7 Quick Takes Friday

1.  I got blood drawn today.  It was needlessly dramatic.  I say needlessly, because I should have insisted that I lie down, but given the fact that there was no where to lie except the floor, I decided to be brave.  Bad idea.  After the extra gentle tech couldn't get blood out of my left arm, she tried my right.  That is when my body (or psyche, perhaps) rebelled and my blood pressure plummeted.  I ended up lying down.  On the floor.  A more experienced, I presume, nurse, came over and got the blood out of my hand.  I'm fine now.  Next time I *will* insist.

2.  I'm rediscovering, as I do every year at about this time, the DIY movement.  It is great to reconnect with the less commercial aspect of holiday gift giving and reuse some things around the house.  I especially like this Threadbanger reader tutorial by Gracee (pictured at right) for an oversized beanie.  Great way to reuse an old shirt.  Here is another hat pattern, this time for those confusing fascinators so popular among the younger British royals.

3. If you are enamored with the pretty bows used in the beanie tutorial, here are some directions to make your own.  If you would rather use flowers, here  is a great tutorial on making some fabric flowers to decorate your hats with! 

4.  These Sarubobo plushy things are absolutely adorable!!  The possibilities are endless with this and they are very easy to do.

5.  Ok, I'm not going to make this, but I did think it was creative:  Remaking a men's t-shirt into a women's Star Fleet uniform!  In spite of my disapproval of the rather sexist female uniform style on Star Trek, I do think this is cute.

6.  For those of us who have trouble reading crocheting or knitting patterns, (I have never been able to crochet a decent cowl) here is an easier, sewed  cowl.

7.  And, in honor of Christmas and all things old fashioned, here is a tutorial on making a sock monkey.