Craftzine.com blog: Ask CRAFT Archives

Archive: Ask CRAFT

November 4, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Re-sizing Bust Darts

If you have a question for Ask CRAFT, shoot me an email at becky@craftzine.com, or drop us a note on Twitter! We'd love to answer your crafty questions on any topic: technique, projects, crafty culture, or anything else! Each week the answers are here; include your name, where you're from, and your website or blog if you have one!

Eyela A. from Oregon writes in:

I love to sew, but am not quite at the level where I can design or modify patterns. However, I'm getting there out of necessity. My biggest problem is that the chest darts in dress and blouse patterns aren't sufficiently long to accommodate a larger cup size. It's also not useful to buy larger patterns since the rest of the proportions stop working. I've searched high and low for a good tutorial or guide for how to appropriately re-size a dart, but there's not much out there. I wonder if you know a good resource?

I can point you to two books and one website that will help you get the shape you want out of your pattern. You should read up on bodice pattern construction and learn all about the the bust point and where you'll need to move it on your pattern.

Here are my two favorite books about pattern construction/manipulation:

How to Make Sewing Patterns by Donald H. McCunn features a whole section on changing dart locations.

Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Joseph-Armstrong is a substantial book containing almost everything you'd want to know about making sewing patterns, and has a large section on darts. If you want the book but don't like the high price tag, look for previous editions that contain basically the same information. This is a textbook that is continually revised, and is priced as such.

Lastly, have you heard of BurdaStyle? They have a bunch of free tutorials for sewing techniques (including pattern manipulation) created by staff and users of the site. Check out this fullbust adjustment for princess seams turorial, a trick for natural-looking bust darts, and the staff tutorials on turning darts into princess seams and constructing the basic bodice block.

October 21, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Which Adhesive?

Kelly writes in:

I am wanting to glue some glass beads to a wooden box (sort of like pave diamonds in a ring) and wondered what glue would work best?

Well, I'm not sure. But I know who is! Over at MAKE, thistothat.com is a favorite resource for just this problem. It's a website with two dropdown menus, and you pick the materials you're trying to adhere together. It will recommend several types of adhesives and tell you all about them. We love it so much we put it in the reference section in the back of the Maker's Notebook (as well as knitting needle sizes and other crafty quick reference stuff, did you know that?).

In the Maker Shed:

Pick up The Maker's Notebook ($19.99) for all your big ideas, diagrams, patterns, etc. Exclusive to the Maker Shed: Sticker sheets and a band closure to customize your book.

October 14, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Suitcase Decoupage

Anita in Denver, CO writes in:

I saw a show on the PBS channel that featured a lady putting neat old pictures on an old suitcase, then using shellac and sealing the old pictures permanently on the old suitcase. I want to do that project so badly this winter when it is snowing outside. I cannot find it anywhere. Can you help?

You can get shellac at the hardware store, with the liquid wood finishes. They make it in brush-on and spray varieties. It has a yellowing effect usually (which may be what you want), and is a water resistant finish. If that's not what you're going for, try Mod Podge, princess of all craft adhesives. You can brush it on as an adhesive and finish for affixing and sealing old pictures to the suitcase. Just make sure the suitcase and pictures are clean (and dust free). You can wipe the suitcase down with a damp cloth and then let it dry, or try a can of compressed air (from the office supply store, usually for cleaning computer keyboards and the like), then use any number of the vast plentitude of decoupage tutorials online to make your own!

October 7, 2009

Ask CRAFT: The Back of the Embroidery

Merrill Melideo in New York, NY writes in:

Recently I embroidered some baby snap suits for my dear friend who was expecting her first baby. She loved them so much that she's purchasing more, and I'm feeling inspired to start making a whole bunch and trying to sell them! However I do have a concern about the backside of the embroidery work with all of the knots. I'm worried that perhaps it may be irritating to a baby's skin. Is this a valid concern? I've seen that iron-on fabric that goes on the backside of some needlework and I was wondering if that might be a good idea.

Well, one approach, if you're worried about the knots, is to just not use them when creating your stitches. I often just leave a long (non-knotted) tail when I start, and wrap my stitches around the tail, working it into the design. This makes the back smooth and knot-free. I'm not sure if the knots would irritate a baby's skin, and I consulted our resident embroidery expert, Contributing Writer Rachel Hobson. She writes:

Generally the knots are small enough that it isn't an issue. Regarding the stabilizer material, most of those are meant to be removed after stitching, and since they don't cover the stitching, just support it. I don't know that it would help much, and may cause more discomfort because of the stiffness.

One option would be to stitch on a separate piece of fabric (like a soft cotton) and then applique that piece to the onesie using wonder under or some kind of fusible webbing. Or, you could cut a rectangle of cotton large enough to cover the back of the design and then use the strips of fusible webbing along the edges to adhere it to the back of the design.

The best advice I can give is to ask the babies' parents if they notice any irritation, and then take steps to correct it when you gather some more information!

September 30, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Photographing Your Projects

Michelle Hiskey writes in asking:

I love the photos on Craftzine. Even if i have no intention of making the craft, i appreciate the photo styling and details. can you supply tips on how these photos are made?

It's true that having great photos will make your project more likely to get attention on our site. Here's my advice.

Know your equipment

You don't have to have an expensive camera to take great photos. A simple point-and-shoot digital camera with at least a 3 megapixel resolution will serve you well for almost all applications. You can really go crazy spending money on cameras, but don't spend a lot before you learn a lot, to make sure you're getting what you want and not just an expensive paperweight. Once you've got your camera, read the manual. Lost it? Look it up on the manufacturer's website. It's imperative that you know how to operate your camera including setting the white balance and any manual exposure settings you camera may have. Oh, and get a tripod, even one of those small desk ones (I recommend the Gorillapod or ModoPocket).

Lighting, lighting, lighting!

Lighting is the absolute most important aspect of photography. Photograph near a bright window, or invest in a few hardware store clamp lights and play with their arrangement around your photo area. You can build your own softbox to diffuse them, even, and a light box, too. Look through your camera's viewfinder at your subject and try to minimize glare and strange shadows by positioning lights above, below, in front, and behind your object.

Setting the scene

Professional photographers often use a seamless backdrop (fabric or paper) draped from the wall out to the floor/table, as it eliminates the line where the horizontal surface of the table/floor meets the wall. You can do this at home with a piece of fabric (iron it, please!) or some solid-color wrapping paper on a roll (Ikea has it for cheap, natch). You may choose to photograph your project in a more natural setting, in which case you should think about props and background scenery. If it's a food project, make sure your kitchen counter is clean! You get the idea, look at your photo as if you're seeing it for the first time, and check for what might catch the viewer's eye (both positively and negatively).

Software touchups

If you're going to learn only one Photoshop technique, let it be Levels. Available under Image > Adjustments > Levels, it's great for making your photo really pop by making the lights lighter and the darks darker. Don't be afraid of the histogram in the window that pops up, it will soon be your best friend. It's showing you the distribution of lights and darks in your image. I like to drag the outer sliders just a bit towards the center of the histogram. Leave the "preview" box checked to see what your modified image will look like. This small tweak can make a good photo great. Avoid cheesy watermarks or other image manipulations. Keep it classy!

Share!

Get your photos out there! Put them on Picasa Web or Flickr, and add them to the CRAFT Flickr pool! Use them on your blog, make an Instructable, go crazy (and have fun)! If you can't get enough photography projects, check out Photojojo. Got photo tips for us? Share them in the comments.

September 23, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Downloading our PDFs

Many of you write us with problems downloading our PDF patterns. We realize this can be very frustrating, and we're here to help!

So, you see a cool pattern and you want it for your very own. So you click the "download PDF pattern" link, but something goes wrong. We've heard it all, from "nothing happens," to "the download fails," to "I can't find where it put the file." Never fear. Here's the sure-fire method for getting those pretty patterns in front of your eyeballs:

Right-click (or control-click on a Mac if you've only got one button) on the link.
Select "Save Target As..." or "Save Link As..." or "Save As..." (will depend on what browser you're using).
A dialog box will show up to ask you where on your computer to save the file. Pick a place, any place, and click "Save."
The file will download, but may or may not automatically open when complete, depending on your browser settings. If if doesn't open by it self, go find it where you saved it to, and double click it to open it in your PDF viewer.

You're going to make sure you have a PDF viewer installed on your computer in order to open the pattern. These days, they all come with something capable of opening PDFs, possibly Acrobat Reader (which is free if you don't have it already).

A note on browsers: We know from our analytics software that most of you use Firefox already, but there's still a large portion of you using something else. We highly recommend downloading (free, open source, safe, totally rad) Firefox and using it to browse Craftzine. It handles downloads gracefully, so you can click click click to your hearts content without worrying about a stalled download or failed file launch.

We hope this helps you enjoy our free pattern podcasts!

What do you do to view our patterns? And what browser/PDF viewer configuration are you using? Share with us in the comments!

September 2, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Packing with Yarn

This week's question comes from past-Becky, who asks:

I have a substantial yarn stash, but I'm moving across the country. How do I minimize its volume and work it into my packing schema? I'm nervous about packing it next to things that might get it dirty or damaged.

Well, fortunately for past-Becky, I'm all done packing and can share some tips for moving your yarn stash (these tips work well for fabric, too, which is another plentiful item at my house).

Seal it up

Depending on how you're moving, your boxes could be in danger of encountering scorching temperatures and possible moisture through humidity or a leaky truck in the rain. A hot box (some freight companies claim to expect temperatures around 120 degrees F) brings melty things. Stuff you didn't even know could melt is suddenly all over the inside of that box, and if your yarn is in there unprotected, you can forget about salvaging it come unpacking time. To protect your boxes, you can cover them in a plastic sheet inside the truck, but you should also think about putting your yarn in plastic bags.

Squish it down

While I never liked infomercials, I gotta hand it to the folks at Space Bags for their awesome product. Fill the thing up with yarn, then seal the top and use your vacuum to suck out all the air. Pretty soon you'll have a lumpy biscuit of dense fiber, and it's waterproof. Packs like a dream.

Sprinkle it around

I used yarn to temper the weight of some of my would-be heavier boxes, like pictured above. I made a habit of filling a box half with books, then half with yarn or fabric. I have knee problems, so lifting with my legs is easier said than done! If you have friends helping you move, they'll thank you when they see the label on top: "Books/Yarn," instead of just "Books." You can also use yarn as a packing material around fragile items like dishes and glasses. Just make sure it's in plastic in case one of those items does break, so you don't end up with with shards of glass in your skeins. A gallon zip-top bag of yarn at each end of a box filled with dishes (and newsprint or bubble wrap, of course) can be just the ticket.

What are your packing tips for moving your yarn stash? Share them with us in the comments!

August 26, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Rusty Baking Pan

This week's question comes from the inside: Craftzine Managing Editor Shawn Connally asks:

I got out my loaf pans to make banana bread this afternoon and one of the pans had rust in it. I scrubbed it well, but the rust is still on there, or at least the color of rust is on there. Can I still use the pan, or is it dangerous and should be used to store loose screws or something like that?

First off, if your pan is nonstick or coated with any sort of flaky chemical coating, toss it. Shawn's pan, pictured above, isn't coated, so it's just metal we're dealing with, not harmful disintegrating nastiness that's going to leech into your baked goods. If it's not coated, you can deal with the rust and save your pan. A little bit of rust, like above, especially if cleaned as much as you can get it clean, isn't going to hurt you. Grease your pan well and bake on. You can also line your pan with parchment paper to prevent rust contact. If it bothers you or is worse than above, keep reading.

Scrub It

Using an abrasive pad and some pumice cleaner like Bon Ami or Comet, scrub out the rust. If that gets it all, skip to the seasoning step. If not...

Sand It

Get some wet/dry sandpaper in a few different grits (available at the hardware store, it's usually dark gray in color). Wet the pan and sand away the rust. This takes a bit of elbow grease! If your sandpaper gets clogged with rust, rinse the whole operation and keep going. Keep in mind that sandpaper wears out after a bit, too, so switch to a new piece if your working piece feels too smooth. Start with larger grits (lower numbers), and proceed to finer grits (higher numbers). Wash the pan with soap and water.

Season It

Now it's time to keep the rust from coming back. You'll need to keep moisture and oxygen from getting at the bare metal at the same time, because they react with iron (which is a major component of steel), creating rust. That means if it's wet, there shouldn't be any air getting to it, and if there's air getting to it, it should be dry. Considering humidity and the fact that baked good start out as moisture-rich batters and doughs, seasoning the pan is necessary. This involves coating the pan with a thin layer of fat or oil to keep out moisture and air. Conveniently, you usually have to grease your pan anyway before baking to help release the substance after baking. Shortening will do — just rub it over the surface with a paper towel. After baking, clean the pan and grease it again, very lightly. Store the pan in the cabinet, covering it with a dish/paper towel to keep out the dust.

Rust on the Inside vs. Outside

What if the rust is on the outside of the pan? Sand it off as much as you can, but it's not practical to keep the outside of the pan greasy. Just do what you can to extend the life of the pan by keeping the rust at bay. Oh, and whatever you do, don't stack that rusty pan on top of another one of the same size! Rust is a contagious reaction, and will easy infect the inside of the stacked pan.

When all else fails, consider switching to Pyrex.

What's your rusty bakeware advice? Share with us in the comments.

August 19, 2009

Ask CRAFT: DIY Hats

Dee writes in:

I am wondering have you cover any tutorials/pattern for cap/hat making/millinery? I am very interested to make some caps/hat for my little children at home using upcycled materials.

We LOVE hats, so I'm so glad you asked! In addition to knitted and crochet hats made from yarn, you can make hats from all kinds of materials: ripped or stained clothes, an old or shrunken sweater, some leftover wool roving, plastic bags, get creative! Here are some of my favorite hat projects here on Craftzine.

Sewn hats

How-To: Sew a Reversible Sun Hat

Fancy cocktail hat from CRAFT, Vol. 10. Preview in our Digital Edition.

Fused plastic bag rain hat from CRAFT, Vol. 9. Preview in our Digital Edition.

More sewn hats:

Felt hats

20's Style Cloche Hat Pattern

Reboux Hat Pattern

You don't have to knit a hat to felt a hat. Try with roving or felt sheets:

A bunch of these would be perfect to make for and/or with your kids. Kids can get really into felting without yet having learned to knit or crochet! Do you have another favorite hat pattern for Dee or a fun hat-making experience? Share with us in the comments!

August 12, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Sourcing Freezer Paper and Other Supplies

Merissa writes in:

I've been looking everywhere for freezer paper, and I can't seem to find it. I've looked in local grocery stores, Walmart, Target, JoAnn Fabrics, and Michael's and none of them have it. Where else should I try to find it?

Freezer paper is great for making stenciled designs on t-shirts, but where you find it? Online. Whenever anybody asks me where to get something, I always look online first to see where the item gets categorized by retail establishment. Freezer paper isn't mainly used for crafts, so looking I'm not surprised it wasn't at Michael's or JoAnn's. I usually shop on Google Product Search or Amazon just to see where I can get something, then go from there. When I searched for freezer paper, the top results came from Ace Hardware. See, many brick and mortar stores list their items online, so even if you don't want to order online you can still get an idea of where to look before leaving the house. So check your local Ace, but you may want to call ahead. From there, I thought, "Oh, if they have it at Ace, maybe Home Depot or Lowe's carries it." No dice. Going into a big store like that without being sure they even carry the item you're looking for can be frustrating, especially if you ask an employee and he/she looks at you like you have six heads.

Where do you buy your freezer paper and other hard-to-find crafting supplies? Post up your feedback in the comments.

More:

August 5, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Sewing Machine Oil

Holly Winter from Kennesaw, GA writes in:

I was wondering when, how and what kind of oil I should use when oiling my sewing machine?

The short answer is to read the manual that came with your machine. It should recommend a brand of oil, show you which parts to oil, and how often. Many of us don't have our original manuals, however, and some manuals may not contain that advice. You can usually download a PDF of your machine's manual from the manufacturer's website (or email in to request one), which could help.

As for oil, look for something that is clearly labeled "sewing machine oil." It's a clear oil in a bottle with a long narrow nozzle. Some brands that make it: Singer, Dritz, Zoom Spout, and others. When you open up your machine, look for marked spots to oil, since some machines will have markings. Others won't, so you'll have to look up your model online to see if the manufacturer published the diagram, or perhaps another crafter has been kind enough to blog about his/her sewing machine oiling process. A few drops will do in each place.

Oiling your machine lubricates the moving parts so they run more smoothly, and it also prevents rust. After oiling, sew for a bit on some scrap fabric in case any oil wants to come out, after which you can resume sewing as normal. I've heard you should oil your machine after every 20 hours of operation, but how can you tell when that's been? I'd say that oiling your machine once every few months should be sufficient unless you're sewing all day every day. If you have more advice for Holly, post it in the comments!

July 29, 2009

Ask CRAFT: DIY Roller Shades

Cybele writes in:

My question deals with pull shades. I want to make my own. There are so many lovely boutique fabrics out there right now, and I'd like to make some pull shades from them. Since we have a Victorian home (or should I say a really big Victorian restoration hobby...), pull shades are actually appropriate.

I am a knitter/seamstress/crafter so I get the basics of this project; trimming/edging/fusing a fancy fabric to probably a canvas, and adding a dowel on the bottom to attach a cording as a pull handle and attaching it to a larger top dowel with a spring. However, when I look at the pull shade kits out there, I see these things with really ugly plastic cording and roller parts. I don't want to use those; I would rather make the whole thing from scratch, wooden doweling, springs... or find a kit that has the original, simple top parts. But how does the main top part work? My next step was to look for an old shade and tear one apart (don't have one, so I'd have to beg, borrow or steal...), but thought I'd ask you first. Do you have any pointers or links to help me out?

What I can offer you is a compendium of links for your project. I've never re-done or made my own roller shades before, but it seems like you have the two options you mentioned above: either use a roller shade bracket/spring kit with your own other materials, or replace the fabric on an existing roller shade. Here are the resources I managed to find, in order of relevance:

How Spring-Loaded Roller Shades Work (nice diagram)
Bob Vila's site has a repair tutorial useful for taking apart an existing spring-loaded shade to replace the fabric
Fixing spring roller shades and adjusting spring tension by Select Blinds Canada
How To: Make Rice Paper Roller Shades pull-chain type (Apartment Therapy)
Pull-chain roller shade hardware kits (including a few different colors of bead chain)

It seems difficult to find a hardware kit for the spring-type roller shades, so I'd recommend taking apart an existing one if you really can't make the bead chain type work in your favor. Follow one of the tutorials for taking the thing apart, and examine the parts. If you can't live with the plastic parts, you might try spray painting them or recreating them in wood (which would be super hardcore, go for it!). You likely don't have a metal shop in which to make the precision bracket system and other little metal parts, so keep those from the shade you take apart. Like you said, replacing the fabric is the easy part of this project. You might try searching eBay for vintage pull shades, but as usual, it's hit-or-miss. Please share your results with us! If you have additional tips or guidance for Cybele, share in the comments below!

July 15, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Rotary Cutters

Susan writes in:

I see these expensive rotary cutters in the stores. What makes them better than a sharp pair of scissors or a knife? Are they worth it?

Rotary cutters are great! Here are some cases I'd use them instead of scissors or a utility knife:

Quilting and precise geometries

Quilters comprise a large portion of rotary cutter owners, and it's not by accident. Using large clear rulers, quilters can cut out very precisely-shaped pieces for intricate quilt work. Since most quilt pieces have straight lines all around, the rotary cutter makes quick work of highly geometric shapes cut from fabric or paper. You can use a smaller rotary cutter to cut curves.

Cutting odd or delicate materials

Leather, silk, window screen, and other overly delicate, snag prone, or unusual materials are best cut with a rotary cutter. For one, you can get a straight line cut from a movement-prone fabric because once you get it flat on the table, you don't have to lift it to cut the line, like with scissors. Denser materials benefit from the rotary cutter because the blade isn't sliding through the length of the cut, but rather rolling down over the material, preventing snags that can happen with a knife.

Decorative edging and scrapbooking

Rotary cutters have interchangable blades, and you can get decorative edging blades to make cuts in paper for scrapbooking. Unlike patterned scissors, the blade is circular like a ravioli cutter, which makes the pattern endlessly and seamlessly repeatable.

Cutting multiple layers

Rotary cutters can easily slice many layers of material at once, which is great for multiples in fabric, paper, etc.

Increased speed

Trimming seam allowances is super fast with a rotary cutter. You can cut with a push motion or a pull motion, unlike a knife which must be pulled. This helps prevent RSI and lets you work however's comfortable. Because you can cut multiple layers at once, making oodles of the same piece, like for quilting, is a dream.

Please be careful using any rotary cutter, as they're very sharp. It's best to get one with a safety feature that pulls the blade back when not in use. Watch your fingers when cutting against rulers, and keep this tool away from small children. Check out this great introductory tutorial on working with rotary cutters on the Purl Bee. Have tips or stories about how and why you use a rotary cutter? Share them in the comments!

More:

July 8, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Sewing Machine Tension

Why is it that sewing machine tension can be such a bear to deal with? Here are some symptoms of tension problems:

thread breakage
skipped stitches
knotting or jamming
top/bottom thread visible on the other side of the seam

Many of these problems can be alleviated by giving your machine a thorough cleaning and making sure it's threaded properly, but in some cases there's a bigger problem. Before taking it to the shop, you can change out a few parts to help troubleshoot and isolate the problem.

Plastic bobbins

If you have been using plastic bobbins, they can wear out. If your needle catches the bobbin it can nick it, causing the thread to catch. Swap out your plastic bobbin for a metal one to see if it fixes the problem. Plastic bobbins can be gently sanded with a nail file to get out nicks. Over time the plastic can wear down as well from all the friction of the bobbin casing and thread, putting the bobbin out of commission.

Needles

If your needle is bent, dull, or inserted improperly, this can also cause tension problems. A bent needle is more likely to nick your bobbins, so watch out! Make sure you're using the right kind of needle for your thread and fabric; the wrong one can skip stitches (like using a sharp instead of ball-point needle on knits) or break your thread (if, for instance, the eye is too small).

Thread

Use good-quality thread. I found a site that shows magnified images of many different brands, showing how tight, loose, or fray-prone different types are. A poor quality thread causes more friction on the plastic parts of your machine and can wear them out prematurely. Which brings us to the biggest and possibly most expensive problem...

Tension discs

Most modern machines are made with plastic tension discs. Metal parts are great for durability and industrial use, but they are meant to be used all the time or they gum up. Plastic parts means a lighter machine and fewer maintenance and lubrication concerns when it comes to less-than-everyday use. However, as mentioned, fuzzy thread tends to wear down plastic parts over time (we're talking years, here). Plastic tension discs can become grooved, meaning you're out of luck when it comes to adjusting it, since they can't get a reliable grip on the thread. The tension discs are usually pretty far inside your machine, which makes it really hard to get in there and see if that's your problem.

NM State has a good guide for regular sewing machine maintenance to help you through the processes mentioned above. If you've tried everything short of taking the machine apart yourself, take it to a professional and explain all you've done. It's possible that your tension discs are fine and your timing is just off, which is relatively easy for a technician to adjust. Depending on the repair estimate, you might declare it time to upgrade to a new machine, vowing to only use high-quality thread (a small investment to protect your new machine). Your model might have easily-replaceable tension discs, but some manufacturers don't sell the replacement part. Thanks to Debbi Schlegel for her help on this topic. If you've got advice about tension problems, leave it in the comments below!

July 1, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Wooden Dolls

fabricandlines on Twitter asked us:

Do you have any tips on painting or making your own wooden dolls?

Sure! You can make wooden dolls from pieces of scrap wood, old banisters, or even bedpost caps sold at the big box hardware stores. You can also use wooden clothespins, too. Sometimes the craft store sells wooden eggs or spheres that make great bodies and heads. If you go that route, all you need to get started is a drill (for making attachment holes) and your paints. You can use a hot glue gun to attach fabric for clothes.

You can use all kinds of paints on wood, but acrylics will give you a durable finish. Check out the acrylic paint section of your local art supply store for small containers in lots of colors. You'll want to use a low or medium viscosity paint in order to hide brush strokes, so you may want to consider using a matte or gloss medium (sold right next to the paint) to get the right consistency and finish. If you water the paint down or use watercolors, you can get a faint effect that will soak into the wood. For geometric areas of color, you can try to mask off parts of the doll with tape; peel if off after painting for a crisp line.

Also check out the wooden dolls we've seen previously:

June 24, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Tea-Staining Bed Linens

Ramona from Pinckard, Ala., wants to give her bed linens a tea-stained look, but doesn't know where to start. There are lots of techniques for getting an antiqued look on fabric, and tea is certainly high on the list. It's natural, cheap, and easy. Your results will depend on your particular combination of circumstances, and always experiment before subjecting your main fabric to the treatment. Here are the different factors responsible for the effect you'll get:

Tea type and strength

Regular black tea will stain your fabric shades of warm brown, but you can experiment with different types to get all sorts of colors. Herbal teas have different types of plant matter in them (seeds, leaves, flowers) that can be interesting and lead to pretty colors. Experiment! Start with a double-strength brewed batch to start, and then adjust based on your experiments. Remember to take the tea's temperature into consideration. Instead of tea, you can try soaking rusty nails for a while to produce a richly colored dye.

Fabric material and orientation while staining

Natural fibers will accept the color more easily than synthetics, which makes us lucky that most sheets are mostly cotton. Start with a light color, like white or a light pastel. You'll need something to put the sheets and tea in, like a big plastic bin or similar. You can use a soda ash fixer after staining like those used in tie-dye to help set the color so it doesn't fade over time.

Application process

If you want an even all-over color, use a big vessel that gives your sheet the room to move, and keep it moving while it's in the bath. You can try bunching the fabric in different places, twisting it, or wrapping it to get tie-dye effects. If the fabric is hanging, tea will pool at the bottom, leading to an all-over gradient. Modeled effects can be achieved by laying the sheet out on a clean plastic drop cloth and puddling tea in different places (best done outside in the yard), applying tea with a sponge, and repeating the dye process with different application types to build up different areas of color. You could even have your kids dance around in the sheet with spray bottles of tea. This is the fun part!

Keep track of all the different variables to produce replicable results, and share with your friends! If you have any tea-staining tips for Ramona, leave them in the comments below!

Photo above is CC-licensed by Flickr user Cathy Cullis

June 17, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Consistent Paper Beads

Lisa from Greece writes in:

I am fairly new to making paper beads but completely hooked. My only problem is - how the heck can I be assured of making the same shape time after time? Most of my beads are longish but I would love to make small, roundish ones to put between the long ones. Can you help?

Paper beads are all about the triangle of paper wound around a spindle, making a tapered effect along the length of the bead. The geometry of this triangle will determine the ultimate shape of your bead, so play around with the dimensions to get what you want. To achieve the standard look, like pictured above, use a triangle whose base is about 1/7th the height (for example, one inch wide and seven inches long). To create rounder beads, you'll want a more extreme taper along the length of the bead once it's rolled, so narrow the base of the triangle. The result will be shorter, squatter beads. The base dimension will end up being the ultimate length of your bead once it's strung, so keep that in mind. Try making very long triangles (1/2 inch wide and 10 inches long, for example) for a roundish bead. As for consistency, make sure you're winding the beads on the same spindle always (if you started with a toothpick, always use a toothpick of the same diameter), and try to keep your work centered on itself as you wind. If you start with pieces of paper that are the same size and shape, that will be a lot easier. Let us know how your beads turn out, and send us pictures! Here are some paper bead tutorials to check out, too:

How-To: Paper Bead Bangle (pictured above)
HOW TO - Make paper beads
Paper Bead Art
Paper Pod Bead Tutorial

June 10, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Sewing With Elastic Thread

Well, summer sewing is upon us, which means using elastic for shirred tops, dresses, and other form-fitting styles. Peggy writes in:

I am searching for a strong elastic thread for use in a 5 thread serger. I am wanting to make a coverhem stitch using elastic thread. I have tried several types of typical elastic thread. The typical elastic thread (that you can get at any retailer) is either not strong enough to use in the serger or is too thick. Do you know of a thread that like that?

I've only ever worked with elastic thread (the same kind you found at the fabric store) in a regular sewing machine, but based on some research, I've determined the principle is the same: don't put the elastic thread through the needle. It has to come up through the bobbin (standard sewing machine) or lower looper (serger). No elastic thread that I know of is going to be strong and thin enough to come through the needle at the right tension without warping, over-stretching, or breaking. Use regular thread in the needle. I found a forum thread you might find useful, too. Do test pieces and adjust the tension on your machine if needed. You can also use conventional thread in your serger and lay down a strand of elastic thread so that it gets encased by the stitches of your serger, anchoring it at both ends.

For a good tutorial on creating a shirred look using elastic thread, check out this shirred summer dress tutorial on Threadbanger.

June 3, 2009

Ask CRAFT: The TSAs of Crafty Air Travel

(Above photo cc by Flickr user redjar)

Many of us crafters just returned from Maker Faire with the woes of air travel fresh in our minds. So what about that, huh? Can you bring scissors? Crochet hooks? Knitting needles? How are you supposed to get your craft on on long flights with the fear that your favorite tool might be confiscated by the TSA? The regulations are confusing and sometimes can appear contradictory. Here I will try to clarify what the TSA says on their site and share my crafty air travel experience. I'll focus on the USA, so if you're from another country and want to share your experience or the local regulations, please comment below.

Scissors

The TSA site says "Scissors - metal with pointed tips and blades shorter than four inches" are allowed in carry-on luggage. I've brought the red scissors pictured here (which have pointed tips and blades under four inches) through security in four different airports without a problem (PHX, AUS, PDX, SFO), except once when I buried them in my bag and the agent wanted to take them out to measure them. The three other times, I took them out of my laptop bag and placed them in the bin next to my shoes; they didn't even get a second glance from the TSA.

However, TSA writes "Our Security Officers have the authority to determine if an item could be used as a weapon and may not allow said item to pass through security," and are therefore authorized to deny your scissors if they want. On the special TSA page about knitting needles and needlepoint, it says "scissors must have blunt points," which contradicts the regulation on the main prohibited items page.

(above photo cc by Flickr user Laiane)

Knitting and crochet

I've never had a problem getting knitting needles on a plane in the US, but here's what the TSA has to say: "Circular knitting needles are recommended to be less than 31 inches in total length," and "We recommend that the needles be made of bamboo or plastic (Not Metal)." That first one has me puzzled. Sure, circular needles pose less of a stabbing threat than straight ones because of their short rigid sections, but why recommend a maximum length? If it's strangulation they're concerned with, I'm sure a 24-inch set of circular needles would be more than ample for choking somebody. There's no restriction on other lengthy strong things, like rope or wire. Again, it's up to the agent to determine what makes it through. Go non-metal if you can for brevity's sake. If you're ok with feeling like a criminal, just stick your plastic or wooden needles in your pocket when you go through the metal detector; they'll never find them unless you get a pat-down.

It's recommended to bring a self-paid mailer with you in case the TSA won't let you through with your needles, that way you don't lose them permanently. Crochet hooks are referred to as "crochet needles" by the TSA, in case you're wondering what to search for. Based on what I've heard from crocheting travelers, the raising of their eyebrows seems to be inversely correlated with the size of the crochet hook; the smaller the hook, the more "dangerous" it is perceived to be. It seems silly, especially since pens are universally allowed. I wonder if they'd look twice at one of these pens designed to double as a weapon.

At the checkpoint

How you act at the checkpoint can sometimes make a difference in how your items are perceived. The agents are trained to evaluate entire situations, not just one item at a time in your bag. If your bag gets taken aside for search, you should have your craft project already started. A portion of a sock arranged on three double-pointed needles looks less suspicious than the needles by themselves. Think about the context. Store that tiny, pointy crochet hook in a plastic bag with the lace blanket edge work you're working on. When they TSA pulls it out to look at it, don't be afraid to say "I'm working on that for my niece." TSA agents are people too, not robots. I was once bringing a frozen Tofurkey to visit family where it's hard to get one, and when the agent opened my bag and knew he had to swap the box with his particle detection cloth, we both broke out laughing.

If an agent does take your tools, remain calm. They're just doing their jobs, and they deserve our respect. It can't hurt to print and carry the regulations on the TSA site to share with the agent as a bargaining tool. Bring a back-up entertainment plan so you don't panic when your only thing to do on that five hour flight is taken away. Magazines, books, computers, and mp3 players are all considered safe by the TSA. When all else fails, you can draw little mustaches on the people in the safety diagram with that pen you're allowed to bring on board. Happy flying!

May 20, 2009

Ask CRAFT: Kids' Warm Snuggler

This week's question comes from Liz Allen:

My 3½ year old son, Phoenix, has autism. One of the things he craves is skin-to-skin contact. However, it's not just any skin, it's my skin, particularly my stomach and back. He calls it "tummy" and he prefers that he's touching me with his feet. Because he's so young, he's never been able to explain this to us but you can see on his face that his anxiety goes away when he is touching me. We are trying to break him of this habit because it's become something like a drug that he craves. I know it makes him feel better but I can't lay in bed with him all day and night and allow this.

The other day he was talking about "tummy" and we started asking him why he likes it. He says it makes him feel warm.I asked him if there is anything that feels as good as tummy does, to which he replied, "Having warm water all over him," AKA a shower.

So I began thinking about what I could do to recreate this feeling for him. Something warm, portable, and that has a similar feeling to skin. Which brings me to my crafting question: With all the great minds and readers of Craft, maybe someone would have an idea to help my son, something I could make or have made that he could sleep with and take in the car.

In the video above, I describe how you can make a "warm pack," or fabric pouch filled with rice. You can pop it in the microwave and it will stay warm for about half an hour, or you can insert one of those hiker's heating packs into the inner velcro pouch to keep it warm for up to eight hours while in the car, etc. I used Ultrasuede, a very soft microfiber (not actually leather), which feels very much like soft skin. You can find it at most fabric stores in the upholstery section; look for remnants specifically (here's a site that sells swatches). I used sew-on velcro for the closure to prevent any adhesive fumes from being released when it's microwaved. I hope this helps, please let us know how it works for Phoenix!

Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video.

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Ask CRAFT: Tea-Staining Bed Linens

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Ask CRAFT: The TSAs of Crafty Air Travel

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