Things I've Made | The Plaid Pladd Blog

Archive for the ‘Things I’ve Made’ Category

Things I’ve Made: Jean Bag!

May 7th, 2012 by pladd

Last week I made a bag or large purse out of an old pair of Steven’s jeans! I offered to let him keep it since they were his, but he graciously declined.

Big enough to carry some books!

I already had a heavy denim needle and thread for my machine from the jean skirt I made, so this was a relatively quick, easy project.

Here's the back

I ended up using almost all of the jeans!

Let MSPaint and I show you how!

I started off following this tutorial with a few changes. For instance, I did a lot less fitting to my flap, and sewed it to the outside instead of the inside. Also, my straps are a lot longer!

I can’t wait for Steven to try to get rid of more clothes!!

Tagged: sewing, things I've made

Posted in Fabric, Things I've Made |

Cleaning Out my Camera

April 13th, 2012 by pladd

Rainbow Dash embroidery!!

Five balls of yarn, finger knitted

One old t-shirt cut into strips an strung on a hula hoop!

One rug!

Cake from Valentine's Day!

Tagged: my little pony, things I've made

Posted in Things I've Made |

So a little more than a month ago I learned how to finger knit from this simple tutorial, figuring if children can do it, I can too! And I was right. I just started doing it whenever Steven and I watch a movie or I was doing something with my mind but not with my hands. Then this week I took everything I’d finger-knit and made a rug using another tutorial from the same site! Yay!

My beautiful rug:

I end up photographing my feet way too much

It was super easy and fun!! Maybe next time I will take more photographs of the making-of process.

Guess how many balls of yarn I used!

Exciting!!

Tagged: things I've made

Posted in Things I've Made, Yarn |

Happy Pi Day!!

March 14th, 2012 by pladd

You may recall me writing last year about how important Pi Day is in my family. Sometimes it’s a little sad to be away from home and the rest of my family on such an important holiday, but luckily Steven has embraced Ladd tradition and is completely willing to spend tonight doing word problems, making bad math puns, and eating pie. Particularly that last part.

This year I went with traditional apple, like the founding fathers made for their Pi Day celebrations

Remember, according to Ladd family lore, if you don’t eat pie on Pi Day, your math skills will be cursed for the rest of the year. I hope you’ve also done all you can to avoid this terrible fate.

I know I have

Experts disagree about whether pie-like foods count, such as “pizza pies” or turnovers. Better be safe than forget how to divide fractions!

Tagged: Ladd family traditions, math, pi day, pie

Posted in Food, Things I've Made |

Cookie dough oreo brownies: my baking one-upmanship finally goes too far

March 6th, 2012 by pladd

Yesterday was super cold, but who wants to turn on the heat when it’s just going to be 60 again tomorrow? Make up your mind, weather!

Anyway, I decided baking something would be the tastiest way to keep warm, so I decided to try to make this ridiculous thing. Like clothing and parfaits, it’s all about layering:

First a layer of cookie dough, the best foundation for any project

It’s pretty basic chocolate chip cookie dough, except I also added some butterscotch chips because that is how we Ladds roll. We see chocolate chips, we just add some butterscotch for chip diversity. And deliciousness. I have never once regretted it, and I suggest you open your heart and embrace a similar multi-chipism in your own life.

Layer 2 is made of Oreos, patted down a little for safety

Buying Oreos has gotten kind of complicated–there are all these different kinds now! Frosting flavors, different kinds of cookie, a cake kind… I just used regular.

Layer 3: brownie batter!

Like a sticky hug that just glops over the top! Then it goes in the oven (375 degrees) for 25 minutes and you get this magicness:

Hello!

It may actually prove lethal. Lethally delicious

This recipe was easy. The only annoying part was cleaning out my mixing bowl twice. But totally worth it because these cookie dough oreo brownies will cure whatever ails you! Except maybe diabetes.

Tagged: baking, brownies, cookies

Posted in Food, Things I've Made |

Things I’ve Made: Jean Skirt

February 3rd, 2012 by pladd

What are you supposed to do when your jeans suddenly and mysteriously acquire an unflattering rip??

How did that happen? It's possible I'm too bootylicious for ya babe

It’s cool! I just ripped out the inside leg seams and cut off the legs, then used the extra fabric to fill in the gaps to make a skirt!!

Yes, that IS the annotated anniversary edition of The Phantom Tollbooth on the floor!

I had to get a heavier needle and jean thread for my sewing machine, but figuring out how to change the needle was the hardest part of this project! And that was just turning a little knob. Super easy!!

And super stylish!!

Exciting to have a skirt with pockets!!

Tagged: sewing, things I've made

Posted in Fabric, Things I've Made |

Letter Update + I’m famous in Korea!

January 13th, 2012 by pladd

I'm told there aren't really middle names in Korea, so I'm the only author on the cover with a middle initial!

Ta-Dah!

Oh, and I also work here!

And then there’s this:

As you can see, I was somewhat confused about how to show a letter sent to an address within Chapel Hill

Tagged: letters, library science, things I've made

Posted in Things I've Made, Writing |

Thanksgiving: All Star Edition!

December 2nd, 2011 by pladd

I know it was last week, but I wanted to update you on the awesome success of Thanksgiving: All Star Edition!!! The main thing I had to cook was Steven’s entree pick, Chicken Noodle Casserole, but luckily I did most of the work the night before! This gave Steven free reign of the kitchen for some intense appetizer making: