Road Worthy

Now that it’s summer it’s time to get the bikes out and tune them up!

Last weekend my husband and I went garage sale hunting and found the bike shown above.  It’s shown here after we took the parts we wanted, which included the seat, brake pads, handle bar grips, and wire basket.  Not bad for just $5!

The white handle bar grips, breaks, and seat were put onto my 10 speed pink Univega.  I’ve had this bike ever since I was about 15 years old.  Before that it was my Dad’s bike and I have no idea where he got it.  This bike is also sporting two brand new tires and inner tubes, compliments of my Dad.  (Thanks Dad!)

The basket went on our old Schwinn.  My Dad gave this bike to my husband a few years back since he didn’t have one.  Again I have no idea how old it is or where it came from.  If fact, that’s pretty much the way it is with a lot of things my Dad owns.  It probably came from and auction or a friend.

I’ve been riding the Univega for the last couple of weeks to go to my brother-in-law’s house and feed his dog everyday.   Yesterday was the first time Jon and I went out together for a ride.  We went down to the park on the lake then rode around town a while.  After we came back home we were talking about the bikes and decided to lower the seat on the Schwinn to see if I’d like the way it rides better.  I did.  I can’t really explain why, but it’s much easier for me to peddle and the brakes are a lot better (despite the fact we just put better brake pads on the Univega).  Since I ride everyday, Jon said he’d feel better if I would just use the Schwinn instead, and when he did want to use a bike he’d ride the Univega.

So that’s that, I have a bike that I really love riding and tomorrow I’m going to the local bike shop to get a few more necessities (bike lock, helmet, pump, and maybe a rear view mirror).

Tomorrow evening is our first LEAF night veggie pick up.  We’re planning on going to it in style on our bikes and carrying our produce back in a box strapped to the rear rake of the Univega and putting the rest in the basket on the Schwinn.

Biking is the most efficient form of transportation, so get on your bike today and go somewhere!

Avocado Juice

Today my husband made me a drink known in Morocco as Aser lavoca, or avocado juice.  Though it is known as a “juice” in Morocco, it is more closely related to a milk shake in the most literal sense because it is actually made with milk (not ice cream).

Ingredients (makes two large glasses)
One ripe avocado
1/2- 3/4 cup milk
6 ice cubes
sugar to taste

Directions:
Blend first 3 ingredients above until very smooth.  Add sugar in small amounts to taste.  Serve and drink!  Refreshing and nutritious!

This is a very popular drink in Morocco and variations include apple juice, banana juice, and almond juice.  All of these are made in pretty much the same way, though you needn’t add sugar to the apple or banana juices.

You can also get the best orange juice you’ve ever tasted if you visit Morocco.  Moroccan orange juice is not made with milk by the way (yuck).  It’s just fresh squeezed and served right before your eyes.  No water or sugar added.  So refreshing!

Do you have a refreshing summer drink you’d like to share?  I’d love to hear it!

Image at top of post:  Needle felted avocado that I made the other day.

DIY Dress Redo

Do you like to shop at thrift stores and yard sales?  Me too!  I’ve come to be a very picky shopper when it comes to thrift stores.  For one thing, they aren’t as cheap as they used to be, so even if I really like a garment, I usually wont buy it unless I’m really satisfied with the fit.  Usually.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of reworking garments and breathing new life into them, I’m just not very good at it.  I know my limitations.  I like to sew, but my skills are only so so.

The following is a little story about how and why I chose to rework this cotton thrift store sundress.  I was inspired to write this post after reading about the Me-Made-June 2011 challenge which my friend Margaret of the blog senjiva and the Cynical Carnival is participating in.  The gist of the challenge is to wear one thing that you’ve made yourself every day for the month of June.  The items can be complete outfits, a single garment piece (like a skirt or top) or an accessory.  They can be sewn, knit, crochet, whatever.  I really admire Margaret for taking on this challenge.

So although I am not participating in the Me-Made-June 2011 Challenge, I thought I’d share this story…

A few years ago my husband and I went to Hawaii to become WWOOFers (WWOOF stands for world wide opportunities on organic farms).  Before we left, we went shopping for some “good” down and dirty work cloths.  You know, stuff we could get really messed up but would keep us nice and protected from the sun while working on a farm.  We also knew that we’d need to pack very light for this three-week trip.

While we were shopping I came across this really cute sun dress.  I thought, this would be the perfect thing for me to wear around in hot and humid Hawaii after changing out of my work clothes each day.  The only problem; it didn’t fit.  It was too big.

No biggie.  At home I took it in on the sides.  Then I added straps (scraps from another sun dress that was stained and too small) to be doubly sure that it wouldn’t fall down on me.  I even added an extra piece of fabric with some elastic on the bottom edge to the inside of the bodice which acts as a kind of built-in bra.

I didn’t think that the dress was appropriate to wear in Morocco so it went into storage for last a couple of years.  Then, a few weeks ago when the weather started to warm up, I decided to get it out.  I discovered that I really liked it with a light weight, short-sleeve cardigan (above) that I found at a thrift store recently and my favorite leather flats (handmade in Morocco).

But, it was missing just one thing…pockets!  When I’m working at home I’m always wearing my ipod nano, which is why I need to have pockets.  Luckily I still had just enough of the fabric I used for the straps to make two pockets that I top stitched onto the dress, using the side seams as my guides.

I love how light, airy and comfortable this dress is.  I wear it all the time, usually on the hottest days.  It’s so functional!  Plus it makes my feel feminine and dressed up, even if I don’t leave the house, but at the same time I’m not embarrassed to leave the house in it either.

If you’ve been on the fence about reworking a thrifted garment but are apprehensive because of your sewing skills, I say just go for it!  Really, you don’t have anything to lose, but you might just gain one of your favorite outfits.

String Market Bag

Now that Summer is here and the farmer’s markets are underway, you’ll need a great market bag to carry home your fresh fruits and veggies!

I’ve always wanted to make one of these and made my first attempt last summer in Morocco after I lost my handmade mesh bag at souk (market).  (Click here to see pictures from the weekly souk in our small Moroccan town.  Unlike in America, these outdoor markets happen year-round; rain, snow, or shine.)

My first market bag was made with a thin acrylic yarn, similar to the cotton used for this bag, but the acrylic ended up being a bit stretchier.  I also made up the pattern for that bag myself.  The result was a bag that was way too long when weighted down with heavy fruits and veggies.  No good.

This year I decided that I’d rather try my luck with a ready-made pattern and found this one from the Purl Bee.    This is a very good pattern for a beginning crocheter because it’s a complete tutorial, in addition to a pattern.  I used this pattern for the mesh part of a bag (a different bag, not shown) but was again unhappy with the length (even though I hadn’t made as many rows as recommended) and again it was too long and awkward.

That’s when I came across this post on the blog Yarn Junkie’s fix.  I saw the pictures and knew that it was exactly what I’d been trying to make all along.  I emailed Mandi for the pattern, and a couple of weeks later I was finished.  This bag works up more slowly than the one from the Purl Bee, but it was a perfect project for slow times during my last two craft shows.  What makes this bag great is that it’s short but full, allowing for more outward expansion instead of just downward.   The bag still stretches under the weight of veggies of course, but it’s a more manageable size.  I like that I can carry it either on my shoulder or straight down without it dragging on the ground, which is saying something because I’m on the shorter side.

Do you have an idea for a summer project that you want to tackle?  I’d love to hear about it!

Earth Day project: Milk Jug Bird feeder

Happy Earth Day!

Looking for a way to celebrate Earth Day? How about tackling this classic, quick, and easy project for turning a milk jug into a bird feeder?!

Materials needed:

• as many one-gallon or half-gallon plastic milk jugs as you want
• one chop stick or skewer per milk jug
• one coat hanger per two bird feeders or some string
• hot glue and glue gun (optional)
• knife
• wire cutters if using coat hangers
• scissors
• hole punch
• pliers

Step one: After washing the milk jug, make two holes in two sides of the jug. Do this by first making slits in the plastic with your knife to get started, then use your scissors to make nice circles. The plastic is really easy to cut. I used the circles that are already on the jugs as guides, which are fairly large. If you are concerned with attracting larger birds, make your holes smaller.

Step Two:  Using your hole punch, make a small hole under each of your larger ones for the perch.  Thread your chop stick or skewer through both holes.  Secure with hot glue if desired.

Step Three:  Take your coat hanger and cut as shown.  Make two slits on opposite sides of your jug near the cap.  Insert the ends of the newly cut coat hanger and bend the edges so that it is secured inside the jug.  Hot glue around the holes if desired to reinforce and to prevent water from leaking through the holes.

Step Four:  Speaking of water, you will want to make a few holes in the bottom of your jug for drainage.  Make these with your knife, or better yet, a small drill bit.

Now all you need is bird seed and a tree limb to hang up your feeder(s)! Don’t miss out on future tutorials, stories, and news about upcoming events by liking zween on Facebook!

New products for MayDay Show!

Flowers, birds, colorful, cute, and fun. These are the themes I’m concentrating on in my current body of work, probably because I am so ready for spring and summer.

Here is a sneak peak of what I’ve been up to since the April Showers Show and what I’ll be showing at the upcoming MayDay Show at Bela Dubby on Saturday, May 14, 2011 from 1-5pm. I hope that you like what you see and come out to support the 16 local artists at the show.

Fabric flower bouquet.  Flowers are expensive and last just a few days, or a week if you’re lucky.  These hand-crafted flowers will last all season and then some!

Fabric flower broaches and hair clips.  Cute and sweet on a little girl or fun and flirty on a big girl.

Fabric collage wall hangings. Here is just one of the new 5×7″ fabric collage wall hangings that I’ve made since April Showers.

Note cards based off of the fabric collages. The note cards pictured here were available at Spring Showers, but there will be new ones based off of the new collages as well. I will also be packaging the cards in sets as well as selling them individually.

Want to make sure you don’t miss out on any future events such as the MayDay Show?  Like zween on facebook to be notified of new posts about upcoming events, tutorials, crafty news and more!

Sunglasses case tutorial

One of the best things about summer and being able to wear contacts again is sporting sunglasses (I was on a three-year hiatus from contacts right before and during my time in the Peace Corps).  My favorite are the really big bug kind, like the ones pictured above.  In fact, not only are they my favorite, they are my only pair.  That means I need to take care of them and not get them scratched up and why I decided they needed a cute case.

I’ve had the fabric that I used for the case for a long time.  I’ve always loved the pattern and colors, but never really had a good reason to use it.  It’s a soft, fleece-like material which made it perfect for this project, plus it coordinates really well with my everyday purse.

I came up with a really simple pattern which you’ll easily be able to replicate and customize for your own glasses at home.

Materials needed:
Soft fabric
Paper, pencil, and ruler
Scissors (for paper and cloth)
Sewing machine and thread
A small bit of elastic
One button

Step one: make your pattern. Decide how wide and long you want your case to be. Add 1 1/4″ to the width to account for the seam allowance. The length will be the length of the finished case x 2 + 2 1/2″ (for the flap) + 1 1/4″ (for the seam allowance). My pattern is 16 3/4″ x 5 1/4″. I then used a food container lid to make the edges rounded. You’ll notice in the picture below that there appears to be two patterns. That’s because I originally thought I would add some batting between my layers of fabric for extra cushion, however I later decided that this was unnecessary.

Step two: Using your pattern, cut out two identical pieces of fabric.

Step three: Pin the two pieces of fabric together (right sides facing). Bend the small piece of elastic in half (like a horseshoe) and place it in the middle of one of the short sides of the fabric. Make sure that the two ends of the elastic are in line with the edges of the fabric and the loop part is facing in. The elastic should be sandwiched between the two pieces of fabric. (Note that the picture below shows the elastic before it was inserted between the two layers of fabric.)

Step four: sew around the perimeter of the piece using a 5/8″ seam allowance. Leave a 2-3″ gap in the middle of one of the long sides to turn right side out. Before turning right side out, trim corners like pictured below.

Step five: Press your piece flat.  “quilt” your fabric.  This step isn’t really necessary.  I decided that I would run two lines of stitches down the length of the fabric, corresponding with the pattern for aesthetics and also to keep the fabrics from shifting.

Step six: Use your glasses to figure out where you want your case to be folded. Top stitch around the three sides to make the pocket. (Notice that I didn’t sew that little opening shut that I used for turning. It is unnecessary as it is now top stitched.)

Step seven: Top stitch the flap of the case. If the elastic doesn’t seem secure enough with just the seam stitch and the top stitching (as mine wasn’t) add extra stitching to ensure that the elastic loop doesn’t pull out. Position and sew on your button.

Now you’re ready to tote your sunglasses wherever you go this summer without worrying about scratches!

*Bonus* you can alter this pattern slightly to make a matching coin purse too! Instead of the button and elastic, I used two snaps as the closure. The buttons on the outside of the flap are just decorative to cover up the stitching from the snaps.

Happy sewing!

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