MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES

• 3-4 ripe avocados
• 2 lemons
• 3½ tablespoons olive oil
• 3½ tablespoons honey
• Handful of rose petals
• 1 cup millet flour

STEP ONE

Take a handful of rose petals and soak them in 3½ tablespoons of olive oil overnight to create a scalp-soothing infusion. You can also use jasmine or lavender for their softening effects, or rosemary or thyme to tone the scalp.

STEP TWO

Mash three to four ripe avocados in a medium-sized bowl. If the mixture is too lumpy, press it through a sieve for a smoother consistency.

STEP THREE

Once ready, remove the rose petals and pour the oil through a sieve to collect the petals or sprigs. Add the rose-infused olive oil to the avocados and blend it into the mixture thoroughly.

CONTINUE READING >

ANDEAN ADVENTURE

“It’s been a dream of mine to bring our creative and fashion-forward DIY community to a beautiful and spiritual place to learn from a culture that’s been crafting for centuries,” Carol Cho, who takes care of business development and partnerships at Kollabora, tells Ecouterre.

The nine-day excursion aims to be a completely authentic, immersive experience.

Most alpaca wool, she says, hails from Peru, so why not head for the source? “It’s difficult for makers to find authentic experiences like these and also the opportunity to travel with a group of makers, DIYers, and fashion enthusiasts just like themselves,” she says. “Think about it like traveling with your future best friends.”

Designed for students or anyone who seeks an adventure off the beaten path, the excursion aims to be a completely authentic, immersive experience. Participants will stay with host families (recruited by Awamaki, a nonprofit that collaborates with indigenous communities to create economic opportunities and improve social well-being), feast on hearty Peruvian meals, visit local museums and ruins, explore bustling markets and craft stalls, and tour the the famed Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.

Kollabora will take care of any supplies, including yarn, colored pencils, paper, and a mini-dictionary of Spanish knitting terminology. The group will also showcase the resulting work, as well as circulate any ideas, developed in partnership with the Rumira artisans, among its members.

The cost of the trip, homestay and most meals included, is $1,799, exclusive of international airfare to and from Cusco, visas, travel or health insurance, and personal purchases.

+ Collaborative Crafting Workshop

+ Kollabora

Making a ring from pocket change may be an old-hat concept by now, but for a web designer with no metalworking experience to take on the task of outfitting his fiancée? Now that takes amore. Michigan resident Richard Crawford decided that a store-bought wedding band would be too impersonal, so he decided to make one himself using a 1945 Canadian silver quarter from eBay. (His bride-to-be, elementary school teacher Sarah Bontinen, is Canadian.) Obviously he had to make do with whatever tools he had, but Crawford was also able to fashion a “very specialized jeweler’s tool” using a spoon and hammer.

SELF-MADE MAN

“I’d been vaguely aware that it was possible to make a ring out of a coin for a while so I did some (extensive) online research to figure out the details and whether or not it would be feasible,” Crawford told the Huffington Post on Monday. “I figured I would give it a shot.”

Crawford intends to create his own wedding band out of a British silver shilling to honor of his birthplace of Scotland.

After drilling a hole in the coin, Crawford used his makeshift instrument to smooth the edges of the coin. Six hours of tapping later, it was the correct width. He then used a Dremel-like tool to widen the hole before sanding the rims and the surface of the ring to give it a clean finish.

Unfortunately, Crawford wasn’t able to maintain the element of surprise, since he knew the metallic tapping noise would give him away. “[Bontinen] seemed enthusiastic but a little skeptical in that way that people are when you tell them that you’re going to hit a coin with a hammer until it becomes a wedding ring,” he said. “She was pleasantly surprised when she saw the finished product.”

Crawford is so pleased with the result, in fact, that he intends to create his own wedding band out of a British silver shilling to honor of his birthplace of Scotland. “I’m a firm believer that you can accomplish anything if you tackle it sensibly and put the effort in,” he said.

+ DIY Wedding Ring

[Via Huffington Post]

As liberating as abandoning ye olde office cubicle sounds, working out of a café, library, or other public or coworking space can leave even the most focused person distracted and open to prying eyes. Electronics guru Becky Stern has an unusual solution: a knitted garment that fits around your head and your laptop like an oversized sock or cocoon. Sure, you’ll undoubtedly draw quizzical stares, but what price privacy and peace—even at the risk of looking like Mr. Snuffleupagus?

SOCKTOPUS

Okay, we’ll level with you. Stern isn’t exactly in earnest. Her “Compubody” garment is more of a statement on our relationship with technology than a marketable product. (Instructions to knit one are available on Instructables, however, if you’re so inclined.)

The Compubody sock is a commentary on our attachment to our computers.

Rather, she explains, it’s a “fun commentary on how attached and concentrated on technology we are, and to highlight the lack of movement that happens when we’re engrossed in our laptops, keyboards, PDAs, etc.” Stern adds: “I plan on making many more and would be curious what ideas fellow crafters might have for different iterations.”

The Compubody is part of a larger collection of satirical knits, including the “Ski Mask for Eating a Sandwich,” the “Cellphone Ski Mask,” and marginally more useful, at least for touch typists, a keyboard cozy that keeps your hands warm as you type.

TakersMakers, anyone?

+ Laptop Compubody Sock

+ Sternlab

MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES

Add instant oomph to an ordinary pair of pumps or flats with a set of shoe clips that fickle pickles can swap at will.

+ DIY Ruffled Shoe Clips

+ Capitol Romance

TIE ONE ON

Help your favorite l’ll mister clean up nicely with a dapper bow tie that’s as much a cinch to make as it is to tie on.

+ DIY Bow Tie

+ Delia Creates

ZIP IT GOOD

Busted zipper? Upcycle it into a wrist cuff that’s one part Park Avenue socialite, one part biker chick.

+ DIY Zipper Bracelet

+ Study NY

KODAK MOMENT

For would-be paparazzo in your life, a camera-coddling wool wrap is the money shot you’re looking for. Bonus points if you get ahold of a Pendleton wool remnant.

+ DIY Camera Wrap

+ Wood & Faulk

STONE COLD FOX

Don’t know much about geology? For less than $10 and under an hour, whip up an attention-tugging cocktail ring that looks like a million bucks.

+ DIY Geode Ring

+ Dismount Creative

MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES

• Old Christmas lights
• Pliers
• French hooks
• Necklace chain
• Jump rings
• Thumbtack
• Wire and beads (optional)

TO MAKE EARRINGS

1. Remove lights from Christmas strand. Take your tack and poke a hole through the plastic end part of the light.

2. Thread a jump ring through the hole.

3. Thread the French hook through the jump ring and close up with a pair of pliers. Repeat for the other earring. Then, dress up your ears with their shiny new holiday gear!

Optional: Instead of using a jump ring, string wire through the hole and twist the two ends together. Thread both ends through a colorful bead. Loop the ends of the wire onto a French hook and you’ve made your own earrings.

TO MAKE A NECKLACE

Follow steps 1 and 2 for earrings. Then string a necklace through the jump ring. String it around your neck and you’ll be wearing a necklace that really shines.

Here’s a bright idea: Transform a whole strand of lights into great gifts for all of the lovely ladies this year. Making projects like this yourself will make it easy on your holiday budget and will help you show off your upcycling style.

Originally published on December 8, 2009.

There’s a reason why sewing machines are gathering dust in attics and basements across the country. They’re big, bulky, and awkward to lug around. In lieu of the unwieldy behemoths we’re accustomed to, London-based designer Richard Burrow proposes a compact sewing machine that folds flat for ease of mobility and storage. Designed to encourage people to mend rather than toss damaged clothing, the foldable contraption fits easily on a bookshelf or in a bag for toting on the go. Don’t inundate Burrow with offers to buy the device just yet, however—he still has to work out a few kinks before he can bring it to market.

+ Foldable Sewing Machine

+ Richard Burrow

Make do and unmend? Meet the “un-knitting” machine, a pedal-powered apparatus designed to recycle unwanted knitwear. The curious contraption is the brainchild of Imogen Hedges, a London-based product-and-furniture designer who discovered that charity shops sometimes spend hours unraveling sweaters by hand. “They can make more money out of selling the wool than they can from the sweaters,” says the Kingston University graduate, one of a select group of student designers exhibiting at the The National Centre for Craft & Design this month.

YARN AGAIN

Built around an old bicycle frame, Hedges’s machine requires little more than a well-oiled pair of legs to run. The “un-knitter” sits on a chair on one end, unraveling the garment as it’s pulled along the circumference of the wheel. Wool, which retains its elasticity better than other fibers, works best, as do knits derived from continuous lengths of fiber. To eliminate kinks, the yarn passes through the steam of a electric kettle. Finally, it finds its way to a hand-cranked spindle, where it’s rewound into a ball for re-knitting.

“With my machine you’d be able to take them apart and knit something new.” Hedges says.

“My grandmother spent a lot of time knitting sweaters but my mum threw them all away once we’d outgrown them because she didn’t think anyone would want them,” Hedges says. “With my machine you’d be able to take them apart and knit something new.”

Hedges’s machine will be on display at the National Centre’s roof gallery from November 10 to January 6.

+ Press Release

+ Kingston University

[Via Sass Brown]

MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES

• Two medium-sized silk or satin scarves
• Cotton thread in a coordinating color
• Scissors
• Sewing needle
• Pins
• Measuring tape
• Body form (optional)

STEP ONE

Before you begin, steam or iron your scarves. This will prevent creasing or wrinkling while you’re working on them.

STEP TWO

With the right-side up, fold the first (front) scarf in half to locate the center. Insert a pin on the edge of the fabric to serve as a reference point.

STEP THREE

To add a notch on the shoulder, measure 11 inches from the outer edge, and pin it. Repeat both steps with the second (back) scarf.

STEP FOUR

Drape and pin the front scarf over the body form. (Tip: Use the pinned center and shoulder notches as reference points.)

STEP FIVE

Take the back piece of the scarf dress, join the back shoulder notch overlapping the front shoulder notch, pivot the back at an angle, and secure it with pins.

CONTINUE READING >

MARK ZUCKERBERG

Score your share of “likes” by aping Facebook’s beleaguered boy-king.

COSTUME COMPONENTS

• Gray T-shirt
• Hoodie
• Jeans
• Adidas fip-flops
• Downcast expression

MADELINE

Dress up as everyone’s favorite Parisian schoolgirl with this frighteningly fuss-free ensemble.

COSTUME COMPONENTS

• Navy blue cape
• White shirt (Peter Pan collar preferable)
• Yellow hat
• Red scarf or kerchief
• School satchel

FORTUNE TELLER

Is this fortune-teller’s ensemble in your future? Let’s peer into the mists of time—or the back of your wardrobe. Bonus: Substitute the tarot cards for an eye patch and knee-high boots and yar be sailing the high seas, me hearty.

COSTUME COMPONENTS

• Peasant blouse
• Maxi-skirt
• Headscarf
• Waist wrap
• Oversized hoop earrings
• Tarot cards

Here’s a bit of news that made us spit out our afternoon coffee: Reigning craft queen Martha Stewart recently admitted that she customizes her Christian Louboutin shoes by painting their signature red soles black. “I don’t like them red, even though they’re [Louboutin's] trademark,” she told InStyle at the American Made Awards on Tuesday. “But he doesn’t mind. He said it’s okay if I do that—I asked him!” What do you think, shoe fans? Is her DIY touch brilliant or blasphemous?

PREVIOUSLY ON ECOUTERRE: Women Paint Their Soles Red for the Louboutin Look

[Via Refinery29]

Gaspard Tiné-Berès’s “Lasso” house slipper is a shoe you assemble yourself. Made of a single piece of die-cut wool felt, the shoe is shipped flat with a single colored shoelace. Don’t worry if you were born all thumbs—even the least dextrous among us is capable of “stitching” up the seams using the laser-perforated notches as a guide. “The act of self-assembling the slippers increases the sense of ownership and emotional connection with them,” Tiné-Berès, whose work was on display at the Royal College of Art’s Design for the Real World exhibit at the London Design Festival in September. “[It also] allows for personalization through the choice of laces used,” he adds.

+ Lasso $30 at IndieGoGo

+ Gaspard Tiné-Berès

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/lasso-a-flat-pack-wool-felt-slipper-you-assemble-yourself/feed/ 0 http://www.ecouterre.com/alto-an-intuitive-sewing-machine-that-encourages-making-do-and-mending/ http://www.ecouterre.com/alto-an-intuitive-sewing-machine-that-encourages-making-do-and-mending/#comments Wed, 29 Aug 2012 19:00:45 +0000 Jasmin Malik Chua http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=69231
Read the rest of Alto: An Intuitive Sewing Machine That Encourages “Make Do and Mending” © Ecouterre, 2012. | Permalink | 34 comments | Add to del.icio.us]]>

A STITCH IN TIME

An international student design competition running in 18 countries, the James Dyson Award is part of the James Dyson Foundation’s mission to encourage emerging designers to “create, challenge, and invent.” Its brief: Design something that solves a problem.

Dickins took issue with her generation’s careless relationship with clothing, which is more frequently tossed than mended.

Dickins, for her part, takes issue with her generation’s careless relationship with clothing, which is more frequently tossed than mended. Most conventional sewing machines, however, have a steep learning curve.

“Observations and interviews with beginners and their instructors highlighted issues which are off-putting for the first-time user,” she says. “Beginners often get ‘lost’ whilst threading the machine and find coordinating the foot pedal and fabric movement difficult when controlling stitch speed. A lack of room for fabric on the right of the needle and poor visibility of the sewing area were also highlighted.”

Her solution was a product that not only demanded to be placed in full view but also simplified manipulation for novices.

But even sewing veterans may be loathe to haul out their machines for re-hemming or other small repairs. “Far from the iconic Singer machine which sits proudly displayed on the sideboard, the modern day sewing machine is more often consigned to the under-stairs cupboard,” Dickins adds.

Her solution is a product that not only demands to be placed in full view but also simplifies manipulation for novices. A metal guide that runs from reel to needle, for instance, makes threading a cinch, while pressure sensors along the needle plate and in the rubber foot allow the beginner to control the machine’s speed in a manner that’s natural and intuitive. A flexible drive shaft replaces the traditional pulley system to create Alto’s distinctive arch, increasing room for fabric and improving workspace visibility.

Feedback from the Alto prototype’s trial run has been overwhelmingly positive. Volunteers described the experience as “very natural,” agreeing that “you automatically know how to use it.”

+ Alto

+ James Dyson Award

[Via Yanko Design]

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/alto-an-intuitive-sewing-machine-that-encourages-making-do-and-mending/feed/ 34 http://www.ecouterre.com/customize-a-silk-scarf-with-textile-arts-centers-plant-based-solar-dye-kit/ http://www.ecouterre.com/customize-a-silk-scarf-with-textile-arts-centers-plant-based-solar-dye-kit/#comments Wed, 29 Aug 2012 12:00:07 +0000 Owyn Ruck, Textile Arts Center http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=69214
Natural dyeing might feel confusing. From mordants, pH levels, and various fibers—there’s a lot of information to absorb. But it doesn’t have to be intimidating. Enter the Textile Arts Center. This summer, we introduced a new line of do-it-yourself kits that allows just about anyone to customize a silk scarf using walnut hulls, birch, or [...]]]>

Natural dyeing might feel confusing. From mordants, pH levels, and various fibers—there’s a lot of information to absorb. But it doesn’t have to be intimidating. Enter the Textile Arts Center. This summer, we introduced a new line of do-it-yourself kits that allows just about anyone to customize a silk scarf using walnut hulls, birch, or madder and the power of the sun. These solar-dyeing kits are great for a project at home, or as a gift, and provide the user with the knowledge to reproduce the results over and over.

PLANTS TO DYE FOR

MADDER ROOT: Madder (Rubia tinctoria) is native to Europe, but similar species grow around the world. The roots of the mature plant are rich in red dyes and can be used to color fabric. Madder is one of the oldest natural dye materials, in use for more than 2,000 years.

BIRCH LEAVES: Birch trees (Betula sp.) can be found nearly all around the world, including urban settings and often as a decorative tree. The leaves are rich in yellow dyes, while the bark of the tree will yield pink colors. Collect the windfall leaves to use for dyeing.

WALNUT HULLS: The leaves and nut hulls of the walnut tree (Juglans sp.) have been used to dye fabric for centuries, and are both rich in yellow and brown dyes. Collect the windfall leaves and husks to use for dyeing.

MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES

Inside your solar-dyeing kit you’ll find a pre-washed 35-square-inch silk scarf, natural dye material, and alum mordant. (Note: Alum, or aluminum sulfate, is a naturally occurring, low-toxicity mineral used in pickling and as fertilizer. Use caution when handling, however. Avoid exposure to skin and do not inhale.)

CONTINUE READING >

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/customize-a-silk-scarf-with-textile-arts-centers-plant-based-solar-dye-kit/feed/ 0 http://www.ecouterre.com/make-over-your-back-to-school-wardrobe-with-natural-dyes-diy-tutorial/ http://www.ecouterre.com/make-over-your-back-to-school-wardrobe-with-natural-dyes-diy-tutorial/#comments Fri, 24 Aug 2012 18:00:49 +0000 Rebecca Burgess http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=69027
Welcome to “Local Color,” a new column by author and textile artist Rebecca Burgess. The dry summer afternoons of Northern California have inspired the spray of the hose, colanders full of freshly harvested blackberries, and post-lunch respites under the shade of fully laden walnut trees. These are the days we spend together as families and [...]]]>

Welcome to “Local Color,” a new column by author and textile artist Rebecca Burgess.

The dry summer afternoons of Northern California have inspired the spray of the hose, colanders full of freshly harvested blackberries, and post-lunch respites under the shade of fully laden walnut trees. These are the days we spend together as families and friends, savoring the last moments before the school doors open. To honor the threshold between dirt and desks, I came up with a do-it-yourself back-to-school wardrobe project for the children who come to the “farm camps” I help host. It’s an easy, and instantaneously successful T-shirt makeover that will mask all plum and watermelon juice stains that may have accumulated over the last few months.

A PAGE FROM HISTORY

Direct from the recipe books of Leonardo da Vinci, this project is based upon a very old Renaissance ink concoction, traditionally made from iron shavings and oak galls. The natural dye world is filled with amazing reactions that occur between metal ions and plant pigments. Among the most fascinating is the reaction between iron and tannin, a compound found in wine, green tea, persimmons, oak galls, walnut husks, acorns, and a host of other plant species.

This project is based upon a very old Renaissance ink concoction, traditionally made from iron shavings and oak galls.

Depending on the variety of tannin used, myriad variations of purple, slate, and gray emerge from their alchemical collision. It’s this chemical reaction that produced the dark shades of ink that Renaissance artists used to sketch scenes from the natural world with great clarity.

MAKING THE DYE

For this recipe, I created two variations with different sources of tannin: one from green tea and the other from a powdered oak gall. (I suggest experimenting with sources of tannin that you might find in your own neck of the woods.)

Husks, galls, and dried skins can be pulverized into a powder for use throughout the year.

Tannins are often infused into the part of the plant that is used to deter insects. The husk of walnut and macadamia nuts, the skins of pomegranate and grapes, and the material the oak trees use to encase the gall wasp, are all examples of natural materials that plants create as protection against external conditions.

I enjoy harvesting oak galls as they drop to the ground here in Northern California in the late summer. To keep an available stock of oak gall tannin, I blend the galls in a high-speed blender and store the powder for later use
throughout the year.

To create a quick dye concoction useful for a workshop environment, mix a small tablespoon of oak gall powder and a couple of teaspoons of iron powder with a gallon or two of steamy hot water. Your dye pot will yield hues ranging from lavender to very dark grayish-black, depending on the type of fiber you are dyeing. This dye pot is just a watered-down version of the original Renaissance ink recipes.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN: You can purchase both iron powder and organic gum (used to thicken natural dye substances) at art-supply stores that carry dyeing supplies, including Botanic Colors online.

You can also make your own “iron water” by tossing a handful of rusty objects into a ½-gallon jar of water. Add ¼ cup of white vinegar and place the jar in the sun for several days, mixing well before use. Because it’s hard to determine the strength of your particular iron water, however, results will vary. For very accurate results, use iron powder.

GET THE RECIPES >

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/make-over-your-back-to-school-wardrobe-with-natural-dyes-diy-tutorial/feed/ 1 http://www.ecouterre.com/amazing-lego-mechanical-loom-weaves-actual-fabric-video/ http://www.ecouterre.com/amazing-lego-mechanical-loom-weaves-actual-fabric-video/#comments Wed, 01 Aug 2012 17:00:02 +0000 Jasmin Malik Chua http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=67631
An expert Lego Technic builder, Nicolas Lespour has turned what many consider child’s play into a full-fledged career. Latest among his toys? An automated mechanical loom that weaves fabric from multiple bobbins of colored yarn. Presented on Monday at Fana’Briques 2012, a convention Lego enthusiasts organize annually in Rosheim, France, Lespour’s invention comprises 20,000 individual [...]]]>

An expert Lego Technic builder, Nicolas Lespour has turned what many consider child’s play into a full-fledged career. Latest among his toys? An automated mechanical loom that weaves fabric from multiple bobbins of colored yarn. Presented on Monday at Fana’Briques 2012, a convention Lego enthusiasts organize annually in Rosheim, France, Lespour’s invention comprises 20,000 individual Lego components, including a fly-shuttle mechanism that delivers the weft into the warp with little human intervention.

BUILD-A-LOOM

“The system is very simple,” writes the French engineering student in a blog post. “A lever rotates on the primary shaft and makes contact with a cam one time per revolution. When this cam is pushed, it pulls on a rod which operates the main pushed system (green beam). This device allows the system to push the shuttle during the overall crossing through the threads. Even if the slider is a bit smaller, the reed is a bit wrong placed or the threads are a bit not enough tight, the shuttle is forced to pass through. Thanks to that, the system is always in contact with the shuttle, resulting in a significantly increasing of reliability.”

Lespour’s invention comprises 20,000 individual Lego components, including a fly-shuttle mechanism.

Not that his loom will amount to anything more than a diversion, of course—at least, in its current permutation. “After two days of weaving, 70 meters of thread, the result is a 8×40-centimeter fabric, not enough for a sock.”

+ Lego Mechanical Loom

+ Nicolas Lespour

[Via Make]

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/amazing-lego-mechanical-loom-weaves-actual-fabric-video/feed/ 0 http://www.ecouterre.com/crafty-bride-hand-knits-her-wedding-gown-for-less-than-200/ http://www.ecouterre.com/crafty-bride-hand-knits-her-wedding-gown-for-less-than-200/#comments Tue, 31 Jul 2012 21:00:08 +0000 Jasmin Malik Chua http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=67583
Photos by Jonathan Pow For bride-to-be Lydia Tayler, hunting down the perfect wedding dress took no time at all. Putting it together, however, was a different matter. The owner of a yarn store in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, Tayler spent four months knitting the 100,000 stitches that made up the intricate lace sheath. “Knitting is a [...]]]>

Photos by Jonathan Pow

For bride-to-be Lydia Tayler, hunting down the perfect wedding dress took no time at all. Putting it together, however, was a different matter. The owner of a yarn store in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, Tayler spent four months knitting the 100,000 stitches that made up the intricate lace sheath. “Knitting is a huge part of my life and I always knew I would want it to form some part of our wedding,” Tayler told the Daily Mail. “The dress is the hardest, and most important, garment I have ever made but I’m so glad I did it.”

DIY WEDDING

Derived from an ultrafine blend of mohair, merino wool, and nylon—it’s lined with silk—the dress cost only £200 ($313) to make, a far cry from the thousands of dollars most women pony up for their dream gowns.

Tayler knows no off-the-rack gown will ever compare to her handmade creation.

Tayler, who first picked up the knitting needles at the age of six, knows no off-the-rack gown will ever compare to her handmade creation. “Designing and knitting your own things is a way of creating something unique,” she said. “No one will ever have a wedding dress just like mine.”

[Via Daily Mail]

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/crafty-bride-hand-knits-her-wedding-gown-for-less-than-200/feed/ 0 http://www.ecouterre.com/swine-studios-portable-dyers-workshop-is-brim-full-of-seasonal-plants/ http://www.ecouterre.com/swine-studios-portable-dyers-workshop-is-brim-full-of-seasonal-plants/#comments Thu, 19 Jul 2012 18:13:04 +0000 Jasmin Malik Chua http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=66975
Studio Swine’s bamboo-derived “seed socks” aren’t just comfy foot coverings, they’re also a gateway product into the world of do-it-yourself natural dyes. Distributed from a portable dyer’s workshop, which resembles a traveling salesman’s sample trunk, each hand-dipped pair includes a pack of seeds, plus instructions on how to cultivate and create your own plant-based dyes. [...]]]>

Studio Swine’s bamboo-derived “seed socks” aren’t just comfy foot coverings, they’re also a gateway product into the world of do-it-yourself natural dyes. Distributed from a portable dyer’s workshop, which resembles a traveling salesman’s sample trunk, each hand-dipped pair includes a pack of seeds, plus instructions on how to cultivate and create your own plant-based dyes. The valise itself houses seasonal New York botanicals and the necessary tools to turn them into a palette of vibrant colors.

PLANTING SEEDS

“The process of natural dying can be achieved on a kitchen stove with pans and readily available ingredients,” says Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves, Studio Swine’s founders, who developed the project on commission for New York Fashion Week. “‘Seed socks’ aims to instigate the cultivation of dye plants on the windowsills and in the disused gaps throughout the city culminating in a plethora of colorful socks on the streets.”

“‘Seed socks’ aims to instigate the cultivation of dye plants,” says Studio Swine’s founders.

Below, Studio Swine’s recipe for blackberry dye:

1. Pick some blackberries.

2. Mix water and sea salt (16:1), put the socks into the mixture, and bring it to a boil. When it begins to boil, turn the heat off and leave the socks to soak in the salt water for one hour. Give the socks a rinse.

3. Add the blackberries to some water (1:4). Cook the mixture for 30 minutes, remove the pot from the heat, and mash the berries. Let the mixture boil for another 30 minutes and strain the pulp. When there’s no more pulp in the juice, bring it to a boil again. Pour the mixture into a beaker and dip the pre-prepared socks. Leave them to soak for five hours.

4. Take the socks out of the dye and rinse them in a solution of water and vinegar. Hang them to dry.

+ Seed Socks

+ Studio Swine

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/swine-studios-portable-dyers-workshop-is-brim-full-of-seasonal-plants/feed/ 0 http://www.ecouterre.com/hair-chalking-gives-your-mane-temporary-color-sans-harsh-chemicals/ http://www.ecouterre.com/hair-chalking-gives-your-mane-temporary-color-sans-harsh-chemicals/#comments Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:00:34 +0000 Lori Zimmer http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=66550
Photo by The Private Room Feeling a little wild today? Why not work a colorful streak (or two, or three) into your mane without the commitment—not to mention toxicity—of semi-permanent hair dyes? “Hair chalking,” Hollywood’s latest obsession, is as easy as it sounds. No fancy concoctions, expensive stylists, or complicated instructions are necessary: Simply grab [...]]]>

Photo by The Private Room

Feeling a little wild today? Why not work a colorful streak (or two, or three) into your mane without the commitment—not to mention toxicity—of semi-permanent hair dyes? “Hair chalking,” Hollywood’s latest obsession, is as easy as it sounds. No fancy concoctions, expensive stylists, or complicated instructions are necessary: Simply grab a few sticks of soft pastel chalk from your art-supply box and rub the desired color onto your hair. The do-it-yourself “treatment” lasts for a day or two or until your next shampoo, whichever comes first.

Photo by The Private Room

MANE ATTRACTION

Like dry-shampoo powders, the color-chalk particles cling to the dirt and oil in your hair. Spraying your hair with water can also help it absorb the pigment better—that is, unless you have fair hair, in which case the chalk could stain and be difficult to remove.

Like dry shampoos, the color-chalk particles cling to the dirt and oil in your hair.

But even someone who’s all thumbs can partake of the technique. Salons such as The Private Room in Beverly Hills are trading Sally Beauty Supply for Dick Blick and adding hair-chalking to their list of services. “What’s great about hair chalking is that it’s completely temporary,” Tina Dizon, owner of The Private Room told the Los Angeles Times. “You put it on, you put on your alter ego, have a fun night out and you can be conservative or not, professional or not, and still change your look within seconds. And then it comes out the next day. It’s so noncommittal.”

When it comes to the brand of chalk, hair professionals such as Kristin Ess, whose clients include reality-star-turned-designer Lauren Conrad, swear by Sennelier. Because the French company uses a finer-grade chalk, its sticks promote the smooth application of color without caking. Whatever you do, don’t confuse chalk pastels for oil pastels—removing the latter is next to impossible.

One caveat: Self-chalking your hair can quickly turn into a disastrous mess if you’re not prepared. Experts suggest wearing clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, twisting your hair before chalking (the texture helps the pigment to stick), or finishing with hair spray to seal in the color. “I have clients who see that their kids are doing it and they want to try it, but without feeling like they’re trying too hard, so we might put just a peek of color at the nape of the neck,” Dizon said. “For brunets, we can actually use caramel colors as if they were highlights…whether it’s a caramel-golden highlight or a reddish-copperish highlight.”

To wash the colors out, Dizon recommends using a clarifying shampoo, then conditioning those follicles like your life depended on it.

[Via Los Angeles Times]

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/hair-chalking-gives-your-mane-temporary-color-sans-harsh-chemicals/feed/ 1 http://www.ecouterre.com/fake-out-fashion-women-paint-their-soles-red-to-get-the-louboutin-look/ http://www.ecouterre.com/fake-out-fashion-women-paint-their-soles-red-to-get-the-louboutin-look/#comments Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:00:51 +0000 Yuka Yoneda http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=66385
Photo by Shutterstock Why fork out $900 for a pair of Christian Louboutins when you can whip up your own red-soled kicks with a $3 tester pot of paint? That’s the question many savvy—and cash-strapped—Brits have arrived at, according to a U.K. home-improvement retailer. Not only have sales of Duracoat’s “Flame” and “Show Stopper” increased [...]]]>

Photo by Shutterstock

Why fork out $900 for a pair of Christian Louboutins when you can whip up your own red-soled kicks with a $3 tester pot of paint? That’s the question many savvy—and cash-strapped—Brits have arrived at, according to a U.K. home-improvement retailer. Not only have sales of Duracoat’s “Flame” and “Show Stopper” increased by 40 percent compared with the year before, claims Homebase, but the uptick is the result of women cribbing the French shoemaker’s signature red soles. Will the mini-movement make its way across the Atlantic? Lowe’s and Home Depot, you have been warned.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

RED OR DEAD?

Peter Rooney, manager at the Homebase store in Acton, London, said sales of the paint have “rocketed.” “Many people tend to look at magazines to get the right paint color for walls and furniture, but we’ve noticed significant numbers of girls color-matching tester pots to pictures of designer shoes in fashion magazines,” he told the Telegraph.”They have also asked staff for tips on how to paint on leather or rubber.”

In 1992, Louboutin painted the bottom of a pair of shoes with an assistant’s nail polish to give them more “energy.”

Recreating the Louboutin look is ridiculously easy: Louboutin famously came up with the idea in 1992 when he painted the bottom of a pair of shoes with an assistant’s nail polish to give them more “energy.” Before he knew it, flashing a red sole became the identifier of the rarified elite, so much so that the designer has fought tooth and nail to protect his trademark.

For would-be do-it-yourselfers, Homebase senior paint buyer Richard Johnson offers the following tip: “The tester pots would have enough paint to cover the sole of an average-sized shoe, but we would advise people to ensure they do apply it properly so it can achieve a really good visual effect.” YouTube is also a treasure trove of ways to achieve the coveted look for less.

[Via Daily Mail]

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/fake-out-fashion-women-paint-their-soles-red-to-get-the-louboutin-look/feed/ 0 http://www.ecouterre.com/whip-up-wool-and-the-gangs-knitted-bracelets-in-less-than-five-minutes/ http://www.ecouterre.com/whip-up-wool-and-the-gangs-knitted-bracelets-in-less-than-five-minutes/#comments Mon, 02 Jul 2012 22:00:31 +0000 Jasmin Malik Chua http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=65900
Now that school’s out for summer, relive your misspent youth by turning leftover bits and bobs—remnant yarn, strips from an old T-shirt, odd lengths of ribbon—into grownup friendship bracelets that would score points even with the most jaded of camp counselors. Click below the fold for the instructions, courtesy of Wool and the Gang, a [...]]]>

Now that school’s out for summer, relive your misspent youth by turning leftover bits and bobs—remnant yarn, strips from an old T-shirt, odd lengths of ribbon—into grownup friendship bracelets that would score points even with the most jaded of camp counselors. Click below the fold for the instructions, courtesy of Wool and the Gang, a fair-trade do-it-yourself and ready-to-wear apparel brand, and designer Nina Rich.

MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES

• 1 ball of Wool and the Gang’s 100 percent pima cotton yarn
• 1 pair of size 8, 10, or 15 knitting needles
• 1 knitter’s sewing needle
• Strips of assorted fabric for customization

CUSTOMIZATION IDEAS

• Scrap leather
• Silver or gold chains
• Strips of denim
• Strips of chiffon
• Neon ribbon

SIZE 8 (5MM) NEEDLES
1. Cast on 28 stitches with one strand of cotton.
2. Introduce a strip of customization, cast off with yarn and customization strip together.
3. Sew the ends together with the knitter’s sewing needle.

SIZE 10 (8MM) NEEDLES
1. Cast on 25 stitches with two strands of cotton at the same time.
2. Introduce a strip of customization, cast off with yarn and customizaton strip together.
3. Sew the ends together with the knitter’s sewing needle.

SIZE 15 (10MM) NEEDLES
1. Cast on 20 stitches with four strands of cotton at the same time.
2. Introduce a strip of customization, cast off with yarn and customization strip together.
3. Sew the ends together with the knitter’s sewing needle.

+ Nina Rich Bracelets

+ Wool and the Gang

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/whip-up-wool-and-the-gangs-knitted-bracelets-in-less-than-five-minutes/feed/ 0 http://www.ecouterre.com/5-ways-to-recycle-an-old-necktie-into-a-last-minute-fathers-day-gift/ http://www.ecouterre.com/5-ways-to-recycle-an-old-necktie-into-a-last-minute-fathers-day-gift/#comments Sat, 16 Jun 2012 12:00:12 +0000 Tiffany Threadgould http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=64459
Read the rest of 5 Ways to Recycle an Old Necktie Into a Last-Minute Father’s Day Gift © Ecouterre, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us]]> ]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/5-ways-to-recycle-an-old-necktie-into-a-last-minute-fathers-day-gift/feed/ 0 http://www.ecouterre.com/tori-spelling-launches-diy-jewelry-collection-at-jo-ann-michaels-stores/ http://www.ecouterre.com/tori-spelling-launches-diy-jewelry-collection-at-jo-ann-michaels-stores/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 12:00:43 +0000 Beth Shea http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=62765
Read the rest of Tori Spelling Launches DIY Jewelry Collection at Jo-Ann, Michaels Stores © Ecouterre, 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us]]>

NEW TERRI-TORI

Spelling designed the individual components herself, but it’s up to you to mix and match the assortment of necklace tops, bottoms, and pendant accents using different connectors. The modular nature of each piece means you can make modifications on the fly, creating looks that are as at home in the boardroom as they are on the dance floor.

Spelling designed the individual components herself, but it’s up to you to mix and match them.

“We are very excited about this partnership with Tori Spelling,” says Scott Catan, vice president of Darice, the craft distributor that helped bring Styled by Tori Spelling to fruition. “Her passion for both jewelry and crafting has resulted in a special line that will allow customers to style their own personal jewelry looks with ease.”

Spelling, for her part, can’t wait to unleash everyone’s inner designer. “I love designing jewelry and I love crafting,” she says. “With this line, I’ve combined both my passions. I give the styles and tools, and women can use their creativity to design their own jewelry!”

+ Styled by Tori Spelling

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/tori-spelling-launches-diy-jewelry-collection-at-jo-ann-michaels-stores/feed/ 1 http://www.ecouterre.com/make-your-own-natural-cosmetics-with-herban-crafts-diy-kits/ http://www.ecouterre.com/make-your-own-natural-cosmetics-with-herban-crafts-diy-kits/#comments Sun, 13 May 2012 12:00:50 +0000 Michelle Lloyd http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=62450
If you’ve longed to make your own beauty products but don’t care for the hassle of hunting down pages of ingredients, Herban Crafts will do the legwork for you. The Washington, D.C.-based company plans to launch its inaugural range of DIY kits in June, but it still requires additional seed money to kick production into [...]]]>

If you’ve longed to make your own beauty products but don’t care for the hassle of hunting down pages of ingredients, Herban Crafts will do the legwork for you. The Washington, D.C.-based company plans to launch its inaugural range of DIY kits in June, but it still requires additional seed money to kick production into gear. Currently raising money through IndieGoGo, Herban Crafts is clear about its mission. Besides eschewing chemical-laden dyes, fragrances, and preservatives in favor of organic and fair-trade botanicals, the business will also employ undeserved women in the D.C. area, providing jobs training to help them reenter the work force at a later date.

MAKE IT WORK

Herban Crafts has six different kits in the works: a body scrub, fizzing bath salts, a mint cocoa lip balm, a bath tea facial steam, herbal soap, and a citrus spice cologne.

Herban Crafts’ ingredients have been chosen to minimize allergic reactions.

Packaged in a recycled—and recyclable—cardboard tote, with minimal plastic packaging, each kit includes everything you need to make two products, including ingredients, recipes, and information about the featured herbs. Herban Crafts’ ingredients have been chosen to minimize allergic reactions. Plus, all essential oils are safe for children and pregnant women, making them perfect for sharing with a friend, crafting with kids, or giving as gifts.

The kits will retail at $34.95 each, but you can get in at ground level by contributing as little as $5 through IndieGoGo. Donating additional sums unlocks a series of goodies, including your choice of one or more kits. All proceeds will go towards purchasing ingredients and packaging, printing, marketing, and hands-on training.

“Our mission is multi-fold,” says Mary Kearns and Karen Lee, the company’s founders. “[We want] to promote beauty and self-care while supporting the health and well-being of people and the planet, and to help address the problem of unemployment, a contributing factor to homelessness.”

+ Herban Crafts on IndieGoGo

+ Herban Crafts

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/make-your-own-natural-cosmetics-with-herban-crafts-diy-kits/feed/ 1 http://www.ecouterre.com/u-k-mechanic-builds-iron-man-costume-from-cardboard-fiberglass/ http://www.ecouterre.com/u-k-mechanic-builds-iron-man-costume-from-cardboard-fiberglass/#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 12:00:34 +0000 Jasmin Malik Chua http://www.ecouterre.com/?p=61969
Avengers assemble, indeed. Mark Pearson, a car mechanic in West Yorkshire, spent 14 months constructing an Iron Man costume from 400 sheets of fiberglass-coated cardboard. “I don’t know why I did it, I guess it was just a moment of madness,” he says. In lieu of Tony Stark’s arc reactor, Pearson used an ash tray [...]]]>

Avengers assemble, indeed. Mark Pearson, a car mechanic in West Yorkshire, spent 14 months constructing an Iron Man costume from 400 sheets of fiberglass-coated cardboard. “I don’t know why I did it, I guess it was just a moment of madness,” he says. In lieu of Tony Stark’s arc reactor, Pearson used an ash tray to “power” his armor. “I’m not sure why I picked Iron Man,” he says. “I’m a big fan and I think I like the fact that he is not really a superhero; he is just a man with a flying suit. But what a suit—it’s the Ferrari of superhero suits.”

[Via the Daily Mail]

]]> http://www.ecouterre.com/u-k-mechanic-builds-iron-man-costume-from-cardboard-fiberglass/feed/ 1