Crafts To Make Now

To the average person, dishtowels are not very exciting. But they provide a wealth of opportunities for those who like to make unusual crafts. Here are five projects you can create using dishtowels:

Dish Towel Bunny

Materials:
* A dishtowel
* Two washcloths
* Some ribbon

Instructions:
1. Lay the dishtowel down wrong side up, and fold it in thirds lengthwise. Then fold it in thirds again.
2. Roll one washcloth from the corner inward, stopping at the center. Do the same with the opposite corner, meeting the other roll in the middle.
3. Fold the top of the dishtowel down one-third of the way. Lay the washcloth inside the fold, grab the ends, and pull them up.
4. Use some ribbon to tie a bow on the washcloth, as close as possible to the dishtowel. Tie another bow on the dishtowel, directly under where the bulge created by the washcloth ends.
5. Roll the other washcloth starting at one side and ending at the other.
6. Slide this washcloth up between the back and front of the dishtowel, keeping it centered. Tie a bow on the dishtowel underneath it.
7. Bring the ends of the second washcloth around to the front and tie with ribbon.

Child's Apron

Materials:
* Dishtowel
* Iron
* Needle and thread
* Scissors
* 2 yards of narrow ribbon

Instructions:
1. Place the towel face-down, fold the top corners inward to create an apron shape, and use the iron to crease them.
2. Sew a seam about an inch from the edge of each crease.
3. Using a dowel or pencil, thread the ribbon up through one seam and down through the other. Leave a loop for the child's head, and knot the ends of the ribbon.
4. Fold the bottom up and sew to make pockets if desired.

Tote Bag

Materials:
* Dishtowel
* Scissors
* Needle and thread or sewing machine

Instructions
1. Cut the towel to 14 by 27 inches.
2. Fold the towel in half so that it is wrong side out. Sew from the fold to the top edge on each side.
3. Cut two 2 by 27 inch handles from the excess material. Fold them lengthwise wrong side out and sew the length of the handle. When finished, turn them right side out.
4. Sew one handle to the inside front and one to the inside back of the tote.

Baby Bib

Materials:
* Dishtowel
* Ribbing
* Needle and thread

Instructions:
1. Cut a hole about 4 inches in diameter in the towel, about one-fourth of the way down.
2. Cut ribbing to fit around the hole, and pin it in place.
3. Sew the ribbing into place.

Potholder

Materials:
* Dishtowel
* Small piece of ribbon
* Needle and thread

Instructions:
1. Fold the dishtowel so that it is the size of a standard potholder.
2. Sew around the edges.
3. Sew the ribbon to a corner or side to use for hanging.

For those who love to create beaded crafts, the finished product is sufficient reward for their efforts. But did you know that beading is a great way to help worthwhile charities? Beaded items are great for fundraising, because they're easily portable and sell very well.

What Kinds of Beaded Items Are Best?

Simple beaded pins are great for fundraising. They can be created in a snap with some beads and safety pins, or they can be made more elaborate. It's easy to find or create patterns that are appropriate for a wide variety of causes. These pins usually sell for $1 to $5 each, so it's best to keep them fairly simple so that you can create lots of them.

Beaded jewelry is another popular craft item that works nicely for fundraising. It too can be simple or elaborate, but more elaborate pieces may bring higher prices. Making earrings and necklaces that match and selling them separately can bring in even more money for the charity.

Some other beaded items that are good for fundraising include accessories such as purses and barrettes and home décor items. Just remember to keep things simple unless they will be sold for higher prices or at auction.

What Charities Can I Bead For?

Some charities actively seek crafters to create items for them to sell. To find these, check your local newspaper or look online. VolunteerMatch.com is one of the best websites for finding any type of volunteer opportunity, including calls for craft items.

If you have a specific charity in mind, contact your local chapter and ask if they would like to do a fundraiser with you. You can donate your work if you like, but large charities will often pay wholesale prices for craft items. This will help you recover your costs while still helping the charity.

You could also simply sell the items on your own and donate the profits to the charity of your choice. When doing this, however, it is important to consider the legal ramifications. You can't claim to be affiliated with the charity when you're really not, and if you say that all or a certain percentage of the profits will go to charity, then they must. It can also have an effect on your income taxes, so check with your tax advisor before proceeding.

Beading for charity is both fun and rewarding. Whether you do all of the beading yourself or get a group together to create the items, it's a good feeling knowing that you're doing something that you love and helping a worthy cause at the same time. You can even get your kids in on the act, laying the foundation for a lifetime of charitable activities.

Do you remember the friendship bracelets that were all the rage back in the 1980s? Made of yarn or embroidery floss, they were created with care and traded among friends as a symbol of esteem. Their popularity waned after a while, but they never completely went away.

Friendship bracelets are making a comeback of sorts. This provides parents with a great opportunity to get their children interested in crafts. The Imagine Nation Friendship Bracelet Kit comes with everything they need to get started and then some.

A great value at only $10, the kit includes 25 skeins of embroidery floss in a rainbow of colors and over 1,000 beads. It also includes the materials needed to make a headband, barrettes, and bobby pins, and detailed instructions for creating the accessories. There's enough for your child to create pieces for all of her friends, with plenty left over to make some things for herself.

Making friendship bracelets takes a substantial amount of time, yet seeing the piece come together has a way of keeping a child's interest for hours on end. This kit is great for keeping the kids constructively busy while you're working around the house. It's also great for travel, as it can make long trips go by much faster for active young minds. And if you're looking for a birthday party craft, simple bracelets or barettes are a great choice.

Friendship bracelets are also a great craft for parents and children to work on together. It's simple enough for kids to comprehend sufficiently, yet not so simple that an adult will become bored with it. It can literally be fun for the whole family!

The Imagine Nation Friendship Bracelet Kit is a great way to introduce your child to crafting. With it, she can be making beautiful gifts for her friends in no time.

Friendship bracelets

Fabric painting is tons of fun for both children and adults. Bright colored paints and a semi-steady hand can transform a plain t-shirt into a real fashion statement. Better, they enable children to express themselves creatively and then wear their statement again and again. Here's how to get started with fabric painting.

Supplies:

o T-shirt, sweatshirt, canvas bag, or even a pillow case.
o Fabric paint
o Paint brushes, sponges
o Cardboard
o Paper plate or pie tin to hold paint.

Start with a simple t-shirt. White isn't the only option, any color will do. The key is to make sure the fabric is at least 50% cotton. Natural fabrics respond to and adhere to paint better than synthetic fabrics. Once you get your t-shirts home, test a small area to make sure the paint adheres properly and doesn't bleed. Enthusiasts also recommend a tight weave as paint will cling better and the color intensity will be brighter.

Many recommend washing the fabric first. This removes any sizing from the material which can interfere with the painting process. If you choose to wash the fabric first, be sure to skip the fabric softener.

Fabric paint comes in a variety of forms. For children, the fabric paint which comes in bottles with easy to apply nozzle tops makes application easy. However, sponges and paint brushes can add texture and a higher degree of detail. If you're using bottles with an applicator tip, store them upside down to prevent bubbles from interfering with the lines of your design. Glitter can be added when paint is wet to add an extra sparkle to the project.

Sometimes children have an idea of exactly what they want and all you have to do is give them the tools and watch them go. Other children may benefit from a pattern or design ideas. Cookie cutters provide great stencils, cups make perfect circles and a ruler can help a child make straight lines. Letters can be created quickly and easily with stencils. Coloring books with large pictures can also work very well as templates. Of course for ultimate fun painted hands make for fantastic fun and fashion.

When children are ready to paint, fabrics have been tested and prepared and designs have been planned out it is time to slide a piece of cardboard underneath the material being painted. If a t-shirt or sweatshirt is being painted the cardboard should be inserted inside to keep paint from bleeding onto the other side. The same holds true for pillow cases and bags. If you're painting a napkin or something with only one layer, cardboard positioned underneath will protect the table surface.

Follow the directions on the paint for drying times. This is often difficult for children who want to be able to finish the other side of their project or who are ready to wear their masterpiece. Plan to have an activity after painting or explain the process ahead of time so children won't be disappointed. This is a fun project!

Scrapbooking is a beautiful way to preserve our precious memories. But whether you're new to the craft or a veteran scrapper, it can be difficult to come up with fresh ideas for page layouts. Wouldn't it be great to have somewhere to turn when you're stuck?

The Amazing Page: 650 New Scrapbook Page Ideas, Tips and Techniques can help you get out of that rut and get on with your scrapbooking. It has enough ideas to keep you scrapbooking for months on end without doing the same layout twice. But it's more than just a page gallery. It includes lots of information to help you hone your scrapping skills and broaden your horizons.

The book is broken up into a number of themes, including family, babies, kids, teens, travel and more. This makes it easy to find just the right page for the type of scrapbook you're creating. It also includes a CD-ROM with 75 printable sketches to help you jump-start your scrapbook.

The layouts in this book all come from Memory Makers scrappers. Each one includes a list of supplies needed to create it. Sidebars and tip boxes are also featured throughout the book, many of which come from the scrappers themselves. They include advice on design, photography, technique, and many more relevant topics.

The Amazing Page makes a great gift for the avid scrapbooker, or for yourself. It's one of those books that you can pick up for inspiration, and within a few minutes, you can be well on your way to creating a beautiful scrapbook layout. Whether you follow the layouts to the letter or simply use them to inspire your own ideas, this book is well worth the price.

The Amazing Page:
650 Scrapbook Page Ideas, Tips and Techniques
(Memory Makers)

Buttons are easy to collect. A jar stored in the laundry room can collect dozens each year. They come attached to new clothes, and often show up in the strangest of places. So what can you do with all of those buttons? Make great projects with your children!

Here are seven fun things your kids can make with all those extra buttons:

1. Button People. Buttons with two holes make great faces. A swatch of fabric glued onto cardboard can be cut to make the clothing, pipe cleaners or cord can be made into arms and legs and string can be cut and glued to make the hair. Grab a flat backed pin, glue it to the cardboard and you have yourself an adorable button person who can be pinned to bags, shirts, or a long ribbon to hang.

2. Button Flowers. Buttons have the perfect shape for the center of a flower. Give your children several pieces of brightly colored construction paper, glue, scissors and a few buttons and see what kinds of spring bouquets they can come up with. To get really fancy, give them string to glue to the paper beneath the flowers as a stem.

3. Sock Puppets. No sock puppet is complete without a pair of button eyes. Grab an old sock, extra felt for mouths, arms and legs, yarn for hair, and your children have the tools to get creative and put on their very own puppet show.

4. Flower pots. If you have a collection of like colored or like sized buttons, grab a hot glue gun or craft glue and decorate pots to give them an upbeat polka dotted flair.

5. Button tree. Small holiday trees can be purchased at your local hobby or craft store for less than $.25. Small buttons can be glued onto the tree to create a lovely wintertime or holiday table centerpiece. The more unique the button, the more interesting the centerpiece.

6. Cards. Buttons can be arranged to create an abstract design or an image and glued onto heavy cardstock. For example a collection of buttons arranged to resemble a clutch of balloons might be the ideal card cover for you're a child's birthday card.

7. Robot. Wrap a few small boxes with tin foil and stack them to resemble a robot with the smallest box on the top for the head. Attach paper towel tubes also wrapped in foil to the body. Buttons can be glued on for eyes, technician's panel or other robot-like decorations. Grab a can of metallic paint to add a more technical feel to the buttons.

Button projects are a great way to keep your children happy and occupied on a rainy day. They invigorate their imagination and provide a very good use for those growing button collections.

Felting gives knitted items a whole new look. It eliminates the definition of the stitches, creating a soft, smooth piece. Felting is most commonly done to hats, purses and other accessories.

The easiest way to felt your crafts is in the washing machine. Here's how to do it, step by step.

1. Set your washing machine on the hottest temperature, longest agitation cycle, and lowest water setting. Adding detergent is optional, but if you do, it's important to use only a very small amount.
2. Place the item you are felting in a pillowcase, preferably one that zips shut. This isn't absolutely necessary, but it will keep your project from getting hung or lost in the washer and keep any fuzz that is produced during the process contained.
3. Wait for the washer to fill and begin agitating, and drop the pillowcase containing your item in.
4. Check the item every five minutes. Felting times vary depending on the yarn used, so this step is crucial. If the washer starts to drain, stop it and reset the dial so that it resumes agitation.
5. Watch for signs of felting, which include loss of stitch definition and shrinkage. Once these begin to occur, start checking the piece twice as often to avoid overfelting.
6. Determine when the felting is complete. If your piece was designed to be felted, it will be done when it reaches the dimensions that the pattern calls for. Otherwise, it's simply a matter of preference.
7. When felting is complete, remove the piece from the washer and let the water drain. Rinse it with cold water, and wring it out very gently so as not to stretch it. Shape it and let it dry.

Tips For Effective Felting

* If you're not sure how well an item will felt, make a swatch and felt it first. That way you won't ruin the project you spent so much time on.
* Some say that yarn crafts felt more quickly if they are exposed to added friction. An easy way to achieve this is to put something else in the washer with them (but not inside the pillowcase). A pair of jeans works well, because they're firm and heavy.
* Most washing machines do not start the spin cycle if the lid is up. If you can't watch your item closely, leaving the lid open will keep the washer from spinning the water out until you can attend to it.
* Items with straps or other parts that could get twisted up will have to be watched especially closely. Twisting will result in uneven felting.
* White and light-colored yarns usually do not felt well. If possible, make sure your item is made of medium to dark thread.

Sometimes there just aren't enough hours of daylight to do all of the crafting you want to do. Regular overhead lights are seldom much help, and lamps aren't much better. Neither is very good at putting light exactly where you need it. There has to be a better solution, doesn't there?

The Mighty Bright Craft Light is great for dedicated crafters. At 6 inches long, it's tiny, but don't let its small size fool you. This little light is a real powerhouse.

The Mighty Bright features a clip that you can use to attach it to your pattern or project itself, or to the headboard if you're working in bed. The light can also stand on its own, using the clip as a base. It has a very flexible neck that you can use to position the light exactly where you need it. But these features are only the beginning.

Instead of an incandescent bulb, this light has two super LEDs. As bright as 6 standard LEDs, it can light up a large area uniformly without casting light where it's not wanted. It's perfect for when others are sleeping, or for working in the car at night while someone else is driving. And if both LEDs are too much, you can turn one off with the flip of a switch.

The unit can be powered by 3AAA batteries, or with AC power with an adapter (sold separately). Its 40-hour battery life is better than that of most flashlights. And if you're only using one of the bulbs at a time, it could last much longer than that.

This super-portable light is great for the dedicated crafter. It sheds plenty of light to illuminate your project and instructions while being unobtrusive to others. You won't have to break the bank buying batteries or bulbs for it, either. If you are tired of fighting with regular lamps when working on your crafts, this light could be a very worthwhile investment.

Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 Book/Craft/Clip-On Light, Purple

Any knitter can vouch for the importance of a good yarn. It makes projects turn out better and gives them the desired weight and texture. There are lots of yarn options out there, but what if you can't find one that suits you perfectly? Well, you could spin your own.

Spinning yarn is not a complicated process. You can do it with a spinning wheel or a drop spindle. Spinning wheels are larger, quicker and more expensive, while using a drop spindle is slower, but they are smaller and cheaper. Both do a fine job at creating yarn, so which one is best for you will depend on your budget and preferences.

One other advantage of drop spindles is that with a little practice and a good set of instructions, you can often figure them out on your own. Spinning wheels, on the other hand, require a great deal of coordination and concentration, especially when you're starting out. If you have trouble, spinning classes are available in most areas.

Selecting and Preparing Your Fiber

Besides your spinning wheel or drop spindle, you'll need some fiber. Wool is generally regarded as the best fiber to start out with. You can find it in craft stores, on eBay, or from online craft suppliers. These places often sell wool that has already been carded, which means that all knots have been worked out and it's ready to use.

Fiber that comes straight from the animal will need to be washed first. Dishwashing liquid and hot water should get it nice and clean. The wool should not be agitated, just soaked in the water and dish soap for about 30 minutes. After that, add some cold water, let it soak again, then remove and press the water out without rubbing the fleece together.

If you use fiber that you've gotten straight from the animal or buy fiber that hasn't been carded, you'll need to card it before you begin. This can be accomplished most easily with an electric carding machine. Paddle carders require more work on your part, but they are less expensive and work just fine.

Time to Start Spinning

Once you've prepared your wool, you can start learning how to spin it. There is a learning curve with either method, but once you've gotten the hang of it, it's like second nature. If you'd like to get a feel for things before spinning from scratch, you could spin two yarns together to create plied yarn.

Spinning yarn is an age-old process, and one that is mostly done in factories these days. But doing your own spinning can be quite rewarding. It allows you complete control over your yarn, making your finished products turn out better. Why not give it a try?

Wise parents and child care givers know the power of a well stocked craft closet. Rainy days, sick days, and those extra long school breaks can wreak havoc on even the most patient parents. A well stocked craft closet can save babysitters, grandparents, and even parents when those two little words are uttered, "I'm Bored." The words are enough to send children and parents alike into tears. Imagine having the ability to reach into your magic craft supply box and pull out a craft to keep your children busy and to entertain them when they're seemingly incapable of entertaining themselves.

Here's a list of the super handy craft supplies for those moments when having an activity is an absolute must!

o Tempera paint
o Glue - clear or white glue is best.
o Construction paper
o Tape (Lots and lots of tape)
o Crayons
o Markers
o Glitter and or glitter glue.
o Hole punch
o Safe scissors
o Pipe cleaners
o Ruler
o Clay - the kind that doesn't dry out is ideal.
o Cookie cutters
o Felt or foam sheets and shapes
o Paint brushes

It also helps to keep a folder full of easy to make crafts. That way all you have to do is pull out the craft instructions and supplies and an afternoon will pass quickly by.

Of course, all of those supplies can take up a ton of space. A plastic organizer, cart with drawers or even an organizer designed specifically for crafting are a great way to store supplies without having them take over the home.

On top of the staples of a good craft supply kit, there are a few around the home supplies families can begin collecting. It's a great way to be environmentally conscious and to inspire your child's imagination. Collect and reuse:

o Bottle caps
o Buttons
o Cereal boxes
o Straws
o Egg Cartons
o Scraps of fabric
o Old magazines for collages
o Popsicle sticks
o Paper towel and toilet paper rolls
o Wrapping paper
o Bows and yarn
o Tin cans
o Newspaper
o Sponges

Rainy days, cold weather days, sick days and good ol hang around the house days are brightened when children are engaged and creating fabulous works of art. A well stocked craft supply kit will make it much easier to have those moments and to make it easy for children to avoid those two dreaded words. Make sure you have plenty of space to store their artwork and don't forget to leave room on you refrigerator!

How's your scrapbooking going? As the weather starts to turn, and it's definitely getting chillier here in the UK, then I am sure you will be spending more time on your scrapbooking!

What with all the news about the global financial crisis anything we can do to focus on other things seems like a good idea!

But equally the recession is having an impact on all of us. I know from feedback I have received that more and more people are thinking of ways in which they can raise a little extra money!

Scrapbookers have a head start on that because we have a skill that's in demand! In fact you wouldn't believe how much demand there is for it. From christmas gift seekers to family historians scrapbooking is becoming one of the most sought after skills!

That's why I wanted to give you a small gift which you will find of interest! The report for which there is no charge is about how to benefit from your scrapbooking skills and can be downloaded here: Make Money Scrapbooking

Right click to save it to your own computer and make sure that you make a note of where you have saved it to! Then do read it and see whether you can make use of the information.