I'm saying "cheap" rather than "inexpensive" because I assume that if parts have begun to fall off the thing even before you buy it, it probably isn't of the highest quality. Don't you think?
So why did I buy this?
This is, by the way, a pair of wool-ish ear muffs from Target. $2.74 on clearance because--duh--one of the ties was already gone. Plus can you say Butt Ugly? I couldn't even tell whether these were brown or black (I'm thinking black, but I'm still not sure).
But the challenge! Could I take this Thing, this really ugly thing, and make it not only functional, but cool? For $2.74--meaning "using stuff I have in my house already"?
Who can resist a challenge like that?
Sorry I didn't take in-progress photos but, really, there was nothing to see. I got out my Bin o' Fibers, which I was going to show you when I took photos but could not get into. See?
I picked out some wool-ish yarn and got a big-ass needle, completely blunt on one end and with a big eye.
First I made another tie, roughly the same thickness and length as the existing one. And then I starting adding color. Some of the yarn frayed and had to be clipped, but that's OK. It's not supposed to be perfect.
I added a tassel-ish thing, remembering a tassel-making tutorial I had one early morning at the coffee shop at the Hilton, just blocks from my house, when a wearable art artist whose name I can't remember, although it seems like it was "Robert," who was, it seems (although who really knows?) a professor emeritus at a university in someplace like Kansas or Nebraska and was here for a show at the museum, and I'd stumbled into his hanging his show the day before--I walk through the grounds of the museum once or twice a day and had gone in to see what was going on and had peeked inside the room where they were setting up his wearable art show, and of course I started asking questions, and it ended up with his doing a tassel-making mini-workshop the next morning over coffee.
This, obviously, is not how he taught us to make tassels.
So there you go: the earmuffs are ready to wear. I might go back and add some beads, but not any time soon, I don't think--I've got enough other projects to keep me busy for eons.
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14 comments:
You succeeded in your challenge! The ear muffs look great with the color you added. I admire you being able to see a gem in something so ugly!!
oh my gosh! it looks fantastic!!
Rice, that is FLIPPIN' BRILLIANT! Good job! xxoo Patty
nice muff.
it's so rare that one gets to say that.
snort. and even more rare that one would have any earthly need ever to say it. and even though that should be "muffs," plural, we're going to let the whole thang slide because it's you.
I am remembering why it is more fun to refashion something than make it from scratch. Sewing wise anyway.
You don't have to do so many boring practical bits, like lining. (thinking of the dresslet I am making).
Lining = eh. It's a wonderful thing to *have* but not really a wonderful thing to *do.* Good luck with it~~
where's the photo of you wearing them?!! :P
The sad news is that they're not nearly as warm as I'd hoped--the wind blows through the loose weave. so I'm guessing these aren't going to be a wardrobe staple, alas.
Brilliant and so creative! I, too, like buying yard sale junk with the plan to transform it. My house is filled with future projects. My husband is very tolerant. I was sure this post would end with a photo of the transformed ear muffs on your kitty's head.
Loose weave? Maybe back the inside part of the muff with some bright felty woolie from your stash? Too cute to be unworn...
The cats say, "Oh, pleeze. Earmuffs on our heads? We do not do Cat Clothes in this house."
They get very offended at the suggestion that they might be coerced to dress up.
Ricë, please don't add beads. In a truly cold climate (i.e., like where I live) they would only transmit and hold hold and be uncomfortable if they touched the skin. This is wonderful the way it is.
However, the real question is why you even bothered with this 1. Living where you do and 2. having that GORGEOUS CAT SITTING RIGHT THERE looking at you.
Since the ear muffs turned out not to be as warm as you'd like, think about those turtlewear ear bands I wear (which I know offend your sense of style). They are warm and I'm sure you can deck them out to perfection!
I can't get over how beautiful that cat is!
Roz
roz, i should send them to you. you'd think they were too hot, though.
moe? you think moe is gorgeous? oh, my. wait til i read that to him--i'll be buying him a plane ticket tomorrow. or maybe we should just come get you and bring you here-it's nearly cold enough: 23 right now!
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