The Crafty Princess Diaries

Tammy Powley’s Crafty Weblog

July 21, 2011
by Tammy
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Loom Knitting with Knifty Knitters

Among the 9 blog posts I lost due to technical difficulties around here were some posts about my recent adventures in loom knitting. I picked up a set of four round looms as part of a Knifty Knitter kit I saw on JoAnn’s.com. Of course, I had a 40% off coupon, and I have been curious about these for some time, so I couldn’t resist. I’m glad I splurged. While I can’t say all my first pieces were perfect, I have gotten a lot better at using these, and boy, talk about fast! You can whip up a baby hat in just a few hours, if that long.

The kit I purchased includes four round looms in graduating sizes: 5.5 inch (14cm), 7.5 inch (19cm), 9.5 inch (24cm), and 11.5 inch (29cm). You can make baby hats, socks, and other small items with the smallest loom. The next size up is supposed to be for children’s hats. Then the next size is for adult hats. The largest loom is good for things like cowls.

I make a lot of baby hats for charities, and I am hoping the craft club will enjoy using these. I still don’t plan to give up my goal of learning traditional knitting, but for speed, I am loving the loom!

July 20, 2011
by Tammy
2 Comments

Decisions, Decisions, Craft Storage Decisions


As anyone knows who has done any type of crafting for more than 5 minutes, it doesn’t take long before you find yourself with lots of supplies to organize and store. One issue I’ve had to deal with since starting the craft club at the college where I work is what to do with all the supplies for the club. I do have my own office, and while I am very happy to have one, it’s not overly large. It’s made for the usual desk, filing cabinet, and maybe a book case.

Add to this boxes of yarn, bags of fabric, bins of glue, packages of decorative paper, jewelry tools, and well, you get a cramped little space with lots of stuff everywhere and no place to put it. At one point earlier this summer, it looked like an answer came by way of an office that’s just around the corner from mine being vacated, but plans to let me move all the way over there, like 6 feet, fell through. However, my sweet department chair had a great alternative, get a storage cabinet for my office, yeah!

Now, that’s my dilemma. She said to get what I want and not worry about the price. Well, sorry, I can’t do that; I do worry about the price, even though the money comes from the department’s funds and not my own pocket book. That’s just how I think. I’m frugal. I buy things on sale. I look for free shipping. On the flip side, I am not really into shopping a lot. I want what I want, and I want it at the price I want, and I don’t want to waste a lot of time trying to accomplish this goal.

So now I’ve looked at Home Depot (both in person and on-line), Sam’s (in person), Amazon, Target, Walmart, and I’m so confused! Most furniture like this is made of particle board, which makes me worry that it won’t be strong enough to handle books and supplies. Then there are the ones made of steel, but the ones that are large enough for what I need are too pricey for me.

Every day I don’t make a decision, I continue to have bags-of-stuff on the floor of my office. So today, no matter what, I proclaim that I will decide. I will pick a cabinet, even if it’s not perfect. At least, I will have one at some point when it is ordered, assembled, and magically shows up in my office one day.

July 19, 2011
by Tammy
3 Comments

Not Always Greener on the Other Side of the Web Hosting Fence

After spending weeks trying various options for my weblog, I finally cry, “Uncle” already! My current web host lost about 2 weeks of my weblog posts. And before anyone asks, “Didn’t you back up your blog?” Obviously the answer is no because I assumed the company I was paying to do two things – (1) connect me to the Internet and (2) store my content – would also backup my database.

During my own very short IT career, backups were considered IT 101. You did it religiously because that was part of your job. Apparently, that is not the case with this company, or I have to admit, other web hosting companies that I have spent a good amount of time researching since this happened to me with the idea that I would go to one that was reliable, had good customer service, and wouldn’t charge me a ton of money.

I have learned that what I was looking for does not exist. Sure, they say things like they support wordpress and they backup your information and they have great 24/7 customer service, but when you actually join and try to use all these resources you find out that all of this isn’t exactly true. Their idea of supporting wordpress is that the software is on their system. They don’t actually help you use it unless you want to pay extra, and then their more advanced tech support people might (yes might as in might not) be able to help. The same goes with 24/7 help. If you don’t want to spend hours on the phone or get email replies that only a Martian can figure out, then yes, that is extra too. And backup? Well, they do it, but if you want to make sure they do it, yes, you guessed it – that’s an additional charge.

So hat in hand, head held low, I am back to my old web host stomping ground. I figure if I’m going to be treated like crap, I may as well let the company who originally screwed me and who I just paid for service this past April continue to treat me like crap rather than let a new company enjoy doing it.

On the up side, I am checking into getting a new template, which is way down the road in the works kind of thing, and yes, of course, I will regularly backup my own database since I can’t count on the people I’m paying to do it.

I really missed not coming by here and journaling my crafting life. Even though it was an awful experience, it’s good to be back!

July 10, 2011
by Tammy
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Crafty Princess on Standby…Technical Difficulty!

Where oh where has the Crafty Princess gone?  The nutshell minus the drama version of the story, which is long and stupid and just pisses me off to no end, is that my blog’s database got a few bites taken out of it…crunch…crunch.

So while I figure out what I will do to either fix this technical problem or just learn to deal with it, I’m checking into giving this weblog a face lift of sorts. Since everything is on hold for awhile, I thought it would be worth at least making a few changes around here…maybe turn some of the lemons into lemonade.

My hope is to have everything back and running and sparkling in another week, but until I can be sure everything is working hunky dory, I hesitate to continue posting too much over here again unless another database snack attack happens. So standby folks!

June 15, 2011
by Tammy
0 comments

Another Yarn, Knitting Needle, and Hook Score

I mentioned to my mother that I was attempting to learn how to knit. She is the first to try to teach me many years ago, but it just never clicked back then. I ended up making a bunch of triangles and just getting frustrated and giving up. Yes, you think maybe I dropped a stitch here and there?

After hearing that I was going at it again, she offered to give me all her knitting and yarn stash, a mixed menagerie of odds and ends, but of course I could not turn it down. She is kept pretty busy these days helping my sister with her kids, and the little free time she has she uses to either go to the gym, read, or sew.

Obviously I knew that she knitted at one time since she’s the first to try to teach me, but I was surprised when she handed me a large bag of knotted up funky yarn and various needles. There was some pretty weird stuff in there, such as some acrylic skeins marked .99 from TG&Y, but I persevered and was rewarded with lots of yarn bits (perfect for my craft club to practice with), 6 knitting needles, a knitting spool, and 4 crochet hooks. There were a few orphaned knitting needles and some yarn that was such a tangle of knots that there was no way to tame it, but for most of it I was able to rescue.

June 13, 2011
by Tammy
2 Comments

Reusing and Recycling and Crafting

While I’m away from school, I’ve been doing some major spring cleaning around here. I’m going through the guest room, which eventually ends up the “stick it in there” room. I’m going through closets, drawers, whatever needs to be culled is getting the heave-ho.

In the past, I’ve donated items like these to Amvets, but they no longer come by my house to pick up. There is a Goodwill drop off that isn’t too far away, and that’s another good place to donate. However, there is a local recycle/reuse center that I’ve not only managed to donate items to but pick up a few free craft items as well. The last time I went, I got some crochet hooks, knitting needles, and crochet thread.

This time, I brought in six boxes of various items (clothes, dishes, a scanner, and what-nots) and left with a few skeins of vintage yarn and some sewing thread. Seriously, this yarn looks like it’s from the 1970s! It is perfect to add to the craft club’s yarn stash.

While I was there, people were already rummaging through my boxes of stuff, so hopefully, they found something they liked too. That’s what I really like about the reuse center. I get a little something and give a little something.

June 12, 2011
by Tammy
0 comments

Explore Craft Links

Aileen’s Musings
Aileen offers you a printable Dad banner for you to download and make for the dad in your life!

Beading Arts
Copper tubing makes wonderful copper beads!

Carmi’s Art/Life World
Carmi has a tutorial for the Crafter’s Companion this week.

Craft Buds
Need to whip up a Father’s Day gift? Craft Buds has a roundup of free sewing patterns for Father’s Day, including a tie, an ebook reader cover, and an interesting hat.

Craftside- A behind-the-scenes peek at our crafty world
This week at Craftside there are two chances to score yourself copies of cooking and crafting books just by leaving a comment, a free eyeglass box template, along with a “ransom type” quote embellished mirror, step-by-step comic drawing and inside peeks into Astounding Knits! in honor of World Wide Knitting Day (6/11/11).

Cross Stitch at About.com
Fans of variegated flosses and newbies will both find helpful information in these tips for using it. Also, be sure to vote in the poll!

Eileen – The Artful Crafter
Here is a cute idea for personalized ceramic wedding favors. If you don’t want to buy the dye sublimation equipment yourself, find someone who already has it.

Lindsay Sews
A creative way to wrap up a tie for the man in your life on Father’s Day, with no wrapping paper involved!

Stefanie Girard’s Sweater Surgery
An interview with Jema “Emilly Ladybird” Hewitt, author of Steampunk Emporium along with a fun gear and Swarovski crystal earring project.

June 9, 2011
by Tammy
2 Comments

Retro Crochet Hair Bun Holders Discovered

While I’ve been on vacation, I have been doing some major spring cleaning around here. I’m finding all kinds of stuff, things that I am not sure why I kept, things that I haven’t been small enough to wear in 20 years, things that I can’t even remember where they came from! One of my recent discoveries was hidden under the bathroom sink along with a zillion bobby pins. I’m not sure what the official name is for this, but I’m calling it a hair bun holder.

Many, many years ago when I was much younger, I danced pretty regularly, even through most of my college years. I mainly studied ballet, jazz, and tap. I even toyed with the idea of getting a dance degree, but that would have meant going away to a strict religious school way out west where it is super cold, not my bag to say the least. Plus, after working a few seasons for “The Mouse” I knew that I didn’t have the drive to dance professionally.

I have always had long hair, and it’s very fine. Back then, it was super duper long. I could almost sit on it. So to get it up in a bun for ballet was a major effort. These bun holders really helped, and I crocheted them myself. I can’t find the book right now. Hopefully, it will turn up as I continue to cull through the mass of “things” we have around here, but I know it was probably published in the late 60s or early 70s. I made a number of items from it, but these were my favorite because they were so functional.

I washed them in hopes that they’d wouldn’t look so shabby, but that didn’t help much. Mind you; these have to be at least 20+ years old, so I think they have done their duty and are ready for the trash, but I just wanted to share a moment of nostalgia.

June 7, 2011
by Tammy
4 Comments

Knitting Graduation of Sorts

After making two scarves using monster size 13 knitting needles and Wool-Ease Thick and Quick, I am now moving on to making scarf number three with smaller size 10 knitting needles (6mm) and left over Caron acrylic yarn from the afghan I made for tornado victims. A pound of yarn sure goes a long way!

I actually like the thick yarn and big needles, even though it makes me feel like Wilma Flintstone, and I plan to make another scarf using them, but that scarf will be for a friend, so I want to get my technique polished a little more. I’m still working on getting an even gauge to my stitches, but I’m getting more confident. After this third scarf, I plan tackle purl stitch.

June 5, 2011
by Tammy
0 comments

Fun Craft Links

Cross Stitch at About.com
Connie’s free Musical Notes Collection will be the perfect patterns to use for a project to give to a musically inclined person.

Eileen – The Artful Crafter
Come along for a virtual visit to Caracas, Venezuela, where Artist Patty Sucre decoupages and sells beautifully-crafted trays, boxes and other wooden items. Que maravillosos!

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi explores how to combine soy silk fusion with other backgrounds!

Stefanie Girard’s Sweater Surgery
Stefanie shares her experimentations with fabric circle pom poms and paint stick stamping,

About Family Crafts
Drop by and participate in the current make-it-over craft challenge. What can you create using duct tape?

Aileen’s Musings
Heads up all you Steampunk Art lovers out there. Aileen is celebrating her husband’s art being published in 1000 Steampunk Creations, which was just released! Stop by and find all the ways you can enter.

Carmi’s Art/Life World
I have a great tip for adding embellishments to summer t-shirts.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
This week at Craftside there are tips on fixing pressing errors, how to write a book proposal interview with Jennifer Worick, 2 free heart clip art images, a fun recycled rebus affirmation project, and info on two events with author of Painted Pages, Sarah Ahearn.