so.. i have some grommets and some eyelets that i may use on a renaissance type dress.

i much prefer the smaller look of the eyelets, but i have heard they aren't as strong as grommets. is the strength comparable if you use washers with your eyelets?

if i were to do that, are the kinds of eyelet washers marketed for scrapbooking the same as those for fabric?

or does anyone know a place to purchase small brass-colored eyelets that COME with washers? boy, that would be convenient!! silly dritz.

it has happened to me twice now.. i'm out in public, wearing something i made, and a stranger walks up to me and gives a compliment.

instead  of saying, "Thanks! I made it!" what comes out is just "Thanks.." as I stumble off. i really am proud of the things that i've made, and want people to know that i can make them. yet i can't seem to say it!

anyone else have this problem?

i've taken apart a machine for a swap project. the parts are all clean and spiffed up, but they still smell like grease. like 80-year old grease. ha.

anyone know what will remove the smell? i've used grease cleaner, but no go. is there some magic product out there? or should i just soak 'em in dish soap for a few days?

thanks

these were posted in the wallace & gromit swap gallery, but i wanted to post them here too cause i'm all proud.  aside from a few felt cake slices, these are my first ever stuffies. please don't mind the junk (and scary toes) in the background. you know how crafting makes such a mess.

rocket ship from "A Grand Day Out":






the wonky little door.



shaun the sheep from "A Close Shave":





(naked.. woo!)

i know it's a longshot, but i'm making a dress i saw in a movie, and i'd like it to be as close to the original as possible.

it looks slightly plush and 3-dimensional in closeup, so i was assuming it's burnout/cutout velvet.. but i suppose it could be chenille or moleskin or suede as well.

as to the design/pattern, i feel like i've seen it before, but don't remember a name for it.
sorry the pic is crappy. it's actually a gold design under the red (not white).

can anyone help me out? i've searched google images and ebay and froogle for hours, but no luck as of yet.
(the closest i've seen are here and here)

having the right search terms is paramount, so if anyone has any ideas.. 

yes, this was ages ago, and i just stumbled across the pictures.
baking was a nightmare because of my supersensitive smoke detector..  and it turned out messier than i hoped.

BUT
i. love. the. roof.







also, one should remember for future reference, that winter is not really that cold in texas, and your butterscotch doorstep may melt when the sun peeks through the window. ahahah.

i had to buy this fabric as soon as i saw it.. the colors immediately made me think of "harold & the purple crayon" which is one of my all-time favorite kids' books!!

super easy to make, and sooo comfortable.



and here they are on me. i wanted them short for summer. it's already reached 100 in texas. 

i finally got around to making this.. it's crepe-back satin. i had to take it up about 7 inches in length because i'm so short. hahaha. 

anyhoo..

front


back
(check out the wallace & gromit bunny under my elbow.. he shivers in fright when you pull his tail!  )


pintuck detail


i used vogue 7850, which i think is out of print now. i bought it a year or so ago.

i know these are so easy, they hardly fit the word "craft", but they are still fun and i love them.
anyone else like to make paper snowflakes?

more.. snow1   snow2   snow3   snow4   snow5

(or if you aren't scissor-inclined, make e-flakes! haha. like this one)

i'm thinking of going as a lava lamp this year, but only if i can be a working lava lamp.

any thoughts on how to go about it?
the cheesy route would be balloons and a fan, but.. i dunno.

i will probably have a battery-operated light shining from the bottom.
here's my rough sketch of where i will be: