Teeny tiny question

[melinhad.livejournal.com]

I bought some interfacing for the first time and started using it in bags I've made. My question is this: Should you iron on the interface before the sewing of the bag or after? I've done both. I had an old t-shirt I wanted to make into a bag and had already sewn the bottom. So, I turned it inside out and ironed on the interface. And yesterday I made a simple tote, but ironed on the interface to the unsewn pieces. I'm kind of wondering if there's a right way to do this or is it up to each person to do what they are comfortable with...

( BTW, here's a pic of my t-shirt turned bag )

the cute book makes cute things

[crafting-change.livejournal.com]

So I recently got 'The Cute Book - cute and easy-tomake- felt mascot' by Aranzi Aronzo. It is a small-ish hard covered book that looks a little like this:



This book is really fun. There are 19 patterns, none of them that hard - many of them not needing anything more than a needle, glue, felt, some embroidery floss, and stuffing. All of the things you make are T-I-N-Y. I have very limited amount of felt (left over from pre-vegan days, I'm now in search of vegan felt) but I've barely used any considering I've made 2 mascots. Their instructions on how to make a french knot haven't worked, so that is the only thing I need to look outside the book to learn. I've been tracing the patterns onto computer paper rather than copying them, and once I started making their mascots I started coming up with my own ideas. I expect to have a tiny mascot army amassed by next week


( 2 crafted adorable tiny things inside )

(no subject)

[lesboqueer.livejournal.com]

Hello Everyone!

First off, sorry for the text only.

I really love amigurumi, and I want to learn how to do them because my sister will be having a baby and I want to make all kinds of cute things for it...and possibly myself...o.O

Anyways, I have NO IDEA how to crochet. The whole concept of it is extremely daunting for me. I'm wondering if anyone knows of a good book or tutorial or something that I can learn how to crochet from, and maybe some simple amigurumi patters/tutorials to start me off.


Any help would be greatly appreciated and I will love you forever.

Why do you post?

[heatherlayne-n.livejournal.com]

(Modly people, if this is too OT or not allowed, feel free to notify me and I'll delete it.)

I was just wondering why everyone posts here. Of course there are questions asking for help or suggestions or recommendations, but what about the posts that are made just to show off your work? It seems like a lot of people end with "I hope you like it!" Do you really care what other people think of your work? (Not asking sarcastically, but truly.) Do you really want feedback, or you just want to show off? Are you open to critiques and suggestions for improvement, or you just want people to either say "Well done!" or nothing at all?

Personally, I just like showing my work to people who can appreciate it. My husband and mom and friends don't understand, really, the work that goes into a pair of handknit socks, or an apron, or a skirt. But you people do! It's nice to feel a sense of community, for someone to look at something I've made and understand what it took to create it, and know that we're all creators together.

Just thought I'd get a little discussion going.

New Purse.

[cameronangel.livejournal.com]

So, again, instead of doing hw for my summer courses, I decided to sew.  I was bored on craftster last night and saw a purse that I loved the shape of.  I had bought fabric at work earlier in the night, so I decided to make one of my own!  My mom had bought me some cute iron ons that I decided would be perfect for this project!  

( Pink Argyle and Skulls! )

i'm going to europe soon...

[madeitmyself.livejournal.com]

and i was wondering if there are any crafty things i should look for.  i know its kind of vague, but i'm looking for specialty crafts and materials that i can bring back to the states or at least experience and look at.
i sew, paint, i did ceramics, i stencil, i knit, and i bake, almost anything handcrafted; just so you know.

i'm spending much of my time in germany (the frankfurt and Numberg area and probably also berlin)
we are also going to the part of austria between italy and germany
then to italy (venice and rome)  [hopefully see some glass blowing there!]
slovenia
France (paris)
the netherlands (amsterdam)
maybe belgium because its on the way to the netherlands
and possibly denmark

also, i plan on crocheting cloches throughout my travels because we will be in the train too long.
i'm going to use this pattern after i teach myself how to crochet again.
http://www.crochettoday.com/pdfs/beginnerfriendlycap.pdf

anything would be helpful.  thanks.

indie sewing links?

[missh.livejournal.com]

my cousin (she's 11) is expressing interest in learning to sew clothes - she and her friends aspire to their own line someday. :) my aunt just bought her a sewing book, but it's really for older people, as in it has directions for curtains. I would get her a book like Sew U or something like that, but I don't really have the money. 

so does anyone have any suggestions for links to sewing websites with more of a DIY angle? I want her to feel like making her own clothes doesn't have to mean joining some big label - that independent design, etc., is doable. I could probably give her store links, and craftster is good, but I'm afraid it's too jumbled for a beginner. something along the lines of knitty (but for sewing) or ohmystars.net would be awesome.

thanks!

re-mix!!

[jesja.livejournal.com]

( old band tee's )

i made more purses yay!

[toastess.livejournal.com]

these are both made for ahuerta. i hope she likes them ^_^


( pictures )

(no subject)

[etjesuislibre.livejournal.com]

Does anyone happen to have any tutorials/instructions or know any good sites for making different types of necklaces with hemp? I already know the two basic knots (the spiral and flat ones), but I can't seem to find anymore online. I'd appreciate any help! Thank you!

(no subject)

[molasses.livejournal.com]

( a little bit big )

When I can't get away with working on other projects, I doodle on the computer

[rhiannontherose.livejournal.com]

I know this would be more impressive if it was actually stained glass, but I designed this new header for my LJ, to look like stained glass, and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. The different textures look better when the image is larger, and there are a few things I'm still tempted to change (like redoing the angles of the texture in the leaves, so that the gradient evokes veining)....but overall, it came out better than it felt like it was going to, when I was still trying to figure out how to do my own face in stained glass. So, this isn't so much crafty as it is artsy, I guess, but I usually only post my jewelry and jewelry design here, and felt like posting something different. I think it counts, even though it's a purely digital image -- done with a basic photoshop program (the only art program on my computer), and a normal mouse.



How many other people in this community are reluctant to post their digitally-created artwork, because it doesn't feel crafty enough, even compared with traditional drawing/painting/etc.? I'd be curious to see what people have done that they haven't been showing off -- both those with more professional digital artistry tools, like ArtPads, and those without.

EDIT ~ What I'm partially hoping for here, is discussion. I see a lot of posts from people who worry that their offering doesn't "count" as crafty enough, either because of medium, or because of skill level. It seems like the more 2D the project is, the more of this worry there is, but I see it across the board. Well, it's just a drawing. Well, it's just a painting. Well, I knitted it, but it's just another straight stitch scarf. I made these earrings, but it was just gluing a hook onto something. It's creative and I made it, but it's more about home organization than arts. Etc. etc. etc. So, what do you think of as "craft"...what are the parameters? We don't have a lot of definition in the community profile, but there are opinions enough within the community. And if, for example, you don't see digital art as a craft, do you still see traditional drawing and painting as crafts? What is, for you, the difference? The artist is just holding a different tool, or are they?

Knitting vs. Crocheting

[pennylane8.livejournal.com]

I'm recovering from a work-related right hand/arm injury (tendonitis and carpal tunnel).  It's getting much better now, but I had to take a break from most of my crafty passions for a long time, especially anything repetitive, like knitting.

Now that I'm feeling much much better and my injury is coming to an end (yay!), I'm thinking that I can perhaps get back into knitting soon (I have not yet tried crocheting).

Here's my question:  Which is easier on the hands/arms?  Knitting or crocheting?