I love hand-sewing, and I always have–ever since I was a little girl. I also love mending. It makes such good sense, imparts calm, gives you a pleasant sense of accomplishment, and is something nice to do for your family. That said, it’s been a mystery why, these past few months, the family “to-mend” pile [...]
Entries Tagged as 'craft'
Knit Graffiti, Yarn Bombing, And Other Dangerous Hobbies
March 27th, 2011 · 10 Comments
And now, surprise surprise, a guest post from Tom about knitting! What is it about yarn bombing that’s so compelling? “Knit graffiti” — it brings a smile to my face just to think about it! Guerrilla crafters wrapping yarn creations around objects in the streetscape under the cover of darkness, adding a touch of whimsy [...]
Pretty Patching: Giving Old Clothes New Life
February 28th, 2010 · 16 Comments
Even though I found them on the deep discount rack at REI, my Prana cargo pants were quite a splurge. But in the spring of 2008 I was on my way to East Africa for two months, and the pants were so light weight, had a touch of spandex that made them perfect for everything [...]
Homemade Knitting Needles, Knitting Evangelism, and a Pretty Scarf Pattern
December 20th, 2009 · 7 Comments
For my seventh birthday, my mom gave me a pair of light blue knitting needles and a ball of white yarn. She didn’t know how to knit, but sent me across the backyard to our neighbor’s house, where the retired librarian Marion Milligan took me under her wing. Marion taught me to knit and purl. [...]
Tags: craft, knitting, simple gifts, Uncategorized
Simple Winter Sewing Project: Hot Rice Bags
November 28th, 2009 · 42 Comments
Warm face, warm ‘ands, warm feet Aow, wouldn’t it be loverly? –Eliza Doolittle Cloth bags of heated grain are great for warming the bed or soothing sore muscles–much cozier than hot water bottles, and a nicer quality of heat. I kept seeing them in boutique shops with shocking price tags, and whenever I asked what [...]
Tags: craft, energy use, sewing, simple gifts
Hats Indoors, Nightcaps, and a Simple Gift Project–My Favorite Easy Knitted Hat
November 16th, 2009 · 8 Comments
My dad always said, “Leaper, if your toes are cold, put your hat on.” And all of us have heard that we lose 50% of our body heat through our heads. This last was recently debunked, sort of, by the scientific community. Evidently the heat loss “myth” is based on murky science from the 1950s [...]
Tags: craft, energy use, knitting, seasons
DIY Autumn Leaf Chandelier
October 23rd, 2009 · 6 Comments
When we moved into this house, I was overjoyed to finally have a dining room (I’d never had one), big enough for a long table. I dreamed of an old craftsman hanging lamp to replace the new ceiling fixture that had been installed, which looks a bit like a leftover from the set of Twin [...]
DIY Rubber Stamp Jam Labels
July 2nd, 2009 · 1 Comment
Folks have been asking about the labels on our jam jars. We made them from Speedy Carve–an eraser-like art medium for creating your own rubber stamps. Our friend Audrey showed us how, and this was one of our first efforts. We think they’re pretty darn cute. If you don’t have a crafty friend to teach [...]
Tags: art, canning/preserving, craft
Simple Drawstring Gift Bag, and Sewing Encouragement
April 27th, 2009 · 3 Comments
Tom was raised in a little tiny town called Sackville, in the eastern maritime province of New Brunswick, Canada, where his father taught English at a small liberal arts college. His mother frequented a shop there called “The Craft Gallery,” that featured local, handmade goods. She’s given me several gifts from the shop over the [...]
Tags: craft, sewing, waste reduction
Transforming Refuse: Sister Monika’s Amazing Market Bag
March 24th, 2009 · 7 Comments
St. Placid Priory is a women’s Benedictine monastery in Lacey, about an hour south of Seattle. The hallmark of Benedictine communities is a radical hospitality that extends to all people, and even beyond–to the more-than-human world of nature, and wildness. St. Placid’s has a lovely, quiet guest house, where I sometimes spend a few days [...]
Tags: craft, waste reduction
