Hey Mister DJ

So my Weird Sisters record purse project was initially delayed just a bit as I worked on acquiring suitable records.

In my first attempt, I purchased three records from the thrift store and brought them home. Not wanting to commit Crimes Against Music, I asked our resident DJ (my dear brother) to approve the crafty use of the records.

The records were small releases by artists from the seventies. One was bad country music. I thought, "Great. No one will miss this!" Thinking that the few folks who had listened to the record in the first place would have moved on to other music by now, that there would be no great demand for the records. Or in other words, that I wasn't "taking away" the record from anyone who would want to buy it and listen to it.

Just one problem: break beats. You see, these "small releases by artists from the seventies" could possibly have breaks on them -- little samples of music -- that a DJ could use.

"It's not even very likely," the resident DJ explained, "but, you know . . ."

"You have to listen to them first . . . "

Yeah. So Mister DJ went home with the records, and I went back to the thrift store. This time with new information: find records by prominent artists whose fans have moved on to CDs (or iTunes). Any breaks from those songs have already been used -- no new discoveries there -- so I really wouldn't be taking music away from anyone, DJs included.

So I came home with three new records -- love songs by famous pop artists from the seventies and early eighties -- and called the DJ if to ask if he wanted to come over and check them out before I used them. When I told him what they were he laughed.

"No, no," he said. "You need to cut those records up."

Weird Sisters Record Purse

My swap partner for the recent HP swap had a record purse on her wists, so I had to make one for her! The Weird Sisters are the wizard rock band from the Harry Potter series, and I decided they had to have released some albums (though there aren't any in the books -- we both enjoy a loose interpretation of canon.)

I used this tutorial: Mod Record Purse for instructions, and this Craftster project for additional inspiration: Vinyl Record Purse (from my partner's wists).

The Weird Sisters record purse:



Both sides:



Each side of the purse is Side One of a different album. I printed out the labels on colored heavy weight printer paper, and used double-sided paper adhesive to attach them over the existing labels on the records. ("Do the Hippogriff" is a song from the HP books, but the rest are not. Loose canon, right? And fair warning: this post only gets geekier from here on in.)

Close up of the labels (Conjuring the Rock Produtions, charmed to play in the Divinaphone):

WS's first album (1978):


Sophmore album (1980):


My two favorite titles are "From the Owlery" and "Arithmancy of the Soul". Just don't ask me what they mean, because I don't know. But that is some Wizarding rock.

I used two layers of records for the handles, and attached the handles and sides with hemp twine (in purple).

Close up of attachment:



The concept of the purse is that it is "partially transfigured" -- that is, transfigured from records into a purse, but still retaining characteristics of the original item. (See what I mean about even geekier?) So, the circles in the lining fabric are reminiscent of records, and the pockets are lined with sheet music fabric, of course.

Inside:



There are two flat pockets on one side; the snap-close pocket is just peeking out on the other side. The ends are pinched and stitched so they fold inward when the purse is shut.

Snap-close pocket open:



Close up of fabrics:



This was my favorite item to make for this swap, and I am so thankful to my partner for allowing me to subject her to my super HP geekiness!

Craft Info:

Swap: "Because We Miss Harry Potter" Swap at Craftster
Swap Partner: ShardaeDobby at Craftster
Date made: March 2008
Pattern: Mod Record Purse, Vinyl Record Purse
Fabrics: Pink vinyl, woven cotton novelty fabrics (pink with colored circles and pink sheet music)
Other materials: Records, heavy weight paper for labels (pink and green), double-sided adhesive, hemp twine (purple), magnetic snap


Posted at Craftster:
Weird Sisters (Harry Potter) Record Purse

"Every Flavour" Shopping Tote with Pouch

My partner from the "Because We Miss Harry Potter" Swap at Craftster, ShardaeDobby, was really good at asking fun HP questions to help us get to know each other's HP interests. (This was in addition to the swap questionnaire!) Based on her answers, I thought she would like something from Honeydukes! So here it is:

"Every Flavour" drawstring pouch:



Open it up:



What's inside:



Let's go shopping:


(action shot with DD before sending out)

The pouch has a double drawstring, so it stays shut nicely. The drawstrings are turquoise-color hemp twine with plastic beads. I painted "Every Flavour" and the little stars on the finished pouch with a couple of coats of yellow flexible fabric paint. When that was dry, I painted over and around the letters with gold glitter flexible fabric paint to give it a magical effect.

The shopping tote is made from jelly bean novelty fabric: the Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans inside the pouch! The tote's straps are the same pink fabric as the pouch. The tote has French seams, so it should be sturdy, and a gusset at the bottom, so it's pretty roomy.

Tote with pouch:



This was lots of fun to make!

Craft Info:

Swap: "Because We Miss Harry Potter" Swap at Craftster
Swap Partner: ShardaeDobby at Craftster

"Every Flavour" Pouch

Date made: March 2008
Construction: Double drawstring pouch
Fabric: Cotton blend woven fabric, hemp drawstring
Other materials: Fabric paint, glitter fabric paint, plastic beads

Every Flavour Beans Shopping Tote

Date made: March 2008
Construction: French seams, bottom gusset
Fabric: Woven cotton jelly beans novelty fabric, strap fabric same as pouch


Posted at Craftster:
"Every Flavour" Shopping Tote with Pouch

Ravenclaw House Scarf, Color Fade Wrist Warmers and Flower Brooch

I made a house scarf for my swap partner in the recent HP craft swap at Craftster. Her favorite house is Ravenclaw, and she prefers book colors. I used the atypically.knit pattern and knit it in the round on bamboo needles.

Ravenclaw House Scarf:



After twenty-one times twenty-two rows, one color and then the next, (and enduring well-intentioned compliments like "Oh, I could never do that! I would want to change colors all the time!") I was ready to either pull my hair out, or knit something fun and quick!

I designed the wrist warmer's color fade as a sanity saver while knitting the scarf. They were an add-on to the swap, but I had to make them.

Ravenclaw Color Fade Wrist Warmers:



The wrist warmers were knit flat on circular needles and then seamed, leaving a hole for the thumb. Using circular needles allowed changing colors each row as needed.

Ravenclaw House Scarf and Color Fade Wrist Warmers:



I noticed only after sending the swap package that the scarf is backwards in this photo: that's the back of the fringe knots. The top photo shows the front.

DD made the crochet flower brooch in the top photo. It's made of wool yarn and felted. The center is a vintage wood and metal button. She also very kindly modeled the items for photos before I sent out the swap package.

Craft Info:

Swap: "Because We Miss Harry Potter" Swap at Craftster
Swap Partner: ShardaeDobby at Craftster

Ravenclaw House Scarf

Date made: March 1-25 2008
Pattern: atypically.knit Hogwarts scarf pattern
Yarn: Lion Brand "Vanna's Choice" acrylic
Colors: Colonial Blue, Honey
Needles: Size 10 bamboo circular needles

Ravenclaw Color Fade Wrist Warmers

Date made: March 25-31 2008
Yarn: Lion Brand "Vanna's Choice" acrylic
Colors: Colonial Blue, Honey
Needles: Size 10 bamboo circular needles (knit flat)

Ravenclaw House Colors Flower Brooch

Made by: DD
Date made: March 2008
Yarn: Worsted weight wool
Color: Blue
Hook: G
Other Materials: Wood and metal vintage button, brooch clasp


Posted at Craftster:
Ravenclaw Scarf, Wrist Warmers and Flower Brooch

HP Craft Swap at Craftster: The Crafts I Sent

These are all the goodies I sent to my swap partner in the recent HP craft swap at Craftster:

• Ravenclaw house scarf
• Ravenclaw colors wrist warmers
• Ravenclaw colors brooch
• Record purse with Weird Sisters albums
  
• "Every Flavour" pouch
• Every Flavour beans inspired shopping tote
• Crochet lollipops
• Luna-esque flower brooch and matching earrings
• House colors perler beads coasters

DD designed and crafted the brooches, and DS designed and crafted the coasters. The whole family was very supportive of this swap, and it was a lot of fun.


At Craftster:

• "Because We Miss Harry Potter" Swap
  
• "Because We Miss Harry Potter" Gallery
  
• My swap partner's post with her pictures of these crafts
• My post of the crafts I received
  

Craftster Swap: My Partner Received

My swap partner received her HP swap package from me earlier this week, and she posted pictures in the swap gallery. Now I will post the crafts I made for her as projects on Craftster, and I will post them here.

First Craftster Swap: Sent to Partner, Received from Her

Sent out my package to my swap partner in my first Craftster swap on Tuesday, April 1 (no joke).

It was a Harry Potter themed swap, so I spent March crafting HP-inspired crafts.

I received the package my partner sent to me on Friday, April 3, and posted the crafts I received in the "Because we miss Harry Potter" Swap Gallery at Craftster.

When my partner receives her package from me (it arrived at her post office on Friday, she should be able to pick it up Monday), I'll blog the crafts I made.

Small Brown and Pink Drawstring Purse

I made a purse for my daughter and sent it in a care package when she was at summer camp last year.



The drawstring handle/strap can be worn two ways.

As a long strap:



Or as two medium-length handles (shown here with the bag open, in the first photo with the bag closed):



I also made a little pouch from the pink contrast yarn:



Craft Info:
Date made: June 2007
Yarn: Worsted weight cotton, brown and variegated pink
Needles: Size 10 bamboo circular needles

Posted at Craftster:
First Project Post -- Cotton Drawstring Purse