Active Arts & Crafts Posts
How To: Easily make a paracord ladder strap
If you like tying different things just for show or to use, then you're going to love this next tutorial. This video will teach you how to easily make a paracord ladder strap. It looks really cool and seems easy to do, but it could take some time to finish. It's created using a variety of different colors and is sure to make others go, "Wow." So check it out, pay attention, and good luck!
How To: Create faux fur earmuffs and wrap holiday gifts
During the winter holidays, we want nothing more than to snuggle up into our Snuggie tents, put on Bing Crosby's "White Christmas," and sip a steaming hot cup of hot chocolate. But during those times we force ourselves to go outdoors (to, you know, go to work and stuff), we prefer covering up as much as we can.
How To: Create a chic tatter skirt from fabric scraps
Just because your skirt is in tatters doesn't mean you look like a homeless hobo. In fact, when the tatters that comprise your skirt come from old but beautiful fabrics (instead of, well, just old and overused fabrics), you'll look both chic and money smart.
How To: Create a floral $2 reversible wrap skirt
Making your own dress saves you enough money as it is, and you'll be double the frugalista if you make that dress reversible. Though creating a two-sided reversible dress sounds hard to do, by adding a few tie straps it's about as easy as sewing an apron.
How To: Do the crochet single rib stitch for right handers
A crochet single rib stitch is essentially a fancy way of saying a crochet stitch with an undulating up and down pattern. A "rib," or elevated stitch, runs across the finished piece vertically, forming an interesting pattern that can be used to accentuate scarves and mittens.
How To: Use machine shop tools to build prototypes with MIT
This ten-part series on machining skills for prototype development comes straight from MIT & Erik Vaaler. It's one of the most extensive video tutorials available on the web for machining. MIT's artificial intelligence laboratory's primary work is done for their robotics group. And most of their equipment is unavailable to the public because they're machines that MIT have built directly in their machine shop, or items that came into the shop needing repair. But if you can get your hands on so...
How To: Fold an origami paper tank and spaceship
Origami a whole fleet of these and you'll have your own army of unstoppable origami war machines that can blow up some paper aliens.
How To: Origami a pajarita (bird featured on PS3's Heavy Rain)
In the PlayStation 3 video game Heavy Rain: The Origami Killer, four protagonists are on the hunt for a serial killer who murders young boys and leave behind his calling card… an origami animal. One of those animals, and the one prominently displayed on the cover art and poster art for the game, is the pajarita. Pajarita in Spanish for little bird (or even just origami in general).
How To: Fold a paper pajarita (origami bird) from Heavy Rain
Have you played Heavy Rain on the PlayStation 3? It's an interactive drama with a film noir touch, where the four protagonists are on the hunt for a serial killer. And this serial killers name? The Origami Killer.
How To: Fold a jumping jack origami paper toy
Paper. It's usually just for writing, but for origamists, there's no lead or ink involved. It's all about the precision of the hand, the delicate touch. It's origami, not hunting with buckshot.
How To: Use sewing patterns for beginners with Whitney Sews
We totally get that sewing patterns purchased at a fabric store can be intimidating. With neverending pages of sketched out designs, random numbers everywhere, and little way of orienting yourself, sewing patterns seem to complicate the sewing process rather than facilitate it.
How To: Sew easy pillow shams from old t-shirts and fabric
Anyone who's tried to redecorate their home or even one room in their home knows that between new furniture, paint, and new upholstery, the budget for the job - or lack thereof - begins to skyrocket quickly.
How To: Recycle an old t-shirt into a headband
Got an old T-shirt lying around that's too small to wear but too cute to throw away? Oh what a dilemma. Rather than let your pretty T-shirt sit in your closet or attic and collect dust over the years as you decide what to do with it, give it new life by repurposing it into a headband.
How To: Create a rounded wire for gemstone earrings
Hitting up antiques stores or flea markets every now and then engenders eccentric rewards of odds and ends, pretty semiprecious stones that look dazzling but have no home.
How To: Create seashell jewelry with the Dremel 300 multi tool
The Dremel 300 series multi tool is basically a shrunken down version of a power drill. With a tinier drill and several different speeds, this tool can be used to create holes in even the toughest of surfaces.
How To: Crochet a seashells pattern for left handers
Often in creating crochet patterns, crocheters will pick natural objects with natural symmetry or a pretty shape, like shells and blueberries, to be the inspiration for a new crochet pattern.
How To: Crochet a solid granny hexagon
Now why, you may wonder, would you want to crochet a solid hexagon? Whether as part of a larger pattern for a quilt or alone to use as a pretty coaster, a hexagon is a crochet shape ten times more interesting than a square but just as easy to do.
How To: Crochet a beautiful ripple stitch for left handers
A ripple stitch looks just like the rippling waves on an ocean, swaying back and forth and creating a beautifully punctuated, undulating pattern. Replicate the ocean's waves by learning how to create the ripple stitch.
How To: Crochet a beautiful ripple stitch for right handers
A ripple stitch looks just like the rippling waves on an ocean, swaying back and forth and creating a beautifully punctuated, undulating pattern. Replicate the ocean's waves by learning how to create the ripple stitch.
How To: Crochet pom pom-shaped Pomp A Doodle from Red Heart
In this crochet tutorial, you'll be guided through how to crochet using one of the most unique and difficult yarns avilable on the market. Known as Pomp A Doodle yarns by Red Heart, these yarns are punctuated with little pom poms and are cute on their own, but great for fluffy projects.
How To: Crochet a cute blackberry stitch for right handers
Okay, so just to be clear, this is not a crochet tutorial for crocheting a stitch that resembles your new Blackberry Pearl (though, admittedly, that would be pretty damn awesome).
How To: Crochet a cute blackberry stitch for left handers
Okay, so just to be clear, this is not a crochet tutorial for crocheting a stitch that resembles your new Blackberry Pearl (though, admittedly, that would be pretty damn awesome).
How To: Create a split negative motorcycle card
Taking the negative of an image in photography brings out its major contours and creates a powerful graphic contrast between white and black. The same sort of effect happens when you construct a card using only the "negatives" and no other colors.
How To: Create a beautiful origami tropical angel fish
Angel fish live in tropical waters and are known for their extremely sharp-looking, angular fins and pointy faces. They also happen to be incredibly beautiful, coming a variety of opalescent colors and often striped like a zebra.
How To: Create a birthday origami rose and leaf ribbon
Using strings to tie little brown packages is SO Julie Andrews circa "The Sound of Music" era. Get in touch with the fun experimental quality of modern gift wrapping by watching this beginner origami tutorial.
How To: Craft a green ribbon banner gift bow and tag
Sure, you could hit up Target and purchase a large bag filled with cookie cutter ribbons and bows, but why not adorn your next special gift with something a bit more, well, special? In this beginner origami tutorial, you'll learn how to craft a green ribbon banner that can be used to top anything from gift boxes to gift bags.
How To: Create an origami heart shirt and tie for Father's Day
Show your father how much you love him this Father's Day by crafting a literal representation of your feelings. This cute and easy to make origami heart comes adorned on top with a handsome white tie, sending your father messages of thanks and kindness.
How To: Create a business shirt and tie origami gift basket
Sure, you've probably seen a million YouTube videos that feature the impressive schemes of 2,000-sided modular origami balls that seem to defy gravity as well as patience. But sometimes the simplist origami craft is the most striking.
How To: Create an origami sailboat for Father's Day
Is your dad's favorite pastime taking his boat out from the dock at Marina del Ray and just sailing into the sunset, staying out on the broad ocean for hours at a time? Then he will most definitely dig your gift for him this Father's Day when you create these adorable origami sailboats.
How To: Create an origami picture frame for Father's Day
A memorable and well thought out Father's Day present doesn't have to be expensive or outrageous. In fact, some of the most cherished gifts are handmade, espeically when it comes to gifts that feature warm family photographs.
How To: Create an origami Father's Day business card holder
Dad works and has worked hard his entire life to make sure you always got what you wanted, whether it was that My Little Pony collector's set you desired at age 7 or a poster of Robbert Pattinson to put above your bed when you were a little older.
How To: Create a simple gift card holder from duct tape
If you're anything like us, then you find it pretty ridiculous that whenever you purchase a gift card, you have to shell out nearly twice the amount of the gift card in order to put it into a neat, pretty gift card holder.
How To: Make a simple pair of earrings with polymer clay beads
Learn how to make a pair of polymer clay earrings with this free video craft lesson. While this tutorial is best suited for those with some familiarity of polymer clay sculpture, novice sculpters should be able to follow along given a little effort. For specifics, including step-by-step instructions, and to get started crafting your own mini polymer clay jewelry, watch this sculpture tutorial.
How To: Make an 18ct gold two-tone wedding ring
In this video, learn how to make an 18 carat gold wedding ring that is two tone and made to fit perfectly with an engagement ring. This lovely ring is unique and beautiful and will look perfect on any blushing bride.
How To: Melt old gold jewelry & turn it into a stylish bangle
Do you have a ton of old jewelry hanging around? If you have old pieces that have gone out of style or would like to reinvent the memories that were once attached these pieces, check this out. In this clip, learn how to melt down your old gold and silver and turn it into a stunning and stylish bangle with ease.
How To: Make a silver and gold plated rose
This beautiful flower was created from scratch out of melted silver and gold. In this tutorial, learn how to take that ordinary looking metal and turn it into a gorgeous rose that will definitely impress your partner. Use this rose as a gift or home decor - whatever the use, you can be sure it will stand out and look stunning.
How To: Make a gift box from folded paper with origami
With this guide, you'll learn how to make a folded-paper gift box with origami, the traditional art of Japanese paper folding. For more information, including a step-by-step overview of the folding process, as well as to get started making your own colorful paper gift boxes (which also make terrific candy dishes), watch this free origami lesson.
How To: Make a floating illusion necklace
Those interested in learning how to make their own jewelry, can learn how to make a floating illusion necklace by following the steps in this video tutorial. You will need a beading board, beading wire, crimp beads, beads of your choice, a barrel clasp, wire cutters, and crimping/flat-nosed pliers. First measure out how much wire you will need. The tutorial is making a 16-inch necklace. Make sure to cut extra wire. For a 16-inch necklace, this means you should cut approximately 20 inches of w...
How To: Make an illusion necklace
Watch this video to learn how to make an illusion necklace with beading wire, beads and crimps. Part 1 of 2 - How to Make an illusion necklace.
How To: Make a t-shirt memory quilt for beginners
It's always a dilemma when you're organizing your closet and deciding whether you want to keep or throw out a meaningful old t-shirt that you don't wear anymore. Many of our t-shirts have been with us through thick and thin, so preserve their memory (and stop creating more waste) by reusing them.