Map Backpack

For most of last term, I was lugging my university books around in a shoulder bag that just didn't suit academia - it was cute, but definitely not built to handle the battering of books which it received. Over my brief vacation at home, I decided that it was a better idea to invest in a backpack - but instead of finding one I liked only to meet someone else with one identical, I opted, as usual, for a DIY.

While the lovely Annika was moving house this week, I provided a guest post for her blog on how to make your very own map backpack.

I've received loads of compliments on it already, and I've only been back for a week, so I'm incredibly happy with how this turned out!

I'd love to see your version if you try out this DIY.

LDP
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Sock Sloth

I can't be certain why, but recently, I've been slightly besotted with sloths. I don't know when or how this started, but seriously, have you seen how cute baby sloths are?! (Spoiler alert: they're really freakin' cute).

One of the first noted occasions that this obsession showed its prominence was when I found this picture:

I don't even know where I found this, so I don't know to whom I ought to credit it.
Blame the internet.

After I'd finished making my "Thrift Sloth" jokes, I happened to be looking around the Sock Dreams website for some inspiration for the sock-craft contest that Cut Out + Keep is currently running, when I stumbled across these:

Look at them! Just look at them! They are incredible! Exclamation mark!
Also, you can find them here.

These gave me some much-needed inspiration for a contest entry. I would make a sock sloth!

(I also wrote a tutorial on how to make your own, so keep reading for that.)

Moustachioed Goat

Over my last six weeks at university, I have been watching a lot of the show Community. And by "a lot", I mean unhealthy dosage a lot. Now, for those of you who don't know the show, the second episode of the first season ends with two of the main characters rapping in Spanish. I can guarantee that if you haven't seen it, you cannot possibly conceive how incredibly awesome it is. Therefore, if you haven't seen it, you should watch it here. And if you have seen it, then I've no doubt you'll watch it anyway.

Now, because of this Community-obsessed state in which I've been wallowing, I, naturally, took it upon myself to make something Community-related. This is a bit difficult, considering that the show has actors rather than animated characters which would be easier to convert into crafts. So, I made a goat with a moustache.

Unfortunately Cameron Diaz was unavailable, so I made his moustache out of felt, just like the rest of his body.

It was pretty simple to make this cute little guy, but if you'd like to make your own, you can find a full tutorial, as usual, over on Cut Out + Keep.

In other university-related news, I essentially abandoned my photography project thanks to a to-do list constantly clawing at my sanity. I'm now at home for vac, and I'm only returning to Grahamstown next Sunday, so I'm enjoying some crafting time while I can before the work starts up again - which is going to be fairly soon, as I still have vac homework to get done.

LDP
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PostSecret

As the first assignment for my journalism course, we were required to create a PostSecret. Now, while I understand that the whole point of the exercise is for the secret to remain, well, secret, I felt it was something worth posting about, and that I'm not longer afraid to share.

As it's meant to, I think that the card pretty much sums it up. For my twelfth birthday, my mother bought me a sewing machine, insisting that it would be useful and that sewing was a good skill to learn. Now, I don't know about anyone else, but I was never a particularly "cool" kid, and in the fragile social hierarchy of junior school, I just wasn't willing to risk my already low rank over a stupid, old-fashioned birthday present. A sewing machine? Really, Mom? I managed to convince any friend who asked that I "just got money", and whenever they asked how much, I mumbled something nondescript to avoid having to discuss the subject any further.

Now, as you can tell from this blog, I've come a long way since then, embracing my hobby rather than concealing it. I'm now proud of the fact that I can sew, and openly admit it to people - and, unlike grade 6 me would have expected, they usually seem pretty impressed. At the risk of sounding painfully narcissistic, I'm incredibly happy with the person I've become, and I'm glad, not only that I can sew, but also that I'm no longer afraid to admit it.

If anyone out there has a similar story, I'd love to hear about it and if you managed to overcome it.

LDP
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Tardis Kindle Cover

I'll start with a confession: I am not a Doctor Who fan.

Now, before you throw the "fake nerd girl" accusation, it is probably worth taking into account that other than about 3 episodes of 4th Doctor, I haven't actually watched Doctor Who (though I do intend to, as soon as I can get a hold of any more recent episodes).

Although not a Doctor Who fan, however, I am an absolute sucker for a challenge. For the last few months/years, and essentially my total time on craft sites, I have seen loads of projects related to this popular show. I know some of the basic story line, and I must admit, this craft-fandom has been slowly but surely dragging me in. So, while I was in a particularly inspirationless state, when a friend suggested I make a Doctor Who-related Kindle cover, I couldn't resist the challenge.

Although I was reasonably happy with how this project eventually turned out, making it was a little bit of a disaster. I initially tried to do the "Police Box" sign and note on the door with a paper-to-fabric transfer stuff on leather, which failed miserably (twice). I eventually resorted to simply Modge Podging the paper onto the vinyl that I made the case out of. On the top right corner of the case, there are a series of puncture marks from where I tried (unsuccessfully) to sew the hem down about three different times before my double needle eventually gave up, and was reduced to four pieces of one double needle. During my first attempt at sewing the hem, I also ended up backstitching over the button, shattering the side of it. So, not my most successful tale of crafting.

Mishaps aside, I've put together a tutorial on how to make your own Tardis Kindle cover.

Here's what you'll need:

• Blue vinyl (it's that faux leather-type stuff)
• Lining fabric
• A print out of the signs
• Modge Podge
• A button
• Elastic
• Some white leather scraps

What to do:

1. Cut out the basic shape of your cover (this will be determined by the size of your gadget). Cut out your signs and Modge Podge them onto some vinyl scraps. Leave to dry, then cut out, leaving a thin border.
2. Cut out 5 squares from the vinyl for the door panels (the 6th will be formed by the sign you Modge Podged) and stick them on, then sew down to secure.
3. Cut out 12 tiny rectangles from white leather scraps, then glue and stitch them down. Also stitch down your "Police Box" sign.
4. Add a thin strip of vinyl down the middle, and sew down to secure.
   
5. Pin your two cover pieces front-to-front and sew them together. Repeat this with your lining fabric.
6. Turn the cover right-side-out.
7. Add the button to the top front, and a piece of elastic to the top back.
8. Insert your lining, and then fold down a hem at the top. Sew down to secure the lining.

And you're done!

(In this photo, you can see on the top right how my needle savaged the vinyl... Eek.)

If you want, you can also find this tutorial over here on Cut Out + Keep.

I have also been making some cushions for my university residence room, but I'll be making a university update post soon!

Thanks for reading!

The Day of the Grumpy Cat

I don't know about anyone else, but I really don't enjoy Sundays. Mondays, I can handle. But Sundays? No. It's a pretty serious dislike: if it were any more serious, there would be a Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats song about it. Every Sunday, I am inevitably miserable about something or another.

In honour of this week's unhappy Sunday, I made myself a Grumpy Cat brooch, based on the meme.

He's pretty simple, made from felt and a little brooch pin. If you want to make your own, here's how:

You'll need:

• Felt in various colours
• A brooch pin

How to do it:

1. Cut out your pieces of felt (I cut up a picture of Mr Grumpy Cat himself as a pattern).
2. Use a bit of glue to attach your ears to the head pieces. Secure with a few stitches.
3. Glue down your eye pieces and muzzle piece, then secure with stitches.
4. Sew on two tiny blue felt pieces for eyes, then stitch on pupils, and a nose and very grumpy mouth.
   
   Set the face aside for now.
5. Sew the legs onto the front of the body.
   
6. Sew the brooch pin onto the back of the body, and sew the two body pieces together, adding stuffing.
7. Sew the two head pieces together, through the neck area, securing the head to the body. Add stuffing and close the head.
   

And then, your grumpy cat brooch is all ready to wear!

If you want to see it elsewhere, this tutorial is also available here on Cut Out + Keep.

Happy grouching. :)

Shell-shocked

My friends often joke that I have mermaid hair, because my hair is long enough to cover my chest. And this suits me just fine, as I love the idea of being a mermaid. On that note, a while ago, I saw a top online (by Wildfox) that had a set of shells over the chest, like a mermaid's shell-bra.

Wildfox "Ariel" Tank

I fell in love with this idea, and, (in a shocking, unexpected plot twist) decided to make my own.

The DIY

I picked up a tank top at Meltz for about R20 (on a buy-two-get-one-free special) and got a purple fabric paint tube at the local craft store, then set about my work.

It was super simple to make.

What you'll need:

• A plain tank top
• A tube of purple (or any colour) fabric paint
• A tailor's pen (if you feel you need one - I always get nervous about doing something directly in permanent paint)

What to do:

1.  Print out shell templates from the internet (it's easiest to google "shell outline" or something to that effect). It's easiest to print out two of the same, rather than just using one. Decide how large you want them to be.
2. Put on your top and decide where you want the shells to be placed.
3. Pull your shirt over a pillow, placing the templates underneath the shirt. Trace over the templates with a tailor's pen.
4. After tracing, take your templates out and put plastic underneath (I just used old plastic filing sleeves).
5. Use the tube of fabric paint to paint over the lines.
6. Follow the packaging instructions to set the paint (often to iron the reverse side).

You can also find the full tutorial here on Cut Out + Keep.

I've been a bit uninspired lately, so this was a lovely, quick project to get me crafting again. :) I'm hoping to get some fabric tomorrow so that I can make cushion covers for my new university residence room (I'm going with a newspaper/typewriter theme).

Please let the fabric shop be open on a Sunday - I need to work to get my mind off of existence.
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