Fire Piston Bags

Okay, I've been crafting -- just haven't been posting! I've been working at perfecting and making bags for the new Barnburner Fire Pistons over at Tangled Strands. Fire Pistons are a primitive method of starting fires. They are used by backpackers, Boy Scouts and other outdoors persons. More info is available at http://tangledstrands.blogspot.com.

I was charged with making the bags for them. These are made of nubuck -- it looks and feels like leather, but no animals were injured in the making of this product. Basically, I just cut 3"x18" strips of nubuck, folded down 1" at each end and stitched it down, and then sewed up the sides, right sides together and leaving about 1/2" open at the top. I just ran two lengths of cording through the casing, one in each direction, and then knotted the ends. I didn't bother to finish the edges of the casing. The nubuck won't fray and folding it over would make too much bulk.

Abi's Dress

I just finished this sun dress for my friend's daughter. Again, no pattern -- just some pre-shirred fabric and Abi's measurements. Sew it up the back, hem it and put on the straps.

A Skein Just for Me!

I got this fiber from Ebay in the form of dyed locks in various shades of blue. I was so anxious to play that I carded without picking. What I ended up with was some neppy yarn! But it's all good! I need a new felted bag!

Reconstructed Jeans -- Into a Skirt

Okay, I don't know why I even had these jeans in
my closet -- they were probably from the 80s -- they had tapered legs with zippers on the bottom! I know, right? EWWW! Anyway, I fixed them.

I cut them off below the zipper. I probably should have cut closer to the zipper but I can always go back and fix that. The fabric I used for the bottom was sort of a mesh with the pattern flocked on it -- (see the out-of-focus close-up) -- so I lined it with burgundy cotton broadcloth. I wish I had made the skirt fuller, too, but I didn't have enough fabric. I used the standard gathering technique -- baste and pull -- I pinned the skirt to the yoke, right sides together -- and pulled the stitches until it fit, and then I stitched it. Then I sewed up the back seam and hemmed it and voila!

Kool Aid Hats from Fiber Space Designs

Hats and bags are two of my favorite things to make with Kool-Aid dyed yarn.

This hat is a really simple, no-pattern thing I made up years ago. It's so easy to make and easily becomes as much a wardrobe staple as your favorite jeans. I've had strangers come up to me and ask where I got mine. It's an opp to hand out a business card!

Anyway, to make the hat, I CO 68 st on 10.5 circs and knit until I find a length I like by trying it on my own head. Then I k2tog once around, switch to dpns, and k2tog 2x until there are about 9 st left. Cut the yarn, leaving about a 6" tail and use a yarn needle to weave the end through the working stitches that are still on the needle. Tie off and weave in ends, and you have a rolled-brim slouchy hat that's nice and warm. There's no shaping on the crown and the fast decrease leaves an interesting star-shape on the top.

As with my yarns, you can find them at The Pen & Thread, local arts and craft shows, or directly from me.