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Archive: CRAFT Videos
November 13, 2009
CRAFT Video: Klutz Capsters
Since it's our special Super Crafty Kidz month, sponsored by Klutz, lets join Rachel Hobson and her kids as they make the Klutz Capsters! They're fun bottle caps with pictures and charms inside. Rachel says this is a great project to have "in your back pocket" for when your kids say "Mom, I'm bored!" Everything you need comes with the book!
Subscribe to the CRAFT podcast in iTunes, download the m4v video, or check us out on YouTube!
Posted by Becky Stern |
Nov 13, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Podcast, CRAFT Videos, Super Crafty Kidz |
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October 30, 2009
CRAFT Video: Hemming Pants
If you're on the shorter side of average, like me, you'll notice that pants are always too long. Learn one method to hem them in this week's CRAFT Video! This tutorial is for the beginner; don't be afraid to make this simple alteration at home. Once you have the confidence to hem your own pants, a new world of style options becomes available to you when shopping for pants. Many brands don't make a dedicated "short" length, so you're left with rolled up cuffs, a trip to the tailor's, or 20 minutes of time in your sewing room! I know which one I'd prefer. This method works for casual pants and dark wash or solid-color jeans, not dress pants. If you have a different hemming method, share with us in the comments!
Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video.
Materials and tools:
- straight pins
- tailor's chalk (I actually cheated and used a white conte crayon)
- scissors
- ironing board and iron
- thread to match your pants
- sewing machine (I used my Singer Confidence 7470)
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Posted by Becky Stern |
Oct 30, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Podcast, CRAFT Videos, Sewing |
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October 16, 2009
CRAFT Video: Metalworking 2
This week I'll show you some more metalworking techniques including files, rotary abrasives, and how to make a ball-head rivet with a butane torch. You can get all kinds of jewelry supplies online (Rio Grande) is a good resource, or ask around for local shops. If you're interested in learning more about metalsmithing, ask at your local university or community college to see if they have classes; it's a very hands-on process and it helps to have in-person help! The tools I used in the video:
- slotted mandrel for emery paper
- wet/dry sandpaper
- detail abrasive brush (Dremel gave me some to try)
- abrasive wheels
- micro/needle files
- butane torch
- cross-locking tweezers
Don't forget to watch my previous metalworking video for more techniques!
Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video.Posted by Becky Stern |
Oct 16, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Podcast, CRAFT Videos, Metalwork |
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October 2, 2009
CRAFT Video: Knitting Cables
Here's an introduction to a fun knitting technique that's often considered "too advanced" for hobby knitters: cables.
Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video.
Named after the Aran Islands in Ireland, cables are most often found in Aran designs. Made mainly by fishermen's wives for their husbands, the patterns reflect tropes of the lifestyle both in appearance and name, often taking inspiration from fishermen's ropes and local flora and fauna.
Cable designs are created by reordering knit stitches in a row, overlapping two or more adjacent columns of stitches. Carrying stitches gradually over the course of several rows can create more complex patterns. This overlap of stitches can add warmth and bulk to a garment without using a different yarn. I think of it as a step beyond ribbing.
To achieve this shuffling of stitches, we use a cable needle. Stitches are temporarily stored on the cable needle while stitches further down the row are knitted, and then the stitches are knit from the cable needle back into the row.
Now you're ready to go out there and tackle a project that uses cables! It's really satisfying to see the pattern emerge as you're working. If you make a cabled project, take a picture and upload it to the CRAFT Flickr pool! We'd love to see them.
The book pictured in the video is The Complete Book of Traditional Knitting by Rae Compton. The cabled toddler slippers I'm making are from a pattern by Rosemary Waits.Thanks to the Flickr users who so graciously licensed their photos under the Creative Commons. This video used photos from acoleman912, florriebassingbourn, DebbieC, Slave2TehTink, Sarah Oh, Marni-, sictransitgloria, litlnemo, and Jane Stockton.
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Posted by Becky Stern |
Oct 2, 2009 12:00 PM
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September 11, 2009
Best of the CRAFT Video: Skeleton Cardigan
This week learn to make a digital image into a knitting pattern to make your very own skeleton cardigan. The first video shows the image processing needed to make the pattern, and the second video shows you the stranded knitting method for switching colors. Combine those with the pattern PDF, and you've got yourself a sweater! I brought the skeleton cardigan with me to Maker Faire Bay Area 2008, and it was unfortunately lost with my suitcase on the return trip, but thankfully it still lives on, in video form here on CRAFT!
Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video of part 1 or part 2.
More:
- Skeleton Cardigan - CRAFT Pattern Podcast
- Skeleton Cardigan Part 1 - CRAFT Video Podcast
- Skeleton Cardigan Part 2 - CRAFT Video Podcast
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Posted by Becky Stern |
Sep 11, 2009 12:00 PM
Cozy Up to Yarn, CRAFT Podcast, CRAFT Videos, Knitting |
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August 28, 2009
CRAFT Video: Intro to Metalworking
This week on the CRAFT Video learn some basics of fine metalworking. With a few simple tools, you can create neat shapes from copper (or silver or brass) sheet and add some fun texture. I made this copper and silver "triple bypass" get-well card for MAKE Senior Editor Gareth Branwyn, who's recovering from surgery.
Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video.
Materials and tools:
- jeweler's saw frame with extra blades
- copper sheet
- jeweler's files
- wet-dry sandpaper, 400 grit (hardware store)
- design on standard printer paper
- rubber cement
- copper etchant (ferric chloride or sodium persulfate)
- various sized permanent markers
- acetone or denatured alcohol (hardware store)
- conti crayon and/or colored pencils
- silver wire
- Dremel or other handheld rotary tool
- drill bit
- ball-peen hammer
- scrap wood
- steel surface for hammering
- pliers and wire cutters
Most of these jewelry supplies can be ordered from Rio Grande. Check online to find a local jewelry supply shop, since they're usually really knowledgeable and helpful. If you live around Phoenix, AZ, try Lonnie's.
For more cool metalwork, check out our metalwork archive.
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Posted by Becky Stern |
Aug 28, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Podcast, CRAFT Videos, Metalwork |
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August 14, 2009
Best of the CRAFT Video: Red Wine Vinegar
Making your own vinegar at home is simple, quick, and rewarding. Never buy red wine vinegar again once you make your first batch! You cultivate the vinegar mother and can even share it with friends. You can look for red wine vinegar mother at your local homebrewing shop, but mine was out, so I ordered it online. It's basically "live" red wine vinegar which contains the bacteria Acetobacter, which eats alcohol and turns it into acetic acid, the tangy flavor we know as vinegar. This project appears as an article in CRAFT, Vol. 9 by Alastair Bland, which you can preview in our Digital Edition.
Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, or download the m4v video.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Aug 14, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Podcast, CRAFT Videos, Food |
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July 31, 2009
CRAFT Video: Two Cat Toys
We're celebrating pets her on Craftzine, so take a look at two easy cat toys you can make at home. One is a tassel type toy for the end of your stick/string toy, meant to be swappable with a piece of ball chain as an attachment, and the other is a crochet and needle felted catnip toy made from wool.
Subscribe to CRAFT in iTunes or download the m4v video.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Jul 31, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Podcast, CRAFT Projects, CRAFT Videos, Pets |
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July 17, 2009
CRAFT Video: DIY Soda
It's summer and all I want to do these days is relax with a fizzy beverage, but I can't stand too-sweet soft drinks! In this CRAFT Video, I show you how easy it is to make your own soda at home, and it's inexpensive, too! I use brewer's yeast to produce carbon dioxide, and whatever flavors come to the imagination. In the video I used honey, green tea, strawberries, and grated ginger, but you can use any combination of fruits, juices, fresh herbs, and sweeteners that you like. Thanks to Matt Mets for the tea recipe inspiration.
Subscribe to CRAFT in iTunes or download the m4v video.
Ingredients and supplies:
- 2L or other plastic bottle with cap
- Funnel
- Cheesecloth (optional)
- Food thermometer
- Brewer's yeast Get online or from your local homebrew store; tell them you're making soda and they'll get you the right kind. Don't use bread yeast!
- Sweetener (for the yeast to eat, you can use honey, cane sugar, etc.)
- Water, tea, or juice
- Other flavors of your choice
Sanitation isn't as much of a concern when making your own soda as it is when making your own beer or wine, but if you can, start with boiled water (good for brewing tea anyway). Boiling fruit juice might change the flavor, so experiment, but don't worry too much about keeping your batch completely bacteria-free. Combine your flavorings and sweetener, then let the batch cool to 80–85°F before adding the yeast (hot water will kill the yeast).
Add about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of your brewers yeast, cap, and shake to dissolve. Place the mixture in a quiet place (between 65-85°F) for 24 hours. Yeast produces carbon dioxide as it processes sugar. It also produces alcohol, but since we'll only be leaving the mixture at active temperatures for about a day, the actual amount of alcohol is minuscule (homemade beers use way more yeast and are let to sit for about 10 days, to give you a reference point). Yes, it's OK for your kids to drink it, provided you don't have a religious restriction on fermented things. When produced in a capped container like a soda bottle, the CO2 becomes dissolved in the liquid as pressure builds up.
After a day, feel the bottle; it should be very firm now as the CO2 has pressurized the bottle. Chill it down before opening it; gasses stay dissolved in liquids better at colder temperatures just like solids stay dissolved better at hotter temperatures. If you open it too soon, most or all of the CO2 your yeast friends made will fly right out. Pour over ice and you've got an enjoyable, refreshing fizzy treat.
One more recipe idea (pictured above): combine the juice of 3 grapefruits and sugar/honey water to make just under 2L of liquid (boil the water before you mix in the sugars), then drop in a handful each of frozen strawberries and pineapple. Blend and let cool, then strain into the bottle and add the yeast. It's like a fizzy grapefruit smoothie!
Posted by Becky Stern |
Jul 17, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Podcast, CRAFT Videos, Food |
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July 6, 2009
CRAFT Video: Pinhole Camera
In this CRAFT Video, learn to make and use a pinhole camera from materials you probably already have around the house. This is a great project to do with your kids over the summer, or just to learn something new on your own. When you make one, post up your photos and cameras in the CRAFT Flickr pool!
Subscribe to CRAFT in iTunes or download the m4v video.
Supplies and tools:
- container for camera (oatmeal, tea tin, etc.)
- black electrical tape
- black spray paint
- small piece of aluminum foil, brass shim stock, or aluminum can
- fine sewing needle
- utility knife, scissors, or drill
- RC photo paper (I used Ilford 5x7)
- Kodak Dektol paper developer
- fixer
- stop bath
- plastic photo chemical jugs
- developer trays (3 or 4)
- darkroom safelight
- funnel (not for food use after)
- food thermometer
- water
- photo tongs (optional)
- vinyl apron (optional)
- paper towels
To make your camera, cut a small hole in your container, about one inch square after spray painting the interior black. Using a piece of aluminum foil, brass shim stock, or aluminum can that's slightly bigger than the hole on your container, poke a very small hole in the center with a needle. Only the point of the needle should pass through the material, not the upper (widest) part of the shaft. If you're using brass shim or a tin can, sand the hole on both sides with some fine sandpaper to get rid of the material pushed in by the needle (but you can't sand aluminum foil). Hold the piece up to the light to see that it's a nice round circular hole. Tape the piece over the hole in your container so that the pinhole is in the center. Use black electrical tape to prevent light leaks.
Read on for more info on loading your camera, exposing your paper, and developing your photo!
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Posted by Becky Stern |
Jul 6, 2009 02:00 PM
CRAFT Podcast, CRAFT Summer Camp, CRAFT Videos, Kids, Photography, Video |
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June 19, 2009
CRAFT Video: Embroidery 101 at Maker Faire
Craftzine Contributing Writer Rachel Hobson led this informative demo on hand embroidery basics at Maker Faire Bay Area 2009. She goes over tools, supplies, and a few stitch techniques to get you started!
Subscribe to CRAFT in iTunes or download the m4v video.
More:
CRAFT Video: Embroidery Pattern from a Photo
Posted by Becky Stern |
Jun 19, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Podcast, CRAFT Videos, Hand Embroidery, Video |
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June 5, 2009
Best of the CRAFT Video: Build Your Own Roller Skates
As we recover from Maker Faire and prepare some awesome new videos for you, we're bringing you this great project from the archives. Luanne Teoh and Richard Humphrey from Skates.com show us how to convert a pair of sneakers to roller skates, straight out of CRAFT, Vol. 07.
Subscribe to CRAFT in iTunes or download the m4v video.
From the pages of CRAFT, Vol. 07
"Roll Baby Roll!" by Luanne Teoh & Richard Humphrey, pgs 62-65. Check out the article in our Digital Edition.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Jun 5, 2009 12:00 PM
CRAFT Podcast, CRAFT Videos |
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