Adventures

Several months ago, my friend Kristina invited me to a Stitch n’ Pitch event at the Mets’ Citi Field — which sounded like fun, despite the fact that 1) I’m not a very advanced knitter, 2) I’ve never learned to crochet, and 3) I’m a Red Sox fan. But, I figured, I can always pack an embroidery or other hand stitch project, and hey, my dad grew up a fan of the Mets, so it’s all in the family.

Now, if you recall, when I announced my crafty New Year’s resolution last December during the holiday giveaway, it was to learn to crochet. Needless to say, I’ve been slacking a bit, and though it would have been easy to toss the embroidery project in my tote and go, Kristina’s invitation inspired me. Especially when I learned that the Mets vs. the Marlins wasn’t the only contest taking place at Citi Field that day. Up in Section 531, deep along the left field foul line, a group of “hookers” were gathering to attempt to set a Guinness World Record for Most People Crocheting Simultaneously. Count me in! Below are some of the busy hands, along with our intrepid host, Deborah Norville.

A quick tutorial from my friend Lianne got me working on my first ever chain. Which equals the first WIN of the afternoon!

Fifteen minutes later, I, in combination with 426 other crocheters in Section 531 had helped set the Guinness World Record. Second WIN!

A few hours after that, with a home run by David Wright plus a few RBIs from Wright, Ike Davis, Jeff Francoeur, and Ruben Tejada, the Mets sealed a victory against the Marlins, 6 runs to 1. Third WIN!

Not to mention a few other game highlights: 1) My friends and I were featured on the jumbotron during the instant replay of the record-setting crocheting; 2) I spotted a few slashed T-shirts in the stands (an example from two rows in front of me, below); also, Kristina (above) wore a refashioned Mets tank–a no-sew combination of projects #15 and #16!; and 3) I untangled 2 skeins of yarn into neat balls–each coincidentally about the size of a baseball. All in all, a very satisfying win-win-win.

Take me out to the ball game…

I was so bummed not to make it to the first ever Austin Renegade Craft Fair (the Naughty Secretary has a great rundown here), especially since I was even in the great state of Texas last weekend! Alas, Texas is a big state, and Dallas was still too far from Austin for this trip. Luckily for me (and you other Tri-Staters reading), the BUST Spring Fling Craftacular is ready and waiting to welcome me back to Brooklyn this Sunday! The younger sister of the BUST Holiday Craftacular, the Spring Fling is a veritable shopping party–all the drinks, deliciousness, and DJs requisite of a proper party combined with more than 50 awesome indie designers in stationery, fashion, jewelry, and more, more, more.

Also on the scale of awesome, Score! Pop-up Swap will be in attendance to collect gently used items for their upcoming Megaswap on May 29th at BKLYN Yard. Because hey, if you’re not using those old T-shirts at the back of your closet, drop them off so they can be adopted by someone who will use them!

I’ll be there roaming the aisles of Warsaw, that’s for sure. Hope to see you!

I swear, I must have a sixth sense for thrifted jersey knit. I spotted this sale rack of 50-cent T-shirts from the backseat of a car when Mr. T and I were in Florida this past weekend and politely requested that we pull over immediately! I thought, what good material for the DIY Scraptacular on Thursday. I better stock up! So I invested in as many as I could squeeze into my carry-on luggage. And, boy, there are some real gems. So if you’re in the NYC area, please stop by the Terracycle Green Up Shop tonight–come early, stay late, and refashion a T-shirt while you’re there. Feel free to bring your own old tees to add to the pile, or trade for another!

I’ll have books to sign, too!

Last CHA report, since I fly back east tonight. “T” is for Tuesday and time to get making! Here I am getting messy at the ilovetocreate booth–dying silk scarves.

I stained most of my fingers before Pattie was nice enough to show me where the plastic gloves were!

Off to the Provo nook, where Kim was nice enough to teach a group of us how to make yarn flower clips using the Knifty Knitter…but of course I couldn’t resist pulling out a T-shirt scrap (below, from a T-shirt hem) and make a soft green jersey flower for my hair.  And then it was off to signing about 80 Generation T book giveaways at the Provo booth!

Then I climbed the stairs of the Provocraft stage for a Generation T T-shirt refashioning demo with scissors and the Yudu all-in-one screenprinting machine. (I just want to pounce on all those delicious-looking cakes behind me!) Then it’s off to sign 70 more book giveaways!

Sonya Nimri took to the Provocraft stage, too. She demonstrated how to make felt barrettes and leather jewelry and coasters using the Cuttlebug machine…I totally want one now. Then she signed giveaway copies of her new book, Beadalicious (which I totally scored!).

Some last wandering and making-and-taking and catching up with my pals Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza who were at the Plaid booth showing off their forthcoming Hot Glue Gun Helpers tool line. I can’t wait until these are out!

Plaid also showed off some of their new Simply Screen home screenprinting products–check out the totally sweet T-shirt I screened (stay tuned for a scissory refashion of the XL T-shirt in weeks to come!). And lastly, Sonya shows off her totally rockin’ trucker hat that she dyed with the new ilovetocreate graffiti fabric spray and stencils.

Off to dinner with friends and then a red-eye flight back home so I can wake up refreshed (who am I kidding?!) on the east coast!

Ahhh… so this is CHA (Craft and Hobby Association winter convention and trade show, for all you rookies, of which I am one)! The place was buzzing…Provocraft was unveiling their new Cricut Cake machine, but I was more excited about the new Yudu screen for printing on paper, which they were demo’ing (think DIY concert posters, party invites…ooh, the list goes on!).

Then it was on to the orange zone! I love me some sharp Fiskars scissors (and those orange Fiskateer uniforms!) and check out the make-and-take made with their squeeze punches and new stamping contraption (I made this paper pin for my niece, complete with the requisite “bling” and plenty of pink).

The Fiskateers were having fun with a green screen…dress-up anyone? It’s so inspiring to see how each company decorates their booth — and I love wandering around in a veritable wonderland of giant buttons, knitting needles, balls of yarn, scissors, and more!

A celebration of my two favorite tools: scissors and pencils.

Crafty Chica Kathy Cano-Murillo and Big-Ass Crafter Mark Montano take a nap — standing up! — in the ilovetocreate booth. It’s make-and-take Monday (and Tuesday, and Wednesday) and in addition to the paper brooch, I got to make two necklaces, one with hammered and antique-painted cardboard, and one with scrapped papers pressed between glass.

Relaxing with DIY superstars CRAFT’s Natalie Zee Drieu, Stitch ‘n Bitch’s Debbie Stoller, Beadalicious’s Sonya Nimri, and Crafty Chica Kathy Cano-Murillo. And then a walk outside to remind me that Anaheim, CA is not all a big convention center!

Natalie and CRAFT organized a lovely Crafty Tee Party this afternoon. You all know how I love a good Tee Party, but tea can be amazing too, especially after a long day walking around under fluorescent lights, and even more especially when it’s paired with little pastries and super crafty company. Clockwise around the table, Sonya Nimri, Vickie Howell, Sarah Hodsdon, Debbie Stoller, Kathy Cano-Murillo, me, Katie Dougherty-Kunde, Alexa Westerfield, and Pattie Donham Wilkinson. And, of course, Natalie, who was snapping this shot (which originally appeared online here)!

Next up, resting my feet. And resting up for Tuesday, when I’ll be taking the stage in the afternoon for some T-shirt slashing and Yudu screenprinting.

After the Craft SuperShow on Saturday, it’s all about getting down to business with the CHA Convention and Trade Show. First order of business? A party! Tonight’s soiree, hosted by Provocraft, was a blast, complete with a fancy shmancy ice sculpture,  cupcakes (yum!), new crafty friends whose names start with “S” (hi Sonya and Sarah!), dance music, and highly reflective outfits (thanks to Mark!).

And you can bet that my Cricut cupcake party favor will be my breakfast tomorrow morning!

‘Twas the day before the Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show, but just in time for the Craft SuperShow–which is the one open to the public! Yesterday’s event was full of make-and-takes (yes, just as it sounds, you make it, then take it with you) and new product demonstrations. Many of my very favorite crafty peeps were there, appearing at some booth or other, or walking the floor like me and checking out the sights and smells (yes, glues, inks, paints, markers often have a particular scent, too…and the food wafting over from the food court. But for now, a diet of paper cutting, glitter sprinkling, coloring, and cake decorating kept me quite full and satisfied.

1) “Create” was the theme of the day! 2) First stop, Provocraft, where I’ll be doing my demos with the Yudu screenprinting machine on Tuesday. They’re unveiling a new Cricut Cake machine for decorating your baked goods! All edible crafting–yum. 3) And it’s hard not to spot Crafty Chica Kathy Cano-Murillo’s booth at Duncan’s ilovetocreate. Here’s me poking my head through the crafty chica cutout!

4) The Crafty Chica make-and-take of the day was a silk fan–using the super juicy markers from her new line, we decorated the plain white fans. 5) Representing the east coast, Craftster was there, with skull-and-craft tool T-shirts and… 6) helping folks make buttons and showing off the awesome wares that their community of crafters makes.

7) I made a machine embroidered drink cozy for my sister–not a lot of work, since the machine does it all for you, but the options are endless–you can upload your own fonts and designs on one of these things! 8 ) At the American Sewing Guild tables, I stitched up a drawstring bag for charity. 9) Then I headed over to check out Debbie Stoller, who was signing at the JoAnn booth, showing off her new line of Stitch Nation yarn! Congrats, Debbie!

10) Her yarns are so soft and all natural and…wait for it…affordable! The perfect thing to get my crochet on (learning crochet is my crafty New Year’s resolution). Luckily, Debbie has me covered on that front, too. 11) Then it was lunchtime, and who should I meet in line, but Sonya Nimri, crafty author and all around crafty lady extraordinaire. She in turn introduced me to Jenny Doh, who’s launching a new crafty hotspot, Crescendoh, in March–stay tuned! 12) After lunch, back over to the Provocraft stage where Sonya demonstrated some really easy and fun leather and felt jewelry techniques using the Cuttlebug machine (usually reserved for scrapbooking, but here’s an example of something being more than meets the eye–Sonya discovered that this paper cutter can cut leather very cleanly too!) Then she stuck around to give away signed copies of her new book, Beadalicious–you better believe I lined up to get one!

That’s all to report for now (I’m exhausted!), but stay tuned for a few more days of crafty fun and reporting from the CHA trade show.

Monday night crafting at Etsy Labs with the lovely ladies of The Uniform Project (Sheena, Eliza, and Jessica) was just delightful. (Sheena of The Uniform Project is wearing the same little black dress for a full year, creatively accessorizing with found or donated items each day, and raising money to support underprivileged students in India.) It was a smart pairing on Etsy’s part: The Uniform Project and Generation T both approach the versatility of clothing and fashion in different ways. Sheena takes one garment (her LBD) and re-envisions it daily by accessorizing; similarly, Generation T is about re-envisioning a single garment–in this case, the T-shirt (arguably a staple of most daily uniforms). And we’re both about using what we have to make something more. What about you? Could you wear the same basic garment for a week, reworking it each day into something new and special?

We had a great turnout last night: crafters from many boroughs of New York attended, as did virtual visitors  from around the globe. Here are some pics I snapped before my camera battery died, but you can also check out some Etsy shots here (in which you will see me enthusiastically interact with a laptop).

1. Eliza, Jessica, and Sheena of The Uniform Project chat online with the virtual Etsy audience from around the globe. (Sheena’s wearing LBD accessorized outfit #235.) 2. Wendy makes the Mane-iac scarf (video tutorial to come from Threadbanger in January–stay tuned!) 3. Jessica modifies the Mohawk Mo’ Rock hat (project #72 from Generation T: Beyond Fashion).

4. Sheena refashions a T-shirt to accessorize LBD outfit #236–which she wore today as part of The Uniform Project! 5. Another crafty lady made Outer Lace (project #16 from Generation T)–I like the contrasting white on red detailing.

6) Here’s a variation on Outer Lace–also with the contrasting lacing. 7) It’s a beard, 8 ) it’s a mane,…it’s actually a boa! (project #115 in Generation T: Beyond Fashion).

9) Another Mane-iac scarf (project #91) in process. 10) And another… 11) Last but not least, my Charlie’s angels, decked out in doctored tees and accessories.

Thanks again to Vanessa and Julie at Etsy Labs for having me, to The Uniform Project for co-hosting, and to Threadless for donating the T-shirts we chopped up. Don’t forget to check out Etsy’s Flickr page for more photos!

*I believe* that the next Etsy Craft Night is on Monday January 25, featuring Ed Roth of Stencil 1. How about it? Learn some stenciling (another great skill to have under your belt if you’ve got some T-shirts in need of a makeover).

T-shirt weather = spring and summertime, right? Well, yes, by most considerations. But, if you turn your T-shirt into a scarf, mittens, gloves, or a hat, you’ve made your T-shirt wearable 365 days a year! So if you hail from a part of the world where it’s a tad chilly out these days, no need to pack up your stash of tees just yet. Today, the ever delightful Corinne and Rob of Threadbanger came to the Generation T workshop to film some cozy cool-weather tutorials. So stay tuned for a scarf-tastic episode coming soon in January! To whet your appetite in the meantime, here are some behind-the-scenes sneak peeks of the action.