Thursday, January 28, 2016

3D Printed Stitch Markers

The world of knitting and 3D printing has collided and I've added 3D printed stitch markers to my Etsy Shop. These markers are colorful and ever so cute, if I may say so myself. They should be snag-free as they are printed as one piece. In case it's not obvious, the cut-out is that of a cat silhouette.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Sewing: Simplicity 1068 stretchy skirt

This was another quick sewing project with a very simple pattern -- Simplicity 1068. My skirt is in between views C and D in length. I only had to cut 3 pieces of fabric out of 2 pattern pieces. The fabric is this printed knit fabric by Nicole Miller for JoAnn. It's a very tightly woven polyester and feels like a lighter version of the neoprene fabrics that I saw in the stores last spring. I'm not sure that I love the fabric because it feels strangely slimy. I decided to try it for a skirt because I figure it wouldn't breathe much and be uncomfortable for a dress. It's also a little annoying to work with because it doesn't hold a crease and even my ball point needle wouldn't sew through it easily. That being said, I do like the look of the completed skirt. The bottom trim is just some wide bias tape folded in half and sewn over the raw edge. I saw that done in some ready-to-wear garments made with similar fabrics and I liked the idea. The red gives it a bit of pop at the hem.

Friday, January 15, 2016

Petra Shawl of many colors

I just finished knitting the Petra Shawl. I'm not much of a shawl knitter, mainly because I don't really like to wear them. I did knit this one last year, and I actually wear it as a large scarf quite often because it's light and warm and also has bling. I knitted this latest one because I wanted to make use of this colorful ball of yarn that I bought last year. It's named Woollee, and I couldn't resist the name or the colors. The knitted end product is actually a bit more colorful than I like, but it's fine as a big scarf.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Sewing: Simplicity 1072 Knit Skirts

I recently sewed two, count 'em, two, skirts, one after the other. I used Simplicity 1072, and it's a super simple skirt pattern. You have to cut just 3 fabric pieces out of 2 pattern pieces. It's cut for stretch fabrics, so no darts are needed and the waistband encases some wide elastic.

I love how these came out. They are the perfect casual and comfortable skirts that I can wear through most seasons. I won't bother with the leggings in warmer weather. The pattern calls for stretch knits, but any moderately stretchy bottom-weight fabric will work. The first one is sewn in a stretch quilt fabric. I found it in the juvenile fabrics section at JoAnn -- it was there probably because of the hearts in the quilt design. I managed to cut the skirt with the hearts upside down, but I don't think anyone will notice. I sewed the second one in a mauve colored stretch corduroy that has a very narrow wale.

Footnote (no pun intended) -- if you're wondering about the leggings, yes, they do have a subtle camouflage pattern. Camouflage seems to be everywhere these days.

Monday, January 4, 2016

My tiny right brain -- Etsy Shop is open!

I opened my Etsy Shop last month, named 'TinyRightBrain'. I'm selling jewelry designed my moi and and manufactured using 3D printing. I'm starting off with earring designs and a few pendants. I'll be adding many more designs as time goes on. I hope you'll check it out, and even if you're not interested, share the link if you can, because my little shop needs eyeballs!

Here's a photo of a pair that I just added to the shop today. I named them "Barrel O' Fun".