Active Arts & Crafts Posts
How To: Make your own crystal earrings out of beads and jewelry wire
Turn a collection of delicate crystal beads into a lovely pair of earrings! All you need are the beads, some jewelry wire and wire cutters. Then, follow the steps in this tutorial to get your own pair of dainty, crafty earrings.
How To: Sew an easy women's skirt with a pattern
Get a basic skirt pattern like the one in the video, choose a fabric you like, and then follow along with this tutorial to sew your own easy and quick women's skirt. This tutorial demonstrates several techniques like seams, darts and hems.
How To: Change thread in crochet for changing colors or joining skeins
Most crochet projects are going to require you to change colors of threat or join two skeins at some point, and that means changing threads. Watch this video to learn an easy trick to changing thread that will make your crocheting life easier.
How To: Choose the right filet crochet pattern for your skill level
Choosing a good pattern for your next crochet project is crucial to that project coming out beautiful. There are lots of factors to consider, and you will learn all about them in this video. Watch it now before you start your project and realize you got the wrong pattern!
How To: Create a lacy gold and white greek goddess costume for Halloween
Really the question is why you WOULDN'T want to look like a greek goddess for Halloween. After all, many of them, like Aphrodite and Eos, are damn near perfect in all their glowing gorgeousness, at least we assume from the artistic depictions.
How To: Origami a cootie catcher (or paper fortune teller)
We all remember these neat little devices from elementary school. It has many names, the paper fortune teller, the scrunchie, chancer, chatterbox, but the most notorious is the cootie catcher. It's easy to fold, but funner to play with it. Watch and learn this origami masterpiece! Remember your youth!
How To: Cut out paper letters using the Craft Robo
The Craft Robo is a useful tool for papercrafters, card makers and scrapbookers, which will allow you to cut letters out of any type of paper and using any sort of font you have in your library. Add a professional look to your next paper craft project!
How To: Craft your own crystal earrings with a fall theme
Turn two leaf charms into elegant, autumn-themed earrings with a few green and white crystals, jewelry wire and an earring base! This tutorial shows you how to make a pair of beautiful seasonal earrings for yourself, using two separate styles!
How To: Make your own hoop earrings out of leftover craft pieces
Synthesize the odds and ends in your crafts or bead drawers into lovely hoop earrings! Using a few charms, a bow, premade hoop earrings, crystals and two pieces of jewelry wire, this tutorial shows you how DIY your own fashion accessories.
How To: Resize a too-big ring into the right size for your finger
The peril of chunky rings is having them jiggle and move around on your finger - so having the band be sized perfectly is very important! This tutorial shows you how to resize a large ring so it will fit and not move around.
How To: Make your own Swarovski crystal earrings
Make your own lovely earrings out of Swarovski crystals! This jewelry tutoral shows you how to make a pair of eye-catching and elegant diy earrings using the crystals and an earring base, then attach them together to make your own earrings.
How To: Set up your Moleskine Notebook to increase your productivity
Turn the unmarked and unlined moleskine notebook into a productivity tool! All you need are a few small multi-colored Post-It tabs, a Hi-Liter and a regular pen. By color coding the separate sections of the notebook, you can easily flip to needed sections.
How To: Make a bow bracelet out of leather scraps
Turn a few leather scraps (or an old purse!) into a beautiful leather bow bracelet. Aside from the leather, you'll need a few snap buttons and either leather glue or a needle and thread (plus your wrist measurements!). Then follow the steps in this tutorial and end with a lovely fashion accessory!
How To: Carve lovely wooden decorations with the Dremel stylus tool
The Dremel Stylus tool is ideal for any wood worker or wood crafter. This versatile and easy to use tool can let you carve or whittle any number of projects out of wood, such as a wooden relief. This video demonstrates how to carve a piece of ivy onto a wooden box.
How To: Make DIY hemp bracelets
Hemp is a great and underutilized fiber for making all sorts of things. Watch this video to learn how to make a really cool hemp bracelet or necklace quickly and easily from twine, beads, and knots.
How To: Make DIY curtains for any window
Having trouble finding curtains that fit your decor and your price range? Why not make your own? Watch this video to learn how with a little sewing skill you can make curtains yourself that will match any decor and fit any window.
How To: Fold an origami heart using paper money
Give your heart this year to your Valentine. But more than likely, your lady friend is looking for a little more than that. That's why this origami heart is perfect for a gift. It involves you putting effort into the present, it's symbolic of your love for her, plus— it's made out of MONEY!
How To: Make a mini uzi out of paper
Learn to make this easy mini paper Uzi gun for gaming with your friends! Supplies: Scissors, Scotch tape (Note: DO NOT USE MASKING TAPE OR DUCT TAPE; IT WILL NOT TURN OUT WELL), lots of paper. 1. Take one piece of paper and roll it up from top to bottom to make a short tube. Tape it. 2. Take another sheet of paper and do the exact same thing that you did to the first one and tape it as well. 3. Take a sheet of paper and roll it up from side to side (long ways). Make the hole in the middle abo...
How To: Make a pillowcase and re-cover a pillow
Pillows are one of the most important things you own. If you've had the same pillowcases forever and they are threadbare and faded, why not make new ones? This video will show you how to make a fun pillowcase from scratch.
How To: Make a red and white ombre shirt with loose flapper fringe
The ombre fashion trend began a few seasons ago on all the biggest fashion runways, from Alexander Wang to Michael Kors. And the fun, colorful trend is still going strong. Ombre simply describes the fading of one color to another, from high saturation to (usually) white or another lighter color.
How To: Knit a blanket from scratch
Knit blankets are comfortable and scream home and security, but they are expensive and making them is an arduous task. If you want to get started on a major knitting project, watch this video, and learn in general terms how to knit a blanket.
How To: Crochet seven different kinds of hats using a double stitch
This interactive tutorial series shows you how to make a basic double crochet stitch, and then expands on this technique to show you seven different variations. Learn how to make a turned cuff, ribbed cuff, slouch, beanie, wiggie, kippah and child's hat.
How To: Make an autumn-themed mini scrapbook
Leaves are changing colors, the weather is getting cooler and people are talking about pumpkins. It must be fall! This tutorial shows you how to create a beautiful mini scrapbook celebrating everything there is to love about the fall and everything in it!
How To: Make a three dimensional shadow box card
A shadowbox card is a lovely three-dimensional card you can use to showcase a particular design or picture. Starting with some card stock and cutting tools, this video demonstrates how you can create your own elegant shadowbox card the next time you need a gift.
How To: Make a Halloween themed waterfall card
A waterfall card is a cute and clever interactive card you can give your friends. Pull the tab at the bottom, and watch a series of small cards cascade down the card. Starting with a series of card stock and your own stamp collection, this explains how to make a lovely waterfall card using Halloween stamps.
How To: Use the Scotch 3M Advanced Tape Glider to apply glue to chip board
Scotch 3M manufactures an incredibly useful tool, the tape glider or ATG gun, that you can use to apply glue to chip board. Here are a few special techniques you can use when crafting with your own tape glider gun!
How To: Crochet a pair of earrings (for left handed artists)
This tutorial has been specially designed for left handed artists. Make your own pair of crocheted earrings using leftover crochet thread left on your spool - all you need is a #9 crochet needle! This video shows you how precisely how to make yourself some elegant and crafty jewelry.
How To: Crochet a pair of earrings (for right handed artists)
This tutorial has been specially designed for right handed artists. Make your own pair of crocheted earrings using leftover crochet thread left on your spool - all you need is a #9 crochet needle! This video shows you how precisely how to make yourself some elegant and crafty jewelry.
How To: Lay out your color squares to create a color burst pattern afghan blanket
Using separate knitted squares in five different colors, this tutorial shows you how to lay out each square on the floor of your craft room in preparation for creating a seven by seven granny square blanket. End the tutorial with a beautiful and colorful blanket!
How To: Origami a neat paper heart
Temajin demonstrates how to fold an origami heart. You start with a piece of paper and fold it in half to make two triangles. At the end, you should have a heart inscribed into another.
How To: Pick a sewing machine and thread a sewing machine and serger
Did you think sewing was complicated? Then don't even get us started on threading a sewing machine. Each sewing machine is slightly different in the way it's constructed, which makes threading a puzzle (read: pain in the butt).
How To: Knit the bamboo stitch pattern
This how-to video demonstrates the bamboo stitch knitting pattern. The bamboo stitch is very textured, and involves yarn-overs on the knit stitches. Watch this video knitting tutorial and learn how to do the bamboo stitch pattern.
HowTo: Clone Yourself
"Welcome to the chamber of paper and glue, Frankenstein Junior," says Instructables user ddi7i4d. Time to papercraft yourself. Apparently you'll need to set aside 7 whole days for this ambitious project, and you'll need lots of paper, a camera, and free software program Anim8or. Better get started!
How To: Fold an origami cherry blossom ball
Want to create a neat looking decorative item using just paper? Origami is the answer. The Origami Cherry Blossom paper ball created in this video by Tomoko Fuse requires papers, dexterity and a toothpick if the presenter is to be believed. The first steps consist of creating precreases on the paper. This step makes the subsequent folds easier to make as the fold lines also double up as markers. The second step consists of creating a complex shape. The same design is then repeated 30 times. F...
How To: Crochet a round shell Catherine's Wheel left-handed
In this tutorial, we learn how to crochet a round shell Catherine's Wheel left-handed. For the first round you will start by doing four single crochets after the slip stitch. After this, do seven double crochets, then a single crochet followed by seven more double crochets. Make two more chain stitches, then a single crochet and three double crochets. After this, start the next row which will be a chain stitch, then three double crochets. Next, you will do seven double crochets, followed by a...
How To: Crochet a dainty angel
In this tutorial, we learn how to crochet a dainty angel. Start out with the first round where you will work 6 single crochets through the chain. Then, work the first single crochet at the top of the next stitch. For round 2, work 2 single crochets in each single crochet until you have 12 single crochets. For rounds 3 and 4, you will work one single crochet in each single crochet for 12 times total. In round five, you will work six single crochets at a decrease, then add filling to the head. ...
How To: Fold miniature 3D origami lucky stars from long paper strips
The smaller your origami gets, the harder it is to fold, but not in the case of the lucky stars. The miniature 3D stars are easy to fold, and you just need a long strip of paper. You could buy pre-made strips of paper, or cut your own with scissors, box cutter or paper cutter. On you fold these mini stars, you'll have to fluff it out for that 3D look and feel.
How To: Craft an eco-friendly cylindrical photo gift box
So many gift givers are mislead into believing that it's only the gift that matters, so the gift bag or wrap can be cheaply purchased at the gas station an hour beforehand and then thrown together in a slapdash manner.
How To: Make a simple paper box with a lid
This video tutorial shows the basics of how to make a box, with a lid.
How To: Shorten jeans length by cutting, measuring and using a sewing machine
Are your jeans to long? How about your khakis? Corduroys? No matter what kind of pants you have, if they're too long, you can easily shorten the length with a few snips, a few marks and a basic sewing machine. The Brother LX-3125 compact sewing machine is used in this video, but any will do. See how to take a pair of jeans, cut and resew them like new again!