Spontaneous Craft Ideas

I bought one of those portable light studio box thingies recently in order to take some better lit photos of stuff that will be going up for sale at my Etsy shop. Unfortunately, the white background wasn't great, so I stopped at my local craft retailer to pick up some white fabric to use.

But, as is my custom, I got to perusing the clearance pile and found some stuff on the cheap that sparked something in my brain.




The first project's already done. Nothing fancy. I just sewed the two fabric quarters together and hemmed it to make a tablecloth for the little table in my room.




I haven't started in on the second yet, but I haven't exactly figured out what those hexagons are for yet. There's some other tablecloth-like applications I could do, but I'm still working through my ideas.

Finally Made Something With Those Squares

I started collecting old jeans from my roommates in college because I had lofty ideals of crafting and to waste all that denim when I had practically no income was just crazy talk. Of course, jeans end up using a lot of space - something which I lacked in some dorm rooms and my house - so I would spend a weekend whittling the denim down into pieces. I didn't want to get rid of it; I just needed it to take up less space.

First, I cut out all the seams and pockets so that I had a pile o' pockets and a pile of flat jean legs. Then, after collecting more jeans and filling up the space I cleared, I cut all the denim down to squares.

Not all of the denim was trimmed down to squares, of course. I did staple a pair to some plywood and painted windmills on them for an art project and I did use some scraps for a couple of dolls/plush-thingies, but cutting them down into squares seemed like the best solution at the time.

And the squares just sat there. I attempted a project or two with them, but I never really finished anything.

Until this weekend...











I also made one of the 3x3 bags for my mom with a Snape T-shirt lining it, but I didn't grab a picture.

I've still got a pile of squares and T-shirts to turn into bags. I'm already finding them handy for knitting project storage. I will have a million freaking tote bags by the time I run out of denim.

Denim Chair

I’ve been asking for a new chair for years now. I inherited this old beat up computer chair from my dad from before the millennium change over. This thing is the most ratty looking computer chair you could possibly have. Since it didn’t look like I was ever going to get a new chair, I covered it.

To be honest, I did get lazy with both parts. After quilting the seat part, I just hot glued it to the bottom of the chair. I really should have stapled it down if I wanted to do it properly, but I didn’t have the patience. The parts that wouldn’t stick to the bottom are thumb-tacked down. Ghetto.

The back was originally made to be pulled as taut as the seat, but it ended up being a kind of envelope because of how the chair is attached. Notice, there are no pictures of this chair from the back. It’s sloppy and roughly done.

I’m not entirely happy with how it turned out, but it covers this ugly chair and that’s what I was aiming for.

Works in Progress

Hey all. Since I haven't posted a craft blog in a while, I thought I'd catch you all up on what I've been working on.




The first thing is that I bought new roving at the Goshen Scottish Festival a couple of weeks ago. Huzzah!

I've been slowly getting through some brown roving and I picked up this blue to provide a second ply. I haven't started spinning that yet and I haven't finished enough of the brown to start plying the two together, but I'll get there.






As per usual, I nabbed some handspun wool from The Merry Little Lamb at the Connecticut Renaissance Faire. I've been learning to knit socks and thought I might attempt a pair of kilt hose (the knee high socks you wear with a kilt), but it looks like I don't have enough to do that. So, what you see in the photo above will be dismantled, but I will find a suitably awesome sock pattern to replace it.




I've also started a new afghan. I've been wanting to work on another big project for a while, but I don't have the money to buy all of the supplies. So, in a move to get rid of some of my scrap yarns, I'm making a scrap afghan. This is a very long term project, as I don't intend to buy any new yarn specifically for this blanket.



And this week I'll be putting together a Max (Where the Wild Things Are) costume for Lainey.

T-Shirt Hoodie and TARDIS Cargo Shorts

Alright guys. I'm really proud of these two pieces because I can actually use and wear them. In fact, I've been wearing these shorts all days.

The T-Shirt hoodie was made using pieces from four different T-shirts. The main part of the hoodie is simply an old red Target work shirt that I cut up the middle and hemmed. The two pockets on the sides were taken from two identical red shirts and simply sewn on. The hood was cut out from the front and back of an old Pirates of the Caribbean shirt that I shrunk in the wash years ago.

Here's a profile shot to show off the hood. I had to slouch to actually get the hood into frame.



The shorts were also made from old Target work uniform parts. In the beginning of the summer, I attempted to dye some khaki pants black, but they ended up this grey/almost purple color. Today, I cut off the bottoms of the legs and hemmed them into shorts. I made a stencil for the TARDIS and filled it in with Sharpy.

Dread Fall Doll

New item open for commission.

I had far too much fun making this and I want to make more. The price is negotiable because I'm indecisive and I want to know how much people are willing to pay for it, if I'm honest.






Dread fall, body colors, and goggle colors can be changed.

Email me at freakishlemonproductions@gmail.com if you're interested.