Today is my birthday and I thought I would share one of my crafty presents with you crafty folks in a bid to show you the wonders of polymer clay. A tiny clay mini me! Yay!
The mini me, with authentic cat ears and knitting, is the crafty work of my studiomate Sarah McIntyre, a wonder of the world of children's illustration. It's made from stuff called Sculpey which I had no idea existed and now have an overwhelming urge to buy a ton of so can take over the world with my tiny handmade creations.
The beauty of the stuff is that it stays squidgy till you bake it. No adding water and getting that muddy 'Ghost' look.
Reflective fabrics are usually held hostage by the cyber goth brigade, who'll stitch them into almost everything: hair decorations, badges, bras. They work a treat in clubs, and have long been associated with a certain industrial look.
But more recently, reflective material has been cropping up where you really wouldn't expect it: in delicate, vintage-style lace. Elena Corchero who makes the socks pictured here is a keen cyclist and came up with the brilliant idea of stitching the reflective lace into socks (as well as the hemlines of skirt, shorts and pretty much any other garment) to give them instant, high-visibility qualities. But if you've got a better idea of where you'd like to stich some safety-conscious fabric, you can also order the lace in runs of 120 cm to do whatever you like with.
It's also available as a set of two ruffled, elasticated rings. We *really* want to order some of this stuff before bonfire night!
Buy a pair of your own for £22 at Lost Values
Alpaca yarn is a great material to work in (although I sometimes find it a little bit splitty when I knit with it), and even better to wear - so soft! But how would you like to know a little bit more about the friendly creature that grew that wool for you?
The Alpaca Spinner sell all kinds of yummy yarns and tools, but the main reason I love them is that they'll also tell you the name of the fluffy critter that produced your order! Polly, Rosalinde, Cinderella and friends are all standing by to take your order and grow some fantastic fluff for your projects, so check out their profiles for a bit more about their daily lives. It's like a Facebook of alpacas!
I love this idea! It's a scarf, knitted in a bamboo pattern that's actually made from the bamboo yarn, bam boo. Just look at the perfect regularity of the pattern - it's wonderfully sculptural, just like the plant itself!
Bamboo is a bit of a wonder-fabric for two main reasons: firstly, it has naturally antibacterial properties, so it's perfect for making garments that sit close to the skin. Secondly, it's quite incredibly green: bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on the planet, and thrives in harsh environments, meaning it can be cultivated on otherwise barren land. It also has very little need for pesticides, so almost all bamboo you buy is organic. If that's sold you, you can order bam boo yarn from Elite Yarns Inc. here.
This weekend I visited a truly amazing Japanese restuarant in London, where the second thing I found myself marveling at (after the food!) was the beautifully decorated menu booklets we were given to browse.
Each menu was covered in a different fabric, which had then been laminated and bound. There were tradtional, floral and abstract designs, kimono silks and crepes as well as more 'cutesy' cats and other characters. Determined to get my hands on some of these prints to make stationery of my own, I soon got googling to find out where these wonderful materials can be found.
Follow the jump for details
This fabulous, folksy, 60s-style dress would be every bit an object of desire even if it weren't for its highly unusual origin: the fabric used to make it was once an Ikea shower curtain!
Melissa Fehr, owner of the Fehr Trade blog makes all kinds of amazing creations in her house boat on the Thames. This project was the unlikely marriage of the 'Tanja' shower curtain (inset) and a Burda pattern for a wasp-waist sixties style dress. The waterproof fabric leant itself brilliantly to the task, and the dress saw Melissa through the Glastonbury festival (where waterproof clothing is definitely an advantage!) The stiffness of the fabric also provided a bit of extra body, eliminating the need for crinolene said Melissa, who declared herself 'deliriously happy' with how the project turned out.
So next time you find yourself in Ikea, bear in mind it might be the start of your next crafty endeavour!
Today is my birthday and I thought I would share one of my crafty presents with you crafty folks in a bid to show you the wonders of polymer clay. A tiny clay mini me! Yay!
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This fabulous, folksy, 60s-style dress would be every bit an object of desire even if it weren't for its highly unusual origin: the fabric used to make it was once an Ikea shower curtain!
