Only Craft – Craft Blog and Store

September 3, 2009

Handmade Book

Filed under: Craft Ideas — Tags: , , , , , , , , — @ 3:44 am

Making your own notebook gives your journalling a lovely personal touch, they also make very special gifts.

What you will need:-

  • Heavy card or paper for front and back covers – decorate, paint or stain
  • A4 writing paper, drawing paper, craft paper or decorative paper as desired.
  • Embroidery thread
  • Large darning needle or punch
  • Blunt knife
  • Pegs or clips

Cut paper to the desired size for A4 paper in half is good. Cut the covers to match. Mark holes by measuring even spaces along the edge about 1cm in, to fit paper size and making sure you have an odd number of holes. For an interesting touch you can punch holes in a zig zag pattern instead of a straight line.

So the covers will open easily you will need to score the front and back with the knife being careful not to cut into the card. Score just to the right of the holes and fold over and back gently. Place the pages inside the covers and secure with clip or peg. Punch the holes in the marked spots with the darning needle then you are ready to thread.

Cut the thread four times the length of the book plus a little more to allow for tying off. Start threading from the top, put the threaded needle through the hole from the back through to the front then around and through the back again. From the front move down to the next hole and repeat all the way to the bottom. Once you have reached the bottom hole do a running stitch back to the top and tie both ends together.

July 16, 2009

Weaving

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , — @ 5:52 am

Weaving is a method of making fabric by interlacing horizontal and vertical strands of yarn. Despite the wide range of manufactured goods available there is enormous satisfaction in creating a fabric to your own specifications.

Description

Two sets of thread are interlaced at right angles to each other. One set is called the warp and these travel along the length of the cloth. The warp threads on each edge are called the selvedges. The threads which travel across the width of the fabric (from selvedge to selvedge) are called the weft. The number of warp or weft threads used per centimetre or per inch is called the sett.

Materials and Equipment

Threads used for the warp of a tapestry should be strong, smooth and even such as cotton, wool or linen. Ordinary knitting wool is not suitable. A good type of weft thread is rug yarn.

Simple frame looms are suitable for small to medium-sized tapestries, they are inexpensive, portable, easily stored and no other equipment is required. Painters canvas stretchers can be used to make a ready-prepared frame.

A tape measure is needed to place the warp threads accurately. A ruler checks the accuracy of the warp.

A clamp fixes the frame to the table edge whilst winding the warp.

General items include pen or pencil , adhesive tape, darning needle and scissors.

July 15, 2009

Applique

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , — @ 6:45 am

Applique is the name given to stitching pieces of fabric to a background cloth to make a design. Using a variety of textures and colours will give you an almost endless supply for your imagination. Done by hand or on a sewing machine you can decorate your home with your own personal and unique touch.

Materials and Equipment

Two pairs of scissors – one for cutting out shapes and a fine pointed pair for notching edges and snipping threads. Needles in a packet of assorted sizes should cover everything required.  Choose your needles to suit your stitch this makes for much easier sewing, large needles are best for embroidery.   Pins, very fine will hold the pieces in position while sewing. A thimble will help you keep up a nice pace of work. An embroidery hoop makes large scale work easier.

Regular pure cotton thread is the best though synthetic will work fine. For slip stitching use a matching colour to your applique piece. Transparent thread is useful if you cannot match your colours and a contrast is not wanted.  For machine stitching use a machine embroidery cotton choose a fine lustrous texture if possible.

Tracing paper is used for designing. A non-slip paper is best for backing machine applique work. A hard sharp pencil is needed for designs.

A sewing machine should have a swing needle if it is to be used to apply the pieces. Fabric of almost any description is usually worth keeping for your applique projects. for machine applique is is best to use firm fabric backgrounds and for the applique pieces, finely woven, plain weave fabrics.

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