my half of the brain

You don’t know what you’re missing!

melissa — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:49:54 +0000

If you’re haven’t changed your bookmark to link to my new site at http://myhalfofthebrain.com/, you’ve missed out on how to make–

a party garland
bookmarks
furniture graffiti
rolled roses
fabric vase covers
obama embroidery (and hillary and mccain, too)
and how to get in on a fabric giveaway just by signing for a mailing list.

The longer you wait, the more you’ll miss! Please change your bookmarks or feedreader to link to http://myhalfofthebrain.com/ or http://myhalfofthebrain.com/feed/.

Don’t forget: I’ve moved

melissa — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:05:23 +0000

Visit my blog at its new location: http://myhalfofthebrain.com to learn where you can get in on regular free fabric giveaways just by signing up on a mailing list.

My Half of the Brain is Moving

melissa — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:50:14 +0000

oops. temporarily down while i figure out how i screwed up.

I’ve got my own domain now. You can find me at http://myhalfofthebrain.com. Please pardon my dust as I learn how to get around my new blog and try out various themes. See you there! Melissa

Alison Swimsuit

melissa — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:04:18 +0000

Post: Alison BS-002

Main Site: BurdaStyle

Artist/Author: BurdaStyle

Registration Required?: No

Free?: Yes

Via: Stacy Sews

Other:

Thank You, Suzical!

melissa — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:13:12 +0000

When I look at my blog stats, one referrer is almost always near or at the top of the list. Suzical maintains the amazing BIG LIST of SEWING BLOGS, and it must get tons and tons of traffic, because a small but not insignificant portion of it is coming my way. Thanks for maintaining the list, Suzi, and for having me on it.

By the way, in addition to THE LIST, Suzi herself has a blog, and a tutorial for an iPod cozy—it’s a super easy and well photographed tutorial, that could be easily adapted to other electronics.

Thanks again, Suzi, for all the new readers you bring my way.

More Frances Trombly Wonderfulness

melissa — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:25:43 +0000

Frances Trombly, Craft Goddess, is my new hero! Click on a thumbnail to go to a full size image on her site.

Garbage Bags, 2008

Hand-woven fabric, mixed media
10 X 26 X 23 inches, 21 X 30 X 16 inches

Boxes (West Side Movers and Paper Mart), 2008

Hand woven fabric, embroidery, packing tape
Dimensions variable

Garden Hose, 2007

Crocheted cotton and metal hook
32 linear ft

Extension Cord, 2007

Crocheted cotton
50 linear ft

Jo-Ann, 2007

Hand-embroidery on fabric
10 x 3 inches

Fallen, 2006

Hand-woven, hand-dyed silk and cotton fabric
350 linear feet, 12 x 18 inch pennants
Dimensions variable

Blue, 2006

Crocheted cotton
Light blue balloon, 12″ dia.
Dark blue balloon, 15″ dia.

Nine Deflated Balloons, 2006

Crocheted cotton
Dimensions variable

Confetti, 2005

Hand crocheted cotton
Dimensions variable
967 pieces

Plywood, 2004

Cross-stitched fabric
14 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches

Toilet Paper, 2003

Hand-embroidery on fabric
Dimensions variable

Paper Corner, 2002

Hand-woven fabric
Dimensions variable
Each sheet 8 1⁄2 x 11 inches
50 sheets

All Purpose Tarp, 2008

Hand-woven polypropylene fiber, pedestals
Tarp dimensions: 110 X 45 inches
Dimensions variable

Mop, 2008

Hand spun silver wool and cotton, wooden mop handle
52 X 14 X 13 inches

Embroidered Receipt

melissa — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:33:04 +0000

Post: Receipt

Main Site: Frances Trombly

Artist/Author: Frances Trombly

Registration Required?: No

Free?: not a tutorial, I just have it here for your embroidorial stupefication (of course I made those words up, silly)

Via: Craft, via Creativadoration

Other: are you kidding me? this is freaking amazing!!!

Felt Garland

melissa — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:54:52 +0000

Post: Felt Garland/Cozy up with a Blanket

Main Site: Anna Maria Horner

Artist/Author: Anna Maria Horner

Registration Required?: No

Free?: Yes

Via:

Other: so pretty and festive!

Felt Food—eggs & orange slices

melissa — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:17:40 +0000

Post: Felt Food—eggs & orange slices

Main Site: One Crafty Mumma

Artist/Author: Melissa Goodsell

Registration Required?: No

Free?: Yes

Via:

Other:

Guitar Bag

melissa — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:11:10 +0000

Post: My own guitar bag!

Main Site: bored and crafty

Artist/Author: Meream

Registration Required?: No

Free?: Yes

Via:

Other: some other really cool tutorials at her site:

how not to make a monogrammed cake stand

melissa — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:59:27 +0000

Post: definitely don’t do it like in this post

Main Site: Finny Knits is the blog written by the person who did it all wrong

Artist/Author: don’t screw it up like Finnyknits did

Registration Required?: No

Free?: Yes, unless you count the first ruined cake stand

Via:

Other: even her aunt knew she didn’t get it right the first time

The Pearl Rucksake[sic]

melissa — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:15:07 +0000

Post: The Pearl Rucksake[sic]

Main Site: Tissuepapers

Artist/Author: Tissuepaper

Registration Required?: No

Free?: Yes

Via:

Other:

in my next life, I want to be the woman in these pictures – is this YOU tissuepaper?
this is really a fabulous pattern and I can’t wait to make it. I have some wonderful yardage of dupioni silk in turquoise and purple. I think I’ll have to make a muslin first, and see if I can make the bag entirely reversible. I wonder how long I need to make the handle if I want it to go over my shoulder and across my chest?

Homegirl Laptop Sleeve

melissa — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:07:52 +0000

Post: Homegirl Laptop Sleeve

Main Site: Crafty Chica

Artist/Author: Kathy Cano-Murillo

Registration Required?: No

Free?: Yes

Via:

Other:

The meerkats have landed

melissa — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:12:00 +0000

Post: the meerkats have landed

Main Site: roman sock

Artist/Author: wibit

Registration Required?: No

Free?: Yes

Via: craftster

Other:

16 bright red, XXL t-shirts = one awesome dress

melissa — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:05:00 +0000

Post: 16 bright red, XXL t-shirts = one awesome dress

Main Site: craftster

Artist/Author: bleachrainbow

Registration Required?: No

Free?: Yes

Via:

Other: weighs ten pounds!

Laptop bag from a pillow case

melissa — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:26:00 +0000

Post: Laptop bag from a pillow case

Main Site: Craft Chi

Artist/Author: Amy

Registration Required?: No

Free?: Yes

Via:

Other: actually made from a quilted pillow sham

Spock Ears Knitting Pattern

melissa — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Post: Yarn Songs

Main Site: Yarn Songs

Artist/Author: Josie

Registration Required?: No

Free?: Yes

Via: Craftzine

Other:

Sally Stitch

melissa — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 22:25:24 +0000

Post: A series of vintage sewing instruction comics

Main Site: Bitter Betty Blogs

Artist/Author: Bitter Betty

Registration Required?: No

Free?: Yes

Via:

Other: some of the tutorial pages aren’t tagged with “Sally Stitch”, so be sure to do a search on her blog to turn up more pages.

Mexican Dress

melissa — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:43:31 +0000

Post: Mexican Dress

Main Site: http://www.themexicandress.com/

Artist/Author: “the Mexican Dress Lady”

Registration Required?: No

Free?: No, but nearly! $5.00 for pdf download

Via:

Other: In my family, we’ve always called these Mexican wedding dresses—in fact, my not-at-all Latina mother wore one at her wedding in 1980

Recycled Felt

melissa — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:19:21 +0000

From Crafting in a Green World, Skye Kilaen writes about Recycled Felt (and More) from Hart’s Fabric:

“…

EcoSpun felt is made from post-consumer recycled PET plastic bottles. It’s sold in a 72″ width for $5.99 a yard with a minimum order of one yard.

PET, in case you were wondering, is polyethylene terephthalate. PET is the plastic used to make #1 bottles. There are issues with plastic recycling, and I’d rather see fewer plastic bottles made and used in the first place, but since they exist I’m glad there are some options for using them to make new products.

Here are the color choices for EcoSpun felt: blue, yellow, gold, orange, baby pink, shocking pink, fuschia, red, ruby, baby blue, cadet blue, royal blue, navy, grape, orchid, purple, apple green, pirate green, kelly green, white, antique white, cashmere tan, cocoa brown, silver grey, charcoal, and black.

…

They also carry organic cotton and organic cotton blends (woven, stretch jersey knit, fleece, several lovely colors of canvas, and terry), hemp and hemp blends in some nice warm colors, and eco-friendly pillow forms and batting.”

Crafting a Green World is a new-to-me site that will go straight into my feed reader, and Hart’s Fabric will go right to my favorites. Hooray for wonderful new sites!