crafts
Crafts Hacks for makers; a digital vision board with clever tips, ideas, techniques and materials for DIY creations.
Start Beading and Start Wearing Your Own Creations
I don’t worry about jewelry. I don’t have to. I create my own and it doesn’t cost a lot of money. You can too. If you’re confused about trendy jewelry or tired of the plastic look and the sticker price, stop paying for a mass manufactured item and make your own.
By Diana Hayes5 years ago in Lifehack
What else?
“My eyes aren’t working, can you do this?” My grandmother held the needle and the yarn out to me. We were sewing up the edge of a set of gloves we had made together. First, we had made a thick shawl from the striped blue, white, and tan yarn, using a special but complicated bobble pattern to give it extra coziness. Then we made a hat with a ruffled rim. Finally, we made a pair of mittens, to complete the set. They were just right for cold winters. She looked them over through her thick bifocals, her lips in a serious frown, then gave a small smile of satisfaction, and folded them over to me.
By rani Jayakumar5 years ago in Lifehack
Following My Inspiration.
I have been chasing my dreams and despair my whole life. The sad part I told myself I was pursuing my dreams because I wanted this dream job as a young man. My dad had other plans for me and made it clear I was not the material of champions. I was one of those kids that, even as a kid, hurt a lot. No one believed me. It was an excuse not to do anything.
By Jeff Johnson5 years ago in Lifehack
Dream - Create - Joy - Inspire
I have never been a good writer and sitting down to write this is causing me a bit of anxiety. I am enduring this discomfort because, honestly, I would not know what or who I would be without art. And if I can inspire another person to create or explore their creativity, then that would bring me the utmost happiness. I was never very good with traditional classroom learning, and I was and still am a very energetic person. I realize today that my mother introduced art into my life as a way to keep me “busy” and her sane. I have dabbled in almost every kind of medium known- ballet, jazz, tap, modern dancing, sewing, flat pattern design, knitting, crocheting, stained glass, mosaics, jewelry, woodworking, etc., etc., etc.
By Misty Rose5 years ago in Lifehack
CROCHETING FOREVER
The art of crocheting has been around for a very long time. Around the globe, busy hands have made lovely, effervescent crochet tablecloths, crochet doilies, crochet bedspreads, and all types of crochet clothing articles, just by making use of the special hooked "needle," some slightly heavy thread and plenty of wisdom passed down through the ages. Crocheting, just like the folksong, is a true folk art and in a way, a look into its history is a look into the history of the world.
By Dandelionclub5 years ago in Lifehack
The Cut and Paste Girl
As a little girl I spent countless hours at the table with a bottle of glue, a pair of scissors, and whatever kind of scrap paper I could get my tiny hands on. I have no memory of this but apparently it happened so often my mother branded me ‘The Cut and Paste Girl’. Allegedly, I would (or could) never answer the question, “What are you making?”
By Emily Alexander5 years ago in Lifehack
''The GREATEST GIFT''
Hello, My name is Wanda Alejandro. I was born in Ponce Puerto Rico in 1965. I Came to the states at the age of three. I am a fifty-six-years-old mother of five children, 3 beautiful daughters -in-law 1 great son -in-law , grandmother of 15, and great grandmother to one beautiful granddaughter. My story began on my seventh birthday when I went to my grandmother's house to visit and was gifted a sewing machine. As long as I could remember she was always sewing, so it was only fit for her to pass on such an incredible gift on the hopes of picking up on some of her skills myself. As any other child with a new toy , my creativity started to overflow. My mother and father bought me my first few fabric pieces, so I started to explore and teach myself how to sew . Before I knew it, my passion for sewing had bloomed. One day while at school ,we were asked to make an apron for a project. I could not believe it, not only to show what I have learned on those countless days and night had come. So, I put myself to the test . I had made a complete outfit,shirt and pants. The school was amazed at what I had accomplished , as the other young children had just struggled to make an apron which had seemed so simple to me. I ended up being published in the newspaper that year for the town. From that time on, my peace and passion had come from making ,creating and showing my work to other. Throughout the years, I had created lots of things that have brought me and others joy. As I became a mother , it was only second nature after that. I would make clothing for my daughter for school and prom dresses for other family members. As a grandmother, I made baby pouches which was somewhat like today's swaddle blankets. I would make customized time-out dolls for family friends. I have re-upholstered chairs for funeral homes, interiors of classic vehicles that have won awards for originality. One of my humblest moments came when I was asked to create a themed baby shower and sweet 16 which the clients wanted to feel as if they were immersed in '' Alice in Wonderland.'' So, i obliged, over eighty percent of the stuff was custom made by me. Creativity has always been such a great part of how i did things. A client would give me an idea and my head would overfill with ways to bring their vision to life. Everything had to be cut and measured perfectly with scissors. From the Cheshire cat that was drawn, then cut from cardboard then decorated with foam to the life-sized flowers with faces made from tissue paper cutouts. I Also made the caterpillar and card soldiers which was all free handed drawn and cut. I continued with life size mushrooms made from cardboard and covered with colorful tissue paper and accented with lights under the gills. Yet, my greatest accomplishment came from creating a ''Winter Wonderland'' for my grand-daughter's Sweet 15. I had drawn on cardboard, cut, shaped and wrapped fabric onto what would become two huge polar bears. I had also customized a chair for her to sit during the ceremony and so much more. Sewing, crafting and creating things is my happiness. Seeing something come to life with my creation, brings so much joy to myself and others. It makes me feel like I have brought some good into someone's life even in the darkest moments. I created a memorial pillow for someone who had lost their spouse, which meant the word to them. It felt good to had helped them with a little bit of closure. My dream has always been to make more people happy with my work. I had created a Facebook page with some of my work over the years called ''Perfectly Propped'' I do regret not taking more pictures of my work, but i know the work that I have out there speaks for itself. My work takes time and patience, but the smile on my clients faces speaks volumes and that is when I know that I had received the GREATEST GIFT.
By Wanda Alejandro 5 years ago in Lifehack
The Milk Bottle Dove Project
May I invite you to consider some different approaches to answer the question of ‘what to make?’ In generations past, hand-crafting skills were honed by necessity. Textiles were expensive so clothes were mended and worn–out clothes were recycled into quilts and rugs. Buttons and zips were unstitched and used in a new dress. Socks were darned, trousers were patched and Dad could fix almost anything around the house with the tools in his shed and the bits and bobs collected and stored in jam jars over the years. A lot of time and energy was devoted to mending and fixing items around the home, not because these jobs were a thrilling creative outlet for the adults of the household, but because they needed to be done.
By Lara Jane Townsend5 years ago in Lifehack
Fabric Scrap Project Idea: How to Turn Tiny Scraps Into a Laminate Pouch
I love sewing and often end up with tiny fabric scraps that I hate to throw away to become trash in landfills. I'm always thinking up project ideas to use with fabric scraps. This laminate pouch using iron-on vinyl and fabric scraps turned out better than I imagined. I use mine for traveling to prevent my toiletries from spilling in my luggage but you can use it for any occasion. Today I'll be going over the materials needed and how to make a pouch of your own.
By Mad For Fabric5 years ago in Lifehack
From Make Believe to a Passion: Textile History
I don’t know about you, but when I was young I loved to play make-believe. Perhaps that was the beginning of my love for acting and writing, but that is a topic for another time. I distinctly remember grabbing my bedsheets, blankets, and scarves and wrapping them about myself, trying to dress up like a queen of a far off land, or the protective fairy of a glenn. I used knots, string, safety pins, and whatever else I could use to make the sheets and blankets stay in place and drape into a makeshift ball gown or cape. I would have mounds of material on my bed as I sorted through what would make the best material for the costume I had in mind. Such childhood fantasy grew a lot of future habits, but the one that came as a shock was my interest in sewing and textile work.
By Olivia Lang5 years ago in Lifehack
