big plans for small jeans

24. September 2010 · 2 comments · Categories: bargain huntress, heady threads

Do you have a favorite brand of jeans?  A trustworthy, always fits, stands up to enormous amounts of abuse brand of jeans?

I’m a Levi’s girl.  Classic 501 button fly.

I found a teeny pair at a yard sale awhile ago, which I bought with the intention of revamping into something new.  Here’s the plan:

vintage linen highwater jeans

First of all, they need to be bigger.  The easiest solution for that is panels up the sides.  I’d like to retain the classic jean shape and style up at the hips (Lord knows I don’t need any more attention in that area), so I’ll use scraps of denim from a pair of the kids’ jeans that are shot to hell.

Since they’re small, the length will be off.  Rather than attempting to lengthen them, I’ll just shorten ‘em up and rock them as slightly flared highwaters.  At the bottom of one panel, I’ll be using the vintage table linen because it’s *pretty*.  Not quite sure what’s going to happen on the other side yet.

In order to finish off the hems, I’ll harvest the edging off of the linen piece and use it like bias tape.

Ready?  Go team!

a pretty (and free) way to organize yarn projects

07. September 2010 · 3 comments · Categories: bargain huntress, how to do stuff

I just had to throw away an enormous ball of tangled yarns.  A lot of yarns.

It pissed me off, it felt really wasteful, and I had to force myself to do it.

So here’s my new solution:

a jar full of hat

With the realization about being a visual organizer, I’m totally re-evaluating how I store and use all of my equipment, projects, and gear.  I’m pulling this technique straight from the kitchen, where we store all of our bulk foods in glass jars on a shelf.  (Bulk foods are the items we buy in bulk from the Co-op:  flour, beans, grains, spices, etc.  It’s a great way to save on space and money–you just buy what you need.)

The jars make the ingredients easy to find, easy to replenish, and easy to identify.

I have great faith that this technique will make things like my current project (this super cute hat made in Plymouth sparkly llama ) easy to finish instead of a heartbreaking, tangled mess that will inevitably end up in the trash.

And re-used jars are free. *

*Come back tomorrow and I’ll tell you how to get rid of the pickle smell.

the yard sale score of the summer

01. September 2010 · 14 comments · Categories: bargain huntress

Every so often, I wake up on a Saturday morning feeling really antsy and twitchy.  A gut feeling comes over me, one that can only be described as “Yard Sale Fever”.

As a fiber and textile artist, I have a lot of supplies on hand.  Spinning requires roving, knitting and crochet require needles, hooks, and a hefty supply of yarn.  Sewing requires fabric, recycled wool beer coozies require a big stash of recycled sweaters.

And then there’s weaving…cone yarns, shuttles, tools, rags.

And dyeing…measuring cups and jars, scales, dyes, chemicals, mixers.

And felting, both wet and dry…mats, prep fabrics, needles, wool.

And of course vintage supplies like linens.

And trim.

Patterns.

Lace.

Scraps, of course.

And the mending pile.

And works in progress.

Catch my drift?

Perhaps the most important thing you should know is that we live in an 800 square foot house.  All four of us.  It’s really hard to make everything fit in here, despite the multitudes of organizing methods I’ve attempted.  Just when I get a system up and wobbling, the dead of winter comes and it’s time to add another hobby to the repertoire (that’s how I stay sane in our lengthy Montana winters).

I’m at an organizational standstill, unable to function and pursue anything new until the problem gets resolved.

Enter the itchy bargain finger.

baskets 4

Vintage milk baskets.  They stack when in use, they nest when idle.

baskets 2

They’re the perfect size for rolls of fabric, open so that wool can breathe, portable so I can tote them around the house or to classes, and I can see everything.  I have to be able to see everything because it’s how I stay organized.

Did you know that there are multiple organizing styles?  I’m serious.  It’s true.

If you’re having trouble staying organized, it might not be because you’re a mess.  You’re probably not using a system that works for you.

I have not been using a system that works for me.

I’ve tried file cabinets, boxes, cabinets, drawers, shelves, you name it.  There are two issues with every system I’ve employed:  if I can’t see it, it suddenly doesn’t exist; and there’s just not enough compartments, space, etc. to get the job done effectively.

Every solution has been a bandage on the sliding catastrophe known as my studio.  Currently, I have a work area (in the living room) and a storage area (a bedroom).  Every so often, I freak out, get rid of tons of stuff, realize that I needed a good portion of it, and am forced to re-supply.

Another bandage.

We live in a rental, so built-in shelving is not an option.  It would be a great solution but it’s just not feasible right now.  I have to find a permanent, yet mobile solution.

Like vintage milk crates.

50 glorious baskets

Fifty of ‘em.

For twenty five bucks.

Score.