Arts & Crafts: Page 17

There will be many times when you will want both sides of your work to look the same.  One of those times, for instance, might be when you are making a scarf.  Another time you might be making a shawl.  Or it might be a baby blanket, an afghan or a throw.  You'll see, as you're knitting, when you would want to use a "double sided" stitch.  This is one of the best of those stitches and it is called THE SEED STITCH.  It's very easy.  All you need to know is the knit stitch and the purl stitch and...

There are certain stitches that work well when you want both sides of the work to look pretty much the same.  These stitches are good for scarves, shawls  baby blankets and throws.  One of these stitches is called the MOSS STITCH.  It's a pretty stitch and easy to do.  Of course, you can use the stitch for sweaters or anything you want.

Most people think that you have to be a whiz with the needle and thread as well as proficient on the sewing machine in order to make or tailor your own clothing. But the truth is that for easy modifications, like turning an old t-shirt into a modified, chic top, all you need is a pair of scissors and perhaps a stitch or two.

I love circular needles! I use a circular most of the time, even when I am knitting straight. One of the reasons I love knitting on a circular is because with a circular needle, you don't have to worry about dropping a needle. You just have one. It's particularly good to knit straight on a circular needle when you're making a large project such as an afghan or blanket, but I use one even if I'm knitting a small project such as a scarf or wash rag. The photo below is of a scarf I'm making with...

Why should women get all the pretty hats at Easter time? You can make a fun and seasonal Easter hat for a boy quite easily! This video shows you how to take a plain hat and turn it into a birds nest hat. You will need: a hat (a plastic party fedora will work just fine), a wide strip of ribbon for the brim, a pair of scissors, some raffia, artificial leaves, a stuffed or toy bird and some craft glue.

Need some stripes in your knit-work? Judy's going to lend you her expertise and show you how to make stripes of two rows. She starts out adding a row of red yarn above previously knitted gray row, to make her stripes. Just follow her guidelines for stitching and you should have no problems knitting stripes in your future projects.

Tie loose ends together - in the literal and original sense sense of the phrase - by sewing together the ends and/or hems of your knitting projects like a pro. Whether you're fusing together two pieces of wool-knitted cloth to form the back of a beautiful winter sweater or just want to join patchwork knits into a rasta-cool beanie, knowing how to stick pieces together is integral for a tidy project.

A baby cocoon is a snug swaddling blanket that can be used to easily keep a new baby warm. This tutorial shows you a few techniques that you can use to crochet a baby cocoon for yourself or as a gift. This technique uses a crochet loom, so you'll want access to one of those in order to complete this project. You will also need to use a few basic hand sewing techniques to join the different pieces together when you're done.

The tunic stitch is another one of those real easy patterns that looks more difficult than it is. It's a strikingly beautiful pattern. Although both sides are not the same, they are both attractive so you can use either side. The picture below is of the right side.

Why ever would you want to throw a cowboy-themed party for your little cowboy? Two words: John Wayne. The epitome of wild West cool and the exemplar of the "strong and silent" type, John Wayne made the cowboy badass. So give your boy the coolest party in the world by creating a cowboy theme.

Some things are too good to keep bottled up. Give your guests a taste of what's to come at your Fourth of July party, BBQ, or slammin' block party by making your invitation look like a hamburger. Who can resists free food, right?

Canvas shoes like Vans and Converse are the most popular casual shoes in the world, and have become high-style items over the years as well. They are easy to paint, cheap, and make perfect canvases for custom shoe art. Watch this video for three great tips that will improve you custom canvas shoe painting projects and ensure your kicks come out as fly as possible.

Quilt as you go is becoming one of the most popular quilting methods out there and this video will show you how to do the technique using only your sewing machine. This method allows you to create a quilt in no time flat. You'll need lots of fabric strips, squares or triangles. You'll also need baton and backing, thread and of course a sewing machine. You'll see this project appear before your eyes and your friends will be impressed and amazed!

Looking for a new way to do your quilting? Why not try the 'quilt as you go' method! With this method you don't finish the whole piece at one time, but instead take various pieces of fabric and use them one by one. This is a great method if you happen to have a big bag of fabric odds and ends you didn't know what to do with. You'll need a piece of backing, thread, pins and of course a sewing machine. Watch and learn how to quilt as you go!

What's the only thing better than one heart? Well, it must be 2 hearts. Whether it's for Valentines Day, or any day of the year, this clear and helpful how to will show you the steps to fold up this sweet little creation. You can use any size of paper you want, but you'll want to choose paper that has different colors on either side. Go for it and get your fold on today! I heart hearts and you'll heart hearts as well with this tutorial.

Bias tape can add a professional, classy edge or finish to any project. Working with bias tape on a straight edge certainly isn't hard, but the curves can sometimes be a bit tricky. However, they're not impossible, and you can pick up the technique in just a few minutes! This video shows you how to work with single fold bias tape and sew it evenly and professionally around curved edges.

This is a great bar trick you can use to amuse your friends with! Or, you can be the cool aunt or uncle at the family reunion. All you need is a dollar bill (larger denominations will obviously also work). Then just follow a few steps outlined in this video to fold the bill into the rough shape a guitar. It might take a little bit of practice, but you can memorize all the steps in just half an hour or so.

Paracord, or parachute cord, has a very interesting history. As its name implies, it was used to suspend parachutes in WWII. The super lightweight cord is used nowadays as a utlity cord in the military and other applications. The paracord, also known as 550 cord, has even been used in outer space by astronauts repairing the Hubble Space Telescope.

No two snowflakes are alike. The same goes for people. But a snowflake can easily compliment one's own individual charm, although finding your perfect soulmate snowflake is quite a challenge. Or... it was.

Friendship can't be bought with money or gifts, but an existing friendship can certainly be bolstered by some handmade wrist wear. While you can totally hit up Claire's and purchase their twosome friendship bracelets, the special letter-embellished bracelet in this video is so much more personalized.