*Grimace*

I know I promised that I wouldn't go to the craft store, but I was out of fusible interfacing and what can you make without fusible interfacing and I also had this idea that needed ric rac and while I was there I saw a boootiful piece of linen for $2 so you can't fault me for any of that... and I have my period.


Yes, today I made a tampon cozy. And it has a face. A *grimace* face. How-to follows, but if you don't want to know how-to, scroll down to the fun part at the end.


Supplies

7" x 9" Outer fabric
7" x 9" Lining fabric
7" x 9" Fusible interfacing
8.5" Red ric rac
Black embroidery floss and needle
Coordinating thread
1 button

Clip 3/8" seam allowance off interfacing and fuse to outer fabric. Embroider eyes 2" from the sides and 1.75" from the top.


Pin outer fabric to lining fabric, wrong sides together, and sew together leaving 3/8" seam allowance.


Leave two openings at the corners of the mouth, so to speak. Make sure one of them is big enough to push the fabric through (although if you make it a little bit too tight, it could be an appropriate metaphor for the... never mind.)


Flip inside out and iron flat, neatening the openings


Pin ric rac to the top of the front, and fold edges into the openings. Sew in place.


Fold over the bottom so that the top flap is 2.5" long. Pin in place, and sew down the edges. I recommend using a topstitch or denim needle for this, as the fabric is quite thick here.





Pull out your buttonhole foot and make a buttonhole between the eyes, about 1" from the edge.


Sew button to the inside about 0.5" from the edge. Stuff with four tampons and go!


Now, here's the fun part:

Since I ran through this design twice to get the how-to right, I have an extra tampon cozy. So, giveaway! If you would like this tampon cozy, introduce yourself in the comments, and leave some way to contact you, and I'll pick a winner next week. Good times!!

Pretty Little Thing

I vowed that while I was unemployed, I would try to avoid trips to the craft store and work with what I have. Because I have a lot. This chain I bought when I was trying to figure out how to do the Six earrings, and I bought this leaf charm on sale (it's from the "Lost and Found" collection at JoAnn Fabrics).



My sewing desk project has been stalled by the need for a square head screwdriver. Do they sell such things at hardware stores? And how do you figure out what size you need? If anyone knows about square head screws (??) and how to extract them, please share!

Scrapbuster Headbands

I made some headbands inspired by this one at The Long Thread. I made mine a bit thinner than the pattern. This is another useful project that doesn't take much time or fabric. Action shot:



This photo is weird; yes I took it myself. But notice, makeup, and a collared shirt. A sleuth might deduce that I just got back from a job interview. It's for a three week project, nothing too big, but it would be a good thing to hold me over for now. Fingers crossed, and all that.

Fishy Towels

This is the gift that accompanied below card. My aunt-in-law recently painted her kitchen green, and their house has an aquatic theme (uncle-in-law is a marine biologist).



The stripes on the fish were a happy accident; the fusible web would not stick to these Target towels, so I was just trying to keep the appliques attached. I ended up really liking the stripes, though. The button is vintage, and the fabric is a fabulous scrap of cotton.

Here is my applique pattern, feel free to use:

Thanks!

I just drew this on a card for a relative who puts us up very nicely every time we are in San Diego. I did it really quickly with a Sharpie and a crayon, and I think it's cute in the way only spontaneous doodles can be. Anatomy be damned.

Still Crafting

Hello there! Sorry it's been a while. For an unemployed person, I've been very busy. Between applying for jobs, I have been cleaning and fixing and getting rid of everything that has been wrong with my apartment and life for the past year. Damn, I love being unemployed. I wish I did not also love money.

I've been working on a big craft project, which is revamping a beat up sewing desk I got on Craigslist, but since that's not done, here are some cute coasters!



I got this idea from a neat sewing book I picked up at the library, Sewing Projects In An Afternoon. I'd been thinking about doing quilted coasters for a while (these pinwheel coasters being one inspiration), but the brilliant idea of not piecing them inspired me to actually do it. The top fabric is a denim print from my stash, and the backing fabric is the faux dupioni from this project... I'm so glad it was useful for something.*

Okay, style question: I'm thinking about making matching placemats using the denim fabric and this poly brocade - what do you think?



One more question: Does anyone know of a tutorial for making a fabric box that I could store these coasters in neatly? Alrighty, thanks for listening!

*In fact, I fully reject the notion that you should immediately get rid of scraps. Scraps are awesome; most of my projects use scraps in some way. I keep them neatly in a clear plastic bag.

Not indicative of my mood

This painting looks depressing. You might think that I am desperately sad about something. But no, I actually did this a few weeks ago, when I was bored at work, and I thought I might be doing a swap with someone who likes Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. This is a fan painting of Morpheus and Matthew.

I think I need to do some more painting while I'm off. I really like these 8x10 water colors. Here's another one I did, some Chicks and Hens at the Huntington Gardens.



I also did this at work. I was really bored, I had nothing to do for so long that it's really remarkable that I wasn't laid off sooner. I also did these lilies at work.

TRON Bib and Burp Rag

This is a commission for a friend, whose coworker has just had a baby girl. TRON is more important to this coworker than I am allowed to explain here. Ha. That sounded dirty (it truly isn't).

The bib pattern is from The Purl Bee. It was exciting to be able to craft for a baby. I always see great crafts for babies, but alas, there are no babies in my life. Which is probably a good thing, but still... cute bibs, man.

The applique on the bib is a Light Cycle, and the applique on the burp rag is a Recognizer. Does it look like an M? I should have planned that one out a little better. Maybe if I am lucky, M is also important to this coworker.

Pity Party

So. After more than four years, I am no longer working for Sony. Of course I haven't actually been "working" for Sony for months, but now, they are no longer going to pay me.

It's actually really good to be free, it's good to be motivated now to get a new, better job, one where I actually do something. But still. I can't really say that getting The Call was particularly fun, nor was meeting with the hatchet man the highlight of my day. Yeah.

/pity party

The bug is unrelated, just a cool picture I took on Monday. I like macros. And extreme looking bugs. Aight. Gotta send out some more resumes...

Mario Piranha Plant/Pipe TP Cozy

My craftster challenge entry is up. I wish I could enter this contest, like, a hundred times.