Oh So Pinteresting Wednesday - Quote Scarf

Almost through February now - Week 8 already!  This year is flying right along!

This week is a lovely project that I fell in love with soon after I first stumbled onto Pinterest.  The original DIY instructions are from Stamp48, with the original inspiration piece being a scarf from We Are Owls' Fall/Winter 2010 collection.  Like Lauren over at Stamp48, designer cashmere scarves are a little (read: solidly) over my budget, no matter now gorgeous they are.  So, I followed her instructions on how to create a similar scarf of my own.  What follows, as always, are the original instructions, with any notes, advice, alterations, etc. that I used in making my own version of the piece.

What do you need:

• a scarf, pashmina, length of fabric, etc. that you want to decorate.  I used a pashmina I found on sale, a nice and inexpensive woven wool blend.
• a fabric paint pen.  I used Fabric Mate, a chisel-tip paint pen, which was perfect, as I could make my writing angled and 'swoopy' and pretty :)
• a quote you like
• optional - painter's blue tape, or similar removable masking tape
• also optional, but highly recommended - something to cover your workspace (I used my knitting blocking boards)
  
  

  

What do you do:

1.     Protect your workspace, particularly if your scarf is thin or your brand of paint pen tends to bleed.  I have interlocking blocking boards for my knitting, so I laid out three of them as one long rectangle, and it was the perfect size for my pashmina.

2.     Lay out your scarf.  I left mine wrinkled, as I liked the effect that the texture gave to the lettering.   

3.     I anchored my scarf to the craft mat I was using (i.e. my blocking boards) with some blue painters tape.  I didn't pull the scarf taut over the boards (like I said, I liked the texture), but the anchoring of tape did help cut down a LOT on how much the scarf slid around as I wrote.

4.     Write out your quote on the scarf.  Yes it really is this simple. 

5.     Follow the instructions for your particular paint pen on how to set the ink.  For the brand I used, all you had to do was let it dry for 24 hours.

6.     Shoo away helpful kitties to take a picture of the finished project.  I swear, there's a crafter deep down in that cat - so many of my craft projects have him investigating/sitting atop my work!

Things to consider:

• I practiced my quote in a font I liked on paper first, to get the spacing as I liked it.  Nothing fancy, just a regular lined notepad worked fine, but it gave me an idea of how big to make my letters. 
• Lauren over at Stamp48 also suggested practicing on a similar fabric, to get used to how the pen writes on your particular material.  I skipped this step, as I had no similar fabric to practice on.  However, I was using a long quote and had practiced my lettering on paper beforehand, so I just wrote slowly at first to get used to the pen.  I also was using a fabric pen more like a marker than a paint pen, so didn't have to worry as much about ink bleeding or how hard to squeeze the pen to control ink flow.  A little thing I hadn't considered when shopping for a paint pen, but it turned out to be a nice little bonus.

• I did estimate how many lines I would use to write out my quote, and used a tape measure to roughly mark approximate spacing for the start of each line of text.  Just plain sidewalk chalk worked perfectly.  An extra optional supply, I guess, depending on how you want your quote spaced.  I wanted it relatively evenly spaced, but not too precisely so - the inconsistencies give it a nice handwritten feel.
• I let my ink dry a little while the scarf was laid out, and then went back over some of the letters.  Some just needed some extra emphasis (like the starts of the lines of text), some letters were just kinda light to begin with.  Means that my scarf took a little to dry, but I liked the ultimate effect.  Just another option to play around with to give your scarf a personal touch.  
• Thinking of ink drying... Don't wear long sleeves, particularly if you're also a lefty.  It's the chalkboard effect all over again (Am I dating myself now?  Do many schools even still use chalkboards?)  At any rate, I had dark purpley-blue ink all down my fore-arms when I was done.  Lovely smudges that looked like bruises until I washed my hands... and my arms all the way to my elbows!  I hadn't smudged the writing, as I wasn't writing that quickly, but I did end up with ink all over.  In short, be prepared; you are working with ink after all.  Don't wear anything you wouldn't want smudges on.

What quote did I use?  One of my favorites from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

I'm a worrier, a fretter, an over-thinker.  As my life becomes more hectic with more Army moves in the future, and grad school rapidly approaching, I wanted something to remind myself to let go of what I can no longer change and focus on doing my best with what's ahead.  I'm fond of accessories that have hidden meanings like that - charms on a necklace or bracelet, quotes on a scarf, that sort of thing.  No one else might see them, but I know they are there, and it is a nice reminder for me.  Like I said, I'm a stress puppy, so every little thing to help keep me sane :)  And if it's a pretty scarf to drape around my neck, even better!

Something Pinteresting for my closet!

A simple project this week, a hanging scarf holder for the closet.

So simple, so cheap!  All it takes is a coat hanger, a set of shower rings, and ribbons or cable ties to hold everything together.

The original project at Dollar Store Crafts used ribbon to attach everything.  I used cable zip ties, just the tiny ones that come in a bag of 50 or so.  I like the neater look that the cable ties give.  And I'm the type that would grab the ribbon and untie it as I was trying to remove a scarf from the hanger - that's just me.  A warning, though, that the cable ties can be a little 'snaggy' on fabric, so if you have a lot of delicate fabrics, or open-weave scarves, or similar things that will catch on the zip ties, you might want to go with the ribbon instead.  I just watch carefully as I pass the scarves in and out of the rings, and my more delicate scarves hang on a different holder.

 

Ta-da!

I've also seen this version, (sorry, the original is from a Tumblr feed, so I don't have a better link) where the shower rings are just hanging from the coat hanger.  You know, like shower rings do on the shower rod, not attached to each other.  I didn't go for this version, as I have a tendency to have things hanging on a single coat hanger end up all on one end, very unbalanced.  I liked the 'grid' version instead, better for my organization style I think.  And, no, I didn't hang it up like in the picture above.  I trimmed the ends of the zip ties first :)  As of now, I've made two of these for my scarves in my closet, and love being able to see everything not just stuffed in a drawer!

Another Test Knit done!

This time it's a cowl. It's another gifted project, because as lovely and light as it is, it's still out of alpaca. Meaning it's a liiiiiitttle too warm for TX. Sigh...

So, The Fossil Cowl:  (mine is Raveled here)

The yarn was Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud, a lace-weight alpaca blend.  I'd picked up this skein from a knitting buddy when she de-stashed prior to a move.  She found that she knit more in sock weight than lace weight, so no need to keep the lacy stuff right?  Score for me!  Made out with some lovely lace weight alpaca :)  Thanks again, Sarah!!  This particular skein was one that I earmarked for Mom almost immediately - a perfect tweedy chocolate brown, a perfect example of "Mom's Colors."  So when this project popped on the Ravelry Pattern Tester board, it was the perfect match!  It was a very easy yarn to work with, and Knit Picks is always reliable quality at not-arm-and-a-leg prices.  And the final result is very soft and squishy, very nice to have draping around one's neck.  Definitely a yarn I'd use again.

The pattern is the Fossil Cowl by Lusianne R., available as a Ravelry download.  I really liked it - it is quick and easy, without being boring.  No miles of garter or stockinette to give it that lovely squishy texture.  I hadn't worked with the ridge stitch before, so that was a nice, new addition to my repertoire, but it wasn't a complicated one to pick up.  This would be a great stronger beginner's project - you knit in the round, and there's tons of practice with K2tog and ktfbl (increasing and decreasing skills, always handy).  And if you're holding the yarn double, there's practice with knitting with two strands - with the yarn I was using, that was a little challenging, with the fuzzy clinginess of alpaca, and all.

 

 

Oh, and as a bonus, it was the first chance I had to use my new blocking wires that I got for Christmas!  You can barely see them in the picture below, but they are there!  It was very exciting to use them :) 

Mods:  only one this time (surprising for me, but it was a test knit - I try to actually follow the pattern closely with those).  So, the only modification I made was extending the number of repeats.  The original pattern calls for 21 repeats before beginning the last repeat/edging.  I did 24 instead.  It made the cowl a little 'taller,' so that there is almost a complete doubling over as it wraps around the neck. 

Overall, would definitely make this again. I think this is a lovely pattern, and would work well in other yarn weights.  For example, in a sock yarn, instead of lace weight held doubled, you wouldn't even have to mess with gauge much, if at all.  And this is a very easily customizable pattern too - adjust the number of stitches cast on (she offers the pattern in 3 sizes, but you can cast on any number of stitches in-between, according to personal preference); or adjust the number of pattern row repeats, as I did (make the cowl taller or shorter, depending on how much you want draping around your neck).  The adjustability means it's a perfect pattern for those skeins of gorgeous painted lace and sock yarns!  Just keep knitting until all your yarn is gone, nothing wasted!

While I'm posting on necklaces...

Here are 3 of my own that I have put together recently.

This one is a collar-bone length necklace (17inches-ish) - I haven't measured exactly, but that's where it reaches on me.  The swirly tan and red beads were clearance finds from Goody Beads and the red beads just from Michael's (I think... or Hobby Lobby or Joann's - a big-box local craft store, at any rate).  I wanted just a simple piece here, so strung them on, and added a basic toggle clasp.  It looks really cute with a neutral outfit and my bright red flats - I love the little flashes of color!

 

This one started with a pendant I found at Wal-Mart, of all places.  I would have loved to have some green beads up in the necklace along with the pearl beads, but it's such an unusual shade of green in the lighthouse, it was hard to find any beads to match.  So, I just stuck with the basic brass and pearl.  I really like this pendant, as the lighthouse reminds me a little of the old lighthouse from where I grew up, though that one is brick, not white.  Similar shape though - enough to remind me a little of home!

Had to hunt a little for the brass bead caps.  Apparently, that particular size and metal is more unusual, one of those supplies that you just have to order online most of the time.  Lucked into some at Hobby Lobby, though, so saved me some S&H.  Everything else in the necklace came from my stash - the brass accent beads, the chain, and the two sizes of pearl beads.  I didn't worry about a clasp on this one, as it's a long necklace and fits over my head easily without one.

 

The last one in this post is another long one.  This one is inspired by one Anne put together when she visited last summer.  I liked it so much, that I made a similar one for myself!  The teal beads were ones left over from Anne's project, while the black beads were two sizes from the stash, as was the chain.  The pretty pendant was from Hobby Lobby.  I didn't worry about a clasp on this piece either, since it's another one long enough to just go over my head.  Nothing too unique about this one, just a basic necklace, but I do love those colors!

 

Oh So Pinteresting Wednesday - charm necklace

Another Wednesday, another Pinteresting project!

The project up this week is a necklace, inspired by one of my favorite blogs, Flamingo Toes.  Oh, how I love Flamingo Toes!  I'm particularly fond of her jewelry tutorials - check them out, as she has some gorgeous DIY Anthropolgie necklaces!   I swear, there are about a half-dozen necklaces on my Pinterest DIY Jewelry board that are from her site.  She does great tutorials for her work in general, not just the jewelry.  They're very thorough and lots of pictures, so I really don't have too much to add from the original post, just a few things I did to personalize my own necklace.

The necklace that I'm making a la her instructions is the DIY Cameo Collage Knock-off.  It's inspired by an Anthropologie item, the Cameo Collage necklace, which (like many of their items) is very cute, very fun, and very expensive.  So, here's my version, based on more affordable instructions.

 

What you'll need:

• Chain - this is one of the changes I made.  The original instructions called for 2 different lengths of 2 different styles of chain.  I wasn't as fond of that look, plus I had a longer length of a chain that I liked, so I used that instead (if you're curious, I think it was about 3 ft of chain)
• Assorted Charms – I used 24 but your number will vary depending on how full you’d like the necklace (this is another change I made - all my charms are silver, instead of an assortment of colors, metals, etc - just personal preference)
• Jump rings - enough for the clasp and all your charms
• Closure for necklace – any kind (I used a toggle clasp, as I like that sort of closure)

Lay out the chain.  This is one of the biggest changes I made to the original instructions.  Since I was working with one long length of chain instead of attaching a smaller length to a longer one, I altered the set-up of my necklace a little.  I measured out an approximately 8 inch length of my chain to serve as the 'short chain' from the original instructions.  It's only "approximately" 8 inches, because of the sizing of the decorative links in the chain.  I doubled over the chain, so that the 8 inches became the 'short chain' position in the original instructions.  At the 'fold' in the chain, I attached one half of my toggle clasp using a jump ring - you can see it in the next picture below (the larger loop off to the right of the chain).  Where the loose end of the 8 inch stretch met back up with the 'main' chain, I played around with positioning til the two lengths of the chain were spaced as I wanted them, then joined the end to the main chain with a jump ring.  The other half of the toggle clasp I attached to the 'far end' of the chain with a jump ring as well.

Lay out the charms.  It reeeeeeeeeally helps to lay out the charms before attaching them.  This is your chance to really personalize the necklace.  You have the chance to set up a good balance - big vs. small charms, for example, or arranging colors (if you have them), shapes, and textures as you like them.  I placed a larger focal charm at the center of each length of chain, and worked my charms outward from there.  I'd recommend that as a plan of action - a lot easier to balance the charms and the necklace from the center out than from one end to the next!  In the case of my necklace, the center charms are the squirrel on the lower loop and the compass rose on the upper length. I alternated small and large charms, and tried to match small to small charms on either side of the center, and large to large.  I was hoping both for visual balance, and to help reduce any sliding around on my neck from an unbalanced necklace.  I hate jewelry shifting around on me!

 

Once you have a placement of charms that you like, attach your charms to the chain.  Again, work from the center outward.  Flamingo Toes has good pointers on using jump rings back in the original instructions.  I learned some things too, so it's a good idea to read up!  

And ta-da!  Yes, this is a very easy necklace, and it's a lovely effect, too.  My favorite type of project!

I personally like wearing mine with a polo or button-up shirt.  The collar forces the necklace open a little wider, so that you can see more of the charms as they hang.  The necklace itself is a little bit heavier than some of the ones I've made, what with the bigger decorative chain and all the charms on it.  Not a big deal, but it does mean that it tends to draw toward the center and bunch up a little as it hangs around the neck.  A collared shirt counteracts this nicely.

To summarize:

• Not too many changes from the original instructions, really.
• All my charms were silver, not a mix of materials.
• I used one chain adjusted to form the two lengths, instead of two lengths of different chains.
• Going along with the change in chain set-up, my clasp is on the side (the "fold" in the chain) instead of at the back of the neck.

And if you want to know some of my charm highlights, we've got (in the left-hand picture): a ribbon (several causes close to my heart to remember), a tea pot (I love my tea!), my initial, a compass rose (for travel), the year I married, a paw print, a yarn ball (of course), and a dragonfly.  Below them are a Celtic tree, a squirrel (for W&M and for Mom), a shamrock and heart (lucky in love?), a pretty shiny, a woven textured charm, a sunflower, a cat, another pretty shiny, and a butterfly.  In the right-hand picture we have: a cat (yes, lots of cats), and then back to the ribbon, tea pot and so one.  Below, a star (just a pretty shiny), a matching pretty shiny to the other side, a frog, a ladybug, another cat, a matching clear charm, and then back to the Celtic tree.

Yes, there aren't any penguin or bunny charms on there yet.  But did you see - it's just "yet"?  One of the nice things about this project is the extra space I have to add additional charms as I find them :)  Always room for a little penguin or bunny or a particularly sentimental something!  And like charm bracelets, this is a great "travel" project - a beautiful way to display little souvenir charms, without making your wrist jingle like crazy!