Active Arts & Crafts Posts
How To: Embroider a handmade bracelet
Fun and colorful, these embroidered bracelets come in a variety of heart-warming subjects and fashionable styles. They make fast, easy gifts, and are great for party favors! And the best part? They're made almost entirely in the embroidery hoop! Learn how to embroider your own beautiful bracelet to give as a gift with this instructional embroidery video.
How To: Embroider your own custom iPod case
Watch this embroidery instructional video. It's like music to your ears! Embroidered iPod cases are fun to create and make fabulous gifts for friends and family. With so many unique iPod designs to choose from and so many fabric choices the possibilities are endless. And the best part? These custom embroidered cases are made right in the embroidery hoop!
How To: Embroider a customized luggage tag
Creative, functional, and fabulous, these embroidered luggage tags are quick-stitching and make and fast, easy gifts. Embroidered luggage tags add a fantastic splash of color to suitcases and roller bags, making it uniquely yours for quick identification. And the best part? They are made right in the embroidery hoop. Watch this instructional embroidery video & make your own luggage tag today!
How To: Embroider on cardstock for holiday greeting cards
Embroidering on cardstock is a wonderful way to add a personal touch to your holiday and greeting cards. You'll be giving your friends and family the gift of yourself, along with all your good wishes. Watch this ebroidery instructional video for tips on mastering the art of cardstock embroidery.
How To: Create embroidered customized patches
Embroidered patches are fun and colorful way to mend holes and tears in garments, and a a great way to add personality to backpacks, bags, and jackets! Watch this instructional embroidery video to learn the step by step process of creating your own customized embroidered patches. Embroider your own patches to add a bit of style to your favorite outfit!
How To: Use embroidery placement and marking techinques
Make a bold and beautiful statement with just one or two designs. Arrange and rearrange, repeat and repeat to carry a design up, down, and 'round and 'round a shirt, skirt, or dress. This instructional embroidery video demonstrates placement and marking techniques. A coordinated skirt and shirt are featured during the first half, while the second half shows how to dress up a camp shirt for guys with alternating palm tree and ukelele motifs. Tune in for some smart embroidery tips!
How To: Create the layered lace embroidery technique
Embroider away with the layered lace technique! Add embroidered petals to your flowers and wings to your butterflies with a new technique called layered lace. After embroidering the separate pieces, layer them together for a fantastic three-dimensional effect! Layered lace is a wonderful embroidery technique for pins, barrettes, napkin rings, and more. Enjoy this instructional video.
How To: Create your own embroidered clock
Whether you hang your embroidered clock in your home, or give as a gift to a friend or family member, you'll have a fun and exciting time creating this project. Any room's decor is not complete without a matching embroidered clock. Hurry, watch this instructional embroidery video - time's a wasting!
How To: Embroider customized coffee sleeves
In-the-embroidery hoop coffee sleeves will add a little flavor to your morning cup o' Joe. Low-loft batting protects hands from hot cups. The embroidery designs are available in a variety of fun and fashionable themes and styles. The embroidered coffee sleeves also make perfect gifts for the coffee drinkers in your family! Learn how to make one today.
How To: Embroider a handmade potholder
In-the-Embroidery Hoop pot holders use a thermal lining and ironing board fabric to protect your hand from the heat. And, when you are not using the embroidered pot holders to handle warm dishes, they lay flat to become a hot pad or trivet! Watch this instructional embroidery video and obtain the skills needed to make your own beautifully embroidered potholder!
How To: Make an embroidered refrigerator magnet
Refrigerator magnets are a fun and fast project that everyone in the family will enjoy! They are perfect for kitchen decor, as well as the office. And the best part about these creative magnets? They are made almost entirely in the embroidery hoop! Watch this embroidery video tutorial & make one of these fabulous magnets for your loved one.
How To: Embroider a unique sweatshirt
When the seasons change, and the days and nights get cooler, its the perfect time to bundle up in a cozy embroidered sweatshirt. With thousands of embroidery designs to choose from, your perfect sweatshirt is just stitches away. Watch this embroidery video tutorial for tips on the process. Embroidered sweatshirts make great gifts!
How To: Embroider a keychain as an easy gift
Fun, creative, and functional, these embroidered keychains are a snap to sew and make fast, easy gifts
How To: Embroider a drawstring bag perfect for gifts
Finished almost completely in the embroidery hoop, these drawstring bags are just the right size for gift cards, jewelry, candy, and more! Watch this embroidery video and learn some great tips for making your own beautifully embroidered drawstring bag.
How To: String a weaving loom
How to string a weaving loom. This is a good beginner video to teach your child weaving skills.
How To: Make a beaded baby frog
This how to video shows you the step by step process of making a baby beaded frog. This is easy and fun activity to do with your kids. Beading is a great way to introduce your children to the creativity of arts and crafts. This is a good project for older children because it does involve small beads that can be swallowed. With this how to video you will be able to teach your children how to make a beaded frog.
How To: Make wire jewelry
Learn about wire jewelry, different types of accents for wire jewelry and more with expert wire jewelry making tips and advice in this free online crafting video series.
How To: Make a wire loop for jewelry
This video shows aspiring jewelry makers how to make a simple wire loop using round nose pliers. This essential and fundamental wire working technique is one of those jewelry making tricks that you must master in order to make almost any kind of handmade jewelry.
How To: Size a bracelet for jewelry making
After re-stringing yet another bracelet and still not getting it right, this jewelry maker decided she would make her own bracelet sizing device. See what she made and how you can make a bracelet sizing tool of your own.
How To: Straighten wire for jewelry making
Learn how to straighten wire with this jewelry making video. Use a pair of pliers to straighten a piece of warped wire. When making earrings, bracelets, rings and necklaces, don't throw away the bent pieces of left over wire. They can be salvaged!
How To: Crochet a human ear for an amigurumi doll
Watch this instructional video to crochet a human ear for your amigurumi doll. Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures. Amigurumi are typically cute animals (such as bears, rabbits, cats, dogs, etc.), but can include inanimate objects endowed with anthropomorphic features. So, you may need a crocheted human ear for a number of amigurumi projects. Amigurumi are almost always crocheted or knitted out of yarn. The simplest desig...
How To: How to Make an Origami Rose pt.1 of 4
This four part origami series demonstrates how to fold one of the most difficult origami forms, the rose. Make sure to press clean creases as you move through the steps because you will need to employ every fold later on in the paper folding process. The verbal instructions are a helpful addition to the visual origami guidelines. It takes about fifteen minutes to fold this impressive origami rose.
How To: Origami a cuboctahedron
Watch this instructional origami video to fold a complex origami cuboctahedron by designer Tung Kem Lam. You will need eight pieces of origami paper to fold what are called jitterbug modules. Connect the origami modules as shown in the visual guidelines. The origami cuboctahedron can teach you about structure and geometry as well as paper folding.
How To: Origami a lily or iris flower
Watch this instructional origami video to fold a traditional origami lily or iris flower. This is a simple origami project but it may help to look at an instruction booklet in addition to following the visual guidelines. Fold several of these origami flowers and add wooden stems to make a bouquet of irises.
How To: Origami a frisbee or eight pointed star
Watch this instructional origami video to fold an origami frisbee or eight pointed star. You will need eight pieces of origami paper to complete this project. This origami eight pointed star is based on an alteration of the traditional origami frisbee. You may want to look at an instruction booklet in addition to watching this video to successfully fold all eight pieces of origami paper.
How To: Origami a traditional Japanese crane or tsuru
Watch this instructional origami video to fold a traditional Japanese origami crane. Tsuru is the Japanese word for crane. In Japan cranes are considered a national treasure and regarded as symbols of good luck and longevity. Fold a few origami cranes and give them to your friends as gifts or good luck charms.
How To: Origami a Samurai helmet or Kabuto
Follow these guidelines to fold an origami Samurai helmet. Kabuto is the Japanese word for a traditional Samurai helmet. You will need one piece of origami paper to complete this origami project. Or, you can fold an origami kabuto out of a sheet of newspaper so you can actually wear your Samurai helmet.
How To: Origami a cool Samurai helmet
Watch this instructional origami video to fold an origami Samurai helmet. Kabuto is the Japanese word for a traditional Samurai helmet. You will need one small piece of origami paper to complete this project. Or, fold your origami kabuto out of newspaper so you can really wear this three-cornered hat.
How To: Origami a paper balloon
Watch this instructional origami video to fold an origami balloon. Kami fusen is the Japanese phrase for paper balloon. When you are finished folding your origami balloon, don't forget to blow it up!
How To: Origami a Samurai helmet
Watch this instructional origami video to fold an origami samurai helmet. Kabuto is the Japanese word for the traditional Samurai helmet. You will need one sheet of newspaper to fold an origami hat big enough to wear.
How To: Polish tarnished silver with Rayven-Symone
Disney star Raven teaches us how to polish our old silver jewelry. To keep that sterling silver shiny, you will need baking soda, water, aluminum foil, a bowl, and the tarnished sterling silver jewelry. Watch this video jewelry care tutorial and learn how to polish tarnished silver jewelry by following along with Raven-Symone.
How To: Make Raven Symone's padded journal
Raven Symone shows us how to make a padded journal using your favorite fabric. You will need a pair of scissors, a composition notebook, a yard of fabric, ribbon, cotton stuffing, and hot glue. If you love to write poetry like Raven Symone, or you want to give a cool gift to your best friend. Make Raven Symone's padded journals for your own own writing, birthday gifts or school projects.
How To: Cut Boss Kut dies in a Sizzix Big Kick machine
While embossing machines are marketed to be used brand specifically, all those Boss Kut dies and embossing folders are completely compatible with a Sizzix Big Kick embossing machine. Make the most of your stamping materials without having to purchase to much of everything. Watch this video crafting tutorial and learn how to use Boss Kut dies and embossing folders to make die cuts with a Sizzix Big Kick embossing and die-cutting machine.
How To: Sew a railroad zipper onto a garment with OTIS College
This video sewing tutorial shows a clear and complete demonstration of how to correctly sew a railroad zipper. Included are tips and materials needed. Watch and learn with the help of the Fashion Design department at OTIS College of Art and Design.
How To: Sew a tailored jacket with OTIS College of Art&Design
Some trends come and go, but true style is timeless - just look at Coco Chanel, whose menswear two piece suits and quilted bags are just as beautiful today as when she wore them in the 1920's. And a tailored jacket is one piece that every woman should have - contoured, slimming, and sleek, it's as wearable to an office meeting as to lunch with the gals.
How To: Outline appliques with mono filament thread
These two quilting how to videos demonstrate how to outline applique with monofilament thread using a longarm. Use matching thread to outline the figures or make them stand out with a contrastign color.
How To: Set a stone in a cinch mount for jewelry making
An important part of jewelry making involves properly setting gemstones. This how-to video tutorial demonstrates the proper way to set a stone in a cinch mount. Begin by placing the gemstone face side up in the casting. Use a pair of needle nose pliers to grasp the casting at the base of the bail. Gently squeeze the pliers to close the gap and tighten the casting around the stone. Test to ensure that the stone is properly set.
How To: Create a snap set ring
Add to your jewelry making techniques by snap setting gemstones. This jewelry how to video tutorial demonstrates the proper way to snap set a ring. Begin by placing your stone face down on a flat surface. With your casting in hand gently push the ring setting over the gem stone. It should securely snap into place.
How To: Snap set a six prong pendant
One important part of jewelery making involves properly setting stones. This jewelry how-to video demonstrates the proper way to snap set a six prong pendant. Begin with your stone flat face down on a surface, with your casting in hand gently press the setting down over the gem stone. You will feel it snap into place. To tighten and secure that your setting is in place use needle nose pliers.
How To: Set a gemstone in a basket setting
One important part of jewelery making involves properly setting beads and gemstones. This jewelry how-to video demonstrates the proper way to set a gemstone in a basket setting. Begin by placing your stone face up inside the casting. Next, holding on to the casting, press the prongs down over the stone. Secure the fit with the round setting pliers.