Idle hands are the devil's playthings: The DIY/craft thread!

[fakely mctest]

So, based on the introductions thread it looks like we've got a lot of crafters on the board and I thought you guys would appreciate this: 7 DIYable Steampunk Decor Projects.

I also totally love Ysolda Teague's knitting patterns.  These narwal mittens are sorely tempting me to get over my fear of intarsia:

[UristMcBunny]

Ooh those mittens look snuggly!

Agree totally on Ysolda Teague. I have way too many of her patterns in my Rav queue.

Currently I have been volunteered to knit an entire Clanger family by the MIL, which is fun, although I would've liked more time to start knitting snuggly cardigans for the changing weather.

[fakely mctest]

Ooh those mittens look snuggly!

Agree totally on Ysolda Teague.  I have way too many of her patterns in my Rav queue.

Currently I have been volunteered to knit an entire Clanger family by the MIL, which is fun, although I would've liked more time to start knitting snuggly cardigans for the changing weather.

I love mittens so much!  They keep my hands warmer than gloves AND I can do little puppet shows if I get bored.

Ysolda's hats are what I really love, but then I haven't ever knitted a sweater I've been super happy with.  

Kate Beaton and I: SAME BOAT

[UristMcBunny]

I've found the Opposite Pole to be a pretty great cabled cardigan pattern.  I've made three sleeveless versions so far (sleeves often get on my nerves) and they've all been great in terms of fit, versatility, snuggliness and shape.




(Sadly I don't have a decent photo of the third one.  I knit it in chunky dark purple yarn and made what was basically a really thick shrug, perfect for keeping my torso warm while doing something active)

[reboundstudent]

Ooo super cute Bunny! I'm trying to teach myself knitting, so that I can make every single knit thing I see on Outlander.

Currently I'm working on my 2nd bolero sweatshirt. This pattern is the whole reason I got into sewing 2 years ago... so I could make myself one of these in every color.


-http://yourstylerocks.com/patterns/archive.php?pattern_id=3

[UristMcBunny]

Oooooh Marty that looks like such a fun pattern! I see both cosplay and general awesome style-ness possibilities in that!

[reboundstudent]

Oooooh Marty that looks like such a fun pattern!  I see both cosplay and general awesome style-ness possibilities in that!

I wear the two I have a ton. Very practical (good seasonal-switch off clothing when it can be freezing in the morning but hot in the afternoon), and I love the look of them. I wore my black one with my Winter Soldier outfit, and I think it worked very well.

Anyone want to do a Sew-Along? :-D

[inertia]

I made this sweater for my youngest niece for her first birthday

[UristMcBunny]

Tempted!  (Especially if it means having you to hold my hand and guide me through it!).  The pattern doesn't go past a size 18... do you know what the crossback measurement is for their size 18?  I find my shoulder and arm measurements often put me at significantly smaller sizes than I would wear otherwise, due to the boobs and lower gut/hip area.  But of course, neither boobs nor gut are a factor in that pattern, so depending on what the crossback is for it I might be okay!

(In the cardigans above for example, I knit the back panel in size L, on smaller needles, and the body in XXL, as well as shortening the armscye by about 6 inches).

*edit*
Inertia that is so pretty!  I love the variegated purple and your button choices.

[Coin-op Adjudicator]

Mine isn't clothes-related, but since there's no other thread for DIY projects:

I'm currently working on touching up and reassembling a IBM Model F XT keyboard.  I've already finished a converter for it so it'll work on a modern PC--Windows or Mac. Don't have any pics to post (yet), but it's been a fun project so far. Also my initial foray into the world of soldering.

[fakely mctest]

Mine isn't clothes-related, but since there's no other thread for DIY projects

Oh, you're not off-topic. I'd love to hear about other people's non-textile related hobbies!

Do you have to have a special setup for soldering or can it be done at home?

[azazel]

Oh, you're not off-topic.  I'd love to hear about other people's non-textile related hobbies!

Do you have to have a special setup for soldering or can it be done at home?

You only need to buy a soldering station, consisting of a soldering iron and a holder and you've got everything you need!

I use a pizza box on an old table as surface (I'm so fancy!)

Siderant: I haven't obtained the skill to make my soldering neat they work, sure, but they're not pretty!

How do you guys/gals focus on one project by the way? I keep bouncing between several, hardly ever finishing one...

[Coin-op Adjudicator]

Do you have to have a special setup for soldering or can it be done at home?

I actually had the necessary soldiering equipment from an old circuits class.  Yeah, I had to clear out some room for it, but it could be done at home.  (Or garage.  Your choice, really.)

The soldiering wasn't actually as much hard as it was awkward, since I had to squeeze everything to fit into a 3x2 in. project box.  Essentially, that part of the deal involved soldering header pins onto a controller board (about the size of one's thumb; it's called a Teensy, for those who might need it) up to a DIN-5 connector, which the keyboard plugs into.

----

EDIT:

How do you guys/gals focus on one project by the way? I keep bouncing between several, hardly ever finishing one...

Oh, that's easy--I remember that as of the moment, my other project is finishing cleanup from that other rig I just assembled. Poof. Like magic, I'm motivated to finish this current one. :3

[sky]

How do you guys/gals focus on one project by the way? I keep bouncing between several, hardly ever finishing one...

Hahaha this is totally me. I start craft projects all the time and then lose inspiration and set them aside in favor of something new. The ones that actually get finished are the ones I promised to make for somebody I care about, and the ones that I get inspired about again and dig out to continue working. And, I suppose, the ones I really want to finish for any other reason. I have a quilt that has been in progress for seven years now, and that one is going to get finished just because I feel guilty for leaving it sitting around so long.

Things I can finish in one sitting also usually get done, but anything I have to set down and take a break from may never get picked up again if I can't get in the mood to start in where I left off.

[Guest]

Do semi-work things count? Because I've been working on an IT project with my Dad for a few months with the intent to make it a business venture and we've essentially gotten to the point where it's simply working out the bugs and we'll be set to get it out there. It's a really neat idea too. I just hope others think the same.

Without divulging too much, it's to act as support for the cloud, which many businesses have been migrating to without enough knowledge of what that entails or what it could mean for their data.

[Coin-op Adjutant]

(For whatever reason, servimg doesn't want to upload one of my pictures, which is annoying because it's the full "before" picture for this project.  So I'm using a stock image instead--I'll see if I can't get it in later.)

Alright, mostly done.  I've gone from this:



...to this!

Sadly, the spray painting job for the front of the case didn't turn out as nicely as I'd hoped--the curved surfaces and lack of a real working space made things trickier than expected, so that'll probably need a re-do.  But it works like a damn charm!  Built in October of 1984, and it still works on both Windows and Mac computers almost 30 years later.  Don't make 'em like they used to, indeed.

I certainly didn't foresee the need for a sledgehammer just to put it back together, though--that steel plating is a pain to work with.  The spacebar was even worse due to how it fits together, but on the upshot, it's no longer stiff now.  Still, though--it's a repaired, retouched, and fully functional keyboard.  For an old IBM terminal.  Which I am currently typing this post with.  

[Guest]

Would you guys count digital painting as crafts, maybe? Cuz I do that when I'm bored or feeling creative... wanna see?

-innocently kicks dirt around-

[eselle28]

Would you guys count digital painting as crafts, maybe? Cuz I do that when I'm bored or feeling creative... wanna see?

-innocently kicks dirt around-

I'm not the craftiest person around, but that sounds like it fits the bill to me! It's artistic, and it does create employment for idle hands. Share away!

[Guest]

I'm not the craftiest person around, but that sounds like it fits the bill to me! It's artistic, and it does create employment for idle hands. Share away!

Yay. Here goes nothin'. :3

I just finished this little guy here, he's a revamped version of this painting I did last year.

Spoiler:

This was painted earlier this year, both studies and excuses to challenge myself. As well as this Big Boss [link for size] piece.

Spoiler:

I delved into creature/character design a couple of years ago for a project an online buddy started. Dude was an absolute flake and never gave me feedback on the two pieces I made for him, so I stopped any further work. So yeah, these are a little old...

Spoiler:

Oooh and there's also this Xenomorph painting I did some time ago.

Spoiler:

And if you wanna see some more (or the stuff I'm MOST proud of) check out my ArtStation! :3

[Lemminkainen]

Would any of you knitters have recommendations for resources somebody interested in beginning knitting should check out? I'm a terrible fidgeter, and there are lots of times when I would really appreciate having something to occupy my hands. I also like clothes, so the idea of making my own seems pretty appealing.

[Guest]

Would any of you knitters have recommendations for resources somebody interested in beginning knitting should check out?  I'm a terrible fidgeter, and there are lots of times when I would really appreciate having something to occupy my hands. I also like clothes, so the idea of making my own seems pretty appealing.

As a starting point, I recommend this website: http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/learn-to-knit

This is where I started when I was learning to knit, and it was incredibly helpful.

Ravelry (https://www.ravelry.com/account/login) is the absolutely best site in the world for knitting and crochet: there are thousands upon thousands of free patterns there for all sorts of things.

I will make two (and a half) suggestions to start:
1. Have a goal in mind -- something like "Make scarf for Bob for Hanukkah" or "make baby blanket to donate to local hospital." You'll learn faster if you work frequently, and a goal will make you work more frequently.
2. Although it seems counter-intuitive, don't start with the incredibly simple knit across every row pattern unless you're making something small (like a washcloth), because by the end of your first scarf you will be bored to tears. I had about 4 false starts with knitting because I just found my projects too boring to finish. I'd suggest something simple but kind of cool looking, like this: http://www.purlbee.com/2008/12/02/easy-mistake-stitch-scarf/ -- you only need two stitches for it.
2b. If you can, look for a local knitting group to join. They love beginners, and will help you out as you learn the stitches and struggle with casting off or finishing things. My knitting group has 2-3 people who knit between meetings until they make a mistake, then bring their work in so that others can undo the damage and get them on the right path again.

[UristMcBunny]

The Mikey I love your artwork! *spends more time gazing at the intricate pretty details*

I HAVE to second Ravelry as an excellent resource. Tons of free patterns, including loads of beginner-friendly ones, tutorials, an active forum full of people willing to help, groups you can join if you want to discuss specific things (like knitting for plus sizes, or knitting lace, or learning to knit in the round). They also recently switched up the site to make it more friendly to those of us who spin our own yarn!

Other than that, I heartily recommend youtube videos for any specific knitting techniques you want to learn. I basically learned entirely from youtube vids and Rav.

[Guest]

The Mikey I love your artwork!  *spends more time gazing at the intricate pretty details*

Hehehe, thank you. Don't stare too long, though, you'll ruin the illusion for yourself! :3

[Werel]

Damn Mikey, those are awesome! I especially love the bear and its gentle, vacant expression. Tears in the rain is pretty daggone great too.

[Guest]

Damn Mikey, those are awesome! I especially love the bear and its gentle, vacant expression. Tears in the rain is pretty daggone great too.

Hehehe, thanks. I try, the bear I did it because I was inspired to rework an old painting, it worked!! Tears in the Rain was hard. The temptation to trace was really difficult since I had the original frame underneath, which I only used at a reference to guide the head shape, although it could have used more contrast, I will admit.

I have other stuff there in links too, I definitely recommend looking at my ArtStation profile :3

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