Finished!... Almost!

Okay, well, two things. One is finished, the other is almost.

First up is the weaving project. I finished, in time, and everything was perfect, and than it was not... for whatever reason at some point between Sunday night and this morning I switched times and thought that our final critique started at 11 (normal class time) instead of 10. I'm just hoping that my project kicked so much butt that it won't affect (or is it effect?) my grade too much and I will still get an A. I got 100% on my first project, so i'm hoping for the same on this one. So here are a few pictures:



You can see more of it before being burnt and while being burnt here.

And then there is the other project, you might remember when I started cleaning out that suitcase inside I got back in March. Well, it's clean now, and I starting making the lining for it:

The liner is actually an old vintage skirt that my friend in Indiana gave to me last time I visited. Thanks Deb! You rock to a super neat beat!

Here is the front image again that the artist Brett Whitacre painted:


I think I was stressing out too much about making the liner perfect, so now I'm just jumping in feet first and it's actually working out really well! Yea!

I think I am going to get some quilting batting so I can quilt the bottom and top sections of the suitcase. I'm also going to make some pockets with the elastic tops like they usually have in vintage suitcases. Oh to have a quilting machine, I could do some super cool things.

Oh and an update:
Here is the information on the performance piece I will be participating in Friday night/Saturday morning:

"Sleepless Labor
Installation/performance
177 North State Street, Corner of State and Lake
8-12 labor practitioners will participate
Performance is 14 hours – the duration of Looptopia event

Commemorating Chicago's history of garment production and recognizing
the sleepless night shift worker, I propose a 14-hour performance that
will occupy a display or storefront window. Becoming a garment
production facility for three laborers, working a rotating three-hour
shift for 14 hours. The laborers are participants from the
Synchronized Sewing Squad, a volunteer community from Chicago of
unskilled and skilled textile workers who perform garment production
in public space. During the 14 hours of production the squad will
construct uniforms symbolic of the night shift worker. As each
garment is completed it will be displayed in the empty windows."

My shift will be from 11pm - 2am... then some sleep in the back room until the trains start running, then class at 9:30 in naperville... there will be some train sleeping going on that morning. I'm going to be getting around the area at 8pmish to check out everything that is going on before my shift. The whole looptopia chicago event is going to be really great. Lots of art, lots of shops, lots of food, all open for 24 hours! Woo! Hopefully my body will be able to handle all of the over stimulation. Art Chicago about did me in.

Oh I am making progress on my knit/crochet tank, but I will show you pictures once I hit the 8 inch mark, it's coming up soon though!

A Good Day

Well, I swear it really was. For several reasons actually.

I woke up this morning and drearily checked my email only half awake.... wow there are a lot of emails this morning, maybe an order..... most likely not.... Inbox 11... click! 2 Orders! One from each store! Which means I had my very first yarn order! I really hope she likes it. And another kit sold too, which always makes me happy. It's like not only do people like what I make, but they actually want to make it themselves! I get so few comments on Craft Leftovers that sometimes it gets a little discouraging, but when kits sell, I know that I'm on the right track!

So good thing number one.

Then off to the post office, I really like the guy who works there, he so freaking nice and tell me all these great hints about sending packages and how to get the best rates and what forms to fill out for customs and thing.

Then to weaving.... finally, warps on and ready and time to start weaving.... my prof couldn't get over, she loves what I'm making and that I'm using wire warps. Here is an in progress shot:



What a mess right? It has taken well over 16 hours just to get it set up! 480 warp end of wire! eek! Thankfully the actual weaving will go faster than that. I think I may be able to finish tonight. I'll post more in progress shots of the actual weaving tomorrow.

For the weavers out there:
I'm using wire warps and wefts and inlaying every other row with shredded paper. 480 warp ends and an epi of 16 (8 for each side of the double weave). I'm doing a double woven tube to form a shirt. The sleeves will be added later towards the top at about the 12 inch mark. I'm using toilet paper as fillers around the shirt that will be pulled out later. I will snip the wire around the shirt and twist it so it stays put.

Then Monday night at 9:30 in the lagoon fire pit, I will ceremonially set fire to this self portrait (it is made to my dimensions and of shredded paper from my mom (my dna so to speak)). Then we will un-ceremonially cook smores over it if campus security hasn't kicked off the site.

Okay so good things 2 and 3.

Then while at work, I got a bug... a design a sweater vest with crochet and knitting bug.

Here is the swatch, the sketch, and the start:


I really think it's going to work nicely.

I'm starting with 2 inches of 2x2 rib, the alternating 1 inch of stockinette stitch and 1 inch of crochet. The decreases and increases will be worked every 4 rows of knit and every other crochet. It will be topped off with 2x2 rib, then knit straps that have a sc edging.

I'm trying to take detailed notes and will write the pattern up to share on Craft Leftovers. I'm not sure when it will get finished, but I'm hoping it will be a June pattern. We will see how it goes.

Oh and the pattern was a good excuse to get my hands on some inox size 1 us cir needles and a size d crochet hook... I figure it's a tank top and I'm not too crazy... right? right?! okay so maybe a bit, but it's going to be so cute it will be worth it!

I am also almost finished with my sweater vest and I will write up that patt as well, but I'm think that might be published more towards the fall... I love sweater vests!

so good things all over the place!

More weaving for me, you kiddos have a good night!

Running at Full Throttle!

Gearing up for the Ars Nova Art and Craft Sale is in full swing! I have all of the small/child sized head wraps done and will start working on the med and larges today. I have also sew 34 cat nip pillows and am going to start filling them tonight. Right now it doesn't look like much, but it will when they are packed full of rice and catnip. I'm also going to cut the fabric for the pencil clutches today and if I have time some travel tissue holders too. I'm still trying to figure out display ideas. I want to try to make a step display made out of paper pulp from junk mail and paper scraps, but I have to make the form first which will be tricky for me.

I also have an old create that I'm going to fill with fabric and put the pencil clutches and tissue holders in. And then there is this swanky "take and Read" display I got a long time ago. I'm going to put kits for the pencil clutches and travel tissue holders along the bottom, pattern print out (they will be $1 ea) along the center, and then business cards and "about craft leftovers" pamphlets in the top. Perfect right. I love this little rack so much, I'm so glad I finally get to use it. Oh and then, I'm going to put the crocheted dishcloths in my dishdrain (which is bright red) and prop that up. I thought that would be kind of neat. I have a Styrofoam head that I will put one of the head wraps on, but I'm honestly not sure what to do with the rest of them. I'm sure I will get it figured out... Maybe that is what will go on the paper pulp stair form! Ha! Thanks for letting me chat this up with you all, because I think now I do know what I'm going to do for my display!

Now you may be wondering... how is she doing all this sewing if her machine is broke? Well, because of the generosity of others that's how. Thank you to everyone who donated, you have really made this little crafty lady happy! This is my new machine, isn't she beautiful?
It's a brother CE-4000 computer... she sews like a dream. If I would have known that sewing was so easy with a fulling working, not having to hold the foot control in your hand to make it go and only having one hand to guide things, no button hole function, bad tension, out of alignment, gets smelling like burning rubber when I use it machine, I would have bought one a long time ago.

And with that I'm going to head into the studio. Even though I have today completely off class, I have a lot to do... I'll show you what I've been up to in my studio at school in my next post.

Have a good day!