Active Arts & Crafts Posts
How To: Fold a square gift box with floral ornament
This beautiful geometric box, which reminds us of midcentury abstract expressionist paintings, is a wonderful handmade way to showcase a Valentine's Day gift for your sweetheart.
How To: Fold a square shaped gift box with a star knob
This beautiful geometric box, which reminds us of midcentury abstract expressionist paintings, is a wonderful handmade way to showcase a Valentine's Day gift for your sweetheart.
How To: Fold a geometric origami gift box with an abstract design
This beautiful geometric box, which reminds us of midcentury abstract expressionist paintings, is a wonderful handmade way to showcase a Valentine's Day gift for your sweetheart.
How To: Fold an easy origami broken Valentine's Day heart
Love isn't all butterflies and roses. In fact, most of the time it kind of sucks, and you may even get your heart broken. Made from white a red paper, it evokes the beauty - and sometimes pain - of love.
How To: Make an Infinity Scarf/Circle Scarf
Circle or infinity scarves became really popular this year, and this little how-to shows you how to knit one up yourself. Knit 1, perl two. You can do it! Follow the steps and fight that cold neck feeling!
How To: Knit a mobius scarf
Circle or infinity scarves became really popular this year, and this little how-to shows you how to knit one up yourself. Knit 1, perl two. You can do it! Follow the steps and fight that cold neck feeling!
How To: Identify the basic parts of a sewing machine and thread it correctly
The first part of this tutorial shows you the various parts of your sewing machine, which will be the same regardless of the model. Then, you're shown how to thread both the top and bobbin of the machine, and start stitching.
How To: Fix the thread tension on your home sewing machine
Whether you use a Singer, Brother, Janome or other model of sewing machine, you'll still be able to use this tutorial. If you find that your stitches are too tight, too loose or bunching up on one side, the problem is likely with your thread tension. Here are a few ways to adjust or fix the tension on your sewing machine.
How To: Maintain the feed dog area on your own sewing machine
Save money by performing your own sewing machine maintenance! While there are differences between a Singer sewing machine, a Brother model or a Janome machine, there are many similarities. This video shows you how to maintain and clean the feed dog area on your sewing machine.
How To: Maintain your sewing machine after it's been in storage or unused for awhile
Whether you have a Singer sewing machine, a Janome or a Brother, this video is good advice. If your sewing machine has been sitting in storage or has been unused for a long time, you'll need to do a little bit of maintenance before you start it up again.
How To: Craft a super easy quilled Valentine's Day heart
We know you probably haven't quilled anything since fifth grade, but that doesn't mean you should leave this paper curling skill to your tender elementary school years. In fact, quilling adds quite a lovely feminine touch to any project.
How To: Make a fringed paper Valentine's Day flower heart
This daisy Valentine's Day card looks very difficult to make at home, yet its complexity is simply a guise for how easy it is. All you need is variously colored paper (depending on the type of flower you want to make) and a pair of scissors.
How To: Create a Valentine's Day heart card with iris folding
If you're new to iris folding, then let this beautiful Valentine's Day project be your introduction to this complexly layered yet easy to do paper folding style. Iris folding is based on the iris, or opening, of a camera, with multiple layers folding on top of one another until you get to the opening in the center.
How To: Craft a floral "I Love You" Valentine's Day mini album
Valentine's Day is going to be here in less than a month, so make sure you keep all of your photo memories safe by placing them inside this miniature floral "I Love You" Valentine's Day mini album.
How To: Craft a Valentine's Day "Happy Birthday" card
Do you have a friend whose birthday falls on or near Valentine's Day? Then kill two birds with one stone by crafting this Valentine's Day "Happy Birthday" card.
How To: Make a Valentine's Day candy-filled "cake"
While we all know that Valentine's Day is supposed to be about the giving and receiving of love and affection, let's face it: These days, the Hallmark holiday is more about the giving and receiving of chocolate and sugar high-inducing candy.
How To: Make Amy Sedaris' Crafts for Poor People
The multi-talented Amy Sedaris (creator and star of TV show Strangers With Candy) has a new gut-busting venture, now available in bookstores near you. Simple Times: Crafts For Poor People is a tongue-in-cheek DIY guide to projects like seashell toilet seat covers and ringworm pompons. In a recent interview with NPR, a couple statements rubbed some DIYers the wrong way (ahem, ugly people are doing crafts; pretty people are having sex). Or perhaps this didn't sit well:
How To: Upcycle a glass jar by redecorating the top
Take one plain Mason jar or glass jar. Add your favorite scraps of fabric, ribbon and other embellishments. Decoraate with lace, beads, sequins and applique. You now have a lovely upcycled glass jar, perfect to give as a gift or favor.
How To: Make a set of beautiful, French inspired note cards
You can make these cards into a set and give them away as a gift, or send them out one at a time as thank you notes, invitations or any other sort of stationery. They have a lovely French vintage feel!
How To: Make a beaded hemp bracelet using macrame techniques
This fun and funky tutorial can be altered to use whatever kind of hemp or beads you prefer. Make it longer to create a choker or a necklace, or keep it short to create a fun friendship bracelet or ankelet.
How To: Sew a cute and chic layered skirt without a pattern
A layered skirt can add either elegance or a bit of funkiness to your wardrobe, depending on your choice of fabric. This video shows you a quick and easy way to sew your own, perfectly fitted layered skirt out of whatever fabric you want.
How To: Transfer an image onto fabric using cross hatching or straight stitching
Want to tranfer a pretty image, logo or design onto some fabric, but can't find the right applique? You can use some wash away foundation paper and a few basic hand stitching techniques instead! Sew any sort of image you want!
How To: Sew your own stylish and elegant pillbox style hat
This is very easy to follow project you can use to sew a cute, stylish pillbox style hat. All you need is some stiff fabric, a few sewing notions and then whatever embellishments (like ribbons, flowers or applique) you want to attach to the sides.
How To: Make cute little handmade dolls out of funky socks
You will need one pair of cute, funky socks for this tutorial, as well as some stuffing for the doll. This is an easy craft to do - turn some socks into something cute and clever! A fun little gift for anyone.
How To: Sew your own pouch for a mobile phone or mp3 player
You can use this tutorial to make a basic drawstring bag, which you can use to carry around your mobile phone, mp3 player or any other small accessories you don't want to lose. Decorate the outside with sequins, gems or appliques!
How To: Make a flapper style feather brooch or hairpin
This hair accessory looks like it comes straight out of the 1920s! Take a few elegant feathers and turn them into a brooch, a hairpin or an embellishment you can add on to any garment or other accessory you want!
How To: Make a stretchable bracelet out of old buttons
This is an adorable accessory, and a great way to use some old buttons. Make sure that your buttons are very basic, and have at least two holes in each one. You'll also want some elastic thread to string them on.
How To: Make a crocheted and felted ruffle for the collar of a cardigan
Dress up a tired old cardigan by adding a ruffle to the collar! A combination of crochet and felting will create this ruffle for you, and this tutorial shows you a quick and easy way to create the emebellishment you want.
How To: Sew a Victorian style pillow out of felt
This is a fun project that doesn't take much in terms of time or resources. You can even make it out of your scrap fabric! Use whatever notions or embellishments you want to create a lovely, Victorian inspired pillow at home.
How To: Quill a leaf shape easily for paper crafts
Quilling is one crafting skill you probably picked up in fourth grade and then never touched again. But it's time to bring out those long paper strips once again. Quilling is one of the easiest ways to add complex and beautiful decorations to greeting cards and other paper projects.
How To: Create a super simple snowflake centerpiece and table runner for winter
Got the winter blahs? We dont' blame you. After all, getting snowed in with four feet of snow outside your front door gets old, fast.
How To: Use freezer paper to create monogrammed pillows
Freezer paper to make stencils? We're aware that you're probably not used to using the food staple for crafting, but it's actually a super inexpensive way to create beautiful stencils - in this case, monograms - on fabric.
How To: Craft a quick 2-minute tissue paper pom pom garland for Halloween
There's always a lot going on in the craft world, with ingenious new products being made every day. But there are also trends in decorating that rise up and end up on every crafter's blog. Right now, that ternd is garlands.
How To: Repurpose an old wool sweater into wool mittens
Got an old fugly wool reindeer sweater that's collecting dust in your closet? Don't just toss the warm coat because it's not very stylish. Instead, check out this crafting tutorial to learn how to repurpose an old wool sweater into cute wool mittens.
How To: Craft a whimsical patchwork pincushion owl
Got a friend or family member who's glued to her sewing machine? Then she'll delight over this cute as a button owl pincushion. It can be made to use as a mini stuffed animal, or it can be used to hold all your pins and needles when you're not using them.
How To: Craft a quick 2 minute jewelry holder
Craft a jewelry holder in less than 2 minutes? Okay, so it may take you a wee bit longer than that, but trust us when we say that this craft is fast and a cinch to do. Check out the video to learn the fast track to a standing jewelry holder.
How To: Fold an origami modular dollar 5- or 6-point star
You're going to need a little money to make this pointed origami star, but not that much, unless you Mr. Moneybags or something. To keep this cheap, you can use dollar bills — five of them, which means five dollars. You can use five dollar bills, but that would mean you'd have a twenty-five dollar paper star, and unless you plan on selling it for fifty, you might just want to use some fake bills. Anything that is rectangular in shape will do. You can make a 5-pointed star or upgrade to the 6-...
How To: Make a paper heart using 3-D origami techniques
This is a fun demonstration that ends with teaching you how to fold a paper heart using the techniques of 3-D origami. This is a fun and creative gift for Valentine's Day, and anyone who can fold paper can make it!
How To: Make a little paper piglet using 3-D origami techniques
This tutorial has been inspired by the character Piglet, from the Winnie the Pooh books. You'll need to have mastered the basic triangle folding techniques for 3-D origami, and, of course, have lots of pink paper to make this project!
How To: Draft a pattern for a bodice at home for free
Instead of paying for expensive patterns that might not even fit you perfectly, create your own! This tutorial shows you how to take your own measurements and then draft a bodice pattern. It's very easy, and a great way to get lots of free patterns!