the tablecloths into quarters, and cut the pointed end.  I didn't have to worry to much about the waistband circumference, as the skirt isn't meant to come all the way together in front.  Instead, I cut the tablecloths so that they were the length I wanted, with one a few inches shorter than the other.  Once the waist was cut, I also cut a slit from the edge to the enter, to create the center front of the skirt where it opens.

The next step is the part that took the longest.  I sewed a quick basting stitch to the bottom layer and gathered the fabric to give the skirt some body.  The top layer was trickier, as I wanted it to be neat and pleated.  The pleats took a bit of time and a lot of pinning, but once they were set, the rest was a breeze.  For the less experienced or less patient seamstress, both layers could be basted together and gathered for a similar but slightly less polished look.

Confession time: I have a very bad habit of cutting corners when sewing is involved.  Sometimes it is okay, but other times it is very, very not.

Luckily for me, this was one of the good times.  I laid the top layer over the bottom layer, and pinned the waistband over them both.  To save time from cutting and ironing, I used blanket edging as the waistband.  It worked fantastically, and I highly recommend it.  A bit of careful sewing through the many layers of bunched fabric, and the waist was done.

For a finishing touch, I turned the front edges of the bottom layer and stitched them, then did the same with the top.  On the top layer I also pinned and stitched the lace trim on at the same time, again, to cut some corners and just do the one line of stitches.

I didn't have to hem anything, because the tablecloths were already finished around the bottom edges.

Start to finish, this skirt took about five hours, or one long afternoon.  Not bad, really.  Plus, with the cost of the trim and all, it was under fifteen dollars to make.  Given the extreme cost of some Renaissance garb, I got off really cheap on that account.  It pays to be able to whip up a few stitches!

Yarn bag of Yarn

Ever have a ball or two of scrap yarn or practice yarn hanging about taking up space?  How about those weird colors that you just can't figure out what to do with?  My solution: the yarn bag of yarn.  It actually serves multiple purposes.

1. It uses up all those random bits and balls of scrap yarn you have hanging about in a productive way.
2. It lets you practice a skill that you want to perfect for a more meaningful project without worrying over screwing it up too badly.
3. It helps you organize all of those other random balls of yarn you have hanging out under the bed, or in that purse by the stairs, or stuffed in the desk drawer.

Confession time: I compulsively buy yarn.  If I am at the craft store and see some on clearance, I cannot help but buy it, especially if it is some funky specialty kind.  I figure I will find a project to do with it.

However, this habit has led to a craft cabinet full to bursting with mismatched, half-wrapped balls of yarn.  Recently, though, I was completing a project that required seven different colors of yarn (See The Doctor's Scarf).  Since I do most of my knitting at work, it was a pain to shove that much yarn in my purse, or to try to remember which colors I would need for the day.  In order to rectify that problem, I decided to take some yarn left from a few abandoned projects, and make a great big bag to carry my many colors of yarn in.

The bag itself was made using a size N crochet hook, and a strand each of black and green Red Heart Super Saver yarn.  It's a sturdy, if not super soft yarn, which is fine for a bag to lug other stuff around in.  The main issue that I have with it is that it is coarse and dry, and as such, sucks the oils from my hands while I work.  I have to apply lotion fairly often, though that can make my hook slip! 

In any case, I made the center section first, using a basic circular expansion, with the bottom done in single crochet and the sides done in double.  It's about ten inches in diameter and a foot and a half long.

Done with that section, I still had yarn left over, so I switched to a smaller hook, size H, I believe, and made the side pockets the same way, just smaller in proportion.  The pockets were done with a single strand of color.  They are about 5 inches in diameter and maybe 8 long.  I sewed them to the sides of the center section, a few inches from the bottom, using a simple yarn needle.  I did not sew the pockets all the way to their tops.  I left about an inch detached from the body of the bag, to give it a little more style, and so I could add a drawstring more easily.

The hardest part of this was the strap.  I made a basic shoulder strap, about two feet long and two inches wide, with the N Hook, in double crochet.  However, the bag being as long as it is, and the strap stretching easily with the large weave it was done in presented some problems when actually using the bag.  I am not a tall person, and it dragged almost to the floor.  I have had to tuck and tie the strap in creative ways in order to make it work.

The nice part about this project is that it can easily be altered to fit one's needs, tastes, and amount of yarn.  Pockets can be added or removed.  The length or width of the center section can be adjusted with ease.  It can also be done in different stitches.  Try all single crochet to make it hold shape better, or switch between double and half double to give it some texture and pattern.

One finishing detail that I slipped in was a simple drawstring about an inch from the top of the center section as well as the side pockets.  Now I can shove all of my spare balls of yarn and crochet string in the bag, slip it closed, and toss it on a shelf without having to worry about the balls going bouncing all over and being set upon by the cats!  Not bad for a project that took a single evening from conception to completion!

Cuddly Couture

I like to call this one the "Going to Grandma's" skirt.  I do not have any kids, so instead, I have a rather silly dachshund.  She's about two years old now, and is smaller than our cats.  Since she only weighs about 10 pounds, she shivers and shakes if the temperature falls below sixty.  It's really quite pathetic.

And as it turns out, doggie clothes are somewhat pricey.  Twenty bucks for a sweater that's the size of a glorified sock?  I think not.  So shortly after I became a doggie mommy, I also became a doggie fashion designer.  I've knitted a few sweaters and such, that came out okay, but not great.  However, in the summer even my little weinie dog doesn't need to stay that warm.

Confession time: I dress up my dog because it's just frickin cute, and if that makes me a ridiculous Paris Hilton-esque dog fancier, so be it.

A few weeks ago, we were going to my fiancee's mother's house for Mom's Day, and being that she adores her 'grand-doggy,' I decided last minute to dress her up.

Usually, making very small clothes is actually fairly difficult.  This skirt, however, was a snap.  I took a foot-wide strip of lace fabric from the scrap box, and just folded it over, leaving the bottom layer a bit longer than the top.  This provided the tiered tutu look I was going for.  One seam up the fold, and the machine sewing was done.

The toughest part was threading the elastic through the waistband.  Since the fabric was lace, the elastic kept getting stuck on the holes, or pushed right through.  I ended up up digging out a crochet hook and pulling the elastic through with it.  It still wasn't the easiest, but it did the job.  A quick few stitches joining the elastic, and it was done.

I think getting it on my poor lil pooch took longer than making it in the first place!

Tiaras!!!

So a few months back I got this fantastic, amazing, wonderful idea to make and sell some jewellery.  I figured some gals (or guys) at cons or ren faires might enjoy some sparkly things that were not crazy expensive.  So I went out to my local craft megastore and hit up the clearance racks, and found some neat trinkets and such, and decided instead of turning them into the earrings they were meant to be, that they should be tiaras instead.

Well, I made the actual beaded parts and all using some wire cutters and basic findings along with some Crystazzi beads and round-nosed pliers.

And then put them in a box and forgot about them for a while because I didn't have any ribbon hanging around that they could be strung on.

I finally, FINALLY went out and got a few colors of ribbon, and strung them up yesterday, and I am really rather pleased with how they came out.  The pictures don't really do the sparkle justice.

Anyway, I figure they can be worn as necklaces or as circlets and are really just simple, fun little bits of jewellery.  They were a blast to make, and provided some instant gratification.  They took maybe ten minutes a pop!

Confession time: I had a really hard time parting with some of these!  I am totally keeping like 4 of them for myself because I just couldn't decide which one I loved the most!

Also, if anyone is interested in owning one, I have these and many, many more in other colors and a few other designs.  Let me know!

Edit: Check the link if you want to check them out!  Sparkly TIARAS!!!

The Doctor's Scarf

My first project on the block to be finished also happened to be one of the most infamous accessories in the sci-fi world.  Of course, I started this project in the dead of a bitter Connecticut winter, and finished just about when the weather is turning 90.  Figures. 

Confession time: I am a huge, gigantic, ridiculous geek.  In that vein, I decided to try my hand at knitting the lovely, longer-than-necessary Doctor Who scarf.  When I first started this project, I was somewhat embarrassed about the incredible dorkiness of it.  I dreaded people who didn't know me well asking what I was making, and usually just replied with a simple, 'Oh, a really long scarf.'  Later, I admitted and usually explained what it was, and insisted it was "for a friend" who asked for it.  Lies, damn lies, all of it.  To the ladies at work, and the fellows on the bus, my apologies.  It's a Doctor Who scarf, all for me, which I shall gleefully wear next winter in full geek pride. 

Tom Baker sported this look for a number of years on the show, in some incarnation or another.  Much like The Doctor himself, this poor old scarf has been re-done a few times over.  The version I chose was the original, which looked something like this...

Being a hip chick, though, and being frugal at that, I chose not to match the colors exactly.  I am sure that some purists of the show would hang me with my freshly finished scarf for such a heinous crime, but I'm choosing not to concern myself with that for now.  Instead of the rather masculine colors the real scarf is, I matched as best I could with some brighter, perkier shades, from the Carron Simply Soft line.

I am a big fan of this yarn, and not just because it is kind to my budget.  It's sturdy, silky, and has a pleasing sheen to it.  It also does not knot badly, likely due to the silkiness of it, and doesn't get stringy or fuzzy when being knitted.  Plus, as it's name suggests, it is lovely and soft to the touch.

To anger the purists further, or in truth, for the sake of time, I did not use as tight a weave as the real scarf.  I used some excellent US 10 needles, and it came out fine, in my opinion.  It breathes a bit, but holds shape quite well.  It ended up being around 15 feet long, which means it has to be wrapped quite a few times about the neck so it doesn't drag on the ground.  It was worked in a simple garter stitch the whole way. 

Honestly, the hardest part was remmbering which colors came next so I brough the right balls of yarn to work with me for the day.  I am lucky enough to have a job that affords me some time now and again to get some crafting done, and I have accrued a few lovely knitting lady companions there, to my joy.  It was somewhat frustrating to think I had grabbed the brown yarn from my knitting box only to find it was the green I took.  At six in the morning, when the dog is running in circles to go out, it's easy to get them mixed up!

In all, I am quite happy with how my Doctor Who scarf came out.

While this was a large and time-consuming project, it was not actually difficult.  The stitch was simple and was something I had already mastered.  Now I just have to figure out what to do with the yarn left over from the project!  If anyone out there is interested in one of these beauties for themself, I would be happy to help a fellow crafter and fan!  There are some great resources out there for patterns and specific details!



Starting a Project

I have started so, so, so many projects and just never gotten around to finishing them.  Confession time: I have two full bins in my closet filled with half-knitted scarves, partially-sewn dresses, and cross stitching so far gone that I've lost the thread that goes to the pattern.

They aren't all in there because they were bad or boring or coming out wrong.  They just fell to the wayside as they are wont to do.  But not anymore.  I vow to finish the unfinished projects, learn the stitches that I never bothered to, and be more patient with the brilliant creative ideas that turn out to be less amazing than originally planned.  I will stop using bad shortcuts that end up taking far more time then was worth it.  And I will find new, fun ways to get outside the pre-packaged kit.

Starting with a few scarves that have been stuffed into the bottom of a packing box.