Kayaking to Nashville (continued), or why I love Google maps

We are going to scout out the stadium today, and see if we can find any of the Ravens hanging around. I Google mapped directions from a main road near Vandy, West End Avenue. I entered "West End" into Google maps from the map gadget, and it used West End Australia as the starting location; only 55 days to get here from there, and as you can see that includes kayaking across the Pacific Ocean!

27.

©2011 GoogleMap data ©2011 Google, Whereis(R), Sensis Pty LtdTerms of Use Kayak across the Pacific Ocean Entering Japan About 17 days 8 hours

go 5,404 km total 8,830 km

So in that spirit I went looking for some kayaking crafts. You can build your own surf kayak! And while you are out kayaking, I suggest you swing by Alaska where there are some amazing Ravens craft goodies:

Changing Threads is an awesome Alaskan yarn and quilting website.

http://www.changingthreads.com/index.php

They have qiviut yarn, made from the soft underwool of the musk-ox. It is highly valued as a luxury fiber, think of it as Alaskan Cashmere! Here is some in Raven black, and also purple.

 There are some awesome cross-stitch patterns, and a quilting pattern.

They also have a brand of Alaskan handspun called "Ravens Frog". You can order on line.






While we revere the raven as our team mascot, the  Raven is an important totem in native American culture. If you want to read about the Raven as a totem, here is a link:Raven Totem



"The Raven has been dreaded as a bird of ill fortune; distruction and darkness; but in the spiritual world he is a bird who brings protection. He warns the forces of light of oncoming destruction and battle therefor giving us the power to guard and time for preparation. These destructive forces are a natural and necessary facet of life even though they are painful; but the raven's relationship to the forces of destruction does not mean he is the bringer of the destructive forces yet better considered the messenger."


This sounds like our team, we hope a messenger of victory tomorrow. Go Ravens!

Ravens crafts in Nashville

We arrived this morning in time to visit the popular West End restaurant, the Pancake Pantry. Their specialty is sweet potato pancakes dusted with cinnamon and doused in syrup and butter. A real calorie bomb! The people are incredibly nice even about the fact that we are Ravens Fans.

I went looking for ravens crafts ideas in Nashville and I found a Southern Baptist website with Sunday school crafts.

Here is the pattern, from http://www.daniellesplace.com/

What you will need: 

Large paper plates, small paper plates, yellow, black, and white construction paper, black markers, black paint and paint brushes, glue gun, and black feathers.

What to do:

1.  cut the top 1/3 off of one large paper plate. Glue it to another large paper plate so that it forms a pocket.

2. Glue two small paper plates together, top to top, for the head. Glue the head to the large paper plates as shown.

3. Cut out some wings from another paper plate or black construction paper and glue them to the body.

4. Paint or color the body of the bird, cut out a beak and eyes, and glue them to the body.

5.  Glue some feathers to the top of the head and make legs from black construction paper.

6. You can also punch a hole in the top and tie a piece of yarn in the hole to hang the birds.

Then, pray for Sweet Potato pancakes to put on the remaining paper plates!

Ravens Cornhole Game

Now that my kids are away at college we don't have one of these sets, and though I have seen them I didn't know what they were called until my students clued me in yesterday. Cornhole. What a funny name. It made me remember when my son was in high school and convinced us he needed a study table for his room. The table came, it was very nice, had the school logo on it so it seemed legit. What we couldn't figure out was why it had holes in it. Eventually we learned what it really was. ( why did he take it when he went out? why was it all sticky). So  we lived through the beer pong era, although we confiscated the legs and hid the table top in the garage, and we just learned about  cornhole.

( Photo from artfire.com, they sell ready made bags)
There are directions online to make your own table and bags.
Make your own cornhole game
Here is what it says about making your own bags:

If you can sew, then make each bag as follows:

Each bag (you need at least 8), will be made from 12 oz./sq. yard duck canvas and shall be made from 2 fabric squares, a minimum of 6” x 6” in dimension with a quarter inch double stitched seam on all four sides. Each bag shall be filled with corn feed and weigh between 14 and 16 oz’s apiece.

Of course they can be any color or design, but make two different styles so that you can tell them apart during play.

A Fabric Place has Ravens fabric.

Giffords Farm, Farmers Coop is a local Maryland company that makes fresh top quality products for all your animal needs: Horse, Cattle, Swine, Sheep, Goats, Poultry, Cat, Dog, Rabbits, Emu, & Wildlife. This looks like the perfect place to get feed, and they have a corn maze too!

The Ravens Sack

After watching Ben Roethlisberger get sacked 4 times yesterday, it seems only fitting to post a pattern for "The Ravens Sack". My favorite local source for fabric is A Fabric Place (http://www.afabricplace.com/) on Falls Road. They carry Ravens official NFL fleece fabric, and they have  rooms full of wools, cottons, silks, linens, trims and notions for any Ravens craft project. The fleece seems like it would be good for the sack.






How to Sew a Sack
You will need fleece, scissors, pins, thread and a sewing machine.
I am providing a link here to an easy pattern that is from a charity sewing project.
http://www.uglyquilts.org/


Even if you don't need a sleeping sack, there are many organizations that can use them.
Here is a link to Project Plase for donations.

http://www.projectplase.org/donate/index.php


Working With Fleece 
(from http://www.stitchnsave.com/fleece/Fleece_Patterns.asp)

One of the best things about working with fleece is that the fabric does not ravel and fray so you do not have to interface it, you do not have to line it, and do not have to finish any edges unless you want to.


Fleece fabric is categorized by weight. Microfleece is lightweight and is good for leggings, jacket linings, etc. 100 weight fleece is a little heavier, and 200 weight is the most common fleece, often seen in jackets, hats, and gloves. 300 weight fleece is best for your heavy, outermost clothing layer.

Fleece is heat sensitive and prone to melting and scorching. If you must iron it, use a warm iron with a pressing cloth between the fabric and the iron and test a hidden area or scrap.

Machine wash fleece fabric on warm with like fabrics, tumble dry on low, do not use bleach or fabric softeners.

If you are going to use a sewing machine, there are some important tips for sewing with fleece.

• Short pins easily get lost in fleece fabric, so use long ones - the type with bead heads are the easiest to see. ( I got some great ones at A Fabric Place when I was making voodoo dolls)
• Select a needle size that is appropriate for the weight of your fleece fabric. A Universal 11(80) needle is generally appropriate for sewing most types of fleece.
• Use a top quality, 100% polyester thread. Avoid the typical "cotton covered polyester core" thread. It is weak and it will shred and rot.
• A medium to long stitch or a zigzag stitch (length 2.5 - 4mm) and a loose balance tension work best when sewing a fleece pattern. Because stitches are hard to remove, stitch slowly and carefully. If your hems or seams are wavy, your stitch length may be too short. Lessening the presser foot pressure or holding your fleece fabric tight (without over stretching) in both front and back will prevent underlaying creep while you are sewing a fleece pattern.
• Experiment first on scraps of fleece, adjusting the stitch width and length until you like the way the seam looks.
• For most fleece patterns, any sewing machine will do. Be sure the machine has been cleaned and oiled recently, and that the needle is new, sharp and properly positioned.

Free Fleece Patterns
This site has a lot of free fleece patterns, many of the "no sewing" variety. The site is very cluttered with ads.
http://www.sewingfreebies.com/fleecenosew.html

The Sack Dress

Here is a variation on a theme: the sack dress. From an Australian blog:

http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/american-apparel-inspired-sack-dress

Make your own "terrible towel" to wave at the Steelers!

Blogging while watching this great Ravens romp of the Steelers ( fingers crossed, don't want to jinx it), it occurs to me that we can knit "terrible towels" to wave at them. There is a great source for intarsia patterns, Aunt Kathy's Place. This picture above shows the finished product. It would look great with purple too. Send one to a friend in Pittsburgh in an unmarked brown wrapper!

Here is her pattern:

© Kathleen Brundige December 2007

CO 35
Row 1-4- Knit across
Row 5- K3, P29, K3
Row 6 and all even- Knit across
Row 7- K3, P13, K9, P7, K3
Row 9- K3, P12, K11, P6, K3
Row 11- K3, P16, K1, P3, K1, P8, K3
Row 13- K3, P1, K6, P8, K2, P2, K2, P8, K3
Row 15- K3, P3, K6, P5, K3, P1, K3, P8, K3
Row 17- K3, P4, K17, P8, K3
Row 19- K3, P7, K16, P6, K3
Row 21- K3, P9, K16, P4, K3
Row 23- K3, P10, K17, P2, K3
Row 25- K3, P11, K16, P2, K3
Row 27- K3, P13, K15, P1, K3
Row 29- K3, P15, K13, P1, K3
Row 31- K3, P17, K11, P1, K3
Row 33- K3, P20, K8, P1, K3
Row 35- K3, P22, K6, P1, K3
Row 37- K3, P18, K10, P1, K3
Row 39- K3, P22, K6, P1, K3
Row 41- K3, P23, K4, P2, K3
Row 43- K3, P29, K3
Row 44-47- Knit across
BO

***Note I adapted this pattern into an Intarsia method, my first try. Basically what I did was I substituted the Knit stitches on the Odd numbered rows with a second color of cotton using a bobbin. I also repeated the sequence on the even numbered rows inbetween. I did the entire cloth is stockinette stitch instead of knitting and purling to establish the pattern. I may try to knit it up again using the pattern as written only using the different color as the knit stitch and maybe also using the second color for the border as well. If anyone is an intarsia knitter and would like to try tis and send me a photo I'd be ever so grateful.

POSTED BY AUNT KATHY AT WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2007  http://gimpykatkpatterns.blogspot.com/2007/12/raven.html. 

Ravens Fascinators

Baltimore Ravens fans are the best in the NFL. Not only do we turn out in full force, and yell loudly, in the inimitable style of Baltimore we uniquely show our support in fashion. The picture above is one of my favorites ( I found it online), it is a "fascinator".

There are several websites on how to make a fascinator. You will need feathers, glue, and backing. Feathers and other supplies scan be found at notions and sewing stores, and on line.

Here are some sites with directions, the first is for "beginners" and the second is geared more to professional milliners.

For starters:

//jezebel.com/5796493/how-to-make-your-own-royal-wedding-fascinator

More complicated and advanced:

http://www.fascinatorhat.com/