The Rubber Traveler

The one of a kind

rubber inner tube custom bag with recycled

pop bottle felt liner... 

I just made a 'custom special bag' for one of my friend's who's off to Thailand next month. He's requesting a bag with adjustable detachable straps for his Netbook.

If you remember, I used to have a laptop sleeve made of recycled rubber inner tubes on my Etsy shop. The bag is a cross between my SoMa iPad Envelope  and the Laptop Tube.

This Netbook has specific dimensions: 10 1/2 X 7 1/2 inches tapered at the front (1/2" thinner at the front).
The rubber is inconsistently crooked to begin with, difficult to have a completely flat sheet. It's not perfect.
And the only way for me to figure it out is to make a 3D model in foam core.

As much as I love to work with rubber, it is challenging to work with. I find that I can't impose my ideas onto it. Often the first idea changes. I have to constantly adapt my design to follow the natural movement of the material. But when it works, it's fabulous.

I'm very happy with this design. I love working with the imperfections of the rubber. I'm in the zen of sewing taking a flawed material working with it to make a wonderful final product!

Velcro closure...

First time I used metal clasps!

Artist's In The Window: The Return

Remember the first time I was the Artist in the Window? That was last January 29th.

Well, Richard and I was eagerly back and making our famous Polka Dots cycling cap. Yesterday, we were the Artist(s) in the Window at Bird on a Wire Creations. It's such a great idea that Karen welcomes different artists every Saturday to show their craft.

It's nothing liken to a handmade show where you feel like you have to perform to sell your artwork. Depending on the show, you don't always have enough time to share with clients. I like this hands on approach where the main emphasis is engaging with the public. Of course, sales are good too! This is where Richard shines. His fountain of cycling knowledge is advantageous. I believe with Richard, that he presents an non-threatening aspect. Cycling guys feel comfortable enough to enter into a crafty handmade store without their girlfriends! In fact, a father with baby girl stopped in to chat with Richard and to buy a cycling cap.

Richard is now selling his Cycling Art Cards at

Bird on a Wire Creations!

The sun was not there but plenty of people showed up. We learned from a bike mechanic of a newer bike store to check out around Hastings & Nanaimo in Vancouver. We also met a cycling couple from Bellingham, Washington who were amazed at how Main street was so vibrant. 

It's wonderful to meet the new employee at Bird on a Wire, Shelley. She has a beautiful welcoming smile to greet customers. 

A great day, it went flying by. It felt like working in an open studio!

A good sign...

June will be Bike Month in Vancouver and 

we will be both back as Artist in the Window!

Loving the Entrelac Way!

The Entrelac Bible!

I came across this excellent book from the library. It's called Entree to Entrelac.

My first Entrelac design,

The Queen of Diamonds Scarf.

Two years ago, I found online, a scarf with an interesting diamond pattern. A free pattern was offered and I tried it. The pattern was written without graphics. And, it took me a few trials to follow the pattern. It was difficult to understand. I sketched it out and discovered it was ....easier.

I made my first Queen of Diamonds Scarf and it sold right away.

After my second scarf I wanted to knit something else. I came across this book and it all made sense. Everything I figure out two years ago, was here in this book with fantastic easy to follow diagrams. I'm so excited with all the different patterns that you can do with Entrelac but I don't know which project that I'll knit from this book.

One things for sure, my next project will be something with the Entrelac design!

My Queen of Diamonds Scarf #2.

Bloom-ing in Ft. Langley

Springing towards the Fort Langley Community Hall

Sunday was a perfect Spring day. Richard and I drove to Ft Langley to see the Bloom Market. A handmade market from 40 independent artists selling their one-of-a-kind items.

Ft. Langley is outside of Vancouver providing a mix of urban and rural eye candy on the banks of the Fraser River. This was the first time, for both of us, to visit Ft. Langley. It's an old village that is beautifully restored. We even saw a train go through the middle of the town adding to the quaintness.

We were eager to see our friend Helene and her husband Graham as vendors. Musician, Graham Walker makes and sells his own children's music CDs. Helene sells her fine handmade garments for: children, men & women.

It was fun and exciting but we're not convince if this is a market for us. There's so many artisan markets blooming everywhere that we have to take our time and pick the right one!

The kids are loving Grahams' music.

Quest for the Orangeman

I'm happy that the Orangeman is back!

We sold out on the Orangeman Cycling Cap last November, and I'm happy to present the new & improved Orangeman Cycling Cap!

The fabric is thinner and more comfortable than it's predecessor. The new version is made from cotton/polyester twill and 100% natural cotton trim.

This was a long quest that lasted awhile, around four months. I hate it when fabric suppliers don't renew their stock thinking that bright colors only sell in the Summer. My quest is actually half done. I'm still looking for the three color Dutch stripe.

I've exhausted my limited resources around town, now I'm ready to go outside Vancouver on a road trip.Tomorrow we'll check it out and go to Port Coquitlam to check out Fabricana's notion sale. Cross my fingers!

Early teaching days & two new projects

 Le Cowl

There's always time to knit. Or should I say crochet. I just finished a big cowl (above) & a knitted scarf (below).

I don't remember when I crochet something so big. The largest project I made lately are dishcloths. Although, when I was young I was crocheting more than I was knitting. I was in grade 4 and Madame Pinard was my teacher. She always gave us 1 hour free time at the end of the day. Call it down time.

I suggested to her that it would be fun to gather students to crochet. I was making my mother a blanket and this gave me the opportunity to work in secret at school. It was a surprise. I remember the colors: four squares sewn together mostly black with accents of teal, purple & yellow. Even now, when I think about it those colors were dynamite. I bet that one of my family members has it in their Québec cabin.

My classmates thought the idea was fun, too. Their was five girls involved including one boy. I actually helped them all in their Christmas projects. After Christmas, it ended lasting for one term. It was short and intense and a lot of fun. It was an experience that I will always remember showing people my love for crochet. It was my first teaching experience.

I finished a similar scarf (last posted here) 

so comfortable that I wear it everyday.

So, I decided to make this one for sale!

Celebrating our new Paris-Roubaix cycling cap!

Richard wearing the new Galstudio...

Paris-Roubaix Cycling Cap!

Today is the 2nd anniversary of Galstudio's very first cycling cap sale. It's hard to believe it's two years ago. And, to celebrate we're proud to introduce our ....new Paris-Roubaix Cycling Cap!

French Tricolore detail...

Vive le France!

Images: Galstudio

When I first discovered Etsy, my ambition was to sell my knit goods. Here are some stats. That was November 2008. By March, 2009 Richard suggested that cycling caps will sell. I listed my first cycling cap in mid march, a few days later it sold in the United States.

That was my first sale on Etsy and I knew that my cycling caps would be popular. This was the first step for Galstudio to become a platform to sell cycling caps. When Richard came on board, last year, it became our real business.

My very first cycling cap was called Paris-Roubaix. It took me many hours to develop it. Richard was picky with the design, he said, “It just had to look and fit right.” The cycling cap had to sit comfortably on top of the head. It's not a baseball cap. So, I had to make a mock up design... many of them. I chose the fabric a classic brown/beige plaid. I haven't seen a cycling cap like it before. I had purchased enough fabric for two caps. And, both sold right away.

Now, I like to bring back the name and a new cycling cap. I love the name Paris-Roubaix, and I'm so excited to present it as a 3 panel cap with a new feature; 2 bold black stripes for that racy feel. Richard's idea was the French tricolore and my idea was the placement of that splash of color. I think it works elegantly well.

After close to a thousand caps made, I’m so happy how Galstudio’s cycling caps have evolved. I feel that, with this new Paris-Roubaix, I’m bringing the cycling cap to the world of haute couture!