Handmade Whiteboard Erasers!

And so begins my attempt to actually post about some cool things I've been working on...well, at least I think they're cool...and this one wins teenager seal of approval!  (A very hard thing to earn indeed ;)

Somewhere, and I forget exactly where, I got the notion of using flannel as a whiteboard eraser.  I use little individual whiteboards in my classrooms.  Recently, I've found myself having students use "big" versions of the showerboard whiteboards for group work.  And, I've started using those old printable transparency sheets as cover sheets so that students can "write on" my multiple choice tests without actually writing on them!

All of these things seem pretty popular with my students, but they left my little erasers (essentially felt glued to a piece of wood) really, really disgusting!  So, it was time for a change.

Washable flannel whiteboard erasers!  No more waste...and they're cute and cuddly.  My students love them.

To make your own:
Cut long strips of flannel 6.5 inches wide, fold right-sides together hot-dog style, and sew a 1/4" seam to create a really long tube.   Press the seam open down the center of the tube and trim to 5" long.

 

Chain sewing, sew across the bottom of each.  Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of each pocket.  Cut the threads, turn right side out, and you'll have these :)

Chop up scraps with a rotary cutter...

 Until they look like this..

By the way...chopping up the scraps was fun for awhile...as I dug through the waste I was reminded of lots of old projects.  However, if you're going to make a class set of these, I recommend doing your wrists a favor and chopping over an extended period of time.

Gather the scraps in a bowl.

Use your scraps to stuff your pockets.  Pack the filling in there pretty good because the kids will take the loft out of them once they get their hands on them.

Use clips or pins when you turn the edges under.  I just did this by hand.

Once you have a bunch queued up, sew a straight seam close to the edge.  Don't forget to backstitch!

Et voila!  (As my French-speaking husband would say)  Your erasers are complete! 



Please comment or share pictures if you make your own :)

Knitting Tips: Blocking your Finished Work

There are many great tricks to having beautiful finished knits.  One of the easiest is blocking.

When your piece is finished, soak it in cool water.  You can also throw in some "no rinse" soap, like Soak.  (Soak is also great for washing all kinds of sweaters!)

Gently squeeze out the piece and roll it in a towel to remove the excess moisture.

Lay flat to dry.  If it's round, try to move it a few times so that you don't dry a crease into it.

The difference is sometimes remarkable.  Here's a few examples:

Before...the orange is unblocked...note the ripply edges from the loose bind-off.

After...nearly as long as the teal cowl.

Lace Ptarmigan cowl before blocking

Smooth, open lace after blocking

You can use blocking to:
-stretch pieces to a desired length
-open up lacework
-straighten funky edges
-get a better sense of gauge by blocking your swatch (nothing worse than a sweater that doubles in size when you wash it!)

DIY Affordable Lazy Kate...Yep...I'm spinning yarn

So...on the trip to Alaska (still needs blogging...oops!) I found a beautiful yarn shop with some beautiful roving.  Which led to me digging out my long dormant spindle and spinning some singles.

I tried plying from a center pull ball and got this...

Then, I tried winding off onto toilet paper (a makeshift bobbin)--and it crushed.  So much for even tension.

Then I tried the knitting needle through a box trick...and got knots.  Blah.  I almost lost the urge to keep spinning.  But after fighting knotting for an hour or so, I did end up with some lovely two ply (and only a mild headache!), so I kept going.

Well, after a nice trip around the web...I ran into some good ideas linked on the Homespun Life blog.  After a few more links I ended up on a Ravelry thread that led me to this inspiring photo.

So, I worked up my own plan, knowing I already needed to go to Home Depot for more moving boxes.

DIY Lazy Kate (and bobbins)

Materials:
3/4"x2" PVC Pipe (I got a 2' piece for $1.34)
1/4" dowel (about $0.75)
4 cabone rings (used for crochet) (~$3)
4 3/8 fender washers ($1)
5/16x3 carriage bolt ($0.32)
5/16 wing nut (you can change the type of bolt and wing nut, as long as they match) ($1.18)
Twine or string
Box with holes in it (try one of those big box stores...mine was from Big Lots)

Tools:
Coping saw (or other handsaw)
Wood glue
Super glue
Emory board

First, I estimated (guessed) the dowel length...make it longer than the width of your box.

Then, make the bobbins.
I cut the PVC about 2" shorter than the box width.  Sand the edges with an emory board (or a metal file if you're lucky enough to have a well stocked tool box.)

Use wood glue to attach two cabone rings together.  Weight with cans (or clamps).

Use super glue to attach the washers to the PVC pipe.  Then, more super glue to add the washers to the cabone rings (bigger washers could've been helpful in this step).  Weight again.

Now, put it all together!  I wound the twine around the cabone rings and estimated where the knot around the bolt should be.  Then you can put the bolt through another hole, add the wing nut, and thighten things up until the tension is right for plying.

There it is, my rigged, affordable Lazy Kate.

I had no idea if this would actually work...but when I'm desperate and highly motivated, things come easier.  Big thanks to Mandy for helping steady the pipe while I cut it!  And big thanks to Mandy's hubby Tom for calling me the MacGyver of Crafts.

Now I just need more singles for plying!

Steph's Surprise! Cute Cork Board Tutorial

So my students and my sister both love my "cork board." (I forgot to take a picture with all my students' cute stuff...I was moving out)

Here's how to make it:

1.) Gather all your materials: (1/2 yard cuts of fabric)  A 1/2 yard is enough to do a pack of four 12x12 cork squares...but I always use multiple colors!

 2.) Cut the cork board into 2 inch strips.

3.) Tack pairs of cork strips together with hot glue.  I use six dots around the edges.

4.) Cut (or tear) your fabric into approx. 4x14" pieces.  I tore a 14" piece off the 1/2 yard cut, then cut it into 4.5" pieces.  I like tearing...it's a welcome change from very detailed quilt cutting.

5.) Anchor both long sides.  Be careful not to burn yourself and do the second side in stages if you want time to pull the fabric taught.

6.) Fold the corners of the ends in and glue in place.

7.) Clean up any hot glue strings and threads and repeat until satisfied!

I use Command brand poster strips to hang these on the wall...one on each end with the tabs sticking out.  You can attach them any way you want!

I'm linking up with T.N.T Thursday since this is my first stab at a crafty tutorial :)

A whole mess of random...

There are SO many things I've been wanting to blog about so I guess I'll use my iPhone photo stream as a guide and go stream of consciousness style...

First: A reminder to myself that I need to do a tutorial on these cool, colorful pieces to adorn classroom walls.  I'm kicking myself for not taking a picture before my students took down all my sentimental drawings and notes that were pinned to these.  One kid liked them so much that he jokingly tried to sneak two out under his shirt :)

 Second: the quilt for Krystal was going strong through Friday when it ground to a screeching halt.  But I did make all the squares and tear off all the freezer paper...

 Then I laid them out various ways and got stuck...should I go with the way the book does them:

 Or this:

 Or maybe this: (update...this is what we chose)

 Or perhaps this...

 All the quilting stopped and prep for the bridal shower began Saturday.  By far the coolest, most unique gift was this from Aunt Cate.  It's so that we never forget starting our lives in DC...

We had a great time at the shower!  The two alloted hours flew by and then most guests stayed late.  So fun!  And Mom's lobster dip and melon bowl were huge hits!  Oh, and she made perfect peanut butter fudge on her first try.  She's amazing.

Some color inspiration arrived in the garden...then Roxy had to investigate.

 Then, after the shower and having free time to work out (lots of cycling with Dad...I'm SO sore!), I could no longer fight the urge to plan how to decorate our new living room in the apartment.  After many trials of suggested palettes, I chose this:

 The green will be the accent wall and I'll use the coffee color and white for this:

It's a four part wall hanging that will sit over our couch in the living room that currently looks like this:

I was inspired by a picture on pinterest that I'm sorry to say is not linked to anyone's blog.  The best trace I can find is here.

I think that about sums up the random...until tomorrow that is...