More Winter partlet-ing

Couple more pics. By the end of tonight I WILL have sewn the whole partlet together, except the bottom seam, and I will have finished these ties - of which I need 10. I've done 3 so far. Nearly nearly.

I took some pics to make me feel like I've actually done something. Sewing these ties together took forever last night. I went to bed at 2am: I was on a roll watching Kaamelott and doing sewing :)

I turned it inside out yesterday and now it's ... FINISHED!

She's back!

She's purring like a dream. I don't want to jinx it too badly just yet, though, but my sewing machine is back from the lovely people at Frank Nutt (Birmingham) and I will be hiding away in my sewing room for most of the rest of today.

From my sewing room, door everyone else will just be hearing the whispered mutterings under my breath and the light whirring of my little Brother making a delightful orange quilt. Finally all the component parts are together, they just need a bit of sewing.

... Mwah ha ha ha! ...

Crafting boxes for my Crafters

As I am doing some craft workshops and was finding that I was developing a bit of a storage issue, I decided to make some craft boxes so that I could keep certain tools & materials prepped and ready to go, for my workshops. I thought I'd show you how to make one because it is so simple and they look quite pretty in the end. 

It's also a good promotional tool because it is something tangible, aesthetically pleasing, practical (it carries their "make") and it has my details on it so the craft workshopper or their friends might share it online or contact me, having seen my details.  

These boxes also work as yarn boxes if you make a big hole in one end (although you might as well just use a square tissue box if you are going to do that!). 

What you'll need to make one

Cardboard boxes (size - 6" x 4" x 4") at 25p each

Sellotape

Scissors

PVA glue (not essential)

2 x Loom band elastic (I think I own a gazillion!)

Funky self-adhesive fabric tape (dependent on size of box)

2 x split pins

A small piece of paper with your logo or name on (this is where you'll use the PVA)

Cardboard boxes from the internet - I sellotaped the bottom to keep it enclosed

We're basically wrapping sticky fabric tape around a box. To start, I made up the flatpack box and sellotaped the bottom so it would be sturdy.

I then measured the cardboard boxes, making sure that where the fabric would be, on the top of the box, would match and be level all along. So, I measured to the middle of the box and drew a pencil line so I would know where to put the fabric tape to make it look good. 

I started by matching up the fabric tape on the top of the box, wrapping it all along the pencil line and then cutting it off so that it went over the end about 1cm, so that the edge looked clean.

I love the look of the top. I will put split pins either side of the flaps and attach a loom band elastic across them to secure the flaps and keep the crafty things in.  

Beautiful floral self-adhesive tape (1.5mm)

Right, once I did all this to 10 boxes I got out the PVA and a paintbrush, having printed off my logo and details, and stuck them to the end of the box. 

///I am waiting on an order of split pins so that I can do the finishing touches. I still have until next weekend though so I've got a bit of time until then///

Quilt Soundtrack

You definitely need a good soundtrack for crafting, whether it's 

This: 
What's Love Got to do With It by Tina Turner 

This: 
Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench 

This, to stop me falling asleep late night quilting:
Pharrell - Happy

Or this, to really stop me working:
Let it Go

This...

Aladdin - Friend Like me - (English) 

or, definitely waking me uppp..., just anything by The D.
Tenacious D - The last in line


Makes me want to go and sort out my iPod playlists...

PART THREE: Chevron style St. Clements quilt

So, woo hoo! I've sewn up 3 columns. 3 down, 2 to go! 

Then life happened and I think I left it on the side in my sewing room whilst I pottered about with other projects and more admin-y type things - the joys of making spreadsheets so that I can actually make my crazy craft workshops work for me financially: slowly but surely. I also talked to an Artist about exchanging French lessons for Batik classes and I am quite excited about that! We also discussed "Man Sheds" which I may blog about later on :)

Right, so what was I saying? Oh yes, once you have your 5 quilt columns sitting on your desk looking fab, but a bit floopy, ... well, what do you think?! You iron your seams! :) Yay! 

Ok, I promise no more waxing lyrical about ironing....

...Still... they look pretty ace all ironed and flat, right?

 ///GOES OFF TO MAKE A CUP OF TEA; EAT A NUTELLA SPOON AND SEE WHAT STAGE HER COLUMNS ARE AT, THEN DOES A BIT OF IRONING OF SEAMS (OH YEAH!) THEN COMES BACK TO WRITE BLOG///

The Call

The Call:    When the call comes, 
                  sometimes you just have to stop the car + write.
                  Sometimes it helps if the 
                  place you stop at has a loo
                  as well - Thanks MAC Birmingham!

My Artsy week!

As someone who sees The Arts as somewhat of a guilty pleasure, I feel like I've been snaffling cookies all this week!

Saturday 
Creative Producing Masterclass with Alex McCorkindale & IdeasTap

Sunday
Budgeting my new craft workshops
Marketing/designing flyers for my craft workshops

Monday
Babysitting (AKA climbing up + downstairs together, giggling A LOT, feeding the chickens - she's a pro, watching Peppa Pig and attempting to draw quilt patterns whilst showing my niece how to scribble)

Tuesday
Met up with Tiger Skins of Sunlight to chat about their Summer plans at Martineau Gardens. Promoted my craft workshops by putting up flyers around Moseley
Popped into Transition Arts Gallery by The Dark Horse in Moseley (follow this link!)

Wednesday
After tutoring French (my first lesson and it went really well!) I went to an immense workshop run by Chris Cooper and put on by The Gap Arts project - Who knew enacting reading a newspaper could be that tricky? The stuff discussed developed rich content and more interesting discussions!

So, yes, I had a very exciting week. Tudor sewing club on Friday and I'm really looking forward to meeting and planning my friend's birthday with her soon, too - It's going to be funky and exotic! Feeling a little bit sleepy but very content. It'll definitely be well-earnt sleep!

Knit your own Blanket Square workshop

Knit your own Blanket Square is a great introduction to knitting on a small scale. You'll learn to knit a small square and learn how to attach different sample squares together! 
Meet a group of lovely people at Cherry Reds cafe and bar (89-90 John Bright St, Birmingham, UK) for a friendly and accessible workshop.

Do book your tickets in advance as only 10 places are available.

Follow this link for ticket options
For more info see the Monster Eyes Events Facebook page

PART TWO: Chevron style St. Clement's quilt

It has taken a little while to get this blog up, although I had the pictures up! My diary has been full of exciting projects and ideas that I'm developing this year. 

TRIANGLE ARRANGEMENT

N.B.TAKE A PHOTO OF YOUR TRIANGLE ARRANGEMENT AS A REFERENCE POINT!

Here's a photo of my triangles all arranged - Is what I would say if I had taken such a picture! (see note)

Note: MAKE SURE YOU TAKE A PHOTO OF THE OVERALL QUILT YOU WILL BE MAKING ONCE YOU HAVE ARRANGED THE TRIANGLES!

It is really annoying if, say, you knock the pile of triangles over and can't remember the order - I can testify to this. Although, I did figure out what happened eventually it is an hour of my life I cannot get back!! So, pin a note to say which column it is and if it is top/bottom.

Having laid out all the triangles together to see how they will go together, I pinned them and made sure it was marked where I needed to sew, so that the right yellow/orange triangles were attached to the right part of the orange/yellow triangles. 

Image of most of my triangles nicely pinned in the correct order. 

MAKING SQUARES

Part 1: I pinned each set of 2 triangles together

Part 2: I sewed each set of 2 triangles together, with a double stitch at either end. This makes a square.

N.B. Yay! It's time to iron those brilliant seams!

You've made a square! - now to make rectangles... 

MAKING RECTANGLES

Having checked that the triangles are oriented as I want them I pinned the right-hand, vertical edge (which at the moment is the horizontal top edge). Turn your head left a bit - that's it! This secures my fabric for sewing. 

 

After you've sewn the 2 squares together they become a nice rectangle. 

Note: The thinner fabric (yellow, stripey polycotton) was a bit resistant to my sewing machine whereas the 100% was quite sturdy. I decided, therefore, not to doublestitch the yellow stripey+yellow stripey triangles at the ends because then I could stretch out the stitches where it bunched up a bit. In the end the horizontal sewing will reinforce it, when I sew all the rectangles together so it doesn't matter so much that I didn't double-stitch.

BEFORE YOU DO THE NEXT BIT 

Lay out all your rectangles and double-check the overall design. Are the yellows where they should be?, the orange triangles too?

Go on, iron all those seams as well. You know you want to! It'll all look so flat and perfect once you're done ironing!

SEWING DOWN THE COLUMNS 

You must now match up the vertical seam down the middle of the first top rectangle to the vertical seam of the rectangle below. 

- Pin the 2 top fabric squares together 

- When you do this, pin the 2 right sides (the side you want people to see), together.

- Check that when you flip the rectangles open (to see how great your sewing looks) you get the chevron as it looked in your arrangement - or at least as on the line as you can (check that beautiful picture of all the wonderfully arranged triangles from before!). 

n.b. You may want to tack the seam first to make sure depending on how confident you are.  

Close up of the seams all pinned up and good to go. Hello there seams!

Full view - I pinned all my squares ready to be sewn up. I also pinned
them together so that I didn't knock them all apart by accident! 

Then do the same for the next 5 seams.
If the chevron-matching is up to your standards, continue with the next 4 columns. 

If not, maybe have a little sit down, a cuppa and watch an episode of Supernatural, New Girl or Family Guy - whatever makes you feel happier or better off than the characters in it.
Then go back to your quilting when you are more chilled out and it's not 1 in the morning. (Yes, you guessed it! I sometimes melodramatise sewing)

IN THE NEXT EPISODE OF CHEVRON STYLE ST. CLEMENTS QUILT: 

Our heroine sews together the columns so that they match perfectly. She then cuts the fleece and polyester wadding to the size of the quiltwork, as well as sewing the edges! She may even quilt it depending on how much coffee she has had at that point! Wow!

Plus - I coded that text to be dark green myself ... baby steps! 

The Knitter's Bible - A short review

Hands down, this is my favourite stitch directory. Really clear pictures. Some great stitches which are fun and, if not easy to do, at least the instructions guide you through the process well! Well worth a read. Easy to flick through as a reference guide.

The Knitter's Bible
by Claire Crompton

The Knitter's Bible - in full PDF

The Knitter's Bible to buy on Amazon

Make do & Mend event

On Wednesday 11 February I'm running an informal workshop called Make do & Mend at Cherry Reds in Birmingham City Centre. It will be a fun introduction to improving your wardrobe with simple techniques like sewing buttons on, hemming and threading a sewing machine.

Follow this Facebook link for more details!! Make do & Mend with Monster Eyes Events

Learn to sew on buttons, thread a sewing machine, hem trousers and have a bit of fun!

Don't know how to use a sewing machine?

Can't sew on buttons?

Haven't quite got around to hemming those trousers?Learn some skills that'll keep your clothes in good nick for a little while yet.

Creative Producing Masterclass

I went to a Creative Producing Masterclass at The Tobacco Factory (Bristol) this afternoon, run by Alex McCorkindale in affiliation with IdeasTap. It was really interesting, fun and I heard about loads of great projects going on around the UK and got some great tips about how to organise, fund and promote my own projects/events. Exciting stuff and I have loads to think and plot about in the next few days!

Brilliant & inspiring Creative Producing Masterclass with @AlexMcCork today. Lots to think about #CPMIdeasTap #creativeproducer @IdeasTap
— Alex Laight (@AlexandraLaight) January 24, 2015

I wish I could get go see/listen/watch/do/read suggestions off insanely creative people everyday.Brilliant day @Tobacco_Factory #CPMIdeastap
— Alex McCorkindale (@AlexMcCork) January 24, 2015

#creativeproducing

#arts

#creativeproducer

#CPMIdeasTap

Inner embroidery hoop dilemma!

I didn't really believe that when it said "Embroidery inner hoops only" online that someone would actually sell just the inners but here I sit with 20 embroidery inner hoops and some wool, contemplating the fact that late night shopping can be a bad thing and that I now need to find something to do with all 20 of them or at least find something to do with one of them and a workshop idea to tote around town. 

The website did say "Use these for loads of crafts! They're really useful" etc etc. So people must be doing something with them and I'm not one to give up on a challenge! (... except the code in a day thing. Fail. But I coded a little bit and that's the main thing) 

Anyway back to my hoops. Apart from making hula hoops for sprites, I wanted to do something with them. 
Tried weaving - didn't really work. 
Thought about wrapping wool around the edge - couldn't really see the point
Flirted with the idea of dreamcatchers - bit cliché.

Googled a bit and found this on livingcrafts.com! -  Embroidery hoop weaving loom
- My problem with weaving initially was that the wool wouldn't hold but this lady has used an elastic band to keep the wool still so I'll give it a go.

I love to weave and this is a really simple way of maybe making some funky coasters. I have hessian so I might use a thick wool as a base and make a rustic-looking coaster, or using waterproof wool/strips of plasticky fabric. I do love the rainbow colours they've used here and I LOVE bright colours so we'll see. Much plotting and doodling to ensue on this front I think. And I could definitely do a workshop on this, whether that's through making the loom or weaving it is simple and would easily fill an hour.

LEARN TO CODE IN A DAY: Challenge accepted

Starting with a cup of tea, a laptop, a smartphone and a Sunday Times Magazine article. 

Better get on with making an app for a simple game of snap, then.

In the paper article it's not completely clear what to do at Step 2, 3 GOOGLE DOCS

I've managed to land on this url which is where you're meant to be, I think. 

This is basically the article online with links and tutorial so it's more straightforward for me

WIREFRAMING

Wireframing is basically building up a draft of what you will put into your app - like sketching out a drawing before you paint.

I have chosen a wireframe, mobile first template called "Mobile Phone" by Morten Just

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1oXfktwdGhVmvLh_5cnPXso3Rdnu3nlZsq4qkvOcxKgE/edit

This is really simple to create shapes with. Great.

Thoughts

I didn't really think that the short course in Dreamweaver that I went to would be very useful as I didn't have a project but it has been a brilliant foundation for creating this Snap Happy app. I am developing an understanding of the coding language and reinforcing it.

Step 7: Designing our user interface

So far the code is looking something like this …https://learn.playto.io/snap-that/lesson/7
I had to put that link in because, as you can see below, my blog has decided to translate my evidently not completely successful coding, but at least I've got "pigeon Coding" down, right? 

 

      content="width=device-width,

               initial-scale=1.0, user-scalable=no">

 

    Canvas not supported

PLAY SNAP HAPPY

PLAYER 1

PLAYER 2

Canvas not supported

 

   

STEP 6: INTRO TO CSS

Definitely getting stuck at this point because, once I clicked on the + symbol in the file menu and created style.css, the program seems to have deleted all my coding information from my app which I named “SNAP APP” although on the right side of the screen I can still see that it says “play snap happy” and “player 1” and “player 2”.

**To the tutorial!! https://learn.playto.io/snap-that/lesson/6

So… I put panicking on the back burner and just decided to insert this code into the style.css and see what happens.

Turns out (as the article said) it links both files, so hopefully I was being iffy for no reason. Let’s see…

So, it's all connected but my code, (even when I copy in code from the tutorial to see if I've misspelt something), does not change the right hand screen which it usually does in Dreamweaver and the tutorial seems to suggested (via images) that the App creator/learner will be seeing the text on the right change. 

LUNCH - Putting this on the backburner and I'll give it a re-read later. I have a couple of jobs to apply for and workshops to plan. Can't spend all day trying to learn something really cool (much as I want to). Any suggestions as to what might be going wrong would be really appreciated!

@AlexandraLaight @TheSTMagazine join us at the Playto Forum at http://t.co/48fq7w9aw1 where we can guide you through your Qs cc @oliver_rees
— Kathryn Parsons (@KathrynParsons) January 19, 2015

MY BLOODY VALENTINE

I have been making some flyers for this great crochet workshop on Thursday 12th February at 6.30pm 

It'll be really fun. I'll be showing you how to crochet an eyeball and generally having a fun time and drinking coffee/tea and having cake in the cosy, quirky surroundings of Cherry Reds cafe on John Bright Street in Birmingham, UK.

I'll be providing wool, stuffing and crochet hooks! There are 10 places available

This'll be the perfect alternative Valentine's crafting! Hearts can be fun but gory eyeballs are wicked!

Buy tickets: £5.50 inc. booking fee). 

Passion quilt - Art for Art's sake

Art for Art's sake is definitely going on my Passion Quilt!

Feeling the practical meaning of 'Art for Art's sake' - "so why are you making this quilt?"... Umm, because it's fun? pic.twitter.com/AuSQBPY80z
— Alex Laight (@AlexandraLaight) January 12, 2015

Sometimes you forget that you don't need permission to do what you want to do. If it's fun but you don't earn anything from it except the satisfaction of doing it then that is absolutely fine. The intrinsic value of taking time to create or do something you love is important, otherwise what are we here for?

FINGERLOOPY - My Etsy shop

I've opening my own Etsy shop. It's called Fingerloopy and I've uploaded 3 items so far.  

This is my banner, although I think I will embroider something more specific to my shop, like its name, Fingerloopy, and I'll use a better camera. Branding has to be clear on Etsy, especially regarding what I'm going to be selling, so that customers aren't confused as to what the shop is about. (Of course Monster Eyes is so transparent!)

I've got 10 eyeballs and a few braids so I'll work on getting stock up. As it's all up and running on the site, I am now focusing on getting some fantastic pictures to promote my 'eccentric objects lovingly crafted in the Midlands'. 

TUTORIALS
Although I can't find this great Etsy video I saw online about taking the perfect Etsy photo, I have this link to the Etsy blog which I have found quite useful. I just need to craft the right cardboard box into a white/styled studio with lamps for lighting.

N.B.: I pay 20p per listing and Etsy takes a certain percentage (3% I think) of the final price. I haven't the heart to read through the small print about taxes but more research to follow on that score! I don't want to end up like Starbucks. Mmm...Starbucks.

Passion quilt

I’ve started making a Passion Quilt – no, not like that you saucy reader! 

I’m quite laid back so, sometimes, I feel like maybe I don’t care. I am passionate about lots of things yet, sometimes, I forget what they are. So I’m making a Passion Quilt: something tangible which reminds me that I do care and what I care about.

I thought about this today because something in the news shocked me and made me think about how important our rights are and how little it might take to topple this relatively good, free, safe & democratic country we occupy. Couple that with the fact that I recently became interested in Craftivism ...

CRAFT + ACTIVISM = CRAFTIVISM

(and it got me pondering and craftivising)

Briefly, it’s the idea that:

CRAFT + ACTIVISM = A BETTER WORLD

Crafting a message for the world is an active way of approaching issues and doing something in a small way. This means that a meaningful message gets shared which might change the public’s perception of the world. Whether it’s:

-                                        -  a piece of knitting that brightens up a park bench

-                                        -  an embroidered quote tied to a public railing

Image: https://hannamade.wordpress.com/tag/craftivism/

--  OR bunting which says a simple message, like “breathe”,  in a public space. 

Image: http://craftivist-collective.com/all/everyone-wanted-to-stroke-hug-our-wellbeing-soft-sculpture-bunting-words-made-for-decoration/

Craftivist Collective puts it better: ‘Very simply, craftivism is activism that uses craft! Betsy Greer coined the term in 2003, and she defines it as “a way of looking at life where voicing opinions through creativity makes your voice stronger, your compassion deeper and your quest for justice more infinite.” But it’s not a new concept.’

So this is my act of “Craftivism” but it’s also an autoreminder that, in some part of me, I do care about freedom of speech and a person’s right not to be killed for expressing themselves and that is vital.

Image copyright: Monstereyeseventsblog

The Guardian links re: Charlie Hebdo

La Liberation: Des dessins satiriques des dessinateurs contre la fusillade sur Charlie Hebdo 

Crochet your own 3D detached, monster eyeball

Crochet your own 3D detached, monster eyeball

I woke up this morning and had no idea that, by tonight, I'd have a bit of a monster eyeball product line going on in my kitchen. I think my parents must imagine I'm having a nervous breakdown but sometimes it's just fun to do something for no reason. So... eyeballs.

In my previous blog post I showed you how to make a slightly 3D eyeball 

http://monstereyesevents.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/crocheting-monster-eyes.html 

This time I have added colour to the iris and made it 3D with an optic nerve for good measure. The great thing about this is how simple it is to make.

The finished product.

MATERIALS

This is what you're going to need to make your 3D monster eye. 

White wool (for the whites of the eye)
Green wool (for the iris)
Black wool (for the pupil)
100% polyester stuffing (I used some from a cheap cushion I had lying around)

**Red wool if you want a red optic nerve or blood vessels in your monster eye!**

Size 4.00 crochet hook
Scissors
Needle

MAKING EYEBALLS 

Make your pupil and iris by follow my previous 2D eye blog post and simply substitute white wool for an iris colour wool). I'm still not sure if I prefer one row of colour (for the iris) or two so have a play and see what you think works best.

Slip the white wool into your iris coloured circle and crochet around it. I have added a stitch for every crochet. Then just crochet around the iris 5 times and it turns into a sphere really easily. If you add some polyester stuffing as you go then you will get a feel for the shape as well. Change the wool colour to red and do about 3 rows of red skipping a stitch after every crochet so that the sphere closes. Add more stuffing if it looks saggy. 

Once your sphere of crocheting is closed do a chain of about 15 stitches to create the optic nerve. If you are feeling creative you could sew red wool or thread from the iris to create blood vessels in the eye.

Here is my little production line. Having made up all the pupils I wanted I added coloured irises, then made a sphere of white wool crocheting which turned them into 3D eyeballs. You will see that the colour parts in this picture still have their slipknot so that I could continue crocheting with white wool outside the irises.


I think it is quite satisfying making a production line because I feel like I'm making them much faster than if I did one eyeball at a time. It also means I can tidy up the different balls of wool as I go.


** Having taken some advice, from my sister, I have changed the optic nerve colour to red which makes it look more realistic! So after doing 5 rounds of the white wool for the whites of the eye, I have changed wool colour to red for 3 rounds and made it into a tail of 15 stitches.