Halloween Products

Spooktastic! Anyone who's anyone knows that Halloween is the best holiday of all. I did a special Halloween Masks + Candy print to make into some limited edition Halloween products: a backpack, tote (perfect for stashing all of your Halloween candy), and 5 panel hat. All of the products feature the Mokuyobi candy bar and mini ghost patch from the previous post. Backpack and tote are lined with a radical neon green nylon with neon green webbing.

Completed Portfolio Site

Finally finished!!  My portfolio site is finally revamped and up to date: JuliePinzur.com

I hope that the new design will make it much easier to scroll through projects, see multiple images of each project, and be a shorter more condensed version of the blog with only finished products which will serve as a more professional view of my work.  I also separated the posts into categories (illustration, embroidery, sewing, and patterns) so you can choose to see just one or all of them together.

Also on the site are new photographs of super rad older projects since the ones I took with my point & shoot sans lighting in 2008 weren't very flattering.

Check it out!

Mixed Fabric Mini Quilt

I was recently inspired by a men's sock ad in a magazine (weird).  I have been milling over making another quilt for some time but that ad just pushed me over the edge.  I made a mini quilt because who am I kidding that queen quilt took over my life and ain't nobody got time for that.

I wanted to use a mix of fabrics to make the quilt look like it was taken or reused from other garments, to give it that quintessential 'heirloom' look and feel.  I incorporated the classic quilting cotton as well as linen and wool in a variety of colors all of which I just happened to have in my fabric storage room (yes, it's a whole room now).  In the photo below I was in the beginning stages of placing the quilt squares and figuring out which ones to put where next & trying super hard to keep Teeny off the table so she didn't mess up my arrangement... challenges!

Some in progress shots of 2 of the squares that made it to the finished quilt.  I made a bunch of squares that didn't fit visually and they got canned (so sad).  Better luck next time squares!

Here's the quilt squares all arranged and ready to be sewn together!  Now that the creative thinking part of the process was over it was time to do some mindless sewing, yay!

Sewing one of the columns together:

Shazam, just like that the whole quilt top was sewn together.  I also cut out the batting and quilt back ready to go for some quilt magic.

A back image of the quilt top of all of the sewing and serging I did for each square, good times.

Then I quilted the 3 layers with vertical lines along the columns in the square seams with invisible thread (it's seriously invisible try threading a machine with it, lol).

Phew, now that the stress of sewing quilting lines was over I sewed the quilt binding to the edges and hand stitched it to the back.  I used a tiny quilt binding because the quilt is so busy it only needed a simple border.

And, done!  Here you can see the front and quilted back of the quilt.

Feast your eyes!  The full finished quilt!!

Here it is on the bed, it just blends right in.  Clearly it was meant to be.

Writing this blog post felt like telling a bedtime story.  Having a children's book explaining how to make a quilt would be awesome, just saying.  I would've loved someone to read that to me at bedtime as a kid, I'd be dreaming about clouds of puffy batting!

Prints & Patterns #2

Some more new patterns!!  I've been trying really hard to keep them under wraps so when the new products are ready it'll be that much more of an exciting surprise.  But I just couldn't contain myself, oh well.  There are still a few that I haven't shown so stay tuned for those!

Gems

Icon Tricon

Long Arrow Illustration

Long Arrow

I'm super pumped about all of the new patterns I've been making and all of the top secret items that will be for sale soon using them.  I had a little fabric left over so I decided to make some sick fabric buttons. Having the fabric texture on the button is far superior to that lame plastic covering.  It also makes them more water resistant since it's just fabric so it will dry if it gets wet unlike the paper versions which just get ruined.  Snag them here or keep an eye out for them at future Mokuyobi Threads shows!!

Mokuyobi Threads Bedford Bag Kickstarter

If you haven't heard, my company Mokuyobi Threads is running a Kickstarter for our new Fall 2012 bag line.  It's called The Bedford Bag and is an all in one backpack, over-the-shoulder, and tote bag.  There are 2 pattern bags and 2 solid.  The solid bags come with 3 travel themed iron on patches for all of you DIY enthusiasts to make the bag yours!

Click the image below to go to the Kickstarter to see our video and pledge!

Solid: Blue Nylon

 Solid: Red Nylon

Pattern: Lighted Arrows w/ yellow nylon

Pattern: Rad Sack Limited Ed. Print by Adam Smith w/ black nylon

The transformable Bedford Bag covers all ground for wherever you day takes you.

NYC Crafty Classes Part 2

Recently I have been exploring the world of crafty classes in NYC. So many that I had to do a 2 part blog post! I thought I'd give them a bit of a review in case you were looking to step up your crafty skills and take a class. This is part 2!!

Beginning Knitting- Purl Soho

459 Broome St, Manhattan

Three 2 hr. classes - $140

Thomas Duncan was the teacher in my class. He was great! Amazingly helpful and patient. Both me and the other woman in the class (there were only 2 of us, yay!) hadn't knit before and with his guidance we picked it up so quickly!! This class is perfect for someone who has never knit and wants to learn everything to start their first knitted project. It's 3 classes so you get a lot of info.

 

Your materials aren't included but everything you need you can buy right there at the store (just not during class, have your materials beforehand).  Above is the first thing we knit, just some stitch practicing.  First we learned how to knit creating a garter stitch and then we learned how to purl and we had a lot of time to practice both.

Next I moved onto knit 2 purl 2 which creates a really nice texture that I hope to continue on this piece until it resembles some kind of scarf. Knitting is very time consuming compared to sewing. I hope to post about it again when it's done but it'll be a while...

Intro to Woodworking 3rd Ward
195 Morgan Ave, Brooklyn
Six 3 hr. classes

Members- $485 Non-members- $585  

Buck Jackson teaches this super sweet class that no matter what level you're at you get comfortable with using all of the machines and safety surrounding them. You make an end table which takes up the majority of the class but you also make a wood mallet where you learn some techniques you don't learn making the table. All of your materials are included and you get a 'tool bag' that has very useful items like a set of chisels, ruler square, safety goggles, dust mask, tape measure, sandpaper, and earplugs. All of which you get to keep post class.

 

Here's one of my classmates working in the student workshop designated specifically for classes.  They have a whole new beautiful woodshop upstairs that you can use after the class is over and you go through the safety info with Jeff the woodshop manager.  

I wish I took more photos of the process and the finished product before I painted it, but I didn't so you can just imagine it half built and not painted. In the class you have time to get the table built but the finishing/painting/staining is up to you on your own time. I did spray painted stripes by taping off sections.

I didn't paint the bottom cross bar and I think it looks pretty cool. The contrast of natural wood and bright colors is awesome. Even though it took a really like time to paint with all of the gesso layers and then I sprayed the paint with a UV matte finish so hopefully it will stay nice.

Now I use the side table as a place for my tools next to my work table so I'm not always losing them under the fabric I'm working with.  Perfect!!

Fire the Lazzzzor!!!- NYC Resistor

87 3rd Ave, Brooklyn

One 4 hr. class- $75

Having access to a laser cutter is always beneficial if you're planning to do any kind of project with small details that you can't cut out by hand or that are too time consuming.  This class teaches you all about the laser cutter and how to operate it.  You learn what materials you can and can't laser cut and how to test them if you're not sure.  You can bring an image file or idea to laser cut or you can think something up when you get there.  It helps to bring your computer and a flash drive. 

People in my class made things like a wooden bow tie, vinyl necklace, name keychain, and business card.  They provide all of the materials for cutting.  I made a stamp!!  After a few tries of figuring out the settings on the laser for rubber we finally got it!!  (I brought my own wood block to glue it on).

 

Now I have my very own logo stamp and thanks to this class I have the know how and tools to make another whenever I desire.  They have open hours twice a week where you can use the laser cutter and pay by the minute.  Very fun, you should try it out!!  Fire the lazzzzzorr!!

Duvet Dying

Duvets are tricky sometimes.  My old duvet cover was made of cotton which made it super easy for it to attract every lint ball and cat hair in the universe.  Not only that but I swear the duvet made its life goal to never lay evenly in the duvet cover.  After dealing with this for far too long I decided to switch back to the best fabric ever for duvet covers: jersey knit.  They hold the duvet in place with their clingy cuddly goodness and surprisingly don't try to ruin your life attracting every stray dust speck.  I bought a new amazing duvet at Wül (on sale thank goodness) because mine was too large and heavy for its own good.  

The other obstacle of course, was picking the right color.  In the winter you can forget about finding bright colors of anything (clothes, sheets, etc.) So I just got a white one to dye it a golden yellow color.  The cover ended up being too big for the duvet so I had to shave some inches off the top, Teeny helped.

It turned out super well and fits the comforter perfectly.  It totally amps up the room.  I know how everyone goes bonkers for sweet apt pics from people they hardly know so I had to indulge.  I'm super pumped about sleeping in tonight and furthermore will be every time in the future (hint: everyday).  Sleeping is #1 (nacho cheese Doritos are a close second).

PLUS: look at the sweet color combo it makes with my sheet colors.  Have matching fitted and flat sheets is so over.  Goodnight, ZZZzzzzzz......