Sheep Wool, Mohair, Cashmere, Angora, Alpaca, Camel, and Llama Most natural yarn comes from animal fiber, particularly sheep wool, mohair, cashmere, angora, and alpaca. Understanding yarn fiber helps when choosing yarn for a project. Natural yarn can come from animal fiber or plant fiber, but historically most yarn has been made from animal fiber. Different […]
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Knitting Patterns, Stitch Patterns, Knitting Hints & Tips Here are some great basic knitting books that teach general techniques, knitting patterns, stitch patterns, yarn composition, and general knitting hints and tips. There are hundreds of knitting books that cover everything from introductions to knitting to advanced techniques to knitting patterns. While it’s hard to learn
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Each year the American Quilter’s Society releases dozens of new titles. Here are reviews for several of their exceptional quilting books. The American Quilter’s Society is among the major quilt book publishers in the country. Each year they release dozens of new titles. Here are reviews for several of their exceptional quilting books.* Yo-Yo Dolls
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What’s Needed To Begin Knitting If you’d like to create your own winter fashion, nothing beats the warmth of wool, and becoming a knitter is not as difficult or expensive as you may have first thought! In the past knitting has been unfairly misrepresented as a hobby for grandmas! This is far from the truth
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Here are some knitting ideas to inspire knitters to work on shared, crafty, creative knitting projects at their next knitting club meeting. Knitting clubs are active social clubs, where members often work on individual projects. For a change of pace, why not work on a group project? Here are some ideas for creative knitters, to
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For expert knitters and beginner knitters, a knitting club is a great way to socialize and learn about new stitches or easy knitting patterns. Knitting clubs are a fun way for people to share their passion for knitting. So pick up some knitting needles and a ball of yarn, and find some like-minded knitters, to
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Babies Love this Quick-to-Make Gift Item Baby will be thoroughly enchanted with these entertaining little animal rattles designed to fit comfortably on the wrist. They work up very quickly in medium weight yarn. Level: Easy These rattles can be made in one color, multiple colors, or from a mottled yarn; each effect makes the rattle
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Use Scrap Yarn to Make Quick & Free Christmas Gifts Most crochet artists have a ton of scrap yarn lying around. Use it all up while taking care of the holiday shopping this Xmas. A common thread crocheters share is the love of yarn, and most love to collect it. Yarn has a tendency to
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Crochet Versus Knitting When deciding on a project, or maybe even designing one, there is always the question of whether to go the way of crochet or the neat of knitting. Knitting and crochet can be combined to make the most beautiful items you can imagine. However the two crafts are quite different, and it
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Tips when Combining Knitting & Crocheting with Beading A super-hot trend is to add beads to knitting and crocheting. Get a head start with tips to use when combining these crafts. Knitwear and Crochet-wear are absolutely gorgeous when the maker of these items pops them up with beads. Beads can be added to just about
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Native South American Luxury Textiles of Peru & Inca Civilization Peruvian Pima cotton, gossypium barbadense, is luxury cotton native to South America. Here is an overview and history of Peruvian Pima cotton from the Incas to today. Gossypium barbadense, commonly known as Pima cotton, is today cultivated in many of the major cotton-growing regions of
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Sewing Success Begins With the Right Material Successful sewing projects begin with the right fabric for the job. Successful sewing projects don’t just happen. They begin with the right fabric for the job. Here are some factors to keep in mind. Different Fabrics for Different Purposes Start by focusing on the intended use or function
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Broadcloth and gingham are classic fabrics. These all-purpose materials are used for clothing and décor. They’re easy to sew and handle. Sewing Broadcloth This fine fabric has a slightly uneven surface with extremely fine ribs and a slight sheen. Broadcloth is a tightly woven, soft material. Though it is often 100% cotton, cotton blends are
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Cotton became a major crop in America after the colonies won their independence. Cotton mills were established in both the North and South. Cotton became a major crop in the South. This was particularly true after the Revolutionary War. By the early 1800s cotton was of major importance in South Carolina. Cotton cultivation also spread
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Cool Concepts for Patching & Repairing Jeans Create fashion statements with unique jean patches. While “holey” jeans are undeniably in style, some holes (and some dress codes) require a little improvising to make jeans acceptable for wear. Patching a pair of jeans can be an opportunity for a fashion statement, not a fashion punishment, with
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Cloths, Threads & Designs in China’s Old Embroideries In past centuries, everything in a Chinese household was covered in embroidery. Clothing, accessories, and household furnishings were all adorned with embroidered symbols. These symbols were always auspicious and designed to protect the wearer and occupants from harm and to foster good fortune in the family home.
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Add Surface Decoration and Texture to your Work using this Technique Add applique to your sewing and crafts to bring additional decoration, or apply to garments and accessories to customize or give a unique touch to your work. Appliqué is the craft of applying pieces of fabric to the top of another piece of fabric
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Start a Fabric Stash of old, cast-off Materials and Garments! Use old or cast-off garments, textile remnants, or pieces of upholstery fabric in your sewing to create original items. This is a low cost and environmentally friendly. Recycling and repurposing fabric not only gives a free or low-cost source of materials, but it also provides
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Vintage Style of Embroidering with Red Thread is Popular Again Redwork embroidery first became popular in the 1880s. It’s popular again today for quilts and home decor accessories, and can now be stitched by machine and by hand. Redwork embroidery got its name from Turkey red cotton embroidery thread, a machine-made thread that became popular
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Vintage Style of Hand Embroidery Stitched in Red is Popular Again Redwork embroidery designs, known for their old-time charm, are easy enough for just about anyone to sew. Hand redwork’s must-have element is red embroidery floss. Redwork embroidery got its name from the colorfast red embroidery thread that first became widely available in the late
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