FitSugar

Willard Wigan's Amazing Microscopic Art

amh678 — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 22:43:02 -0800

Article from Wikipedia.

Willard Wigan (born 1957) is a sculptor from Birmingham, England. He was awarded an MBE for services to art in July 2007.

He is the creator of the world's smallest sculptures, often taking months to complete one, working between heartbeats to avoid hand tremors. "You have to control the whole nervous system, you have to work between the heartbeat - the pulse of your finger can destroy the work." Wigan uses a tiny surgical blade to carve microscopic figures out of rice, and fragments of grains of sand and sugar, which are then mounted on pinheads. To paint his creations, he uses a hair plucked from a dead fly (the fly has to have died from natural causes, as he refuses to kill them for the sake of his art). His sculptures have included a Santa Claus and a copy of the FIFA World Cup trophy, both about 0.005mm (0.0002in) tall, and a boxing ring with Muhammad Ali figure which fits onto the head of a match.

The 1993 British film An Eye on X follows Wigan's quest in carving two statues of American black activist Malcolm X, one life size and the other on the head of a toothpick. Additional footage in the production archive includes Willard flying aircraft made out of thin balsa wood, carving on the head of a toothpick and talking about his early life. Wigan was inspired to do his work beginning at the age of 5. He is learning disabled, and doesn't know how to read or write. He said that his childhood teachers "made [him] feel small, made [him] feel like nothing." He decided to prove that "less is more," and that "nothing could be everything."

In May 2007, Wigan's 70-piece collection was purchased by tennis player and businessman David Lloyd, who has insured the collection for a total value of £11.2 million*.

Wigan has said of his work:

"Though my sculptures are quite small, it's important for people to realize that I am life-size. Of course, at times, when I'm working on a piece, I might come to believe that I myself am microscopic. That's how involved in my work I become. My tiny world becomes everything to me."

*£11.2 million = approx. $17,041,679 USD

Lloyd's of London

The Wizard of Oz

Statue of Liberty

The Thinker

Cassius Clay vs. Sonny Liston

Elvis

Titanic

Six Wives of Henry the VIII

Girl with Balloon on an Eyelash

Snow White & the Seven Dwarves (and the Wicked Witch too!)

Peter Pan

Elephant

Tiger

Marilyn Monroe

Dressage

Golfer

Marionette

Bart & Homer Simpson

How to make a T-Shirt Skirt

Monique Marie — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:13:41 -0700

Do you have too many t-shirts in your closet? You, given the ever-changing fashion trends, might not be wearing some of them anymore. Give life to some of your old shirts by tweaking them to form other types of clothing. One of your best options is to transform your unused t-shirts into skirts.

A t-shirt skirt is edgy, bearing a good combination of creativity and novelty. You can wear it to the mall or even to a hip joint like a night club. The casual look of the garment is quite popular with teens and young adults, which makes it a must-have, if you’re in the party scene. With a well-designed shirt, sewing equipment and some sewing prowess, you can create a stylish t-shirt skirt.

The Single Shirt Skirt
The single shirt skirt is the t-shirt skirt’s basic design. It is a popular choice for youngsters, since you can simply create one, the moment an item in your closet catches your attention. The procedure is pretty straightforward, so you should not have any trouble making the skirt. If you own a sewing machine, you can probably stitch together a skirt in less than an hour.

Materials Used:
•t-shirt, preferably with a printed design
•scissors
•marker
•sewing needle
•sewing thread
•pins
•yardstick
•ribbon or long shoestring
•sewing machine (optional)

Procedure:
1.Pick a t-shirt with a nice print in your closet.

2.Cut the shirt across, an inch below the print, creating two halves. The top half should contain the t-shirt’s print.

3.Once done, turn the bottom half upside down then position it above the top half.

4.With both halves lined up, mark a straight line along the outside edge of both sides. The line represents your skirt’s width.

5.Cut through the markings you made, which includes the sleeves and probably a portion of the sides. Check the sides. Make sure that they are straight.

6.Turn the top half (the half with the printed design) inside out.

7.Stitch its sides shut.

8.Cut the potions beside the collar, opening the sheet’s top portion.

9.Insert the bottom half in the opening, just beyond the collar.

10.Use a set of pins to connect both halves. This shows you a preview of the finished product. You can cut off the top regions, if you find the skirt too long.

11.With both halves pinned, stitch them together, near the location of the pins.

12.Get two ribbon pieces or shoestrings that are a few inches longer than the skirt’s width. Position the strings on the skirt’s topmost portion. They should be one half-inch apart or less.

13.Enclose the strings with the skin’s top portion.

14.Stitch a hemline right below the first string then make a second one beneath the second string.

If you find the strings too tacky, you can make an incision at the skirt’s top-middle portion then affix a zipper and a button. Add designs like patches or sewn patterns to give your skirt more attitude. You can even change the cut of your skirt, once you get tired of its appearance.

You're Sew Sweet! Fleece Blanket With Pocket and Duplicate Stitch Sweater

ALSW — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:45:02 -0700

Check out My Wizard Of Oz Quiz: http://teamsugar.com/group/43820/quiz/505613

I love to sew. Plain and simple. No idea why, but I have a hunch that it's a combination of the relaxing, repetitive motions and the fact that I'm usually beautifying something for myself, my home, or for someone else.

So, whenever I go to the library I usually end up in the arts and crafts section, looking for new ideas for me and for others. I came across the book Two Hour Crafts and figured I'd take it home after I flipped through a found a few things that appealed.

But when I got home and actually studied the book, I found one project that I absolutely fell in love with - and one that would keep my tootsies warm on cold winter nights!

Both are ideal crafts to give away as gifts and obviously, both can be done in a limited amount of time. And I can guarantee that even if you're not a super sewer, you can see the beauty and ease in these projects!

Creature Comforts

I'm a girl who likes to spend the winter months curled up under a fleece blanket, hot chocolate in one hand and a good book in the other. This cozy throw can be used to tuck your feet in for a little added warmth or just slip the throw into the pocket for a little pillow. This project is the perfect present for someone who likes the same! Maybe you could even tuck some hot chcolate into the pocket...oh, the possibilities...

Materials

Fleece Fabric 60 x 80 inches (You can always buy a cheap one at Target or Ikea or the like)
Cutting board
Sharp sewing scissors
Sewing pins
Matching or contrast thread or yarn
Needles

Directions

1. Place fleece on cutting board. Cut 20 inches off the 80-inch measure ot make a throw of 60 by 60 inches. Trim off any rough or uneven edges. From the excess fabric, cut a piece 20 by 22 inches. This will be used as the pocket pillow.

2. Spread throw fabric out on the cutting board. On the lower edge, mark the center point of the fabric. Place cut fabric pocket center on this point with the 22 inch width at the top. Fold top edge of pocket under 1 inch. Pin down the fold and position the pocket on the center of the throw. Starting from the folded top of the pocket, blanket stitch the fold through pocket material only. To blanket stitch, enter the needle 1/2 inch from fabric edge on the wrong side of the fabric. Draw through hole and stitch down to the bottom of edge. Enter again from wrong side of fabric, stitch down and catch last loop, bringing needle under and around to form a scalloped edge. (You can see how this turns out on the finished project picture.) Repeat to the end of the folded top fo the pocket. Tie off and knot ends. Stitch the two sides of the pocket to the throw sewing through both pieces of fabric. If you're not comfortable with the blanket stitch, just use whatever works for you!

3. Blanket stitch all four edge of the throw, stitching through the lower edge of the pocket as you go along the pocket edge. Lay completed stitched throw on flat surface. Turn fabric edges in lengthwise on two sides of the throw, folding underneath the pillow pocket. Next fold down from top edge to top of pocket. Slip throw fabric into the pocket, smoothing away bumps and creases.

Duplicate Stitch Sweater

This is the project that I truly fell in love with in the book. It's such a great way to personalize something for someone. And who doesn't want a little bit more color in their lives?

But I will admit that while I love the pattern down the front of the sweater, I'm not a big fan of the additional embroidery floss on the neck. So, for myself, I'd skip that. But I love the way that the rest of the sweater looks!

Materials

Solid color cotton turtleneck sweater with a flat stockinette stitch front
Straight pin
Scissors
Embroidery floss in 6 colors that contrast with the sweater
Embroidery needle

Directions

1. Decide where you want the vertical stripes on the sweater; place a pin to mark where the strip is nearest the sweater center. Cut 24 inches of embroidery floss. Thread the needle with the color you want to be nearest to the center of the sweater.

2. On the inside of the sweater, knot the floss end to the shoulder seam as close to the pin as possible. At the pin, push the needle to the front side of the sweater.

3. Using a duplicate stitch, stitch the first vertical stripe. If you find you need to use additional floss, knot the ends neatly on the inside of the sweater. Do not pull the floss tightly. Trim the tails.

4. Work each additional stripe in the same manner, skipping one row of the sweater stitchers between each duplicate stitch stripe.

5. To accent the collar, use two plies of floss and make one large stitch near the collar edge. Knot the ends together. Trim the floss ends leaving 1/2 inch tails to resemble small tassels. Work stitches around the entire collar, spacing stitches evenly apart and alternating floss colors.

There you go! Two gorgeous gifts!

Vintage Style Watchstraps- How to

davie_k — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 05:34:15 -0700

Vintage watches are easy to find in flea markets and antique shops. Make one of these finds truly your own by replacing a worn or broken band with one crafted from an assortment of beads. And while you're at it, buy some extra beads to make a coordinating necklace or earrings.
What You Need:

* Wristwatch
* Scissors
* Ruler
* Stretch Magic bead-and-jewellery cord
* Assorted beads
* 4 crimping beads
* 4 4-millimetre jump rings
* Needle-nose pliers
* 4 6-millimetre jump rings
* 2-inch-long head pins

Instructions:

1. Remove the band from the wristwatch, retaining the spring bars.
2. Cut two 10-inch lengths of elastic cord. Double-knot one end of each length. Thread a 6-1/2-inch length of beads on each cord. The length will vary, depending on wrist size and watch face size. The finished watch should fit like a bracelet. Remove or add beads as needed.
3. When you determine the final beaded length, push the beads away from the knotted end of each cord. Thread one crimping bead, and then one 4-millimeter jump ring on the open cord ends. Loop each cord back through its jump ring, crimping bead, and the closest bead (or two). Using the needle-nose pliers, squeeze the crimping bead to securely hold the cord. Repeat on the opposite ends after cutting away the knots.
4. Attach the beaded cords to the spring bars of the watch from 6-millimeter jump rings and needle-nose pliers.
5. Attach bell-beads directly to the spring bars on the watch. Thread them on the bar while one end of the bar is in place; then snap the other end in place. Attach beads to the spring bars after they are in place, connecting them with 6-millimeter jump rings and needle-nose pliers. Attach additional beads to the spring bars by threading the beads on 2-inch head pins. When the beads are threaded, cut off the excess length of head pin, leaving 3/4 inch at the end of the wire. Bend the wire into a closed loop with needle-nose pliers. Attach the head pins to the spring bars with 6-millimeter jump rings.Vintage Style Watchstraps

Fabric Scraps Plus Catnip Equals One-of-a-Kind DIY Mice

PetSugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:30:07 -0800

Did your lil kitty get everything her heart desired over the holidays? If you've got extra time to kill – or think your pal could use an extra toy to kill – check out these one-of-a-kind catnip mice. Wouldn't you rather see this laying around than a real mouse?!
Get started on the DIY project spotted by a pal of mine (Thanks, Casa!) by gathering the following supplies:

Patterned fabric for mouse body
Scrap fabric, preferably with a loose weave, for catnip pouch
Cotton cord, ribbon, or rick rack for the tail
Embroidery floss for face details
Catnip
Polyfil stuffing
Needle and thread

Get instructions when you read more.

Print out this pattern and cut out fabric as shown.
Tie a knot at one end of the cord for the tail and set aside.
For catnip core pouch, fold fabric and half, stitch two sides, add catnip, sew closed, and set aside.
Embroider a mouse face on the main fabric.

Lightly mark small circles on one side piece (two pins seen above towards the left side), the large circles on both side pieces (the blue dot), and begin by sewing the two sides together as shown (along the green dotted line) skipping the pinned parts.
Pin the tail at the large circle, match the slightly pointy end of the bottom piece to the large circle on the sides and pin together. Then sew back-and-forth, alternating sewing from tail to nose on one side and nose to tail on the other for reinforcement but don't sew between the two small circles.
Turn mouse right-side-out, gently poke out the nose with a pin. Add polyfill, catnip pouch and a bell or crinkly stuff if your pet's into that sort of the thing making sure to bury it well.
Sew the mouse closed and hand it off to kitty to enjoy!

(See the detailed instructions with step-by-step photos on Craftster.)

Source

Make Your Own Ribbon Belt

davie_k — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:58:01 -0700

ribbon belt
Materials:
• piece of ribbon, about one yard long
• pair of belt rings
• needle and thread (the same color as the ribbon)
• sewing pins

Directions:
Take the ribbon and cut it to a length that fits around your waist. Then, lay out the ribbon. At one end, fold the end of the ribbon over about an inch. Secure this in place with a pin. With the needle and thread, sew small stitches around the edges where the ribbon is folded over. Remove the pin. This will secure one end of the belt so that the ribbon does not fray at the end. Now take the belt rings. At the other end of the ribbon, you are going to fold over the end, placing the belt rings inside the fold. Secure with pin. With thread and needle, sew this fold into place, using small stitches that will keep it secure. Remove pin. To use as belt, the ribbon should be placed around your waist. Bring the ribbon through both belt loops, fold it over, and then lead it back through only one loop. This will hold the belt in place, and can be tightened or loosened according to comfort.

In light of the events on Election Day... (Personal Blog)

californiagirlx7 — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:11:30 -0800

So I wrote out this long blog entry a couple hours ago concerning my feelings about Barack Obama being elected President. Unfortunately, my computer froze and my original blog was erased So here I go again...

I have been on cloud 9 over the past day or two, crying tears of joy as I watch and re-watch Barack Obama's speech from Grant Park the other night. I remember back to when I first heard about Barack Obama a few years ago...it was after his 2004 speech at the DNC, I believe, and I was instantly intrigued by him. As I learned more about Obama, the more I grew to like him and I was inspired by his words. After he announced he was running for president in February 2007, I knew he was the person I would vote for (of course, I also did some research ). I liked Hillary and I would've supported her if she won the primaries, but Barack was my man. I voted for him in the primaries, even though he was trailing behind HRC, and I prayed that he would win the Democratic nomination. When he finally clinched the nomination and gave that speech at the DNC, I was so touched by his words that I started crying (again).

It's not just that Obama is a charismatic speaker...I also agree with him on several issues (getting out of Iraq and focusing on Afghanistan, building up the middle class again, higher salaries for teachers, etc.) and he is more inspiring than any candidate I have ever witnessed. I cast my absentee ballot weeks ago and although he was ahead in the polls and I desperately wanted him to win, I didn't know if the rest of America would be on the same page as me. I was on pins and needles for days and my stomach started churning the night before Election Day. I raced home from class to watch the election coverage on CNN. For hours, I was glued to the TV with my younger sister by my side as we eagerly watched the results roll in. Every time, a "swing state" turned blue, we would scream and jump around. Around 8pm PST, CNN made the startling proclamation that Barack Obama was projected to be the next President of the United States. It didn't sink in for a minute or two, then they started showing coverage from Grant Park and the words at the bottom of the screen read "Barack Obama Elected President." Then it hit me. Immediately, I started crying tears of joy and i couldn't stop. When Barack introduced Michelle as the next First Lady, I was just hit with another wave of emotion. Not only will Barack Obama be our first African American president, but also the Obamas will be the first black First Family. I am a white woman, just to clarify, but this night touched me beyond measure...to think that 40 years ago, our country was so racially divided that the thought of a black man becoming President was just not feasible. I genuinely can't imagine how much pride and joy African Americans must feel right now, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

I am so proud of how far America has come. I'm so proud that the candidate I have supported since the very beginning has been elected President. I'm so proud that the first time that I was eligible to vote in a presidential election, it was for a candidate that I truly believed in. And I know that one day, when I have children, they will ask me about where I was and what I was doing on this night (just like the new Millenium or 9/11). It was a wonderful, historic night...one that I will always remember.

P.S. I usually don't cry that much

Jennie Garth: Working With Shannen Not "As Bad As I Thought"

justingirl1989 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:08:52 -0700

Jennie Garth admits she was initially uneasy about working with Shannen Doherty again. (The two famously clashed during their 90210 heyday - and once got into a fistfight.)

But when she reunited with Doherty to shoot CW's 90210 spin-off, she tells TV Guide, “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

“I’m not much of a small talker, and I don’t think she is either. I was a little nervous because I hadn’t seen or talked to her in 14 years," she goes on. "Everyone was making it out to be such a big deal that I think we both fell prey to having that affect us.”

With their squabbles behind them, Garth says, “I think it will be OK. We’re both grown women, both professionals. Once we were working, it felt like a good fit.”

Co-star Ryan Eggold, who plays Kelly’s new beau on the series, admits "everybody was on pins and needles and sort of waiting to see how they’d react.

“They started off kind of tentative, but by the time we were five takes in, they were giggling and seemed to be reconnecting," he says.

See photos of your fave 90210 stars: then and now.

Garth says she wishes she could reconnect with Tori Spelling, who recently quit the show over salary disputes.

Fighting back tears, Garth tells TV Guide, “I know Shannen probably doesn’t share the feelings that I have for Tori, but I love Tori like my sister.”

She says she is encouraging fans to launch a “Bring Back Donna Martin” campaign.

http://www.usmagazine.com/news/jennie-garth-working-with-shannen-doherty...

Love the Camaraderie of NHL Fans

maisiegirl — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:01:09 -0700

I have to say even though my beloved boys (the AVS) lost tonight in a nail-biter to the Minnesota Wild, it made me so happy to see that there was some action on the hockey blog. More than that, I love how hockey fans ban together and are so willing to pull for one another's teams, which is representative of the game (probably the Canadian influence, eh?).

Tonight's game was tough and I can honestly say that I didn't enjoy it very much as I was on pins and needles throughout. The goaltending was incredible with both netminders nearly standing on their heads to keep the rubber biscuit out of the net.

Certainly the race will come down to the last game of the season, at least in the Northwest Division.

Good luck to your respective teams this week. I'm sure I'll have more posts through the week.

Actress Susan Sarandon exhibits her love for Lord Stanley's Cup!!!!!

Cookie Cutter Ornaments - For Any Holiday!

ALSW — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:09:58 -0800

From Sewing.Org

You can make any holiday celebration special by using selected cookie cutters to decorate with. Cookie cutters are non-denominational and come in any size and shape. A fun winter break project to share with your kids. You can decorate with left over bits of ribbon, small buttons, and small pieces of fabric or felt.

Cookie cutters provide a variety of shapes to be used as patterns for holiday ornaments. To make the patterns simply trace around the cookie cutters and add 1/4 inch (6 mm) seam allowances. Stitch the ornaments wrong sides together and leave the seams exposed for a homespun look.

Make the ornaments from cotton or cotton-blend fabrics. Add decorative details to the ornaments with fabric paints in fine-tip tubes. Hand-paint your own designs or follow the imprints of plastic or metal cookie cutters as a guide for painting the details. For best results in painting, prewash the fabrics to remove sizing.

Practice painting on a scrap of fabric before painting on the ornaments to perfect the painting techniques. To keep the paint flow even, tap the tip of the bottle gently on the table to eliminate air bubbles. Wipe the tip of the bottle often while painting, to prevent paint buildup. If the tip becomes clogged, squeeze the tube to force paint through the tip onto a sheet of paper or a paper towel. If necessary, remove the cape and unclog the tip with a toothpick or needle.

Cutting Directions

Make the patterns (see step 1). For each ornament, cut two pieces from fabric, wrong sides together.

You Will Need:

Scraps of cotton fabric in desired colors
Polyester fiberfill.
9 (23 cm) length of ribbon or cording, for hanger.
Fabric paints in fine-tip tubes, for decorating ornaments.

How to Make a Cookie Cutter Ornament

Transfer cookie-cutter design to paper by tracing around cookie cutter with a pencil; add (6 mm) seam allowances.

Cut fabric pieces for ornaments. Fold ribbon in half to make hanger; glue-baste to top of ornament as shown.

Place the fabric pieces wrong sides together; pin. Stitch (6 mm) from raw edges, using short stitch length; leave 1 (2.5 cm) opening for stuffing.

Stuff ornament with polyester fiberfill; use eraser end of a pencil to push stuffing into smaller area.

Stitch opening closed, using a zipper foot. Trim seam allowance to 1/8 (3 mm), taking care not to trim off hanger.

Add painted details to the ornaments as desired, using fabric paints.

Tips for Making Cookie Cutter Ornaments

Mark stitching lines lightly with pencil or chalk when the seam allowances overlap.

Paint details on ornaments using paint tube as a pencil; keep point on fabric while painting to get the finest line.

Trim around the ornament using pinking shears, if desired, for a decorative edge finish.