All the yarn things…right to your inbox. Sign up here.

SYTYC Audition Entry – Geeky Growth Chart

by | DIY, Home, Kids

If you paid attention to the Party In My Tummy schedule, you’ll notice I’m falling behind and I was supposed to post about blanching. Well, I blanched Kohlrabi yesterday and there really wasn’t anything interesting to see or talk about.  I would really just be asking you to hang out in my kitchen with me and watch water boil. How boring is that?  So, no tutorial on blanching, sorry.

So I thought I’d share my entry into the So You Think You’re Crafty contest.  Did you vote?  Did you vote for me?  All the contestant projects were awesome and the ladies are all super talented, which means I’m in deep trouble!  I’ve been using every spare moment to work on my contest entries, and things are starting to fall by the roadside…like laundry and dishes…and my birthday! 🙂

Still, I’ve got big plans…for the blog, not for the birthday.  I have to find some leeks to clean, and a steak to sear in my cast iron pan(s), and I’m so happy to be working with some of my bestest blogger friends to host a crazy summer party in a week!  Stay tuned while we figure out the details, but get your summer-y posts ready to go and ready to link up!

(Update for Pinspired and Rewired:) This project was inspired this post on Pinterest.

 

Geeky Growth Chart | One Dog Woof | #starwars #applique

 

This is a project that has been on my to-do list for a while now, and it feels good to be finally done!  I saw a free PDF of a “geeky growth chart” on the Internet that an ambitious and sci-fi oriented dad put together for his child, and it really called out to my inner nerd.  Now with a munchkin of my own, I really wanted to display this ingenious idea in my home, but printing the PDF out on paper and hanging it up is just asking for it to be ripped down by little hands!  So, I printed the document out in pieces, taped it together, made some very large appliques from the pattern, and created a fabric version of the Geeky Growth Chart!

This was my first time working with appliques of any sort, so it was quite the learning process.  I used different shades of green and gray fabric, and drew the height markers using a fabric pen, only labeling each foot up to 7 feet, since Darth Vader is well over 6 feet tall.  Heights are attached with a little label and a safety pin, so I won’t have to mark up the chart itself.

 

Geeky Growth Chart | One Dog Woof | #starwars #applique

 

Since this project needed a piece of fabric as the backing anyways, I decided to use the empty space and create a second growth chart design and make the whole thing reversible.  I wanted a “cuter” version, just in case the munchkin wasn’t into science fiction (blasphemous!).  That meant the toadstools I used to doodle when I was younger would definitely be a part of the design, but I couldn’t just fill all that white space with toadstools. (or could I?)  I guess you can call this side “From the Ground Up”.  It starts at ground level with toadstools and trees and some balloons, then a small hill with more trees and toadstools.  Then as you grow, you see houses and buildings.  (The idea of industrial building silhouettes came from Freight Train, by Donald Crews.)  You’ll climb hills and mountains, and then finally, you are among the stars!

 

The sky's the limit - growth chart

 

I finished by using a dowel and some baker’s twine to hang it up.  Not that I want the munchkin to grow up to be 7 feet tall, nor be like Darth Vader, (although reaching for the stars is good) but I’m quite happy with this reversible “artwork” hanging in our hallway!

 

 

14 Comments

  1. Lisa

    This is awesome! If you haven’t started selling these, you should!

  2. Chiwei @ One Dog Woof

    Haha, thank you Lisa! This project took soooo long to finish and may have broken my sewing machine in the process, so not sure about selling them 🙂 Thank you so much for your lovely compliment!

  3. Justine

    That’s so great! love it.

  4. Christie

    This is so fun! Great job 🙂

  5. Christine

    How fun is this!!! DITTO what Lisa said!!

    Oh and you better be planning on sharing this at The DIY Dreamer… From Dream To Reality!!! Please 🙂

  6. Stacy Sews and Schools

    OH MY GOSH!! That is great!!! I <3 it!!!! I have to Pin and share this!

  7. Connie

    Very nice, please link it up with me today at Wow Us Wednesday. Following you on linky folloers 🙂

  8. Amy

    So cool, Chi Wei! I love how it’s reversible now! Nicely done; so glad you shared at Shine on Fridays. When will you know results from the competition?

  9. Liann

    love this project, was considering the giant wooden ruler for a growth chart but now I’ve seen this definatly doing this instead

  10. Chiwei @ One Dog Woof

    Thanks Kate! I’m actually not sure how to add this to the original link – do I have to join Tumblr in order to do so?

  11. ChiWei

    Thanks Marni! Took a ton of time but really makes my inner geek just so happy!

  12. Nicole

    I really do need this creation. I am with the first commenter, please sell them!

Shop New

[products class=”et-zoom-in” limit=”2″ columns=”1″]