The Crafting Ferne

A display of my craft projects from over the years, both the good and the not-so good. Not in chronilogical order.

[thecraftingferne]

Carpet Bag-Inspired Pullstring Backback

This was made summer 2018 for the following school year. I got this fabric using a ton of coupons and sales. It would have been $75! And I got it for $16!!! I'm really happy with how it turned out too. I could have had a little more patience to really make the inside look nice though (I assembled it a little out of order at times). The best this about this fabric being slightly plush (besides comfy-ness) is that it is super forgiving when it comes to sewing. The stitches just kinda get tucked away in the fabric fluff. Lastly, when making bags, I recommend using foam inserts for the straps. It will save your back when carrying tons of books and such!

[thecraftingferne]

Altered Floral Button-Down Summer 2018. I got this 80's button down from the thrift store. First thing I did was remove the shoulder pads, the sleeves, the bright red buttons, and the ruffles in the front. Next, I replaced the ruffles with lace and fitted the top. I had debated replacing the sleeves, but in the end I decided to keep it as a tank top. Last step was to hem the arm holes with leftover fabric and replace the buttons with much better green buttons. I still have to make some slight alterations (turns out lace on the inside of the collar can be a bit itchy).

[thecraftingferne]

Macrame Wedding Veil

This is not the completed veil (I had yet to trim the bottom), but it was pretty much done at this point. I made this for a friend for her wedding last weekend, July 2018. I had to do some research as to how to even dno macrame, but it was easy to learn. The most difficult part was the back of the veil because there was no pattern to go off of, so I ended up using graph paper to help me visualize it before actually trying the knots. This helped me a lot.

Inspiration from: Macrame wedding veil, boho wedding veil, wedding headpiece, wedding veil, boho bride by HalfwayHippieCA

https://pin.it/hb5ojltdjzml6r Tutorial used: DIY Wavy Macrame Bracelets by Macrame School https://youtu.be/93uUs42CjQg

[thecraftingferne]

Soon...

I’ve been working on many projects this summer! However, I’ve been project hopping which means before I finish one I start another. Slowly but surely these projects are being completed, and I will soon have more photos to post!

[thecraftingferne]

Profiles and Silhouette Mountains

This is an anniversary gift. I took profile pictures, edited them on Microsoft Word (which you can do a surprising amount with), cut them out, and layered colored paper for the mountains. I am very happy with how it turned out. You don’t need fancy tools to do what you love. As I said, I edited the photos with Word. If you have a project in mind, but don’t think you have the means, I encourage you to do it anyway because you’re going to learn a lot more being resourceful than starting out with everything you need. (Also, since my fish tank was in shot, I thought I’d go ahead and show you you my fish. I have 3 little fish and a shrimp. Pictured is one named Moose 😄)

Inspiration/Idea from: Brown Paper Bag: Cut Paper Shadow Box

http://www.brwnpaperbag.com/2017/02/16/chao-zou-paper-craft/ 

[thecraftingferne]

Lord of the Rings Silhouette Painting

Hello! I finally made a thing again! This was made February 2018 as part of a college event. I tried my best to paint the picture I found online. My paintbrushes consisted of a regular, wide, thick-bristled brush, and a stick for the details. Yes, a stick, or what was supposed to be a paintbrush but the whole part with the bristles was missing. My college is not an art school 😅 I had fun making it, and it will be a Valentine’s Day gift for a certain someone.

[thecraftingferne]

Just got this rad new phone case designed by my very awesome sister! (Chipmunks are my new favorite animal 🐿) Check out more of her stuff on redbubble.com/people/tacproductions 😁 #shamelesspromotion

[thecraftingferne]

Machine-Embroidered Patches

I made this this summer, 2017, for my cousin’s Halloween costume. He is going as Jax Teller from Sons of Anarchy. These were a pain in the butt to make, but also a lot of fun. I used my regular sewing machine to make it. The letters were easy; I just adjusted the zigzag width and traced the pattern. For the skeleton’s odd shapes, I traced the lines with a small zigzag and filled the center with a larger zigzag. I found fusible paper at Joann’s and it worked well on the pleather for the most part.

[thecraftingferne]

Posts are going to slow way down for 2 reasons. 1. I’ve caught up with most of my projects so you have to wait for me to make more stuff. 2. School starting up so I won’t have the time or resources to make anything post-able. Sorry about that! It’s just how it goes.

[thecraftingferne]

Watercolor dinosaur backpack

My most recent project, made this summer 2017. This was so much fun to make. The fabric was all white, and I used watered-down fabric paint to color in the dinosaurs. One thing I did which I cannot believe after all my years of sewing I forgot to account for seam allowance! So the bag is a bit smaller than I intended, but I still love how it turned out. I padded the straps and handle with .5″ foam, added a laptop sleeve inside, and put a pocket inside and out.

[thecraftingferne]

Twist and turn quilt

(I broke the backpack trend) My first quilt made in 2015? While the actual quilting part is typically hand-sewn, I cheated and just created a straight-lined pattern with a sewing machine. A tip I found helpful for this method is to start in the middle and sew outward. That way any bunches are evenly distributed to the edge.

Book used: Learn to Make a Quilt from Start to Finish by Carolyn S. Vagts

(Excellent step-by-step. The only part I found tricky was the corners on the binding. I had to watch a few youtube tutorials to get the idea)

[thecraftingferne]

Blue coral and striped backpack

Made last summer, 2016, for my sophomore year in college. It was a good height, but I made it way too narrow. I had to add another panel, and it ended up working in favor of the design. I didn’t have a double zipper which meant It opened all the way from side to side whenever I got into it. The straps were kinda a disaster. Notice the duct tape. I stuffed them with fiber fill, but I didn’t leave enough room in the seam allowance, I guess, because they ripped open throughout the year. Also the metal pieces I used weren’t meant for adjustable straps, so I had to just sew that part of the strap down. Lastly, I didn’t put in a proper lining so threads were frayed everywhere. I liked how it looked though :)

[thecraftingferne]

Quilted patchwork backpack

This was my backpack senior year in high school. I used whatever fabric I already had so it cost little to nothing! My mistakes that you can learn from: first, I made the bag way too big. It was both too wide and too tall. Second, the zipper was too long, so if it was opened most of the way, all my stuff would fall out. Third, the straps were too far apart and sometimes slipped off my shoulder. Fourth, I didn’t add a handle, so as you can see, where I would often grab my bag became very dirty and grimy. And fifth, I didn’t put a lining so all the threads and frayed ends were constantly getting caught in the sipper.

[thecraftingferne]

Grey rucksack

In 2014, this was my bag for junior year in high school. This was one of the most durable bags I’ve ever made, and the piping gave it that extra professional touch. The shape of it, however, was a little too rounded. When stuffed with stuff, it bulged out like there was a beach ball in there. I would also change the strings to a more durable material because the metal on the grommets rubs against it.

[thecraftingferne]

Gray drawstring bag

I don’t remember the year, but I made this right before heading out for an event in literally 20 minutes. I use it all the time now whenever I go hiking, camping, etc. I’d recommend this if you are looking for a beginner project. It’s super easy to make, doesn’t require a lot of materials, and is very useful. 

[thecraftingferne]

Pencil case

This was my pencil case junior year of high school, 2013. I got a lot of comments about how big the button was. I just used scrap material so it cost nothing to make! Those are the best projects. I definitely didn’t even try to hide my stitching.

[thecraftingferne]

Striped crochet messenger bag

This was my first school bag. I made this for sophomore year in high school, 2012. I got a lot of compliments on it for being homemade. However, something I’ve learned over the years is that you know you’ve done a good job when people stop asking if you’ve made it yourself. I had a lot of people asking if I made this one, and looking at it now I can see why. I’m still happy with it being my first bag.

Tutorial used: I did a spin off of a boho bag pattern which I cannot find again