String Nest Bowl for Easter

I've been wanting to make a giant double sided string bowl ever since I made the little ones for Easter a couple of years ago. They came about because our string eggs were squished and I loved the double weave and the little space in between the layers.

Materials:
Cotton yarn skein
Balloon
White glue
Popsicle or craft stick   
2-3 Plastic trash bags
Glass bowl
Measuring cup

 
Get ready:
Protect the table surface with plastic bag (maybe even the floor).
Cut armholes and a neck hole in the other plastic bag and put it on like a smock.

Make:
Add ¼ water to ½ cup glue in the measuring cup –mix well with the craft stick.
Pull the yarn end from the middle of the skein.
Add the cotton yarn skein to the glass bowl.

Pour the glue water straight down into the middle of the skein.

Swish the cotton yarn skein around with the craft stick and let it absorb the glue water.

Pull the string from the middle of the skein and wrap the wet yarn around the balloon.
Cover the whole balloon.

This is messy- that’s why you’re wearing a trash bag to protect your clothes – you'll find that you need to brace the balloon against your tummy to wrap the gluey string around the balloon (notice in the picture my bag is too small).

Set the balloon on the bowl to dry overnight (don’t worry, you can wash the bowl later).

Turn the balloon to make sure all the yarn is COMPLETELY DRY.

Gently check to see if the string is pulling away from the balloon then use a pin to burst the balloon.

Carefully pull the deflated balloon out from the egg.

Push the middle top down into the center and squish the side edges together.

Glitter Spider Web

Did you think we fell off the planet Earth? It feels that way in terms of blogging.
I've been very busy this summer with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas development for work. The boy is going to camp, the husband traveled to Germany- busy! busy! And while we've been doing projects - most are work related. 

OH-And I've discovered Instagram (look there's a little box on the right column!) 

I had plans to make a “firework” version of this spider web for the 4th of July- but instead it rained cats and dogs here and we all went to IKEA to shop for mattress (which we did not buy BTW).

I may try making one in fine glitter anyway but I have to stock up. I know! The girl who loves glitter is almost out. Crazy!

So that's why you're seeing this spider web in July.

In the meantime, I was interviewed by Cindy Atoji Keene from The Boston Globe about my job. It was pretty cool-the linky is here. She is wonderful and we had some lovely talks.

If YOU want to try making a glitter fireworks or a spider web place mat-- here's what I found out:

Use flexible drying glue like Aleen's tacky glue and not Elmer's white glue as white glue dried brittle and hard and the whole thing snapped apart. 

Draw your design on a piece of paper first- put a piece of wax paper over the drawing (may need to overlap because you drew something biggish) and lay lines of glue on the wax paper over the drawing.

Sprinkle the glitter all over the glue and let it sit until it’s dry- don’t fuss with it. Maybe gently tap some of the excess away onto an extra piece of pre-creased paper (it’s easier to help get the glitter back into the jar).

DON'T get impatient and try drying it in the oven- the wax will melt to the glue and you will have to trim it away like I did.

When it's completely dry – use a (dry) paint brush to loosen any glitter that is not stuck down- that’s my trick for glitter projects so that you don’t leave a trail about the house.

I’d love to see yours if you make one!

Pajama Pillow Bag

This pajama bag is very easy to make. I bought this owl pillow from Target and used a seam ripper to open the bottom seam, then removed the stuffing.  Wash and dry the empty pillow cover to remove any sizing.

 

One could just sew the hems down but for non-sewers (you know who you are) I tested two different ways to bind the hem; I wanted options I knew could go through the wash.

Sewing, gluing or iron-on seam binding all work just fine and you can decide which method you like:


1. Fabric-tac glue (the orange side).This glue is a little stinky to use but goes through the wash intact.



2.Therm-o Web Heat'n Bond
 Ultra Hold Iron-on Adhesive  
(the green side).

Measure out a piece of the iron-on tape and iron it on the hem; remove the paper backing and fold the hem over and iron a second time.

 

 

Once the hem is tidy on both sides, sew on 3 large snaps.
That's it- you're done! Yay!