Category: Craft

Möbius scarf

On By CarynIn Craft

I’m looking for a light weight idea for a pattern for my spun alpaca yarn. I keep coming back to lace. Personally I do not consider myself a lace person; I don’t tend to buy clothes with lace trim, and I don’t care for frills. But Texas is hot most of the time, and thick warm clothing is only necessary for a short span. What am I going to do with all this yarn I’m spinning? Which is why I keep coming back to lace. It can be warm when made from insulating fibers, but not too warm.

Möbius scarf showing the twist

When looking for lace ideas, I came across the idea of a möbius scarf. This is not a new idea, I have just apparently been hiding under a rock (not entirely metaphorical there). The idea is that the garment is created from the center out, and each row adds to the top and bottom since the edge of a möbius strip is continuous. Really, really cool concept. And it can be done in crochet, knitting, or nälbinding. Sweet. I did have some trouble wrapping my brain around it, so rather than diving in with my good yarn, I tried a pattern with some wool sock yarn from my stash.

Möbius scarf shown on a mannequin

I really enjoy the long edge and chance to get each row firmly under my muscle memory. I don’t care for this particular pattern because the center line is not as stretchy as the rest. So now I’m on the hunt for a pattern that stretches uniformly across the fabric (for comfort’s sake). I’ll keep you posted.

Frame to tea tray

On By CarynIn Craft, Life Hack

Should you have need of a tea tray, and also have a nice thick wooden frame laying about, a couple drawer pulls, and some fancy paper, you can make your own.

Picture frame with drawer pulls mounted on the sides

I removed the glass, and used Modge Podge to apply the beautiful paper to the back of the frame insert. I drilled holes for the handles slightly larger than the screws for the drawer pulls. (Remember to measure twice, drill once.) I did need to purchase longer screws to get through the frame because my frame is thicker than a drawer front. When picking screws, use the thread checker at the hardware store to make certain you buy the right thread size. I picked up two lengths, but if you measure the width of the frame side before you go, you can save yourself the extra purchase. (Or dig around in your random screw and nut bin.)

Tea tray made from a picture frame

I put an additional coat of Modge Podge on the top of the paper and let it dry overnight before putting it back in the frame. This is a light duty tray and does fine for a little breakfast. I originally made it as a prop for a play, but it functions well and it pretty to boot.

Frankenstein spindle

On By CarynIn Craft

Well it happened. I dropped my favorite spindle (again) and the head cracked and came completely off this time. All this near the beginning of a walk. I tried spinning from the other end, but the yarn wasn’t aligned right. I tried just turning the spindle with my fingers, but the yarn produced was much, much thinner. So I tucked it all in my bag and went home.

Head came completely off the spindle this time

I glued then clamped the head back onto the spindle, but since that didn’t hold the last two times, this time I drilled a small hole and hand riveted the two pieces together as well. It took some experiment; the brass wire was too hard, but aluminum filled the hole nicely with some hammering. I sanded the rivet smooth so the edges wouldn’t catch on my yarn.

Rivet made from aluminum wire to provide mechanical strength to the broken spindle head

It looks like a Frankenstein spindle now, with its metal rivets on the neck, but it is holding. I’ve dropped it three times since repairing (not on purpose) and the head has held. I do now carry a spare spindle in the bottom of my bag, just in case.

Wooden cane

On By CarynIn Craft

I made this wooden cane as another prop for the play my eldest is working on. The character that needs the cane is an old woman whose husband was a wood cutter. What better than a cut branch then? I wandered through the back woods and found a suitable dead limb on a cedar tree, with a side branch at a good angle for the handle. I cut it off, removed all the twigs, then used my oscillating drum sander to remove the outer layer. I left it a little long so they could cut it down to fit the actor. After I had the rough shape, I hand sanded first with 100 grit to get everything smooth and shaped the way I wanted, then worked down in grit to 120, 220, then 400. To finish, I put on two coats of 50/50 tung oil and mineral spirits, then seven coats of pure tung oil. A final polish with 0000 steel wool put on a slight sheen. The cracks were left as is, as it gives some character to the piece and the story is a slightly scary one. Despite the cracks, the wood is solid.

Wooden walking stick made from a dead cedar limb

How to make ugly needlecraft

On By CarynIn Craft

My eldest needed another prop for a play; this time it was ugly needle craft. Hm. In theory, to make ugly needle craft you need to do the opposite of all that is done for good needle craft. The director sent an image of cross stitch as an example, but these guidelines would work for most kinds of needle craft, should you find yourself needing to make cringe-worthy thread embellished decor. So here are my pointers:

  • Use poorly woven cloth that does not have an even or straight weave (I used a scrap of a cotton drop cloth)
  • Use inexpensive thread (I think this thread came from a bracelet kit)
  • Don’t starch the cloth or iron or tape edges
  • Have only a vague plan, don’t mark cloth with guidelines
  • Watch an engaging movie, don’t correct the stitching mistakes
  • Completely ignore color theory
  • Mess up repeating patterns
  • Try for long straight lines of stitching
  • Put in a spelling mistake
  • Use all capitals, make them different sizes
  • Left align the words
  • Use strange color changes for the letters
Ugly cross stitch for a play prop

Honestly, this should have everyone’s OCD twitching, even if you don’t usually have OCD.