Yeah, you read the title right. Chainmaille made out of craft foam.
Watch Adam Savage geek out about it (also paint): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8KmARIgCdY
Watch the creator make a bow-tie (how to assemble and strengthen): https://youtu.be/1vqiYwD853Y
Download the files: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4131756/comments
I'm having some trouble finding 8.5"x11" black craft foam, but I did find this: https://www.michaels.com/foamies-9x12-craft-foam-sheet/M20000715.html?dwvar_M20000715_size=9%22%20x%2012%22&dwvar_M20000715_color=Purple
It's 9"x12", 2mm thick, and $0.49 USD per sheet.
I've also found that my local library has a makerspace available at no cost!
How many doors are open to me now that chainmaille doesn't have to weigh 30+ pounds? Many. Many doors.
Monday, February 3, 2020
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Aida Cloth Colors
I'm faced with a problem. I have cross stitch projects that I want to do that require colored aida cloth to really work right, and colored aida cloth is expensive.
Sure, I could dye it. I mean, I love to dye things. Check out these posts I did on the process!
Fiber-reactive dye
Acid dye
Dye Glossary
But it's cold out and aida is cotton, which means that it's a Fiber-reactive process and therefore full of odd chemicals that I don't like in my house. So I'm not doing that. I guess I could use Rit, but I just don't like the results I get from it (probably an error on my part somewhere in the process).
There is, however, another option!
Paint.
Yup. Acrylic paint and fabric medium.
Check it out here: http://craftykitsurou.com/paint-aida-cloth/
Mix the paint and the medium, paint it onto the aida, dry, heat set, and stitch!
I'm going to give it a try on one of Wild Violet's patterns when I get some time. You should check out their work on Gumroad! There are tons of super-cute patterns out there, and they are pay-what-you-want, and the charts are REALLY easy to read! I want to do Snow Much Fun and Bee by the Moon.
Sure, I could dye it. I mean, I love to dye things. Check out these posts I did on the process!
Fiber-reactive dye
Acid dye
Dye Glossary
But it's cold out and aida is cotton, which means that it's a Fiber-reactive process and therefore full of odd chemicals that I don't like in my house. So I'm not doing that. I guess I could use Rit, but I just don't like the results I get from it (probably an error on my part somewhere in the process).
There is, however, another option!
Paint.
Yup. Acrylic paint and fabric medium.
Check it out here: http://craftykitsurou.com/paint-aida-cloth/
Mix the paint and the medium, paint it onto the aida, dry, heat set, and stitch!
I'm going to give it a try on one of Wild Violet's patterns when I get some time. You should check out their work on Gumroad! There are tons of super-cute patterns out there, and they are pay-what-you-want, and the charts are REALLY easy to read! I want to do Snow Much Fun and Bee by the Moon.
Monday, December 9, 2019
A Contest!
This ended up not getting done.
Christmas is coming, and so are the party games at work. My department is having a Santa Hat Decorating Contest this year, but they never specified that it has to be a traditional Santa Hat.
Christmas is coming, and so are the party games at work. My department is having a Santa Hat Decorating Contest this year, but they never specified that it has to be a traditional Santa Hat.
So I'm going to make one.
I seriously love witch hats. I think they're gorgeous. So I'm thinking red velvet for the pointy part, white fur for the brim (with the lining as more red velvet), a white fur pouf with a bell-rattler inside at the end of the pointy part, and a big wreath of poinsettias and pinecones and evergreen "twigs" twined with lights.
The "pointy part" will be stabilized with buckram and then shaped to droop and fold to one side. The brim will also be stabilized with buckram and have a wire around the outside to make sure that the shape holds.
I already have the white fur in my stash, and I found almost a whole yard of burgundy stretch-velvet in the remnant bin at Hobby Lobby.
This is going to be so much fun!
Friday, December 6, 2019
Cross Stitch Pincushion - Complete!
I finished it! You can check out the original post about this project here. Grandma didn't open it while we were there, so I don't know what she thinks, but I love it.
Here, take a look!
In the original post I talked about wanting to stuff it with crushed walnut shells. In the end, I packed it full of polyester stuffing to keep it light.
I'm going to make another one for myself when I get finished with Christmas projects. Mine will be on black Aida cloth with red metallic stitching ("Psst... I know who you are... Hail Sithis!").
And then I might make one for my mom on tan cloth with a variegated pink-green thread.
Seriously, these are super fun!
I found charts for all the hold shields in Skyrim and kinda want to make one with all of those. The problem there is that there are only 9 shields. I suppose I could leave the bottom five squares un-stitched and make up a little hand-print for the 10th square.
Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. I've got to finish my mother-in-law's gift first.
Here, take a look!
In the original post I talked about wanting to stuff it with crushed walnut shells. In the end, I packed it full of polyester stuffing to keep it light.
I'm going to make another one for myself when I get finished with Christmas projects. Mine will be on black Aida cloth with red metallic stitching ("Psst... I know who you are... Hail Sithis!").
And then I might make one for my mom on tan cloth with a variegated pink-green thread.
Seriously, these are super fun!
I found charts for all the hold shields in Skyrim and kinda want to make one with all of those. The problem there is that there are only 9 shields. I suppose I could leave the bottom five squares un-stitched and make up a little hand-print for the 10th square.
Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. I've got to finish my mother-in-law's gift first.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Cross Stitch Pincushion
A while back, my husband and I went to visit his grandmother. She makes the most beautiful quilt tops, and I love seeing her work. She also has an AWESOME sewing room, of which I am seriously envious.
But then I noticed her pincushion.
And I became sad.
It looks like a lump of upholstery velvet, taupe-grey in color, that has been wadded up and tied at the bottom with some scrap thread. It is shapeless, nearly colorless, and... sad.
She deserves better.
And so I have started on a cross-stitch project to make her one.
Several months ago I began looking into the little cross-stitch things called biscornu. They are adorable and I was fascinated. Essentially, they are two squares stitched together diagonally... That's the best way I can think to describe their construction.
Here. Look. Instructions and examples from The Floss Box.
So then, because my husband has far too much influence on me, I decided not to do a regular 2-square biscornu... No... I'm doing a 15-face biscornu!
Specifically this one.
But then I noticed her pincushion.
And I became sad.
It looks like a lump of upholstery velvet, taupe-grey in color, that has been wadded up and tied at the bottom with some scrap thread. It is shapeless, nearly colorless, and... sad.
She deserves better.
And so I have started on a cross-stitch project to make her one.
Several months ago I began looking into the little cross-stitch things called biscornu. They are adorable and I was fascinated. Essentially, they are two squares stitched together diagonally... That's the best way I can think to describe their construction.
Here. Look. Instructions and examples from The Floss Box.
So then, because my husband has far too much influence on me, I decided not to do a regular 2-square biscornu... No... I'm doing a 15-face biscornu!
Specifically this one.
It is from a Japanese craft book about French-inspired cross stitch. I got my copy from this Etsy shop as an Instant Download.
I'm doing my version in dark blue rather than red, and the official color is DMC 823. I've finished 7 of 15 tiles and have gone through an entire skein so far. Wanna see?
It's been a blast, but I can't wait to be done so that I can stuff it with crushed walnut shells and give it to her.
The best part about this project, though? It travels so well!
Friday, November 8, 2019
Poor Unfortunate Souls!
From Halloween! The Ursula costume turned out wonderfully.
I ended up getting an Einstein wig from one of the Spirit Halloween pop-up stores and leaving off the sleeves, but those were the only major changes I made to the plan.
Friday, November 1, 2019
Garden Notes
In 2019 I attempted to start a garden. It was a massive undertaking and I quickly found that I just didn't have the time for it. Especially this year. Here's what I learned:
1. Start small.
- I definitely didn't. I was going to, but then my husband said "what if we did the short fence AND the long fence since we'll have the tiller for a day anyway? And so I did. We ended up with a 316 square foot mass of weeds.
2. Research what you are growing.
- I did that... To the detriment of all other projects in my life. But I knew what I was growing and I knew what to put it next to and what to keep it away from. I knew the watering requirements and how much sun everything wanted... but...
3. Research the weather.
- I skipped this part because "Oklahoma weather is always the same, right?" WRONG! We got so much rain in NE Oklahoma that everything flooded. My yard was a marsh for quite some time. Half my plants drowned. Or bolted. Or the seeds washed away.
4. Learn how to store your produce.
- Despite all the weeds and the rain, I did end up getting a decent amount of herbs out of the mess. Herbs can be dried, so that's easy, but I don't know what to do with all my peppers. We have a vacuum sealer now. Maybe that will work?
I definitely want to grow my own herbs again. We used a ton of them fresh and it really kicked up our cooking, but I think I'd like them better in a raised bed and in different quantities. More thyme, less mint, more sage, less lemongrass. Much, much less lemongrass.
Quick hint: A 2-person family with no idea how to cook it has no business with 8 lemongrass plants unless they are there as ornamentals or for mosquito repellent.
1. Start small.
- I definitely didn't. I was going to, but then my husband said "what if we did the short fence AND the long fence since we'll have the tiller for a day anyway? And so I did. We ended up with a 316 square foot mass of weeds.
2. Research what you are growing.
- I did that... To the detriment of all other projects in my life. But I knew what I was growing and I knew what to put it next to and what to keep it away from. I knew the watering requirements and how much sun everything wanted... but...
3. Research the weather.
- I skipped this part because "Oklahoma weather is always the same, right?" WRONG! We got so much rain in NE Oklahoma that everything flooded. My yard was a marsh for quite some time. Half my plants drowned. Or bolted. Or the seeds washed away.
4. Learn how to store your produce.
- Despite all the weeds and the rain, I did end up getting a decent amount of herbs out of the mess. Herbs can be dried, so that's easy, but I don't know what to do with all my peppers. We have a vacuum sealer now. Maybe that will work?
I definitely want to grow my own herbs again. We used a ton of them fresh and it really kicked up our cooking, but I think I'd like them better in a raised bed and in different quantities. More thyme, less mint, more sage, less lemongrass. Much, much less lemongrass.
Quick hint: A 2-person family with no idea how to cook it has no business with 8 lemongrass plants unless they are there as ornamentals or for mosquito repellent.
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