Free Craft Supplies - Where to Find Crafting Materials For Nothing

Free Craft Supplies - Where to Find Crafting Materials For Nothing

Have you noticed the high prices of craft supplies? Me too!

To find cheaper crafting materials, crafters often visit flea markets, garage sales, and consignment stores. These are all wonderful sources for less expensive craft supplies, but there's one place even cheaper - and everyone has access to it.

The outdoors. Mother Nature has a spectacular array of materials useful for craft projects, and it's free.

For free craft supplies, try looking in your own yard, open spaces and trails, friends' yards, city parks, or even next to roadways. Be aware that removing items from some areas, such as national parks, is illegal.

I've used several natural items in my craft projects. Here is a short list to help you with ideas:

Pine cones Rocks big and small Bark Sticks, twigs and branches Flowers Leaves Sea shells Sand Abandoned bird nests Feathers

Natural materials often need some type of treatment to be usable. Pine cones, for example, have sap and bugs and so should be heated in an oven before using in your craft projects.

Flowers and leaves will need to be dried for use in certain projects, like collage or card making. You can press between newspaper and heavy books, or even make your own flower press to accomplish this. Look for instructions online.

Rocks, sea shells, sticks, and bird nests need to be cleaned prior to use. Sand can be sterilized by heating in an oven.

Take a step outside. It's amazing what you can find in nature to use in your craft projects. And best of all, nature's craft supplies are free.


Crochet Flowers - Free Craft Supplies - Where to Find Crafting Materials For Nothing

Wedding Table Runners

Wedding Table Runners

Decorating a wedding can be a big project. Table linens can be one of the quickest ways to change the look of a room. One of the easiest ways to add your own style to the reception tables is to use table runners. Take a look at all of the different things you can do with table runners to give your wedding a unique and beautiful style.

The terrific thing about table runners is that they can be layered over standard white tablecloths to change the look of the reception venue without spending a fortune on custom ordered linens. In fact, any person with basic sewing skills could tackle making their own runners. Nothing more than long, thin rectangles, they are a pretty simple sewing project. If you want to add even more "wow" to your tables, layer a contrasting runner over a colorful tablecloth.

You can really make a statement with runners depending on the colors, materials, and pattern you select. For an evening wedding, silk dupioni cloths in rich jewel tones like aubergine would be spectacular. If the bride is wearing a crystal necklace, why not bring in some of that sparkle to the decor by adding a row of drop crystals along the edge of the runner? Place crystal candleholders and exotic purple orchids over the aubgerine cloths to create a look with unforgettable elegance.

The bride who is planning a wedding with a very natural or rustic style can do wonderful things with humble materials. A burlap runner, believe it or not, is a great looking addition to the reception tables. It makes an ideal backdrop for centerpieces made from materials like succulents, smooth river rocks, or moss. The affordable material is a great option for a bride working on a tight budget who wants to do something beyond the standard white linens. The burlap runner is especially nice for long family style tables at an outdoor reception.

Weddings with homespun charm are very much in style at the moment. Give your reception tables that cozy handcrafted feeling with crocheted runners. Fine white crochet designs are feminine and homey at the same time. While crocheting all the table toppers would likely be an overwhelming project, making the one for the head table would be a very special gift from a relative with a talent for crocheting. Choose delicate centerpieces that will not obscure the daintiness of the crocheted pieces. Multiples of slim silver vases dripping with sweet peas would be charming or bring in more of that homey feeling with white hobnail pitchers and glasses for the centerpiece vessels.

If you want to add style to your reception in a snap, choose a runner with a bold pattern. An opulent large baroque design in a high contrast color combination like black and white would be stunning for a sophisticated wedding with the bride in a silk trumpet gown and grand crystal necklace. For a daytime wedding, consider a '60s inspired pop art floral pattern in wild colors. When the linens make a big statement, the flowers should be monochromatic to keep the whole design in harmony.

Many other fabrics would be wonderful for reception table runners. Ideas include lace, quilts, and sheer organza, just to name a few. Without a doubt, a small table runner can have a big impact when it comes to creating a fabulous style for your wedding.


Crochet Flowers - Wedding Table Runners

The Craft Of Creating Crepe Paper Flowers

The Craft Of Creating Crepe Paper Flowers

Creating paper flowers is one of the most fun and favorite crafts of kids and adults alike and they are making a come back today just like they did many years ago. One of the best explanations is paper flowers are restricted only by the sum of the imagination and creativity you are willing to apply. In today's electronic age there seems to be very little chance to develop anyones artistic abilities. There are some teachers of kindergarten and scout leaders that are practicing this art as a means of letting the children express there own creativity. Even our teens could profit from this skill for some of their school projects. Paper flower making was always one of my favorite crafts projects as a kid and still is.

Paper flowers are cheap to make and offers an excellent preparation of flowers for any event. They're easy to create and are just as pretty as the ones Mother Nature has made. Many of the most beautiful flowers in nature don't have the most flawless petals or leaves, and paper flowers are no different. If you look at real flowers they are not perfect each one has it's own special character, and that is why you don't have to be an expert to make paper flowers. Paper flowers are a great replacement for high priced bouquets of flowers that can cost you a fortune, especially when you consider real flowers last only a week or two, and paper flowers will last for years and when you are done with them they can be put in the recycle bin to be used to make more paper, so they are eco friendly too.

If you are into homemade decorations, paper flowers are the way to go as there use is unlimited and confined only by your creativity. Some use them as wedding decorations, on homecoming floats, for high school dances, party decorations, embellishments on gifts, or home decor decorations such as center pieces, drapery ties,and placed in bathrooms where you can add a little scent to the flowers to control odor as well as to beautify. These are but a few of the many ways paper flowers can be used.

You can make paper flowers with crepe paper or some people use tissue paper. They can be any color that you want them to be. You can scent them with different scents,aromas or embellish them with a little paint or markers. There are many styles of flowers that can be created in all different sizes.

In Mexico they are used on special occasions,events such as quinceañera (coming out ceremony for 15-year-old girls), Cinco de Mayo (commemoration of there victory over the French), and especially Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The use of paper flowers are a acknowledged part of the Mexican customs. Most of these flowers are very bold and bright and very beautiful they are handcrafted by local talented craftsmen.

Whatever the motive you have for wanting to create paper flowers, they make beautiful arrangements for any type of decorating schemes. They are so real looking that people may stop to smell them. You could buy silk, or real flowers but paper flowers will be more suitable. Now paper flowers will be flowering all over the place and at any time of the year.


Crochet Flowers - The Craft Of Creating Crepe Paper Flowers

Best Ideas For Baby Shower Floral Arrangements

Best Ideas For Baby Shower Floral Arrangements

A baby shower is a huge event in the life of the expectant mother. Not only is it a ceremonial occasion that prepares the expectant mother for the new role of motherhood, but it also serves to introduce close friends and family to the soon to be new addition to the family. Such an important occasion should include floral decoration. For this reason, it is very important to think about your ideas for baby shower floral arrangements that you would like to include.

What could be better for a baby shower than a bouquet that features ideas for baby shower floral arrangements that include baby's breath? Baby's breath is a hardy flower that blends well with other flower types. Baby's breath features a wispy branch system along with hardy yet unassuming small white blossoms. Baby's breath is photo perfect for a infant shower that includes other flower types.

If you are looking for ideas for infant showers floral arrangements that highlight simplicity and innocence, then you should consider using daisies. Daisies are a very common flower in many bouquets. They are popular for their neutral simplicity, and a bouquet of daisies symbolizes newness, freshness, and new beginnings. Daisy bouquets can be cut with baby's breath, introduced in the previous paragraph, to yield a bouquet that symbolizes both innocence and potential. Nothing could be better for a baby shower.

If you are looking for floral arrangement ideas, you would be remiss if you did not consider daisies and baby's breath. Both of these flowers symbolize innocence and hope, and they also blend well with other flower type.


Crochet Flowers - Best Ideas For Baby Shower Floral Arrangements

British Silver - George II and Rococo 1719 - 1770

British Silver - George II and Rococo 1719 - 1770

The 1720's and early 30's are characterised by flat chasing of ornamental borders that give way to elaborate patterns of interlacing and curving lines as the 30's progress and continue to the extravagant rococo ornamentation of complex scrolls, leave, flowers and shells.

The Rococo originated in France. Some objects became highly decorated with rounded shapes, mainly taken from nature. Sea shells, clouds, flowers and foliage being popular. In Europe the style was embraced and became very popular. In Britain this it was more sparingly used.

Paul de Lamerie and the Kandler's were the boldest adopters of the style in England during the 1730's through to 1750 and produced work of highly decorated rococo style.

Castings become more popular, some for whole objects as in candlesticks and other castings for separate parts, for example feet, handles and decorative panels.

The dropped-bottom waisted line appears in the 1750's, evident on containers and tea pots.

Brandy warmers or saucepans are to be found, these being simple bowls, bulged or straight sided, having an everted lip and turned wooden handle.

Punch bowls are popular, often having a matching ladle some with whale bone or wooden handle.

Tankards and mugs are made, the capacity becoming reduced to a quart and also 1 pint.

Salt cellars both plain and ornamental, spice boxes, sauce boats and sauce tureens can all be found.

Spoons, forks and fruit knives and forks with rococo ornamentation were made.

Other items include tea pots, coffee pots, jugs, tea caddies, sugar bowls, candlesticks, sconces, salvers and trays.

In Britain silver items were produced in London, Chester, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Newcastle


Crochet Flowers - British Silver - George II and Rococo 1719 - 1770

Crepe Paper Flowers For The Fall Season

Crepe Paper Flowers For The Fall Season

The summer is fading fast and our flowers are too. But it doesn't have to be that way, we can make our own pretty paper flowers so that it looks like our flower gardens are still in full bloom.

You can make fall crepe paper flowers for your home decor and it will look like flowers are still blooming everywhere. There are several fall flowers that you can make out of crepe paper. These include mums, asters, fall roses, lilies, anemones, dahlias, hydrangea, and hyacinths for a few choices. And using crepe paper makes them easier to make since it can be stretched and molded to almost any shape.

Making paper flowers is an old craft that is really starting to show up everywhere and if you make your own flowers it will give you a sense of pride in your decorations. There have been designers using them for shows and a lot of brides are starting to use them for their wedding decorations.

You may want to just decorate your home, or maybe you are having a party you could make your own decorations and fall flower centerpieces, or maybe you are getting married how about making your own flowers for your fall wedding.

You can make your beautiful flowers in any color that you prefer, but for the fall season the colors are beautiful reds, oranges, yellows, browns, and greens. These make very pretty colors when made and blended together. A bouquet using the reds, oranges, and yellows for the flowers and having different shades of greens and browns for the foliage will make a unique fall paper flower arrangement.

With Halloween just around the corner you could start making paper flowers to decorate for a Halloween party or just to decorate your home using black, orange, or gold flowers. Make a scene where you have a casket and put your black and gold colored flowers all around as in a mortuary you might even have a dummy as the dead body this will make a great accent for any party or just for the neighborhood kids.

Or how about making a paper flower costume for a Halloween costume. There are different ways to use paper flowers for Halloween if you use your imagination and crafting abilities.

How about making a fall centerpiece for the dining table you will need:

Round or oval shaped tray (size you want your centerpiece to be)

Hurricane lamp style candle holder

Crepe paper flowers and leaf garland (you may need a book with patterns and instructions if you do not have one)

Small gourds (artificial or real)

1. Place your tray on a level surface and put your candle holder in the center of it. Adding a fall colored candle in it.

2. Make your fall paper flowers and leaves with short stems to intertwine them if desired. You will need approximately 6 - 12 flowers. Add them to your tray placing them in intervals around the candle holder.

3. Place your gourds in between the flowers using different colors of them.

4. Make a paper leaf garland to fill in around the flowers and gourds. All you need for this is craft wire, brown floral tape, and brown, gold, and green crepe paper. Take a length of wire 18" - 24" long and wrap with the floral tape. Add the leaves that you have made out of crepe paper to the wire at about 2" intervals then re-wrap the wire so the leaves look as if they belong to a vine.

5. You may even want to make a few larger leaves to distribute around the outside of the tray

This will make a very festive fall centerpiece for your home decor.

I know that you can come up with a lot more fun ideas for this fall season so go to it.


Crochet Flowers - Crepe Paper Flowers For The Fall Season

Making Your French Bead Flowers Lifelike

Making Your French Bead Flowers Lifelike

You might have seen or made French bead flowers that were beautifully made, but didn't look quite right. Possibly they looked stiff and artificial. Here is some advice to help you make bead flowers that are graceful and charming.

Here are a few ideas that will help your flowers to be their loveliest and most natural-looking. You can use these tips even if you are making a "fantasy" flower. A flower is a flower, after all, and even if the one you have created doesn't yet grow in nature, odds are that someday some botanist will develop it.

When making the petals and leaves, reduce the bottom basic wires to two instead of three. It may seem insignificant, but this one improvement will make a big difference in each flower. The flower stems should be as narrow as possible, so reducing these wires is important.

Be sure to cover all stemwires of each leaf, center, petal and sepal before construction of the flower. Tape tightly and use as little tape as possible. This will reduce "wobble" in your finished flower. Living flowers' parts don't move and neither should the parts of bead flowers. Be sure you have used enough wire for the stems of petals and leaves; leaving these wires too short can cause the flower to fall apart.

During construction, wrap the construction wire and tape as tightly as possible. If you are adding many layers of petals, stop after each layer and cover the construction wire wraps with green tape. I have found that, on large flowers that require many rows of flowers, construction wires for early rows tend to show through later rows. If green tape is all that is visible, the eye will ignore it; messy wire will pull the eye and ruin the flower's beauty. Push sepals right up under the base of the flower. Think of sepals as being a warm muffler in the winter: you plump that up right under your chin. A sepal that seems to spring right from the base of the flower will make the flower look rich and luxurious.

Now that you have the flower built, allow yourself to use some imagination. Take a look at living flowers. Observe two roses or two daisies growing in a garden or at the local nursery. You will see variations among the individual blooms. Examine the way the stems may bend. Do the flower heads tip forward? Do some petals curve or curl more than others? Does a leaf twist rather than unfurl straight?

To copy nature's variations, you have a few tools at your disposal. The common pencil can help you make your roses breathtaking. Push the tip of your thumb into the bottom third of your rose petal, then curl the top backwards around a pencil. This will give the petal the shape that many varieties of rose possess. To make a twisted leaf, use two pliers (one at the top and one at the bottom) and twist in opposite directions. This effect can also be achieved by holding the leaf in a hemostat and using one plier to make the twist. For more shape, curl the top of the leaf backward a bit. Alternately, you can make a long and pointed shape by creasing the leaf or petal along its central or basic row, then flaring the sides out to complete the curve of the piece. You can combine these techniques to make infinite variations in the look of your flowers.

When the flowers are arranged in sprays, be sure to bend the tallest stem once to the left and once to the right. The top of the tallest stem should usually take another small bend so that it points straight up. Secondary stems can have one bend in them. This will give the spray motion and flow. To get this shape, you can use a plier in one hand or a plier in each hand; if you like going low-tech, just use your fingers.

Most importantly, relax and enjoy the process. As you work with the flowers more and more, you will develop a "feel" for how they should look. With patience and practice, your flower-arranging skills will improve and give you great satisfaction with your arrangements.


Crochet Flowers - Making Your French Bead Flowers Lifelike

2 Pampering Gifts to Crochet

2 Pampering Gifts to Crochet

I love to give my friends and family pampering gifts that I have crocheted.  Crochet the cotton bath puff and cotton face scrubbies found below, put them in a decorative basket with some great smelling soaps and gels and you have the perfect gift!

FLOWER FACE SCRUBBIES

Materials:

* H crochet hook
* Worsted weight cotton yarn (such as Sugar n Cream)
* Yarn needle
* Scissors

Pattern:

Round 1:  Ch 2, work 12 dc in 2nd ch from hook.  Sl st to first dc to join.  (12 dc)

Round 2:  Ch 3, dc in same st as ch-3.  Work 2 dc in next dc and each dc  around.  Sl st to the top of ch-3 to join.  (24 dc)

Round 3:  Ch 3, work 2 dc in same st as ch-3.  *Sc in next dc, 3 dc in next dc (shell made)*, repeat from * to * around.  Sl st to the bottom of ch-3 to join.  (12 shells)

To Finish:  Cut yarn and pull through loop on hook.  Weave in all tails.

Final Notes and Care Instructions:

* Finished size is approx. 4 inches across scrubbie.

* Wash scrubbies with like items (cotton shirts) in washing machine on gentle cycle in cold water.

* Tumble dry low with like items (cotton shirts).

* I do not recommend washing the scrubbies with towels because the lint from the towels will cling to the scrubbies!

COTTON BATH PUFF

Materials:

* I crochet hook
* Worsted weight cotton yarn (such as Sugar n Cream)
* Yarn needle
* Scissors

Pattern:

Round 1:  Ch 6, join with a sl st to first ch to form ring.

Round 2:  *Ch 5, sc in ring*, repeat 27 times from * to *.  (You will find that the stitches get very tight in this round.  Gently push the stitches to the right to move them out of your way.)

Round 3:  (beginning of hanging loop) Ch 35, sc in ring.  Sl st in the first ch-5 loop to the left of the hanging loop.

Round 4:  *(ch 6, sc) 10 times in same ch-5 loop, sl st to next ch-5 loop*, repeat from * to * for each ch-5 loop.

Round 5:  (completes hanging loop)  You have now worked your way around the bath puff and are positioned to the right of the hanging loop.  Sl st in the first ch at the bottom of the hanging loop that is closest to your hook.  Sl st in each ch of the hanging loop.

Round 6:  Sc in the first ch-6 loop to the left of the hanging loop.  Sc in each ch-6 loop around the entire bath puff.

To Finish Bath Puff:

1.  After you complete Round 6, you are now back to the right side of the hanging loop.  Sl st in the bottom ch (on the right side) of the hanging loop.

2.  Leaving a length of tail for sewing, fasten off.

3.  Thread the tail through your yarn needle.  Run a few sts in the center of bath puff and pull tight.  This will help the bath puff to keep the shape.

4.  After satisfied with the look of your bath puff, knot tail several times and weave in to hide.

Final Notes and Care Instructions:

1.  Wash bath puff with like items (cotton shirts) in washing machine on gentle cycle in cold water.

2.  Tumble dry low with like items (cotton shirts).

3.  I do not recommend washing the bath puff with towels because the lint from towels clings to the bath puff!

4.  The bath puff takes a little extra time to dry while hanging in the shower.  Be sure to squeeze all of the water out before hanging it up.

These projects are very quick to work up and they use very little supplies.  Girls of all ages love to receive these pampering crocheted gifts!  Cotton yarn comes in many beautiful colors, so pick their favorite color or match their bathroom decor.  All the girls in my family cannot wait to get their new bath puff and set of face scrubbies at Christmas time!


Crochet Flowers - 2 Pampering Gifts to Crochet

Sew and Crochet - A Perfect Match

Sew and Crochet - A Perfect Match

Sewing and crocheting are relaxing activities that can be very rewarding and both activities can easily complement each other. Sewing projects can be greatly enhanced by adding crochet, as will be discussed in this article. If you love to sew and crochet, this article will give you some ideas on how to combine the two.

An easy way to start is to find a piece of clothing in your closet that you would like to add some life to. A good start would be a plain blouse. Something really simple, like a crocheted flower, could be added to the front of the neck turning your plain blouse into one that your friends are asking where you got it from. If the blouse is white, a black flower would look great and it would allow you to match it with more clothes in your wardrobe. An additional enhancement could be done by adding a bow made with silk ribbon to the bottom of the flower or some crocheted leafs. If you do not want the flower to be attached permanently to the blouse, add a safety pin and you will be able to use the flower with other pieces of clothing like jackets or dresses. Free crochet flower patterns can be found on many web sites, use your favorite search engine to find them.

Another quick addition you can make to clothes you already have is by embellishing a t-shirt with a crocheted trim sewn around the edge of the neck and sleeves. If the shirt is sleeveless, you can crochet a pair of sleeves with a lacy stitch and attach them to the shirt; it will make a big difference. You can use the same concept to add crocheted trim to the cuffs of jeans. If you really want to spice up an old pair of jeans than add crocheted trim to the edges of the pockets or to the front of the legs.

If you like to sew, you can make unique items by adding crocheted pieces to the clothing you already make. A suggestion for a project is an empire waist top with the lower part of the top and the sleeves made out of crocheted pieces. This would be an original and unique look. Or you could have the upper portion of the top crocheted in an open lacy stitch and add a sleeveless top which is worn underneath. Both of these suggestions would also work for an empire style dress as well.

This web page has a directory of free crocheting patterns, www.crochetpatterncentral.com. The site has patterns to make flowers, motifs and many other items you can add to your sewing projects. Use these patterns to make combined sewed/crocheted items for yourself, family and friends, or even to make some extra income by selling your creations. Enjoy combining your sewing and crocheting projects!


Crochet Flowers - Sew and Crochet - A Perfect Match

Easy and Fun Tissue Paper Crafts for Kids

Easy and Fun Tissue Paper Crafts for Kids

A rainy day is a great opportunity to get out the arts and crafts boxes and spend time with the kids making personalized gifts for friends and family. Nothing expresses love as well as a homemade card or a giant tissue paper flower. Many artists choose tissue for art projects because it can be easily shaped and cut into patterns for multiple craft projects.

This art medium is perfect for young kids as it is nontoxic and perfectly safe, with no sharp corners to cut into tender fingers. Tissue can be purchased in a wide variety of color hues and sizes. It is recommended that a giant package of tissue paper be bought because there are so many craft ideas tissue can be used for.

Tissue paper is popular with children and parents alike because it can be torn or ripped easily, avoiding the necessary use of scissors for art projects. The colors are bright and the tissue paper is very easy to handle for small fingers. Art projects for kid to create with tissue paper include beautiful and colorful tissue paper flowers.

These flowers can be given away as gifts or tied together to make a chain of colorful flashy paper tissue flowers to hang in their room as flower swag. To make a tissue paper flower, take a piece of paper and gently scrunch it into a fan-like shape. Holding the tissue pinch in the center, tie the folded paper with a pipe cleaner, preferably the same color as the tissue paper. Fan out the tissue paper to reveal a beautiful flower.

Kids can use scissors especially made for children to round out the petals of the flowers before they fan the paper out. Easter projects for kids that deal with paper crafts are fun and easy to make. Different colors of tissue and glue sticks are recommended for this project. Eliminating messy dyes, an Easter egg can be decorated with bits and pieces of tissue, applied directly to the shell with craft glue.

Kids will have fun taking paper and shredding them into tiny pieces of confetti paper as the eggs are boiling away in the pot. When the eggs are cooled and dried off with a paper towel, the kids can take glue sticks and rub the sticks upon onside of the egg and stick bits and pieces of different colored paper to the egg. The surface of the eggs should be cool to the touch for safety reasons. This is a quick and unique way to decorate Easter eggs for that all important Easter egg hunt!

A favorite among children are piñatas and a simple version for making a piñata can be accomplished by the use of tissue. For this project, a simple paper bag stuffed with assorted toys and candies and taped together at the top is needed, along with six to eight inch strips of colorful paper and stick and some string. The kids can glue the strips of tissue paper all over the paper bag in a bright and colorful pattern. The piñata can then be used for a birthday party right away!


Crochet Flowers - Easy and Fun Tissue Paper Crafts for Kids

French Pottery and Porcelain

French Pottery and Porcelain

As in the other arts, after the introduction of the Renaissance, France imitated Italy in the making of pottery and porcelain, but native talent soon asserted itself and a truly French character became noticeable.

The earliest of the famous French potters was Bernard Palissy (1510-1502), a great designer and painter on glass who first made pottery in imitation of metal work and later originated designs in fantastic and grotesque forms, using reptiles, masks, leaves, (flowers, fossil shells and other rustic forms which were modeled in relief on plates, pitchers and useful articles.

He spent many years of his life in discovering and improving enamel which he considered a satisfactory coating for the rustic pottery which was so remarkably modeled. This pottery is very rare and only found in museums. It is often found to be reminiscent of the design of early wood burning fireplaces.

Italian majolica was first introduced into France about 1692, and reproductions of it were known as French faience. In the city of Nevers the Italian pottery was indifferently copied, and gradually Persian and other Near Eastern influences were seen in the decorative motifs. Another locality of early faience was in the city of Rouen, where manufacturing was started about 1644.

The faience made in this city became more delicate and refined in quality and also in the character of the designs used. Many of the designs for platters were arranged in a graceful radiating pattern of small blue, green or yellow flowers on a cream background. We also find arabesque, Lambrequin, cornucopia and sheath and arrow patterns. Rouen pottery had a great influence in the popularizing of this material for household use.

During the latter part of the 18th century, faience was also made at Mousliers, Marseilles. Sceaux. Strasbourg, and St. Cloud, all of which reflected the decorative designs of the day, particularly in the naturalistic flower patterns rendered in the Louis XVI manner. The supreme effort of the French porcelain makers, however, was centered in the factory of Sevres situated on the outskirts of Paris.

This factory received financial support from the French kings beginning about 1756 under the reign of Louis XV. To thoroughly appreciate Sevres porcelain, we must think for a moment of the glorious days of the court life of France. It was Madame de Pompadour, the favorite of the King, who assisted so much in producing its brilliant results.

It was she also who encouraged the artists and urged the chemists to experiment with various local clays which ultimately led to the discovery of kaolin in Germany, the missing element that was necessary to make true porcelain in Europe. After the discovery of this new material, the secret soon spread over all Europe, and. from this period on, we find that the production of pottery and soft-paste porcelain decreases and the making of true hard porcelain increases, which in turn made porcelain fireplace design ideas more feasible.

The designs and decorations on Sevres porcelains during the reign of Louis XV show the subtle curves that are seen in other contemporary forms of art. Delicate pastoral scenes in pastel shades and chinoiserie designs painted in miniature were framed in the most exquisite background colors of bleu du roi, turquoise, canary yellow, apple green, Rose Pompadour, and a profusion of gold. The Sevres factory is still in operation under French Government control, and is now introducing a great variety of porcelain forms in design and craftsmanship in a modern decorative character.


Crochet Flowers - French Pottery and Porcelain

Crafts - Easy To Make Felt Flower Refrigerator Magnets

Crafts - Easy To Make Felt Flower Refrigerator Magnets

Does your refrigerator need a little sprucing up? If so, I have an easy refrigerator magnet pattern to share with you today. These two magnets are simply made from craft felt and all are done with simple hand sewing and embroidery techniques. If you have a pile of little felt scraps laying around your craft room...this project is a great way to use those scraps up!

Here is what you will need to make each refrigerator magnet:

felt circles each measuring 2" in diameter. (you will need 2 per magnet)

felt tear drops to fit on your circle. (you will need 5 per magnet)

felt circle measuring 1/4" in diameter. (you will need 1 per magnet)

felt strip measuring 1/4" by the circumference of your large circle.

embroidery floss (colors to match felt), sewing needle and scissors

tiny amount of stuffing

craft glue

round magnet disk

Cut out all of your felt pieces as outlined above. The 2" diameter circles and the strip should all be cut from the same color of felt. Using two strands of embroidery floss to match the color of your felt circle, hand stitch on the tear drop shapes to form the shape of a flower. Use two strands of embroidery floss and hand stitch the tiny 1/4" diameter circle in the center of the flower. Make sure all of your knots are on the reverse side.

Using two strands of embroidery floss, use a blanket stitch to attach the felt strip to your flower circle. Once it has been attached around the edges, start attaching the blank back circle until you reach 3/4 of the way around. Use a tiny bit of craft stuffing and insert it into the magnet and finish blanket stitching around. Finish off and hide the threads inside of the mini pillow that was formed.

Flip the flower over and use craft glue to attach a magnet disk to the back side. Let it completely dry for several hours and then use the magnets to decorate the front of your refrigerator.


Crochet Flowers - Crafts - Easy To Make Felt Flower Refrigerator Magnets

Learn Crochet Stitches

Learn Crochet Stitches

Crochet is a procedure in which cloth is produced by using thread or yarn and a hook. Crochet is similar to knitting as both methods comprise drawing loops of yarn through other loops. The only disparity is that just one loop is used at a given time and a crochet hook is used instead of needles. Crochet has existed for years and more and more designs are produced through experiments over the years. Nowadays crochet is used to create items of clothing, blankets, scarves, decoration in the home and even bikinis. Unlike knitting, crochet is only produced by hand.

CROCHET STITCHES

It is very easy to learn and there are many variations other than the central methods. These stitches are built on string of loops called chains. The stitches can be worked alone or combined to form designs. The main stitches in crochet are:

1. Chain - sring of loops
2. Single crochet
3. Half-double crochet
4. Double crochet
5. Treble
6. Double treble
7. Triple treble
8. Slip stitch

HOW TO CROCHET

Materials:
Crochet hook
Crochet yarn

Directions:

1. Grasp the crochet hook between your index finger and your thumb as if you are grasping a pencil.

2. Next make a crochet chain. To do this, make a slip- knot around the hook. Wrap the yarn around the hook and pull it through the loop you formed in the knot. The yarn is now wrapped around the hook.

3. Draw another loop through that loop and repeat until you have formed several loops and is able to hold the yarn quite firm, i.e., not too tight and not too slack.

4. Next you are going to single crotchet. To do this, hold the chain and insert the hook into the second chain from the hook.

5. Bring the yarn over the hook like you did when you were making the chain and draw it through the chain that you inserted the hook into. You must have two loops on your hook.

6. Wrap the yarn around the hook and draw it through the two loops on the hook to create the single crochet.

7. To create the next stitch, insert the hook again, this time into the next chain on the row of chains and repeat the exact directions at #5 and #6.

8. Continue until you reach the end of the row where you should now form a chain so as to begin row 2. This chain is called the turning chain.

9. Turn your work so that the row you just completed is facing you. Insert the hook under the two top loops nearest to it.

10. Yarn over and pull the loop through to produce two loops on the hook.

11. Bring the yarn over the hook and pull through again. Replicate until you have reached the end of the row and repeat until you are able to move on to various kinds of stitches.


Crochet Flowers - Learn Crochet Stitches

Round Loom Knitting and Free Slipper Pattern

Round Loom Knitting and Free Slipper Pattern

Round loom knitting

Round loom knitting is quick, easy and fun. I made up a pair slippers for my granddaughter in no time at all. This little loom came in very handy the other day when I needed a pair of slippers. My son in law dropped off my 18-month-old granddaughter at 5:30 am the other morning on his way to work. She had on these really cute boots, which were warm but too clunky for all-day and playing. She didn't want to wear and persisted on taking them off. It was pretty cold out side and I did not want her to go around in her stocking feet. I remembered I had made up some slippers when making a pattern. I dug around and found those slippers, and put them on her.

Knitting Loom

The slippers I and fit her but just barely. So I pulled out the knitting loom and yarn and began another pair just a bit bigger. She loved them and kept them on all day, till it was time to go home. Later that evening my daughter called and asked if I would make yet another pair. It seems after Olivias bath she wanted her slippers back on. My daughter explained these are the only slippers she has ever kept on.

Free baby knitting pattern

Olivias Slippers 18 months 2 skeins yarn worsted weight 1 (14 peg baby bootie loom) Make 2 slippers Wrap all 14 pegs with 2 strands of yarn Rows 1 - 12 - Knit each row 13 - Hang hem Knit around 14 14 - 17 Knit each row Now short row down to 3 stitches Knit 2 rows on these 3 stitches Short row back to out 1 peg at a time Knit 12 rows to toe end String off loom and gather toe and tie off. For a tie to weave into ankle of slipper chain 60 (make two) There are some free patterns online for the grandmothers, mothers, aunts and friends to make up for the ones we love. These are an easy pair of slippers for the toddler and just a sample of what can be created on a knitting loom. So if you are looking for a quick and useful gift, these just may be the ticket. I like the round loom knitting for the speed and ease of knitting. If you need a hat, slipper or booties this is the loom to use. These items can be made up in only an hour or two. If you have not tried loom knitting you are missing a fun and easy craft. This is the perfect year for thoughtful handmade gifts. So grab a loom and yarn and made somebody a bit warmer this year, in thought and temperature. They will really appreciate it.


Crochet Flowers - Round Loom Knitting and Free Slipper Pattern

5 Creative Centerpiece Ideas

5 Creative Centerpiece Ideas

The centerpiece is one of the most important decorative elements from any party. The moment the guests arrive, the first thing they notice is the centerpiece. So, you need to take some time to find the perfect centerpiece for the party you organize.

For most parties, especially weddings, the traditional centerpiece - a floral arrangement - is both elegant and convenient. Since you have a lot of tables to set up, you can place a large flower arrangement on the main table and small replicas of the main floral arrangement on all the other tables. When picking the flower arrangements that you want to use as centerpieces for a party, make sure they will look fresh for at least 10 hours. You need to set the tables before the party, and the flower arrangements are delivered in advance - it's very important though to get arrangements that last for hours.

A beautiful centerpiece, suitable for any type of party, is a transparent glass bowl you can decorate with just about anything: she shells, colored sand, candles or dried flowers. You can make only one centerpiece from a large bowl, or, if you have to set a lot of tables, you can make several smaller arrangements, in cylindrical, transparent glasses. All you have to do is putting, inside the transparent bowl or glass, layers of colored sand, seashells and dried flowers. Finish each arrangement with as a scented candle and all your guests will be impressed.

A fruits basket makes a beautiful and delicious centerpiece. Buy as many types of fruits as you can find in the supermarket and also get an elegant bowl or basket. Arrange the fruits in the bowl or basket as artistic as you can and finish the look with some dried flowers and fruits. For this arrangement, you have to use entire fruits: don't cut or peel them because they will turn black in no time and they won't look pretty at all. The best part about that centerpiece is that it also makes a yummy desert, with some cream and biscuits aside.

A chocolate fountain not only that it looks great, but all the guests will be delight by such a spectacular centerpiece. Make a beautiful fruits and cheese arrangement around the chocolate fountain, and let everyone enjoy delicious chocolate-coated bites. Be as creative as you can about the chocolate fountain centerpiece. For example, you can arrange wood sticks with fruits on top in some foam like material and make them look like a flower bouquet. Instead of chocolate, you can also get a fruit punch or drink fountain.

You can also make an unconventional centerpiece out of square tray, that you can use as a display for a lot of decorative objects. You can put on the tray different things: scented candles, a small flowerpot, chocolate and biscuits for the guests, seashells, rocks or anything else. The only rule is to look good. This tray centerpiece is great for another reason: you can also place the favors for you guests on it.


Crochet Flowers - 5 Creative Centerpiece Ideas

Jillybeads, Parawire, Shipwreck - Suppliers for Bead Artists - A Review

Jillybeads, Parawire, Shipwreck - Suppliers for Bead Artists - A Review

Jillybeads in the UK, Parawire in New Jersey, and Shipwreck in Washington State supply beads and other items to beaded flower artists, jewelry artists and other artists the world over. This is a brief overview of these suppliers and their wares.

Jillybeads is a supplier of all kinds of items for those making beaded flowers, bead jewelry, other bead items and various crafts. They have an excellent selection of different types of beads. Some of these are charm, lampwork, Swarovski, Giverny, textile, pearly and monochrome. They also carry some intriguing metalwork beads.

Artists who make beaded flowers will love their selection of seed beads. Jillybeads offers Miyuki and Toho beads, from Japan. Japanese seed beads are known to be extremely high quality. They are very consistent in size and shape, and the hole is quite large, allowing for the creation of both French and Victorian seed bead flowers.

Jillybeads' selection of Swarovski beads is comprehensive. Shoppers will find pendants, bicones, crystal pearls, hearts and a wide range of rounds, plus pendants, stones and ceramic beads. There is a good selection of kits as well, for making rings, bracelets, earrings and even tiny Christmas trees.

There's a full selection of bales, spacers, findings and other great items to help the artist get really creative.

Parawire, or Paramount Wire Co. is of course a manufacturer of wire for all kinds of arts, crafts and other purposes. On their homepage you can find a special link for Beaded Flowers. Parawire has worked closely with many flower beaders to develop special wires just for them. There's also a special link for Jewelry Wire.

Parawire's products come in small or large spools in plenty of different colors and gauges. The wires are very high-quality and are a pleasure to work with.

On their site you can find wires that are cotton coated or painted, galvanized, brass, aluminum or bronze. There are even "chain mail" wires available. Parawire can supply you with stemwires, pliers and cutters too.

Parawire's staff are friendly and helpful, and their service and shipping time are excellent.

An excellent source for bulk beads is Shipwreck Beads. Shipwreck offers discounts on larger bead orders, which is great for the beader who makes large flowers that consume thousands of beads. Shipwreck has kits, charms, beading tools, wires and findings. They state that they're America's largest distributor of Preciosa Ornella Traditional Czech Glass Beads.

They have some really unusual lamp pendants, too. If you often work with lamp beads, try one of Shipwreck's lampwork grab-bags.

Their selection of Czech seed beads is beyond compare. They offer over 2,700 colors and many different sizes. The beads come threaded on hanks, so if you're a beader who prefers to string your beads from the hank, you'll love Shipwreck's beads.

Shipwreck also offers pewter charms, kits for earring and small ornaments, gemstone beads for when you want to make a special project.

Shipwreck is a delight to work with. They're very personable and their service is lightning-fast, even coast-to-coast. Their rates are very competitive.


Crochet Flowers - Jillybeads, Parawire, Shipwreck - Suppliers for Bead Artists - A Review

Using Cupcake Holders For Scrapbooking

Using Cupcake Holders For Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking is a popular trend among women, young and old. Their creative sides are brought out and treasured moments are made beautifully hand-crafted. There are so many fun ways that you can embellish your scrapbooks, and one idea that you might consider is putting in 3D flowers. This guide can show scrapbookers how to make flowers out of cupcake holders.

Purchase some patty pans (cupcake holders). Make a visit to the craft store or the baking section of your local market and look out for the small sized cupcake holders - it is ok to use bigger ones too. Shop around until you find paper cupcake pans that you really like the look of. Also buy some white ones the same size as the first ones you get. You'll have to decorate the white ones yourself if you only buy white. You can purchase pre-patterned cupcake holders, which may be simpler.

Figure out the size you want for the petals. The cupcake holders you can buy in the store have small ridges on their sides. Remember as a kid, scraping out the last of the cake with your teeth? Those ridges on the cupcake holder will make a big difference to your next scrapbooking page. You will want to count how many ridges wide each petal is going to be. You can vary your petal sizes to suit your preference.

Make cuts to shape your cupcake holder into a flower. This is the only active thing you have to do for these flowers - so simple! While remembering to space your cuts according to your preferred size of petals, cut out some petal shapes. If you want your petal to be 2 ridges wide, then that is where to cut each peak in your cup cake holder.
These cuts should be made from the top, around, and down to the bottom of the cupcake holder.

Consider overlapping the scrapbook flowers. To get a multi-dimensional look, try extra layers of flowers - just glue more than one design on top of another to make a really impressive display in your scrapbook.

Attach. So now that you have your flowers done, you need to place them in the scrapbook. You can just stick the flower to the page or card with some glue. Then you can use a button or stamp to decorate the center or even curl some of the petals of your cupcake flower to make something really pretty and unique!


Crochet Flowers - Using Cupcake Holders For Scrapbooking

Country Home Decorations to Hang on Your Wall

Country Home Decorations to Hang on Your Wall

Classic furniture, paint and woodwork create a framework for design, but the home decorations you hang on your wall give your design personality. The walls of your home are a blank canvas. The way that you fill them can define your style and personalize rooms that feel more like a stage set than your home. If you've never thought of hanging anything on your walls beyond a framed picture and a clock, you're selling your decorating short. Wall art comes in many themes and styles.

Purely Decorative

Paintings, prints and posters are purely decorative, and their only purpose is to pretty up your space. Consider samplers and embroidered signs in a country-style kitchen, a Happy Home plaque on your living room wall and a Welcome sign just inside the front door to make your guests feel that they've come home. Rustic wooden signs and plaques can set the tone for a country primitive kitchen or help your bathroom decor fit your design sensibility.

Shelves

Shelves serve two purposes-they're decorative touches that are also useful. Sculpted and carved shelves help bring country style to life while giving you room to display treasured figurines and knick-knacks. In the kitchen, a shelf with hooks can hold a collection of cookbooks and give you a place to hang your apron near at hand. A decorative spice shelf in the same wood as your kitchen table can help bring your kitchen design together, while a traditional white letter organizer with key hooks by the front door helps you keep everything together neatly while adding a decorative touch to your walls.

Blankets and Throws

An embroidered blanket, crocheted throw or woven fleece blanket can make a dramatic statement when you hang it on the wall. It's an excellent choice if you have a large, high wall where smaller pieces of art would get swallowed up by the space, or if the wall is small enough that the throw covers it completely, substituting for a wall mural. Choose blankets that have a dominant color or pattern, such as a Southwestern print blanket, or one with a picture that fits your decor. Blankets with pictures of kittens, flowers or sports figures are a great way to fill up space on a child's or teen's bedroom wall, and they offer the added advantage of helping insulate both from cold and noise.

Photo Frames

Nothing makes a room as cozy as family pictures on the wall. Photo frames help protect your precious memories from damage while accenting them and complementing the subject and colors in the photos. There are literally thousands of styles of photo frames, which opens up unlimited possibilities for arranging photos and frames on your walls. Tradition dictates that 8x10 frames and larger are suitable for wall hanging-but that tradition fell by the wayside long ago. Choose the pictures you love without regard to size and then find the frames that display them best. Your choices include collage frames, which hold many photos, as well as groupings of frames hung on ribbons so that you can hang several photos in a row. Don't forget that shelves provide even more space for displaying your photos in standing frames.

When you're choosing home decorations, take a step outside tradition and consider unusual and non-traditional wall decor and wall art that shows off your personal style.


Crochet Flowers - Country Home Decorations to Hang on Your Wall

Starting With Amigurumi

Starting With Amigurumi

Amigurumi is a Japanese word comprised of "ami" (meaning crocheted/knitted) and nuigurumi (meaning stuffed doll). Amigurumi then is nothing less as well as nothing more than using the crochet technique to build the most amazing threedimensional dolls and figures.

This is the reason why Amigurumi has become so popular in the last few years. It is an ancient, somewhat boring or dull technique combined with very new, contemporary subjects. Amigurumi dolls range from classic subjects such as flowers and animals to cartoon characters including the complete set of South Park figures.

Is it difficult for someone without any knowledge at all in arts & crafts to start with amigurumi? Not at all. Crocheting is one of the most approachable and easy to learn skills in the set of a craftsperson. All you need is some patience, a crochet hook and some yarn to get you started.

Any crocheting is made up from a few basic stitches which you can learn in a few minutes. Most crocheting you will do will consist of several stitches in a single row after which you start a new row which you attack to the previous one. With these basic techniques you could already crochet a simple quilt.

Afterwards you will learn how to increase and decrease the number of stitches of any particular row. If you, for instance are creating a bee, you will notice that the thickness of the body changes often. This is when you need to increase or decrease the number of stitches for those particular rows. When you've learned these basic techniques you will be able to create little balls.

In my next article I will give a walkthrough for the different stitches to get you started.


Crochet Flowers - Starting With Amigurumi

How to Decorate Flower Pots

How to Decorate Flower Pots

Add color to your garden, patio or indoor space with simple flower pot crafts. Flower pots are functional blank canvases, encouraging a wide range of creativity. You can paint, decoupage, stamp and embellish as part of your flowers pot crafts. Come up with your own flower pot craft projects with these ideas.

How to Decorate Clay Pots by Heidi Borchers & Tiffany Windsor

Painting

After purchasing a flower pot, sand the pot down before painting. You should also seal the inside of the flower pot with an oil-based polyurethane to protect your painted design from water penetration. If you are painting pots for outdoor placement, use a paint specifically designed for outdoor use. DecoArt Patio Paint is water and weather-resistant and adapts well to changing temperatures. Outdoor paints also mean your pot will be easy to clean.

Try painting sections of the pot in different colors. Use painter's tape to mark off the top lip of the pot and paint a coordinating color. Or, create several bands around the flower pot with the painter's tape and create stripes on your flower pot.

Bright colors work well in gardens. To select a color scheme, look at design or craft resources on colors like Paper Crafter's Color Companion by C&T Publishing. Paint two to three coats of each color on your pot. If you want to add a design to your pot, paint the background a nice, muted color such as light yellow.

Use stencils to paint words or shapes onto your flower pot. You can also use this technique to label the contents of the flower pots decoratively, such as "Basil" or "Chives." Use a sponge to paint your flower pots. Paint all over in one or two colors, or create bursts of colors with a round sponge that look very much like flowers. You can also cut a normal kitchen sponge into a shape such a heart or star.

Decoupage

Cut out words and images from scrapbook papers, magazines and even junk mail to decoupage your pot. Create a theme by selecting similar words or images, for example Spring. Tissue paper is a great material to decoupage pots. You can use one color or a variety of coordinating colors for a fun, semi-transparent look. Crinkle the tissue paper in your hands and tear into pieces. Use a foam brush to apply decoupage glue (such as Mod Podge) to your pot. Smooth tissue paper pieces over pot in a random pattern. Cover with another coat of decoupage glue.

For fun, add a coat or accents of glitter or sparkle, such as with Tulip 3D Sparkle Paint. For outdoor placement, you will need to cover your decoupage work with a coat of UV-resistant acrylic coating, like those made by Krylon.

Embellishment

Yarn - Wrap yarn or twine tightly around the lip of your pot, gluing as you go. Yarn-wrapping creates an interesting textured look.

Buttons - Flat buttons are a fun way to decorate pots. Paint flowers on your pot and glue buttons as the centers the flowers. Add a line of buttons around the top of the pot. Randomly glue buttons all over the pot.


Crochet Flowers - How to Decorate Flower Pots

Stiffening Crochet Work

Stiffening Crochet Work

These days we seldom use starch for pillow slips, tablecloths or shirts any longer. However, we still use it for stiffening crochet work such as doilies and Christmas decorations. There are several ways to stiffen our handiworks. Here we explain how to use the spray starch and sugar stiffening methods.

Spray starch method

This technique uses aerosol spray starch, which you can find in practically any supermarket.

You do not need an iron when using this method, which not only saves energy but also offers another advantage. The threads and various features of your crochet work are not crushed by the iron and therefore the beauty and originality of your work are preserved. There is a small disadvantage in using this method - it is rather slow drying.

Wash and towel dry your work. Determine the measurements of your crochet piece. Place your work onto a prepared surface that is firm but not so hard that it cannot take pins. The best surfaces to use are: a board of fairly soft wood, a cardboard box or a piece of Styrofoam. Attach you crochet work to the surface with rust proof pins, starting by placing a pin in the centre. Then work from the centre outwards to the edge. Work section by section, stretch - and pull if necessary - to ensure that the motifs of the crochet pattern line up.

Now all you have to do is spray the crochet with aerosol starch and leave it to dry in an airy spot in summer or in a well-heated room in winter.

For a stiffer effect, you can repeat the process as many times as necessary to obtain the desired stiffness - leaving the crochet to dry completely after each application.

To test how firm the crochet is, pull out a few pins on one side, so that you can replace them easily if you have to.

Sugar stiffening

This traditional method gives a nice, stiff and sparkly effect.

To make the sugar stiffener mix two parts of sugar and one part of water in a saucepan. Heat the mixture slightly to help the sugar dissolve, but take care that you do not burn it. Let the solution cool, and then dip the crochet into it, making sure that your crochet work is thoroughly soaked. Then gently squeeze out the excess liquid - do not ring or twist the crochet. Lay the crochet out in shape and leave it to dry. At first, while the work is very wet, it is difficult to shape it exactly, but you can correct this as it dries a little. Repeat the process as often as necessary to obtain the degree of firmness desired. The crochet will harden more quickly if it is dried over hot air - such as with a hair dryer - rather than just left to dry by evaporation.


Crochet Flowers - Stiffening Crochet Work

The Cutest Crochet Baby Hat Patterns on the Internet

The Cutest Crochet Baby Hat Patterns on the Internet

If you are looking to find the cutest crochet baby hat patterns, you've come to the right article!

I've been using crochet patterns for over 30 years! I've used them for my own children and am now using them for my grandchildren. It's absolutely amazing how time flies!

One thing has remained constant though and that is how great it is to use crochet patterns to create gorgeous little hats for your babies!

Crochet baby hat patterns are really great to use. These patterns include easy to follow instructions and illustrations that you can follow to make the hats.

Making clothes for your children and your grandchildren gives such a sense of pride. Doesn't it? I must admit that I feel no greater pride in myself than when someone sees my grandchild wearing one of the hats I've made for him with patterns and asks "where did you get that little hat?" And of course to that you beam and say "I made it myself!"

I've got three little granddaughters and one little grandson. You can only imagine how many hats I've made using these patterns!

Throughout the years, I've searched for the best patterns. I've found some of all qualities and styles. Some have been very ordinary and mediocre and some have been absolute gorgeous. A jewel of a find. My absolute favorite book containing crochet baby hat patterns and vintage clothes patterns is called Vintage Knit. I use this book a lot for making vintage clothing since it includes vintage crochet baby hat patterns, shawls, sweaters, and more and it's easy to use.

I actually make a living out of sharing with others how to use these patterns.


Crochet Flowers - The Cutest Crochet Baby Hat Patterns on the Internet

The Knitting Pattern Baby Blanket

The Knitting Pattern Baby Blanket

The knitting pattern baby blanket is the most special blanket that you can make for your baby. There are so many things that you need to discover especially now that you have started to knit a blanket for your baby. Knitting can be your hobby if you find the passion of doing it. This hobby is about yarns, stitches, needles, and patterns. You will be amazed to know that you are able to make a wonderful pattern for your baby.

The first thing you need to know is to learn how to create simple designs and patters. Then you think of the exceptional knitting items for the blanket. You have to complete first the simple patterns. When it is done, you can move to the intricate patterns. Make sure that you choose the pattern and design the looks best on your baby.

You are making a blanket from yarns and put together all the simple and intricate patterns that you made. Knitting is a very interesting hobby especially if you see the first project you make which is the - knitting pattern baby blanket. Once you successfully completed the process, you will be able to master the designs and patterns for your baby's blanket. Your succeeding stitches will be easy and you get used to the twisting of the hook while attaching the various patterns you made.

Some of the common patterns for baby blankets are butterflies, flowers, animals, plants, and birds. Make sure that you are able to stitch the patterns tightly so that the strings will not mess up. When you wash the knitted blanket, it will not loosen up.

If it is your first time to do knitting, you can try the simple patterns. There are some simple stitches are can make up a good blanket. Just do not forget that you are stitching a blanket. So, the materials that you will use must be itch free, soft, and comfortable.

The knitting pattern baby blanket is the best thing that you can try for the first time. You do not have to be proficient with it but just make sure that you are following the same stitch all through out the knitting process.


Crochet Flowers - The Knitting Pattern Baby Blanket

How to Make a Ballet Bun

How to Make a Ballet Bun

The perfect ballet bun is designed to be both beautiful and functional. It is usually held between the crown and the middle of the back of the head. It should also be held very tight in order to prevent it from falling out, and to maintain a clean and polished look for the ensemble.

When putting your hair in a ballet bun, it's a good idea to start with slightly damp hair as this will make it easier for you to keep your hair close to your head.

1. Collect the hair using your hands and then use a brush to comb it back making sure it's nice and tight.

2. Use a hair elastic to put your hair into a ponytail, wrapping the elastic as many times as possible. This will ensure the hair is nice and tight and that there are no stray bits sticking out.

3. Split the ponytail in two and plait each one individually. Try to keep the hair as tight into the plait as possible. If you have thick hair, instead of plaiting simply twist each ponytail.

4. Wrap each plait around the hair elastic, using pins and grips at the sides and top to make sure all hair is as tight into the bun as possible.

5. Use a little hair spray or spray gel to hold down any stray hairs, and place a bun net over the bun to hold it in place.

You now have the perfect ballet bun! you can decorate it with a crochet bun cover, hairband or scrunchie.


Crochet Flowers - How to Make a Ballet Bun
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Making Your Own Mardi Gras Beads

Making Your Own Mardi Gras Beads

You can make fun and easy Mardi Gras beads for your kids Mardi Gras Celebration with Salt dough. You can make these beads for just about any kid's celebration too.

You'll Need:

o 2 cups of plain flour

o 1 cup of salt

o 1 cup of water

o oven

o acrylic paint

o knife

o board

o rolling pin

o paintbrushes

o baking tray

o aluminum foil or wax paper

To start with you'll need to mix up your salt dough. Pour the two cups of flour into a bowl with one cup of salt and one cup of water. Mix with your hands until the dough is entirely moistened and sticks together. It should be like pizza dough easy to mold without it sticking to your hands. You'll see the little grains of salt in the dough.

Once the dough is made you can begin making the beads. Take the aluminum foil or wax paper and roll a sheet into a small tube shape so that it looks like a straw. Next roll out a sheet of the dough with the rolling pin until it's fairly thin. Gently roll a piece of this sheet around the foil tube. Cut with the knife to separate the dough wrapped around the tube from the rest of the dough sheet. Press the cut edge so that it's sticking to the tube. Next use your knife to cut the dough wrapped around the aluminum tube into small sections about the size of the width of Mardi Gras beads.

When the dough is cooked it should harden enough that you'll be able to pull each of the sections off the aluminum tube and end up with your Mardi Gras beads with a nice hole through them for stringing. Place the dough wrapped tube into the oven at 212 degrees Fahrenheit for about half an hour. When it's done and cooled gently pull off the bead sections.

You can now paint them with your acrylic paint in bright colors and string it together.


Crochet Flowers - Making Your Own Mardi Gras Beads
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How to Use a Knitting Loom

How to Use a Knitting Loom

Whether you've been knitting all of your life or you've never seen a knitting needle, everyone seems to be curious about knitting looms. How do they work? What are they? For a start, instead of using traditional straight or circular knitting needles to turn yarn into fabric, a knitting loom uses pegs. Knitting looms come in different shapes and sizes, some are round others are straight, but all of them accomplish the same thing: you can knit garments with pegs versus needles, which results in less strain for your hands. Many knitters with arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome have switched over to loom knitting for this reason alone. It's also fairly simple to learn, making loom knitting a great way to introduce children to your beloved hobby.

With loom knitting, you can create a variety of different stitches depending on how your wrap the yarn around the pegs. The gauge is determined by the thickness of the pegs and the distance between them. What's most intriguing about these tools is that they can be used to create round garments like hats or socks, but they can also be used for flat projects like afghans and scarves.

Other types of knitting looms:

Rake Knitting Loom: This knitting loom comes in either wood or plastic and is rectangular in shape. This type of loom can only be used to make flat garments. Projects made with this knitting loom will have a right and a wrong side, and usually require the help of a knitting tool or crochet hook to complete a project.

Afghan: These looms comes in three main shapes: oval-shaped, S-shaped and figure-eight shaped. You can purchase both single or double raked versions, just like knitting boards. If you buy a smaller afghan knitting loom, you can create perfect squares which can be sewn together later to make an afghan.

Knitting Board: Knitting boards are made up of two parallel rakes that are connected to one another. Knitting boards can be used to create fabric that's finished on both sides, meaning the purl side (wrong side) will be hidden between the two knitted sheets. Gauge on knitting boards can be adjusted by altering the width between the rakes. The distance between each of the pegs also affects the gauge.

Each knitting loom works a little differently, but they are generally pretty easy to pick up.

Happy (loom) knitting!


Crochet Flowers - How to Use a Knitting Loom

Refrigerator Magnets

Refrigerator Magnets

Refrigerators in the United States almost always come with refrigerator magnets. The beautiful and colorful designs of the magnets and their uses make them a favorite kitchen appliance accessory.

Refrigerator magnets come in different colors and designs. However, the most common ones are those that are related to kitchen work and food. Examples of these are cooking pans, kitchen utensils, vegetables and fruits. There are also kitchen magnets that are shaped like wine bottles with labels that closely resemble famous wine brands. Common materials used for kitchen magnets are plastic and metal. These materials are more durable. as they do not easily break. However, some modern kitchen materials also use ceramics.

Because the refrigerator is one of the most exposed appliances in the home, the idea of posting notes on the said appliance has become very popular. This is especially true for families that do not often get to meet each other throughout the day. To do this, a kitchen magnet is used. Papers containing notes or reminders to family members may be attached to the refrigerator using a kitchen magnet. This way, the recipient can easily be made aware of the message once he or she approaches the refrigerator.

Aside from this, kitchen magnets are also useful for posting family mementos such as pictures and artwork on the refrigerator. They can also be helpful in binding the family together because through them, family members can be reminded of the beautiful times they have shared together.

Because kitchen magnets are popular, they have also been used by some companies to promote their brands. They manufacture several quantities of these magnets and distribute them for free when people buy their products. An example would be a cola company that releases several designs of kitchen magnets to represent the different bottles they use for their product.

Kitchen magnets have indeed become a favorite accessory for the refrigerator. However, people who plan to use them to post notes or pictures should ensure that the kitchen magnet they will use is strong enough to hold the material firmly. Otherwise, the notes or pictures can easily be misplaced and consequently, the message cannot be rightfully delivered to recipient at the time he or she needs to read it.


Crochet Flowers - Refrigerator Magnets

Lace Embroidery Designs

Lace Embroidery Designs

If you have not stitched out any lace embroidery designs you might be surprised to find how easy this technique is. The secret is using a wonderful product "water soluble stabilizer", and beautifully digitized designs from Jenny Haskins Lace Glorious Lace designs.

One of the frustrations of purchased lace is the limited number of colors available. By creating your own lace, the color choices are limitless and your projects can now be truly customized for each project.

Sew, let's get started.

Transfer the lace embroidery designs of your choice from Jenny Haskins Lace Glorious Lace design CD to your embroidery machine.

Place two layers of water soluble stabilizer in your embroidery hoop and attach the hoop to your embroidery machine.

To create the softest lace embroidery designs choose a 40 wt embroidery thread for the needle and a light weight bobbin thread. (The weight of the bobbin thread greatly effects the softness of your finished lace...the lighter weight, the softer the finished lace.)

If you want the back of your lace to be the same color as the front of the use a matching bobbin.

Once you have your machine properly thread, the hoop attached to the machine and the lace embroidery designs loaded, you are ready to go! Simply start embroidering. When your design is completed remove it from the hoop and rinse away the water soluble stabilizer according to the manufacturer's directions. Once the you rinse out the stabilizer, let it dry and attach the beautiful lace to your project!

Adding lace embroidery designs to your projects will take them from "Ordinary to ExtraOrdinary"!


Crochet Flowers - Lace Embroidery Designs

How to Paint PVC Projects

How to Paint PVC Projects

Painting your PVC furniture and other PVC projects will give them a distinct, eye-catching look. It's easy to do when you follow these tips.

First, thoroughly clean the pipe. Oil and other contaminants that can prevent paint from adhering properly must be removed. What's more, if you don't remove the manufacturer's markings and any other smudges, they'll likely show through the paint.

Light sanding with a medium/fine grit sanding pad will clean the pipe. It will also scuff it a bit, which will help the paint adhere. After sanding, wipe off the dust. Another method is to scrub the entire pipe with acetone.

But, if you don't want take the time to remove the manufacturer's markings, they can be covered by spraying with a primer/sealer prior to painting. The problem is, it's an extra step that adds to the time and money spent on your project. I prefer spending a few minutes cleaning the pipe.

To make it easier to paint smaller PVC projects, I constructed a Lazy Susan. To make one, simply attach a Lazy Susan mechanism (available at most hardware stores) to two small sheets of plywood. My top board measures 18-inches square and the bottom board slightly larger.

With the Lazy Susan placed inside a large cardboard box you'll have an easier time painting all sides of your project.

For larger items, I assembled a knock-down spray booth in my shop. It's a simple rectangular frame made with one-inch PVC pipe, covered with a sheet of clear plastic.

Spray with paint that's formulated for plastic and PVC. You'll find spray cans at most paint and hardware stores. Too, you can buy paint blended specifically for plastic and fiberglass - colored or clear and in various lusters - at automotive paint stores.

Caution: be sure to paint in a well-ventilated area.

Follow the directions on the spray can. You should paint in temperatures ranging from 50-degrees to 85-degrees and in low humidity. Spray paint about 10-inches from your project in an even, up and down, back and forth sweeping motion. To avoid drips and runs, apply multiple thin coats.

That's all there is to it. When done, you'll be delighted at how finished your PVC project turns out.


Crochet Flowers - How to Paint PVC Projects