Baker’s Twine at Home?
May 8, 2012 in Fiber Crafts
I stopped dead in my tracks when I spotted this tutorial on how to make your own baker’s twine with supplies you most likely have on hand at home! I had to share!
How-to: Make a Repurposed Table Runner
March 22, 2012 in Fiber Crafts
Originally posted at Crafting a Green World
Have you ever started a project, and it just gets gigantic by the end? A few weeks ago, we decided to rearrange the furniture in our living room, replacing a giant, 3-piece entertainment center with a smaller situation that wouldn’t look so looming in there. When we took the old one apart, it turned out that each piece on its own was super awesome! The base is now a window seat in my office, the top piece makes a perfect long shoe rack for the hallway, and the middle piece was just right for a kitchen sideboard. So, instead of rearranging the living room, we sort of rearranged the entire house!
How-to: Make Lovebird Wrist Warmers from Sweater Sleeves
March 5, 2012 in Fiber Crafts
Originally published at Crafting a Green World
Brr! It’s getting chilly out there again. Wrist warmers can add an extra layer of cozy to your winter look, but the store-bought kind often aren’t the most eco-friendly. Chances are, they’re mass-produced in a factory using conventional cotton (with all of the issues that come along with it). You can skip the human rights and environmental issues, though, and make your very own set of wrist warmers out of a thrift store sweater instead! Here’s how.
How-to: Neckwarmer with a Hidden Heart
February 8, 2012 in Fiber Crafts
Cross-posted from Crafting a Green World.
My husband takes the train to work, and when the temperatures get chilly, that is not always the most pleasant walk. Not only is the cold tough on your body, but have you noticed that it’s hard to catch your breath when the air is chilly? Enter the neckwarmer! He can push it down, and it looks like a scarf, but on his walk he can pull it up around his face to warm the air a bit as he breathes and make his walk a bit nicer.
Easy Upcycling: Homemade Ribbon
January 29, 2012 in Fiber Crafts
It was one of those “AHA!” moments. As you know, I am a crazy hoarder of fabric scraps. I’m constantly looking for ways to use them up, and my scrap bin often has trouble closing because it’s so stuffed. At the same time, I go through quite a bit of ribbon. So many craft projects require just a bit of ribbon, and that adds up when I get into a really crafty headspace.
AHA! It turns out, you can make functional, coordinating ribbon with just long, skinny fabric scraps and a pair of pinking shears! The pinked edges avoid fraying, and I love the look of it.
More after the jump →
Local Public Art: Caroline Lathan-Stiefel
January 9, 2012 in Fiber Crafts, Inspiration
Thanks to Flux Projects, Atlanta has a steady flow of temporary art installations throughout the city (I really loved Charlie Brouwer’s Rise Up Atlanta last April in Freedom Park on Moreland). The current public commission is Caroline Lathan-Stiefel’s Ocean. In general, her work features labor crafting processes, such as sewing, weaving (often with pipe cleaners), and crocheting, to create abstract landscapes and biologically-inspired structures. While Lathan-Stiefel is not from Atlanta, her work is heavily inspired by late Georgian native Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden, most evident in her material choices and mosaic composition. Ocean is no exception to this palette. More after the jump →
Craft Recycled: Make a Hanging Necktie Scissor Holder
December 27, 2011 in Fiber Crafts, Tutorials
Originally posted at Green Upgrader
It’s easy as pie to whip up an upcycled hanging scissor holder to make your craft room just a bit more organized!
Happy Hanukkah — and some crafts
December 20, 2011 in Fiber Crafts, Paper Crafts, Tutorials
Hanukkah begins tonight at sundown and what better way to celebrate than with a few crafts? I’m probably so drawn to crafting because I love decorating (or maybe the other way around?) which makes me look forward to holidays a little more than most. I’ve gathered up a few Hanukkah crafts from around the blogosphere to share — and some can be simply altered for Christmas crafting too! Keep an eye out for my follow-up post with some found and personal Christmas crafts this week.
D.I.Y. Day Atlanta – Crafts at Piedmont Park
December 17, 2011 in Events, Fiber Crafts, Paper Crafts
Making something is always great, but it is certainly made better when paired with the great outdoors. The Piedmont Park Conservancy has partnered with Kim Nungesser, of Crafter Hours, and Erica Strickland, creator of Craftie Bash, for an all-day DIY Day on January 28, 2012 filled with crafting fun!
Read more about the event after the jump!
On the Mend: 4 Stitches to Repair Damaged Clothing
December 15, 2011 in Fiber Crafts, Tutorials
originally posted at Crafting a Green World
One of the greenest things that you can do as a crafter is mend your things rather than replacing them, and clothing is no exception. Any time you buy something new, you’re contributing to all of the waste associated with that product’s supply chain. You might think that you have to be an expert seamstress to mend damaged clothes, but that’s not true at all! You don’t even need a sewing machine – just a needle, thread, and a bit of patience are all it takes to repair damaged clothing.