Active Arts & Crafts Posts
How To: Sew your own Lolita or cosplay ruffles
Ruffles are incredibly easy to make, though they are time consuming. Get a length of your chosen fabric, and then follow along with this tutorial to make an elegant and fun ruffled ribbon that you can use as an embellishment, a headband or an accessory.
How To: Craft a silk flower pen wedding favor
On average, a wedding will cost you $27,000. If you want a designer gown, that'll probably rack up to about $30,000. So it's advisable to cut costs wherever you can.
How To: Sew a simple adorable ruffled black strapless dress with Gianny L
A strapless dress is a smoldering, make-'em-weak-in-the-knees choice for any glamorous occasion. But getting both a beautiful dress and one that fits you to a tee is rather difficult.
How To: Craft a DIY cord basket adorned with ribbons
When it comes to quirky homemade DIY, cords - made from rope, twine, or other materials - aren't usually used in many projects. Other than tying nautical knots, it seems they're quite defunct.
How To: Knit a simple warm scarf for winter for beginners
Knitting, ladies and gents, is not just for grannies who have too much time on their hands. In fact, knitting is fun and quite addicting once you get the basics down.
How To: Take proper care and perform basic maintenance on a sewing machine
Get a sewing machine for the holidays? Buying one for yourself? Like any machine, a sewing machine needs some basic maintenance to keep running properly. Make sure lint doesn't build up around the feed dogs, and oil the parts once a year to keep things running smoothly.
How To: Make a no sew apron out of your fabric scraps
Trying to figure out what to do with the scrap fabric in your stash? This tutorial shows you how you can make a no sew apron by raiding your stash. Dress it up by adding your own appliques, patches or embellishments.
How To: Make an easy abstract quilt or blanket
This is the perfect tutorial for beginners who are interesting in learning how to quilt. Start with a basic abstract pattern and your favorite colors of fabric (you can use scraps if you wish as well), then follow the video and make your first quilt!
How To: Make DIY skin-nourshing papaya and cucumber soaps
Acne sucks - or, more correctly, acne oozes. Which is why it's so important to take care of your skin with oil-reducing, calming products. Most anti-acne medications you can buy are severely drying and irritating, meaning they can cause the adverse effect of making your skin compensate by producing even more oil.
How To: Sew a pair of frilly pyjama knickers
Make your own pyjama knickers! This is a great tutorial that a beginning sewer can use to hone their skills. You don't need very much fabric - just some elastic and a few basic sewing notions as well as your sewing machine.
How To: Darn holes in socks, scarves or other knit garments
Are your socks developing holes? A gap in your favorite scarf? You don't have to throw them out! Darning is a technique used to rejoin a knitted garment that has become undone, and this video shows you how to become your own darner.
How To: Embroider a simple shape using a chain stitch
Embroidery is a useful skill to develop so you can add your own embelllishemnts to favorite clothes, and it's not as difficult as it seems. This tutorial, perfect for beginners, shows you how to create a simple embroidery pattern using the basic chain stitch.
How To: Sew your own vintage inspired skirt
Love the look of vintage? You don't have continuously prowl vintage stores - make your own inspired skirt! All you need is your favorite fabric and a few sewing notions (matching thread, scissors, pins, and of course, a sewing machine).
How To: Use a sewing machine to sew on paper or cardstock
This video represents a union between two spheres of crafting - sewing and cardmaking. You can create some decorative stitching on your handmade greeting cards by using your sewing machine. Here's how you can sew on paper without ruining the paper or cardstock.
How To: Sew a button onto your pants
Often times, when you buy ready to wear clothes, you'll get a garment where the buttons are sewn on very loosely. To keep the buttons from popping off, here is how you can reinforce the buttons on your pants or other garments.
How To: Give your jeans and other pants some stylish hems
If you are consistently finding that the cuffs of your jeans and pants are too long, you can use this tutorial series, which will show you how to professionally alter your pants. Cut off the excess, and then resew a stylish new hem.
How To: Craft cute silicone cupcake charms for a bracelet
The trouble with jewelry that's been made by a mass retailer or even a hipster/indie artist is that it's made without any care to your wrist, neck, or finger size. Often this means that bracelets may sling too big, or necklaces wrap around your neck too tight.
How To: Make your own decorative pillowcase
This is a great home decor tip that will definitely save on your budget. You can use discontinued designer fabrics for this. Cut your swatches into strips and then sew to match your pillow. Then just add a sturdy zipper and you're done!
How To: Turn a pair of old jeans into some cute summer sandals
If your jeans have worn out from wearing them all winter, don't throw them out! You can easily recycle them into a cute pair of summer sandals! All you will need, apart from the jeans, are a few basic sewing notions.
How To: Decide if wood or acrylic stamps are better for your projects
There are so many choices at the craft stores when you go to buy some new stamps! Do you get wood or acrylic? How do you choose the best one? This video shows you everything you'll ever need to know when it comes to stamp types.
How To: Turn your old jeans into a denim pouch
Don't throw out your old, worn out jeans - repurpose them! This video shows you how to take some of your old blue jeans and transform them into a useful, elegant and classy denim pouch. All you need are a few basic sewing supplies.
How To: Recycle your old and outdated clothes into updated new fashions
Sifting through your closet, you've found a bunch of clothes that are still wearable but hopelessly out of date. Instead of waiting for the fashions to cycle around again, here are a few tips on how you can update old clothes.
How To: Recycle an old wedding dress into a chic new dress
You don't have to use your own wedding dress - just use one you find at a thrift store! This tutorial shows you a great way to take an old and outdated wedding dress and turn it into a chic dress.
How To: Turn your old jeans into a rag rug
Collect all your old and worn jeans, then cut off the hems, cuffs and seams. Sew them all together onto a piece of backing fabric, and you have your own floor mat or rag rug. A great way to recycle old clothes.
How To: Upcycle an old and worn out pair of jeans
Sometimes jeans are just beyond repair, but it doesn't seem quite right to throw them away. This video gives you a few good ideas on how you can upcycle a worn out pair of jeans into a lampshade or notebook cover.
How To: Create a small capelet out of a vintage felted sweater
Start with a wool sweater, which you can easily find in any thrift or vintage store. Then felt it by running it through the dryer a couple of times to shrink it. Now you're ready to turn it into an elegant capelet!
How To: Create an applique motif using a simulated needle turn technique
This is a quick and easy shortcut that shows you how to simulate the needle turn effect when you're attaching a fabric applique. This also helps you hide a raw edge, which gives your entire project a cleaner and more professional look.
How To: Sew a simple and easy drawstring bag
A drawstring bag has a thousand different uses, and it's a great way to use up some of the bigger scraps in your fabric stash. This tutorial shows you a quick and easy way to sew a lined drawstring bag.
How To: Sew a curved hem that won't bunch or gather
Sewing a curved hem, such as a cuff or sleeve, can sometimes be tricky. Frustrated because your curved hems never lay flat and smooth? This tutorial shows you a few good techniques you can use to easily sew a professional looking curved hem.
How To: Sew a correct and elegant French seam
This seam is ideal for use on garments that will be washed often, such as lingerie or children's wear. It also adds a professional, finished look to your final garment. Here's an easy and quick way to sew your own French seam.
How To: Add a silk ribbon binding to your sewing project
Don't be intimidated by this couture technique - it's actually quite easy! Sew a silk ribbon binding to your project as a way to stabilize it. All you need is the ribbon, your fabric and a few extra sewing notions.
How To: Fold a simple paper origami rose
Now that Valentine's Day is only a month away, it's time to start thinking about how you're going to be surprising your sweetheart. While a bouquet of red roses and a box o' chocolates is always a good call, you can make your gift much more personal by adorning a package or a card with one of these origami roses.
How To: Fold a very pretty and simple origami butterfly
Butterflies are truly beautiful, delicate creatures. And while many people enjoy collecting them post mortem to stash like collectibles under glass, we personally find that a little creepy.
How To: Fold a geometric origami butterfly easily
Butterflies are delicate and beautiful creatures, which is why many people enjoy collecting them post mortem to stash like collectibles under glass. But we personally find that a little creepy.
How To: Fold a handsome origami dolphin
This dolphin may not be able to swim and jump around magnificently out of water and back in again, but it is very cute and a great way to hone your origami folding skills.
How To: Fold an easy origami goldfish for beginners
We know that there is some seriously impressive origami out there. From 30-sided modular origami spheres to magic cubes and advanced, rounded figures like dragons, the world of origami offers so much to create if only you practice.
How To: Fold a concave 8 sided origami flower
Origami flowers are usually quite feminine and realistic. But this origami flower imparts more of a geometric, abstract interpretation of flower petals than most. And while this origami folding tutorial is meant for creating an eight-sided origami flower, it can just as easily pass for an eight-sided star.
How To: Fold a cool origami hedgehog
We never thought it was even possible to fold a hedgehog out of paper. After all, a hedgehog is very round in shape and has spikes that jut out all over its body, making it hard to translate into paper.
How To: Fold a simple origami hummingbird
You'd never be able to catch a real hummingbird and keep it as a flitting, beautiful pet, but you certainly can call this origami hummingbird your own.
How To: Create two different origami dragons using the bird base
Who doesn't want their own dragon or two? Well, this clear, step-by-step turorial shows you how to fold two different versions, using the standard origami bird base. This craft requires one piece of paper, your hands, some patience and no fear of dragons!