Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Crafting Explosion

I like to listen to Podcasts while I sew or drive to work. Crafty ones help motivate me and often introduce me to people and shops that I am unfamiliar with. I love Crafty Pod and Craft Sanity, both of which are an interview format with one hour long show being an interview with (usually) one person involved in arts and crafts. Great interviews, great podcasts. I've recently discovered Craft Mentality - a new podcast of two women chatting about various creative projects they are working on. Everything from knitting and sewing to cooking and Project Runway. They have links on their blog to all the projects that they discuss and MAN, has it got me crafting!

I've started making this bird mobile (click link for pattern). I have no idea who it's for or what I'll do with it, but how could I pass it up?!? It's really easy to make with scraps of fabric. I also went to a local quilting shop where they had small pieces of fabric for $0.50 a piece. I mixed and matched. I've used a sewing machine, but it's simple and easy enough that you can totally hand sew it. And if you just absolutely love it but don't have a crafty bone in your body you can just buy one in Oh My Eye's Etsy shop.

I picked up the knitting needles again after about 9 months of not knitting a thing. I am currently working on a really cute pumpkin hat, some fingerless gloves, and a pair of baby booties. I'm lucky that I have the opportunity to knit at work during my down time!

I also joined Ravelry- an online community for knitters and crocheters. It's a really amazing way to organize your projects. not only that, but you can search for patterns and see other Ravelry members finished versions of them. Nice!

I'm also participating in a craft swap with some local Portland mamas. Just in time for the holidays! Last year we took the Handmade Pledge and had a great shopping for items that were handmade for our friends and family. Of course it was also nice to support other Etsy sellers. Stay tuned for a post of all my favorite handmade holiday ideas!

4 comments:

Rachel@oneprettything.com said...

Oh great links! That bird mobile is on my lsit too! I am totally jealous of all the crafty people living in Portland. It seems like there are so many creative types there-so much crafty goodness!

Anonymous said...

I made this mobile too! The birds are really easy, but let me warn you, make sure they are the same weight. If not, trying to balance them on the sticks is a NIGHTMARE! Let me know if you come up with a good way to get them to stay on the sticks too... I just sewed them on and some of them like to slip upside down. (I just put a dot of super glue on the thread to hold it securely on the stick so they don't slip... and I suppose I could have just sewn them tighter...but if you have any other ideas I'd love to hear them!)

BeckyKay said...

This is an adorable pattern! I want to make these little birds for Christmas ornaments!!

Bernadette said...

That is super sweet. Imagine making those for a nursing home how much that would add to their day. I'm passing it on to my sis who organizes crafts in a senior day care.