Archive: Tools

December 23, 2011

Tool Review: Martha Stewart Crafts and Lion Brand Yarn Knit & Weave Loom Kit

I'm a yarn crafter, so when the folks at Lion Brand Yarn sent CRAFT the Martha Stewart Crafts™ and Lion Brand Yarn® Knit & Weave Loom Kit, I jumped at opportunity to put it through its paces. With loom pieces included for more than thirty configurations for making square, rectangle, circle, and oval looms in multiple sizes—plus tools for single knitting, double knitting, weaving, making rosettes, and weaving in ends—there are so many options for creative projects that it's almost overwhelming!

I tested all of the major configurations and techniques, and had a great time learning new skills and trying out yarn crafts that I'd never done before, like weaving and yarn rosette-making. The loom was easy to assemble and easy to configure into different shapes, but the pegs do require a firm hand to press them in and remove them.

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November 30, 2011

Gift Guide: Power Tools

Here are our picks for some electrified craft gadgets that will get your studio's motor running. What are your favorite craft power tools? Leave a note in the comments below.

Brother 1034D 3/4 Lay-In Thread Serger
A serger really takes the home sewer's capabilities to the next level. Make professional-looking knitwear, rolled-hem napkins in a flash, and wield the frantic power of this machine that slices as it stitches.

Singer Futura X-L400 sewing and embroidery machine
sewing and embroidery

If needlework's more your thing, head for a dual sewing/embroidery machine. This one has software for illustrating your imagination in stitches, and does all the basic sewing stuff, too.

Foredom flex shaft
I have one of these bad boys and I love it. The motor hangs from a hook and the spinning handpiece spins at variable speeds, controlled by a foot pedal. I use it for fine metalworking, but it's useful anywhere you'd use a handheld rotary tool.

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November 12, 2011

Circle Skirt Calculator

After sewing my Emmy dress, the mere thought of hemming a circle skirt—especially one made of satin—is enough to give me nightmares for a week. But, even though it's a giant pain to evenly hem all of that fabric, there's still no denying that circle skirts are incredibly flattering and incredibly versatile. So, if you're feeling brave enough to take on a whole lot of folding, pinning, and stitching, you should check out this awesome circle skirt post from Patty at The Snug Bug, which includes a downloadable circle skirt grading calculator to help you get the right waist-to-circle ratio, whether you're going for a half, 3/4, or full circle skirt!

November 8, 2011

How To: Change a Saw Blade

Jimmy DiResta posted this great video showing how to quickly and safely change a saw blade. I'm overly cautious when I work with power tools, but I think I'd be confident trying this technique.

November 5, 2011

Printable Bias Tape Maker

Something magical happens when a scientist switches out her lab coat for a sewing machine. When creative sensibilities are combined with a scientific approach to problem-solving, you get ideas that are at once innovative and completely logical. This printable bias tape maker by Carla from the Scientific Seamstress Blog is a perfect example of what can happen when you bring a science-based skill set into the studio. By thinking through all of the details required to make even, usable bias tape, she created a simple, straight-forward tool that anyone can make—and it only requires sheet of paper!

August 26, 2011

DIY Shoe Bling

Today on Corinne's Craft Closet, I show you how to bling out a pair of old high heel shoes. No need to pay an arm and a leg for them at the shoe store! OMG SHOES!

I am also giving away a 750 kit of Tulip Iron-on crystals, packs of the 300 count iron-on crystals and one Tulip heat setting tool! To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below telling me why you should be the lucky recipient. Comments will close and the recipient will be picked randomly September 30th, 2011.

Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, download the m4v video directly, or watch it on YouTube.

August 17, 2011

How-To: Paint a Glitter Guitar

Completely makeover a lackluster guitar with a gleaming glitter finish. Don't be intimidated to dismantle the pieces of a beater guitar and customize your instrument with a coat of paint. Add vivid, colorful shine with a gorgeous spray paint from Krylon called Glitter Blast. It is fully saturated sparkle. The paint dries into a pure glitter coating within 20 minutes. I've shared my instructions for a fool-proof finish on Make: Projects.

The wiring inside an electric guitar is fairly straightforward, but if you are nervous about taking the electronics apart, snap a photo with your cell phone to help you remember how to put all the components and pick-ups back together.

In an afternoon crafting you can bring a garage sale instrument from obscurity to the spotlight.

See the complete instructions (and find a printer friendly PDF) at Make: Projects. For more spray paint ideas, visit Projectsinacan.com.

August 16, 2011

Kraus Motor Co. Handmade Motorcycle

Bolide is an amazingly intricate and stunningly beautiful motorcycle, from Kraus Motor Co, in Cazadero. You may recall seeing Satya Kraus working on the bike in the premire edition of our video series, Meet the Makers. Bolide just took 3rd place in the 2011 World Championship of Custom Bike Building. Every part of this bike is crafted by hand, and designed for preformance and aesthetics. It's a perfect example of the convergence of form, function, and craft.

August 12, 2011

How-To: Cut Polymer Clay with an Electronic Cutter

Jenny from Craft Test Dummies is always coming up with new and creative uses for any craft product that she gets her hands on. Case in point, her How to Cut Polymer Clay with the Cricut tutorial takes electronic cutters out of the realm of paper craft, and shows just how versatile they can be as a pan-crafting tool. In her post, Jenny shares her method for getting consistent results and clean lines when working with clay, yielding cut shapes that can be used right away!

Here's a shot of the cutter in action. Head on over to Craft Test Dummies for the full tutorial!

August 2, 2011

How-To: Pattern Weights

These adorable pattern weights from A Spoonful of Sugar make me very, very happy. I used to be a pattern weight skeptic. I would use whatever I had on hand to hold my patterns in place—rocks, tin cans, bottles of wine—only to get frustrated when objects were too light, too bulky, or got in the way of making a clean cut. For me, finally trying consistently sized and shaped pattern weights felt like a life-changing event, and has made a huge difference in the accuracy of my fabric cutting. Head over to their website to see the full tutorial!

July 31, 2011

Tips on Using Stitch Markers

Lion Brand Yarn has a great post with some practical tips and information for using stitch markers in knitting and crochet projects. It's a great resource for beginners.

June 27, 2011

How-To: Sturdy Milk Crate Storage

My closet is a disaster. It's the only closet in my house, and it has been over capacity since the day I moved in. There's space to hang coats and dresses, but my shoes, hats, scarves and belts were ending up trampled on the floor. I was dreaming of an extravagant custom built shelving unit, when a friend suggested quick and dirty cinder block shelves. I instantly thought of stacking milk crate shelves, but realized I could maximize space if I hung them from the wall.

I picked up some drywall anchors and big fat washers at the hardware store, and was able to hang my crates up in 15 minutes. Using drywall anchors means you don't have to find a stud in the wall, and these are removable too, so they can be taken down later without ruining the wall. The anchors are rated to hold 75 pounds each, and I easily installed them myself. The anchor "activates" by grabbing the flat end of the screw, so to provide is room for the crate and the washer to sit snugly, choose screws that are half an inch longer than the anchors. I've written about drywall anchors before, and I promise that after you get comfortable with them, you will feel empowered tackle all sorts of DIY projects that seemed out of reach.

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