Uncategorized

You are currently browsing the archive for the Uncategorized category.

Meet my  most recent rainbow sock monkeys, Sebastian and Mimi. Working with rainbow socks is great because theres an endless array of color options when it comes to making the hoodie. I also found sock monkeys make great thank you gifts. You can also never go wrong with giving your girlfriend a cute stuffed animal. :)

Also, check out this googly eye sock monkey I made for some friends at London Hackspace, a non-profit organization which provides space and equipment to make/hack on pretty much anything you can imagine.  I actually spend a little time there making Honty while checkin out the place. Neat stuff!

Sebastian Mars Sock Monkey

Sebastian

Mimi Mars Sock Monkey

Mimi

Honty “The Hackspace” Mars Sock Monkey

Honty

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

When I first read about steeking, it was hard to imagine  such an unconventional knitting technique. Wikipedia says:

“In knitting, steeking is a shortcut used to knit garments such as sweaters in the round without interruption for openings or sleeves until the end.”

But cutting holes in knit fabric? To leave openings for sleeves? Sounded crazy to me. I mean think about the unraveling. Yet, this clever technique had a comforting solution: sewing around the cut to secure the stitches! And instead of knitting 6 separate hoodie pieces, I can now knit 3 and speed up my knitting. :)

Steeking

As a matter of fact, my newest Mars Sock Monkeys Loni and  Samie come in the re-invented knit hoodie! These  rainbow striped sock monkeys can be adopted at Maribel Made on Etsy.

Loni Mars Sock Monkey

Loni Mars Sock Monkey

Samie Mars Sock Monkey

Samie Mars Sock Monkey

Check out my new Moo cards! They come free with purchase. :)

Tags: , , , , , , ,

It was really interesting going to a big NY fair like this year’s BUST Craftacular Holiday. For one it was pouring like crazy and when I got there the line was wrapped around the building to the other side of the block! Of course I slept in, but the line moved fast and it was fun chatting it up Girl in Gotham Designs. :)

MSM Materials1-resize

There was a ton to see! Two levels of wonderful, crafty goodness including Amy Sedaris doing a book signing on the 2nd floor. Her book Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People looked pretty hilarious.

Here’s a list of my handpicked artists from the New York 2010 event. Enjoy because there’s a ton of cool stuff in there! :)

kg + ab - Ceramics handmade in Brooklyn

Corky Mansfield - Good clean humor to the world through tees and funky characters

Brooklyn Brine Co - Hand packed organic produce paired with simple ingredients and “damn fine pickles” in Brooklyn, NY

Twig. - Moss terrarium and other small wolds

Gramkin Paper Studio - Personalized stationery, invitations, announcements and other paper goods and gifts

Return to Me - Customizable necklaces, wristcuffs and t-shirts

Maybe You Should Die - Sweet declarations of hatred and ill will in the form of paper goods, apparel, plushes and Mean Bags™

Dea + Bean - Unique wedding invitations and paper goods the old-fashioned way

Made With Awesome - Original, off-the-wall slogans and cool tee designs

Beacon Bookmarks - Handcrafted Wooden Bookmarks from the Hudson Valley

McBitterson’s Tasteless Wares - Dedicated to spreading peace and joy to all the peoples of the world through adorable, affordable, hand-crafted goods

Grovius - Cute animal illustrations on wood

Twinko - Infant and toddler line of  organic tees, onesies, and accessories with cute graphics

Gnome Enterprises - Mens + Womens + Kids Tees | Handprinted in BKLYN NYC

My Secret Music Box - Musical jewellery and pocket-sized enchantment

Shara Porter - Hand printed fine found objects

Las Delicias Patisserie - Boutique Gourmet Bakery

Herban Lifestyle - Hand crafted natural and organic bath and body products

webbedware - Textile jewelry and accessories handmade by Courtney Webb

Tharp - Illustrator and obsessive dreamer

Mochimochi Land - Original knitting and cross-stitch patterns

Not Just Tea - Boutique specialty tea company specializing  in new tea blends

Amigurumi Kingdom - a place where cupcake bears rule and little creatures are glued to their ipods (literally)…

Caseybot - Plush, hats and friends

My Zoetrope - Painting, patterns, doodles and more

Rag Trader - Vintage  jewelery reborn

Bubbledog - a cute-opia of t-shirts, accessories, & stationery

De*Nada - Accessories line, specializing in handmade knits for women and men

Dirty Ass Soaps - Almost edible vegan food and video game soaps

SPIRITelemental - Live in joy and be free terrariums and illustrations

Isabel Roxas - Books, tees, paper goods and art prints with very nice illustrations

Ashley Buchanan - Jewelry and metals

Fernworks - Jewelry encasing a real found object or painted scene in resin

Bacon Neckwear - Handmade, Custom and Wedding Neckties Bowties Necklaces

Torch Song Metal - Metal adornments by Emily Postula and Ashley Harris

Brooklyn Charm - Custom designed jewelry and supplies in Williamsburg, NY

Erica Weiner - locally made, affordable vintage-inspired jewelry, designed with a sense of humor

Les Enfants Sauvages - It is is all about texture, shapes and colours

Grand Marie - Fine silver earrings molded from antique buttons

Yummy & Company - Handmade jewelry and wedding gifts

Smoke & Daggers.com - Weapon inspired jewelry

Max Steiner Design - Original and unique jewelry designs

Glittery Blue - Vintage made new jewelry

Rock Love Jewelry - Handmade sterling silver jewelry with the alternative edge

By Natalia - Geometric inspired jewelry pieces with an architectural aesthetic

AMH Design - Contemporary needlepoint

Molting Yeti - Super fun knits

New York Couture - One of a kind clothing straight from New York

Im Your Present - Handmade clothing & accessories


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’m back from a frosty vacation in London where I got the chance to check out this year’s BUST Christmas Craftacular! Set in East London’s Bethnal Green neighborhood, I took a quick no 8 bus to see what’s shaping up the current London craft scene. I was also happy to receive an Etsy UK goodie bag!

Bust Christmas Craftacular London 2010

I must have looked at each stall more than twice, picking up a bunny tee from Brat & Suzie, a “game boy” gingerbread cookie from Maid of Gingerbread, some fabric from Beyond Fabrics and a How to Make a Cloak instruction book from DIY Couture. I also got a nifty Moo discount. People were also getting their craft on at diy stations offered by The Make Lounge, Fabrications and Prick Your Finger.

I can’t wait for the New York Craftacular happening this Sunday, Dec 12th in Chelsea. I hear there will be nearly 300  artist participating. Wow!

Here’s a list of my handpicked artists from the London 2010 event.  Enjoy. :)

crafty people

Brat & Suzie - www.bratandsuzie.com

Me Me Me - www.madebymememe.com

A Alicia  - www.aalicia.bigcartel.com

Tatty Devine - www.tattydevine.com

DIY Couture - www.diy-couture.co.uk

Licie Ellen - www.lucie-ellen.com

Maid of Gingerbread - www.maidofgingerbread.co.uk

Xiang Zeng - www.freerangedoodle.com

Vic Lee - www.viclee.co.uk

crafty organizations

Urban Craft Collective - www.urbancraftcollective.com

The Make Lounge - www.themakeloungue.com

Ety UK - www.etsy.com

crafty stores

Beyond Fabrics - www.beyond-fabrics.com

Prick Your Finger - www.prickyourfinger.com

Fabrications - www.fabrications1.co.uk

crafty magazines

Cloth - www.clothmagazine.co.uk

BUST - www.bust.com

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s been a while everyone! And lot’s has happened in the last month. I went on vacation, came back home and got ready to move to Manhattan. The food is yummy and living by the Fashion District is everything I never imagined!

Over the summer I took a beginner’s sewing class at Soul Collections in Brooklyn. Shannon, the founder is a very good teacher and she’ll spend some 101 time with you if needed. Her prices are great too! I learned how to apply various type of zippers, make French Seams and use the right presser foot for topstitch, which came really handy when I made curtains and hemmed my jeans. Yay! I’m really considering taking the advanced classes.

Lapped zipper

lapped zipper

Zippered pouch

zipper pouch

Topstitch

basic sewing

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I just listed two new rainbow sock monkeys wearing pink sweatshirt hoodies. Jessica’s comes with a butterfly and Lori’s with a heart. Cute! ♥

Jessica Mars Sock Monkey

Lori Mars Sock Monkey

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Last week I finished a new batch of girl sock monkeys in new sundresses! Nadia, Courtney and Celeste wear cute summer dresses made from designer cotton fabrics by Alexander Henry, Rowan and Windham Fabrics. There’s a toadstools black dress, a paisley mint dress and a street sign red dress. These fashion sock monkeys are ready to hit your town where new adventures await them! Take them out shopping, for lunch or on a movie night. They’d love to hang out with you and be your cute accessory. :)

Nadia, Courtney and Celeste Mars Sock Monkeys are available for sale on Etsy.

Celeste Mars Sock Monkey

Courtney Mars Sock Monkey

Nadia Mars Sock Monkey

Earlier this week I went shopping for some sweatshirt fabric, but when I didn’t find any I picked up some cotton instead. I hadn’t used cotton because it’s not a good fabric for hoodies, although when it comes to making a summer dress it’s perfect! Purl Soho also had some really cute cotton prints I just couldn’t resist.

This little sundress is hot off the sewing machine! It’s made from a dark cotton fabric with light purple, pink and blue mushrooms. The dress has a white waistband, two purple buttons on the front and a Maribel Made tag. We’ll see which lucky sock monkey gets to wear this cute Mushroom Sundress this summer. Look for this sock monkey and others wearing sundresses in the shop very soon!

Tags:

I really enjoy using online print services from time to time. These days I get mini cards from Moo and recently I ordered some custom postcards from  Zazzle! These postcards show Samantha, one of my most popular sock monkeys. The back of each postcard includes Mars Sock Monkey logo with address lines. I was pretty impressed with the quality of the postcards so I decided to include one with each Mars Sock Monkey purchase. :)

Samantha Mars Sock Monkey is wearing a classic Maribel Made heart knit hoodie in yellow and pink.


« Older entries