five oh four rag

Redux!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 04:47:00 +0000

It's always nice to get back to something that's gotten away from you. Like, blogging for instance. Or some lovely fabric that you bought months ago with the intention of making into something beautiful and unknown.

But of course, this is how fabric stashes are born, and while a good collection of fabrics is essential for anyone who sews, this method of "purchase fabric, wait for inspiration" can present its own problems. I often do find the project to match the fabric, and I get all excited about it, and then I realize that I don't have enough because I only bought a few yards on impulse, and I can't get any more because by this time it's been months, possibly years, since the initial purchase, and that particular fabric or print is no longer available. It's a sad situation.

Imagine my elation, then, when I was able to create this vintage inspired pencil skirt pattern I found on burdastyle.com using only those items found in my personal stash of fabrics and notions! I didn't have to purchase anything new for this project, not even the zipper. I don't think I've ever been able to say that about any sewing or knitting project.

It's a small, sweet victory that I will cherish every time I wear my new pencil skirt.

Apologies, my friends.

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:19:00 +0000

Not too long ago I got a new job. This was a good thing, but it has thrown off every one of my daily routines, and I have neglected my poor little blog terribly. But no more!

What I need to get things back on track is organization.

I am ashamed to admit that, what with work and multiple Christmas gift projects all happening at once, what little organization there was in my craft area has become completely defunct. I have faith that I can fix it, though.

My apartment is tiny, so I need to get creative. It’s time to go up the walls, maybe even onto the ceiling, like with these repurposed ladders:

I really like this wall organizer made from found objects, and I LOVE this idea for yarn storage. It’s magazine holders placed on their sides on a shelf! So simple, so smart!

My life is going to be so neat and tidy! That’ll be a nice change for me…

D.I.Y. Holiday Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:22:00 +0000

Oh, how I love the Holidays! First Thanksgiving, then Christmas, and then the start of a brand new year! But before I can enjoy it all I’m going to need to get all of my ducks in a row.

And I’m going to start with my D.I.Y. gift list!

I always start out the Holidays with the ambitious goal of making all of my loved ones’ gifts by hand. It doesn’t always work out, but I love the challenge! Of course, I’m not going to share my actual list with you here, that would ruin the surprise for a few too many people. But I did find some great ideas to show you. Just click on the picture for a link to instructions for each project!

You could make and give something useful and practical like a scarf, or a bag made out of neckties:

Or how about something fairly useless, but fun? Like amigurumi baby monsters! Or any amigurumi, really. (Amigurumi are tiny crocheted figures, there are many unique patterns out there, and each one has the sole purpose of being adorable):

But if you’re looking for something that is sure to be a hit every time, you can’t go wrong with something edible:

And as always, you should enjoy making it as much as your recipient will enjoy receiving it. Happy Holidays everyone!

The cold air has arrived… finally!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:22:00 +0000

And you know what that means…

Sweater weather!!

I have always loved the winter down south. It gets just the right kind of cold; which is to say it gets cold enough to appreciate staying inside with a cozy fire and a hot drink, but it almost never gets cold enough for snow. I’ve spent exactly one winter up north, and they can keep the dang snow.

But the best part about winter is the wardrobe. Check out this one I was able to pull together:

sweater weather! by fiveohfourrag featuring leather handbags

Nothing beats long sleeves and boots! I am so glad winter is here, but my sympathies to our neighbors in the north.

Use your D.I.Y. powers for Good: The Pink Slipper Project

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:36:00 +0000

This past Saturday I went to a stitch along at the Sew, Sew Darling studio here in New Orleans. It was a lovely night full of wine, Crunch N’ Munch, and slippers. Lot’s and lot’s of slippers!

All of these slippers will eventually find their way to women’s shelters across the country, courtesy of The Pink Slipper Project.

The Pink Slipper Project was founded to “warm the hearts and toes of women and children living in shelters.” They take handmade slipper donations and distribute them to as many shelters as they can nationwide. It’s a small act of kindness, but it can go a long way for someone who has fallen on hard times. If you want to participate you can download any of the free sewing, knitting, or crochet slipper patterns from The Pink Slipper Project’s website. All of the patterns are really simple, so even if your crafting skills are still at the beginner level you can participate.

You could sew a simple one seam pair like these:

Or knit a quick garter stitch pair like these:

I am currently working on such a knitted pair. They’re Kelly green, because, and this is important, just because it’s called The Pink Slipper Project that doesn’t mean the slippers themselves have to be pink. And it’s a good thing, too, because I personally can’t stand that color. But I’m all for the charity.

Pumpkin Hat!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 21:36:00 +0000

It has been a little while since my last post, and for that I apologize. Life’s been a little hectic over here for one reason or another, but now let me catch you up!

Last week I attended my first ever sewing circle!

It was great! A nicer group of ladies could not have been found, and I will definitely be attending more of these events in the future. Since this is October, Halloween was the theme of this meet up, and I made a pumpkin hat!

It’s so dang cute, I wish it had been my idea. But I must give credit were credit is due, and that is with Delia Creates and her post on Project Run and Play. If you want to make your own hat you can find the instructions here; all you need is a hot glue gun and some felt and your good to go! And you have options:

This was a really quick, easy project, and now I have the ultimate daytime Halloween accessory! Time for some trick-or-treating…

Remembering “Make Mine Music”

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:38:00 +0000

Remember back in the day, say fifteen years ago or so, when the Disney Channel’s line up consisted of more than amorphous preteens singing and going to school in completely unrealistic settings? Back when they would show old Disney films from the 50’s and 60’s, and all those wonderful old animated features? I miss that.

I especially miss Make Mine Music.

It should come as no surprise that my taste in music, like my taste in pretty much everything else, is rather old fashioned. I couldn’t tell you who today’s most popular recording artist are, but I’ll school you all day on jazz, swing, bluegrass, or folk. And when I look back and think about where this musical love started, I would have to say Disney’s Make Mine Music was a big part of it. It is a series of animated shorts, done in that classic hand drawn, distinctly Disney style, set to music by The Andrew Sisters and Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, as well as many other popular artist of their day.

This one was my favorite…

The Andrew Sisters sing about love…and hats.

…but they were all wonderful!

Benny Goodman and his Orchestra!

The Kings Men sing a blue grass ballad

I’m glad I could find these on YouTube, because that means they aren’t entirely lost to this next generation. The kids need culture, lest they all end up reality TV “stars.”

Always on the lookout for Tchotchkes

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:43:00 +0000

“Tchotchke” is my new favorite word.

For those who don’t know, it is a yiddish word meaning knickknack or bobble, and it is pronounced “choch-key.”

And there isn’t any place in the world better for finding tchotchkes than Etsy! Here’s some favorites that I found…

I could go on like this for hours!

No, they don’t have any kind of purpose other than looking cute, but I want them all in my home. I want to fill every nook, cranny, and available shelf space with kitschy, decorative items and turn my house into a tchotchke wonderland! I doubt that will ever happen, but a person can dream, can’t she?

Hey guys, it’s Banned Books Week!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 21:12:00 +0000

Yes, it’s that time of year again.

Time to support your Freedom to Read!!

Find an event in your neck of the woods or participate in the virtual read out between September 24th and October 10th at the Banned Books Week website. If you’re curious as to what a “virtual read out” might be just check out this awesome sock puppet video, then make your own! I’m going to get started…

Sock puppets and books! Wonderful!

Knitting to the Extreme!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:58:00 +0000

To continue a theme we go from the tiniest of knits to a number of life size replicas made from yarn!

Using giant needles like these…

… you can create a pink motorcycle!

Or an entire locker room made of yarn!

It looks tough and manly, but it’s really soft and cuddly. And, technically, it’s crocheted, just like this piano!

I bet it sounds lovely, too.

Knitted bus! I would ride that bus.

Forget the scarves and hats, I want to make something epic! Like an airplane, or a full scale replica of the London Bridge…

Introducing Althea Crome and her Amazing Micro Knits!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:13:00 +0000

By now most of you have probably seen the stop motion movie Coraline. Even if you haven’t I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. What I never realized, though, is those sweaters and gloves that Coraline wears in the movie were all actually knit by hand on teeny tiny needles!

tiny intarsia!

The genius behind these micro stitches is a lady named Althea Crome. Her work is truly awesome!

And, what’s more, if you wish to try your hand at her craft she sells some of her patterns and needles on her website! I plan on sticking to full scale knits, though. Such tiny projects would get lost in my house so easily.

The Dress, She is Done!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:51:00 +0000

Unfortunately, due to some overly inclement weather here in the South, it looks like my birthday celebrations may have to be postponed. But that’s ok.

I have made the perfect birthday dress!

And it’s not a bad likeness of the original, if I do say so myself. Check it out:

When I put this dress together with all of the accessories and decorations that I have waiting it is going to look amazing!

I’ll post pictures of the final product as soon as possible, I promise!

Put your face on: Eleganza continued

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 21:25:00 +0000

While in the process of putting my dress together I have been thinking about how to accessorize. The first hurdle I face is the makeup.

Doing makeup is not one of those skill sets I can lay claim to.

But that’s ok, of course, because I can always rely on the YouTube to teach me how!

such a lovely face, such a long process

This tutorial is great, but that seems like an awful lot of work that I don’t have time for. And that, too, is ok, because the wonderful thing about the D.I.Y. community is if you can’t do it you can surely find someone else who can. I’ve already given the task to my friend, Linda, and I’m sure she’ll make me look fabulous! I’ll show you the proof as soon as it’s done!

Project: Birthday Eleganza

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 00:40:00 +0000

And so my quest to create the ultimate birthday dress begins.

I have chosen for my inspiration this advertisement from the Sears catalogue circa 1933:

Lovely! I’ve already chosen the fabric…

… green silk, darlings! I’ve created the paper pattern…

… or most of it, anyway. And I’ve even started working on the muslin (to get out all the kinks)…

… so far so good! I may know what I’m doing, only time will tell. I’ll keep you posted as the journey progresses!

Yarn Bomb!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:55:00 +0000

Ever heard of the yarn bomb?

If the answer is no then let me be the first to introduce you to the art of knitted graffiti:

This awesome trend was started by a lady named Magda Sayeg and her group Knitta Please. I do wish I had been the one to come up with that name.

I never thought I would feel so inspired to vandalize public property.

Muppets Forever!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:58:00 +0000

I’m going to divert from my usual topics today because…

There’s going to be a new Muppet movie!!

And I am EXCITED! I have read on the internets that the release date has been moved up to Thanksgiving of this year, which means it will be a happy, happy holiday!

I mean, you have to love the Muppets. They’re weird and colorful…

fun!

… and musical …

meep!

… and just plain fun. Even Elmo.

set your piggies free!

I can not wait for this movie!

The Muppets Movie!

Project: birthday dress!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 22:35:00 +0000

I have a birthday coming up, and it will mark the beginning of the last year of my twenties.

I want to celebrate this one right, and really bid a fond farewell to my first decade of independence. I’m starting with the dress. Usually I like to go for a simple, understated sort of elegance, but for this particular celebration I think I’ll try for the opposite direction. It’s going to be sequins, silks, and feathers all the way!

Maybe something like this:

or this:

or even this!:

I’m not even sure what’s going on in this last picture.

I’m completely open to suggestions, so if you have any ideas please let me know!

Everyone loves Lucy

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:50:00 +0000

Lucille Ball’s 100th birthday was this weekend.

You may have noticed. Google commemorated by turning their logo into a television set that showed all the I Love Lucy episodes, and A & E dedicated all of Saturday to Lucy’s movies.

I celebrated in my own small way by making this collection, because I have always admired the lady’s style:

everyone loves Lucy by fiveohfourrag featuring link jewelry

Happy belated birthday, Lucy!

pretty lady

The Black Bottom!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 01:49:00 +0000

A while back I made a post about doing the Charleston. But lest you think the flappers were only creative enough to come up with one dance;

I would like to introduce you to the Black Bottom!

You start by stompin’ your feet

The main move in the Black Bottom starts with stomping your toes on the ground quickly and rhythmically. The rest is mostly up to you!

So it’s a pretty easy dance, but so much fun! And that’s not even the half of it. The flappers knew how to move it and no doubt, and I plan or learning all their dances and their names. I’ll let you know what I find out there…

The Sun… it burns!

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:14:00 +0000

This weekend I took a day trip to the beach and came back with an all-over sunburn.

No matter how much sun screen lotion I apply it is never enough to stop my pale white skin from turning a bright, painful crimson. I blame my Irish ancestors.

But there is relief!

at least my burn wasn’t this bad.

These tips were helpful, but I’m still not completely healed. I know soon enough begins the itchy peeling phase, and I don’t look forward to it.

Curse you sun! You’ve brought me nothing but red skin and freckles!

Of course, you also bring life to the Earth, so I suppose you can be forgiven…

My love letter to Debbie Stoller

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:50:00 +0000

When I was 21 years old a friend of mine brought me along to a weekly knitting circle she attended. Those ladies introduced me to the first Stitch N’ Bitch book, and I took off from there.

I have loved knitting ever since, and I turned out to be pretty good at it!

If you want to see some examples of my work, just check out my shop, Five Oh! Four Rag, on Etsy.com. But I digress…

Since then Ms. Stoller has gone on to publish four more books, and of course I own them all! Each one is full of useful, easy to follow instructions as well as funky modern patterns that anyone can enjoy.

Recently she also began selling her own line of yarn: Stitch Nation. All of her yarn is made from natural fibers and is very affordable at around five dollars a skein. For those of you who know yarn, you know how awesome this is.

In addition to all of this, Debbie Stoller is the editor-in-chief of BUST magazine. This magazine celebrates all things female: our achievements, our abilities, and our future. Of all the feminist magazines out there I have found this one to be the most fair minded and empowering, and it has become very important to me over the years.

So, thank you, Debbie Stoller! You’re work has changed my life in more ways than one, all for the better, and I will be forever grateful.

Discovery: SecretSafeBooks

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 02:16:00 +0000

I adore books.

I love everything about them: reading them, holding them, hiding keepsakes in them. I just added that last one because I just found SecretSafeBooks on Etsy.com.

How cool is that?

I have seen books made into secret boxes before, but not so well done as this. I love the pictures at the bottom of the compartments! It’s a wonderful detail.

Click here if you want to here what the artist has to say about her work!

Project: increasing your wardrobe

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 02:57:00 +0000

You may have noticed that I have been posting a lot of sewing projects lately.

There are a few reasons for this:

1. I often see clothing I like and would like to wear, but that I refuse to buy because of the price or the simplicity of the design. If it looks simple to make, it probably is, and I would hate to think I took the easy way out. I’m weird like that.

2. I can finally do something about it because I have recently (and a little late, I know) discovered the wonder of the YouTube how-to video library! There are so many videos out there that teach you how to make your own clothing, and most of it is so much easier than I knew. For instance, I made this dress yesterday:

I didn’t have a pattern, but instead created the design by tracing the shape of a dress that I bought some time ago and that fits me well. And the idea for that technique came from this video:

see how she traced the tank top?

For the waist band of the dress I used a technique called “shirring,” which I learned by watching this video from Threadbanger.com:

shirring!

And I also added hidden pockets, as illustrated in this recycled t-shirt video!

I bet it’s super comfy.

It’s as if a whole new world has opened up to me! I am going to need more closet space…

Inspiration: Midnight in Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:53:00 +0000

A few days ago I saw Woody Allen’s new film Midnight in Paris.

It was gorgeous!

Now, I haven’t seen the vast majority of Woody Allen’s films, but I have seen enough to know his rather distinct style. His movies become very formulaic after a certain point, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. In my opinion this one works and then some.

Owen Wilson plays a modern day novelist in love with 1920’s Paris. I don’t feel like I can say much more without ruining the story line, but when I say it was gorgeous I mean that in more ways than one. It is well written and the acting was excellent. And the costumes… oh, the costumes! That was the best part for me. I was inspired to create this set:

Midnight in Paris by Five Oh! Four Rag featuring beaded handbags

I will most certainly see this movie again, if only for the outfits!

Project: the Bigger Picture

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 02:07:00 +0000

Hey, remember when I made a light box? That was a fun project, but the size of the items I could photograph was quite limited.

I needed a way to get a better, bigger picture.

I found this video, which was very informative…

I do wish I had a few of those stick-in-a-cans.

… but I found myself more limited in space and supplies than this guy. So I took his basic instruction and improvised, of course!

Just like in my last photo project, I used muslin to diffuse the light from my trusty clamp lamps (found at your local hardware store). I didn’t have a frame to stretch the fabric across like in the video, so instead I anchored my muslin to a door frame with thumb tacks. It worked beautifully!

I used a large piece of solid color fabric for my backdrop. I taped the fabric to an old broomstick and balanced it on a ladder to keep it in place. Then I stretched another piece of muslin across the top of the area and, after much frustration, managed to keep it all in place with painters' tape. It was not neat or tidy, but improvisation rarely is. In the end my front hallway looked very much like an old school pillow fort!

I anchored some white poster board across from the muslin doorway to reflect the light from the clamp lamps, and I was set! Check it out:

Extra points if you recognized the infinity dress! The backdrop could look better, but at least I got the lighting right! Let me know what you think…