Arts & Crafts: Page 88

Hand spinners who want to master long-draw drafting for woolen spinning need their fibers in a special form: carded rolags. Combed fiber won't do it -- neither will carded batts. This introduction shows you how to make carded rolags. Start by washing your fleece....

Long ago, wool yarns were described as "worsted", or "woolen", or something in-between. A true "worsted" yarn is spun from combed fiber, which is dense and fairly smooth. A true "woolen" yarn, on the other hand, is open, airy, fuzzy, and warm. Its fibers comfortably tangle and spiral down the length of the yarn. The descriptive words not only apply to the yarns, but also to the techniques used to spin them. Worsted spinning is done with a short draw -- a short drafting movement. Woolen...

With all those pegs sticking out, inkle looms can look intimidating -- but in truth they're both easy to warp and easy to use. To get the loom ready for weaving, you alternate threadings: One thread goes through a heddle, the next one doesn't. The preparation is easy and the weaving that follows is all about how well you can use this tool.

So you're weaving a narrow band. How do you keep the edges nice and straight? Here's a technique that combines weft insertion, beat, and selvedge control. It's useful for inkle weaving, tabletweaving, rigid heddle weaving, backstrap weaving... or even weaving small bands on a big loom. Try it!

When the shuttle feels cramped as you pass the weft through your weaving, it's clearly time to advance the warp. This video shows the steps involved in advancing the warp on an inkle loom: loosen the tension, move the warp around the pegs, reposition the heddles. At the end, check the position of the warp threads on the pegs and re-tighten the warp.

This instructional knitting video provides tips for making interesting patterns using a knitting machine. This is a demonstration of how to use a knitting machine to decrease the size of your knit piece. Use a single prong tool to unhook and tie off a single stitch on either side of the piece before completing each row to gradually decrease the width of the knit work. You may want to reference written instructions in addition to watching this knitting video.

This instructional knitting video provides tips for making interesting patterns using a knitting machine. This is a demonstration of how to use a knitting machine to crochet a cast off. This is one way to cleverly remove your work from the knitting machine and complete the piece of knit work. You may want to reference written instructions in addition to watching this knitting video.

This instructional knitting video provides tips for making interesting patterns using a knitting machine. This is a demonstration of how to use a knitting machine to do a back stitch bind off. You need to master this tricky step in order to take your knit work off of the knitting machine. You may want to reference some written instructions in addition to watching this knitting video.

This instructional knitting video provides tips for making interesting patterns using a knitting machine. This is a demonstration of how to pick up and hang stitches. Use a three prong tool to attach one piece of knitting work to the knitting machine. Once you set the set the machine up, you can knit a wearable piece with an altering pattern.

This instructional knitting video provides tips for making interesting patterns using a knitting machine. Use a three prong tool to twist a stitch. Once you set the twist, you can knit an entire stretch of fabric with an elegant twisted stitch pattern. This creates a light knit with open spaces for a warm yet breathable garment.

If you use a knitting machine to knit your projects, follow this simple example to knit ribbing. This instructional knitting video demonstrates how to e-wrap for double bed knitting and transfer the carriage. You may want to reference some written instructions in addition to watching this knitting video. With a little practice, you can make it look as easy as this.

This is a cool technique for machine knitters to use. It's a hand technique that converts quite easily to machine. Sew a phony seam when with a small knitting tool to alter pieces on a knitting machine.

This instructional knitting video demonstrates how to how to change to a different yarn on a circular knitting machine. Simply cut the yarn when you want to switch to a different color an tie a slipknot to the next type of yarn. It's easy!

This is an instructional video on how to thread a circular knitting machine. For the demonstration, the circular knitting machine by Innovations serves as our example. Tips are provided based on the experience of a seasoned machine knitter accustomed to using this machine.

Knitting circular socks on a Passap knitting machine is fun and easy! Follow along in this three part video and knit a children's pair of socks. Complete instructions can be found in Knitwords magazine.

If you knit with a knitting machine, a cone of yarn proves much more useful than a standard ball of yarn. This instructional knitting video demonstrates how an electric cone winder works. This little machine allows one to quickly wind a ball of yarn onto a cardboard cone.

Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to make hold down tools on an anvil for securing work. Forge a mushroom cap hold down, a bicycle chain hold down, and a spring hold down. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge some useful tools.

Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to forge different types of steel leaves. You can use these techniques to forge fence posts and other decorative metal designs. Forge steel leaves by hand or with an air hammer. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and add a creative flare to your blacksmithing projects.

Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to forge and sculpt a steel rose. This blacksmith demonstrates the techniques involved in making an ornamental metal rose as well as other organic shapes. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge a decorative flower.

Watch this instructional blacksmithing video to forge a pair of tongs for a small blacksmithing workshop. You can use this technique to make other tools for metalworking. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge a useful tool.

Watch this blacksmithing video to forge a tennon and complete a mortise and tennon traditional joint in steel. The mortise and tenon joint is basic socket joint used for pick axes and other heavy duty tools. Follow these clear instructions to begin the craft of metalsmithing and forge a useful tool.

This instructional blacksmithing video demonstrates how to hot split a bar of mild steel and drift it to a desired size and shape. Choose your chisel and blacksmithing hammer. You want to begin splitting and drifting your piece of steel when the metal is yellow hot.

Watch this instructional metalsmithing video to weld a set of figurines out of sheet metal, nails, and a coat hanger. Oxy-acetylene welding is the only gas flame type of welding that is hot enough to melt all commercial metals. Use 22 gauge sheet metal to make clean and safe metalwork. Use a plasma cutter to quickly cut out the basic pieces. You can also use a blacksmithing hammer to bend the metal into unique props fpr your metal figurines.

Watch this instructional weaving video to begin weaving on an inkle loom. Inkle weaving is a type of weaving where the weave is created by manually raising or lowering the warp yarns on a loom known as an inkle loom. Inkle weaving was brought to the United States in the 1930s. We know that the inkle loom predates the Shakespearian era, due to a reference to the inkle loom in Love's Labour's Lost. Inkle weaving is usually used for narrow work such as trims, straps and belts.

Watch this instructional crochet video to crochet a variation of a classic thread butterfly. Use any type of thread and a small crochet needle to complete this project. The small stitch creates a complex crochet weave for hyper-designed crochet projects such as this butterfly. You may want to reference some written instructions in addition to watching this video.

Watch this instructional crochet video to crochet a bullion or roll stitch flower. This is a difficult crochet stitch to accomplish. You should master the bullion stitch before beginning to crochet this flower design. Use any type of thread and crochet needle to complete this project. The bullion or roll stitch creates a complex crochet weave for hyper-designed crochet projects such as this intricate flower.

Watch this instructional crochet video to crochet broomstick lace. This crochet method creates an intricate snowflake pattern. Use any type of yarn, a crochet needle and a size 19 knitting needle to complete this project. You can even use a knitting needle made out of a PVC pipe. This broomstick lace pattern creates a complex crochet weave for warm yet breathable blankets, sweaters and winter caps.

Watch this instructional crochet video to crochet a star stitch hat or winter cap. This crochet method creates an intricate rotating pattern. Use any type of thread and crochet needle to complete this project. This star stitch pattern creates a complex crochet weave for warm yet breathable winter caps.

Watch this instructional crochet video to crochet a galaxy stitch. This crochet method creates an intricate snowflake pattern. Use any type of thread and crochet needle to complete this project. This galaxy or snowflake pattern creates a complex crochet weave for warm yet breathable blankets, sweaters and winter caps.

Watch this instructional crochet video to crochet a lotus bloom. Use any type of thread or crochet needle to complete this project. You will also need a tapestry needle to sew the petals onto the round center of the flower with regular yarn. Add this lotus flower to a pillow or crocheted blanket for satisfying decorative results.

Use a single crochet stitch to crochet half circle shapes. Use any type of yarn and crochet needle to complete this project. Half circles can be used as ear flaps for hats, additions to blankets, or serve as cute pockets on sweaters.

Use a double crochet stitch to crochet half circle shapes. Use any type of yarn and crochet needle to complete this project. Half circles can be used as ear flaps for hats, additions to blankets, or serve as cute pockets on sweaters.

This instructional crocheting video demonstrates how to do a front post double crochet stitch and a back post double crochet stitch with your left hand. The double crochet stitch creates thick and tightly woven stitch that is good for blankets, sweaters, and other warm winter garments.

Watch this instructional crocheting video to crochet a pansy flower. Use any size of yarn or thread and your choice of crochet needle. This method will allow you to crochet unique pansy flowers that can be added to sweaters or blankets, or hung as decorative ornaments on their own.

Are you left handed? While some people have perfected the art of playing left handed guitar, it's still a little challenging to figure out how to crochet with your left hand. Follow the guidelines on this instructional video to crochet a granny square left handed. The granny square is a useful crochet model that allows you to crochet blankets with a creative flare.

Watch this instructional crochet video to crochet a variation of the classic ripple stitch. This is an intermediate level crochet project, but the visual guidelines are simple and easy to follow. Use this interesting ripple stitch design to crochet blankets, sweaters, or lightweight hats.

Watch this instructional crocheting video to crochet a color change on an Afghan or Tunisian style crochet blanket. Use a large crochet needle and several different colors of yarn. These clear visual guidelines allow you to switch colors of yarn on your crochet project quickly and easily.

Ever wonder how to do the long tail cast on for knitting? Well, wonder no more with this knitting demonstration video! Begin by measuring out a length of yarn for the tail. (Search video "Estimate the length of tail when knitting" on WonderHowTo)

Pay attention to this knitting demonstration video and learn how to do the e wrap cast on.

Watch this knitting instructional video to learn how to do the knitting cable cast on. Start by making a slip knot with a 6" tail and place it on the left-hand needle with the working yarn coming from the back.