22 Crafting Tutorials and How Tos You Might Have Missed: Part 2

November 28, 2016 by FaveCrafts

In our last crafting tutorials post, “24 Crafting Tutorials and How Tos You Might Have Missed,” we put together an extensive list of articles to help beginners learn new skills, tips, and tricks. We built an exhaustive post that was devoted to sharing all sorts of neat techniques and great ideas with the crafting world. The list was our own library catalog of all of the fascinating tricks and tips we had collected. It was our magnum opus, and it was a popular resource among our greater crafting family — that means you.

The original crafting tutorials post went live months ago. A lot of things can happen between then (July) and now. One of the changes we’re eager to tell you about is our new list filled with all of the cool skills we’ve picked up in the last few months. Whether you’re completely new to crafting or are here to pick up a few new techniques, these crafting tutorials are super helpful and fun. We hope they’ll inspire all sorts of fantastic and unexpected projects!

22 Crafting Tutorials and How Tos You Might Have Missed: Part 2

What Crafting Tutorials are You Most Excited to Try?

11 Beginner Tie Dye Tutorials and Tips

August 1, 2016 by FaveCrafts

Learning how to tie dye is one of those useful life skills that often go underappreciated. I remember tie dying shirts at birthday parties when I was little and having a blast, so it’s my opinion that the world would be a little more cheerful if we all learned to tie dye. For one thing, there are so many tie dye tutorials out there, you can’t possibly run out of ideas. And not only can you have a lot of fun with it, it’s a great way to help your kids or grandkids create their own memories as they make amazing projects. Check out the lists below for tutorials and tips for making some truly wonderful tie dye projects today!

Tips to Get Started

100% cotton material is your best bet. For clothes, a basic 100% cotton T-shirt creates a perfect canvas that will hold dye the best.
Experiment with different styles. From striped patterns to spirals, there are tons of tie dye patterns out there to choose from. If you do your research (by checking out the tutorials below!) you can choose the best pattern for what you want to accomplish. Don’t be afraid to branch out and choose something a little different!
Combine colors for amazing effects. Pick colors that will blend well together, because the dyes that are next to each other will form new colors that you may not want! For instance, rather than sticking that pink right next to the green, consider placing it near your orange or yellow spots.
Rinse under cold water before throwing your project in the washing machine! That will prevent dye from getting over your other garments. You will also need to wash the shirt (or whatever your project is!) by itself the first few times in the washing machine, again with cold water.

Tie Dye Tutorials to Try

Bullseye Tie Dye Technique
- This technique is a tried-and-true tie dye method that yields beautiful results. The bullseye is like the poster child of the tie dye world: you’ll definitely want to try this tie dye tutorial out!
Crumple Tie Dye Technique
- You’ll fall in love with simple yet spunky tie dye pattern that will wow everyone who sees it. This is another classic tie dye design that you’ll likely recognize. Add it to your list to make!
Swirl Tie Dye Technique
- I have a confession to make – I know you shouldn’t play favorites, but this is my favorite one! I remember using this technique when I was little to create an awesome T-shirt. This is a great one to choose if you’re having a hard time deciding where to start.
Sunburst Tie Dye Technique
- Pictured is just one of the many ways you can use this cheerful tie dye pattern to create your own masterpiece. This one is extra fun, because you can make many small sunbursts or one giant one for a pop of color!
Heart Tie Dye Technique
- Similar to the bullseye, this beautiful tie dye pattern is right up your alley if you’re looking for a gift for your daughter or granddaughter, or an activity you can do with them. It’s sure to yield awe-inspiring results!
Batik Tie Dye Technique
- This tie dye pattern is not only incredibly lovely, it’s a fun alternative to more classic tie dye designs. Get your crafting cap on, because this fun tutorial is totally worth your time!
Abstract Drip Dye Tee
- For something a littler different, this abstract drip technique will yield a playful result that will wow everyone who sees it. You’ll definitely have fun with this twist on traditional tie dye.

Want more great ideas? Be sure to check out 100+ Tie Dye Patterns and Techniques.

What’s the coolest tie dye project you’ve made?

How to Write a Quilt Tutorial

March 25, 2014 by FaveQuilts

You love tutorials. We love tutorials. Everybody loves quilt tutorials! The internet is an incredible resource for free, step-by-step instruction on how to do … well, pretty much anything. But not all tutorials for how to make a quilt are created equal. There’s nothing more frustrating than a beautiful quilt with an unclear or sub-par quilt pattern tutorial.

As a curator and self-declared experts in the art of hunting down high-quality tutorials for our readers, we’ve noticed a few trends and and criteria that we like to look for when we’re trying to find the best tutorials. So, with no further ado, here are just a few things to keep mind as you’re writing your quilt tutorial! Give your blog its best chance to get noticed.

1. Include a materials list.

This is one of the most important pieces of tutorial, but it’s something that a lot of bloggers overlook. It is so important that you remember to include a list of the materials needed in order to make a quilt block or full quilt. This includes the size of the finished quilt and any special notes about the materials (if you used a specific type of fabric or pre-cuts, etc), so that your readers can go into the quilt making process fully prepared.

Here’s a great example of a materials list from our Garden District Picnic Quilt.

Note that this list includes the size of the finished quilt, a rough idea of how long the quilt will take, and a brief explanation of what fabrics were used as well as a special note about measurement particularities. It may seem like you’re giving too much information, but always err on the side of too much, rather than too little. Better to be over-prepared than under-prepared!

2. Don’t assume your readers are as skilled as you are.

It’s easy to forget that quilters of all skill levels and experience may be reading your tutorial, but don’t assume your readers will automatically know what you mean when you say something like, “Now just bind your quilt and you’re finished!”

You are, of course, not obligated to explain (for example) how to bind a quilt every time you post a tutorial, but if you have done so in the past, make sure to link that segment of the tutorial to the more in-depth explanation. Remember that every blogger and teacher brings their own special experiences and techniques to the process, and maybe your insider information will be the final key to helping a novice unlock the secrets of binding without ending up in tears, swearing an oath never to quilt again.

The best tutorials are the ones that take special care to explain specifics and techniques — especially if you have a special way of doing it! Tammie from CraftyTammie has a great tutorial on Adding Zippers the Lazy Way that is a great, fresh look at one of the trickiest parts of sewing.

3. Take lots of photos during the process.

This is always true, but especially when you’re describing a tricky process. Don’t be afraid to have more than one photo per step! The truth is that you may never be able to explain quite as well as a picture can, and of course a little of both is best. A great technique for this is to explain the steps in words and then show a series of photos that demonstrates what you’ve just said. A great example is the Four Hour Lasagna Quilt from Stacey at the Tilted Quilt. She describes the steps of how to piece her jelly roll quilt pattern and then includes demonstrative photos:

It’s helpful to your readers to be able to read the tutorial and then see the steps as you’ve described them. So don’t scrimp on photographs!

4. TAKE GOOD PHOTOS!

The quality of your photos is hugely important to the quality of your quilt tutorial. Keep in mind factors like light, clarity, and photo size when you are making your tutorial. Make sure that your photographs have plenty of light and are of high resolution. Presentation is half the battle! You could have the best tutorial for how to make a quilt in the whole world, but if you have low-resolution, dark photographs you’ll lose readers at first glance. Here are a few great examples:

See how nice the photographs for these tutorials look? Don’t you just want to click on them, even if you aren’t quite sure what some of them are for? That’s the photo quality you want in your tutorial. Luckily for you, the cameras on things like iPads and smartphones are getting better and better, so if you don’t have a fancy camera you don’t necessarily have to buy one. Just do the best you can!

5. Always tag accordingly.

This is one of the best pieces of advice that we can give you. If you don’t have a designated “Tutorials” page, be sure that you have tagged all your tutorials as “tutorials”! It may seem like a tiny detail, but if there isn’t an easy way to find and navigate your tutorials, they’ll get buried in your blog and never see the light of day. If we can’t find it, we can’t feature it. So be sure that all your posts are tagged with consistent, intuitive, easy-to-guess tags (“quilt tutorial” is a good example, or “my tutorials” if you don’t want to limit yourself).

Have you ever made a quilt tutorial?

PSST! Don’t forget to check out Quilting Happiness, the amazing feel-good quilt book that we’re giving away right now on FaveQuilts! According to Quilting Happiness, the key to finding joy in your quilting lies in getting to know yourself and your creative tendencies. Co-authors Diane Gilleland and Christina Lane hope to help you accomplish this through a variety of quilting projects, full-color illustrations, and personal reflections on quilting. You’ll also learn original techniques for backing and finishing as well as some new stitches.

What are you waiting for? Enter to win today!

5 Projects to Make with Gelatos

October 10, 2013 by FaveCrafts

I am by no means an artist, but I love tools that make me feel like I am! I love to create my own greeting cards and scrapbook designs, and while I haven’t yet mastered the techniques behind layering color and illustrating with colored pencils and markers, I love what Gelatos do for my layouts!

Available in a variety of colors, Gelatos work like a combination of markers and paint, applying dark color but allowing you to blend colors together for an absolutely beautiful and stunning effect. Able to be used on all kinds of paper, Gelatos will give your art projects a professional and clean look that’s near impossible to get from colored pencils or markers alone.

To help give you a better idea of what Gelatos can do for you, we’ve gathered up 5 awesome tutorials that you can make with Gelatos from Faber-Castell. Which one is your favorite?

BONUS! We’re giving away a Gelatos Kit! Scroll down to read more…

Upcycled Cake Box: Use Gelatos to create a beautiful ombre effect and turn an ordinary cake box into something colorful and useful! This Upcycled Cake Box is great for storing craft supplies, cookie cutters, or use it to give baked goods to a family member or friend.
“Be More” Scrapbook Layout: The great thing about this “Be More” Scrapbook Layout is that you can use it for almost any reason or occasion. With several embellishments and crafting techniques used here, this colorful and expressive layout is a creative and fun way to work through your craft stash. Use Gelatos to add a unique color dimension that will really make your layout pop!
Divine Decorated Canvas: This Divine Decorated Canvas is a fun way to liven up any room in your home. Made with PITT® Artist Pens and a variety of Gelatos, this canvas comes to live with dimension and color.
Velvet Paper Wall Decor: Looking for unique artwork? Look no further than that Velvet Paper Wall Decor. Made using Gelatos and black velvet paper, this project is a great way to introduce new media into your home.
In Mama’s Shoes Card: Wish mom a Happy Mother’s Day or send a birthday greeting to a friend or daughter with this In Mama’s Shoes Card. Colored with a variety of Faber-Castell art tools, this illustrated card is great for any occasion…and you won’t believe how easy it is to achieve this professional look.

BONUS! Win your very own Gelatos Kit! We’re giving away this kit to one lucky winner! You have until October 22nd to enter, and you can enter to win once a day! Head on over to the giveaway page and register to win today!

Sew a Tote With Anna from Charmed Liebling: National Sewing Month 2013

September 10, 2013 by AllFreeSewing

It’s Day Ten of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

Today’s post is courtesy of Anna from charmed Liebling. Check out Anna’s AllFreeSewing designer profile here.

Fabulous Farmer’s Market Tote:

Go shopping at the farmers market in style! This bag holds all the groceries you can carry. There is a divider inside the bag to keep everything organized. The hidden slip pocket on the front side of the bag is perfect to fit your wallet, phone and keys. This bag works well with laminated cotton or oilcloth, but you could also use home decor fabric or just simply lightweight quilting fabric. If you do, I recommend interfacing the exterior fabric pieces as stated below in the instructions.

All seam allowances are ½” unless otherwise stated. All measurements given are height x width. Please read all instructions before you begin.

You need:

– Exterior fabric: 1 1/8 yd (44″ width)

– Lining fabric: 1 yd (44″ width)

– 1 piece of hook and loop tape (self-adhesive or sew-on): 1”

Helpful hints:

– I made this tote completely out of laminated cotton. If you decide to do so too, please be careful when ironing parts of your fabric while sewing. I usually place a kitchen towel on top of the fabric, which is folded twice. I like to sprinkle the towel a little bit with water and used less steam than usual. I also don’t use the highest setting of the iron and I don’t press too long at the same spot.

– I also recommend using sewing clips instead of pins as they won’t leave holes in your laminated cotton or oilcloth.

Cut from:

Exterior fabric:

– (2x) 16″ x 12.75” – main body

– (2x) 16″ x 9” – side panel

– (1x) 9″ x 12.75” – bottom panel

– (1x) 10″ x 21” – interior divider

– (2x) 29″ x 5.5” – strap

Lining fabric:

– (2x) 16″ x 12.75” – main body

– (2x) 16″ x 9” – side panel

– (1x) 9″ x 12.75” – bottom panel

– (1x) 10″ x 21” – interior divider

– (2x) 8″ x 9” – slip pocket

I didn’t use any interfacing on this tote since I used laminated cotton throughout and intended a slouchy look. If you use lightweight cotton fabric you might want to interface parts of your tote. In this case, cut the following pieces from fusible interfacing:

– (2x) 16″ x 12.75” – main body

– (2x) 16″ x 9” – side panel

– (1x) 9″ x 12.75” – bottom panel

If you don’t need to fold your tote when not using it, you may also think about interfacing the interior divider with heavy stabilizer. In this case cut the following piece from heavy stabilizer:

– (1x) 10″ x 21” – interior divider

Interface the wrong sides of the exterior parts of your tote.

Instructions:

a) Make the straps

– Fold one of your strap fabric pieces in half lengthwise, with the wrong sides together and press. Open up again and fold both long edges towards the middle crease and press again.

– Now fold lengthwise again, matching the long folded edges and press again. Topstitch along both long edges, approx. 3 mm (1/8”) from the edges.

Repeat the folding and stitching with the second strap fabric piece.

– Place one of the straps onto one of the exterior main body panels. The outer edges of the strap should be placed 2.5” in from the side edges of the bag. The loop of the strap should face to the bottom and the raw edges of both main body panel and straps should be aligned. Pin in place and baste the strap end to the main body using a ¼” seam allowance.

– Repeat for the other strap and the other main body panel.

b) Prepare the slip pocket

– Place the hook part of your piece of hook and loop tape onto the right side of one of the slip pocket pieces. It should be positioned in the center and 1” down from the top edge. Tape it down or sew it onto the fabric (depending on what kind of hook and loop tape you are using).

– Repeat with the loop part of the hook and loop tape and the other slip pocket piece.

– Take one of the slip pocket pieces and put it onto one of the exterior main body panels, right sides together. It should be positioned centered on the main body panel and the top edges of both fabric pieces should be aligned. (Since you already attached the straps to the exterior main body fabric panels, your slip pocket will partially cover the straps).

– Pin in place and stitch along the top edge using a 1/4” seam allowance, starting and stopping 1/2” from the outer edges of the slip pocket fabric piece.

– Repeat the previous step with the second slip pocket fabric piece and one of the lining main body panels.

– Set both main body panels aside.

c) Make the interior divider

– Take both of your interior divider pieces and put them right sides together. Pin in place and stitch along both long edges.

– Turn right side out and press. Top-stitch along both long edges using a 1/4” seam allowance.

– On both the top and the bottom edge, measure and mark 6” in from the side edges. Fold the divider towards what will be the wrong (= inner) side of the divider.

– Top-stitch along the folded edge using a 1/4” seam allowance.

– Repeat the 6” markings, folding and topstitching on the other side of the divider.

This is what you should have after folding and top-stitching along both folds:

– Take one of the lining main body side panels and place it right side up. Put your divider right (= outer) side up onto the side panel. Match the side edges of both fabric pieces and position the divider approx. 1” up from the bottom edge of the lining side panel. Pin the divider in place and stitch along the side edges using a 1/4” seam allowance.

This is what you should have after stitching both side seams of the divider to the lining side panel:

– On the lining main body panel with the slip pocket piece attached, fold the slip pocket over so that the wrong sides of both slip pocket and main body panel are now touching. Topstitch along the upper edge of the slip pocket, starting and stopping 1/2″ from the outer edges.

– Repeat the previous step with the other slip pocket piece on the exterior main body panel.

d) Assemble the bag lining:

Take one of the lining main body panels and place it right side up. Take one of your lining side panels and put it on one of the side edges of the main body panel, right sides together, the edges of both pieces should be aligned. Pin in place and stitch along the edge, but stop 1/2″ up from the bottom end (this 1/2″ is important later, when you are going to sew the bottom panel onto the bag).

– Repeat with the second side panel and the other edge of the main panel (when stitching the side panel with the divider attached, make sure to fold the divider together so it won’t get caught in the stitching).

– Take your second main panel and repeat the previous steps.

On the picture above you can see one of the lining main body panels with the two lining side panels (one of them includes the interior divider) already attached. You can also see how the side seam stops about 1/2″ from the bottom edge.

– Place the bottom panel with its four edges onto the bottom edges of the bag, right sides together. Pin in place and stitch along the first edge, starting and stopping 1/2” from the edge. Since you left the seam open by 1/2″ when sewing the side panels to the main body panels, you should be able to have your bottom panel seams start and stop exactly at the end of these seams (see on the next picture – note that I chose exterior fabric for the bottom panel of my bag lining).

This is what your bag lining should look like on the inside after stitching all the pieces together:

e) Make the bag exterior:

– Repeat step d) to assemble the bag exterior.

f) Finish the slip pocket:

– Place your two slip pocket fabric pieces right sides together (since they are already attached to the exterior and lining main body you will have to bend those parts out of the way for this step). Pin in place and stitch around the three edges of the slip pocket. Make sure to start and stop the stitching right beneath the topstitching of the top edge of the slip pocket pieces.

g) Assemble the bag:

– Due to the finished slip pocket, the bag exterior and the bag lining are already attached to each other. The bag exterior should be right side out, the bag lining wrong side out. Put the bag lining into the exterior. The slip pocket will be hidden between the layers. Make sure to fit the lining correctly into the exterior. Match the side seams and flatten the bottom panels, so that the lining sits snug inside the bag.

– Fold down the seam allowance of the top edges of both exterior and lining towards the inside. Pin in place and stitch along the top edge using a 1/4” seam allowance. Start and stop right before you reach the slip pocket.

Congratulations, your fabulous farmers’ market tote is finished!

Check out Anna’s Pattern Shop to see more lovely bags!

Do you use reusable totes at the grocery store, or disposable bags?

DIY Jewelry Organizer With Meream: National Sewing Month 2013

September 5, 2013 by AllFreeSewing

It’s Day Five of National Sewing Month! Too see the daily blog posts, projects of the day, and more National Sewing Month details, click here.

Meream blogs at Bored and Crafty. Find her full project list on AllFreeSewing and social media links right here.

This is an easy DIY project inspired by a nifty Modcloth jewelry holder. I am referring to the one shaped like a dress. There are similar jewelry organizers sold in my city but upon closer inspection, I realized that the item looked DIY-able. So here we are.

To make a hanging jewelry organizer, you will need a wooden dowel or a small hanger. The length of this dowel will determine the width of your jewelry organizer. Mine was 8”. You will also need 6 to 7 strips of printed fabric (1 x 8 inches), 6 to 7 strips of acetate or clear plastic (1.5 x 9 inches), one long piece of printed fabric (8 x 17 inches), and another long piece of plain fabric (8 x 17 inches) with thick interfacing ironed to the wrong side. You will also need 4 to 5 buttons for jeans.

The strips of fabric and 8×17-inch pieces of fabrics should come with 1/2-inch allowance all around.

Like a bias tape, sew the strips of printed fabric to the long sides of the clear plastic strips.

With the other long side folded under, position the clear strips onto the interfaced plain piece of fabric. Make sure that the allowance between each clear plastic strip pocket is equal. Mine were a quarter of an inch apart.

Sew the folded bottoms to the plain fabric. You should use long stitch lengths so as not to rip the plastic strips.

Sew lines to make your pockets. The size of your clear pockets is completely up to you. Small pockets are perfect for storing pairs of earrings. I like bigger ones for watches and chunkier pieces of jewelry.

Place the printed fabric on top of the plain fabric with clear pockets. The printed fabric’s right side should be facing down. Sew but leave the top short side un-sewn. Clip off the corners.

Turn inside out. At this point, you can choose to top-stitch the long sides and bottom of your jewelry organizer.

Trim the un-sewn short side with pinking shears.

Fold this side over to the front, with the dowel inserted. Attach two jeans buttons right beneath the dowel.

Attach two more jeans buttons along the middle and towards the bottom of your jewelry organizer. Make sure to attach them in between the clear pockets. Tie ribbon or rope to both ends of your dowel for hanging.

And you’re done! Another option is to attach the jeans buttons to the other side of your jewelry organizer. This way, your necklaces will not cover your earrings and other jewelry that are inside the clear pockets.

Remember to check out all of Meream’s amazing projects at Bored and Crafty!

Are you neat and tidy, or do you need a jewelry organizer?

Keep Kids Occupied With a DIY Felt Busy Book

April 3, 2013 by FaveCrafts

This tutorial is brought to you by Latrice Murphy from Any Occasion.

I have three active kids and I’m always trying to come up with ways to keep them busy. I find lots of great ideas for this on Pinterest. I’ve seen different posts here and there about “felt busy books.” My littlest is just 20 months, so keeping him busy is a must, especially when we’re in the car. The catch is that I needed something that he couldn’t throw, put in his mouth and tear up. What’s better than a felt book with little activities on each page? Here is a peek at my finished book. I love how it turned out and he’s already been playing with it.

Materials:

Various felt sheets ( I use a eco fi felt that is nice and sturdy)
Three jump rings
Velcro adhesive backed dots
Sewing machine
Scissors
Heavy duty hole punch
Fabric glue
Die cutting or templates

Instructions:

Start out by planning your pages and cutting all the sheets of felt down in half to create the pages.
Cut out and arrange all the page pieces. My book had the following pages:
1. Car with road
2. Tic tac toe
3. Dress up
4. Shapes
5. Tree
6. House
7. Barn
Sew on your die cut pieces where needed.
To make the pages place the right sides together and sew around three sides. Flip it like a pillow to the right side after done.
Once all the pages are complete attach the front and back page to a binding piece.
Next punch holes using a heavy duty hole punch to punch all the pages.
Assemble the book with three large jump rings.

My son loves this book already. Even the two bigger kids are totally into helping him with it and playing tic tac toe.

I would have to say that planning is key on a project such as this. I decided in the end to add a pocket for the car page, a pocket on the dress up page and a strap to hold it closed nicely. I luckily hadn’t sewn anything together yet.

Enjoy the process of creating something your loved one will enjoy – I know I did.

9 Knockoffs that Will Fool Everyone

December 13, 2012 by FaveCrafts

So your daughter wants clothes from Forever 21 for Christmas? Maybe you know someone who registered at Crate and Barrel, Macy’s, or Pottery Barn for an upcoming wedding or baby shower…or perhaps you just love the designer look, but don’t love paying designer prices…

Regardless of the reason, we have 9 knockoff projects that are inspired by high end merchandise…and best of all, you can make many of these for less than a quarter of the price of the real deal! From cute clothes to home decor that will pass even the stingiest of eyes, these knockoffs and look a likes are just the thing for the upcoming holiday season.

Crate and Barrel Knockoff Clock

Love the look of Crate? With this crafty Crate and Barrel Knockoff Clock, you can make your very own handmade wall clock that mirrors the famous large print clock from Crate and Barrel. This is an easy to make project that will compliment any decor.

Easy Peasy Hair Pins

These Easy Peasy Hairpins are similar to the fashionable hair accessories for women sold in Anthropologie stores…but much less expensive! These easy DIY cheap hair accessories can be made with ease…and no one will know the difference!

Bed, Bath, and Beyond Style Bathroom Set

This crocheted bathroom set is made with scented yarn, so it helps keep your bathroom organized and smelling clean! You can make these crochet bowls in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and scents! They also make wonderful gifts for those who have registered at BB&B.

Forever 21 Knockoff Scarf

This Forever 21 Knockoff Scarf is a great accessory to add to your wardrobe! With some simple crochet techniques, you can create this infinity scarf pattern in no time. This scarf makes a great gift and no one will believe you made it yourself!

Pottery Barn Wall Organizer

This Pottery Barn Wall Organizer is an easy and fun way to get the look you love for less. A hanging wall organizer like this is great for a kitchen or entryway. You can use it to organize mail, notes, or just have it on display for all to admire.

DIY Antropologie Bunting Necklace

Do you love the style of Anthropologie, but hate the price tag? Well if you saw this necklace and fell in love, make your own DIY Anthropologie Bunting Necklace with this tutorial. The simplicity of creating this will stun you!

LOFT Inspired Ruffle Tank

What’s better than learning to make your own clothes using a free sewing project? Sewing clothes based on more expensive designs from a store! Try this LOFT inspired ruffle tank for pennies on the dollar!

Urban Outfitters Ear Warmer Knockoff

This knit ear warmer headband is inspired by a headband from Urban Outfitters! Knit your own with this knitted ear warmer pattern. It’s simple to make, and cinching it in the middle creates a faux bow look.

IKEA Inspired Flower Vase

This IKEA Inspired Painted Flower Vase is perfect for fall! The colors are easily customizable if you want to change them. This is an easy painting technique that you can do on ceramic flower vases, as well as many other things!

Visit FaveCrafts.com for more great knockoff projects that will fool everyone!

Summer Camp Week Video + Butterfly Mobile Tutorial

July 18, 2012 by AllFreeKidsCrafts

Click here to see today’s Giveaway and enter!

Hi there, campers! Welcome back to Summer Camp Week from AllFreeKidsCrafts! I hope you’re enjoying all of the exciting craft projects and giveaways we’ve posted so far. Be sure to enter today’s giveaway by visiting this blog post and commenting. Today’s theme is Academic Camps, so put on your thinking caps and click here to comment and enter the giveaway! You can also check out AllFreeKidsCrafts, subscribe to our newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with all of the action!

If you’re looking for today’s giveaway, you can click here to see the post and enter the contest! If you don’t know about the Summer Camp Week Giveaways yet, check out this awesome video:

This afternoon, I have a fantastic camp craft idea that’s great for decorating the cabin or a crafty kids’ room. This project from EK Success Brand’s American Girl Crafts line is a great idea if you’re looking for crafts for preteens and kids who love nature! You can even substitute the butterflies with creepy crawlies for a more rough-and-tumble look if you prefer. Also, if you like this project, check out AllFreeKidsCrafts for more great butterfly projects like these Hanging Glass Butterfly Feeders!

How to Make a Butterfly Mobile

by American Girl Crafts and EK Success Brand

Materials:

Paper Posies Pad
Super Paper Pad
Brilliant Butterflies Shiny Stickers
Berry Stretchable String
Painted Beads
Craft Scissors
Craft Glue

Directions:

Before you start:

Glue can be messy, so cover your work space with newspaper or scrap paper.
From the Paper Posies Pad, punch out a wide range of small and large butterflies.
Cut 10 to 15 pieces of Stretchable String, each 14 inches long.

Option A:

Punch out a large butterfly from the Paper Posies Pad. Find 2 smaller butterflies from the Brilliant Butterflies Shiny Stickers, which will go on either side of the large butterfly.
Glue the end of a piece of the string between the large butterfly and one of the small butterflies. Press butterflies together.
Stick the other small butterfly onto the opposite side of the large butterfly.

Option B:

Cut out the circle template included with these instructions, and trace onto patterned paper. Cut out two circles.
Glue the end of one piece of string between the 2 circles. Place 2 smaller butterflies from the Brilliant Butterflies Shiny Stickers onto either side.

Option C:

Punch out 2 butterflies that are the same shape from the Paper Posies Pad.
Glue the butterflies back-to-back around the string.

Adding more decoration:

Tie a double knot 2 to 3 inches above a hanging butterfly. String a Painted Bead so that it slides down and rests above the knot.
Glue 2 more butterflies back-to-back, above or below the bead. Remember, making each string of butterflies different is what makes your mobile fun!
Hang about 10 to 15 butterflies on strings. When these are completed, tie the top ends of the strings to the embroidery hoop, spacing them evenly apart. Tie the strings so that the butterflies hang at different lengths.
Have an adult help you figure out how high to hang your mobile. Cut 3 more pieces of Stretchable String, about 15 inches long, depending on where you want your mobile to hang. Tie the ends of these strings around the embroidery hoop.
To hide the strings, glue small butterflies from the Paper Posies Pad around the edge of the embroidery hoop. If you like, stick an adhesive foam square on the back of a few to make them pop. Gently bend their wings up to make them look as though they are flying.
Tie the 3 plain, hanging strings together in a knot above the embroidery hoop. String a couple of Painted Beads above the knot.

There you have it! A lovely butterfly mobile to decorate your bedroom, classroom, garden and more!

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Learn to Crochet with this Easy Beginner’s Tutorial!

June 1, 2012 by FaveCrafts

Have you been meaning to get hooked on crochet? It’s easier than you think! With this super simple tutorial, you can learn how to crochet everything from scarves to bags…not to mention learn a few nifty crochet skills along the way!

A few months ago, we asked our Facebook fans, “What crafting skill would you like to learn?”…and a wide majority said crochet, which I’ve been meaning to learn, too! For the past two weeks, we’ve run a mini crochet lesson in our newsletter to help guide new crochet fans as they learn to chain and slip stitch for the first time.

Just in case you missed the newsletter feature, I’ve decided to post the whole thing here, complete with materials you will need, awesome tutorials and guides, and even a few beginner projects that are easy and fun to make! With these simple lessons and suggestions, you’ll be up to your knees in crochet patterns you can’t wait to try!

Beginner’s Crochet Tutorial

Must Have Materials:

Crochet Hook: Crochet hooks come in various sizes. For beginners your best bet is to use bigger hooks that allow you to better visualize the stitches made in your projects.
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Yarn: There are all kinds of yarns out there to select from…but I recommend going with an average worsted weight yarn. Once you improve your stills, you can use the more elaborate yarns for your projects.
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Stitch Marker: These are great for crocheting in the round…so if you’re looking to make a hat, bowl, doily, or place mat, be sure to grab some stitch markers to help you keep your place.
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Easy Tutorials and Guides for Beginning Crocheters:

Easy Beginner Crochet Projects:

22 Crafting Tutorials and How Tos You Might Have Missed: Part 2

What Crafting Tutorials are You Most Excited to Try?

Tips to Get Started

Tie Dye Tutorials to Try

Want more great ideas? Be sure to check out 100+ Tie Dye Patterns and Techniques.

What’s the coolest tie dye project you’ve made?

Have you ever made a quilt tutorial?

Fabulous Farmer’s Market Tote:

Helpful hints:

Exterior fabric:

Lining fabric:

Instructions:

Do you use reusable totes at the grocery store, or disposable bags?

Are you neat and tidy, or do you need a jewelry organizer?

This tutorial is brought to you by Latrice Murphy from Any Occasion.

Materials:

Instructions:

How to Make a Butterfly Mobile

Beginner’s Crochet Tutorial

We want to know: What other crafting techniques do you want to learn? Leave a comment below and maybe we’ll feature it in an upcoming mini lesson!

Crochet

Jewelry

Knitting

Paper

Sewing

Thrifty