Category: Craft

Straps

On By CarynIn Craft, Life Hack

My youngest wants to be Zelda from Breath of the Wild for Halloween, so we ordered her a costume. Well, while the dress is well made (especially for a mass-produced costume), it is a sleeveless dress. It did come with tiny clear straps that frankly don’t do much.

Costume base dress as shipped

So I ordered some gold chiffon and hand-sewed on straps/shoulder coverings not only to help the dress stay on, but to meet dress code requirements, should she decide to attend a school event. As long as I was at it, I also hemmed up the skirts since the dress was apparently made for someone 5’9”, which is unusual for a Hylian.

Dress with chiffon added at the shoulders and displayed with accessories

One done

On By CarynIn Craft

I finished one of my buffalo down fingerless gloves. This is a waiting-in-the-car project, as I only work on it when I’m parked waiting for school pickup. I love the nålbinding Dalarna stitch because it is relatively simple and results in an even fabric (rather than distinct rows). The buffalo down I spun on a tahkli spindle is a two ply; the first glove uses yarn that was spun z and plied S. The yarn for the next glove was spun s and plied Z, so it will be interesting to get started on that and see if the behavior is different. The buffalo down is so fluffy, and I have no problem wearing it next to my skin. It is pricey, as each buffalo processed for meat only yields about four ounces of down. One glove used about a half ounce.

Fingerless glove made from hand spun buffalo down using the Dalarna stitch
Close up of fabric

Fall sculpture upgrades

On By CarynIn Cats, Craft

As I predicted, my meadow fall sculpture is a continuous project. I added iris leaves to the bodice, and pumpkins at her feet. She is now also bedecked with an antler crown from two of the smaller antlers I obtained this week.

Harvest sculpture in the meadow

The neighborhood cats find her fascinating as well, as they sit by her feet, or maybe she offers the only hiding spot in the open meadow! I was hoping to get a better picture of the white cat, but I moved wrong and she (?) took off.

Cat adding herself to the display

Antlers!

On By CarynIn Craft

I stopped by my neighbor’s garage sale during a walk, mostly just to chat because I knew several of the people there already, and a bag of antlers caught my eye. I have one antler at home that my Dad found on his property years ago, and I have been hoarding it, not willing to cut it into pieces because I only had the one. Now I don’t have to worry. I probably went a bit overboard, but I should have antler crafting material for ages. I don’t see a table top full of antlers, I see potential nåls, crochet hooks, maybe even spindles!

Antlers purchased at a garage sale
(We’re in Texas y’all)

A Princely fleece

On By CarynIn Craft
Gray fleece from an alpaca named Prince

I’m very excited about my newest fleece! It is a gray fleece from an alpaca named Prince. I was able to meet Prince during a farm tour and he is a beautiful boy with various shades of gray through his coat. It will be very interesting to get this washed and see how it looks spun up.

Prince (photo credit to Alpacas of Aledo)