Posts Tagged ‘Crafting’

Why Handmade? 3 Reasons Why Handmade is the “hot Gift”

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

That’s it. I had to have it. If I had to go to 10 different stores, line up at 4 AM on “Black Friday” or go online and bid far more than my pocketbook would allow, the hot toy of the season was going to be mine. I pictured my daughter’s face opening it up. It would be the picture-perfect moment when at last she would tear open the toy she had begged for all season. A year has now passed. Now what was that toy? I honestly can’t remember… and I’m sure she can’t either.
Now rewind to that same Christmas. I also made her a pillow with her own name on it. I do remember carefully selecting the fabrics. I remember feeling so “gitty” when I found just the right color choices that would coordinate with her bedroom so perfectly. Everything that made her room hers, I found! I remember the night I put her to bed and ran to my sewing room so excited to get started on my project. I would hope she’d love it as much as I loved making it for her. Watching her elation as she opened that gift was 10 times more enchanting than seeing her set aside the “had-to-have” toy a few short hours later. She was captivated by the pillow, and happy to ask, “Mommy! Mommy! Did you make this for ME?”
The “D-I-Y” phenomenon is here and more and more people are choosing to give handmade gifts to those on their gift-giving lists! So why give handmade this holiday season?
1.Because It’s Cost-Effective
More often th@gmail.coman not, you can make something for less. Of course there are exceptions, but this works well when you have a holiday budget to stick to. I recently made some chalk-board mats for my nieces and nephews. Can you believe I was able to make 9 of them out of 1 yard of fabric? Talk about a bargain! Another friend of mine made purses for all of her girlfriends for their gift exchange. I also like to write down my gift-giving list early, and then think of how I can make several of the same gifts for a group of people- such as favorite teachers. In assembly-line fashion, I can purchase all I need at once, lay out my materials, and thrust into the project at hand. Before you know it, I’m finished with something that was not only enjoyable for me to do, but cost very little in relation to purchasing something at a store.
2.Because It Can Be Personalized
When I make a gift for someone, I always keep in mind what is important to them or about them. Whether it’s a name on the gift, remembering their favorite colors, or making something of a sentimental nature, a handmade gift is one way of showing you care. Handmade gifts can be very unique and different. Countless times I’ve been so impressed with those who can create the same project, yet individualize each one to make them special to the one they are giving it to. Whether it’s something that has been knit, sewn, painted, or glued, you can make the right gift for just the right person.
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3.Because It Can Become a Treasure
I still have a crocheted blanket my grandmother made for me when I was a child. Seeing this reminds me of her love and dedication to our family. I can imagine the excitement she must have felt while making it. In retrospect, I don’t know if I ever showed my full extent of gratitude when that gift was given. Oftentimes, that may be the case. But looking back, my heart is filled with thanksgiving as I recognize the hours that must have gone into something so extraordinary.
Do I still purchase gifts for family and friends from the stores? Of course I do. But while acknowledging that making handmade gifts does take more time, for me giving a gift that is handmade is very fulfilling to both the giver and receiver.

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7 Homemade Kids Halloween Costume Ideas

Friday, December 11th, 2009

When it comes to Halloween costumes, we always decided to make our own because we felt it was foolish to spend $35 and up, for a costume that our child was only going to wear one time. Over the years, my sister-in-law and I have made numerous costumes for our children and I thought I would share a few simple ideas with you.If you are concerned about safety, I recommend purchasing some reflective material patches at your local fabric and crafts store, and sew or glue them onto your child’s costume. This safety measure will help car drivers to see them at night as they are crossing the street. I always recommend that a responsible adult accompany children on Trick or Treat night.Here are the Halloween costume ideas we came up with over the years.Lady Bug – You will need: red leotard, red tights, 4 sheets of black felt and fabric glue. Cut out some circles and ovals from the felt and glue onto the red leotard so that it looks like lady bug spots. To make antennae, purchase a black headband, 2 round 3″ diameter Styrofoam balls, 2 pencils, black acrylic paint and gorilla glue. Paint the Styrofoam balls and pencils black and let dry. Glue pencils to the center of the Styrofoam balls, let dry and then glue the pencils to the top of the head band.Note: You could use the same concept above and do a bumble bee and substitute the red clothing items with yellow clothing items and make black felt bee-style stripes.Construction Worker – You will need: denim blue jeans, white T-shirt, flannel shirt and a yellow plastic hard hat found at a discount toy store. You can borrow a man’s tool belt or purchase a canvas-style apron with pockets at a local craft store for a few dollars. If desired, visit your local dollar discount store and purchase a plastic tool set to stick into the pockets of the tool belt.Golfer – You will need: khaki colored pants, polo-style shirt and a plaid golfers cap. You can purchase plastic golf clubs and balls at your local dollar discount store. We made our own golf bag by emptying out a large round cardboard tube and painting it with acrylic paints. Punch a hole in each side of the tube and attach twine for a carrying strap. You can fit 3-4 plastic golf clubs into the holder and have your child carry it over their shoulder.Nurse – You will need: white skirt, shirt, tights and shoes which your child most likely already has in her closet. To add to that, purchase a child’s size nurses cap at a costume store along with a plastic doctor’s kit at your local dollar discount store. We also accented the white shirt with a name badge and a red felt first-aid cross that we hand drew and safety pinned to the shirt.Mummy – You will need: white clothing, white ski mask, white sneakers, several rolls of white first aid bandages and numerous safety pins. We cut the bandages into 12-24″ lengths and safety pinned them around the legs, arms and abdomen of the outfit. We chose to use fabric glue to attach them to the white ski mask. If you are making this costume for a small child, then I recommend using non-toxic fabric glue instead of the safety pins.Black Spider – You will need: black jeans, black sweatshirt, 2 pairs of black little girls tights, 1 bag of fiberfill stuffing, black thread. You need to cut the panty portion off of the tights and just use the legs. Stuff each leg firmly with fiberfill and then sew the end shut with thread. Do this for a total of 4 spider legs. You will want to hand sew (or machine sew) the stuffed legs onto the sides of the black sweatshirt about 4-5″ below the sweatshirt arm. If desired, you can paint the child’s face black or lime green with face paints.Crayon – You will need: your choice of colored clothing, we selected orange to fit with the Halloween theme, along with several sheets of black felt, fabric glue and a black fabric paint. Grab one of your child’s crayons and use it as an example on how you should cut out designs from your black felt. Attach those designs onto the clothing items so that it resembles a crayon. You can use the black fabric paint to paint on the crayon-makers name on the front of the shirt. To further fit with our theme, we machine sewn a triangular hat out of matching orange felt, so that ‘our’ little crayon had a pointy crayon top.

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Sewing Project – How To Make Homemade Baby Bibs

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

I just recently became a first time grandmother and have been enjoying the new little addition to our family. I am also an avid crafter and seamstress so I can often be found in my craft and sewing room creating some wonderful things for my friends and family.With the new addition of the baby girl to our family, I decided I wanted to make some homemade baby bibs. I thought the process would be difficult, but once I got started…I realized how easy it was to create my own bibs for our grand-daughter.Here are the supplies you will need:1 pre-purchased terry cloth bib to use as a pattern1 package of double fold bias tape (2 yard package), per bibsewing machinesewing thread1/4 yard of cotton terry cloth fabric Scissors Miscellaneous sewing suppliesNote: If you really want to be frugal, you can recycle some old terry cloth bath towels for this project.Lay your pre-purchased baby bib down on a piece of white paper and trace around the shape using a pencil, then cut out your paper pattern. Next, unroll your bias tape and cut off a piece of bias tape measuring 34″ in length. Pin your paper pattern down onto your terry cloth fabric and pin into place. Cut around the paper pattern and then remove the pins. Cover and pin the bias tape around the raw edges of the sides and bottom of your bib, don’t cover the neck area just yet. Using your sewing machine, stitch the bias tape into place and fasten off. Cut another piece of bias tape measuring approximately 26″ long. Attach the center of the bias tape to the center neck area of the bib, pin into place. (note: a piece of bias tape about 10″ long is left at both ends of the neck edge for the ties.) Using your sewing machine, stitch around the neck opening so that you are attaching and covering the raw edges. You can use your pre-purchased one as a guide on how it should be sewn.Decorations: If desired, you can use 3/4″ wide eyelet lace instead of bias tape in step one of the sewing, but you will still need to use a coordinating color of bias tape for the neck area and ties. You can embroider a name or nice design onto the front of the bib or purchase some cute iron-on applique’s.

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Which Craft is Right for Me?

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

Diana discovered the joy of pottery after suffering a terrible divorce. Taking a seat at the wheel with a lump of clay, she felt an immediate release. Her mind cleared and her heart rate slowed down. She was able to relax in a way she hadnt for weeks. Better than therapyand medication! she happily reported to her doctor after her first day at a community education class, where she went on to make friends with fellow potters, further enriching her life.
For Kris it was counted cross-stitch. The repetitive motion of the needle passing up and down through crisp cloth put her in a near-meditative state, the way yoga does for some. In this state Kris was able to work out solutions to her daily challenges. It was like the ideas dropped into my mind out of the sky, she told a close friend.
Shawn found furniture restoration to be wonderfully soothing after a stressful day at the office. The raw scent of wood loosened him up, and he was surprised how satisfying it was to sit down at a table he had restored himself.
Such is the world of DIY. Discovering the right craft for your personality and temperament can be a reward that transforms your life.
The crafting world is as wide and diverse as a tropical rainforest. Each crafting activity has unique benefits and challenges. You could spend your entire life just trying out different crafts. While this may be fun, it can be expensive and frustrating. Should you desire to narrow your search down, this article will act as your guide by investigating the world of crafts as they fit into five spectrums. If one activity doesnt suit you, take heart. Crafting is for everyoneyou are bound to find that perfect match.
1. Short-term projects vs. long-term projects.
Do you have a need for immediate gratification? If you do, you might prefer cake decorating, ceramics, candle-making, lotions-n-potions, or cut-n-paste projects (scrapbooking, collage, and decoupage), which deliver results relatively quickly. Conversely, if you are known to possess the patience of Job, needlecrafts and quilting may be your thing. (Although quilting by machine cuts down the time dramatically). If you like long-term projects, pottery and gardening are also excellent choices, since they involve several steps.
2. Fastidiousness vs. playfulness/ looseness
Needlecrafts, baking, and jewelry-making require a meticulous and careful eye, whereas cooking, gardening and cut-n-paste projects are more appropriate for the playful type. Keep in mind that many activities can go either way or are best for those who can balance a bit of each quality.
3. Planner by nature vs. spontaneous to the core
If you dont mind doing a little math, counted cross-stitch, knitting, and crochet are great activities. Needlecrafts, quilting and sewing also require planning and pattern-reading. If all this sounds too boring or frustrating and you prefer to jump headlong into projects as soon as you feel an urge, cut-n-paste, candle-making, ceramics, or pottery may be a better fit.
4. Space available
Do you affectionately call your apartment a cupboard? If you need an activity that takes up little space or can be cleaned up in a jiffy, yarn and needlecrafts can be tucked away in a basket or a drawer. Baking and cake decorating use what you probably already have in your kitchen, and jewelry only needs a modest tackle-box with little compartments for beads and tools. But perhaps you have a room or a whole basement where a hobby could take up a permanent residence? Pottery is such a hobby. If you quilt by hand you will need a room where a fairly large frame can be set up (unless you only want to do baby quilts). A table for laying out and cutting patterns is required for sewing, and most people dont appreciate having to lug out the machine every time you want to work on a project. (However, it can be done.) Lotions-n-potions, and candle and soap making can be done in the kitchen as long as precautions are taken, but ideally they need a separate space, since you are using dangerous chemicals that you dont want to accidentally mix with food. Gardening is ideal if you have a nice-sized yard, but many green-thumbed apartment dwellers find cultivating the space around their windows, on their patio, or even potted indoor plants a satisfying diversion. Dont lose heart if you dont have space for an activity that interests youjust sign up for a community class!
5. Available funds for expenses
Each craft has a range of what you could pay for the activity, depending on your taste and willingness. If you are picky about using only hand-dyed, organically grown 100% wool yarn, you are going to pay a lot more than someone who works with an acrylic yarn available at the closest Woolworths. It is a good idea when just starting out to borrow someone elses equipment, or use inexpensive supplies until you know it is an activity you are going to stick with. Then you can slowly replace your supplies with quality items that you appreciate. On average, pottery and sewing require more expensive equipment to begin, while you can garden, cross-stitch, or cut-n-paste on a shoestring budget. Yarn crafts are the cheapest activities to try, since they dont require a lot of expensive equipment to start. Again, a class might be the best investment for the more expensive hobbies.
If you still aren’t sure which craft is right for you, talk to other crafters about why they enjoy their craft. Ask if you can join them one day to see if it is something that appeals to you. Be patient with yourself as you begin each new activity–nothing kills the excitement of trying something new more than impossibly high expectations. Don’t worry–as you continue, your skills will improve. You will also know better which activities suit you best.

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Basic Sewing Information for Beginners

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

Learning a new hobby or craft is exciting. One popular crafting skill is sewing. Sewing can not only be a beneficial skill, it’s just plain fun to learn and do. The word itself can take on several diverse meanings; from hemming a skirt to designing and creating your own wardrobe of clothing. Many people think that sewing must be terribly difficult to master, but honestly, if you can read and thread a needle you can most likely learn to sew. Given the right basic instructions and with enough practice just about anyone can learn to sew.

Now that you’ve decided to learn a bit about the basics of sewing as a hobby, perhaps you’re wondering where to find the right lessons or instructions. One very easy and popular way to learn to sew is by taking a local class at a fabric or sewing machine sales store. Many craft store offer sewing classes from beginner to advanced skill levels. Very often the fees to sign up for the classes are minimal, and you sometimes may receive discounts on merchandise as well.

Another avenue to look into for finding sewing classes may be at your community college where adult continuing education classes are offered. You can meet new friends with similar interests as yourself while learning a new craft.

For most folks, learning to sew and construct useful items for the home is taught to them as children from mothers, grandmothers or other older family members. If you have friends or family who already know how to sew, ask them to show you where to start. They may be willing to give you basic sewing lessons, or be the person you call when you’re stuck on a sewing project and can’t make something work the way it should in the pattern.

With the wonderful online world we live in now days, there’s an abundance of information available on the internet for learning how to sew. A simple search will glean you page after page of links to free and paid online sewing lessons and tutorials. Don’t forget the most obvious sewing resource, books. Your local library most likely has all of the information you need to get you started. Amazon.com too can provide you with new and used reference books on the art of sewing.

When you start to delve into the world of sewing, you’ll notice that there is a specific jargon involved. Most crafts have their own language and sewing is no different. Once you learn what certain words and phrases mean, learning to read patterns and understand the process of sewing will no longer be so overwhelming.

Your first sewing craft project should be an easy, basic one that will take you step by step through the process so that you learn one skill at a time. You may consider making a simple pillow for your couch or bed, or perhaps an easy to sew skirt for yourself or friend. There are also many craft projects that involve sewing that may be fun for you and at the same time allow you to learn new sewing skills.

So often when we learn a new craft we become so excited about the idea of creating that we go out and spend a ton of money on the biggest and best gadgets and machines out there. In the case of sewing, however, that’s just not required. All you really need is a simple sewing machine and basic sewing essentials like patterns, fabric, a measuring tape, scissors, pins etc. Remember, you’re just getting started with sewing, and you may find along the way that it’s just not your cup of tea. And once you really know what you’re doing, you’ll know exactly what you need and don’t need to be a top notch sewing crafter.

No matter how large or small your sewing goals may be, with practice you can learn to sew. Sewing is not a hard skill to take on, so get out there and learn how. Just think of all the wonderful things you can create with your own two hands and some fabric!

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