This is absolutely stunning! All the best.

I won a gift certificate for a tattoo and wanted to choose a literary quote or passage, but then I came up with the idea of a typewriter. I wanted something bold but already have small tattoos here and there so I knew I had to plan around them - the lizards above the keyboard are a separate tattoo I got years ago - so I thought this worked out well, and it's fitting because I'm a writer, I do a lot of mail art, and I'm fascinated with typewriters. Love that it encourages open-ended play too, now people touch me on my back a lot.

Awesome! I want to carry Fruits Basket in my purse too!

this is such a neat-o idea, i'd like to try it too. i have one question though, can you wear them inside shoes or can you feel the seams? it's ok if they are just like around-the-house socks, i was just wondering. thanks!

 Though I can feel the seams a little bit, I do wear mine inside shoes, except for the extra-bulky ones, which I just wear to bed.

What a smart idea!!!  And the rest of the sweater could be used for so many things too...  Thank you for the tute!!

I forgot to post the pic of what I'm doing with the scraps - I added it now.

I bought a few thrift store wool/blend sweaters to make reconstructed sweater mittens, then realized I had enough mittens, what I really needed was warm socks! I couldn't find a pattern or tutorial so I came up with my own. Turns out it's super easy, I can whip up a pair of these in about 10 minutes. So since winter's fast approaching, I thought I'd share.

Here's the sweater I'm starting with. This one's 100% wool but you could use pretty much any sweater that's a thin-to-medium thickness with some stretch to it.



Each sweater can yield two pairs of socks for me. I wear size 9 shoes. The sleeves can be used to make one pair, and I cut along the side seams like this to make the other. The strip I cut here is about 3.5 to 4 inches wide and about 13 inches long, but there's a lot of room for variation, these measurements do not have to be exact. The strip I cut is curved at the end opposite the ribbing of the sleeve or bottom of the sweater because this end will become the toe of the sock.



The other part to cut out is a set of two football shapes, about 2.5 to 3 inches at the tallest and almost as wide as the body piece of the sock. I use this part of the sweater to cut these pieces because then there's a bigger piece left in the middle of the sweater that could be used to make other things.



Lay the sock body strips out 2-ply and cut each across just one ply from the unfinished edge to the side seam. I make this cut about 8 inches from the toe. Sometimes with stretchier sweater fabric I later have to cut some off the toe end to make it shorter but it's better that they come out too big rather than too small. In this picture, the toe part of the sock is spread open to show where the cut is. Below that, the piece is folded over still.



Sewing the football shaped piece into the slit you make is what constructs the heal. Then all you have to do is sew the unfinished seams starting at the ribbed edge to make sure they match up, and around the toe side to where the sweater's already sewn together from the pre-existing side seam.



That's all there is to it. Turn it right-side out and try it on!



I'm saving all the scraps to stuff a pillow because for the past few years I've wanted a wool bed pillow but I haven't had the money. My kitty likes the scraps too.

I wanted to make a scratching post and instead of buying one. Instead of having to buy rope to wrap around it, I opted for burlap. I bought a couple big strong coffee bags for $1 ea. from a coffee house, and using an old round cutting board I had and a piece of wood I got from a bargain bin I came up with this. I sewed the edges of the burlap so they wouldn't fray, then used a staple gun to attach it to the post and base. I added a tassel of scrap fabric to entice the kitties to jump up on it, and put a slanted hole at the top to hold a cat charmer toy I made out of a chopstick and more fabric scraps. I also had enough burlap left to wrap two more planks of wood to make shelves for the kitties to sit on in the window. The two shelves and the scratching post cost me less than $5 to make, and most importantly the kitties are pleased.

wow she went all out! what a fantastic package! you made out like a bandit sedrasmom!

Yep, I really lucked out. I think EowynUlysses and I were a really good match as partners. She  doesn't have local access to Asian stores (but I do) and she needed a proper bento box - I had some extras on hand so I sent her three of them, but then I didn't craft as much because I had so many store-bought goodies I wanted to send. Because I have convenient access to buy stuff and already have a good store of bento boxes I mostly needed accessories and she made me tons. I'd also like to mention that she and I encouraged each other to use recycled fabrics, thrift store items, etc. which I'm really proud of.

Yay! Here's the awesome lot off bento goodies I received from EowynUlysses!



I requested a medium-sized lunch bag and got one that's reversible and matches a furoshiki, a bottle cozy, and a utensils holder to boot! I already took the furoshiki grocery shopping.



The utensils holder came stocked with matching napkins, a pair of chopsticks, a big sturdy re-usable spork, and an "I love Dinosaurs" fork and spoon which I absolutely LOVE. I already had to fight Sedra over ownership of those.



Here's another furoshiki, this one is super-sized so I'm sure I will get a LOT of use out of it. And there's a beautiful wooden fan and a set of extra fancy chopsticks in a special case. The pretty box in the upper left is for the fan.



I also got a set of cookie cutters. I'd had my eye on these exact same ones for a while, for frying eggs in different shapes, but I didn't buy them for myself. I don't think I mentioned this to EowynUlysses, but she was right on the money!



Then there's a wristlet made out of a Chinese take-out themed flannel which my daughter and I are already using for colored pencils. I homeschool her in Greek restaurants and at shopping malls while sucking coffee so this is perfect for taking along with workbooks, etc.



I thought this was an excellent idea. She made me a customized journal just for my bento exploits from a stationery set. This is so fantastic!



Thanks so much for the hard work and the great gifties! It was a pleasure swapping with you!!!

I hit the totally rocks button on this one. Great job!