Altering the Color of Wool

Changing the Color of Your Woolens

Wool comes in glorious colors, and some not so glorious colors! Don’t ever pass up a good piece of wool just because you don’t like the color. You want to constantly be building your stash of wool, and in time you may want to start overdying them to achieve exactly the colors you need for a project.

In the meantime, there are ways to change those ugly or not-quite-right woolens to get the colors you need for your hooking projects.

Learning to Marry the Colors of WoolensIf you have several red pieces of wool and you need more than one red for a project, but the reds you have just don’t look good together, you can marry them! Here’s how:If you have several red pieces of wool and you need more than one red for a project, but the reds you have just don’t look good together, you can marry them! Here’s how:Put all those pieces of wool into a pot of warm water with about 1 Tbls detergent. (You might want to save a little “before” piece of each wool for your records.) Put the pot on the stove and let it simmer (I usually go for about 20 minutes). The woolens will each release a bit of their dye, then all the dye colors in the solution blend together, so that the fabrics will become new shades that go well together. When a decent amount of dye is released into the water (or after at least 20 minutes in the pot simmering) you need to set those dyes back into the fabrics. Pour about 1/3 cup white vinegar into the pot, give it a stir, then let is all simmer for another 20 minutes. Pour it all into the sink, allow the wool to cool slightly, then rinse in clear water. Put the wool in your washer and let it go through a cold rinse and a spin cycle, then dry in the dryer with a towel and a dryer sheet. All those colors will now look much better when used together in your rug!

If you have several red pieces of wool and you need more than one red for a project, but the reds you have just don’t look good together, you can marry them! Here’s how:Put all those pieces of wool into a pot of warm water with about 1 Tbls detergent. (You might want to save a little “before” piece of each wool for your records.) Put the pot on the stove and let it simmer (I usually go for about 20 minutes). The woolens will each release a bit of their dye, then all the dye colors in the solution blend together, so that the fabrics will become new shades that go well together. When a decent amount of dye is released into the water (or after at least 20 minutes in the pot simmering) you need to set those dyes back into the fabrics. Pour about 1/3 cup white vinegar into the pot, give it a stir, then let is all simmer for another 20 minutes. Pour it all into the sink, allow the wool to cool slightly, then rinse in clear water. Put the wool in your washer and let it go through a cold rinse and a spin cycle, then dry in the dryer with a towel and a dryer sheet. All those colors will now look much better when used together in your rug!You can do the same thing with woolens of different colors. If you have a bright blue that you want to tone down, just marry it with a piece of orange wool (its complementary color on the color wheel)— the blue and orange will marry to yield two pieces of different colored, but complementary wools that will be less bright and usable for the same project. If you are not sure about complementary colors, check this web site for an example of a color wheel; complementary colors lie directly across the wheel from one another.

1 comment May 24th, 2006

Beginner Sewing Patterns

For those of us who craft or sew, using sewing patterns can seem a little daunting task to learn the how to use them especially when you are just beginning to learn.  There are symbols which represent very important stuff, but somehow is quite well decoded.  However, there is hope with smaller pattern companies like Sew Fast Sew Easy.

While I have to admit I have taken sewing lessons at Sew Fast Sew Easy, I found their patterns very easy right after completing my first class.  They provide a challenge and a great fit.  In a scurry to get together my summer wardrobe, I have made a drawstring pant in light-weight linen using their drawstring pant pattern and am currently working on the large tote bag pattern.   

I am next moving onto their 1/4 circle skirt pattern and their online learning video with the pattern for a makeup bag.  I would love to take one of these to the beach.  This company stands out to me for its cutting edge products.  If you can’t make it to one of their NYC classes, don’t worry.  They have two well written and wonderful books.  However, I have my eyes on their next t-shirt class. 

I know that you will love Sew Fast Sew Easy as much as I do.

1 comment May 24th, 2006

How to Make A Leather Guitar Strap

By Leathersmith Designs Inc.

This article describes the steps that are used for crafting leather guitar straps. To see the whole article with pictures view – making guitar straps. If you do leather craft work, check out our leather craft supplies pages for leather hides, snaps, rivets, leather lace and belt buckles.

First a premium piece of tooling cowhide must be chosen. 5 - 6 oz leather thickness works well for guitar straps to give it the strength but also enough suppleness. Choose leather that has been properly prepared on the underneath side from the tannery so there will be no fuzzy pieces of leather coming off on your clothes when you are wearing the guitar strap.

Draw your guitar strap shape on Bristol board first. Trace the pattern onto the leather and cut the leather with a utility knife or strap cutter. After the leather guitar strap has been cut, dampen it with water on the top surface only. A firm solid flat surface to work on such as a piece of marble or granite should be used. When stamping the guitar straps, you need a firm and solid surface so the stamp tool will not bounce when you hit it with the rawhide mallet. As you stamp the design down the guitar strap, the water will start to dry out so you will have to dampen it again with a wet sponge. If you want to stamp in a name, now is the time to do that as well. This is a labor-intensive process since not only each stamp has to be lined up neatly but also each stamp has to be hit with the same hardness so the design will all be the same depth.

After the water has dried from the leather, you are ready to dye the top surface of the leather. Professional oil dye by the Fiebing Company should be used for coloring the guitar straps. The oil dye penetrates deeply into the leather while allowing the natural grains of the leather to be seen. Although it is more expensive, you may choose to use it so you will not have to worry about rub off like some poorer quality leather dyes.
You should use a folded piece of flannel cloth nailed to a wooden block. The cloth makes a nice applicator to rub the dye into the leather. The wooden block allows you to hold the applicator easily. Protective gloves should be worn so you won’t have to have your hands dyed for weeks. The dye is then rubbed on the guitar strap being very careful not to get it into the stamped design. This is a tedious time consuming process. Many applications are applied to get an even coverage and the desired darkness you want.

Once the dye has dried, you can make a boarder design along the guitar strap with a groove tool. This tool is also used for making stitch grooves for doing sewing for other leather craft projects. There is a small setscrew that allows you to adjust how far from the edge you want the groove to be.

Rather than have a square edge, you round the edge of the guitar strap with a beveller for a more finished look. There are different size bevellers for taking off a little from the edge to a lot. You should even bevel the underneath side for a more comfortable feel on the shoulder. Although you bevel both the top and bottom side of our guitar straps, the bottom is a lot harder to do. Now that all the design work is in the leather, you then dip the guitar strap into a vat of neatsfoot oil compound to keep the leather from drying out and to give it some more suppleness. After the neatsfoot oil is absorbed over a few hours, you then touch it up a bit more with some neatsfoot oil on a brush to even out the color since the neatsfoot oil darkens the leather.

The edges of the guitar straps are dyed with a different dye than the surface. You should use Fiebing’s acrylic dye because it holds down all the edge fibers of the leather. Since it is a hard finish, you burnish the edges when dry with beeswax using a denim applicator. Now the surface is ready to have a couple coats of polish, letting each coat thoroughly dry before the next is applied. There are many polishes for leather that will work well. Fiebing’s resolene is a good polish since it helps seal the dyes as well as giving a brilliant quality finish to the leather.

You then punch the slots for adjustment and the round holes for the guitar knobs using a heavy rawhide mallet and an Osborne punch. So you will not get bounce when you punch the holes, you should use a solid wooden tree stump or equivalent as a workbench.

Now the guitar strap is finished and ready to be worn by a musician. This quality personalized leather guitar strap will last for many years and will become suppler with wear.

Add comment May 19th, 2006

Craft Furniture for the Home and Office

If you’re looking for an innovative way to organizer all your craft needs in your home or office, visit www.ScrapbookSpaceStation.com to see how you can create a great space in your home.  From over sized desks, to oversized cabinets and a great paper organizer and ribbon organizer, we have just about anything your can think to help you organize all your supplies an beautiful modern look.  Sign up for our free monthly newsletter and you’ll be eligible for our contest to give a way a paper organizer starting May 22nd… more info to come.

Add comment May 9th, 2006

Crazy Quilting Techniques - A Beginners Guide

Do you want to make something for a friend that holds a special meaning?  Recycle fabric that brings back happy memories such as that old favorite shirt you use to wear when you hung around together at the store as teenagers or a piece of an old baby blanket that you used when walking your children together - the possibilities are endless!

There are basic techniques to crazy quilting and I will try and touch on each method. Some are easier than others and may be more appropriate for beginners. Remember that it is important to iron as you go along to help keep your patches from puckering.
Antique Method of Crazy Quilting - This is called the “antique method” because it is believed that this type of crazy quilting was used for the antique quilts that still exist today. This method is a little harder but allows for greater creativity and a softer look to the pieces in your quilt. Start with a foundation – I recommend muslin in a 14″ x 14″ square just to get the feel of what you are doing. Start by cutting and laying a piece of fabric in the corner of your muslin. Lay a second patch either underlying or overlying the first piece by a little more than 1/2″. Continue until the entire piece of muslin is covered with pieces of fabric that you pin in place.Now go back to the first piece of fabric and press under the overlapped edges and pin in place. Continue with each patch, pressing and pinning until every patch is finished. If you want any trimmings, such as lace, ribbon, etc., now is the time to add this special touch to your design by also pinning it in place. Now sew you pieces together and to the muslin foundation.

• Landscape Method of Crazy Quilting - Using the Landscape Method is easier than the “Antique” Method because you don’t have to constantly make decisions on which edges will be turned under because each patch is finished as you go. Patches with 90 degree angle or other large angles are better to use in this method because the corners will finish easier. The term “landscape” comes from the way the patches used in this method tend to look like a landscape, giving the impression of rolling hills.Start at one corner and place your patch, pressing under the edges. Continue placing patches and fill the bottom of your foundation piece of fabric (I prefer muslin). When placing your quilting patches, tuck one side under another and press the edges that are exposed. Keep patching until you have filled up your muslin.
  Continue adding patches in this manner and keep sewing with your machine. If it becomes impossible to use the machine, turn them under and press with your iron and sew by hand.
• Sew and Flip Method - Start with a foundation such as muslin measuring no larger than 12″ x 12″. Your beginning patch should be about 4″ x 4″ and 5 sided. Take your second patch and lay it on the first with right sides together. Sew along one side leaving about 1/4″ at the ends of this fabric patch. Do not backstitch because you may have to remove some stitches from the ends.
  Keep adding patches and cut away any excess fabric from previous patches. Have all your fabric pieces with straight edges for ease in sewing and continually iron to keep your fabric from puckering. This is the fastest method I have found but you don’t have as much control over your pattern.

 

For all these crazy quilting techniques, there are really no hard and fast rules. Have fun and don’t stress because this is your design! If there are parts of the muslin showing, simply cut another patch and sew it on. Don’t be afraid to try prints together and unique combinations. You are sharing a time honored tradition with your ancestors so enjoy the sense of connection this project can evoke and know that you are creating a link to the past and a bridge to the future.

If you would like more information about sewing techniques, just visit my site located at: Handbag Information.

Add comment May 8th, 2006

Plastic Canvas Needlepoint-Today’s Most Fun, Frugal Craft!

The most fun and frugal craft around is Plastic Canvas Needlepoint.  The supplies are very inexpensive and easy to find, plus it’s easy to learn for anyone of any age. The charts are easy to read and there’s no need to get out the magnifying glass in order to see what you’re doing! Even the most inexperienced beginner can turn out a project worthy of admiration.
Plastic Canvas Needlepoint is worked by cutting shaped pieces from  sheets of plastic canvas; then working stitches on the canvas.  Worsted weight yarn is the most common type of yarn used, but specialty plastic canvas yarn is also available.
Details are often worked using regular embroidery stitches and embroidery floss. And plastic canvas is a great way to use up the yarn you have left from other projects. It’s a very rewarding kind of needlework. When you work with plastic canvas, projects are not just flat wall hangings or pillows. Probably the item most people think of when they think of plastic canvas is a tissue box cover, but so much more can be done with plastic canvas, from birdhouses to picture frames to purse accessories to baskets to doorstops. 

The list just goes on and on! A handmade gift from the heart is always appreciated.  Plastic canvas makes up beautifully into nursery items just perfect for those baby showers.  Projects work up quickly and they are very portable.  Many stitchers like to keep a totebag just to carry along in order to stitch a little when the opportunity arises. Make accessories for your own home; any pattern can be customized by changing the colors to match your decor.  It is these handmade details that make a house a “Home”. The sheets of plastic canvas are very, very inexpensive.  They’re readily available at discount and craft stores.  Worsted-weight yarn
can be purchased at bargain prices, also.  Plus, garage sales and yard sales are great places to pick up all kinds and colors of yarn.  A little goes a long way in plastic canvas! So if you’re looking for a craft that is fun and affordable, look no further…Plastic Canvas Needlepoint is for you!

For affordable, original plastic canvas needlepoint designs featuring Care Bears, Disney Princess and more, visit Cynthia Roberts’ new website:

http://www.designsbycynthia.cynroberts.com
 

Add comment May 6th, 2006

Can Necklaces Mean a Pain in the Neck?

The wearing of jewellery has been with us across the ages with both men and women seeking to adorn their persons with these ornamental devices. The word jewellery is anglicised from an old French word “joule” (jewel), but the origin can be further traced back to the Latin word “jocale” which means plaything.

Although we typically think of jewellery as being made from precious metals and gemstones, over the centuries it has been made from a variety of materials such as cloth, wood, shells, rocks and stone. In fact man has been very ingenious and artistic in creating jewellery from just about anything and in many different styles from the plain and simple to the highly elaborate.

Items of jewellery have also been adopted as potent symbols and even worn to ward off evil spirits or to help overcome enemies in battle.

Examples of jewellery being worn other than for adornment, are necklaces such as the cross or crucifixes worn by Christians as potent religious symbols. Other religious types of necklaces are pendants known as amulets, which are figures or symbols of varying shapes and sizes, which are hung on a chain round the neck.

Necklaces called lockets, which are usually heart shaped are worn as a symbol of love and open up to reveal a picture or lock of hair from a cherished one.

Necklaces and pendants are both worn around the neck but a pendant usually means a hanging object although it can be hanging from a neck chain or an earring. A choker is also a form of necklace but is worn high around the neck and can also have a pendant hanging from it.

Perhaps the most bizarre form of necklaces are those worn by the Pa Dong Long Neck people who are part of the Karen tribal group that live along the border between Thailand and Burma. From the age of 6 years old, brass rings are snapped around the necks of young girls, a few every year, up to a limit of 20 rings although there is a woman on record as having 28 around her neck. As they progress from childhood to womanhood, their necks appear to elongate although apparently what really happens is that the weight of the rings crushes the women’s collarbones giving the illusion of a very long neck.

It is said that these women only remove the brass rings on their wedding night with a long drawn out process involved, which involves much neck washing. As brass often tends to discolour the skin one can imagine that there may be a rather nasty green mess under those rings. After the wedding night, the rings are replaced and must remain in place for life, as the women’s neck muscles are now no longer strong enough to support the length of the neck and the weight of the head on their own.

This wearing of neck rings was also a practice adopted by women in South Africa and in particular those from the Ndebele tribe and these women have often been referred to as giraffe women because of their long necks. The Ndebele women traditionally wore copper and brass rings around their necks arms and legs as a symbol of their status in society and after marriage as a symbol of her bond and faithfulness to her husband. Husbands would provide their wives with these rings and the richer her spouse the more rings she would wear and they would only be removed after his death as they were believed to have strong ritual powers.

Thankfully, in both the Pa Dong and the Ndebele tribes, this traditional practice is no longer popular and is now dying out in favour of the more usual types of necklaces.

Written by John Lewis of Love2Have. Love2have specialises in quality handcrafted designer necklaces made here in the UK by small independent designers.

Add comment May 2nd, 2006

Jewelry Throughout Time

Throughout time, man has sought to decorate the human body and this has manifested as body painting, tattoos, piercing and for those a little squeamish or less brave, decoration by the wearing of adornments generally know as jewelry.

In ancient times, jewelry may have been simple pieces made from natural materials such as shells plucked from the seashore or pebbles worn smooth and polished by years of being tumbled along the sea or river bed. These would have been strung together perhaps as necklaces or wrist pieces as early examples of a charm bracelet. Nature gives up so many beautiful things that can be used to make items such as earrings, rings, bracelets, hair pieces and so the list goes on.

Skilled craftsmen would have laboured for many hours intricately carving small pieces of bone, ivory or wood to fashion exquisite unique pieces of jewelry, no two of which would ever be the same.

To ancient man, jewelry was not just decorative but very symbolic and the wearer often held the belief that these trinkets were lucky, that they would ward off evil spirits or that they would even help them defeat their enemies in battle.

To the Romans and Ancient Egyptians the wearing of jewelry and the type of jewelry worn was a direct indication of a persons standing in the community. Large heavy ornate pieces forged from solid precious metals such as gold, encrusted with precious or semi precious gemstones were a sign to say – look how rich and important I am.

Styles and materials may have changed over time but the wearing of diamond jewelry has always been a practice adopted by both men and women.

Over the years there has even been functional jewelry such as the medical alert items, which have saved many peoples lives. Identity type bracelets worn by a person who has a medical condition or requires vital medication have helped medical personnel decide on appropriate treatment when faced with a person who has been rendered incapable of communicating because of for instance an accident.

Over recent years, popular items have been the brightly coloured rubber bracelets sold in aid of various charities, which demonstrate that the wearer supports that cause and has donated money to help raise funds for that cause. Some traditionalists may not regard these strictly as being jewelry although who said that the article had to be expensive or made from precious metals to qualify for the name.

In modern times, we have seen a huge increase in the type and variety of jewelry available and the discovery of new strong and lightweight metals such as titanium or other alloys has given rise to new many new possibilities. Man made materials such as acrylics and plastics also lend themselves very well to the manufacture of affordable, colourful jewelry and in the shops you can see many examples of wonderful, bright and modern fun items, to be worn on any occasion as the mood takes.
Whilst most of us choose to spend a little extra on that special piece of jewelry such as our wedding rings, we now have an endless choice of less expensive everyday jewelry which we can change to suit our mood or match our outfit.

Who knows what the future holds with regard to the designs and materials we will have at our disposal to make attractive pieces of jewelry to be worn by both men and women. One thing is for certain and that is that there will be a never ending supply with something to suit all tastes and all budgets from the most traditional to the most contemporary.

John Lewis runs Love2Have an on line jewellery website that only sells UK hand made ladies and diamond jewelry including engagement rings and wedding rings.

Add comment May 2nd, 2006

Engagement Rings from Here to Eternity

The oldest recorded exchange of engagement rings dates back nearly 5000 years ago to ancient Egypt when a never ending band was linked with eternal love. Later for the Romans, a young ladies acceptance of a ring was a legal agreement and meant that the girl was no longer available. These ancient engagement and wedding rings were not gold engagement rings but were often made from simple and crude bands of iron.

Even in these modern times, the gold engagement ring is still regarded as a potent symbol of unity and marriage, which sends out a message about a persons marital status. Traditions have changed over the centuries and not only have the materials which the rings are made out of changed, but men too are now choosing to wear a ring as a symbol of lasting love, fidelity and commitment.

These early tokens which indicated the sealing of a marriage contract, were certainly very different from what we now accept today as an engagement ring and probably wouldn’t have turned too many heads or invoked the green eyed monster because of their beauty and brilliance. In early Roman times rings were simple hoops made out of iron and it wasn’t until much later times that this metal was replaced with precious metals such as gold and silver which do not rust and are more attractive.

Although diamonds were discovered in India at the beginning of the ninth century, it wasn’t until 1500 onwards that brides to be would be wearing something a little bit more special and even then, diamonds would be very much for the wealthy and for royalty.

Since their discovery, diamonds have always been prized for their beauty and brilliance as well as their extreme hardness and the word diamond originated from the Greek word adamas, which means unconquerable. Some even believed diamonds to possess magical powers and along with their other properties, this has made diamonds perfect as a representation of the marriage bond.

When further sources of diamonds were discovered in the nineteenth century, it increased the availability and they became more fashionable, particularly set in engagement rings.

Styles of engagement rings have varied greatly over the years but still some designs have remained popular throughout. The single diamond solitaire is a strong favourite and nobody can resist that big sparkler. The three stone styles have also remained popular and many still believe that this signifies ‘I Love You’.

Although some ladies have chosen other precious gemstones for their engagement rings such as rubies, emeralds, opals and many more, the diamond still is the favourite and as the song says ‘Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend’.

Platinum has also become a popular although a very expensive alternative to gold and silver. Recently there has been a surge in interest in engagement rings made from titanium and zirconium because not only are these metals attractive, lightweight and very hard wearing but they are also hypoallergenic. These metals lend themselves well to more modern styles and the metals can be heat treated to produce wonderful colour effects which make many rings totally unique pieces as no two will ever look the same.

Because of their hardness, Titanium and Zirconium are also used to produce stunning tension set diamond engagement rings, an effect which would be much more difficult to achieve with precious metals which are much softer and more prone to wear over the years increasing the likelihood of the precious stone working loose from the .

Most people wear their engagement ring on the third finger of the left hand although there are a few European countries where the engagement ring is worn on the right hand. The reason for wearing on the third finger of the left hand is thought to date back to ancient Rome and Egypt when it was believed that a vein that ran through that finger ran straight to the heart. Many women also wear their gold wedding ring with a diamond engagement ring and an eternity ring.

John Lewis runs Love2Have an on line jewellery website that only sells UK hand made jewellery including engagement rings and wedding rings.

Add comment May 2nd, 2006

Diamond Rings are True to the Heart

Diamond is a mineral and is the hardest known substance to man, but one of the simplest being composed of carbon and the first recorded history dates back to some 3000 years ago to India. Throughout history diamonds have been associated with mystical power, great beauty and more recently great value and wealth. The word comes from the Greek meaning ‘adamas’ meaning unconquerable and they have been worn throughout the ages by men going into battle as a sign of strength, courage and invincibility.

Most diamonds still originate from central and south Africa although there have been other significant finds in Canada, Brazil, Australia and the biggest diamond mine is in Siberia. The diamond market is very much dominated by De Beers to control the supply and price of diamonds across the world by what some would say are monopolistic practices.

Some of the worlds largest and most valuable diamonds are in the Tower of London in the British Crown Jewels.

Diamonds are indeed very desirable objects and are worn throughout the world set in precious metals in many different types of jewellery. One of the most common pieces of jewellery is still the ladies diamond engagement ring and many women still choose to have a diamond as a symbol of love to wear on their engagement finger whether it be the traditional solitaire or three diamonds which some believe signifies ‘I love you’.
Diamonds have always been associated with romance and legend and it is said that Cupid’s arrows were tipped with diamonds because they possess a magic that nothing else has equalled.

Diamonds vary enormously in price according to size and quality so when choosing diamond rings it is important to consider your budget.

Diamonds are graded according to the 4 c’s which refers to cut, clarity, colour and carat.
The cut of a diamond is very important as it affects the reflective qualities, which will determine the brilliance of a diamond and how it looks to the naked eye. Cut should not be confused with shape such as pear, emerald, round etc.

Clarity refer to the number of flaws known as inclusions in the stone and the stones which have fewer inclusion are more highly prized and valuable because they have greater brilliance. Remember though that a diamond doesn’t have to be flawless to look absolutely stunning.

Diamond colour usually refers to whiteness or colourlessness in white diamonds with those with least colour being more valuable because of their ability to pass more light giving more sparkle and fire. Coloured diamonds do occur naturally ranging from blue to green but they are rare and very expensive.

Carat is the unit of weight for measuring the size of diamonds and in this case it really is a case of size does matter. The value of a diamond rises exponentially in relation to its size so the cost of a 4 carat stone for instance will not be double the cost of a 2 carat stone but very much more. So it is all down to your budget and not a measure of how much someone loves another.

Cost is important when buying a diamond ring but you will find that there is a huge choice out there that will fit within your budget. Remember that clever design and settings can make a diamond appear bigger but if you really want a larger stone on a limited budget you could decide to purchase a stone which is graded slightly lower in terms of clarity and colour.

Written by John Lewis of Love2Have who specialise in unusual diamond rings for wedding, engagement and everyday wear.

Add comment May 2nd, 2006