Sewing - skill, art, pleasure...

I went to a shopping mole today, trying to find some new clothes for myself. And I found - nothing! Why?

There was a nice dress in one shop. I liked the model, but I didn't like the pattern. I would like to have one in some other colors. And even some other pattern. Maybe some other fabric would fit better to me? OK, I went to the other shop.

I found some great trousers. But again in wrong fabric. No, I won't wear this.

Oh, such a cute blouse. Magnificent pattern, beautiful colors. But what about this shape? No, I would change it for sure...

So, I realized why I never find industrial clothes that fit me. I started sewing for myself at the age of thirteen. For the beginning I made some simple skirts, then some T-shirts, simple summer dresses... In a short time, I started to use patterns from sewing magazines and changed them at my own opinion, made some totally different things than those in magazine. I used just a basic shapes. But fabrics, details, colors, patterns I used were something made just in my head. Sometimes they appeared during the sewing process... In a minute I changed everything and made something totally different than the original idea. That is something great. You never know what is going to get out under your sewing machine...

How to Stay Positive in the World Full of Negativity

This is not as impossible as it seems. But it is extremely important to keep positive thinking in every moment, never mind how negative are people around us. Positive thinking will give us more power to go through life easily, happy and successfully. There are several methods that are going to help us in this.

 1. Avoid bad news

Don't start your day reading, watching or listening the news, it is very possible that you are going to be overwhelmed with a lot of bad news. It is better not to start the day with negativity.

2. Control the number of negative people around you

Negative people pretend to turn into the "energy vampires", so try to spend less time with them and don't let them suck your energy. They are going to feel better, you are going to be more and more exhausted.

3. Listen to the music

Music has the incredible power. It can make you smile even when you are not feeling good and even make you feel fantastic. Choose some cheerful music, and your dose of positivity is guaranteed.

4. Meditate

Good meditation can instantly make you feel calm and positive.

5. Increase the physical activity

Physical activity is going to help you fill the batteries and refresh your body and spirit. The best way to start your day.

My New Phone Cover

I've just got tired of my few months old phone cover. It has been used too long. I usually don't use hand made things too long, I love to make new ones very often, don't like monotony. So, here came the new one.

I didn’t' have some particular idea of what it would look like. Just took some cotton yarn scratches, started a beginning chain and here it came... First line in double crochet, all others in single rib crochet. I like red, it is my favorite color. Surprisingly, I didn't have any phone cover in red... This one had to be! 

To break the monotony just a bit, I added some pastel tones, apricot and pink. And finished in red.

I finished it and I didn't like it totally... Something was missing, I couldn't find out what. And then my magic box came on the stage. Beads, pendants, appliques, flowers, hearts, wooden buttons... I was digging and digging, putting one after another on the phone cover to try what it would look like... And couldn't decide.

Finally, I took the photos of every single combination I tried, then made a collage of them and choose one. I found it looking really pretty this way.

My phone now has a winter coat :) In the middle of the summer...

We'll see... If it gets too warm, I am going to make him some summer clothes :)

Amigurumi Keychains

Yes, I became obsessed with amigurumi :) Who wouldn't, they are so cute. Pretty little things made by your own hands, just the way you want them to look. I really can't choose what to make first. Is it going to be a toy, a cute little animal, some cartoon character, educational toy, maybe even a pillow...
I am absolutely going to make many of them. But for the beginning, I chose small ones... For keychains.

My first project was a heart, made after pattern Pepika put on her site Crochet 3D Heart. It is really easy to follow, and hearts are perfect shape and size. First one I made from some cotton yarn, but after that I wanted to see what would they look like if I made them of glitter yarn. I fell in love with them immediately. They are so pretty, I had to make one of every piece of glitter yarn I had.

The other irresistible piece is cute little bee. I made it following this pattern: Fuzzy Little Friends. It was terrific gift for some girls, my kids' friends. They totally adored it.

Pretty little banana was made as a keychain for my son. It is very easy to make, using cotton yarn, just in two colors. 

He didn't want me to make a face of the banana-guy (or girl?) and I made it just the way he wanted. Although in the pattern I used it is very pretty with cute little mouth and eyes :) I found the pattern on Ravelry, here it is: Amigurumi Banana. 

I have so many patterns waiting to be tried... But it is so hard to decide what to do first. Maybe I will set some order and make them all - one by another :)

The Art of Amigurumi

I ran over amigurumi toys one day while I was looking for something totally different... But when I saw them, I totally fell in love. It is amazing that so fantastic little things can be made of yarn, just using one simple stitch over and over... So many original toys, animals, dolls, educational staff... I am not so experienced in making amigurumi to create my own, but for now I am fascinated with pieces that I made using patterns available online.

There are so many incredible patterns to use, it is so hard to choose one. So, I left the choice to my sons. They love those things I make, unbelievable for boys. Well, this time they chose a character from their favorite animated series, Family Guy - little Stewie Griffin.

I found several patterns online, and chose one of them. Thanks to Erin, I used her pattern: Stewie Griffin A Crochet Pattern by Erin Scull. And I am very happy to say that my Stewie came out just the same as in the TV series.

My son adores his new little friend. They study together, Stewie has his own place among my son's books. I wonder if he learnt something :) He has his own place in my son's bed, his own blanket. When my son leaves the apartment, Stewie is waiting for me on the coffee table, holding a note that my son left to me. I wonder if I should get him some small plates, maybe he should eat with us on the kitchen table?
The next one I plan to make is Brian, and maybe someone else from the Family Guy. We'll see.

Decoupage Easter Eggs

Every year I choose some new technique to dye Easter eggs. There were eggs dyed in food colour, naturally coloured in onion peels, spinach or red cabbage, drawn with wax and melted crayons... Or just dyed and decorated with some stickers.

 

This year I wanted to make some decoupage eggs. I could find many pretty napkins with Easter ornaments, flowers and other pretty little pictures. That's easy, but I wanted some graphic ornaments to make some unique eggs. No, there aren't napkins with such ornaments. I just found them browsing pictures on the net and decided to print them. And make my own unique decoupage napkins.

To do that, I needed the usual printing paper and double-layered paper towels. One piece of paper towel I just glued with the paper glue to the printing paper. This paper I used to print the ornament I chose. It looked like this:

 

 

When the ornament is printed, I could peel off the first, printed layer of the paper towel. This thin piece of printed paper I used for my decoupaged eggs. I tried to do this on dyed eggs (in light red colour) and on natural eggs. Both of them seems amazing to me.

Decoupage for Easter eggs is not made in usual way for decoupage, for this has to be edible. We use an egg white as a natural glue. Just scramble it with the fork and spread it on the egg with the small brush. Now you can put the picture on the egg. Just wrap it around and cut the parts you don't need and overlapping parts. Gently press it on the egg with a kitchen sponge and let it dry.

Here are my decoupaged eggs, I am absolutely going to make some more, I enjoyed decorating them :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crochet Cell Phone Cover

I don't like industrial products. If I can create and make something by myself, I do it. And that is... Well, almost everything. Cute little things are special challenge for me, because they are made so quickly. Just for the time someone needs to go to the shop and find the thing he likes, I am going to make the same thing for myself, unique and with personal note.

Cell phone cover is so easy to make. You just need to choose the technique you are going to use. For me, it always depends on materials I have on hand that particular moment. Today the first thing I saw when I opened my craft-closet was glittering yarn. So, my new cover is going to be made of it.

Crocheting a cell phone cover is in the category Easy to make. The whole process is really simple. You just need yarn - as many colors you like, and an adequate crochet hook. I used glittering yarn and a hook No 2.5.

To start your work, you just need to crochet a simple chain as long as your phone is wide.

Now you star from the third loop from the hook, with a single crochet.

Work all around  (both sides of the chain) with single crochet.

Go to work along all in single crochet just untill your work is high enough for your phone.

Next round you start with ch2, then double crochet all around.

Finish this round with slipstich in the top of the first double chain.

The last round you will work all in slipstich. Finish your work.

You can pull some nice ribbon zig-zag through the last round (worked in double chain) and add some interesting pearl to the end of the ribbon.

That's it. Simple, but just the one you made by yourself. Those are some of the covers I made earlier: