Future Progression Everyday Bag

I was working on some illustrations a while ago and turned into a pattern with some other weird stuff.  It's one of my favorite patterns I've ever made but I had yet to make anything with it.

Illustration (above) & Pattern (below)

I was lacking in the everyday purse/bag department and people who I saw that know what I do were still always asking me if I made anything I was wearing so I thought it was about time to make that everyday default bag that I always grab when going anywhere.

It's the perfect size and is super versatile because it can hold a lot or not a lot and still hold a nice shape.

Bonus little pull with hot pink paracord and a yellow wooden bead.

For the strap I used white seatbelt webbing but top stitched a strip of the bright coral lining to it for a bit of color pop and more stability.  I kept the color theme with the plastic yellow hardware.  I used the new Mokuyobi tags which color coordinated nicely.  Each side has a zippered pocket with blue zipper.

I've been wearing it constantly.  Success!

Bee + Puppycat Halloween

The best time of the year is here, Halloween.  Where you can dress up like complete and total nonsense and you don't get a second look.  When you are encouraged to make your own clothes and don't get a face of disapproval from your buds when they come out looking awful (hey, you tried).

This year I did costumes for Bee and Puppycat, a new AMAZING cartoon series by Natasha Allegri that is super good and hilarious and you should check it out!  She had a Kickstarter to raise money to make more episodes which I obviously backed (edit: which she knocked out of the park).  She also is a crew member on Adventure Time so she already earned all the awesome points.

Here are Bee (the girl) and Puppycat (the puppy/cat) in a scene from the 1st episode:

For Puppycat I made a super cozy face hat out of sweatshirt fleece and used felt for the eyes, eyebrows, and nose.  The mouth I machine embroidered, thank you zig zag stitch!  and the collar thing was like a weird mini airplane neck pillow (those things are the worst) with a velcro closure stuffed with polyfil and a felt bell.

Yay!

Here's a work in progress photo of the bee on Bee's sweatshirt I made out of felt:

The finished sweatshirt, made from scratch.  I tried to find the right color sweatshirt online and was just going to make the bee but no one had it, not even American Apparel.  Ridiculous, so I made it myself.

(I actually had both tones of yellow sweatshirt fleece/rib knit in my inventory)

If that's not destiny I don't know what is!

Detail shot of the felt appliqué Bee

Now in progress photos of my Puppycat Hat:

Done!  On my fantastic model:

Other views:

Accessories!  Bee's hair and shoe bows and Puppycat's tail

AND a bonus double cat pic!

(Teeny is so confused)

Onto next Halloween!!

Misaki Kawai Hair Show

I went to the opening of Misaki Kawai's Hair Show at The Hole Gallery in Soho, NYC.  I love when art is interactive!!  There were a bunch of pieces that were made of fur or hanging yarn with combs attached so you could style and tame these happy creature's hair, how fun!!  There was even one with poms attached!  Other notable pieces were black and white painted stools with little faces on them and another sculptural sitting area, have a look!

I combed it!!

Here are some of my favorite images from previous installations by Misaki:

In love!!!!!

Brooklyn Craft Camp

On October 5th I went to the 2nd annual Brooklyn Craft Camp!  The first time I went it was a fun day of crafting, relaxing, and networking so I came back for more!  I participated in some pretty sweet crafty classes like tassel making, machine knitted necklace, needle felting, and stamp making.  It's always a party when you're getting crafty.  Check out some stuff I made!

Welcome!

I < 3 Nametags!

Class #1: Multi-color suede tassel keychain: hot glue is your friend!

Class #2: Machine knitted necklace: mesmerizing and confusing but definitely my new fave project!!

In action!

Class #3: I learned to needle felt!  Needle felting is a technique that doesn't seem like it would work.  You're basically just poking a ball of wool repeatedly with a needle, that's it.  Seems a little suspicious, right?  But it totally works!  Check out the bear face and weird Smurf Madonna person/thing I made (I don't know, it just happened)  Look at those eyebrows!

My hand for size comparison

Class #4: Hand carved stamp/custom stationary!  This was my last class of the day, hand carving your own stamp is the best because you can make it so ridiculous.  Most people made their initials or letter of their first name which looked pretty cool but if I'm sending a letter to you, you already know who it's from by looking at my snazzy return addy label so instead I want to remind you how amazing nonsense can be with my womp stamped WOMP-tionary!  Success! womp.

 Other stations included a Pom station with Pom expert Sarah Goldschadt, I made this adorable little pin.  She is a crafty expert!  Check out her stuffs here!

You can make one for yourself!  There are how-to instructions in her new book Pom Poms! which I bought at the crafting event.  I also picked up Stitched Gifts, an awesome embroidery projects book by my friend, Jessica Marquez.  Check out her stuffs here!

And this rad boy band-esque photo we took at the end at the photo booth station! Good times!  Jessica is on the left and on the right the amazing Lindsay of maker community site, Kollabora!  Check it out!