วันพุธที่ 13 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2552

15 Sewing Tips to Save Time and Money

I still remember the excitement of my first sewing course. I made a skirt for my young daughter and was thrilled everytime she wore it. Since then I have enjoyed collecting sewing hints to save time and money.

Here are few of tips that I would like to share with you:

1. Before discarding pants, cut off the belt loops and use to sew on the inside of children's coats and jackets for a coat loop. No more fallen coats at school.

2. Before sewing on buttons, tape each one where it belongs with a strip of transparent tape. After the first stitches are made you can remove the tape.

3. To avoid pinholes when hemming delicate garments, mark the hemline with tailor's chalk and use clips to hold the fold in place.

4. Prevent future errors in sewing by slipping a memo into individual patterns explaining any size alterations or changes for that item.

5. Prevent fraying by reinforcing the hems with a row of zigzag stitching in a matching or contrasting color.

6. Sew a large button on each end of the drawstring on pajamas and sweat suits. This will keep the string from disappearing.

7. Keep a spool of clear nylon thread on hand. Because it is transparent it will pick up the color of the fabric. This will also work when a bobbin runs out and the spool is almost empty; just put the clear thread on your bobbin.

8. Place a thin sheet of foam rubber under your sewing machine's foot pedal to prevent it from sliding around when you use it on an uncarpeted surface.

9. Store a magnet in your sewing basket to attract loose pins and attach one to your sewing machine to hold extra needles. If you glue a small magnet to the end of a wooden yardstick you won't have to bend over to pick up any pins that fall on the floor.

10. Thoroughly washed and cleaned mascara brushes can be used to clean the crevices of your sewing machine.

11. When letting down a garment hem you can diminish the crease by applying white vinegar to the wrong side of the fabric and steam press it.

12. Try this economical substitute for custom-cut table pads: Place a quilted mattress cover over your table top and trim with scissors for a custom fit. You'll have a sturdy, heat-absorbent table pad to protect the finish of your table.

13. For a substitute needle threader: push the needle through a sheet of white paper, the eye will be easier to see.

14. When shopping for accessories for a recent sewing project, staple a small fabric sample to an index card and carry it with you to the stores.

15. To organize loose buttons: String them on twist ties and twist the ends together for an easy way to store them.

วันศุกร์ที่ 8 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2552

12 Creative Ways To Recycle Your Christmas Cards!

Don't throw your Christmas cards away! There are so many creative ways to use your Christmas cards, many of which you can do with your kids. We have brought together some ideas below.

Christmas jigsaw game:
Make a Christmas jigsaw game. Gather 10-20 cards and cut each one into 3 or 4 pieces, using straight lines. Shuffle them up and lay them out on a flat service such as a dining table or the floor – then put them back together again! Store the cards in a shoebox for next time. This is fun on a quiet family evening at the beginning of the season as it helps to get everybody into the Christmas spirit!

Christmas tree ornaments:
Make cinnamon stick ornaments for the Christmas tree. Wrap a small bundle of cinnamon sticks together with a pretty ribbon tied in a bow (leave a loop for hanging). Using a small dab of glue, attach a pretty shape cut from a Christmas card with pinking shears to the centre of the ribbon bow to finish the ornament off. These look pretty and smell delicious too!

Scented sachets:
Make scented sachets to give as gifts or fragrance your own home. Simply glue the bottom and side edges of the card together and then slip a small amount of potpourri (or a cotton ball on which you have dropped a little Christmas essential oil) into the space. Use a hole punch to make two holes on the top edge, through which you can thread a pretty ribbon before tying a bow. If you leave a loop in the ribbon, the sachets can be hung on door handles, coat hooks or radiators (the heat will help to release the scent, but it won’t last as long) to create a welcoming, Christmas atmosphere.

Christmas mobile or “string”:
Cut shapes out of the cards in matching pairs. Hearts work nicely, as do simple Christmas tree shapes and even plain squares and circles. Stick the cards back to back and laminate them, then punch a hole in them and use to make a colorful and child-friendly mobile or “string” to decorate next year. You could add to this every year. As a variation, you could back each shape with a plain-colored piece of card or construction paper and write on it the date and name of the person who sent the card.

Christmas card game:
Cut playing-card shapes out of the cards, stick a piece of plain card over any writing if necessary, and use to make a Christmas game or quiz for your children to play next year. Laminate to protect.

Gift tags:
A traditional activity, but one which never fails to amuse the kids, is making gift tags for next year's presents. Use pinking sheers, a hole punch, and leftover ribbon

Gift bags:
Make gift bags for next year by saving smart paper bags. Cut a nice shape out of each card and stick it to the front of the bag (covering any shop labels if necessary). Sometimes one Christmas card will yield many different bag decorations! Add a little ribbon bow just above the card and wrap your present in tissue paper before putting it into the bag. This looks lovely with brown paper bags and tartan ribbons.

Miniature Christmas cards:
Some Christmas card designs can be cut and folded into miniature Christmas cards for the kids to give next year, or for decorating the dolls house.

Christmas screensaver:
Scan your favorite cards into the computer – and some of your favorite messages from inside the cards as well – and make them into a Christmas wallpaper or screensaver with a photo program. Children love this and it is a great memento if you do it each year.

Lacing card:
Cut out the pictures on the larger cards, punch holes around the edges with a hole punch, add a shoelace or brightly colored yarn (with sticky tape wrapped around the ends) and you have a cheerful and cheap lacing card for little ones. If they are particularly popular you could laminate them to make them last longer.

Christmas confetti:
Make some Christmas confetti to use next year (scatter it on the Christmas table, or put a pinch inside your Christmas cards and gifts!) Use either a plain hole punch or a special Christmas one (both together look great) and choose the most colorful areas from each card to cut. Gold and silver looks very effective, especially mixed in with red and green. Small scraps of leftover wrapping paper can be used too. You can keep the children busy with this for hours!

วันอาทิตย์ที่ 3 พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. 2552

10 Tips for Peaceful Crafting with the Kids

Are you looking for ways to keep craft time with your children simple and fun? If so, I hope you will put some of the following suggestions to use.

1. Find the craft the kids want to make and then make a list of all the supplies you will need to make the craft.

2. If you do not have everything on hand add the supplies you need to your shopping list so you will not forget them.

3. Put a plastic table cloth down where you will be crafting.

4. Have all supplies laid out before you announce craft time to your kids.

5. Use non-toxic paints, glues, etc.

6. Have wet wipes and paper towels handy for spills.

7. Always try to have extra supplies in case something is lost or torn, etc.

8. Let them wear old clothes so you will not be stressed out over ruining what they are wearing.

9.Show the kids how to do the craft but let them do it in their own way. If you insist on it being perfect then you might as well do the craft yourself and forget about having craft time with the kids. It also makes the children thnk that everything has to be perfect and that their best is not good enough. Sometimes little hands need help but you know you have gone too far when you are the only one left at the craft table.

10.Have fun! Don't worry about a little paint on their hands & faces, take pictures instead.

I hope you will try these suggestions for a stress free craft time with your children. Show them how to have fun, they will learn how to be stressed out way too soon anyway.

วันเสาร์ที่ 25 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2552

8 Tips For Crochet Beginners

Dear Friend,

Thanks for visiting and finding my article. What follows is information that I have pulled together from many different sources. The secrets, tips, and techniques you read here are from my book "Crocheting Made Simple". I hope you find it both interesting and helpful.

Many imagine that knitted and crochet items survived in the youthful period of imperialism. A lot of communities in this era used this type of trade as their main resource of income. The crocheted and knitted goods are typically purchased by the middle class citizens.

The History of Crochet

Crochet was known to specify the status symbol of an individual from the early account. This accommodating refinement was practiced by the royalties who were capable to afford buying extravagant lace-work goods and set up the value of crochet commodities to devalue.

Numerous have alleged that knitting and crocheting was developed be means of the old practices of persons living in countries like China, Middle Eastern countries, and in South America. Many individuals find credible that crochet may have been practiced by early cultures to flex the muscles of the forefinger rather than a fashion hook. This belief was accepted by uncountable craft historians because of the absence of artifact crochet goods as evidence of its established practices.

Crochet vs. Lace

In the early 1800's, numberless European communities have used crochet goods in place of the immensely expensive lace made materials. Crocheting just requires fewer materials, and it is also extensively accepted by contrasting social classes. From these periods, crochet was done mainly on thread. The most common universally made products from crochet were filet crochet made in rows either open or close mesh to construct a certain pattern. While in the 1900's, the huge production of steel hooks has introduced numerous products which are made from thread.

In today's stretch, crocheting and knitting is the enjoyment of numberless individuals. It has recently evolved the attentiveness of many persons that made it so popular with the high quality of yarns and threads used. The delight of making a crochet article is working it with different yarn textures and colors.

8 Basic Tips for Crochet Beginners

As a novice, a person should understand the procedure of making a pattern row and a single stitch crocheting. Here are several fundamental steps that will help a person find out how to make a crochet product.

1. Foremost, the person may need the use of crochet mechanism like a size G crochet hook, small scissors, worsted-weight yarn with any colors, and a big-eyed yarn needle.

2. He may begin by holding the crochet hook in his right hand if he is right-handed. Then he may produce a slipped knot on the hook.

3. He may glide the hooked yarn to the slipknot of the hook. This procedure will produce a continuous stitch or a chained like stitches. He will then continue to bringing back the yarn on top of the hook making the thread go into the hook and grabbing the slip knot into the hook.

4. He can pass by on the first chain stitch permitting the knot to be properly hooked on the knot of the thread. This will allow the thread to be properly in place so that it will not loosen. A much tighter knot would be better to form a chain stitch.

5. He may insert the hook to the hole of on the next chain stitch, and then glide the yarn passing through the center of the second chain stitch going to the upper part of the hook. He may have now created two loops on the hook of the threads.

6. He may fetch the yarn back on the hook from back to front and slide the knot in the center of the loops that he had created on the hook.

7. From the second loop, form another one chain stitch to construct a counter clock wise loop. This allows the hook to remain in the chain stitches. He may set in motion again in creating the accompanying rows, creating the exact loops on the previous rows.

8. He may form a single crochet stitch in the first loop tightened going to the following loops of the previous rows. He should be precisely certain to produce the hook on the last stitch to retain the stitches on their places.

Completing the Crochet Item

To conclude the work, he may cut the surplus yarn on the skin. He should not forget to keep at minimum 6 inches of the thread on the last chain stitch. This will allow him to slip the hook up to the upper part of the loops and bringing the thread into the last loops of the hook. As a greenhorn, he may discover it tough to do especially on more detailed crochet products. He may begin doing these fundamental steps to help him get used to the techniques.

วันศุกร์ที่ 24 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2552

5 Ways To Keep Your Scrapbook Safe

One of the most devastating things that can happen to a scrapbook-er is for their creation to be ruined. So many hours, time, energy and money have been exhausted in putting together a work of art that brings back those memorable moments in time. There are plenty of ways that your book can get destroyed. With just a few simple precautions, you can make sure that your book will be around for years to come for your grand childrens and family members to enjoy.

(1) Liquids obviously will destroy memorabilia, photographs and negatives. To avoid disasters, store your scrapbooks supplies, albums, photographs and negatives in a dry, cool place where water from broken pipes or overflowing toilets cannot reach them. Also, keep food and drinks out of your work area. Over time, sunlight can diminish photos, negatives, layouts, and album quality. Keep all supplies out of direct sunlight.

(2) Extreme temperatures damage photos, negatives, layouts, page protectors and albums. Always store all items in a regular-temperature area and in an area where there is low humidity.

(3) Although it may not be an immediately apparent problem but fingerprints on photos, negatives and layouts become visible over time. Oil from skin is the cause of this problem. To prevent this deterioration, handle all photos carefully, touching only the outer edges. Wash hands frequently or use acid neutralizing wipes but make sure your hands are dry before handling any materials. Use lightweight cotton gloves if available to ensure those pictures stay perfect.

(4) Handle and store your photos, negatives, and layouts carefully. Improper storage increases the risk of scratches, tears, and bends. Store and seal your photos and negatives in a sturdy container, in plastic sleeves that fit into a 3-ring binder, or in acid-free envelopes. Keep in mind that not all plastics are alike. In fact, some sheet protectors, binders, photo enclosures, and photo corners will eventually damage your memorabilia more than if you had not used plastic protection or enhancement at all. To avoid this, do not buy materials containing PVC or PVA, buy your materials from reputable scrapbook stores. Yes, it may cost you a bit more but your scrapbook will last so much longer. Look for acrylic or polyester materials as an alternative.

(5) Finally, paper and cardstock you find in your local hobby store are not necessarily acid-free unless stated on the packaging. Also realize that just because a manufacturer’s lighter colored paper is acid-free does not guarantee the darker colors will also be. Your best bet is to test any paper that is not specifically marked 'acid-free.'

Now that wasn't hard at all, was it? And you've earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to learn from another scrapper enthusiast.

วันจันทร์ที่ 13 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2552

5 Things You Must Do If You Want To Make Sure Wood Is Straight

1. Make two lists of Wood.

Each 500mm long
45mm wide
25mm thick.
The lists needs to be completely straight and even. Make sure they are witout twigs in the material.
These lists of wood may become one of your most important tools in your workshop.

2. Position the lists

Lay the lists opposite of the direction of the wood in your piece. One at each end. This will provide you with two reference points.

3. Measure

Take a couple of steps back and aim. The two lists should appear parallel, if they do then the piece is straight. Congratulations! This is what you want. Unfortunately that is not always the case - If it`s not straight move on to step 4.

4. Mark it

If the wood is not straight take a pencile and mark where the wood is elevated. Then scrubb down. An important note though, do not remvoe too much at a time. better to go slowly then to end up having the hole piece renderd useless due to beeing in a hurry.

5. Re-check

The last and most important step is to re-check. Repeat step 3-5 until you are completely satisfied.

When it is straight mark the side so you know that side is straight turn the piece and do the hole process on the other side.

PS. If you truly want to build great furniture check out: http://www.build-classic-furniture.com





This is a "Shareware" Article
(what's that? read on...)

This article is shareware. Give this article away for free on your site, or include it as part of any paid package as long as the entire article is left intact including this notice. Copyright ฉ 2006 Stian Kjellhov

วันอาทิตย์ที่ 12 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2552

4 Crochet Tips To Remember

Dear Friend,

Thanks for visiting and finding my article. What follows is information that I have pulled together from many different sources. The secrets, tips, and techniques you read here are from my book "Crocheting Made Simple". I hope you find it both interesting and helpful.

It may sound silly, but crochet patterns have been finished for many years. Recently it is becoming a trend again in the fashion world. By learning about it, the individual will be proficient to come up with some grand designs to present to people.

Start With the Basics

In the first place when individuals begin something new, it is best to start with the fundamentals. This happens in nearly all things and crochet patterns is no different.

In addition, if the individual has done cross stitching in the past, it will be simple to comprehend how certain designs are done. If the person did not possess any familiarity in the past, then it is best to enroll in a class then after some interval, can make a move on to crochet patterns.

Crochet and the Fashion World

Most people would agree that the fashion world is an extremely good area to uncover more about crochet patterns. Inasmuch as this is dictated by several of the world's famous brands, wisdom from these professionals will keep the individual up to date on the current trends.

In fact, fashion shows generally feature the upcoming apparel a few months before it is launched. By watching, then studying the fabric once it hits the stores, the individual will be able to construct a comparable design that is also abreast with what is new and hot.

By the way should the individual not be able to see the fashion exhibit, and then the next location to learn of it is in reference materials such as books and videos that can be bought at the nearby specialty store. This should have everything including the materials to be used.

There are also several shows on TV and magazines that can be bought which feature some of the fundamental to the more innovative designs. The person has to merely understand the instructions noted and work on it.

One Color Basic

In the beginning the fundamentals should be done with only using one color. The individual should practice this in making a basic item such as a wash cloth. Should this be successful, then moving on to greater effects can start?

Next, a slipknot is one of the fundamentals in beginning crochet patterns. The individual does not need to use a needle and totally work it with the hands. While one end is in around the fingers, the ball of yarn can be thrown in the air.

Soon after beginning a few loops, this will end with the person forming a knot using both hands.

Switching Colors

One of the numerous challenges in crochet patterns is changing from one color to the next. This can be done by stopping with one color then slowly sliding a different color thread into the needle.

Without a doubt another fundamental method that the individual should learn of is mixing. This is done using 2 needles each with a different color of thread. By making these face one another and letting one of the needles work above the other, the print will become multi-colored.

Furthermore the purl stitch is another method used to construct crochet patterns. This is really comparable to mixing. The yarn is already around one needle. The individual will then use the other to work its way inside until both can be used to work together to produce a pattern.

On the other hand cross stitching is very challenging and will require a lot of effort. After exercising several of the essentials, the individual can advance on to form figures, shapes, lines and others to make it stand out.

4 Things to Remember

1. The individual has to bear in mind that the fashion trade goes by seasons. This means that the sole should work fast so that once it is finished; it can still be used in the suitable period.

2. Beginners should be able to sketch it on paper to analyze how a determined design should be finished. By using this as a guide, the person will be able to monitor the progression of the work.

3. Crochet patterns can be done on nearly anything. By working on various little household items then moving on to clothing, and accessories, the person's crochet pattern skills will be dramatically improved.

4. There are a lot of designs and not everything is in the book. Some of it can be from the person's creativity and after sketching it and action with needles that concept can be brought to existence.

In closing there are numerous ways to find out about the basics of crochet patterns. The person should just apply some time to read about it and observe how this is accomplished.