Stitch-Cast

Episode 12 -- Pom Poms & Kid's Crafts

Tool of the Week -- Clover Pom-Pom Maker

Whether you call them pom pom's or pom pons, this little gadget will help you make them quickly and easily!

Two to a package -- I used the 1 5/8" size for my first attempt.

Just wrap the yarn around each end -- you are probably supposed to do it neatly, but I just wrapped it on there kind of randomly.

Then you close it up and cut along the groove on each side.  Use sharp pointed scissors -- I used my office scissors and it wasn't easy.

Tie it off through the middle of the contraption -- sewing thread would have been a better choice than yarn ere.  Open the whole thing up and you have a Pom Pom.

After a quick trim, you are all finished!

Kids Crafts

Chicken Socks books for little ones:

• Chicken Socks The Foam Book
• Fun With Felt (Chicken Socks)
• Chicken Socks: How to Make Pompom Animals (Chicken Socks)

Klutz Books for older kids:

• Capsters: Make Bottle Caps into Great Works of Coolness! (Klutz)
• Potholders: Other Loopy Projects : Spiral (Klutz)
• Simple Sewing: Complete Instructions for 7 Great Projects (Klutz)

Listen to Episode 12

Episode 11 -- I'm Back!

I know it's been a while, but I'm finally back!  I'm looking forward to recording some new shows and talking about all the crafty goodness I've been up to.  I'll also be adding a new segment to the show on crafty gadgets.

Thank you so much to everyone who has remained subscribed to my podcast!  It's good to be back!

Listen to Episode 11

Episode 10 -- Sewing

Info on garment sewing and learning to sew.

Books discussed in this podcast:

• In Stitches by Amy Butler
• Sew U by Wendy Mullin
• Denyse Schmidt Quilts

The T-shirt books:

• Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt
• Tease: Inspired T-shirt Transformations by Superstars of Art, Craft, and Design
• 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim, and Tie Your T-Shirt into Something Special
• Sew Subversive: Down and Dirty DIY for the Fabulous Fashionista

At Renegade Craft Fair:

• Jay Ryan -- super-cool poster artist!
• Happy Owl Glassworks -- Love them!

Listen to Episode 10

Episode 9 -- Braiding

Kumihimo, lucet, and many more! 

Quick rundown of Stitches and the Michigan Fiber Fest & details about where the heck I've been.

Kumihimo:

• Braidershand - supplies
• Weavershand - lots of info on kumihimo and other techniques -- check out the galleries!
• Braiding vs. weaving
• The Beginner's Guide to Braiding

Lucet:

• My lucet
• beautiful Golding lucet
• the Lucet Lady
• Lucet instructions online here and here.
• Double Lucet!

Other braids:

• Interlace Braid
• Fingerloop Braids -- (more photos with directionshere.)
• Ply-Split Braiding -- (nice photos on Julie Hedge's website.)

Listen to Episode 9

Believe it or not, no podcast again

I'm afraid that I am going to be out of town for the third weekend in a row. And while I am here Saturday morning, I don't have time to do the podcast. Argh! I really do have several shows planned, but things happen. (All is explained on my blog.)

I'll be back soon with a show on braiding and another on sewing! I'm also trying to put together a show on kid's crafting. Stay tuned!

No podcast this weekend

Every year my family and a bunch of our friends put together a big charity event to raise money for local charities, including a local shelter for battered & abused women and their children and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.  It's a lot of work and also very emotional because we do this in memory of my Dad who died suddenly of a heart attack when he was only 49.  This is the 7th year for our event and each year we are able to raise more and do more for the community, so all the hard work is really worth it in the end.  The "event" I'm talking about is a golf outing -- my Dad was an avid golfer, who often liked to skip out on work to get in a round!  And it's this Tuesday!  Needless to say, I've been a bit busy and haven't had time to adequately prepare for this week's podcast.  I'll get back on track in the next week or two though -- I've got quite a few show ideas, including:  braiding, quilting, sewing, rubber stamping, jewelry making (w/ stitch marker tutorial!), a beginners guide to spinning and much more. 

To find out more about our charity or to make a donation, visit The Tim Klotz Memorial Fund website.  Thanks & Happy Crafting!

Episode 8 -- Weaving

How to get started weaving on small loom for not a lot of money.  I talk about my experiences and pass on what I've learned so far!

My Weaving history:

• Potholder looms - Maddie just made her first potholder!
• "God's Eye"
• Friendship bracelets (Show on braiding coming soon!!)
• Leclerc Dorothy Table Loom - 4 shaft
• Weavette Hand Held Loom
• Ashford Knitter's Loom - Rigid Heddle

Links:

• Weavecast
• Handweavers Guild of America

Books:

• Kids' Weaving
• Modular Textures: Patterns for the Weavette® & Weave-it Looms
• Learning to Weave
• Ashford book of Rigid Heddle Weaving
• Hands on Rigid Heddle Weaving

Listen to Episode 8

Episode 7 -- Stamp Carving

How to carve your own stamps: what you'll need, where to look for inspiration, what to do with your stamps.

Materials:

• Speedball Linoleum Cutter
• Speedy-Cut Blocks
• Vinyl erasers

Inspiration:

• Carve Your Stamps Flickr Group
• The Carving Consortium (lots of info here, but very difficult to navigate)
• Cute eraser carved stamps

What to do with those stamps:  Stamp on paper, fabric, anything!

My rubber stamp store:  Stamping Online

Letterboxing:

• Letterboxing North Amercia
• Letterboxing.info
• Letterboxing Wiki

Music bumper:  Elliot Smith ~ Memory Lane

Listen to Episode 7

Episode 6 -- Crochet

Show Notes for Episode 6 -- Crochet

My first project:

Learning by book:

• Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet
• Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet

Cool Stuff:

• Amigurumi:
  • Amigurumi issue of Crochet Me
  • Amigurumi archives at Crafting Japanese
  • Amigurumi group on Flickr
  • Amineko (crochet cat) pattern online
• CrochetCast -- podcast about crochet
• Monster Crochet

Booga Talk

Claudia's MS Ride

Listen to Episode 6

Episode 5 -- Japanese Craft Books

Show notes for Episode 5 -- Japanese Craft Book

Great Websites for Japanese Craft Books:

• Crafting Japanese
• Flickr group: crafting-in-Japanese
• Flickr group: Inspiring images from craft books
• Japanese Craft Translation at makewrite

Where to Buy Japanese Craft Books:

• B&M shops like Mitsuwa sometimes have bookshops.  (My "local" Mitsuwa in Arlington Heights does!)  Crafting Japanese has a nice list of B&M shops here.
• Amazon Japan -- Look toward the top of the page and click where it says "In English".  How easy is that?  I've bought from them and had great service.
• List of more online sellers from Crafting Japanese

Music:

• 4 in the Moonlight ~ Kaipirinya No Moto E

Listen to Episode 5