Thank you to one loyal reader for letting me know the link to the Treehugger Ornament did not work. The post is fixed if you’d like to download it.

Got to spend some time with a couple of print makers this week. Next post, I’ll be featuring the work of Monika Meler. As soon as Melissa Gill gets a website, I’ll feature her too.

I have a free ornament pattern for you!

Here is the treehugger ornament pattern in PDF format. It is made from recycled plastic bags. The green bags are from Barnes and Noble, and the yellow ones are from Super Saver in Nebraska. If you don’t have a Super Saver, Dollar Store bags work well too.

Here are instructions for making the recycled plastic yarn.

If you like this pattern, check out my other patterns for sale at juleej.etsy.com.

Here it is, the finished camo can hat.

My husband, Tyrone, thinks it should be more top hat like. The previous hat I made was way too puffy on the top, so I wanted to make sure the top was tight on this one. I may have gone too far in that direction. The can hats from my youth were also tapered to get smaller near the top. Some part of me strives to emulate that memory.

Working on some pendants to list in the store tomorrow. I’ve got a few made with bittersweet!

Finally, along with applying for jobs, I’m working on a simple pattern for this recycled Christmas tree ornament.

The thing about patterns is that they must read like patterns. I could write: “do this stitch three times in the next 4 holes, and then 3 times in the next 5 holes, and then three times in the next 4 holes again,” but that is very confusing. Apart of the second pass in writing a pattern is finding out how to convert the line above to some repeatable progression.

The ornament is 5 inches high with a 2.5 inch diameter. The hanging loop is 3 inches long. Made from recycled Barnes & Noble bags!

I’ve made a Beer Can Hat using this pattern before, and I really didn’t like the way it turned out. The Picture on Garth’s site looks like the hats I remember from my youth…the ones that are stretchy, and occasionally stab you in the forehead with sharp corners.

As I write up this new pattern, I’ve documented my steps with images.
The Can

The Cut-outs

The Template

DRILL BABY DRILL (with safety glasses!)

DRILL FAIL!

Right tool for the job: PUNCH!

come together

vintage yarn

The Panels

Limited Edition

Camouflage yarn

Camo detail

I’ve been running around putting fliers up in Lincoln for the Mister Baby show on Friday night! I didn’t know not having a job was so expensive AND such hard work. We’ve made some nice money off of some shows before, but nothing that would cover how much we would spend on new strings, drum heads, and wardrobe. (OK, mostly wardrobe.) Here’s an invite for you (click to enlarge):

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon crafting with my friend Sarah Skean, author of the Great Plains Foodie blog, and leukemia survivor. She made me leftover meatball sandwiches, and I posed with one with my best Angelina Jolie lips interpretation.I also finished my 2008 derby for the hat contest at State Fair Park. Last year, I placed second, but this year I planned ahead, and I’m going for that $100 first prize money.

The derby came out to party with the rest of us at the dome last Friday, but was far from finished. I may add a wire to help balance it on my head.

My first pattern, for Peace Cuffs, is up!

 

I’m making these for the rally in Lincoln at 1pm on March 17th.