Posts tagged ‘community’

I am simplifying my palette for my Templeton line and Crafty Mart this year. Trial and error has convinced me that I had overshot what I make and mostly left buyers confused as to what it is I offer at my booth. So this year I am making many of the same items, but only using men’s clothing fabrics that I have upcycled.

I have made flower pins many times in the past, and even made a tutorial on it. But this time I did box pleating and cinched it in the center, which I think makes a fabulous flower shape I hadn’t achieved before. I also have some other broach shapes I’m experimenting with. I haven’t decided if they are turning out or not, so no pictures at this time.

I have some other ideas brewing, this week is a big making week, so you’ll see how they’re turning out in a few more days.

Here is my awesome Elise, modeling her big sister Olivia’s witch costume. I had so many ideas for how to sew this costume, but in the end, Olivia’s opinion had to win out. She wanted the basic black, broom carrying, hat wearing witch, and I had to push for the frilly tutu. I didn’t want to make just a plain black frock.

It ended up being a good challenge though. I had to sew with stretch velvet for the first time. It wasn’t as hard as I feared, once I got going. Gotta love my serger! We’ll be trick or treating twice this weekend, so this should get some good use. And I made the velvet top separate, so we can use it as a church outfit shirt later. I love the irony of wearing a witch costume to church.

The other two girls are wearing clothes from the dress up box. That was a blessing since I’ve been working on the basement so much I haven’t had a lot of sewing time.

So what are your plans for the weekend? Any moms or dads dressing up? If all goes well, I might have a costume for myself to post here, too.

I know you’re excited. I’m excited because Crafty Mart is my favorite local event of the whole year. I love seeing the creativity that North East Ohio has to offer, and I love feeling that electric vibe right in Downtown Akron.

All the details are the same as before. Awesome work for local artists and crafters, for sale to you on November 13th, from 10am to 5pm at Musica downtown. If you come later rather than early the bar is open, too, which makes for extra fun while browsing.

I’ll be there as Templeton Goods as well as representing Craft Akron. Which will be fun because I get to do the two things I like best: sell stuff I really like made from repurposed clothing, and teach people how to make some very cute, very quick crafts. Do come. I can speak for all the vendors- the more the merrier!

If you’re an Akronite, or a surrounding-areaite, please come downtown to support the runners. I’ll be down there running in the half marathon, and there will be a few thousand other runners, too.

After I recover from being a total crampy, achy, grouchy noodle I will be sure to make some really super crafts.

Yes, I know swappiness is not a word, but it makes for a good title and that’s all that matters.

I was showing off some of the knitty goodness from my Stitch and Bitch’s Birthday Swap in my previous post. The owl cowl has made repeat appearances this week as the weather has changed a bit. And I’m also 2/3s done with some fingerless mitts made with Moonlight Fibers 100% Baby Alpaca, also gifted to me  from Stacey. Looking around that site makes me want to road trip!

But this post is really about the books. I stalked Amy’s Amazon wishlist to see if there were any books she’d love to have. I assumed that she would have books on there that I wanted to have myself, and I was right. Sew Retro is right up my alley. It was combination pattern book/inspiration book. Looking through the pages before I wrapped it up I found myself really wanting to wear aprons and sew a tea length skirt.

In my gift bag I found this history of the Ohio Knitting Mills book. The book had patterns and everything. It actually has some very complex patterns in it, things I wish I knew how to knit, which is why it makes such a great gift. The Ohio Knitting Mills site and store also sell vintage knits, so I might also want to road trip up there. I would buy this sweater.

Last Wednesday was our akron Stitch n Bitch group’s annual birthday swap. Our group has this fantastic way of spoiling each other, all at once. Rather than trying to remember to gift one another on our birthdays through out the year, we all sign up for the swap in September and celebrate everyone at once. Amy was my swap partner, which meant that I knitted and gifted for her. I made this circular knitted pillow with a silk reverse pillow for her gift because I loved the pattern (available on Ravelry here, you just need to sign up for a free account).

The way the swap worked, though, Amy did not knit for me. Stacey did, which was a boon for me, since she excels at the “owl cowl.” The first time I met Stacey she was wearing her own owl cowl and I was so jealous. Jealous not only of her cowl, but of her skills, since she made it herself. Well, she couldn’t gift me her skills, but she did make me my own owl cowl, in my favorite colors, too! Can’t you see on my face that I really love it?

After our Book Swap on Saturday, my family went to Art on the Square with Colleen and her family. There were quite a few craft vendors there, some food vendors (we had yummy wasabi sliders from somewhere, but I forgot the name. Sorry!) and live music on mulitple stages.

We were walking down the street, enjoying the weather, when I saw one of my favorite local Makers: Toony Jewelry. I keep running into Barbara and her wares ever since my first time vending at Oddmall where she was my booth neighbor. I have picked up, put down, and picked up and put down, etc. her jewelry a thousand times but had never been able to make a choice. But this time I was looking out for something craft-related and that made it so much simpler to decide. This necklace came home with me, and I must say, it love it.

Last week some friends came over to help weed my driveway.  I didn’t pay them , nor was I in dire need because I broke a leg or something.   It was just an experiment in helping each other.

See, some of my girlfriends regularly get together for brunches.  But Devona & I brainstormed, “Why not do work projects for the person who hosts brunch?”  So last week I was the first work brunch hostess and kindly received lots of help with the overgrown weeds in my driveway.  I chose a project we could do while socializing & watching the kids.  We worked for an hour on what would have taken me a week alone.

Have you tried anything like this with your friends or even family or neighbors?  I’m curious what other ideas are out there.

Twice this summer our family has attended Music in the Meadow, which is a free family concert at Howe Meadow in the Cuyahoga Valley. I can’t say enough praise for this event. It is on Wednesdays from 5:30, music starting at 6:30. Most people pack a picnic dinner and spread out a blanket and watch the show.

Music in the Meadow Photo Credited to CVNPA.org

If you come at 5:30 there are kid-appropriate activities including giant bubbles and frisbee golf. There are also music related crafts, which encourage kids to play along with the concert. We’ve taken home a easter-egg maraca and a wooden framed drum the past two times we came.

So far we’ve seen HeartBEAT Afrika, and another band which I can’t find the name of for the life of me even though I’ve been searching for 30 minutes! Next up is Copus Hill, a Bluegrass band on July 28th. If you’re looking for something free to do this summer, this is it.

Here’s the work my students and I did on Friday and Saturday night at Craft Akron. I must say I am really proud of the work they did. The fabric choices are outstanding, the conversation was enticing, and as craft classes always do- it felt more like a girls’ night out than work. This is the Buttercup Bag, which will be put back on the schedule again in August, as it is a great class with a great outcome.

The pattern, for those of you who are advanced enough to not need a class, is free on Made-by-Rae.com. Rae, very kindly allowed me to use her pattern as a class. I must say, that her patterns are quite easy to follow, and adorable to boot. She has a few others on her site worth giving a go, especially the kid backpack pattern.