Month: May 2012

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Finished!

 
Finished!
I made this for a friend/co-worker.
Gotta have at least one pocket for keys and phone.
  I based it on a pattern from “Linen Wool Cotton” by Akiko Mano, which I love.  I’ve made variations on this bag two or three times now.  It’s a beautiful book full of simple projects but it’s also full of pattern mistakes and there’s no official errata page, so if you sew something from it, google around for peoples’ notes first.
 I couldn’t stop myself from embellishing a tiny bit.  It wasn’t fabric that I would have chosen and it just needed some contrast.
 Every little bit helps.  I did all my finishing by hand which takes longer but just looks cleaner – at least when do it.  When I finish by machine it’s always super messy.
There it sits on the baby quilt that I’m neglecting.  I’d work on the quilt right now but I really think I need another cup of coffee first….
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Try It! You Will Dig It!

Yesterday I experimented with my new birthday present.  
I followed the excellent advice:
that I found in this book:  
I used an ink stick
 Grinding stone
Cool brushes 
and a menu that I found in my mailbox.
 PS – Water and a paper towel, too.
 I added some water to the grinding stone… 
 and ground the ink sort of into the water for about 10 minutes …
 
…while my tea cooled…
Check out my mason jar cozy.  It’s a left over from this project. 
I only did the grinding for 10 minutes, probably shoulda gone with 15.
What do I choose to doodle while neglecting a quilting project with a looming deadline?
Running stitches; I was doodling them when I should be sewing them.
I don’t know what is it about running stitch, it’s so simple and primal.
I’m in love.
I tried some different paper.
 
 As I suspected all along, the expensive paper that is made for this type of ink was my least favorite.  I didn’t even take that many pictures of it.
 I like the paper bag the best. 
There, rolled up on the floor to the left, that was the rice paper experiment. 
I really enjoyed making birds – I’ve never actually drawn any before so I think it’s kinda interesting.
All in all, it was fun and felt flowy and relaxed and I did dig it!
Why don’t you try something different?  It’s good for you!
Please let me know in the comments what you try if you do try something.
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The Macro Setting And A Sun Spot

I have so much left to do on this baby quilt that I decided to mess around and just take a million pictures instead BECAUSE my camera is up and working again!!!  Woohoo!!!!
So I thought I should take this opportunity to abuse 
the macro setting and a sun spot.  
Gratuitous close ups in bizarre lighting ahead:

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All That’s Left To Do…

We had 93 degree heat yesterday and ended up just staying in.  I’m glad, though because I was able to make some serious headway on this baby quilt.
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Again, please forgive the cruddy iphone pictures.  
You know I would totally use my macro setting if I could.  
All that’s left to do is make a border, quilt sammy, pin and quilt together and then make an edging.  
Crap, that’s alot.  
Baby is due June 21st so I had better get hopping.  
Let’s hope for a heat wave – or rain, lots of rain. 
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As promised

 More pictures, less talk:
Lovely Hand knitted stuffed toys…
 
 .
Made and donated by the Madison Knitters Guild…
  
For the Monona Library’s summer reading program prizes…
 
 Encouraging reading…
 
And hand made goodness.
 
Sorry, I couldn’t keep my virtual mouth shut.
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A Growing, Colorful, Machine Washable, Yarn Snowball of Goodness

Please forgive the long front story for only one picture, but it’s totally worth it.  
I promise that I will post about this again, I will keep it short and there will be more pictures.
So, last summer I challenged the Monona Library, where I work, to stop giving out little pieces of plastic junk to kids as summer reading prizes.  They jumped on board.  We even had a program to publicize it.  
We gave out lots of cardboard and paper gifts and even used fewer plastic bags (We bought none but used some from years past).  We did have to give out fewer gifts, because plastic is cheaper than anything else, but our patrons were very supportive.
One of the more incredible gifts was that the mom of  Karen (My boss and the Library’s Children’s Coordinator) crocheted hundreds of little fish for us to give away and they were the most popular gift of the summer.  
This year, she wasn’t able to keep up the amazing pace so I went to Ravelry (Home of the best knitters and crocheters in the world) and asked local people knit us some toys as give aways.  
Well, the Madison Knitter’s Guild totally jumped on board.  In one month, this is what they put together for us (I stopped by the meeting just to thank the people who brought them in and was able to snap one picture with my phone):
That’s like, almost 200 hand made toys and bookmarks!
I’m blown away.  There are more coming and I understand that the Knitting Guild wants to expand the effort to more libraries around the state!  This means less plastic crap polluting the planet and more exposure to hand made goodies for children.  I will post more and better pictures when the creatures land at the library.  I just had to share it, though.  I’m overwhelmed by the generosity of the amazing knitters I met.  
It’s like a growing, colorful, machine washable, yarn snowball of goodness.
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MAGMA!

Mail Art Guild of the Madison Area (MAGMA!)

What is MAGMA?  An all ages guild that meets once a month to create art that is intended to go through the mail. Meetings are two hours long. Members need to help clean up at the end.

What is mail art?  Simply put:  Mail art is art that is sent through the mail.  If you want a less simple description, check out the Wikipedia article on mail art.

We meet at Sector67
2100 Winnebago street
Madison WI 53704


Upcoming schedule:  
Third Tuesdays:

June 19, 5 – 7
July 17, 12 – 2
August 21, 5 – 7
September 18, 12 – 2

Questions?  Contact:
Jennifer@AnotherJennifer.Net
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Art/Craft Supply Swap

Art/Craft Supply Swap
Tuesday May 15, 3 – 6 pm.
At Sector67
2100 Winnebago
Madison
Please bring your art or craft supplies that you aren’t using anymore. 
Drop off what you don’t need and be sure to bring a bag to fill up with items you want to bring home. 
At the end of the swap, anything left over will go to Absolutely Art.
Contact Jennifer at Jennifer@Anotherjennifer.net with any questions.
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Junk in my trunk

9 bowling balls and 2 old irons.
Why, you ask? For my Fearless Crafters Workshop at the Monona Library. 
It should be totally fun and messy and chaotic. My favorite kinda thang,
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For Some Reason I Can’t Logically Explain

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Just a quick post to say I think I’ve finished this patch.  I might add some yellow, I might not.  It’s the kind of thing you can just add to any time because you’re sitting on the couch anyway, ya know?
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Here it is “in context”.  I’m looking forward to more spots wearing out. 
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Remember that square I was compelled to work on for no good reason at all?  
Well, it’s moving slowly.  Good thing I’m not in a rush to finish for any reason.
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I got a little bored with the same old stitching but more, I’m really  inspired by the beautiful work of Christine Mauersberger and so tried a different orientation of the stitches.  I like it.  I was trying to decide whether this was enough or if I should add more areas of this kind of stitching when I remembered that I will probably cut it up and mail it out as postcards so I guess it doesn’t really matter.  
It’s too bad that I picked a piece of denim with lots of stretch in it.  I just don’t like them for a bigger project so whatever this ends up as, it’s destined to be small. 
For some reason I can’t logically explain, I’ve started a Doctor Who scarf (My second).
 
Here’s my first one; it’s only about 10 feet long but way too wide. It was one of my very first knits and I didn’t really understand gauge. The second one will be longer and thinner.  …sigh… I’ll try not to post process pictures of that one, it won’t be very exciting.

I guess that wasn’t a quick post after all, sorry.  🙂