I love crafting. I also love cheap stuff. This website is the perfect combination of both of these obsessions. Check out Dollar Store Crafts to get some great ideas for crafts and gifts on the cheap. There are a bunch of things to make for $1 or less, great when you’re on a budget.
Let me know if you make anything from this site, and post pictures!
For those of you who know me personally, you know that I am fiber-crazed. I knit, I crochet, and I even spin my own yarn. I use a drop spindle for spinning. At some point in the future, I will invest in a spinning wheel for myself, but as of this point in time, that requires more space and more money than I have available. The lack of space has not stopped me from learning to spin, and I highly recommend hand spindling to anyone who is interested in learning without wanting to invest a lot to get started. For around $30 you can get all the supplies you need to spin lovely yarn (and with a little searching, you can do it for far less!). Warning, this is long post, full of all sorts of information.
I’ve spent many hours over the last year and a half searching out information for learning to spin, and learning some more advanced spinning techniques. As this information is already located by me, and many others I’m sure, I figured I should compile it into a post for future reference, and as a place for people to begin their journeys.
The first thing you should do is become familiar with some basic terms used in describing various aspects of spinning. You can find the list here and if you’re on Ravelry there is a long forum thread on this list and some other terms here.
Another very useful gathering of information is from Abby Franquemont found on her blog here.
Her basic intro to drop spindling:
And another (in 2 parts):
And some more Abby advice is in this post on what you need to get started.
Another great place to go for tips, articles, and advice is Spin-Off’s website. Spin-Off is a magazine published by Interweave Press and is a wealth of information. Just sign up for a free account to access some great downloads, and click around to find info on plenty of topics.
More click-around goodness is posted on the SOAR blog (that stands for Spin-Off Autumn Retreat, an incredible experience I hope to someday attend). Find the links page here.
This is just a place to start. It is by no means the only information out there. It may not even be some of the best. But there is a lot of great starting points, and will give you some of the tools you need to begin your very own spinning adventure!.
Spin on, dear readers! And be sure to share anything you find that may be useful or interesting!
I love giving gifts. I love searching for the perfect thing, be it an item, a recipe, or pattern. I love spending my time creating for others. And I love love love Giver’s Log! This blog is full of incredible ideas, from unique items for purchase, to great crafted gifts for just about everyone. It’s a well laid out site, and a fabulous way to spend minutes or hours (whichever you have).
So I was hanging around on the new(or maybe old..?) Etsy chat this morning, and someone mentioned this site. It’s called Craft Gawker and I’m in love! Page after page of crafty goodness gathered from all over the web. It reminds me a lot of the design site I used to visit almost hourly, when I had net access all the time, called NotCot (I’m not sure what it stands for, but hey).
Go check them both out. Great inspiration for all kinds of things to covet and make yourself.
I have a thing for clipboards. I love them beyond belief. I use them to sort things at work. I use them to hold blank copy paper in place of a sketch book. I use them to sort things.
I want an entire wall of clipboards, all hanging on hooks. And I want each one to be a little different. So I’ll just have to make my own. And you can too!!! Once you’ve made some, don’t forget to leave a comment with a link so I can see your creations!
I’m in trouble now! I have an obsession with art supplies. I love decorative tapes. And now there are these…
Visit Happy Tape to get some of your very own!
Are your walls looking a little bare? Do you need some great pictures for your project that don’t cost a fortune? If you need photos to use in your personal inspirations, check out the Each Pretty Penny flickr group. I found this gorgeous image right as I clicked open the tab. I can’t wait to spend hours perusing the site and finding inspiring photos to have all around me. Enjoy!
And please remember, these photos have been shared under the creative commons license, so don’t abuse the system. If we all play nice, we get great stuff!
I’m gearing up for the holidays. Yes, it’s only August. Yes, I’m a little early. No, I don’t think that’s strange. Christmas crafting goodies are starting to pop up in shops now. So that’s got me thinking of creative packaging for gifts. This works well for birthday gifts too!
It’s called Furochic, and in essance, it’s a method of wrapping boxes in fabric. A few basic techniques, and you’ll get it no problem.
Here’s a video tutorial courtesy of Jennifer Playford, author of the book Wrapagami.
I came across this tutorial on craftstylish.com. Embroidered buttons! I love them and must have some! I can imagine several of these on a purse or pouch. They seem small enough that I could deal with the needlework. Those of you who know me are by now familiar with my dislike of hand sewing. I could get over that if the result was these buttons. Unless you’d like to make some for me… You know, Christmas will be here soon… *wink wink*
If you do end up making any of these, send me pictures!
You’ve just taken the best picture ever. You’ve doodled a cute design. You have the perfect image for someone, but how are you going to translate it to a chart? No more sitting with graph paper and pencils. Oh no, my friends! Now you just visit KnitPro and upload the image so they can do all the work for you, for FREE! Upload a range of file types, select your intended chart, crochet, knitting, cross stitch, etc., and then print out the resulting charted copy. So easy! Now you can create original designs with less of the prep work. Go on. Try it… It’s great!
