Active Arts & Crafts Posts
How To: Do the Same Stitch on Different Sized Knitting Needles
A fun thing to do in knitting is to experiment by trying the same stitch on different sizes of needles. A thin yarn knitted on a small sized needle will look totally different than a thin yarn on a medium sized needle. On the small needle the stitches will be tight. On a medium sized needle they will be looser and more lacy. If you knit it on a large sized needle it will look even more different and, in fact, very holey.
How To: Learn the 'quilt as you go' method
Quilting! Is there anything better!? Well, no, but one thing easier is the quilt as you go method. This video will show you what to do and how to do it. You'll want to have some baton, backing, thread, scissors and of course lots of pieces of fabric. The fabric doesn't need to be the same color or style and in fact, the more different the fabric the crazier your quilt will be. Check it out! Get quilting, and learn the quilt as you go method today!
How To: Quilt as you go
This quilt as you go method is really becoming popular and this video shows how you can get in on the action. It's a simple method and you'll see your craft coming together quickly before your eyes. You'll need some backing, many pieces of fabric - widths can be different, but they'll need to be the same length. Check out the quilt as you go method and show off your new found skill! Quilts are a lovely craft and make for an even better gift!
How To: Make a twin heart origami
Twin hearts, what could be more lovely? This how to will walk you through the steps to fold an origami double heart with a 10 pound note. It's easy, it's fun, and it's beautiful. Try it today, and show your loved one you care, with a little folded piece of paper. 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. Go for it and get your fold on today! I heart hearts and you'll heart hearts as wel...
How To: Fold origami double hearts
Origami double hearts are easy to make and a great way to show your loved one that you care. Plus, it's cheaper than a dinner out, so watch this video, follow the steps, and profess your love with a piece of folded paper. Hey, at least your loved one will know you went through the effort, and it's the thought that counts, right?
How To: Make an origami double hearts
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.
How To: Easily make a ribbon rose
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to make a ribbon rose. Users will need approximately 60 cm of 16 mm of satin ribbon. Begin by folding your ribbon in half and then pinch fold the end. Now fold the front half sideways and pinch it in place. Then turn it over and fold the ribbon to the opposite side. Keep folding until there is only about 1 inch of ribbon left. Users should end up with a pile of little folds. Pinch the two ends together and let go of the pile. As you pinch the ends tog...
How To: Origami a dollar bill peacock
Dollar bill origami is fun, simple & cute. All you need is a dollar bill and some origami folding skills. Spend your spare dollar on some creativity... and you will end up with a cute origami figurine. Watch this origami money tutorial to learn how to fold a dollar bill into a peacock.
News: Edible Undies (Just in Time for the Big Day) - NSFW
That'd be Valentine's Day, fool. Instructables member Carleyy fuses together licorice laces to create long strands for knitting a pair of edible undies. If you want to get more squirrely, try knitting Carleyy's pattern with ramen noodles. Ouch, these have gotta hurt:
How To: Make your own pair of cyber flufflies at home
Keep warm and stay cute this winter! Make your own pair of trendy cyber fluffies! All you need is some faux fur in a color and style you like, thick elastic, plus a few basic sewing supplies (like a measuring tape and sewing machines).
How To: Crochet a water lily
Real flowers are seasonal and paper flowers can dust or tear, but a yarn flower will stand the test of time. Learn how to crochet a water lily by watching and following along with this video crafting tutorial series.
How To: Make a sturdy pepakura Halo 3 helmet using jesmonite
Pepakura is the Japanese word for papercraft. So yes, pepakura does include origami. Specifically, the term refers to 3D models made from paper. And what better contraption to make out of paper than this awesome Halo 3 (XBox 360) helmet? Broken down into its geometric components, this helmet is a life-size replica of the helmets you wear in the game.
How To: Fold an origami rabbit out of a dollar bill
With a few variations, you can turn this rabbit into a fox or a cat as well. This tutorial shows you how to take a dollar bill and use a few simple origami techniques to turn the bill into a rabbit. This is a simple technique you can use to make a gift for a small child, or include as part of a gift. You can add eyes as well if you want, though traditional origami does not use eyes.
How To: Make an origami guitar out of a dollar bill
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.
How To: Tie a Chinese crown knot using 550 paracord
If you're looking for survival knots or nautical knots then you've gone to the wrong place. But if you're looking to bolster your oeuvre of fancy, beautiful knots, then you've stumbled upon the right video.
How To: Weave simple paracord 550 bracelets
Paracord, or parachute cord, is one of the most versatile ropes out there. Originally made for parachute suspension during WWII, it is now used for everything from tying knots during a camping trip to weaving sturdy bracelets as a fun DIY project. The tutorial featured in this video is the latter.
How To: Tike a simple reef knot (a Solomon bar) using 550 paracord
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.
How To: Make beautiful feather and flower hair clips
It doesn't get any girlier than feathers and flowers. While it's fine dressing like all the other girls in your school, why not be the Katy Perry to their Blake Lively by dressing up your noggin' in a spectacular, colorful work of art?
News: Your Perfect Snowflake Soulmate
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.
How To: Make a multilayered beaded memory wire bracelet
Jewelry making is a fine art, with some jewelers devoting their entire lifetimes to learning how to perfect beading, wiring, sautering, and arranging. But that doesn't mean you can't make a beautiful bracelet if you're a jewelry making beginner!
How To: Make a circle friendship bracelet
A little girl from Live Love Embroidery explains, in this video, how to make a circle woven friendship bracelet. The process involves seven strands of embroidery thread tied at the end with a simple half-hitch knot. The knot is fed through a small hole in the center of a circle of cardboard. The strings are then individually latched through seven of eight notches located at the end of the cardboard. After that, rotating in a circle pattern around the cardboard, the strings are exchanged aroun...
How To: Knit a bracelet with an "A" letter
Already a bona fide friendship bracelet weaver? Then get ready to knock your friends' socks off with this personalized bracelet emblazoned with the letter "A." This step-by-step video will turn your mind to a whole new world of friendship bracelet possibilities, and you may find yourself stringing together batches of these for friends, family, and coworkers.
How To: Weave an Alpha style friendship bracelet with the letter M
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.
How To: Knit a valentine-worthy heart into your knitting projects
Valentine's Day is near, and Judy Topaz has the perfect project for you… a knitted heart. If you want to add a little bit of sweetness to your scarf, sweater or other knitting project, then this knitted heart will surely do the trick. Just make sure to choose a good yarn for good color contrast. Watch all four parts of this comprehensive Valentine's Day knitted heart!
How To: Even Count Flat Peyote - Beadwork
Even count flay peyote is the easiest off loom beading stitch to learn. This video beading tutorial shows how to weave the even count peyote pattern. All you need is beads, a needle, and thread, and start making peyote patterned woven bead jewelry in no time.
How To: Stitch beads in the spiral weave pattern for jewelry
In this bead-weaving video tutorial, there's a quick way to create a beaded rope with different size seed beads, and this video will show you the simple pattern needed to create this wonderful stitch. Learn how to do the spiral weave stitch for jewelry-making by watching this instructional video.
How To: Make a half-double crochet or half Treble stitch
Demostration of how to make half-double Crochet (hdc)in USA or half Treble (htr) in UK. It is actualy the same stitch.
How To: Fold a simple and cool origami spaceship
Are you a fan or Star Trek or Star Wars? Have you ever imagined flying on a G6 (thanks in no small part to Far East Movement)? Then this origami spaceship project is perfect for you.
How To: Fold a cool origami digital SLR camera from bank notes
This camera won't be able to take any pictures, but we can bet that after you make it you'll be taking lots of artsy pictures of it and posting it to your indie craft blog! Made from a dollar bill, this digital SLR camera is super cool and mighty impressive.
How To: Fold a very simple origami cube from a dollar bill
Want to hone your origami folding skills but don't want to go through the monetary trouble of purchasing (sometimes pricey) origami paper? Then worry not; simply watch this easy origami tutorial to learn how to fold a basic cube using a single dollar bill (which we hope you have at least one of).
How To: Fold an eight-sided origami frisbee with dollar bills
Got a couple of dollar bills lying around? Then you can make yourself your very own frisbee! Please note, though, that while this paper frisbe does fly, we don't recommend you use it to play fetch with Fido anytime soon.
How To: Fold a very easy dollar bill ring
If you're sitting in class wondering why the clock seems to have its minute hand stuck and unable to move itself to 2 PM so you can get the hell out of school, pass the time quickly by folding this fun origami dollar bill ring. Easy and cool, it's a great way to hone your origami skills as well.
How To: Fold open-centered origami stars from dollar bills
If you've already mastered the crane and the basic origami lucky star, then this five-pointed star is the next logical step to take. Made from a dollar bill, this origami project doesn't even require special materials to assemble.
How To: Fold an origami rose for Valentine's Day
Make an origami rose for your love on Valentine's Day. This easy to follow video shows you how with romantic piano music to calm you while doing it! Start with a piece of red paper then make the initial guide line folds. You then start by folding in the corners then making more guide folds. Then the edges get folded in as you slowly start to see the flower develop. Then, you make a fold in the center and start to work your way around as the flower takes shape. A twist starts at the center the...
How To: Repair holes in your socks by darning them
Don't throw out your holey socks! You can use a technique called darning to repair them. You don't even need yarn - you can use embroidery floss or another sturdy thread to create the darn and extend the life of your socks.
How To: Quickly hem the edge for any garment without a sewing machine
So you don't have a sewing machine, but your favorite pair of jeans or shirt has a hem that is coming undone. You can use a liquid fabric glue, like Perky Bond, Stitch Witch or Steam A Seam, to quickly fix any hem.
How To: Perfectly wrap a Christmas, birthday or party gift using either paper or a bag
This video goes over traditional wrapping - using tissue paper, wrapping paper, ribbons and bows. But if you just can't get the fiddly bits right, or your gift is oddly shaped, then this video will also show you how to use a gift bag!
How To: Fold an origami chicken from the Chinese zodiac
Chinese New Year begins tomorrow, celebrating the Year of the Rabbit as well as newfound prosperity. Celebrate the coming of a new year by folding this very simple origami chicken from the Chinese zodiac.
How To: Make a t-shirt quilt
In this two-part video tutorial, learn how to make a beautiful quilt out of recycled t-shirts! Include t-shirts with sentimental value to your family or friends, and create a keepsake that will last a lifetime and touch the hearts of your loved ones. Get step-by-step instructions on how to make this precious item in this two-part series of sewing videos.
How To: Make a set of candlesticks out of plumbing hardware
Make you have some spare plumbing hardware you're looking to get rid of, or maybe you just want a fun way to make a pair of candlesticks. This video solves both problems! Use a few pipes and other bits and pieces to make a fun and unique set of candlesticks.