Yarn Transformation - part 1

A few months ago, a friend was cleaning out her closet, and gave me several items to take apart and remake. Included was a sweater she had knit from wool yarn. I asked her if she wanted to unravel it and reuse the yarn herself, but she wasn't interested. Because I've had a hard time finding thrift store sweaters that can be unraveled, especially wool ones, I gratefully took it. Instructions for unraveling a sweater (and how to identify a hand-knit one that can be unraveled) can be found at Neauveau Fiber Arts. From this: To this: What comes next?? I think I want to knit something, although I may crochet. But so far, I haven't decided. A hat? A scarf? The yarn is really soft and warm, so I want to make something special. If you have any suggestions, please leave me a comment!

Fall Photographs

The leaves are turning in Memphis, and this year they are very colorful. We had quite a bit of rain in mid-October, followed by some cold temperatures, then warm. Apparently the combination worked to produce some gorgeous shades of red, gold, and yellow.



This is the view from my front porch. I took the photo a week ago, and more leaves have turned. I need to get another photo today before they start falling.







I want to collect some of the red maple leaves and put them in a bowl for a splash of color in my apartment.

Moo Cards!

Look what came in the mail yesterday:



My Moo cards!! They are so cute - now I understand what the fuss is all about.

These lovelies were free from Moo and Flickr when I upgraded to a Flickr Pro account. That was over a month ago, and honestly, I was beginning to think they were lost in the mail somewhere between London and Memphis. I was disappointed not to have them, but since they were free, I wasn't out any money.



And then they arrived - and I am so very happy they did. Now I have to decide how to use them. There are only ten, and since I am not selling much right now, I don't have the funds to buy more. So for now, I'll wait for the right time to hand them out.



Lovely!

Inspiration - Autumn Leaves

I found this leaf while on a cardio walk last week. I had started my cool down, and was going to slow enough that I caught sight of it (because I had walked past the same place three times already!). I had to stop and pick it up - the colors and the shape caught my eye. And while I hate the fact that the days are getting shorter, I celebrate the cooler temperatures which mean I can begin to pull different clothes out to wear. Almost like having a new(ish) wardrobe. Later that day I pulled out some of the upholstery samples in darker colors, and planned out some new clutches and wristlets to make. I'm inspired to create new looks for the new season. Where has everyone else been finding inspiration lately?

What's New - Redux Designs for Autumn

Thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Gustav, we've had several cloudy, rainy days in Memphis. In fact, it is cool enough this morning that the air conditioning is off and the windows are open. Not a typical day in early September for us, but my cat is loving it!

With cooler temperatures and evenings getting noticeably shorter, I'm reminded that Autumn is truly on the way. With that in mind, I'm beginning to list some of my hand-crocheted scarves.






The perfect thing to wrap around your neck for warmth on cooler days, and to add a bit of color to your outfits - such as this scarf made from yarn in the colors of the rainbow.







And for times when you need something warm around your shoulders to keep the chill off? I've got a burgundy shawl that reuses squares cut from a sweater and alternates with hand crocheted squares.










Warm and cozy!










Watch my Etsy shop over the next few days to see more items for Autumn.
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Treasures!

Look at what I received - a gift from a friend! Jewelry, yarn, and a cardigan just waiting to be remade into something else. For me, this is the best kind of treasure!


Here is a close-up of the yarn-----with fall and winter on the way, I'm already thinking about what I could crochet and knit with this.....


A close-up of some of the jewelry - this box is mainly earrings. I spent several hours just sorting through this, to see what was there. In a nutshell - a lot of raw material just waiting to be taken apart and make into something else!


Of course,this was all done under the supervision of my CCI (Chief Cat Inspector). Nothing missed his sharp eyes, and the yarn was found to be easy to play with!


He approves!! Now, let the creating begin----

Brown Tweed Purse

Here it is - a purse I made from an old skirt and belt. I am really happy with the way it came out. 

The Back Story of This Creation

 About 20 years ago, I bought a skirt. I always liked the brown tweed fabric, and even when the skirt no longer fit, I kept it. By the time I lost weight and the skirt fit again, it was seriously out of style. But because I loved the fabric so much, I kept it to use to make something. I never could decide what-----until a few years ago when I saw a magazine article about tweed purses.

Things clicked into place for me, and I decided to make a purse. To challenge myself, I also decided to create a pattern for it.  

My first try was the same shape as this one, but it was larger, and I used the waistband of the skirt for the strap. I realized I needed to line the purse with something stiffer - it needed more shape to it. And, I never liked the way the strap looked. So I took it apart and set it aside. I saw Susan Khalje on a TV program make a purse and lined it with buckram. That was what I needed!! 

Putting the Purse Together

I bought buckram and cut down the tweed fabric to make it a better size for a purse. I sewed the buckram to it, then sewed the pieces together. I loved the way it looked, the stiffness it had, but damn! Going through two layers of fabric with buckram was tough at times! Since I wasn't using the waistband for the strap, I had to come up with something else - and figure out a way to attach it. I decided to use an old belt I had for the strap. I took two belt loops from the skirt and sewed them to the sides of the purse. I ran D rings through the loops, then put the belt through the D rings. Buckling the belt closes it, and also allows for a bit of adjustment in the length.

  (I know the D ring isn't straight, but I was trying to hold the strap up while taking the photo!) 

Lining the Purse

Then I had to try to fit my lining. I originally made the lining from an old blouse I had. It was a bright yellow, and I liked the contrast with the brown tweed - a bit of sunshine when you opened the purse. I took it apart to cut down to fit the smaller sized purse, but the fabric didn't come apart easily. There were a couple of tears that I wasn't sure I could hide in the seams. I cut it down, but it still didn't fit right. I finally gave up on that and pulled out my fabric stash to look for something to make the lining from. I soon found something I thought would work - a taupe/grey silky polyester. It looked great with the brown tweed. Once I pulled it out and looked at it, I realized why - it was the lining that was originally in the skirt!! Yes, the two fabrics were going to be paired together again. Using the bag as a pattern, I cut out the lining and interfaced the pieces. After sewing it together, I sewed it to the purse.

A bit of velcro added to the purse helps keep it closed.

There it is - how I repurposed a skirt and belt into a new-to-me purse!

If you like to sew and are interested in upcycling your clothes, check out my tutorial How To Upcycle a Sweater to a Purse. Don't throw out that old pullover sweater - upcycle it to a new purse. Step-by-step illustrated instructions are available on Etsy and Gumroad.

Life Gets In The Way...

Sometimes, stuff just happens. Nothing bad, just stuff. This week is an example.

Monday, my son went back to school. Yes I know it is not even mid-August yet, but that's how it's done here. While being back in a routine is good for me, getting up an hour earlier is tough. Neither one of us does very well in the early morning, but we are managing. However, couple that with the fact that I have had to be in the office first thing in the morning yesterday and today (and for the next two days as well) and my schedule is completely shot. I'm trying to get a few Redux things done, along with relisting items in my Etsy shop, but there is no hope of getting anything major accomplished this week.

Please don't think I'm complaining - I'm not. I'm tired and trying to accept that I won't be able to accomplish what I had hoped. I've gone through my "to-do" list for Redux Designs and re-prioritized what HAS to get done this week ( entry for the Delta Fair and for Craft Corps). Everything else will have to wait until the weekend - including my every growing podcast playlist on iTunes and some more clutches to add to Etsy.

But-----at least I managed to get a blog post up! Hopefully, more to come later in the week....

Today's Tip - How to Not Publicize Your Business

I may never learn...........

Saturday, I made an appointment to take my car to the shop to find out why the "check engine" light kept coming on. I normally sit there at least two hours, so I decided to do something smart: take some of my small crochet projects with me to work on. The idea was someone would ask me what I was making, and I could explain it to them, talk about Redux Designs, give them my business card and encourage them to check out my Etsy shop. I had several small projects to work on, some to crochet and some to sew together, so I put them in small bags, ready to go.

You may see where this is going. In getting everything together this morning, I completely forgot to pack them in my backpack. Even worse - I didn't realize I had forgotten them until I got home and saw them neatly stacked on my desk!!!

Really, I may never learn. If someone complements me on something I am wearing that I made, I have no trouble thanking them and saying that I made it. But for some reason, I have trouble taking the next step and telling them it is for sale, and giving them my card. If I am ever going to get Redux Designs going, I have to do better.

So, I begin again tomorrow - looking for opportunities to talk about Redux Designs!

Ice Blended Coffee

Yesterday morning I sat on my back patio to do some work. I had my patio umbrella up, so I was in the shade, but it was in the mid-80s with 75% humidity. And I was drinking my morning coffee. Yes, as hot as I was, I was drinking hot coffee. When I went inside for another cup, I decided to put it in a glass over ice and drink it cold.

Then I thought again - why not put that in the blender and make an iced coffee? So I did.

Oh my!!!!! That was just what I needed!! It was so good, I didn't drink any of my coffee hot this morning - I let it cool awhile, then blended it with ice and flavored creamer.

Yummy!!!

Not only did I use the coffee yesterday morning rather than throwing it out, I also saved several dollars over purchasing a similar item. Always a good thing in my world!