From: Becky

My website: http://becky-beckysblabber.blogspot.com/

Subject: Ohio Star

Message Body: Sometimes you just know when to take a break…..

Related Post:

Quilt Block Craft Fail – looks like we were making the same block!

I know, it’s not really fair to leave a project half done and call it a fail.  This itty bitty baby leather shoe didn’t work out, so we parted ways. Except “parting ways” meant I left it in the bottom of my sewing box and forgot about it for 2 years. I recently unearthed it to share it with you!

The shoe is based on the free shoe pattern from Ohelene. Except I made some modifications. Like cutting a freehand weird shape to put on the top front of the shoe, and folding over the top to cover the elastic, instead of using a leather strip casing, like in the tutorial.

My old sewing machine barely sews, too, so there’s that.

I still want to try making these. Maybe this time I’ll follow the directions.

H from DSC

Have you heard of Dotee dolls? They are little art dolls that first appeared on Dot’s Life and Art blog, and have since become international crafting sensations. Elaine M. tried her hand at making a Dotee, and, uh…

From: Elaine M in Australia
Subject: Dottee’s gone ugly////

Message Body:
hmm I’d seen so many cute dottee’s, how hard could it be, I sew, I’m crafty, I don’t need a pattern for these things…

well I have yet to find a swap for “Ugly Dottee’s”

p.s. speaking of ugly, have you heard of the Mighty Ugly project? It’s a movement to make things intentionally ugly and therefore free yourself of frustrating expectations that can crop up when exercising your creativity. Stay tuned for a collaboration between CraftFail and Mighty Ugly.

I recently joined the wide wide world of reusable hygiene products (well, I made some for someone else). In my research on the subject, I came across several free patterns, including one that ingeniously tessellates so there’s no wasted fabric. [Jan Andrea's tessellating pad pattern]

I got my recycled pajama pants and old towels together to create an earth-friendly upcycled product. Well, like many craft failers, I’m not too fussy on the accuracy of cutting (or sewing, apparently — check out the top right edge of the pad), so my first reusable pad (on the right) looked mighty funky when I turned it inside-out. Sort of like Sloth from Goonies.

“Hey you guuuuuuuuuys!”

I didn’t even finish it, but decided to just go the less-refined but more normally shaped route and just zigzag around the raw edges of the outside. I think it looks better that way, although I have since learned that those pointy little wings are standard on a finished tessellating pad.

Hey you guuuuuuuuuys!”

p.s. “tessellating” is when the same piece fits together when it is tiled, and there’s no waste between the pieces.

H from Dollar Store Crafts