Knit gifts for a bridal friend.

Jenny and I decided to knit a wedding emergency bag for a friend who is getting married this weekend. The bag will serve the dual purpose of being a pretty, yet subtle remembrance (complete with their wedding logo) and also being a cozy fall bag for her (complete with matching Hurry Up Spring armwarmers).

Knit in Rowan Summer Tweed in Ghost and Vanity (or Blueberry, will have to check the ball band), the bag is lined with purple satin and is the first bag with our label in it. It has a couple pockets for cell phone and small items.

We stuffed it full of all sorts of fun "emergency" items, including the armwarmers (pattern from Stitch n Bitch Nation) since she is always cold. Just for kicks, here's a partial list of the contents:


mini emory sticks
hair spray
toothbrush/toothpaste
breath mints
boby pins
first aid (bandaids, advil, tums, ets)
mini bar (kahlua, vodka, baileys)
blemish stick
hand cream
lip balm
hand sanitizer
mirror
energy bars
tissues
ligher
mini sewing kit
double stick tape
shout wipes
safety pins

Sock Wars 06

So I have been fighting in Sock Wars 06 and have finally discharged my weapon today from sea to shining sea. Lookout GrandCarriage! Here is the sock of doom, first socks ever knit by me.

Having received no reply to inquiries to my assasin, I believe I am now being hunted by my assassin's assasin's assasin's assasin quenstalof. I live in fear.

Glacier Hat

Brrrrr! The inspiration for this hat came from the yarn itself, obtained in a swap with Counting Mermaids. As I began it, the colors reminded me of the melting summer glaciers in Glacier Lake in the Yukon, pale greens and blues and cloudy whites.



I finished the top and earflaps with Lamb's Pride Bulky in Creme doubled with a sparkly, rickracky yarn called Muench Bella Donna in Teal.

I found a great bead store in NYC, to get some icy looking stone and glass beads to frost the glacial look.

This hat is just begging for a blizzard and aurora borealis.

DESIGN category for Whiplash

Etsy shop - halfbirthday

I finally managed to get something into my Etsy shop. I was inspired by the Etsy + CRAFT: competition so I made an entry. I also recently finished a sample of one of my mini knit totes. This is more purse-y and less tote-y. But it is from the same design idea of the Greek Deli Cup. Here are some pictures of the items I put up for sale at halfbirthday.etsy.com. I hope to add some non CRAFT cozies in the next month.

Whiplash - Deconstruct/Reconstruct

This is my entry for this month's whiplash competition, category deconstruct/reconstruct. I bought an oversize men's dress shirt (not Jenny sized) from the thrift store for $6.



I removed the pocket and sleeves and made new side seams to fit Jenny. I created new armholes and recut the old sleeves and cuffs to make neat short sleeves.



I embroidered Jenny's name on the left side.



Then we tried different ribbons and old ties to complete the look. Outside pics turned out much better than inside pics.





Voila. Fancy personalized shirt dress from giant men's dress shirt.

Whiplash - Bags

This is a repost of my second whiplash entry:

This bag is my entry in the July Whiplash competition. I designed it to be a replica of a typical shopping bag.


The inside is lined with gingham and has a few pockets for pens, phone, and small items. I also made a shopping receipt change purse.

There are two ways to carry the purse: by the fabric handles (left) or by an interior drawstring (right).

I created the design by scanning a grocery bag into Photoshop, printing the design, and using transfer paper to transfer it to the fabric, which was cut using a grocery bag as a pattern.

The design was then embroidered on the bag using a combination of stem and satin stich, before the bag was sewn together.

I am entering this bag into the SKILL category (Although I thought it could have gone in the FANCY, since it features embellishment).

Special thanks to my models: Mary and Jenny

Whiplash - Yarn

Here is a repost of my first whiplash entry:

• 05.15.06. So here is my first entry into the whiplash competition. I have always loved the look of the Greek deli cups, there is something so deliciously New York about them. I have been thinking of making a to go cup cozy, or java jacket, or cup sleeve, or whatever you call it for some time. I have come very recently to be a huge fan of whipup and whiplash. This week's theme being yarn, it seemed like the perfect chance for me to jump into the competition.
• I bought a Greek deli cup, did a little photoshop ninjitsu for a pattern and got to work. Knit with Patons Classic Wool and felted in a pot on my stove. Embroidered it freestyle and brewed a little Darjeeling in the cup.
• Ready to go on this rainy New York morning.

Off the plank!

And into the blogosphere. After being a non-blogging participant at whipup.net and the whiplash competition, I feel some strange obligation to extend my participation to blogging. Don't know why. Just some small guilt when people ask for my blog. My guess is this will be a sporadic adventure in the display of my geeky arts side. Although who knows where it might lead.

So as thanks for the inspiration I get from other blogs, here I go into the big blue wet place.