69 Days till Halloween Countdown Today's Theme "Opposites

Since it's 69 days till Halloween and 69 is the Yin and Yang of numbers, today's treasury is about Opposites.

Good and Evil
Black and White

Drop on over and check it out.

73 Days till Halloween Countdown Today's Theme "Mary Poppins"

Today's Theme is one of my childhood favorite movies.

Mary Poppins

It's a Jolly Holiday with Mary

And with Bert as well

Couldn't find a Red and white stripe coat to go along with the hat. 

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTAwMjE2ODB8NTk3NDQxMTYw/73-days-till-halloween-countdown-todays?ref=pr_treasury

74 Days Till Halloween Costume Countdown Today's Theme "Super Mario Brothers"

Only 74 more days till Halloween.

Today's theme is Super Mario  Brothers.

 Of Course you have to have Mario though he seem to have gone to the dogs

And The Princess

But Check out our Villian....this Costume is just amazing...I want to know how she makes this.

Bowser

Please drop by and check out the entire collection here.  Nothing like a handmade Halloween

Super Mario Costume Treasury

Don't forget to leave a comment.

75 Days TIll Halloween Costume Countdown Today's Theme "Elves"

Only 75 Day's Till Halloween Wahoo!

I'd like to thank everyone who has supported these Halloween Countdown Treasuries.  Seems they are growing a following.

Thanks to all my twitter friends and their support.  If you don't already follow me on twitter you can @Mountaingoth.  I post a few times a day every time I post a new treasury so you can check out what today's theme is.

I'd love some suggestions for new theme's.  Yes, Vampires are coming,  I'm saving that till we get closer to Halloween.

A word to you stitchers out there...There is a decided lack of black capes currently out on Etsy.  If you are looking for a project this is a good one.

Please when you are posting pictures of your items on etsy, make sure that when in the picture format of a treasury that your item looks good.  I can't tell you how many truly beautiful items I have to pass by cause when cropped down to the treasury size picture format you lose the essence of the item.

Now for Today's Theme  "Elves"
Don't you just love these elf ears

And Boots to make you Dance an elvish jig

And some lovely Elf Couture

skirts

Gowns....Making big dresses is a lot of work

Check out the entire Treasury here and be sure and leave a comment!
75 Day's Till Halloween Countdown "Elves"

76 Days Till Halloween Countdown Today's Theme "The Phantom of the Opera"

I have to admit, I am a complete sucker when it comes to gorgeous gowns. 

So only 76 Days till Halloween and what better excuse to feature a few of these gowns and other items than "The Phantom of the Opera"

To start with, you have to have the mask.  What would the phantom be without his mask, and don't dare unmask him.

Phantom Mask
Next you have the heroine
Young Christine Daae.

Christine Gown

Then there is the Hero
Raoul

Our Hero Raoul
And forget not the Prima Donna First Lady of the Stage Carlotta

Carlotta

Be sure to check out the complete treasury here.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTAwMjE2ODB8NTg0MDA4NDg4/76-days-till-halloween-countdown-todays76 Day's till Halloween Countdown "The Phantom of the Opera"

77 Days till Halloween Countdown

Since Halloween is just the best holiday of the year, I've been creating halloween countdown treasuries over on Etsy.  Everyday a new theme.

Todays theme is "Don't Fear The Reaper"   Please stop by and leave a comment.


77 Days till Halloween Countdown Today's Theme "Don't Fear the Reaper"


Here is a sampling of some of the cool items included.

The Robe....

http://www.etsy.com/listing/49843503/deluxe-wraith-or-grim-reaper-costume-in?ref=tre-579646506-1

The Mask

http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.145437528.jpg
http://www.etsy.com/listing/47540434/vampire-skull-mask?ref=tre-579646506-3

and of course the scythe...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/70509545/autumn-sale-vintage-antique-salvaged?ref=tre-579646506-2

Mountain Goth is one year old today

It was one year ago today that I opened my Mountaingoth shop on etsy.  So I'm trying to figure out what I have learned in the past year.

1. I learned how to needle felt.  There is alot more I need to learn but one year ago I didn't even know there was such a thing as needle felting.
2. You need to time your items to the season.  People don't buy wool in the summer.  Even if it's needle felted critters.
3. Check the feedback on your buyer.
4. How to get over 13k in followers on twitter. Twitter gets you alot of hits but not so many buys.  Though it's a great place to connect with other crafts people and learn from them.
5. I would rather needle felt or crochet than sew.
6. Finally going back to having a day job and all of a sudden your items start selling.  Go Figure.

That's all I have time for now....Have a great day!

Crochet Hooks and Needles

Knotwyrd on Etsy
If you check out my etsy shop you can see I crochet alot.
Just wanted to talk a little about crochet hooks.
There are all kinds of crocheting needles out there.  Just a little from my experience.

The straight thin metal needles work.  I have used them for years, however after a while my ring finger and pinky start to get fatigued.  Not so good. 
Stay away from the plastic versions,  they tend to have molding lines in the plastic that your yarn can get caught on.  Spend the few cents more for the metal.  I have not tried the glass ones but they look really neat. 

Since I crochet a lot I figured I'd keep experimenting...
So I've been on an adventure to find what is the best.

Next I tried the Clover Soft Touch Needles.  These are a metal hook with a plastic handle. 
I actually found these harder to use and more fatiguing than the straight metal needles. The plastic handles are too short so they don't reach the far side of you hand, this maybe cause I have fairly large hands for a women though I do not have extra large hands.  If you have small hands these may work for you.  I like many of the other products that clover produces, especially for needle felting.

Clover Hooks

At Joann's stores they sell crochet hooks with a bamboo handle by Susan Bates.  These don't cost much more than the straight needles but are much easier on your hands,  worth the couple of extra bucks in you are crocheting frequently.

I journeyed further.

Then I discovered the Cadillac of crochet hooks.  These hooks are really expensive, but if you are seriously into crocheting they are the way to go. 

Addi SwingCrochet Hook by Skacel. These are imported from Germany....hmmmm maybe that makes them the Mercedes of crochet hooks.  They are engineered for you hands.  I can crochet for hours with them without getting hand fatigue.  Not only that and I can't explain
Well that's my 2 cents.  Love to here what you think.

Last WWI vet turns 110

When I was kid, I used to volunteer to once a week go help out the elderly. Help them go to the grocery and small household chores. For about a year I helped out this lovely couple, they were both well into their eighties and that was over 20 years ago.

He had been an airplane mechanic during WWI. I would sit with him for hours has he told me tales of the Great War. Back then there was no airforce, it was part of the army. He would pull out his old leather flight jacket and cap. I imagine these items today would be priceless. His stories just fascinated me.

Back in the day, when a mechanic worked on a plane, it was a requirement that he go up in it to ensure that the plane was in functional order. That is sure one way to make sure that the quality of your work is good, if you have to stake your own life on the work you do, you make sure it's done right.

I wish him good tailwinds.

Take a walk around Cambridge

If you are ever in the Boston area, I highly recommend take a walk around Cambridge.
It is the most oddly diverse area on the planet. You have the energy of Harvard and MIT mixes with the locals. There are great eats and eclectic shops.

You can learn so much just walking around and soaking it in.

Bell Book and Candle Love Spells and Magic

Just love the old movie Bell, Book and Candle Starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak.
A romantic comedy about what happens when a witch falls in love and her crazy bongo playing brother played by Jack Lemmon.

Kim Novak cast a love spell on Jimmy Stewart as revenge for her nemesis in college...see what happens from there.

Beautiful siamese cat as her familar Pyewacket.

It's so beatnik and bohemian.  It is speculated that Bewitched was loosely based on this movie.

If  you haven't watched, I recommend you give it a shot. 

So for the fun of it I created a collection of items on Artfire that in some way tie into the movie.  Check it out. 

Bell Book and Can...

Curated By: mountaingoth

ArtFire.com

Making an Upcycled Jester Hat

My husband has been encouraging me to try and make some hats out of upcycled sweaters. New territory for me.  After seeing the beautiful coats that Katwise makes, I figured I'd give it a try.  I love what she does with color.  Be sure and visit her shop if you've never been there. http://www.etsy.com/shop/katwise?ga_search_query=katwise&ga_search_type=seller_usernames

Truth is,  I've been to the fabric store so many times, all their fabric is starting to look like old wallpaper.  You know how when you first put up wallpaper, you just love it...Think it's the greatest!  A year or two later you get tired of it and wonder, what was I thinking?

Yesterday I hit the local thrift shop and bought 2 bags full of wool sweaters.  Dry cleaned them. So I'm off to try and figure out how to turn a sweater into a hat.  Starting with the Angora blended sweaters.  I love the feel of Angora, but my attempts to felt angora in the past have not been good, so this is has not been felted.   I'll felt the pure wool ones before working with them.

Starting with my standard jester hat, I've made and sold alot of these, so it's a pattern I'm really comfortable with.





I like how the embellishment accents the hat.  What do you think?  I need feedback.

Things I've learned so far:
 
   1. Make your squares of wool approximately the same size.
    2. Bead embellishments and sergers don't get along...3 broken needles later.
    3. Sweater wool stretchs alot, in fact too much  Have to put elastic in the headband or they will fall off peoples heads.
    4. Make large patchwork pieces and cut your pattern from that.
    5. Pay attention to the direction of the knitting.
    6. Sweaters aren't cheap even at the thrift store.  I'm going to have to start begging my friends for their old sweaters.

Going to the area thrift stores

Getting ready to head out to the local thrift stores.  Want to make some hats from upcycled wool sweaters.  Hoping I can find some choice items to work with.

Been making a bunch of Jester hats lately.  They are just so much fun and people keep asking for customs, figured I'd post a few different colors and styles.  It's Winter Carnivale, Mardi gras season.  Time to be a bit foolish.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/67112983/the-chaos-jester-hat-patchwork-fleece-by

Channeling my inner hippie

Sometimes I wish I was a few years older so I could have truly experienced the summer of love.  The best music was from this time frame.  I think maybe drinking the kool aid was the right thing to do.  Janis and Jimmie,  The airplane and so many other really groovie tunes.

I love all things hippie.  Flowers, bright colored clothes.  For that matter clothing that is not cookie cutter.  Love the long casual flowing dresses.  The styles of Gunne Sax from the 70's and early 80's.

So I'm trying to learn how to make hippie clothing.  Figured I'd start with hats.  Like making hats anyway but now trying to make hats with that feel of flowers, love and peace.  This is my first attempt at a hippie floppy hat, tell me what you think.