He is such a pretty boy, and so photogenic. He sings too. I’ve never heard a cat meow and trill with a musical quality. My family says it is because he grew up with singing in the house. Hm.
He isn’t a jumper, though.
So photogenic
Month: January 2025
Leather phone case protype
I had the chance to sew some reclaimed leather on my antique Singer 66 treadle sewing machine. This leather is thin and flexible so was easy to sew, I suspect that a modern machine would be able to handle it as well. (There are tales out there that these old machines are great for sewing leather, but the truth is much more complicated.) I did crank the machine by hand rather than risk the speed of the treadle, and I used upholstery thread (and found my purchased bobbins don’t fit, sigh.)
I wanted an envelope style pocket with the flexibility to thread on a belt, or hang from belt loops with carabiners.
The design needs work. I like the hole in the belt loop and the flexibility it gives, but the flap makes it difficult to get the phone in. I ended up clipping the edges of the flap so it still helps the phone stay put, but is easier to get the phone inside. Not ideal, but experiments will continue.
6 years
Today is the sixth anniversary of my blog! I did have a name change over that time from “of chickens and craft” to “critters and craft”. I do still have four chickens, and Wing Ding the Black Star hen is still laying eggs, even when there is snow on the ground, but things aren’t quite so chicken centric over here anymore. Now critters, we’re all about the critters, and making things.
The sixth year anniversary token is iron. I found a photo I took of old rusted farm equipment and did a little Photoshop magic. I like using AI generation to change the ratio of photos and fill backgrounds on my own photographs and work. No fleecing other artist’s work in a dodgy way, and it is hard to anticipate all the potential uses of a photo when the shutter snaps. The original photo is below.
I also appreciate the search function in photo apps. It is still improving, but it only took a minute to find this photo in my gallery with the search terms “rusty iron”.
Here’s to more posts on critters and craft!
Wild silk
I found a Polyphemus Moth cocoon! These giant silk moths are native to Texas and form a beige colored oblong cocoon made of silk. It was on the ground outside my house, one end open where the adult moth escaped.
I decided to see what I could do with the cocoon. I started attempting to pull the silk fibers away from the cocoon, but it was difficult, so I soaked it in water. Then I realized the remains of the pupa was still inside the cocoon, so I cut the cocoon open to get it out. With the side split, I was able to tear sheets off the cocoon with some success. I left the cocoon to soak in water and over several days was able to pick more of the cocoon apart. I picked away the soiled bits, and gave it a wash with dishwasher soap.
During the soaking, Camaj fibers released an instructional PDF on making silk paper. Hm. I ordered the PDF and read the whole thing, and using their method, made a single small piece of silk paper from the cocoon.
The pictures really don’t do the paper justice. It is soft to the touch and has a pretty luster. I have no idea what I’m going to do with it, but it was a satisfying project.
Cotton bolls
I’m enjoying spinning my cotton bolls. It is a meditative process, from picking the seeds out of the fiber to spinning it up. I have the time and no deadlines so I can enjoy the process. I absolutely see why cotton gins were invented, because seed picking bales of cotton by hand would be an arduous task.
For grins, I laid out a cotton seed head, then another with the bolls removed, then another with the seeds removed.
I also did a video showing how I remove the boll and seeds, then spin the fiber. I have not been carding the fiber, but experimenting with the pulled fluff.
Critters and Craft 