mags
Mags is a Producer / Project Manager by day in the digital realm of website development. Sometimes it gets a bit dry playing with all those websites, so it's no wonder that she needs to escape those bits and bytes for awhile and retreat into her knitting or crafting.
Homepage: http://www.magnasushiburger.com
Posts by mags
Felt Christmas Baubles
Dec 1st
Christmas is approaching! I hope all your Christmas shopping has been done 
A few weeks ago, some of my friends had a bit of a crafternoon session and with Christmas coming up, I thought I would put together these cute felt baubles which I found at Zakka Life. Check it out for the full tutorial and have a wonderful Christmas!
http://zakkalife.blogspot.com/2009/11/craft-project-felt-christmas-ornament.html
Rug Up! – Men’s Wool Scarf
Nov 3rd
BBBBbbrrrrrrrrr!!!
Well ok, it’s really not that cold here down under, but I’ve been watching the news lately and have seen images of the giant cold snap happening all of Europe and the US at the moment. For all you northerners out there, I thought I would post a scarf I put together for my man a few months ago during our winter. And even for you Aussie gals… it’s never too early to start knitting for next winter!
I found this pattern on the Lionbrand iPone app which I have blogged about a few posts down. It has tonnes of great free knitting patterns to try out. This particular scarf uses a classic cable knit. You will need 5mm knitting needles, 5.5mm knitting needles, a cable needle and 4 balls of wool.
SCARF
With smaller needles, cast on 56 stitches.
Work in K2, p2 rib until piece measures about 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm) from beginning, decrease 1 stitch at end of last row. 55 stitches.
Change to larger needles.
Row 1 (RS): K1tbl, p1, k1tbl, *p2, k6, p2, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, repeat from * 3 more times.
Rows 2, 4, and 6: P1tbl, k1, p1tbl, *k2, p6, k2, p1tbl, k1, p1tbl, repeat from * 3 more times.
Row 3: K1tbl, p1, k1tbl, *p2, 3/3 LC, p2, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, repeat from * 3 more times.
Rows 5 and 7: Repeat Row 1.
Row 8: Repeat Row 2.
Repeat Rows 1-8 until piece measures about 69 inches or 175 cm from beginning, end with a Row 8 and increase 1 stitch at end of last row.
Change to smaller needles.
Work in K2, p2 rib for 2.5 inches or 6.4 cm. Bind off.
FINISHING
Weave in ends.
Bunny Boo-Boo Pincushion
Sep 30th
Ok ok, I know this is a little bit twisted, but I just think this is super cute. It kind of reminds me of the bunny suicides cartoons. Anyway here is my newly knitted pincushion. Bunny had a boo-boo.
LEGS:
Step 1: Using 3.00mm needles, cast on 3 stitches.
Step 2: Knit 4 rows.
Step 3: Break off yarn leaving tail 10cms long, push piece to end of needle.
Step 4: Repeat for second leg casting stitches onto needle holding first leg. You will now have two legs on one needle!
BODY:
Step 5: Next row, knit 3 stitches of 2nd leg, swap left and right hand needles, cast on 6 stitches to left needle, swap left and right hand needles, then knit 3 stitches of the first leg. 12 stitches.
Step 6: Knit 20 rows.
Step 7: Next row, knit 2 together, knit to last 2 stitches, knit 2 together. 10 stitches.
Step 8: Knit 1 row.
Step 9: Repeat step 7 twice. 6 stitches.
Step 10: Cast off remaining stitches.
Step 11: Repeat steps 1-10 for second body piece, leaving a tail about 40 cms long (used to stitch the body pieces together).
Step 12: Place body pieces back to back (with good sides facing outward).
Step 13: Using overcasting stitch, join the edges of the two body pieces together, leaving a small opening at the end for stuffing.
Step 14: Stuff the body with polyester wadding and stitch closed. Do not stuff the legs.
Step 15: Massage the stuffing to make it even.
ARMS
Step 16: Using 3.00mm needles, cast on 3 stitches.
Step 17: Knit 12 rows.
Step 18: Cast off, leaving a tail 20cm long for stitching.
Step 19: Sew cast on edge to side of body, two thirds of the way down.
Step 20: Fold arm in half underneath and sew edges together.
Step 21: Repeat steps 16-20 for second arm.
EARS
Step 22: Using 3.00mm needles, cast on 4 stitches, leaving a tail 20cms long for stitching.
Step 23: Knit 12 rows.
Step 24: Next row, knit together twice. 2 stitches.
Step 25: Cast off.
Step 26: Repeat steps 22-25 for second ear.
Step 27: Stitch the bottom of each ear closed and attach to the top of the body.
There you go! It’s fairly easy to make and you could probably throw together about 3 of these in an afternoon. The original knitted bunny pattern comes from a book by Jake Henzler called ‘Little & Friends’. Enjoy!
Crafternoon – Let’s get crafty!
Jul 23rd
Care to spend Saturday afternoon with your fellow crafters? The carriageworks in Sydney has a fabulous day on tomorrow for crafters to meet up, sit around, sip tea and work on their own projects together. There are even workshops for those who want to up their crafting skills. I think this is a fab idea – we Craft Army gals try to meet up every now and then for our own ‘crafternoons’ but the scale of this particular event will be even more exciting! Thanks Jo for letting us know about this! More info can be found on the carriageworks blog.
When?
Saturday 24 July, 1 – 5pm
Where?
CarriageWorks, 245 Wilson St Eveleigh
Batiking in Bali
Jun 27th
Having only just returned from a trip to Bali last week, I am still in awe of the fantastic level of craftmenship which I saw from this small island in Indonesia. The Balinese people truly are a skilled race with a strong tradition in stone carving, wood carving, weaving and – what I wanted to write about today – batik processing.
I was lucky enough to witness how the Indonesians use Batik printing techniques to colourfully decorate their sarongs which are worn for religious ceremonies. It’s a time consuming process, yes, but I wanted to share with you a piece of their tradition and eye for quality… and maybe one day you might want to try out this method on your own work.
1. Choose the cloth you wish to use. Try silk, muslin or cotton for the best results and ensure it is clean.
2. Trace your design onto the fabric with a pencil. For traditional Batik design inspiration visit www.batikdesigns.org
3. Decide on what colour dye you wish to use for the first colour and then trace wax over all the parts that you do not want to be that colour. Repeat on the other side of the material for the best results and then leave the wax to dry completely.
4. Mix up your dye by following the instructions on the pot and place the fabric in the dye bath for approximately 30 minutes or however much is recommended by the dye manufacturers. Remove from the bath and leave to dry.
5. Next we need to remove all of the wax by placing the fabric into some boiling water. This will allow you to start a new colour.
6. Make sure the material is dry and then trace wax over the parts of the fabric where you don’t want the second colour to take hold. This will likely include the area that you have already dyed unless you wanted two colours on the same spot!
7. Mix up and dye with the second colour, leave to dry, remove the wax again and repeat the colouring process as needed to finish off your design.
Note: The Balinese use the traditional colours of blue, brown, and light yellow.
The Craft & Quilt Fair, Sydney
Jun 8th
For all you crafty Sydney dwellers, brace yourselves. The craft & quilt fair is back in town. This instalment will housed at the Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour. From June 16th until June 20th you will be able to buy unique craft supplies, be inspired by the variety of crating displays, and participate in free workshops. I’m bummed that I’ll be overseas at the time. Oh well, there’s always next year!
Top 5 iPhone Apps for Crafties
Jun 5th
If you’re like me and your iPhone is just one of those things you could never live without, then you’re not alone. I use my iPhone for just about everything and this doesn’t stop when it comes to crafting. Today I’d like to share with you my top 5 iPhone Apps for crafting – be it knitting, felting, crocheting, or sewing. Theres an App for just about anything right?
 |
Easy StitchWe all have to start somewhere when it comes to our crating skills. This particular app is great for crafting beginners in knitting, crocheting and embroidery. Step by step instructions are provided for all the main stitches and abbreviations you’ll come across in any pattern book, and there are even a few free patterns to get you started. Price – $3.99 AUD Website – www.technicalmadeeasy.com/ |
 |
Lion Brand YarnI was really surprised by this app because it’s just such great value. If you’re into knitting, crocheting, or sewing, this app is a must. There are thousands of patterns you can search, download, favourite and keep notes about. You can even search the pattern by level of difficulty. Price – Free! Website – www.lionbrand.com/ |
 |
Ruler PlusThis is just a nifty little app, useful for when you find yourself stuck without a real ruler. Great for knitting, sewing, pattern making and especially useful when having to run out and buy supplies for your latest project. Measurements are in cm and inches. Price – Free! Website – bananasdesign.com/rulerplus/ |
 |
Etsy AddictWe all love the crafty online store Etsy, so why not take it everywhere with you and view all the new fabulous creations crafters from around the world are producing. This app allows you to search the store easily, without having to deal with any annoying mobile web browsers. Price – $1.19 AUD Website – etsyaddict.com/ |
 |
Adobe IdeasIf your creating your own patterns and unique creations then you’ll need a sketching app to jot down all these ideas. There are a number of free sketching tools out there but what makes this app stand out above the rest, in my books is the ability to create your own colour schemes for your sketches. Price – Free! Website – blogs.adobe.com/designandweb/2010/04/adobe_ideas.html |
What are your favourite iPhone Apps for crafting?
Knitted Tofu Character
May 30th
Ever wanted to find a good use for all those knitted sample squares you use to practice on? Here’s a great little tutorial from Bittersweet that is great for beginners to try out their new stocking stitch skills. And really… how could you not find the idea of knitting a tofu character unavoidably amusing??
All you need to do is knit the 2 square sides of the tofu character, then knit the front and back sections as one piece. Embroider any details, stitch together leaving an opening, stuff with a block of foam, then stitch up the remaining hole. For the full tutorial and knitting pattern please visit Bittersweet.
Use the finished product as a pin cushion, a cat toy, an ultra light paper weight, or just an amusing decoration.
Wild Mood Swings
May 23rd
I love the idea of escapism. When we were young and feeling isolated, it was so easy for us to escape into our own imaginary worlds to become different, to use disguises and to imagine what could be instead of what is. Kareena Zerefos is a fellow College of Fine Arts graduate who created this amazingly whimsical series of work. ‘Mood Swings’ take you back to the beauty of your childhood angst – her work is just gorgeous! You can purchase work from here from her online store.
Sketch your Own Softie
May 15th
There were many great things at the Finders Keepers Markets last week, and perhaps eventually I might blog about the ones that stood out to me. But one things that slightly disappointed me were how similar most of the creations were to eachother.
One area where imaginations can and should run riot is with the creation of softies which is why I love this tutorial from Handmade Romance, based in Melbourne. Her blog documents the process of creating softies from original hand sketches, including creating the patterns, embroidering the features and sewing it all together. I also saw this tutorial on Craftershock for the first time, and glad I did. I hope it inspires you to create something unique! The full documented process is available here.
PART 1: Sketch out characters – the more unique the better! Pick the best and draw these characters to finished size. Trace over each pattern piece using tracing paper.
PART 2: Choose fabric for each pattern piece. Pin tracing paper pattern on to the material chosen. If you have not allowed extra room for seams at the pattern drawing stage, then remember to do so here where necessary! Then snip snip snip!
PART 3: If your softie needs any hand embroidery, then do it now. Place tracing paper of the features on top of the fabric and embroider through both. Tear away the tracing paper. Stitch on other extra details such as patches, mustache, hair, etc.
PART 4: All piece should now be ready for the sewing machine. Lay out all the pieces and figure out the best sequence to stitch everything together, depending on your design. Generally try to start with the smaller pieces or limbs (remember to sew pieces together inside-out!), sew these into the body piece inside-out, stuffing as you go as necessary. Leave a hole in the main body area, stuff and then hand-sew the hole. Hey presto!
