Independent craft blog since 2007
There was a time when the words patchwork sewing immediately brought to mind neatly matched squares, carefully pressed seams and a quilt spread across the spare bed. Lovely, certainly, but not necessarily something you would wear to lunch.
That has … Read More...
If you’ve ever admired those beautifully textured felt scarves that look light as air but still cozy and warm, chances are they were made using the nuno felting technique. This week’s Free Felting Tutorial Friday comes from Ruth Lane, who … Read More...
Andrea used the Fun Times collection from Simple Stories to create this fabulous mini Travel Tag album. She even found a cute tiny plastic suitcase to fit it inside of, decorating the outside with a few chipboard elements and a … Read More...
When it’s hot outside it’s fun to do any kinds of activities that involve ice, water or anything cold. Check out my water and ice activities here, and read on for sensory and science experiments using and inspired by … Read More...
Shadow knitting squares are such a clever way to learn illusion knitting without jumping straight into one enormous hidden-image blanket.
Instead of casting on hundreds of stitches and hoping your colour contrast works, you can start with one small square. … Read More...
We have all had a fake tan moment that started with confidence and ended with orange knuckles, patchy elbows, or feet that look like they have been dipped in tea. That is exactly why this CraftBits project is such a … Read More...
Faux postage has been very popular in card making and paper crafting recently with lots of stamps, dies and papers that help you create faux postcards, postage stamps and cancelations for fun designs that work with a variety of styles … Read More...
The cross stitcher behind the blog Sirious Stitches is quite into biscornu.
If you’re not, a quick primer: biscornu are three-dimensional cross-stitched objects with eight points, often with an indention in the middle that makes them look a bit like … Read More...
When I discovered Kate Atherley’s book Circular Knitting for Beginners and Beyond, I wasn’t sure there was enough to say about circular knitting to fill a book. It’s a pretty short book (144 pages) and includes 10 patterns to … Read More...
If you have ever walked through a Christmas craft fair and thought, “I could make that,” then this is your friendly reminder to start now.
Not in a frantic, glue-gun-at-midnight sort of way. Not with ribbon stuck to your sleeve … Read More...
If you’ve been searching for the perfect crochet top to take you from sunny afternoons to warm summer evenings, the Sunburst Tank from Knit Picks is a winner. This breezy tank is simple, stylish, and has just the right amount … Read More...
There is something wonderfully dangerous about a good pair of handmade earrings at a craft market. They sit there on the table looking sweet and harmless, and before you know it, someone has popped “just one pair” into their basket … Read More...
Bubble skirts are back, and this time they are not being saved for flower girls, dance costumes or the more adventurous corners of our wardrobes.
The modern bubble hem skirt—also called a puffball skirt—can be soft and wearable, especially when … Read More...
Paige took it to the next level filling and over lapping her scallops down more than one half of her page. She used a border punch and different pattern papers for her scallops and notice how she created a rainbow … Read More...
Lots of Americans seem to think that May 5 is Mexican Independence Day, but that holiday actually falls on Sept. 16.
May 5 is the celebration of the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexicans defeated the French in 1862. … Read More...
There is something wonderfully comforting about a piece of handmade textile art hanging on the wall. Perhaps it is the softness, the slightly uneven tufts or simply the fact that yarn instantly makes a room feel warmer. Whatever the reason, … Read More...
Zig zag quilts have been around for decades, but modern quilting has completely reinvented them.
Gone are the busy calicos and tightly packed traditional layouts (although we still love those too). Today’s modern zig zag quilts lean into negative space, … Read More...
If you are in the mood for a quick crochet hat with a lot of personality, the Colorful Maker Hat from Lion Brand is a fun one to look at. It is described as a cozy statement piece with a … Read More...
There is something rather wonderful about a homemade sugar scrub—the scent, the pretty jar and that deliciously grainy texture that makes an ordinary shower feel like a small luxury. Traditional oil-and-sugar scrubs certainly have their place, but they can also … Read More...
Sunflower machine embroidery is one of those categories that always feels cheerful, useful, and easy to stitch into everyday projects. A single bloom looks lovely on a tea towel or tote, while fuller sunflower motifs work beautifully on cushion covers, … Read More...
