Diagonal Weave Basket

This is my very first diagonal weave basket. The basket is basically two layers of backlit vinyl tarp at right angles to each other. Each piece of vinyl is fringed at a 45 degree angle to the basket edge base as shown in the diagram. After weaving I secured the ends with clips and glue. I finished off the basket with another piece of vinyl used as trim with more glue.

I put the .svg file here if you are interested in trying this project. The file is also on Craftedge in the SVG files area, boxes and borders section.
I use Cricut Expressions to cut out the vinyl, Sure Cuts a Lot software to set it up. I also use UHU glue stick to anchor the vinyl to the cutting mat.

Housekeeping of blog URL

I changed the blog address to http://vinally.blogspot.com/ from sewnagain.blogspot.com.

When I initially started blogging, I was making repurposed clothing; hence the Sewnagain name. When the clothing items didn't sell on Etsy, I switched to making things out of vinyl. (They still aren't selling very well, but I'm maintaining a presence there, because once in a while, something in my Etsy shop does sell.)

For a while I didn't think I could change the the name of my blogger URL. It makes more sense to have the blogger URL connected in name to VinAlly. Blogger assures me that my followers will still be able to find me.

Recycled Vinyl for baskets

Recycled vinyl advertising tarps comes in a lot of great colors. There's a lot of possibilities in using this material for basket-type projects. Here's a woven sample of nothing in particular. The type of tarp I used was a "backlit" tarp, which is thicker than other vinyls and is printed on both sides.

I think my house could use a magazine rack and key basket, so I might try this.

Thanks to J.L. for supplying me with cool used vinyl banners.

Harry Potter Memory Phial Decal

I really like the doily-style labels on the vials in Dumbledore's Memories Cabinet in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I thought such a label would really dress up my hand sanitizer bottle. My label is simpler than the one in the movie, but I'm happy with the result. Although, I wish my handwriting was nicer.

Update: I made another label for my spray cleaner bottle.

If you are interested in working with this label, you may download the .svg file here: http://www.4shared.com/u/pzgmrqms/77e85c19/VinAlly.html

For you Sure Cuts a Lot users I posted the SCUT file here http://forums.surecutsalot.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=8843

Time to Make Some Boots

I am using Mary Wales Loomis' book on Making Your Own Shoes from http://www.marywalesloomis.com/ to remake these boots. These boots are fine as they are but the heels are a bit high for me, so they are going to be my shoemaking laboratory. Here are the boots originally, and the second photo shows them full of plaster. I am making a mold to shape the vinyl material on. A shoe form or mold is called a last. I thought it would be interesting to incorporate cut-work designs into the boots, so I made some sketches of the first idea I have.

There really aren't many books out there on shoemaking, and Mary Wales Loomis' book is good, quite detailed and affordable. I also just ordered a book on designing patterns for shoemaking from http://www.shoetrades.com/. It's called Pattern Cutting- step by step patterns for footwear.

Busy Cutting Day

I'm cutting a lot of vinyl these days, one to make wallets to sell, and another to make craft kits for The Sewing Drop-In. The Sewing Drop-in is a place where we teach sewing and practice English. Most of the women who attend are from other countries. I'm hoping to transmit the knowledge of sewing with vinyl, snap setting, and accordian pocket construction. Should be a rockin' good time!

Transform those household bottles

While I enjoy products for their qualities, I don't necessarily want ongoing advertising on my countertop or shower. Why not transform them? These bottles had labels that were easy to remove. Using the Cricut Expressions with blade depth 3, medium speed and pressure, I cut the following letters out of adhesive-backed vinyl. Painter's tape lifts off the lettering. I found it a bit challenging getting the tape to let go of the letters.

George Jetson Wallet

Combined vinyl tarp with adhesive vinyl decals on this wallet. I have lots of white tarp so this technique might be a nice way to dress it up.

There's about 20 or more individual seams on a wallet such as this, so I'm not too inclined to set my price really low. Similar wallets at department stores go for at least $45 so I think my price here is a good deal. And my design works better and its made from recycled materials. Just saying.

Lagerfeld's SS2010 Bracelet

This slave bracelet is from Karl Lagerfeld's SS2010 collection. He also did cuffs and gauntlets in his SS2009 collection. I'm going to have to try making some after this style.

Also shown is a picture of the cuff bracelet I did a while back. I actually had this idea before seeing it on the runway, just so y'all know. :) You can get my version at www.vinally.ca/shop.

Update: I designed my own version of the slave bracelet in Art Deco style. Here's the prototype.

Scribble Vase

This is my first experiment with adhesive-backed vinyl. I see this "scribble" motif in lamps and home decor items lately. As a votive candle holder, it casts nice shadows on the wall. I'd like to make a lamp using this technique.

If you are interested in obtaining the SCUT file for this, email vinally@vinally.ca

More Card Capacity Wallet

Here's the latest design for my wallets. I changed the design so the wallet would hold more cards. I have 30 credit-card sized cards in my wallet. Available for purchase at http://www.vinally.ca/shop. Custom orders welcome!

Organizer wallet, redesigned

Based on the large number of cards I have in my wallet, I decided to made an accordian organizer for them, with a change purse off to the side. This was a lot of sewing, but I'm pretty happy with the result.

Owl Featherguard

We have a poplar tree very close to the house, and large picture windows. That's why I'm so interested in designing bird repellers.

My latest design is an owl, although it looks rather like a hairy spider. I forgot to add a beak.

Pirate-Themed Bird Repeller

I was thinking of how to incorporate bird skull stencils into my window bird-strike preventers, and this is the happy result! Instead of crossbones, I added crossed feathers right below each bird skull. Latin phrases in a stencillized pirate font spell out the danger and allow air flow.

The reason we hang feathers to deter birds is that the presence of feathers signals danger to a bird, and they tend to veer away from such feathery places.

Available for purchase at http://www.vinally.ca/shop

Cameo, Postmodern Style

I'm excited about my new glass and vinyl jewellery. I've designed this cameo with a silhouette setting. The silhouette treatment is something that is a trend in contemporary design. Note that our lovely silhouetted lady has a bluetooth headset! Watch for this piece soon in my VinAlly and Etsy shops.

Glass tiles and vinyl

I'm working on an idea that incorporates glass cabochons with recycled vinyl - see also the daisy style water bottle in an earlier post. First I have to learn how to do the pendant. Here's an early attempt, my own drawing of cherry blossoms is the design. So far so good. These glass blobs are about 1" in size. It is my own artwork behind the glass tile.

Lunch Bag

Here's some photos of a lunch bag I made in December for my sister-in-law. Seven months of daily use later, it's still looking and working great. The banner was from an used Volker Stevin highway traffic safety ad.

Daisy Water Bottle Bag Prototype

I'm experimenting with a daisy motif and glass medallion insets. I made the shoulder pad larger and lined it with chenilled bamboo. Very soft and comfortable. I put the daisy motif onto the strap. The pictures don't show the gold iridescence of the beads. The beads add some weight to the design. The bag features a velcro side closure for ease of loading the water bottle.

Since folks will likely want to adjust the position of the water bottle to their preference, the next one I make will have some kind of strap length adjuster.

Eco-Can Blog mentioned my bio

http://www.eco-can.ca/eco-news/2009/9/9/vinallyca-advertising-tarps-repurposed.html

Water Bottle Holder

Yesterday I went for a long walk and got a few ideas for water bottle holders made out of recycled advertising tarps. Here's my first prototype all set for a field test. I put a shoulder pad out of chenilled fabric. After my walk I should be able to discern if there needs to be any adjustments to the design.

Update: the prototype works well. Apart from making a larger shoulder pad I'm pretty happy with the design. I like how it sits low on the hip.

H1: Haultain and First Urban Festival

Fresh Life Boutique/Art Life Gallery will be selling my recycled vinyl advertising tarp organizer wallets at this street festival on Sunday, September 13 2009. They will also be selling soap totes!

http://www.vcrossing.com/h1.html#exhibit

Glass Tile and Vinyl Experimentation

I have been thinking of glass tile pendants. Origami paper behind glass is a popular trend right now because it is colorful and detailed. I am thinking of incorporating something like this into vinyl jewellery. This is just me playing around with setting a blob of glass into a piece of vinyl. Behind is a template for an overall necklace shape. It might be nice to incorporate filagree with these glass "beads".

Working on new mesh patterns

Designing mesh cut patterns for my soap totes. This one is inspired by Andres Amador's beach art. I think I will make a see-through window with the same mesh pattern in the front of the soap tote. Then the user can see the soap inside. Good for those "art" soaps.

I've been feeling blue lately and not much into making and creating; but my Making Art Your Business teacher said that you should do something every day towards your art goals. So I can design mesh.

San Clemente source of recycled banners

If you are near San Clemente and would like to obtain some recycled advertising tarps, here is a source:

Found your website on Google. I manufacture event banners and have a customer wanting to give me back a lot of banners to have them recycled. I am located in San Clemente, California. Do you knowanyone that would want to take them to be repurposed?

Dave SchulteCell 949-874-4144daveschulte@sbcglobal.netPrint TechniquesSheet-fed Printing, Forms, Thermography, Stationary Packages,Mailing, Digital, and Copying.

Thanks, Dave!

gluing and cutting experiment

I had some leftover stained-glass effect window vinyl from our last house. For some reason I held onto it. I decided to try gluing it onto some white vinyl tarp and see if it would take to being cut on the vinyl cutter. It did. This is essentially cutting through three layers of vinyl.

Update: well, the two layers didn't adhere well enough so I tried sandpapering the layers prior to gluing. Adhesion was still not that great. I'm not sure what to make of it.

First Sales from Vinally.ca

I am celebrating the sale of these three soap totes to Heather from Calgary. Thanks very much, Heather; I really appreciate your business.

SewnAgain on Etsy Gets Noticed

This was delightful. Here's an excerpt.


http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/etsy-finds-what-i-did-on-my-summer-vacation-4308/

Soap Scaffold

In order for my vinyl soap box to function as a soap dish, there needs to be an underlying scaffold so that the soap would get sufficient air for drying purposes. My first thought would be to corrugate some vinyl. However the corrugated vinyl tends to curl. No problem, I will cut it into daisies. The daisies sit on the bottom of the soap box and hold it in the air.

The soap can now rest on a bed of daisies and dry as it should.

Soap Box from Soft Vinyl Tarp

This tarp was very soft, yet it still worked for a box. The look is a bit puffy. I'm going to rework the front tab closure for better ease of use. I have a bar of soap in the box from Etsy Seller MrsSoandSos which doesn't quite fit. MrsSoandSos sells salicylate-free soaps suitable for the guaifenesin protocol for fibromyalgia. She sells sea shells by the sea shore. :)

Working with tarps with glued decals

Some tarps have glued-on letters which makes the tarp thicker and harder for my vinyl cutter to cut through the layers. I have tried to peel off the decal in the some cases, but that is time-consuming. Also, some decals don't lend themselves to being removed. I tried a multicut and that cuts through both layers, but its a bit messy. Maybe if the cuts were simpler in design it would yield a better result.

I had been setting that type of tarp aside, but now I'm seeing that I will be able to work with it, even though it will take longer on the cutting machine.