I keep meaning to make something for the Giveaway Day at Sew, Mama Sew! but never remember. There are always so many great giveaways that I recommend going over to check out the different categories. I still have one of these small project bags leftover so I thought I could offer this. It isn't lined but the edges are French seamed. It's about 25.5 cm wide and 35 cm from the top of the handle to the bottom.I'm Canadian but I live in Finland. Over the years I've tried many crafts but now I usually just knit. I have a short monthly craft video podcast called Shirley's Salad Podcast.
What's the best (unusual) craft tip you'd like to share?
My giveaway is open to everyone but if there's no way to contact you then I won't be entering you into the giveaway! So please be sure to have your info somewhere if it isn't on your blog. Comments need to be on this post and should close on December 16, 2011 at 5 p.m. PST but I won't be awake then so I'll draw the winner randomly when I next get to the computer.
Hmmm...I honestly can't think of the best unusual craft tip to share. This isn't unusual but I think just the sheer joy of creating is life giving!
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite craft tip would be that it is the imperfections in our gifts that make them our own, so it is better to create as often as you can as opposed to struggling to perfect that one item that may never make it to the recipient in time.
ReplyDeleteHope you are enjoying a lovely holiday season in Finland, and warm greetings from St. Louis, Missouri.
I have found that using dissolving stabilizer helps wonderfully when sewing tiny elastic or ribbon.
ReplyDeleteThank you for participating in the giveaway and love your functional bag and in plaid - love it!
ReplyDeleteFunctional tip: using adhesive - dissove away stabilizer (more expensive but definitely worth it) for your applique's or embroidery on Sweatshirt or T-shirt projects.
sewhappytoo (at) gmail (dot) com
Adding the recipient name in the item your making. But not big and loud, just somewhere where they least expect it and hidden if possible. For example: same thread shade as the background. I always get extra call backs months after I've given an item because they just noticed this little detail. sorot_or_not at Yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteI make a lot of fabric postcards and sometimes I use a strip of fused fabric around the edges. The best way to put it on is to iron one strip edge to the postcard edge, and then pick up the postcard and place the outside edge against the iron and turn the card to fold over the strip. It comes out perfect every time and no burned fingers.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great giveaway!
Katina
kjkoukla(athotmail...
easy to make and especially with children: "salt dough" vegetables and fruit for their shop (do children still play shopping now adays?) you can colour them if you want to - if you use the right colour you can feralessly let them play with it as it's just veeery slaty but not dangerous in any way ...
ReplyDeleteFor crafting - take the time to do it, even if it is just a short time everyday!
ReplyDeletebeth(dot)sebastian(at)gmail(dot)com
My tip is...don't try to iron a project in the kitchen just before dinner time. The family doesn't like it very much...LOL! I love bags with french seams. Thank you for a sweet giveaway!
ReplyDeleteBe sure to have a space where you can leave your project out for the next time you can work on it. It is so much harder to find time to sew when you have to get everything out and put it all away when you're done!
ReplyDeleteMy best tip would be to read the instructions thoroughly before you start!!
ReplyDeleteMy best tip...use lapel stik to hold applique pieces down until you stitch. I tried steam a seam, and I'm just not good with it! This stuff works and doesn't gum up my needle! Yay! Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteMy best tip is zip lock bags - if you want to take some hand work on the bus for example, you just pop the bits you need in a zip lock bag. I use them for sorting applique bits and pieces, threads and leftover kntting wool!
ReplyDeleteI would like a bag to organize my projects! unusual craft tip.
ReplyDeleteA little pair of scissors is a very useful tool for me.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance to win such a wonderful prize.
Kind regards from Germany
Claudia
frauknopf@gmx.de
I'm not sure I have anything unusual- but never be afraid to get messy. :)
ReplyDeleteI let my 4 yr old help out whenever possible. It's amazing how some of her color/pattern choices have worked out!
ReplyDeleteMy most recently discovered tip is for turning tubes, like for bag straps. Before sewing up the long edge, attach(sew) a length of ribbon/bias tape/cording/yarn/string/anything like that to one short end and bring the string down the whole length of the tube, and out the other end. Sew up the long side with the string inside the tube, making sure not to sew over it. Then, take the tube out of the machine, trim threads, and pull on that string. The tube should turn right-side-out in no time! Just trim off the end with the string attached..and done! I recently tried this for the first time..it's brilliant. Just brilliant.
ReplyDeleteI don't know anything nifty... Like someone else, I've started using ziploc bags to corral things, which is nice... I saw someone recently using a fork to make tiny pom-poms, which is clever... and Nancy Zieman did something neat on her show, for gathering: leave a really long tail thread at the beginning of your sewing (both spool and bobbin) on the machine, and pull them both forward on top of the fabric you want to gather; then zig-zag over the threads, and they're your gathering threads!... can't think of anything else... aack no brain this early in the morning! But a nice bag nonetheless :)
ReplyDeleteI always try to have a portable project in the works (usually knitting) that I can grab when I leave the house, because I can't stand to be caught without something to work on if I have to sit and wait somewhere. I also always have something out on my sewing table so that even if I only have 15 minutes, I can get something done without having to set up and put away. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteMy best crafting tip is to keep your yarn ball away from your pets (cats AND dogs both love to play with it) ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove that bag.
rosebudscott1(at)yahoo(dot)com