Turning a Sweater into a Shrug

It feels like shrug weather. Not yet cool enough for a sweater, but just cool enough for something extra on your arms. While tossing my 19-month-old son around in his music class at the Y, I noticed that my beloved, but admittedly bedraggled, shrug from Anthropologie (home of all things shrug), had an armpit hole. Not the most attractive feature in a shrug. I have knit shrugs before, but they take much longer than a nap time to complete and they seem to grow as you wear them. I'll post a picture of my knitted shrug soon. But, here's how I made an upcycled shrug during Jack's nap. (OK, the order of the photos is completely wrong.  But somehow, I cannot figure out how to move them around.  I'm starting to loathe blogger).

Step 1: Dig out a sweater from those I've collected from thrifting with an eye to turn them into something else.

I have actually washed and dried this one because it is 100% cashmere and you can do that. 

Then, I cut it up the center.

Next, I laid my old shrug on top, as a rough pattern, and cut across the bottom and roughly followed the "ties" on the old shrug.

That's it.  Voila!  Shrug-mania.

Now, full disclosure, I made another one first, a former thin cashmere turtleneck which I think turned out better.  The open turtleneck made sort of a sailor collar and the thinner weight looks nice, however, it has three moth holes which are still quite visible (of course), so it may need some embroidery or be turned into a stuffie.

Also, I don't love this new blue shrug, so I'm thinking that I might cut up another sweater and stitch on a bottom.  Then, I might add a fat snap and cover the placket with some ribbon to make kind of a reconstructed thing.  It could all turn out to be very homemade, but I will 

Detoured

I'm not a very accomplished jewelry maker or beader, to say the least.  But I'm a bit like a mockingbird -- ooh pretty, shiny, shiny.  I love bead stores and all of the little compartments filled with sparkling, funky, unusual and lovely beads.  I stumbled upon a new jewelry-making book, filled with fabulous layouts and beautiful projects.  I've been inspired again.  Here's what I've been up to the last few days.  

The most wonderful time of the year...

I'm still here. My husband spilled tea on my computer and it is currently in computer hospital. Send it your good vibes for a full recovery.

It's apple picking time here in NY. Every year we go to the same orchard and pick as many apples as we can. This year, we got a bushel of macintoshes and cortlands. I have apple muffins in the oven now, and have made four batches of our favorite microwave applesauce. The recipe is from The New Basics Cookbook, and you can have warm applesauce in about 25 minutes (very hard not to let it cool longer). Very simple and delicious.

In a microwaveable bowl or casserole dish mix:
Six apples (three macs and three granny smiths or something tart) roughly chopped
1 cup water
juice from 1/2 lemon

In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 t. cinnamon (I add a t. of ginger). Add to big bowl.

Stir.

Microwave on high for five minutes. Stir and try to mush a bit.

Microwave on high five more minutes. Mash with a potato masher. Let cool. And dish into bowls. So good.

One bowl works for 3-4 people. Just a warning, don't eat too much applesauce. It can have unintended consequences.

The weird world of flickr

PA-Oil City - Col Drake Theater
Originally uploaded by plasticfootball

I love the rabbit holes you can fall into when you're looking for something on flickr. I found this picture of the Colonel Drake Theater in Oil City, PA. I have a program from this theater from my grandmother's scrapbook. She wrote on it about an exciting night at the "pictures" with her crush, Tom McCluskey. She worked at this theater in the early thirties. I wonder if she saw Gone with the Wind here or The Wizard of Oz. Could be...

Little Shoulder Bag

Little Shoulder Bag
Originally uploaded by Grey Cottage Studio

I am just the kind of girl who likes color. My house is actually pretty neutral (though probably more from indecision than serenity) but frankly, I find I'm drawn to color. I love the look of someone swathed head to toe in taupe or all in whites and creams, but it just doesn't feel like me. In fact, if I ever do wear any warm shade of creamy white, I swear, at least one person asks me if I'm feeling ill.  

Really, my favorite color is fuchsia. (Side note: a former colleague of mine has a daughter named Fuchsia.  She's British, so I think it works.)

So, here's the latest bag. A punchy little thing. I modified the charming bag handles to make it more of a shoulder bag, which I do prefer to the original (though, there's definitely a place for the handbag). I added some very stiff interfacing panels into both sides, and frankly, this puppy could use a magnetic snap. But, here she is. A pop of color for fall. Why not?

Swoon.

Twinkle applique
Originally uploaded by stitchindye

I love this quilt. The maker, one stitchindye, has a great etsy shop and a wonderful blog. I always love her colors. I bought some of her hand dyed fabric, but have yet to cut it, until I get better at sewing. I know, I should just go for it. I hate hoarding supplies, but I love knowing I have them around.

This quilt reminds me of framing a small precious object with a big matte, to give it plenty of breathing room.

Everything's Coming Up Mums

OK, the pillow now lives in the dining room (don't you have pillows in your dining room?) with it's new friends, the placemats.  Seems we're all about mums these days.  After all, tis the season.

I'm full out embracing the gloriousness of fall.  After last weekend's 95% humidity, we've finally hit some great high 60's-low 70's ish days.   Time to break out the jeans and perhaps even a wrap-like-object for the evenings.  I would like it to hold off just a bit longer, however, since our furnace has passed it's nine lives and the new one won't be installed for a few more weeks.  We may be breaking out the handknits sooner than most.