Making Good - Refashioning a Cardigan

Hi everyone!

As the final participant in Agy's Making Good Blog Train, I chose to work on an old and discarded cardigan.

I found this cardigan clearing out my husband's grandmother's flat, heavily stained on the front panels. I decided to keep it and do something about it. The before picture has circles showing where the most persistent stains are. I tried taking them out with every little thing I could think of but to no avail.  

I was to use some inspiration from here, but in the end I decided that it would be best if I made some embroidered flowers on it.  

I drew the flowers on the stains and then worked on the position of the other flowers to get one nice and complete picture. For the flowers ( and leaves) I used the satin, split and back stitch. Oh, and I mustn't forget the French knots!

I like how it turned out and the best indicator that the work is well done is when my daughter asks to wear it - which she did :)

So I believe it will be used for many years more!

This post is part of a blog train hosted by Agatha from Green Issues by Agy

 "Making Good". What is repair, and why do we even bother to repair the things we have?  Some see repair as a way of reconnecting with our possessions as we extend their lives. Others see it as a form of creative potential and an avenue to express their craft.  The rewards for mending varies from feeling immense satisfaction to prolonging the life of the product. Follow the “Making Good” blog train this month and see what we have repaired and reconnected with. Have you mended anything today?

Belt to Bracelet DIY

 Hi guys! Today I have to show you the easiest repurpose ever. 
The story of this faux leather belt is quite short because it broke off after just a couple of times being worn - I hate when that happens, and I also hate to throw away things that are not falling apart or that I can repurpose and reuse for something else {with my mind's eye I can see my husband rolling his eyes at this}.

So instead of throwing it away I decided to turn it into a bracelet. See, it wasn't worn out at other places - just the place it tore apart at. 

You can also do this with an old belt you are attached too or seems doable. 

First measure how long you want to leave it and cut the rest.

 Next, mark where you want the new holes to be and punch them. My puncher was too big so instead I used my round nose pliers, although the leather was so soft I could have easily punched them with a nail. 

And that's it! You can add charms, metal (wooden) rings or other things to adorn it - frankly, I like it better without anything on it. Hope you enjoyed this!

10 Amazing Crochet Skirts - free patterns and charts

 



Skirt 1                                        Skirt 2

This time of year along with summer is the perfect for wearing crochet skirts. I prefer maxi skirts for the summer in light cotton and colors, white and beige being most desirable so most of these here feature those colors - not that they wouldn't be fab in other colors too. I love how the maxis give that elegant look to the body especially those following the curves and elongate it a bit, but I've also included a couple of midis (minis) for variation.

Skirt 3                                       Skirt 4

Skirt 5                                              Skirt 6

Skirt 7                                              Skirt 8

Skirt 9                                            Skirt 10

Enjoy the selection and also check out my previous roundup of 15 gorgeous crochet dresses!

 

Flower Monogram DIY

 

For my exhibition I wanted to have floral lettered backdrop to spell the motto of my collection "Live Mori".  The background turned out pretty decent and effective, considering I was making it in the wee hours on the day of the exhibition.

My original idea was to have monogrammed letters like this one, but we couldn't find any fabricated letters, so my husband simply took heavy cardboard and drew the letters, while I glued the leaves and flowers on. This is a breeze of a project I quite enjoyed making and have since used the letters for several occasions. They are unique and make the perfect decor.

Embroidered Pendant Necklace - Take 2

Hi there guys! I hope this post finds you in good mood and high spirits.

In the real world, there are holidays coming up so we are facing two prolonged weekends in a row! It can't get any better if you ask me! And the school is getting to an end which makes me utterly happy and relieved, so we've got to brace ourselves for just a little while. 

In the creative world, I am working on multiple projects all at once - I don't seem to tire of that, and as a matter of fact I am doing quite well multitasking. So, yesterday I stopped working on a wall hanging tutorial to make this lovely necklace. It was a nice break from crocheting. And surprisingly I managed to make it in about 2 hours while "watching" Hercules. 

This is the second embroidered necklace I made for myself and plan to make some more. These embroidered necklaces are the announcement of my summer collection which is underway - though only the designs are ready so far, but since they work so easily I am sure they will all get ready soon.

My first necklace was this one.

 

Oya Crochet or the Language of Anatolian Women

 

I have been fascinated with oya crochet for quite a long time. Always admiring minute, exquisite stitches that marvelously compose a whole new intricate and enchanting world. 

The history of this decorative edging known also as "Turkish lace" is thought to date back to the 8th century B.C. in Anatolia. Traditionally, Anatolian women used oya edgings to decorate their headdresses and scarves, under and outer garments, edges of towels and napkins, and today they are also popular as jewelry.   

Oya edging, which appears all over Anatolia in various forms and motifs, has different names depending on the means employed: needle, crochet hook, shuttle, hairpin, bead, tassel to name just a few.  

What I find immensely compelling is the messages they used to convey. Keeping in mind that this was a region where a woman was expected to remain silent or not bring up certain subjects, they had quite a lot to tell through their oya. Oya was the secret language they developed to tell the world what they had or how they felt. For example blue oya meant happiness and yellow meant tiredness. 

 

Girls engaged to marry the man they love wore oya of pink hyacinths and almond blossoms, while a girl in love wore purple hyacinths. Plum blossom oya was worn by brides. 

A girl engaged to be married sends a piece of oya -edged printed cloth to her prospective mother-in-law. If what she sends is ‘meadow and grass’ oya, this implies that their relations are cordial. But if she sends ‘gravestone’ oya, it means ‘the coldness between us will endure until death’.
Since the oya is seen by the neighbors at the wedding ceremony, it is of course the wish of all mothers-in-law that their new daughters-in-law wrap ‘meadow-grass’ oya around their heads. The groom’s family, too, sends the bride a ‘bridal cloth’ with two or three oya flowers from which the bridal headdress will be made.  

 

I have tried my hand at oya by making a tiny flower, but in the future I would love to include some beads and actually make it a big project.

Here's a free pattern for a necklace, courtesy of Wendy from the Sunshine Creations.  

Information about the meaning of oya was taken from Turkish Cultural Foundation and the respective links for the images I used in this post can be found on my pin board here.

Insta feel - Instagram favourites

 

Instagram has quickly become one of my favourite social platforms. 

I never miss to check up what's new especially when relaxing.

Although I am quite new to it - I already follow a lot of people and get to see so many enticing and compelling things. Some excite my desire for creating new things, other set aflame the desire to travel. Today I am sharing my latest "likes". 

The respective authors of pictures are given from left to right:

@brostecph, @agnika, @dialaskitchen, @adoredvintage in the first collage.

@snordh, @nala_rinaldo,@liz_falcon, @cabukcan in this collage.

You can find me there as @mayakuzman. Do share yours in the comments if you like :)

Crochet Earrings

 

 

Hi guys! Today I have these super easy to make earrings to show. They are part of a photo tutorial in the make, which due to the persistent thunderstorms we've been having lately is taking quite a while to make. It is usually too dark to take pictures, and day by day I hope I get the perfect daylight I need for it. So today I managed to snap a couple of photos. 

Hopefully I will get to show you more soon.

Stay tuned!

10 Fast and Fantastic DIY Gifts for Mother's Day

 

Happy Mother's Day to you all!!

Here's a selection I made for fast and really gorgeous Mother's Day gifts you can whip up in really short time. We celebrate Woman's Day on the 8 of March but I always jot down some fresh ideas from Mother's Day to use for the 8th of March next year.

1. Make a pincushion from a jar

 

 2.Marbled Clay Ring Dish

 3. Mason Jars Succulent Pots

4. Natural Powdered Blush

 
5. Shell Necklace

6. Lavender Bath Salts

7. Polka Dot Tea Towels
 

8. Fruit Syrups

9. Etched Wooden Spoons

10. Rose Topiary

Have a fabulous day!

May Flowers Necklace - pdf pattern

 

 It's been quite a while since I published my last pattern. 
This is the newest one. I titled it May Flowers Necklace - quite appropriately - you have to agree :)

The tutorial shows patterns for 2 flowers with variations, which in the end turns into a meadow of flowers you can use to make different jewelry pieces. 

And not only that...
It is here, here and here. 

New Crocheted Rings

 

 

These are the newest rings I've just crocheted today in addition to some fabric covered buttons previously made for a craft show I attended. Will show those some other time.  I love the rich look of these babies and the magenta one is perfect as a statement ring, while the other two are wee too big and would be great as brooches and as cuff adornment. I am still playing with ideas where and what I might use these for. I am also preparing a tutorial for earrings so stay tuned.