Seaweed Sampler: An exercise in stitchery

sampler book of dried seaweed

Here is the final entry in the latest round of experiments in stitching seaweed (see Seaweed for earlier creations) and it is so damn adorable I think it may be my favorite.

view of closed sampler

Various types of seaweed were cut to a uniform shape and then stitched to small anchoring panels of cloth while still wet and supple. They were then pressed and dried for a period of time. The sampler book was assembled using the prepared seaweed panels, fabric from an upholstery sample book, a vintage button, and a piece of "ribbon" cut from cloth. Edges of the book are bound with blanket stitching, and the inner panels and outer cover are secured together at the edge with a running stitch.

Stitched Seaweed Bowl

Seaweed bowl catching the light

The experiments with seaweed continue with this stitched seaweed bowl (for earlier experiments see Seaweed Experiment: Stitching Seaweed, and Stitching Seaweed: A Luminaria). What I learned in the course of stitching, molding, and drying this piece provides valuable information for ongoing experiments, though I think the result here is rather lovely on its own.

Seaweed bowl: the art shot

Close-up

Close-up

From above

In use: holding a collection of exotic seeds

Here is a final photo of the wet, slippery process.

Working wet

A final piece from this round of seaweed experiments will appear in a few days. 

Stitching Seaweed: A Luminaria

Seaweed luminaria (votive candle holder)

My early experiments with stitching seaweed began over a year ago (see Seaweed Experiment: Stitching Seaweed) and addressed a very basic question: Can you stitch seaweed? Continuing the process has depended on securing seaweed from the beaches of Monterey Bay, which has required learning about seaweed season, tides, and transport and storage issues. This round of experiments involved a steep learning curve; some things worked, some things didn't. This post offers a look at the first of two seaweed creations I'd like to share.

View from above

Close-up

With votive inside

Working Wet

A final photo below shows the piece in progress. While stitching wet seaweed is slippery and challenging, the drying process is even more challenging. As it dries seaweed shrinks and has a mind of its own regarding what form it would like to shrink into. As a result, the drying process requires constant vigilance and ongoing tweaking.

Working wet

What I need is a shack by a seaweed-rich bay for a month so I could do these experiments uninterrupted and continue the learning process. The experiments that didn't work during this round taught me more than those that did, and I'm itching to get my hands on more raw materials.

Grief Bacon: A Poster Series

Click to enlarge

Every once in a while I come across a word I fall in love with, and there is no nation on earth that creates more imaginative, utterly apt, incredibly evocative words than the Germans, who brought us "schadenfreude" (come on, you know you've felt it), "zeitgeist," and so much more.

When I first heard the word "kummerspeck" a few weeks ago it provoked the poster series you see here. They all print out nicely onto 8.5" x 11" paper. As we enter the season of overeating and start to pack on our own "grief bacon," feel free to download and print out any or all of these complimentary posters. I hope you end up loving this word as much as I do. 

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Enjoy, and go ahead and shake that bacon this holiday season.

Hi-Tech Sprouting System: Recycled CD Cases

A new kind of hi-tech start-up

As wave after wave of technology hits, we commoners get stuck with the dregs from the previous wave. Remember CDs? Remember CD cases? Now that I store and transfer everything on memory sticks (aka jump drives) or external hard drives, I'm left with a stack of unused CDs and a couple of boxes of plastic cases. The result? A very easy make project. I'm betting you have all of the materials on hand.

Start with an empty CD case. The little inverted "well" should be on the bottom. If you don't have this kind of CD case don't worry. This is a highly adaptable project. Cut a paper towel as shown below.

Fold paper towel as shown below.  Remember the well is always at the bottom and should be near that bottom fold.

Place lentils or other small beans inside the bottom fold. For faster results, soak them overnight first. Close the fold over the beans, then dribble water over the entire paper towel.

 

Dribbling water into the well and then tilting the case draws the water up to soak the entire towel all over again. As noted above, this should be done at least once a day. Keep that paper towel damp! Place in an area with light but not in direct sun. Near a window is nice. Sprouts in progress are shown below.

 It is possible to do variations on the original. For example, it's easy to make this a hanging sprout garden as shown below.

 

As a final embellishment, I used some colored plastic filters (see Photo Filter Window Treatment for more ways to use these filters, and ways to score sample books of them for low or no cost). A little water dabbed on the back of the filter holds it in place within the plastic case.

Case embellished with photo filters

The final step? Once your sprouts are grown, harvest them, toss them on a salad, and start the process all over again.

Creative Paranoia: Embellished Flu Masks

Flaunting a custom flu mask

About two years ago I tackled hand-stitched, embellished flu masks as a series of thematic art pieces suitable for display (see Fabulous Flu Masks). This current pass at flu masks was serendipitous and the result is a fun and easy DIY project that can take off in just about any direction that suits your fancy.

 

Free flu masks from Kaiser

On a trip to Kaiser for an annual checkup I spotted stations everywhere with dispensers of antibacterial lotion and free flu masks. Who could resist? The results are shown below. Wearing one of these could make the next trip through an airport a lot more entertaining. These may also serve as a cheap and easy approach to Halloween.

Cat (or dog) mask

The cat mask simply involves a black magic marker, a few scraps of felt, and a glue stick. The result is suitable for the disease-wary of all ages.

Ready to go through airport security

The next mask is an abstract of floating orange balls, fashioned from a salvaged, cheesy floral ornament, along with a little scotch tape on the inside to secure the wires. The result is satisfyingly alien and disconcerting enough to ward off fellow passengers.

Abstract, vaguely alien flu mask

This last mask, fashioned from old typewriter keys secured with a little silicon glue, is a bit more ominous.

"Stay Back"

Being perfectly clear

Try your hand at creating a few flu masks of your own. 

Taking a new passport photo

The Ultimate Upcycle: Mosquito Leggings

Mosquito leggings on Ometepe Island

A month-long trip to Nicaragua inspired this latest creation in the ongoing series, "Repurposed Men's Shirts." By night on the Corn Islands, mosquitos carry malaria. By day in towns and cities where folks congregate, mosquitos carry dengue fever. The challenge is keeping legs covered while wearing dresses or three-quarter-length loose pants, as is my wont. The solution? Upcycling a $1 thrift store man's shirt.

The how-to (click to enlarge)

The diagram above is self-explanatory for those who sew. Just turn under the upper raw edge and stitch down to form a casing for the elastic, leaving a small opening to run the elastic through. Run the elastic through the casing; overlap and stitch the elastic together at the ends; close small opening in the casing.

Finished legging on a lovely floor in Granada

Because these were intended to ward off mosquitos, I also stitched the upper opening on the cuff closed. If you're making these purely as a fashion statement, that will not be necessary. On me, the finished legging ends at my lower thigh, just above the knee. If you're short, the legging will extend higher.

Thigh-high leggings

Leggings on a hammock on Ometepe island

The perfect place for mosquito leggings: Little Corn Island

I am so enchanted by these leggings that even though I'm now back in the largely mosquito-free Bay Area, I plan on wearing them often, mixing and matching with other clothing. 

An unbeatable upcycled fashion look