Hot Tea Apparel

Pinterest Scarf

2012-01-25T17:15:00.001-08:00

Another project from my pinterest board done! Scarves are so wonderful in the winter - covering my neck with something warm and comfy makes a huge difference in how warm I feel. So thank you to H is for Handmade for this awesome and super easy tutorial. Here's my version:

Sweater Hat

2012-01-23T13:39:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to doing one of the many projects I've pinned! It was so easy and I love how it turned out. Here's the tutorial from See Kate Sew. And here's my version of the recycled sweater hat:

Now dd wants one too!

Election Sign Box Tutorial

2012-01-22T12:54:00.000-08:00

In my previous post, I promised a simple tutorial to get you started building with reclaimed election signs. Well here it is! This is just a simple box, but once you've mastered these skills, you will be able to design your own dollhouse, box, birdhouse, etc. I'd love to hear what you've made with your new skills!

What you need:

corrugated plastic (from trashed election signs or other advertising signs)
a good craft/utility knife (I prefer my x-acto knife)
cutting surface
hot glue gun and glue (or if you're more patient, any glue that is permanent on plastic)
pliers (not absolutely necessary, but helpful)
permanent marker - fine tip preferred
this pattern

Instructions:

1. Print out the pattern. You will either transfer the pattern onto the corrugated plastic or glue it on. If you choose to glue it on - print two copies of the pattern. I chose to transfer the pattern with a permanent marker. I started with the bottom of the box. Cut the square from your plastic. I recommend cutting it slightly larger than the pattern so that you can line the pattern up correctly on the next step:

2.The dotted lines on your pattern indicate areas from which you will be removing the top layer of the plastic. Here's an important hint: line up the longest lines from the bottom of the box pattern with the corrugated plastic such that you will not be removing "walls." If the pattern doesn't exactly fit your corrugated plastic, adjust the lines so they do fit (and be sure to make the adjustment on the sides later). Correct alignment is best indicated by the photos below:

Transfer the markings and finish cutting your square to the exact size.

3. Now cut out the top layer of plastic for the two long slits.

4. Now you need to cut out the shorter slits. This is a more difficult cut because you will need to cut out little bits of the corrugate walls. This will take a little bit of time and detail work with your knife.

5. Now cut out the 4 sides. The 2 sides with slits, follow the directions in step #2.

6. Line up your pieces as seen below:

7. Plug in your glue gun, you're ready to assemble! (You can use a liquid permanent glue for this step, but allow drying time before using your new box.) Your pieces should fit snugly in the slits, but if the fit is too tight, take your pliers and squeeze the bottom of piece you are trying to fit into the slit. Don't worry the glue will stabilize the piece. Start by gluing the 2 sides with slits to the bottom of the box:

8. Finally, place glue in the slits to fit in your final side pieces (one side at a time so that the glue doesn't harden):

9. And you're done with your gorgeous upcycled box! You can paint, decoupage, or sew a cover for your new box if you desire. Use these skills to design your own piece and share it in the comments below!

Election Sign Recycling

2012-01-19T10:42:00.000-08:00

My daughter and I love crafting with election signs - you know the plastic corrugated kind? It's a material I doubt I would purchase new in the store as I try to avoid plastics as much as possible, but rescuing them from the garbage is a different story!

This isn't the first post about using election signs for crafts (see my tutorial on making a Kumihimo disk) but this is the first peek at our cathouse (my daughter's version of a dollhouse) designs. Below you will see her house plans:

With a few tweaks to the blueprint here is the result:

I ~~don't~~ have a tutorial for this project ~~(though I will try to come up with a simple tutorial soon to get you started~~ simple tutorial here) but it requires: time (lots of time and patience!), a good knife, hot glue, and paint or fabric to dress up the walls and floors. The effort required to make this was worth it considering dd got exactly the house she wanted AND she gets to do all the decorating. Great project for cold temperatures and indoor time!

Note, we did not gather election signs until after the election - at which time the signs littering the public spaces are trash - or in our case - craft supplies! So start making your plans for election signs next November!

Jeans ReVamp

2012-01-14T15:50:00.000-08:00

I have been inspired by Robin's (of the T-Shirt Diaries) pledge to purchase no new clothes for six months. I would love to join in, but I know I need 2 things in the next six months: running shoes and a swim suit for a trip to Hawaii (two things I can't/won't make myself). Knowing in advance that I have these two purchases means I haven't joined the pledge myself. But I am going to take to heart the attempt to use what I have for any other clothing needs.

So I was perusing my pile of "to be donated" clothes and mourning the loss of a great pair of jeans. Great for someone else, that is. I purchased them because they were such a great pair of jeans for such a great price. But they didn't really fit me. (Note to self: a great deal on clothing is only a great deal if you're actually going to wear the item!) But I had an idea.

I have another pair of jeans that fit fairly well, but I've never been entirely happy with the rear, the length, and the boot cut. The pockets on the back are not flattering, but I LOVE the pockets on the rear of the "to be donated" jeans. I can make this work!

So I swapped back pockets - even removing two rivets. And I altered the lower leg fit to a slimmer style and added a tiny bit of length by undoing the hem one fold. Also, the slimmer leg fit adds to the appearance of length.

So - I didn't take a before picture. But I found one online (different color, but you can see the cut and the boring/unflattering pockets):

And after my alterations:

And I like them so much better now! Yay - and thank you, Robin, for the inspiration!

Crazy Crafting

2012-01-11T14:31:00.001-08:00

I'm still here! I've been crafting a lot lately - lots of fun with daughter over the holidays. I've tried to take pictures and hope to update the blog more often.

Anyway, one craft that I got around to last November, was inspired by he many tutorials I've seen for using thrift store finds to make a cake stand. Well, I didn't need a cake stand, I needed more vertical storage for my fruit. So here's a pictorial tour of my creation:

BEFORE:

THRIFT SCORES:

With help from Loctite Glass Glue AFTER:

INSTALLED and SO much prettier!

The Squolf

2011-11-24T09:19:00.000-08:00

A very special Christmas ornament for our friends at SecondStory Repertory!

New Purses

2011-04-07T16:33:00.001-07:00

Two new purses for me! And I got the patterns online - thanks Made By Rae and U-Handbag!

Christmas Outfit

2011-01-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

I decided to make an outfit for my daughter for this Christmas. I made the skirt from scraps of holiday fabrics I had left in the stash. I must admit to a bit of laziness with the shirt - it's a store-bought white long-sleeved tee that I added applique to. Daughter loved it all!

Butternut Squash Centerpiece

2010-12-07T11:07:00.001-08:00

I was inspired by this cool tutorial to make my own butternut squash centerpiece. I was really happy with how it turned out considering it was my first attempt!

Sugar Sacks

2010-11-24T14:23:00.000-08:00

I'm helping to create an income opportunity for Sumburu women. Read the blog entry by my friend Laurel: The Sumburu Sugar Sack.

Sew Free

2010-11-16T12:05:00.000-08:00

I'm starting up a new website! I'm always looking for a comprehensive directory of free sewing patterns, but have not been happy with what I've found. So I'm taking matters into my own hands. Whew! Who knew what a huge data entry undertaking this would be. So bear with my new site as it's getting updated daily (well usually hourly, but I do sleep sometimes).

Sew-Free

Enjoy and tell your friends!

Upcycled Cat Tree

2010-09-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

Upcycled materials: Logs from a birch tree taken down in our back yard, wood from a vanity that was removed in our bathroom, burlap coffee bean sacks from our local coffee shop.

New materials: rope, bolts & washers, hot glue, staples.

This was such a fun project to do with my husband for our new kittens! I'm so proud of the results and the kittens give it 4 claws up!

Mushrooms & Storage

2010-09-02T08:38:00.000-07:00

Before:

After:

I love this vintage self-adhesive shelf paper I found at Goodwill. Mushrooms!

Long Time Project Done!

2009-12-19T22:28:00.001-08:00

I acquired these two chairs from Freecycle early last summer. I immediately started taking apart and painting one of them. The re-upholstering slowed me down. It was a fairly straight forward job, I just kept getting motivated by other projects. But now I've finished my very first upholstery project. I hope you can tell that the blue chair is the "Before" and the striped chair is the "After." I'm pleased with the result but don't have the drive to re-upholster the second chair. They were in pretty bad shape to begin with and I had to replace all the foam and some of the wood. Anyway, hurray!

My Work is in a Book!

2009-10-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

I received this e-mail last week:

Hi Creative Reuser!

Thank you for contributing to the book! If you're getting this email, it means that you made it to the final, published version! Are you ready for the good news?

The book is ALMOST HERE! It should arrive in the warehouse on Monday.

I got a real, finished copy a few weeks ago, and it looks fantastic. The publisher and book designer did a great job. You're going to be really excited when you see it. You should be getting an email from the publisher very soon letting you know how you can order contributor copies.

The book will be released on November 1st in the United States, followed by other international versions. The publisher sent me a Japanese pressing of the book as well, which is also exciting. Here's a link to Quarry's page for the book:

http://www.quarrybooks.com/description.asp?isbn=9781592535408

I'll be putting together a web page with links to contributor websites. Please let me know if you have a new or updated website so I can add it to the list.

Thanks again for contributing to the book. Let me know if there is ever anything I can do to help you out.

Keep in touch! Let me know what you're working on!

Garth

Garth Johnson - Craft Family, LLC
www.extremecraft.com
www.labsigns.com

I'm so excited! Thank you to Garth and I can't wait to see the book!

I'm in an Etsy Treasury!

2009-05-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

Wow! I haven't blogged since February. Well, I'm still here and I'm still sewing. But lately I find myself drawn outside and into the garden. So many exciting plants to divide and re-plant; not to mention the vegetables and herbs we've got going. But Hot Tea Apparel is still here too. ;-)

I have been featured in an Etsy Treasury by ecoLoveOrganics! I'm thrilled - this is my first treasury feature that I know about. Above you can see a patched together screen print of the treasury - my product is the pair of boxer briefs.

Here's the link that will expire on Thursday May 7 at 12:30am (I'm not sure which time zone):

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=56214

If the link has expired, you can still see my listing until it is sold at:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19581077

Instructables Swag

2009-02-22T13:02:00.001-08:00

Remember the Halloween contest through Instructables? Well I finally received my prizes! A super cool tee that I'm going to re-vamp, some stickers, and an iron-on. Yay!

FixieStitch

2009-02-20T14:10:00.001-08:00

I have created a new blog dedicated to my sports related sewing (ie. race number wallets, inner tube pouches, etc.). Check it out:

http://fixiestitch.blogspot.com

(Don't worry, Hot Tea Apparel isn't going away.)

For the Love of Love

2009-02-12T10:37:00.000-08:00

My daughter loves Valentine's Day. I used to scoff at the consumerist holiday. But seen through a child's eyes, I've fallen in love with the day. She finds so much joy in making cards to tell her friends and family how much she loves them. I can't scoff at that!

I've taken it upon myself to make her a Valentine's Day outfit each year. I don't buy new fabrics. Instead I scrounge around in my stash for anything with hearts. Last year I made a dress from scraps that she still wears today. This year, I made her a dress from a different pattern (always from Ottobre - that magazine rocks!). I also made her a shirt to wear under the dress - it's still winter here. The shirt I made using a woman's white jersey shirt, and I added reverse applique hearts to the arm and the hem. I am thrilled with how the dress and shirt turned out!

I did end up buying her some tights to go with the outfit and a package of headbands. I can't wait for her to see these tomorrow morning (the day she will celebrate Valentine's at school).

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

I will be at I Heart Rummage tomorrow

2009-01-31T14:37:00.000-08:00

I Made a Rubber Purse

2009-01-26T20:56:00.000-08:00

I'm very excited to show off this purse that I made with discarded bike inner tubes! The exterior is all rubber inner tubes and the interior lining is faux snakeskin from a pair of pants I acquired. I added a pink zipper to give the bag a hint of femininity and used a chain ring to stamp an image on the front of the bag.

My sewing machine worked hard, but I'm very happy with the results! You can purchase it through my etsy store.

Have You Seen My New Items?

2009-01-14T09:26:00.000-08:00

I've been adding items to my etsy store that piled up over the last month (it's the new year - time to catch up!). I've got a few new pairs of men's and women's upcycled undies, a pouch made from bicycle inner tubes, and I'm still listing my toddler underwear in hopes of clearing them out before CPSIA comes knocking.

Lead, Phthalates, & More CPSIA

2009-01-12T09:07:00.000-08:00

I've been looking into the prevalence of lead and phthalates in our society. I am trying to determine if the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is unfairly targeting children's products for these pollutants. I have decided to place my sources at the bottom so that you can skip them if you're not interested.

Lead has been found in a number of children's products imported from China. This caused an uproar (as it should) and ultimately led to the CPSIA. The use of lead paint for the most part has been outlawed in the United States. Toymakers within the U.S., Canada, E.U. and the United Kingdom do not use lead paint.

The question is why are so many children in the U.S. found to have high lead levels? Is it from their toys and clothing? Actually, no. While I'm sure some children have sucked on lead tainted toys from China or toys made with lead paint prior to the 1970s, most children with lead poisoning are living in older homes whose walls have been painted with lead-based paint, or are living with an adult whose job includes working with lead, or are exposed to high levels of lead in the soil outside their home or school. Older homes, tainted soil, and workplace exposure present the highest risk of lead poisoning for children. We need to target the clean up of these areas.

Of course lead should not be used in the making of toys or clothing. For the most part lead is not used for this. Let's put the focus where it needs to be, and not unfairly target toymakers that make safe toys and clothing using strict regulations already in place in the U.S., Europe, and Canada.

Phthalates are found everywhere. They are used to make plastics soft and pliable. They are much more prevalent than lead. Phthalates need to be banned. Period. Phthalates have been found in children's items. Phthalates are found in tons of non-children's items. Anything made with PVC (poly vinyl chloride) is emitting phthalates.

Most toy and clothing manufacturers are phasing out the use of vinyl and phthalates. However, phthalates are EVERYWHERE. They are in the plastic shower curtain, the vinyl flooring, plastics used to wrap food, vinyl windows, caulk, yoga mats, shoes, clothes, billboard signs, car interiors, the list goes on and on.

Yes - let's get rid of phthalates in children's toys - but let's get rid of them in every location throughout the home that is off-gassing and entering the air we and our children breathe. We can't just target products made for children if we want to make a difference. Ban phthalates period. If phthalates weren't available in the first place, they wouldn't be used to make children's products. Small businesses making children's products would not be unfairly targeted if we knew the materials used in the first place were safe.

From the EPA:

Most Common Sources of Lead Poisoning:

Deteriorating lead-based paint
Lead contaminated dust
Lead contaminated residential soil

From WebMD:

Before its harmful effects were realized, lead was used in most gasolines, paints, water pipes, food and drink cans, and many other products. For example, house paint made before 1950 often contained as much as 50% lead. Paint manufactured up until 1978 still contained lead. About one-quarter of all U.S. dwellings have lead paint hazards (such as very small pieces of old paint, or dust or soil that contains lead).¹

Environmental regulations have reduced sources of lead pollution, significantly reducing lead in paint, gasoline, plumbing systems, and food and drink cans. For example, in 1988 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the use of lead solder and other leaded parts to connect plumbing to public water supplies. But lead does not break down, so any lead already present in soil or water will stay there unless it is physically removed.

Common sources of lead poisoning are:⁴

Lead-based paint and dust in houses or buildings built before 1978. (Old paint chips and dirt are the most common sources of lead in the home.)
Lead-soldered pipes, which contaminate water supplies.
Work settings (such as mines and metal smelters) and jobs (such as manufacturing or using radiators, batteries, cable, or wires.)
Soil that has been contaminated with lead from smelters, hazardous waste, or gasoline.
Hobbies that involve lead, such as stained glass or pottery.
Alternative medicines and supplements, such as some herbs and vitamins manufactured outside the United States.
Cosmetics, such as facial powders made outside of the United States.
Food that is stored in leaded crystal or in cans made with lead.
Imported toys, crayons, and candies.
Homemade liquor made in stills built with lead solder, especially "moonshine whiskey" made in the southern U.S.

What is lead used for now? Here is a vague answer from the USGS:

More recently, as the use of lead in nonbattery products has continued to decline, the demand for lead in SLI-type batteries has continued to grow. In addition, the demand for lead in non-SLI battery applications also has continued to grow. Non-SLI battery applications include motive sources of power for industrial forklifts, airport ground equipment, mining equipment, and a variety of nonroad utility vehicles, as well as stationary sources of power in uninterruptible electric power systems for hospitals, computer and telecommunications networks, and load-leveling equipment for electric utility companies. By the early 2000's, the total demand for lead in all types of lead-acid storage batteries represented 88% of apparent U.S. lead consumption. Other significant uses included ammunition (3%), oxides in glass and ceramics (3%), casting metals (2%), and sheet lead (1%). The remainder was consumed in solders, bearing metals, brass and bronze billets, covering for cable, caulking lead, and extruded products.

From OSHA:

HOW LEAD IS USED
In construction, lead is used frequently for roofs, cornices, tank linings, and electrical conduits. In plumbing, soft solder, used chiefly for soldering tinplate and copper pipe joints, is an alloy of lead and tin. Soft solder has been banned for many uses in the United States. In addition, the Consumer Product Safety Commission bans the use of lead-based paint in residences. Because lead-based paint inhibits the rusting and corrosion of iron and steel, however, lead continues to be used on bridges, railways, ships, lighthouses, and other steel structures, although substitute coatings are available.

Construction projects vary in their scope and potential for exposing workers to lead and other hazards. Projects such as removing paint from a few interior residential doors may involve limited exposure. Others projects, however, may involve removing or stripping substantial quantities of lead-based paints on large bridges and other structures.

Where are phthalates found?

From Our Stolen Future:

Phthalate use in modern commerce is extremely common. One of their primary uses is as plasticizers in flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products such as blood bags and children's toys. They are also used as as fixatives, detergents, lubricating oils, and solvents. As a result of these diverse uses, phthalates are found in many consumer products, such as cosmetics, as well as in applications, such as wood finishes, that inevitably create opportunities for exposure.

From Healthy Child:

Phthalates are a class of chemicals used as softeners, or plasticizers, in polyvinyl chloride (PVC, vinyl) products, including children’s toys, decorating and building products, and blood bags, and solvents and other additives in a wide range of consumer products, including cosmetics, personal care products, wood finishes and insecticides.

DEHP and DINP are used in flexible plastic and vinyl toys, some teethers, food packaging and cling wraps, medical devices, backpacks, shower curtains, building materials such as pipes, vinyl flooring and wallpaper, and other products.

DBP and DEP are used in some adhesives, dyesinks, mosquito insect repellents, plastic plumbing pipes, and personal care products such as nail polish, skin moisturizers, and perfumes.

Note: The carcinogenicity of DEP, DBP and DINP to humans is unknown at this time.

My Own Handmade Gifts

2009-01-10T21:28:00.000-08:00

I delved into two new projects for the holidays. I made a clock and I made a journal. Actually, I made two clocks because the first one turned out so well.

The clocks are made from parts set free from cheap plastic thrift store clocks, LPs, CDs, and thrift store wooden picture frames. It was really very easy to do once I found the right glue. (The hot glue just wasn't doing the trick on the slippery vinyl records.)

The journal was made with 100% post-consumer recycled paper (the stuff I use in my printer), some fun fabric, and some vintage wallpaper. I used an awesome tutorial found on whipup.

I think the recipients were pleased - I know I was!

Calls to Action are Making Some Headway

2009-01-09T10:03:00.000-08:00

As I've posted here before, I and my fellow artisans/crafters are deeply concerned about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act which will go into effect on February 10th. We have been writing to legislators, journalists, friends to get the word out that independent craftspeople will be negatively impacted by the new law.

Unfortunately, many small businesses are still in trouble, but the reseller businesses (thrift stores, secondhand shops) have made headway and the Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a clarification to the law that will allow resellers to continue selling children's products. It's a small step, but it offers me a bit of hope that more action will be taken.

See the CPSC Clarification here.

Handmade Gifts

2009-01-08T19:58:00.001-08:00

My family received a few wonderful handmade gifts this past holiday. I was so touched and pleased to receive these items. The above photo is the amazing coffee scoop that my brother hand carved from a Maple branch that he rescued from his back yard. I cannot convey in the picture how smooth and wonderful to the touch this scoop is. It's definitely a treasure.

Plug for My Mom

2009-01-05T11:11:00.000-08:00

My mom's most recent book has just been published. She's a guru in the field of nursing and hospice. She's also a writer. The book is:

To Comfort Always: A Nurse's Guide to End-Of-Life Care (Updated & Revised) (Paperback) by Linda Norlander RN, BSN, MS

It's available for purchase by anyone, nurse or not. If you are involved in hospice in any way (with a family member, as a volunteer, as a doctor) I highly recommend it. (Plus I'm in the acknowledgements!)

Amazon.com
Borders.com

I Made My Own

2009-01-02T17:25:00.000-08:00

OK, the holidays are over. You probably don't want to see anything reminiscent of holiday decor, but I was so busy last month I didn't get a chance to post this.

My daughter and I were traipsing around in the backyard one snowy day, when I noticed how festive and beautiful our holly tree was. I also noticed that it could use some trimming. I trimmed off a bunch of branches, wired them onto a circular form I made with a hanger and a discarded political sign, and tah-dah! A beautiful wreath was born! I've never made such a thing before and have never been willing to shell out the cash to buy a wreath. I was so happy with how it turned out. I'll be doing this again next year!

By the way - Happy New Year!

No I Heart Rummage

2008-12-19T20:04:00.000-08:00

We currently have multiple inches of snow in our yard and school has been canceled for the past three days. While multiple inches seems rather silly coming from Minnesota, without the infrastructure of snow plows and sanding trucks, everything comes to a stand still. The forecast suggests heavy winds and more snow this weekend. We drove to three gas stations today to fill our tank. The first two were completely sold out!

Anyway, I Heart Rummage is canceled. Look for me at the February show. Now off to make those Christmas presents...

I Heart Rummage!

2008-12-15T20:12:00.000-08:00

This is where my products and I will be this Sunday (the December show is NOT the first Sunday of the month):See you there!

Goodbye My Children's Products

2008-12-10T20:09:00.000-08:00

As of February 9, 2009 I will no longer be able to legally sell my organic cotton children's underwear or my hemp fleece baby wipes. While these are a small percentage of my products, it saddens me to remove them from my store.

Due to new regulations in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, products aimed at children age 12 and under will have to undergo rigorous testing to ensure their safety. These tests are cost prohibitive to small businesses like myself.

I am absolutely interested in having safe products for children. I don't want lead or phthalates in my child's toys or clothes. I'm disappointed that the United States took so long to check into the safety of children's products. However, the new law allows little room for artisans, crafters, and small business owners. I feel confident that the organic cotton fabric, thread, and elastic that I use are free from lead and pthalates, but my assurance is not enough. I will not be able to sell the products without the testing.

I am not alone. The Handmade Toy Alliance is attracting more and more businesses who are learning the legal ins and outs of the new law and realizing that they may be heading into bankruptcy come February. One of my favorite toy shops in Minnesota, PeaPods, wrote a wonderful blog post about this very topic, pointing out that a favorite toy company in Germany, Selecta, has already decided to pull out of the US market.

Without a change in the law, many of our favorite children's toys, clothes, and diapering products will cease to exist. Most of the quality cloth diapering products are made at home by mom's who will not be able to test every size and style of their products. Many of the smaller toy makers who make extremely safe, handcrafted toys will not be able to sell their products. I suspect that toy suppliers such as Rosie Hippo, Magic Cabin, Peapods, and WAHM (work-at-home-mom) stores will lose many of their products to the cost of testing. I suspect that a large majority of cloth diaper suppliers will no longer be able to provide their products. And you will no longer find handmade baby blankets, burp cloths, and hand knit clothing at your local Farmer's Market or craft show. This is not the solution to lead and phthalate-filled toys imported from China.

Please consider contacting your lawmakers and asking them to redefine this law. Here's a sample letter. Please feel free edit it and make it your own.

I Won!

2008-12-09T09:35:00.001-08:00

Yay - I won a prize in the DIY Halloween '08 contest! I vaguely remember entering my Halloween underwear in the Etsy portion of the contest - but that's what won! I'm getting a t-shirt and some other swag. Very fun!

Come See Me in Seattle

2008-11-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

I will be at the Shoreline Holiday Crafts Market on Saturday, November 22 from 9:00am - 4:00pm. I will have all of my available products for sale and kids will get a free balloon animal. Please stop by!

My Tutorial on Whip Up

2008-11-05T13:04:00.000-08:00

Thank you, Whip Up for publishing my tutorial on how to make shrink art from to-go beverage covers. Check it out...

Halloween Undies 1/2 Price!

2008-11-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

Get them while you can!

Boo Bikinis
Trick or Treat Bikinis

A Treat for You

2008-10-31T13:50:00.000-07:00

Here is my entry into the DIY Halloween 08 contest:

Rate it here. Have a great day!

Contest Entries

2008-10-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

I've been working (and thinking) hard on a couple upcoming contests. I'm not ready to reveal my entries, but I'm really excited about them. The first contest is an upcycling contest through Craft magazine and Singer sewing. The second contest is a Halloween DIY contest through a bunch of places. This is the most fun I've ever had with Halloween!

I submitted a tutorial to Whip Up for their November recycling theme. If it doesn't get published there I will certainly publish it here.

Last week I finished a matching wallet and apron. I was trying out more patchwork and love the results!

ShopEtsy and Patchwork Fun

2008-10-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

Thank you Dawn of ShopEtsy for including my Halloween undies!

I just finished a half apron that I am in LOVE with! It turned out so great and started out as an experiment to get rid of some scraps. I call it "Plaids and Stripes." You can buy it right now at Etsy!

Sewing more than blogging

2008-10-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't been in blogging mode much lately. I'm spending most of my time sewing for the upcoming Shoreline Holiday Crafts market and other craft fairs I'm hoping to be accepted into. I definitely have some ideas for tutorials to post in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I'll just leave you with more photos of recent works.

The above bag is one I'm particularly proud of. It's made with a coffee bean sack and used bicycle inner tubes. It was interesting to work with the rubber and finally use my teflon sewing foot. It took some trial runs, and the bag isn't perfect, but it looks great, is super strong, and made of mostly recycled material. The one thing I'm disappointed about is that my sewing machine didn't like the thick layers of burlap. To make multiples of this bag I would probably need industrial machine.

Happy Halloween Month!

2008-10-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

I'm cranking out items for the store. Check out the undies and aprons...

I Mend Lycra, Too

2008-09-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

When my husband crashed in a track cycling event earlier this year, his lycra skinsuit was torn in several places. He assumed that his expensive purchase was trash. I went to work and mended the tears and he's been wearing it ever since. When a teammate noticed the handiwork, he commissioned me to fix his shorts. Above is the mended item.

The job is easy and fun, and I like knowing that I saved an expensive item from the landfill and made it usable again with little cost to the owner. Hire me to fix your cycling wear!

Thank You Craftzine!

2008-09-25T20:30:00.000-07:00

It's been an exciting day! My husband and favorite model will be thrilled to find out he made it on the craftzine blog! Thanks Craft!

New - Custom Race Number Wallets

2008-09-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

Now available in my shop:

Provide your very own meaningful Tyvek race numbers (the kind you pin on - not the kind that adheres to your clothing) and I will make you a wallet! The Tyvek wallets are super strong and water-resistant. The wallet will include the standard cash sleeve, two half-pockets, one zipper pocket, and a clear sleeve for identification.

If you would like a special color for the trim, please let me know, if not, I will use Tyvek for the trim.

Wallet measures approximately 9.25 in. by 4.5 in.

I prefer to work with 2 numbers, but I realize that not all sporting events require 2. If you send me 1 number, I will use it for the outside of the wallet and the inside will be made with other Tyvek material.

Craft Gossip Rocks!

2008-09-25T08:58:00.001-07:00

Thank you Craft Gossip for featuring my undies! You know I love your site!

Aprons and Underwear

2008-09-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

I'm working hard to build up stock in my store and to prepare for holiday craft shows. I've applied for a few shows and am planning on some I Heart Rummage shows, too. So go ahead, check out what's new in my shop!

I Finished the Rug!

2008-09-14T11:38:00.001-07:00

I finally finished the rug that I started for the tutorial on Crafty Daisies! I'm thrilled. It's so thick and wonderful under the toes. It's a bit shorter than I'd intended, but I'm sure I'll find the perfect spot for it.

Sexy Men's Boxer Briefs In Stock

2008-09-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

Here's my most recent addition to the store. Men's boxer briefs made from two upcycled t-shirts. The front reads "Uninhibited Mentality." Perfect for that certain someone...

My Newest Purse

2008-09-09T17:56:00.000-07:00

The zipper on my purse was getting stuck all the time, thanks to some shoddy hand sewing I did on the liner. So I decided to try out a pattern for a "grab bag" that I found on Curbly. I used a beautiful floral napkin I picked up at the thrift store for the exterior fabric and a flannel animal print for the liner. The outer pocket is made using a vintage handkerchief and I threw in an internal pocket as well.

I love the look of my new purse, but I'm not sure it's the best pattern choice for a purse (that was my own experiment of course, I don't think they recommend it for purse-use). But thanks go out to All People Quilt for the cool free pattern! I'll probably use the pattern again to make gift bags come holiday time.

Making Jewelry from Trash

2008-09-02T15:10:00.000-07:00

I was collecting the trash for the weekly pick-up when I noticed a bicycle chain in the can. My husband said it was so greasy and worn that it was no longer useful. Well I proved him wrong! A lot of cleaning, disassembling, reassembling, and shining with a Dremel tool and I had myself a pair of awesome cycling earrings. I think it was worth the effort!

Make a Kumihimo Disk and Bracelet Part 2

2008-08-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

Once you have completed your Kumihimo Disk (see my previous post), you are ready to make a bracelet.

Supplies needed to make 1 bracelet with ribbon clasp closure:
1. 16 20-inch lengths of string. I use wool embroidery floss because I have a stash from the thrift store. You can use any embroidery floss, thread, yarn, string, twine, dental floss, etc. that you have around. Be creative!
2. 2 ribbon crimps, 2 jump rings, 1 clasp. I purchased a package containing 3 sets for about $1.00 at my craft store.
3. Liquid glue that dries clear and works on fabric (optional).
4. Needle nose pliers or jewelry pliers.
5. Scissors.
6. Toothpick (optional).
7. Your brand new Kumihimo disk!

To begin, line up all 16 of your strings and tie them together at one end with a simple over-hand knot.

Place the knot through the center hole of your Kumihimo disk and hold the knot with one hand. Separate one string and tuck it into a slit (wrapping it on the template side of the disk). Separate another string and tuck it into the slit right next to the first string. Now skip 2 slits and tuck a thrid string in and a fourth right next to it. The pattern is 2 strings next to each other, 2 empty slits, 2 strings next to each other, 2 empty slits, and so on all the way around the disk, using all 16 strings.

Your disk is ready and you can now begin "weaving." I have marked one slit on my disk in red to designated the starting string. Turn the wheel so that your starting string is at the 12:00 position. Take the string on the right out of the slit and bring it down almost, but not quite, 180-degrees and place it to the right of the 2 strings below. (In my case this string is fuchsia - see pictures A and B.)

Now you will take the leftmost string of the 3 at the bottom (in my case this one is white) remove it from it's slit and bring it up to the left of the string at approximately 12:00. See picture C. At this point you will again have two string paired together all the way around your disk.

With the starting slit at the top rotate the disk a few turns counterclockwise until you have the next pair of strings in the 12:00 position. See photo D.

This will be your new starting position. Simply repeat steps A-D again. You will be doing this until your bracelet is the length you desire.

If your phone rings, or in my case your daughter yells "where's that toy I played with 3 years ago?!" you'll need to mark your position to resume weaving later. I do this by bringing the string I will use next up through it's slit so that it's still secure but hanging over the front of the disk. Now I know exactly where to start when resume weaving.

When your bracelet is as long or longer than you need, remove all the strings from the disk and tie another overhand knot to secure your weaving.

Gather up the rest of the supplies listed at the beginning of the post. I will be using glue and a toothpick to prevent my cut ends from fraying out of control. If you are using a different type of clasp, you may not need to do this. First I squeeze some glue out on a scrap of paper and have my toothpick ready. Then I cut the knot off one end of my bracelet.

I apply some glue to the ends that are starting to fray and mash them together a bit with my fingers.

I then use my needle-nosed pliers to squeeze the ribbon crimps tightly to the end of the bracelet. Do this on both sides after your have determined (by testing around your wrist) how long to trim the bracelet. Add a jump ring to one side and a jump ring with clasp to the other side.

You are done! Isn't it beautiful? Now that you have the hang of weaving on your disk, you can make patterns on your bracelets by using this pattern maker. You can design flowers, hearts, diamonds, ribbons, and more. Enjoy!

Make a Kumihimo Disk and Bracelet Part 1

2008-08-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I have been on a bracelet making kick lately. I've found this fabulous method of making bracelets based on a Japanese braiding technique called Kumihimo. My technique uses a homemade Kumihimo disk and embroidery floss. Part 1 of this tutorial focuses on making the disk.

Required Supplies:
1. Printout of Kumihimo Disk Template (save and print the jpg below as if it were a 5x7 print to achieve the correct size):

2. Glue Stick or other glue
3. Craft Knife or Utility Knife
4. Stiff but cut-able base. I recommend foam core board, corrugated cardboard, styrofoam, or plastic such as a large yogurt cover. These can easily be found in the recycling. I notice that many political signs are printed on foam core (but please don't steal). ;-) I used foam core from an ugly framed picture I picked up at the thrift store (now I can use the frame for something better!).
5. Straight Edge

Start by cutting out your printed template. No need to cut perfectly as you will be cutting around it again soon.

Paste the template on your base.

Use your knife to cut along the outside circle AND the inside circle.

Use a straight edge to cut each of the 32 small lines around the diameter of the circle. Make sure your knife cuts all the way through.

Congratulations - you have completed your disk!

Now head to Part 2.

Video Tutorial: Make a Paper Flower & Pot

2008-08-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

My very own daughter has created a tutorial for kids (and grown-ups too!) on how to make a paper flower in a paper pot. She had great fun making this video and hopes you enjoy it!

Prices Slashed!

2008-08-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

I have dramatically reduced my prices on a few items in my store. Check out my sale section for some awesome deals!

I hope to have my sewing machine back next week and will be adding new items to my store and blog. I also want to post another tutorial or two - check back soon.

New Wallet in Stock

2008-08-08T09:54:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact that my sewing machine broke AGAIN, I managed to finish this colorful upcycled race number wallet. It's available in my etsy store. I've got to make one for myself - I just LOVE this one!

Regina Spektor Dress

2008-08-01T09:03:00.000-07:00

Last year I came across this awesome t-shirt at the thrift store. It says "we listened to it twice, 'cause the DJ was asleep." This is a line from Regina Spektor's "On the Radio." My brother and I love Regina Spektor, so I grabbed the t-shirt and waited for inspiration. A few months later, inspiration hit and I made the t-shirt into a dress for my niece. It was a bit big last year, but fits great this year. It's a one-of-a-kind. I think Spektor would be tickled.

Sandals: Variation on a Theme

2008-07-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

I finished another pair of sandals using yoga mat remnants I picked up at the yoga studio. I felt that the last pair could be improved upon. I decided not to go with the toe-flip-flop this time, but rather an adjustable strap sandal. I covered the straps in a cute fish themed fabric which coordinated nicely with the lime green of the sole. I also added velcro to make the straps adjustable.
I decided to finish the edge of the sole to mask the layers of yoga mat. I used a nylon thread and large needle and was pleasantly surprised by how easy the material was to sew. I'm very happy with the results and so is my daughter!

Dyeing with Natural Non-Toxic Sources

2008-07-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

I read a post on one of my favorite blogs, Crafting a Green World, about dyeing fabric with natural materials. I was so stoked to see this as I've been wanting to try dyeing fabric for ages, but didn't want to invest in dyes (especially not chemical dyes). Not wanting to waste the yummy parts of my fruits, I collected the remains (pits, mushy parts, uneaten parts) of red fruits including pluots, plums, cherries, and even the yellow pit of a mango, storing them in the freezer until I had what I thought was enough to make the dye.

I then basically followed Leslie's directions, throwing all the fruity stuff into a pot of water and boiling it while my undyed hemp/cotton jersey and undyed hemp cotton/fleece simmered in a pot of salt water. But being in charge of two 6-year-olds who were nursing a hurt bee in the back yard, I got a little impatient. I certainly didn't simmer the fabric in the salt fixative for an hour and I didn't boil the fruit for an hour.

While the girls were safely playing, I ran a strainer through the dye water a number of times getting out most of the pits and mush. I then added the fabric to the gorgeously red boiling water. I would say I simmered the fabric in the dye for about 40 minutes.

Here are some pictures and thoughts about the process (which I will definitely try again!):

Look at that beautiful color! I need to check the thrift stores for some huge kettles, this little one just isn't enough.
Results of the hemp/cotton jersey. The middle fabric is undyed for comparison. The left fabric was removed from the dye just after simmering - it's VERY light pink. The right fabric was removed from the dye about 5 hours after simmering - it's a light cranberry. The dyed fabrics were washed and ironed prior to this photo. Next time - more time in the fixative, more time simmering in the dye, and leave the fabrics in the dye overnight.
Results of the hemp/cotton fleece. Dyed fabric is on the left, undyed on the right. This fabric took to the dye nicely. It was kept in the dye for about 5 hours after simmering. Again it was washed before this photo. As with the jersey, I would have left it in the dye and fixative longer. I was hoping for a darker color.
Since I had all this gorgeous red water I tried dyeing paper for fun. As you can see, it makes the paper wrinkly, but this natural paper (from the thrift store so I don't know the fiber, but I assume tree fiber) DID turn a little pink. Next time I would add the dye to a paper making mixture and just make the pink paper. I would let the paper mush soak in the colored water for awhile in the hope that the paper would turn a darker shade of pink.

All in all, a worthy, and super fun experiment. I'm going to find some bigger kettles and use this great resource for choosing materials to use.

Thank You Crafty Daisies!

2008-07-23T14:59:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Simone and everyone at Crafty Daisies for allowing me to contribute as a guest. I'm thrilled!

More Stick Fun

2008-07-20T12:02:00.001-07:00

Here's a cute little chair and table/ottoman I made from sticks in the yard. Goes well with the fairy bed.
I have a lot of empty walls in my house and not very many large pieces of art. So I made one! I tied random sticks together to make this wall sculpture. No glue involved - just sticks and twine. I originally planned to hang little pictures from the sticks, but my husband says he likes it simple. So we'll stick with it as it is. This is a fun and easy project that even the kids can help with.

It's a Whole Hot Tea Outfit!

2008-07-16T22:31:00.000-07:00

Check out these flip flops I made for my daughter! Thank you to Craft Magazine's blog and Threadbanger for the video how-to.

After we finished the flips (which my daughter declared to be "Hot Tea Apparel" flip flops) she decided she wanted to be clad in all Hot Tea Apparel. She found some pants that I had made for her (hand-dyed hemp/cotton jersey) and requested a shirt. So I had to throw together a shirt to get this lovely shot of my daughter in full Hot Tea regalia. The shirt was made with a thrifted adult t-shirt using an Ottobre pattern. She LOVES it as cats are her favorite things these days.

We're having a fun and crafty summer!

My Other Job

2008-07-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

While I love sewing and crafting, it really doesn't help pay the bills. So I am also a freelance writer/editor. Currently I have a gig writing for Amazon.com's Green department. It's an area I have great passion for and am thrilled to get paid to write about.

Unfortunately, many of the vocal readers of the blog don't agree with me. You can see two of my blogs that garnered much heated commentary:

Bicycling: Greener Than Ever
Avoiding Trash on Airplanes

It's difficult to stay motivated with so much derision. But like I said, I'm passionate about these topics so I will trudge on despite the heat.

I feel very lucky, on the other hand, to be part of the crafting community which is so supportive and friendly. I have never encountered any such derision in my crafting side of life. Thank you to my readers and supporters and the wonderful community. I wish everyone could be like you!

Marble Painting

2008-07-09T12:45:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I had fun painting paper with a technique I learned here. Thanks to Crafty Crow for pointing me in this direction! (Everyone check out Crafty Crow, there's so much fun stuff to do with the kids.)

New Upcycled Race Number Wallet in Stock

2008-06-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

I finished an awesome bifold wallet out of two tyvek race numbers and some shipping material. I refer to it as "upcycled" because I have taken something that would normally be thrown in the trash and made it into something useful.

The wallet is available for purchase in my etsy shop!

Tutorial: Knitting Greeting Card

2008-06-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

Today I'm going to share with you how to make a cute little greeting card for your knitting friends (or anyone, really).

Supplies:

2 or more toothpicks
liquid glue
blank card
embroidery floss or crochet thread
2 or more beads with small holes
sandpaper or emery board (optional)

Step 1.
Choose two beads with fairly small holes. These will be the top of the knitting needles so you will want to choose beads that are a nice size match to the toothpicks. Go grazy, be creative. You could even make your own beads out of clay or paper.

Step 2.
Cut one sharp tip off of each toothpick. Just cut a tiny bit off and if you have sandpaper or an emery board, smooth the end and any rough edges on the toothpick.

Step 3.
Place a drop of glue into the hole of the bead. "Thread" the sharp end of the toothpick through the bead. Hopefully you chose a bead that fits nicely - if not, you may need more glue in the bead.

Step 4.
Let glue dry.

Step 5.
Cut or sand any tip that remains sticking out of the bead.

Step 6.
Cast on 6-10 stitches using your embroidery floss or crochet thread.

Step 7.
Knit all stitches for 3-5 rows. This will take a little longer than your normal knitting because the needles are so tiny. Don't bind off. Just cut a length of string when you are done to either make a little ball or to decorate your card.

Step 8.
Glue your creation onto a card! I made a card out of an old hanging file folder and used some homemade paper to decorate. You can decorate in any way that pleases you. If you plan to mail this creation, I suggest using a padded mailer.

Enjoy, have fun, and post your creations to my Flickr group specifically for toothpick knitting: http://www.flickr.com/groups/toothpickknitting/

Fabric Pom Pom

2008-06-17T21:24:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the Molly Chicken blog for inspiring me to make a fabric pom pom out of scraps I've been saving. It is a colorful addition to my daughter's bedroom!

Bird Softies

2008-06-13T20:41:00.001-07:00

Spool has this cute little pattern for bird softies. I was inspired because they are quick to make and I can use scraps to make them. My daughter is posing with her new birds.

My Sewing Machine and I Are Back!

2008-06-10T20:18:00.000-07:00

My sewing machine is fixed and it was covered under warranty! I couldn't be happier! I got started right away making some much needed cloth napkins for our household. I don't know where they disappear to, but I know we used to have a lot more somewhere.

Usually I just make serged square napkins for household use. This time, I was inspired by having my machine back and wanted to get back to using some of its cool features. I cut out flannel squares from my husband's old shirts and folded and pressed the edges. I used different stitches with every napkin to finish the edges. I then decided to add a little something extra in the form of a phrase "For Meat-Free Lips Only" because we're a vegetarian household. Unfortunately, the lettering is tough to read on the plaid fabric, so next time I'll have to use a less flashy fabric.

Sewing Despair

2008-05-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

My sewing machine is in the shop and my sewing room is still a mess. Where's a magic wand when you need one?

The Tote's the Thing

2008-05-25T20:58:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a fabulous 10 day vacation in The Netherlands and England. I gave each of my host families a tote bag. The pastel tote bag is made with home dec fabric that the host had given me last summer and is reversible. The Royal Coffee tote is made with my "burlap sack" coffee bean bag supply. Both totes were very well received and seemed to be the perfect gift as neither family had their own tote stash.

The Royal Coffee tote seemed particularly useful as my family in The Netherlands does most of their shopping by bicycle. How cool is that?!

Sweater = Rug

2008-05-02T09:50:00.000-07:00

I have a collection of wool sweaters that I've felted for later use in sewing projects. One of these sweaters felted like crazy. It became so thick I couldn't imagine a use for it in apparel. It did feel plush like a rug though. I found it while unpacking my sewing room and felt compelled to turn it into a rug right then and there. I cut out the pieces and laid them on the floor like a quilt.

I then hand stitched them together with wool embroidery thread. I didn't quite like the look of the seams so I decided to use some of the gimp braid I have from my dad's old upholstery business. I like the geometrical look of this rug much better now.

Where Have I Been?!

2008-04-25T20:18:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we just moved into a new house. This week I finished moving all of my sewing room stuff from the old apartment (well, almost all of it). The above picture shows the state of my room earlier this week. Obviously I haven't been sewing! I've been doing lots of other projects though. Hopefully I get some pictures of the other twig furniture and papier mache that my daughter and I have done while I try to get my sewing room in order.

Coffee Bean Bag Bag

2008-04-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

I made this awesome tote out of one of my many burlap sack coffee bean bags. I lined it with a cotton/poly fabric and made the handles with some old poly rope we had around. It's so sturdy, it's actually a little heavy. But there's TONS of room in it. I hung it in my store window before I had a chance to list it on Etsy and my friend snatched it up a day later. She says it's perfect for all her knitting projects. I really have to make one for myself!

Fairy Bed

2008-04-09T20:39:00.001-07:00

We just moved into a house this past weekend and it's been great! My daughter and I have been enjoying the yard and the large kitchen where we can do big messy projects. One project I couldn't wait to try is based on another blogger's idea (which I can't seem to find - if you've seen this recently please comment with a URL - I want to give credit where credit is due). My daughter and I collected sticks, cut them into smaller sizes, and I tied this fairy bed! I tried not to use glue, but in the end succumbed to a few dollops. I tied the joints with yarn from burlap sack scraps. I plan to line the bed with moss and perhaps create some sort of canopy. I'm really happy with how it turned out!

Going Old School with Macrame

2008-04-01T17:08:00.000-07:00

I got this wonderful book from the library, Beaded Macramé Jewelry by Sherri Haab. What I especially like in the book are the instructions for rings and earrings. I modified one of the ring patterns to use with this plastic thingy that comes off the orange juice spout. I cut the flat round part off (but you could easily leave it on and adhere something fun to it) and used some nylon upholstery thread to macrame around it and to attach a kitty bead and a washer; a quick and easy gift for my daughter (it fits my finger too).

How I Make Recycled Paper

2008-03-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

When I'm feeling up for the mess, my daughter and I will make recycled paper. It's fun, rewarding, and easy to personalize. It's very similar to making paper pulp for sculpting. If you haven't already, read my post on papier mache, because many of the first few steps are the same.

Materials Needed
1. Paper from the recycling bin
2. Paper shredder or scissors
3. Blender
4. Deckle (see below for instructions on making a deckle)
5. Lots of Rags and/or Newspaper
6. Square or Rectangle plastic Tub (I use a clean kitty litter box)
7. Optional: Iron, Ironing Board, Cotton Rag

First though, you need to make or buy a deckle. I have always made my own. A deckle is the form you will use to scoop out the pulp and make it into a sheet. To make a deckle you will need either 1. wooden picture frame with glass removed and staple gun OR embroidery hoop AND 2. window screen OR tulle fabric.

To use a picture frame pull either the window screen or tulle taught across the front of the frame and staple behind. If you find your material ripping, try taping the edges with duct tape before stapling.To use the embroidery hoop, pull the tulle taught in the embroidery hoop and tighten. You can cut the excess material off if you like.Follow steps 1 through 5 on the papier mache post with one exception - you do not need to add flour or cornstarch.

So let's continue with step 6. Pour the goopy paper and water mixture into a large square tub (I use a clean kitty litter box). Add more water to the mix and stir. You should have enough water and shredded paper to be able to fully immerse a picture frame. You can see in the close up photo that I've used some shiny holiday paper which has added glitter to my mixture. (You can do this too, but keep in mind that shiny paper contains metal which can be hard on shredder and blender blades and can contain lead. Wash hands thoroughly. Also make sure to include regular paper, as wrapping paper alone won't be sticky enough.)

Step 7. Dip your deckle under the pulpy water. Slowly bring it up to the surface, jiggling it to get the pulp to settle uniformly. Bring the deckle out of the water and shake gently to remove some of the water. If you would like to embellish your paper, this is the time to add items such as dried leaves/flowers, paper cutouts, fabric, lace, etc. (You can of course add these to the watery pulp in the tub but they may end up hidden amidst the paper. Try it both ways to see what you like.)

Step 8. Place newspaper or rag on top of the wet paper. Carefully pat it to soak up the water. Remove the wet newspaper/rag and place a dry one on top. Flip the whole thing (rag and deckle) upside down on a table. Use more newspaper or rag on the underside of the deckle to soak up more water.

Step 9. You should now be able to gently peel up the deckle, leaving the new paper behind. This may take some coaxing and practice.

Step 10. Either place flat to dry or place paper on a rag or old t-shirt on the ironing board. Place another rag on top of the paper and iron on a cooler setting. Never use the iron directly on the paper. The benefit to ironing the paper dry is that it will stay flat. Allowing it to air dry tends to make the paper curl at the edges.

Ta Da! You now have new paper. Make a journal, embellish a card, endless possibilities!

New Girls Undies in Stock

2008-03-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

I have four new pairs of girls briefs in stock in size 2T. Buy them now!

Bike Race Wallet

2008-03-20T20:14:00.000-07:00

My husband's wallet was in BAD shape. In fact, it was just about to tear in two. I finally got around to making him a new one. I wanted it to have something to do with bike racing, but didn't have any printable fabric or transfer paper at home. Then it came to me...I could use his Tyvek race numbers from last year! Tyvek is waterproof and easy to sew with. I love how it turned out - so perfect for him!

Foliage Art

2008-03-19T19:25:00.000-07:00

My friend Lisa is a foliage artist. Actually, that's what I call her, I'm not sure how she would title herself. She is the mastermind behind our children's school graden. Recently she's been experimenting with moss art. Above is a picture of her first piece. As you can tell, it's a bird. It is carved out of a very mossy sidewalk at the school. I won't divulge her secret formula for creating this masterpiece, but it deserves attention. Awesome, awesome, Lisa!

Swag Bag Washcloths

2008-03-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

My local division of Etsy (EtsyRain) is holding a craft fair in May. Unfortunately, I will not have a table, but I am contributing to the swag bags. I've been making more hemp/cotton washcloths with my business name on them. They're turning out well and I think they'll make a nice addition to the bags.

Kaleidoscope Photography

2008-03-13T21:48:00.000-07:00

My daughter got a little kaleidoscope and as I was looking through it, I wondered if I could photograph the image. I just tried it a few time holding the kaleidoscope and the digital camera - nothing fancy. Here are some of the test images. I haven't decided yet what I will do with the images, but it was a fun trial. Let me know if you try it and what results you get.

Sewing for Cycling

2008-03-06T20:58:00.000-08:00

I've recently completed a couple projects for my husband who is a road cyclist. The first is a helmet cover for wearing in time trials or in the cold. I made it out of an old pair of his lycra cycling shorts. (Here he's racing in a time trial - I think it looks like he's singing, but he claims he's just breathing hard!)
The second is a simple full apron to use when he's cleaning and fixing his bike. I didn't use fancy fabrics because I know the apron will be covered in grease after the first couple wearings.As a Christmas gift I also made him a little zippered pouch to put his phone and a few other items in while he's riding. I made that one out of an old Gore-Tex jacket so that the wind and sweat don't ruin his phone. I didn't manage to photograph that one.

Another Apron Added to Store

2008-02-29T17:00:00.001-08:00

Yes my husband decided to pose as if he's grating an egg, but the important thing is to notice the apron! LOL The bottom half is a particularly nice piece of wholesale coffee bean bag and the top is the rest of some thrift score upholstery fabric I used on another project. The last two aprons I made for my store were very feminine so I made sure this one would be unisex. I love how it turned out!

Here's a Fun Gift from Last Year

2008-02-25T20:49:00.000-08:00

I just remembered this fun pillow I made for my friend's 30th birthday. She's a huge Dukes of Hazzard fan so I found a great image and printed it on printable fabric. I set in the ink and made a border out of some jersey scraps that I thought highlighted the era (rust and orangish yellow). She loved it!

My Window Display

2008-02-20T20:40:00.001-08:00

My mother-in-law (Jane), an extremely talented graphic designer, gave me the awesome birthday gift you see above - a sign for my display window! I live in a townhouse that includes a small retail space. I do all of my sewing in that space, it doesn't operate as a store, but I have recently started using the display window to advertise my pieces.

Jane whipped up some text, shading, and coloring that would be particularly visible from the street. She had it printed on a clear cling material and voila - gorgeous sign! I am so thrilled. I hope it catches the eyes of passersby. (The white paper to the right of my window is a little sign my daughter wrote to point out my office - I love that sign, too!)

My Valentine

2008-02-17T21:55:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture of my lovely little Valentine! She was SO excited for Valentine's Day she woke up terribly early. She knew that I might make her a new outfit for the day so she woke up in the middle of the night to peak at her floor where I had her new dress and pants laid out for the morning.

I had many small amounts of heart fabric, but none large enough for a dress. So I pieced them together in a striped pattern to make a large enough fabric for the dress. I used very cute patterns from Ottobre for both the pants and the dress, though I modified the pants to have the red cuffs. The socks and shirt are her addition to the outfit. She was thrilled and everything fit her perfectly! Below is a close-up of the patchwork dress.

How Do I Order Something?!

2008-02-17T21:47:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who has been checking out my site! I want to answer a question some of you may be asking. "How do I order something from you?" Perhaps you saw one of my items at Victor's, or outside my sewing studio, or online and are now interested in ordering something for yourself. Well, you have two very easy options.

1. If it is available (already made) it will be listed in my online store through Etsy. They have made it easy for you to make your purchase online. I am happy to ship items to you or make arrangements to hand deliver items if you are near Redmond, WA.

2. If it is a custom item you are interested in, please send me an e-mail.
We can make arrangements for the creation, delivery, and price.

That's it! I hope to hear from you soon. :-)

Rocking Chair Cushions

2008-02-13T16:50:00.000-08:00

My dad requested new rocking chair cushions for Christmas. He was tired of the flat and dainty cushions he currently had. Earlier in the year I had given my parents some beautiful Asian silk pillow shams for their couch (which I unbelievably scored on Freecycle). I still had two pillow shams left and knew I wanted to use those to tie into their new decorating scheme.

It was difficult cutting up the beautiful shams, but I think the new cushions came out great! I haven't done much upholstery so some of the lines aren't quite perfect, but my parents are both very happy with the thicker and less frilly cushions handmade by their daughter. (Sorry for the photography, the sunlight was fabulous for hanging out, but terrible for pictures.)

Susan's Apron

2008-02-07T19:08:00.000-08:00

My friend and I made a swap. I made her an apron and she is knitting me a hat. I love swaps! This is my first apron with a yoke. I love the idea that she doesn't have to tie strings at the neck and that it can just drape over her shoulders.

Don't Throw Out Those T-shirts!

2008-02-02T20:14:00.001-08:00

My husband gave me three of his t-shirts to use as material. Unfortunately, these t-shirts were worn beyond the ability to be re-used in clothing. But never fear, I'll find a use for even holey and threadbare cloth! I will make t-shirt yarn and knit hot pads, and you can too.
First thing, either cut off the bottom hem of the shirt or rip it so it's not double layered. Then, from the bottom of the t-shirt, begin cutting a strip of fabric about a 1/2-inch in width. This is not an exact science, so no worries if your strip deviates here and there. Continue cutting this strip around and around the t-shirt. (Most t-shirts are knit in the round and thus have no side hems, which is exactly what you want.) You will make one continuous strip of "yarn" all the way up to the armpits. If you are cutting a regular ol' adult t-shirt, this should be enough to make your hot pad. If not, you will have to make more strips of yarn from the fabric without hems (if you leave the hems in the "yarn," they will produce lumps and possibly unravel). You can then either sew these to your longer pieces or add them in your knitting just as you would do if you ran out of regular yarn.
If you don't yet know how to knit, check out this site and learn how to do a single cast on, a knit stitch, and a basic knit bind off. Then get out your knitting needles (I used straight needles size 10.5 or 6.5mm). I don't recommend needles smaller than these, but you could use larger needles (just reduce the number of cast on stitches). I cast on 25 stitches from my ball of t-shirt "yarn." Then I simply knit and knit and knit until I ended up with a square. You can test for a square by bringing the lower right corner up to the upper left corner. If the meet and form a nice triangle, you have a square. I then cast off. Instead of pulling the rest of the yarn through the last stitch, I pulled a loop through and pulled tight. I then made one knot in the loop to keep it secure. This way you have a nice way to hang your pot holder / hot pad from a hook.

Cleaning Out the Sewing Room Sale

2008-01-27T22:18:00.000-08:00

I am trying in earnest to get my sewing room organized. I finally have enough shelving (I think), but need to sell my inventory to make room for new things - YAY! So I've listed a number of items at clearance prices on Etsy. Please check them out and let me know if you have any questions.

Knit Flower

2008-01-24T22:12:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been knitting some flowers when I'm not in my sewing room. Here is a finished flower. I used some really old mohair yarn that I received on Freecycle. It didn't felt very much, but I still like the texture and shape. My daughter has claimed this one as her own. The fabulous pattern that I used can be found here.

New Apron In Stock!

2008-01-23T19:02:00.001-08:00

I just finished a beautiful half-apron that I have listed in my etsy store. It's made from a fabulous brand new napkin I found at the thrift store. I love the large white flower print on a blue, green, and brown swirl background. I added some gathered eyelet fabric (that I also found while out thrifting) to the apron and pocket.

The pocket has a flower applique made mostly from wholesale coffee bean bag scraps. The color from the bag seemed to match the apron colors, so I went with it.

Knitting to Pass the Time

2008-01-19T08:32:00.001-08:00

I've been home with a sick kid most of the week and haven't been sewing. I get very anxious to produce something when I can't! So I'm knitting little flower petals to felt. I figure if I make some felted flowers I can always add them to sewing projects. I don't enjoy knitting as much as sewing, but it's much easier to put down on a moments notice.

Here's where I've been finding some flower patterns.

Boxers From T-Shirts

2008-01-15T16:47:00.000-08:00

My friends at Victor's coffee got a kick out of the boxer shorts I make from t-shirts. They ordered a couple pair and gave me old t-shirts with the Victor's logo embroidered on the front. One pair is displayed in the store! They've been so good to me. :-)

I've been toying with the idea of adding these custom items to my etsy store. Right now I only have the pattern for size 32 boxers finalized. I'll have to work on a few more sizes.

You can always e-mail me if you'd like to make a custom order - I'm always happy to have projects! E-mail me at jitterbug1 (at) gmail dot com. (Please format the e-mail address appropriately, I can't list it that way here or I'll get deluged with spam.)

Oldie but Goodie

2008-01-10T15:50:00.000-08:00

These underwear were one of my first projects that turned out great. I scored the Welcome Back Kotter jersey fabric on eBay for an awesome price. I think it must not have been listed well, because it should have gone for more than I could afford! I made these toddler underwear for my daughter and my best friends' daughters. I never sold a pair because I simply couldn't part with the fabric.

Stupid Sock Creatures

2008-01-06T12:17:00.001-08:00

I've long been inspired by John Murphy's Stupid Sock Creatures. I admire how he takes something cast off and ugly and turns it into a work of art. His sock creatures are so silly and have so much personality. I'm always surprised when I finish one and see the facial expression that gives them life. They always make me laugh!

And more aprons!

2007-12-31T22:14:00.000-08:00

Today I am working on some cushions for my parent's antique wooden rocking chair. The cushions are not in a pretty state yet, so I will leave you with a picture of aprons.

My daughter is wearing the apron I gave her for Christmas. It's hard to tell in the picture but the pockets have cat appliques and are trimmed in faux fur left over from her Halloween costume. The apron I'm wearing is a custom sewing job I did for a favorite customer (eat at Victor's! *wink wink*). The picture makes it look lopsided, but really it doesn't look this way in real life. I have to do a better job with photos...

Happy New Year everyone!

Apron Reception

2007-12-26T15:25:00.000-08:00

My barista aprons were very enthusiastically received! It was such a fun gift to give and I'm so glad they were appreciated. They even posted about it on their website. Check it out!

About Me

2007-12-23T19:41:00.001-08:00

My old hotteapparel.com site is about to go offline and point directly to this blog. As such, I'm going to lose my "About Me" page. So here it is on this site instead.

What could be worse than having to write about myself?! But since I often read the "About Us" pages of websites I visit, I should in turn provide readers with one of my own. So here it is:

I am a mother of one awesome little girl (though she prefers I call her "my big girl") who is 5 1/2 years old. I have an extremely supportive husband who insisted we get the townhouse with retail space so that I can run with my love of sewing and creating. I am originally from Minnesota but now reside in Redmond, WA.

Hot Tea Apparel is the result of two former at-home businesses I created after the birth of my daughter. Originally I ran Tots and Bottoms, an online boutique which sold goods made or created by other at-home parents. During my stint with Tots and Bottoms I came to the realization that what I REALLY loved was creating my own products. My daughter had recently learned to use the potty at an early age and I started sewing little undies and "potty learning pants" for those smaller framed kids and those who didn't want commercials printed on their kids undies. Thus began Itsy Bitsy Bottoms which was my custom toddler underwear site. All was going well until I ventured into adult sized custom boxers and briefs at the request of my customers. They were a hit and I realized that the name Itsy Bitsy Bottoms wasn't going to cut it if I was going to sew for all ages. I closed up Itsy Bitsy Bottoms, and we relocated to Washington. And here I am today, setting up my site and my retail/sewing space for my newest venture: Hot Tea Apparel.

My goal with Hot Tea Apparel is to sew my inspirations and sell them as in-stock items. I prefer to create as I'm inspired rather than by prescription - so I'm going to give it a go. This site will merely provide you a place to contact me and to see what I have created. Please let me know if you have questions or specific requests and we'll see what we can come up with. I can be reached at Jitterbug1 (at) gmail dot com. Thanks for stopping by!

-Bree Norlander