Hot Arts & Crafts How-Tos
How To: Make a butterfly pop-up card
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a butterfly pop-up card. First, draw a butterfly on the middle of a paper and then draw flowers and smaller butterflies around it on the sides. After this, fold the card in half so the drawing is stick out and cut along the top and the bottom of the butterfly. From here, color in the entire character and then fold inwards and pop the middle out. After this, stick the insert into the card of your choice. Then, glue it down and you will have a cute butterf...
How To: Make a little duck pop-up card
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a little duck pop-up card. First, draw a duck on a 4x6 piece of paper. Simply draw the big head with the wings coming out at both sides. From here, fold it in half so it closes together. Then, make another small piece of paper that has the eyes drawn onto it and the beak colored in. Place this on the duck to get it in the right spot. Then, adhere it with glue on the top part and fold it in again. Now, when it opens up in the card, the beak will pop up, e...
How To: Knit using the welt technique
This video begins with examples of different finished welt techniques being shown. A piece of finished cloth is then folded over twice and then held in place before stitching. The first knit is started on the left side of the cloth and continued until reaching the opposite side of the fabric. A wooden needle is then used to weave from right to left until the wooden needle is pushed all the way across the fabric for support. This step is repeated three times until the welt is visible and stabl...
How To: Make a pop-up book
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a pop-up book. First, take a piece of paper and fold it in half. From here, take another piece of paper that is the same size and fold it in half. Then, cut small slits in the middle where you folded it. Then, fold these slits into the middle and pop them out from it. Then, fold the paper again and it will be a stand for the middle. Add glue to the middle and then place what you want to pop up onto this. Let it dry and then fold it down. Then, glue the m...
How To: Make an elephant pop-up card
In this video we learn how to make an elephant pop-up card. First, draw a picture of an elephant on a 4x6 card. You can make this anyway that you want and put whatever other characters on it as well! After this, clip a small piece of paper into the shape of an ear. Then, glue the side of it and place it onto the elephant. The other half shouldn't be glued so it will flap up! Then, put this on the inside of a card and color it. When the person receives it, it will be a pop up card, enjoy!
How To: Make a bear pop-up card
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a bear pop-up card. First, draw a big bear face on a 4x6 card. After this, fold the card in half so the face is in half. From here, use scissors to cut along the mouth line up until you reach the nose. After this, bend that flap up and down so it's creased and will flip both ways easily. After this, open the card back up and push the nose of the bear into the top. Then, close the card again and the nose will pop up from the page, enjoy!
How To: Make paper flowers for fun
This video explains how to make paper flowers in just a few simple steps. The first step to make a paper flower is to take a simple piece of white printer paper and draw any design you find suitable on the blank paper. The next step is to fold the paper over two times to create a smaller square. The second step requires the paper be folded from it's edges into a triangle shape. The last step involved opening the paper from below to give the flower a three dimensional shape. It is shown that m...
How To: Make a paper cup cake/muffin basket
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a paper cup cake/muffin basket. First, take a piece of paper and fold it in half. After this, curl the edges up from each of the corners until you end up with a small square in the middle of the paper. Use scissors to create slits where you will make the tabs to construct the box. After all the tabs are cut, push them together so you have a small basket with a neat line. To finish this up, add a handle to the top and push into the sides. Then, draw on an...
How To: Make an Easter pop-up card
In this video, we learn how to make an Easter pop-up card. First, draw a duck with a little baby duck on a 4x6 piece of paper. From here, fold it in half so you can see the image on the outside. After this, use scissors to cut the middle, where the little baby chick is at. Cut the top and bottom around it, but avoid cutting the sides. From here, bend that piece left and right. Then, open up the card and bend it into the middle. From here, take a piece of paper with eggs cut out of it and bend...
How To: Install a new battery into a watch
When your treasured watch no longer goes "tick tock," or does so now very slowly, you know it has one foot in the grave. Or does it?
How To: Fold a simple origami paper football
You don't need a real football in your hand to have fun. In fact, all you need is a piece of paper, some instructions, and a good imagination to play a rough and tumble game.
How To: Make a decoupage antique book page as an accent
Add a literary accent to your boxes or other arts and crafts project. This tutorial shows you how to take a page from a book and artificially distress it to make it look antique. Then decoupage it onto the side of your box or anywhere else you want a little antique flair!
How To: Make a friendship card with butterflies and pansies
This is a unique idea you can use to make a card for a dear friend - or anyone you want to express your admiration for. Make a handmade card which features beautiful butterflies and pansies. All you need is some basic crafting supplies.
How To: Master the art of folding 3-D origami triangles and figures
Love the look of 3-D origami, and looking for a way you can replicate it for yourself? This tutorial shows you how to start with cutting your own rectangles, and then demonstrated how you can fold the interlaced triangles easily.
How To: Fold a transforming eight pointed ninja star out of origami paper
Fold your own eight pointed transforming ninja star! This is a modular origami model, where you will join eight identical modular pieces together to form the star. You can even make this out of Post-It notes, or any square paper!
How To: Assemble a handy book to organize ribbon
If you're an arts and crafts fanatic then you probably have more than your fair share of ribbons lying all around the house. You snip off one long piece from the roll and then you have to go and tape it to itself again to keep everything in place, and then eventually you give up and the remaining ribbon ends up in an odds-and-ends jar.
How To: Upcycle an old tank into an overall tank top
Got an old tank top that has a beautiful print but whose shape is a little out of fashion? Don't just let it collect dust in your closet or toss it over to Goodwill! Check out this DIY video to learn how to sew together an overall tank top.
How To: Add personal embellishments to a tote bag
You're probably more than aware by now of the recyclable, reusable tote trend at most stores. Rather than waste a plastic bag, which is non-renewable, you tug along a few cloth tote bags to the store to put your purchases in.
How To: Make eccentric fabric coasters with Whitney Sews
Still using those boring plastic coasters that you got at a sale at Ralph's? Add some personal style to the mix the next time you serve your friends some soda by making your own coasters!
How To: Cast on from the Clover Wonder Knitter (6-pegged head)
If you've already tried the 3-pegged head on the Clover Wonder Knitter, it's time to try out the 6-pegged one. The Crochet Crowd shows you how to cast on from the 6-knobbed head with ease. This tool is a great way to experiment with your knitting skills!
How To: Cast on from the Clover Wonder Knitter (3-pegged head)
Clover's Wonder Knitter is a nifty little device that comes with a 3- and 6-pegged head. This is a great little device to experiment with and The Crochet Crowd is going to show you how to cast on from the 3-knobbed head. Also, check out the 6-pegged head tutorial.
How To: Knit a picot cast on for baby sweaters, blankets and other knitted projects
Master knitter Judy shows you how to knit a picot cast on in this knitting video. If you haven't figured out how to cast on yet, you should probably watch her video on that first. This is a sweet edging for the bottom of a baby sweater or blanket. There are many other instances where you would want to use a picot cast on, as well. Learn it with this up close demonstration by Judy Graham, Knitter to the Stars.
How To: Knit Ribbing
The two basic stitches in knitting are the Knit Stitch and the Purl Stitch. Once you know how to do both of them you can put them together to make RIBBING. RIBBING is usually, but not always, used at the bottom of a garment, as well as at the cuffs and at the neck. It's also a good stitch to use when you want both sides of the fabric to look the same like for a scarf or a blanket. RIBBING is usually K2 P2 (knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches) but it could be K1 K1 (knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch) ...
How To: Make quilled Christmas bells for a card
Are you really into making your own greeting cards? Then you should definitely introduce quilling into your craft oeuvre. Quilling creates a rococo 3D effect that makes every design you adhere to a card more interesting.
How To: Craft quilled wreaths and candles for a Christmas card
When it comes to presents, take it from us: Homemade and coming from the heart is nice, but there's very little that can beat a brand new iPad sitting beneath the Christmas tree. While we do prefer our presents nice and shiny, homemade cards are another matter.
How To: Make a Mexican friendship bracelet with an "S" spiral
Friendship bracelets are the most personal testaments to a good friend that you can make. Celebrate your friendship while creating a work of art that will last a very long time by weaving together this friendship bracelet with an "S" spiral.
How To: Sew leggings using the M6173 Pattern by McCalls
Leggings have the unique ability of covering you up (as long as we're not talking sub zero temperatures here) and keeping you warm and fashionable at the same time. They allow you to continue wearing certain fall dresses into fall. and look great in a pair of boots.
How To: Transform your old jeans into fashionable shorts
Got a pair of old blue jeans that fit you like a glove but you recently spilled a can of paint all over the bottom and now it just makes you look like a contractor every time you wear it? Don't toss your jeans out!
How To: Customize your jeans six different ways with DIY tips
Just because when you bought your jeans it said that it was just one type of jean - bootcut or skinny - doesn't mean you can't wear it in different ways by either rolling them up or by slashing in holes to make them look worn.
How To: Fold a beautiful Marie Antoinette paper doll
Queen Marie Antoinette was both loved and despised by her people, but there was one thing that was undisputed: Her exquisite (though often over-the-top style). Big poufy gowns with lots of underwire, towering white wigs, and frilly lace and ruffles made her look like a sparkly birthday cake.
How To: Fold an origami English rose paper doll
The English rose has traditionally been a beautiful young woman who glows with beauty and sensibility. Yet she is also very English and possesses a stylish and endearing quirkiness.
How To: Fold funny origami kissing lips
Kissing lips are probably not the first thing you'd think of folding using the origami method, but trust us, after you've tucked and molded that 1,000th crane you'll be dying for something new.
How To: Fold a beautiful origami Japanese brocade
When you hear the word "brocade," you're probably thinking more about richly woven fabric than folded paper. Well, this origami Japanese "brocade" is based on the brocade look - an embossed, studded cloth.
How To: Fold a 3D "Starlight Princess" origami woman
If you've folded more origami cranes and frogs than you can count and you've exercised your fingers to the point that they can do handstands when you're not looking, then you are ready to embark on a truly glorious origami folding mission.
How To: Fold an origami 3D man wearing a tuxedo
Okay, so you can probably tell by the picture of this project alone that it isn't for origami beginners. That being said, if you feel you are a true origami folding, finger aerobatic champion, then check out this video to learn how to fold a complex 3D man wearing a ruffled tuxedo.
How To: Make a handwoven cloth bohemian bracelet
Bohemian jewelry is all the rage in Hollywood. Stars pay literally hundreds of dollars to get their bohemian jewelry fix, but you don't need to spend more than a few bucks - if any - to tote around a beautiful piece.
How To: Make a DIY double braided elastic headband
Bohemian headbands are everywhere in Hollywood. Fashion designer and waif Nicole Richie is frequently spotted wearing them around town as well as on the red carpet (showing just how versatile they are), and Mischa Barton doesn't leave the house without one.
How To: Upcycle old jewelry into a fashionable bracelet
Got a bunch of old mismatched (or just plain fugly) necklaces and bracelets lying around? If you're like us, your first thought is "ew" and your second thought is to toss them, fast. But there's more fashionable potential in these jewelry pieces than you think.
How To: Create your own Native American bone flute
The Native Americans were reknown for their ability to make use of every part of the animals they hunted for food. In this tutorial, you're shown how to make a traditional tribal flute from the leg bone of a deer.
How To: Make a DIY spiral braided bracelet with a charm
Bohemian ware is all the rage these days - from bohemian headbands to necklaces to hemp jewelry, the braided, slightly undone look is all the rage. Get in on the trend without dropping mad stacks at a store by creating this cute spiral braided bracelet.