Wo(ven) is Me

More Christmas gifts this time! I have a lot of those to share. This one was another relatively new craft for me: weaving. I had a bunch of interestingly textured yarns in various shades of blue, so I decided to go for a simple design that let the yarn do all the talking. I used three different types of yarn in my warp: a fuzzy, vibrant blue, a more subdued, knobbly yarn, and a bit of another homespun yarn that varied both in its thickness and its color! I really wanted the stripes of these yarns to be the focal point, so for the weft, I used some very thin cotton yarn, doubled up for strength. It recedes into the background in comparison to the worsted weight/bulky yarns used for the warp, so you hardly notice that it's what's holding the entire scarf together! The construction of the scarf itself was plain weave (I haven't really mastered anything else on rigid heddle yet), again so that the different yarns were the focus. I'm quite pleased with the result!

Of course, this is for the recipient to use however she wants, but I personally think that this scarf would go great with denim. The colors are reminiscent of a medium wash blue jean, and it would be a fun fall style to throw this on with a pair of jeans and a contrasting shirt/sweater! And it really goes to show that if you have interesting yarns, you don't have to do anything super fancy to them to get a nice product. Just give them a chance to shine, and they will!

You Spin Me Right Round

I enjoy making handmade presents for Christmas. To me, putting so many hours of effort into creating a gift yourself really shows how much you care about the recipient! That being said, when I make gifts, I try to stick to crafts that I'm well-versed in, so that the result will be professional and something the recipient will want to wear regardless of sentimental value.

That being said, there are situations that break the mold, and this year, I had one. Earlier in the fall, my grandmother presented me with a big ball of brown wool roving, knowing that I was trying to learn how to spin. She joked that I could turn it right back around on her and make her a present with it. I don't know that she really expected me to follow through, but by golly I was going to!

Like I said, I'm still trying to learn how to spin. I have a drop spindle, and while the theory of the craft makes sense, the execution escapes me a little bit. I did my best to produce a nice yarn, and then crocheted it up into a simple cowl that made the irregularity of homespun the centerpiece.

All it all, I'd say it turned out pretty well. The yarn is a bit inconsistent in size, but I suppose that gives the cowl a charming look! Plus, I know my grandma will be happy to explain the cowl's origins to anyone who so much as looks at it (in a way, the conversation starter is my real gift to her).

I have lots more roving lying around, so expect more spinning in the future! I may make a tutorial page for it eventually as well, seeing as I need the tutorials just as much as the next wannabe spinner!

Thanks (A Lot!)

It always seems like people fall into two camps when it comes to thank-you notes. Either they love them and spend lots of time finding or making the perfect card, or they think that cards are an outdated tradition and find the prospect of sending a physical note silly. 

Is it a surprise that I belong in the former category? I just think that the extra effort put into getting someone a card shows how you appreciate them and whatever they did. I don't exactly send thank you notes at the drop of a hat, but when I feel they're warranted, I want them to be special. 

I've had a lot of people to thank over the course of the fall, so a few notes were definitely in order! I could have gotten some at the store, but where's the fun in that? You can make your own cards just as easily, and make them personal to boot!

For someone I didn't know exceptionally well, I went with a safe, generic look. Calligraphy will always be a good choice for a handwritten note, and by spicing things up with little dotted accents, I think I made the card unique!

This next card, on the other hand, is anything but generic! The recipient of this particular card is a computer scientist, so I decided to play off of that theme. It's a bit backwards to hand-letter computer code onto a piece of paper, but I like the simple, nerdy result! The coding language I used for this is Java, if anyone is curious. 

I really can't resist an opportunity to be nerdy, so this last card also showcased it! This time, the recipient was a biochemist, so I had to draw a chemical structure. More specifically, this is an oligopeptide, made up of a number of amino acids in a chain. Since amino acids are each symbolized by a different letter, they can be put together to spell out words. Guess what this one spells!

Cards really aren't hard to make. All of these were made with only cardstock, markers, and pencils. If you have people to thank who are computationally or biochemically inclined, feel free to make your own versions of the cards above. Or, get creative with your own ideas! And even if you think that paper notes are outdated, be sure to thank the people in your life who help you! 

A Triumphant Return

Hello again! Long time no see, huh? I had intended to make a post or two before Christmas, but some members of my family found my blog, so I couldn't post pictures of gifts before I gave them! That, and I was very busy making said gifts and spending time with loved ones.

That being said, I'm back! I fully intend to catch up on all the posts I've missed during December, so watch out! I'll be posting every day or every few days until I get through my backlog.

I've missed sharing things here, so it feels good to be back. Stay tuned for more, and stay crafty!

It's the Busiest Time of the Year

Hello! Long time, no see! I've really been slipping with my one-post-a-week rule, huh?

Unfortunately, that's not likely to stop just yet. Late November through early December is one of the busiest times of year for me, as I'm sure it is for some of you. Between academic/professional responsibilities, planning for the holidays, and holiday concerts and performances, I'm really stretched thin!

What I'm trying to say, is that I'll have to go on a brief hiatus for a few weeks. Once I'm off for the holidays, I'll be able to get back to posting. And boy will I have posts to spare! I have to make gifts for my friends and family, after all, and only some of them read this blog.

Sorry to leave you all hanging like that, but life calls! I'll be back in a few weeks. Until then, stay crafty!