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Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Making It up as I went

knitted with Baah La Jolla in Summer Romance



This is a lesson I've learned not in how to make a vest but in how to buy yarn.  Don't succumb to the lure of beautiful yarn you don't have a plan for!  I just loved this yarn but it was pricey - or pricey for me at $29 per hank.  I bought two and the store owner and I thought I could get a vest out of that.  Well, I did but not without a lot of challenges.

First I could not find a pattern that would work with that little yarn.  Finally I found this one where I liked the look and figured I could just make it with the yarn I had.  The catch was that you had to order and pay shipping on a paper pattern.  It looked simple enough so I figured I could just do it myself.  I decided to put the long point in a different place anyway and then I figured I'd be bored silly doing stockinette or garter stitch for the whole thing so I used a triple chevron from an old knitting pattern book.  The eyelets were added again just to have something to break up the simple stitching.  I never really wrote anything down, just laying my work over an old fabric vest increasing and decreasing as needed to get everything to fit.  I'm kind of amazed that it did actually fit.

Half way through it did look like I'd have enough yarn though it would be close.  It was so close that I had this small ball of yarn left when it was time to do the arm holes.  I measured it out and rolled it into two balls so I could tell how much I'd have for each one.  When I had a few yards of that left, I unpicked my last edge on the inside left which was a bit skimpy and added another 4 rows piecing things together as needed.  I probably had 2 yards total yarn left at the end.

I was planning on one button like the pattern I'd eyed at the beginning but I put the buttonhole in completely the wrong place and I needed a bit more structure thus 3 buttons with loops for closure.  This creates many options for how to wear the vest so I've shown it in various configurations.

So while I got something unique and it worked out, I'll never buy yarn again that I don't have a pattern for it or at least a very good idea that I have plenty of yarn for a specific project.

Just don't ask me for the pattern for this because I don't have it.  Knitting is fun for me and relaxing and I'm also determined not to try to turn another hobby into a business.  This one is just a hobby.

Friday, September 22, 2017

Christmas Card Share and Stamps to Sell



On my Etsy Shop - Lovely Layers Art - there are several stamp sets available for purchase as I'm moving out some older stamp sets.  Some like Merry Mice aren't that old.  All still have plenty of life left in them for pretty cards this holiday season.  There are also sets that are not holiday oriented including Trendy Trees which I discovered the wheel for after I did the video.

Here's a video sharing the cards I've made so far and the stamp sets for sale.


Thanks for watching and shopping!

Monday, September 11, 2017

Gelli printed notebook cover



Usually I cover my notebooks with paper and have done several videos on this method.  I had to change notebook brands as the one I loved was discontinued.

This Office Depot business notebook has a hard cover. I knew what I wanted to do with it before leaving the store.  The boring look was nothing a little gesso, gelli printing and Mod Podge couldn't fix.  Here's the process video:



Thanks for watching!

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Card with Stamping Platform

When I received my new Tim Holtz stamping platform, I stamped a few images to get familiar and then made these cards. It is super easy to use.  I didn't go through all of the features as there are so many other videos online that do so.  I've just focused on this card and creating a very easy and neat border.

Here's the video:



There are also videos online that compare this product to the Misti.  Honestly, I never considered another product because of price. I just don't stamp enough to spend anymore than the Tim Holtz platform which I purchased through Amazon.  So I can't tell you if it is the best but so far I'm very pleased.

Thanks for watching!
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