Craft Tips

[Guest guest]

Craft Tips

 

 

--------------

Crafts

 

I don't like to dig my craft projects out of the closet ( when

I hide them from tiny hands ). So instead I came up with a few ideas

on how to store the stuff that can hurt my children.

 

Crochet needles can be stored in the tooth brush holders that

you use for traveling.

 

Sewing, cross stitch needles can be stored in old medicine

bottles with child proof lids.

 

Beads for example can be stored in the medicine bottles as

well.

 

To keep all of my cross stitch projects together , I put all

the thread , pattern , etc in a freezer bag. Since I am the queen of

starting a cross stitch , getting tired of it and then starting

another, I have quiet a few ... ok A LOT ... that needed to be

organized. Now when I want to pick one I just flip through the bags.

(Andrea)

 

 

______

To sort seed beads that have been mixed with various size beads

use a fine mesh colander. (Sarah)

 

 

______

Always wash new material before you sew with it. The reason is

that the size may shrink, or the colors may bleed into other colors.

My mother-in-law uses a dye magnet product to help keep colors from

bleeding into each other. (Wendy)

 

 

______

You can make the clothes pins you use for hanging out clothes

or crafts last longer by boiling them in a salt water. (Debbie)

 

 

______

To keep quite a few different colors of thread in your sewing

box, fill several bobbins . There smaller and yet you will have a

range of colors for all the little jobs. (Lisa)

 

 

______

When tracing patterns onto fabric, lay them on sandpaper to

keep them from sliding. (Seraphima)

 

 

______

To soften glue that has thickened up, add a few drops of

vinegar to it. (Mary)

 

 

______

If you've ever done any gold leafing, you know how those thin

sheets can stick to your fingers because of the natural oil in your

skin. A light dusting of talcum powder all over your hands before you

start will eliminate this. (Paulette)

 

 

______

If you have paint brushes that are stiff because they dried

with paint in them, just dip them in some rubbing alcohol and

they'll soften up. (make sure to rinse when done)

 

 

______

PLEASE DON'T EVER, NEVER, EVER use compressed air anywhere near

your sewing machines! It pushes the lint farther into your machine

and into tiny spaces it otherwise wouldn't go!!!!! Suck it out with

a vacuum. There are even special tiny little attachments for this,

or just brush it out. If you rub a little sewing machine oil on your

brush first, the lint sticks to it better! (Kimi)

 

 

______

When doing cross stitch projects, to keep those ends from

coming undone in the back, use clear fingernail polish.

 

 

______

To keep the sewing basket a little more tidy, place small

things (like buttons) in plastic baggies.

 

 

______

Use a cookie sheet for your crafts that require glue. Once you

are finished gluing the parts together, you can pick up the whole

project on the cookie sheet and move it somewhere safe to dry. Better

than working on newspaper.

 

 

______

To stiffen crochet work you can mix white glue and water.

Saturate the item in the solution and squeeze out the excess. Stretch

to the proper shape, and pin to a piece of styrofoam ( a meat tray

for small items works well) Allow to dry 24 hours. * sprinkle with

glitter then wet if desired. (Pebbles)

 

 

______

For easier threading of needles, spray the end of the thread

with hairspray.

 

 

______

Use a magnet to pick up needles that happen to fall on the

floor or to attract lose needles & pins.

 

 

______

Needles and pins can be stored in a bar of soap. It lubricates

them.

 

 

______

Use empty soda bottles as yarn holders. Just pull off the

outside plastic bottom of the bottle. Put the yarn inside, feed one

end through the spout and replace the outer bottom.

 

 

______

Use a flashlight to locate pins that drop on the floor.