Fall's Hottest Trend: Car Sweaters!!! (UPDATED)

i was looking at my car the other day and it dawned on me that little ol' subie-doo (my subaru impreza) has been running around town...*gasp*...NAKED! unfortunately, they don't make subie-doo's shirt size in any of my favorite clothing stores...so i had to improvise =) thus, the car sweater idea was born! and, with fall right around the corner, how appropriate would a car sweater be!?!?

with a little creativity, and a trip to my trusty goodwill store, i purchased 11 afghans and started brainstorming the construction of this enormous sweater. i wanted to complete the entire sweater in one day, so thank goodness the weather was bright and sunny on the day of creation! when the sun went down i brought out the head lamp we use for camping - and trudged through the night until i was done!

here's how it all went down:

step 1: layout afghans and arrange in place
step 2: use binder clips to attach seams temporarily
step 3: use serger to sew seams together strategically
step 4: break serger
step 5: use sewing machine to sew seams together strategically
step 6: break sewing machine
step 7: use yarn and a plastic needle to hand sew seams together strategically (for hours and hours and hours)
step 8: step back and admire how cozy your car looks! =)

take a peek at the actual process:

laying out the afghans

lots of trial and error and on-lookers!

here's the finished product being modeled by subie-doo:

lookin' good on the street!

front view of car sweater

rear view of car sweater
(note the antenna is covered too!)

hope you enjoyed the making of the sweater...perhaps your car would like some style this fall too!

~kara

Oh, how I've missed you!

hi there! this past quarter has been a whirlwind!! i have missed the luxuries of free time and especially blogging! i just started my summer quarter this past week and my first assignment in each of my classes was to start a...blog!! i figure if i can manage two blogs for school, then i can squeeze in a new personal blog post here and there! yay!

this past spring quarter i took TYPOGRAPHY and COLOR THEORY. both classes were a.m.a.z.i.n.g! i was sad to see them end...but i learned sooooooo much! in color theory i learned to paint using gouache. that was probably the biggest challenge i have experienced in art school so far. i can only equate the process of learning gouache with learning to speak fluently in a complex language such as japanese! with about four weeks left in the quarter i began to start to grasp the technique needed to create a successful painting. here are some of the paintings i made:

gouache on bristol using triad color system 

gouache on bristol using triad color system

gouache on bristol triptych using tetrad color system (work in progress)

typography was intoxicating for me! call me a nerd, i don't care! i loved every second of that class. while my classmates were fighting the urge to fall asleep...i was on the edge of my seat enthralled by the notions of kearning, leading, specing type, indicating layouts, and much much more! my teacher was very particular that we should learn to appreciate the intricacies of typeface and the rules of typography. he made us ink by hand all of our assignments, and expected nothing less than perfection..."i don't want to see any caca!" was his favorite phrase. i walked out of that class armed with so much applicable knowledge. here is some of my work:

ink on transparency design using symbols, numerals, smart quotes

ink on transparency indicated layout with graphic

ink on transparency leading excercise

ink on transparency indicated/spec'd layout

i got a three week break before my summer quarter began...i crammed it with two trips and a whole lot of zumba! i got to visit my family out in orange county, ca for a week, and also attended the zumba convention in orlando, fl for another week! i also got to create a costume for myself and my mom that we wore to the "glow party" at the zumba convention. the theme of the party was white - the sky was the limit after that! immediately we knew we wanted to be birds for the party so i set off making us some costumes that could be transported easily across the country.

zumba warrior birds =)

i think they turned out great! we fit in perfectly with all the other crazy zumba people!

i just started my summer quarter last week! this quarter i am taking COMPUTER ILLUSTRATION and SURVEY OF DESIGN. i am super excited for both of these classes. you can check out my new class blogs here:

COMPUTER ILLUSTRATION - karabou-illustrations.blogspot.com
SURVEY OF DESIGN - karaboucreations.wordpress.com

speaking of class...i better get back to my homework! it was so good to catch up =) i will try to be better at my blogging habits this quarter...like i said, i have no excuse since i will already be blogging for my two classes! hope you're having a great summer!!

~kara

project REstyle #5: apple print maxi-dress

happy st. patty's day! today is one of my favorite days to go to work...everywhere i look i get to see one of my favorite colors. it's a beautiful sea of green. i absolutely love colors! the thought of living in a color-less, dull environment gives me an anxiety attack =) not only do i need to be surrounded by color, i must have LOTS of color in my wardrobe, probably more than the average person (especially in seattle!).

my next project REstyle has one of the more classic color combos...red and blue. 

sewing is one of my biggest passions...i learned to sew when i was 15, and i immediately fell in love. the fabric that i have collected over the years has grown into quite a collection - but there is ALWAYS room for more! the beauty of fabric is that you never know when or for what you might use it, but it doesn't have an expiration date. i have had several lengths of fabric that lay dormant for many years, but then put to use the moment that perfect idea came along.

while out thrifting, i have to stop by the fabric section. it is an absolute must. you never know what gems will be hiding there, and the prices are amazing! my favorite is when i find a vintage piece of fabric. vintage fabrics are beautiful and it feels like an honor to be the first person to make something out of a piece of fabric that was never used after all those years.

BEFORE: blue, bubble hem dress (from forever 21), vintage apple printed fabric

 

i removed the body of dress, and attached the apple fabric underneath the bodice. i added a pleated detail to go with the draping of the bodice.

AFTER: apple print maxi-dress

 

 i love that this dress mixes old school with new school! i also love the contrast of the fabric textures...one satin and smooth, the other cotton and casual. and of course, the color combo.

 

i will post an outfit pic of this once it warms up some more...along with the t-shirt REstyle. come on spring!!

~kara

p.s. i will not post tomorrow, there is a blogger's day of silence for the earthquake/tsunami victims in japan. more info to follow.

project REstyle #4: REusable corduroy cup sleeve/cozy

i am an avid tea drinker. some people have to have their coffee/ latte/espresso to help them rise and shine...for me it's tea. preferably green tea. and lots of it.

i also like to be responsible when it comes to the amount of waste i create and send out into the already over-filled world. each time i would grab a disposable cup sleeve in the deli at my work, i'd cringe and a little piece of my conscience would wither away...which is why i was determined to make a REusable cup sleeve/cozy! 

i have to admit i am guilty for waiting so long to actually create one of these things, considering how simple they are. i was holding out for that perfect one! and then one day - with project REstyle fresh on my brain - the perfect storm of events took place to give me the inspiration for my dream cozy. 

i was altering a jacket purchased at the goodwill (of course), and as soon as i removed the piece of fabric that was on the back above the pleats, it hit me! this was the perfect shape, size, and fabric for a cozy! my mind started racing with possibilities...and here's what i came up with:

BEFORE: scrap corduroy fabric from jacket alteration, scrap red cording, vintage patch

i measured the shape/fit of the fabric around a cup i had handy, then hand-sewed it in place. then i took the scrap red cording and hot-glued it around the edges for decorative purposes. last, i hot-glued the vintage patch to the center for a finishing touch!

AFTER: REusable corduroy cup sleeve/cozy

i LOVE the finished product, i use it daily! the corduroy is thick enough to protect my fingers from the hottest cups of tea =) added bonus: i get to display the vintage patch that i had hiding in my craft stash for about 10 years!!! i have gotten so many compliments on this around the office and at school...so simple, yet SO useful.

how do you like it?

~kara

project REstyle #1: t-shirt revival

this week i am going to dedicate my posts to one of my favorite hobbies...REpurposing.

let me start by coming clean: "hi, my name is kara. i am addicted to thrift stores." phew! i feel better now that i got that off my chest...as a thrifting junkie, i have an ever-growing, abundant collection of odds-and-ends that i have purchased from second hand stores. every item i purchase has a hidden potential that i am compelled to bring out.

not too long ago, the wonderfully talented elsie over at a beautiful mess started project REstyle, an online challenge "to ReStyle damaged, unwanted or unusable goods into fresh, beautiful pieces!" as soon as i heard the words RE-STYLE how could i resist?! i couldn't believe there were so many out there with my same passion! i have since REpurposed a few pieces that i'd like to share with you...

over the next week, i will be posting my project REstyle projects that i have already completed. starting with my first...

BEFORE: an old mock-turtleneck t-shirt that i have held on to for about 3 years, but never wore once!

i kept this around because i loved the fit and the quality of the fabric, yet didn't find the neckline flattering.

AFTER: with a new scoop neck, and some fringe around the neckline (to add some stability and cuteness)...a new shirt is born! 

as soon as the weather warms up a bit i will post an outfit pic with my new-old t-shirt!

~kara