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Fusainne

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Artisan Crafts Week



That's great! Maybe you heard about the great benefits crafting can have for your mental health, or maybe you want to get on the zero waste train and start making some items yourself instead of buying. Or maybe you want to give handmade gifts for your loved ones next Christmas? Whatever your reasons, I promise there is a craft out there that is right for you (and your budget). In the following, I'm going to introduce you to some easy beginner crafts you don't need much to start with. In fact, I'm going to start with a few 'no budget' crafts that you might be able to dive right into with things you already have at home, going on to those that need some minimal to moderate purchases to start. For the sake of this article, I consider 'low budget' to be < $5, 'high budget' > $25, and 'mid budget' everything in-between.

Mind that my budget recommendations can vary widely depending on your personal circumstances - you can always choose to spend more money and start with higher-quality tools and supplies. On the other hand, you could also cut costs by striking a deal at a thrift store or the like, or by borrowing tools from a friend to try out a new craft. That being said, all crafts tend to spiral out of control once you get into them - there are always so many more shiny projects you will want to try out - and SABLE (stash acquisition beyond life expectancy) is a thing! You have been warned.

Below each section, you will see some examples both of beginner friendly projects that you should be able to make after a couple hours of practice, and more advanced projects that will need more experience to make.

No to High Budget - Upcycling & Sewing


Now, these are quite difficult to place, since 'Upcycling' is such a broad term and actually doesn't refer to one single craft, but spans almost all the other crafts I'll be talking about, and possibly many more. And although in this paragraph, I'll mostly be talking about the sewing-aspect of Upcycling, I want you to keep it in mind while reading through the rest of the list, which is why I'm putting it first.
Upcycling, generally speaking, describes the process of taking something you don't need anymore, and turning it into something new that is useful and/or pretty. This can involve the use of tools or other crafting supplies. Examples of Upcycling are making decorative vases from old glass bottles, making furniture from palettes, or turning old books into 3D paper cutting sculptures.

This concept can be especially useful when it comes to sewing. For a beginner sewing project, all you need is needle, thread, and some pretty fabrics - and what are old cloths, towels, bed sheets and curtains if not a bunch of fabric? Old t-shirts can become doll's clothing. A pair of old trousers can be turned into a handbag, and all kinds of fabric can be used to make beautiful, creative decorations or quilts. Even the filling of old pillows could be re-purposed in making plushies! And even if your goal is making clothes yourself, it might be easier to start altering clothes you have - adding some lace or buttons, shortening or attaching length, turning an oversized shirt into a pretty dress. The possibilities are endless, so before you spend a lot of money at the fabric store, it might be wise to pay a visit to your own wardrobe first.

By the way, you might notice I haven't mentioned a sewing machine before - that is because, generally speaking, everything you can do with a machine, you can do by hand with a little more patience. That being said, if you already own a sewing machine, can get one cheaply or maybe use a friend's, that might speed up your progress considerably, depending on the project, and they aren't that hard to use, either. So don't be deterred giving it a try!


 

No/Low Budget - Papercrafts


Chances are high you've already done some type of papercraft as a kid. Papercrafts are incredibly popular and easy to get into, and the possibilities are infinite! I am going to introduce you to three main types of paper crafts you could try out, and chances are you already have everything at home that you need to do so.

First up are paper folding techniques like origami. Starting with a square or rectangular piece of paper, you fold, unfold and re-fold it to create all kinds of shapes! You can make flat objects (like stars) to put on your window or on a card, you can make all kinds of animals that will stand up on their own, or you can create boxes and other containers. All you really need is some pretty, not-too-thick paper. Special origami paper in all kinds of sizes, colours or patterns is sold at craft stores, but coloured printer paper or gift wrapping will be perfect for your first tries. Some folding techniques will require some scissors to cut the paper, but traditional origami usually goes without. There are also 3D techniques where you will be sticking lots of smaller folded shapes together using some glue.

Rainbow llamas by CookiemagiK Origami Boxes by KarenKaren Origami Mobile 3 by gotclawz1  3D Origami Owl by JeanFan  Cube Ring by theInfinityCreeper  Modular Origami Snake #2 by origamimodulowe  origami cobra by orsobrusco

Next, there is paper cutting. Remember folding a piece of paper into triangles as a kid and cutting into it to create snowflakes? Ever had your silhouette done by a street artist? Both of these things fall into this category. In fact, there are a ton of patterns out there to make intricate snowflakes - both traditional and more nerdy ones. Or you could trace the outlines of imagery you like to create beautiful silhouettes of your own that you can put in your window or decorate other paper goods, like cards, notebooks, or wrapped gifts. For simple designs, an ordinary pair of scissors will do, but for more intricate work you might want to use a scalpel and cutting board.


The last type of paper craft I'm going to talk about (there are many more though) is 3D models. To make those, you use templates that you cut out, fold along pre-specified lines, and glue them together. There are ready-made kits to buy, but also lots of templates online, both free and to buy, that you can print yourself. This way, you can create buildings, animals, everyday objects or even beloved popculture characters using nothing but paper, scissors, and glue! For smaller models, using regular printer paper might be fine, but in general you'll want to use slightly thicker paper to give your model some stability. Once you get a feeling for how certain shapes are created, you might even attempt to make your own templates.




Low to Mid Budget - Knotting and Braiding


Knotting and braiding are among this simplest - and, arguably oldest - crafts known to mankind. They might be a little less versatile than some of the other crafts I'm presenting here, but I've seen them used in some pretty amazing and creative ways! Technically, all you need is some string* (*materials may vary - cotton, silk, leather, plastic or even wire), but some simple tools can make your life way easier. There are many varieties, but I'll be talking about three - Kumihimo, Scoubidou, and Macrame.

Kumihimo is the Japanese art of cord making. Traditionally, it's done on a wooden stand called Murudai, but modern technology has blessed us with foam braiding disks that are much less expensive and easier to use. There is a central hole surrounded by a number of slots, in which you distribute your strings. Then it's just a matter of following distractions like 'take the string from slot A and insert it in slot D instead' and voilá, like magic your pretty rope/braid will start forming in the center! This sounds very basic, but using different colours, materials and patterns, even adding some beads, you can make some very pretty bracelets, necklaces or belts.

Neon Rainbow Kumihimo Bracelets by QuietMischief Kumihimo chocker by knotsme  Kumihimo bracelets by JankaLateckova  Kumihimo Rainbow by borysbrytva  Kumihimo Carnival by dragonariaes  Necklace: Kumihimo I by annafjellborg

Scoubidou is a French knotting technique, very similar to what you might have used to make friendship bracelets when you were younger (or maybe you still make them, I won't judge!). In its latest iteration (it was last popular in the early 2000s), it used hollow PVC tubes, but other material like cotton can also be used. Two or more strings or tubes are braided using several different knots to create rectangular, round, or flat braids. You'll mostly see it used for key chains and bracelets, but they can also be used to make more complex shapes, animals, or even pretty pens (inserting a ballpen refill in the center)!

Scoobidoo Bracelet by Syrech Scoubidou by Hedwigs-art  scoubidou dauphin by timinou  scoubidou wrapped pencil by straangely2  scoubidou horse by foreverstrawberries

Macrame is probably the most well-known and also the most versatile of these techniques. Also, the oldest - macrame style knots can be traced as far back as old Babylon! It's usually done with cotton cords that are knotted in different ways to make things like wallhangings or hanging flower pots, but with different materials, incorporating beads or feathers, you can also create stunning jewelry, dreamcatchers, or even little animals.


Low to High Budget - Knitting & Crochet


Now, this is probably more what you expected for a beginners crafts article! Knitting and crochet are probably THE most well-known artisan crafts, and they are great for beginners as well. All you need to start is a crochet hook or a pair of knitting needles, some yarn, and you're good to go. Yarn can range from very cheap to extremely expensive, but for a beginners project, I'd recommend using either cotton, acrylic, or sock yarn (usually x % wool, x % acrylic), as they are cheap and easy to work with. Try to avoid fancy 'effect' yarn (like fluffy yarn, sequins or expensive fibres like mohair) until you've got a little more experience under your belt. As for a pattern, I recommend starting with something that doesn't need to 'fit' - making garments up for a certain clothing size can be a challenge, and might involve a bit of trial and error, which can be frustrating for beginners!

For crochet, you can pick any hook you want - there's metal, bamboo, or plastic. I personally prefer metallic hooks with a (soft) plastic handle, but basically you just want something that feels comfortable in your hand. The size of the hook needs to match the yarn you're working with - usually the label of the yarn will tell you what size to use. Depending on where you live, there are different systems to label hook sizes - the easiest one is the metric system, that is used in Europe and AUS/NZ and just gives you the diameter of the hook in millimetres. US sizes are numbers and/or letters, starting with B/1 for a 2.25mm hook. UK/Canadian sizes are also numbers, but start with 14 for a 2mm hook and count down. A good size for beginners would be anything between 3 and 5 mm (C to H/11 to 6), depending on what you want to make.
The most common beginner's project in crochet are probably pot holders, followed closely by scarves/hats and blankets. Use cotton for pot holders, as acrylic yarn can't stand the heat!

Pot Holders by giraffesonparades Twilight Owl Gloves by FearlessFibreArts  Baby Blanket by 3wyl  Crochet 'virus' shawl by FearlessFibreArts  100 colour shawl by Magical525

In knitting, the size chart for needles works much the same than in crochet: Metric size uses diameter, US counts up (no letters this time), UK/Canada counts down. It's easier to start with larger size needles (4mm/6/8+), so you can see your stitches better. Try to not work too tightly, or you'll have trouble getting into your stitches in upcoming rows! Just like with crochet hooks, you get to choose from different material (mostly metal/wood/plastic), but there are also different types of needles to choose from. There are straight or jacket needles, which are maybe the most 'typical' knitting needles - long and with a stopping 'knob' at the end. There are double pointed needles - usually sold in sets of five and used for socks and gloves. And there are circular needles, two shorter needles connected with a rope or wire. I'd recommend those to start with, as they offer the most flexibility and are easier to handle. You can get them with ropes in fixed sizes or with interchangeable ropes, but as long as you're not actually working in the round, the length doesn't matter too much, just go for the 80cm/24". Easy beginner projects in knitting are shawls/scarves or blankets made from thick wool; I'd recommend saving anything more intricate or involving several needles (like fingerless gloves or socks) for at least your second project.


A very trendy and fun subject in both knitting and crochet are Amigurumi - little cute dolls, usually depicting animals or characters, but there are also objects, foods, and endless realm of possibilities really. They are usually knitted or crocheted in the round, so you can make hollow, round-ish shapes that can be stuffed with filling material, and often require you sewing together several pieces. Amigurumi come in all sizes and levels of difficulty and make for fun and quick projects. They usually only require very basic stitches, but you need to know how to decrease and increase the number of stitches in a row, and making small parts can get a little fiddly. Therefore, while many Amigurumi patterns are absolutely beginner friendly, I'd usually not recommend them for your very first project, but you should get to the required level of proficiency soon enough!


Low to High Budget - Quilting


When you think about quilts, you probably see huge, elaborate blankets with intricate designs. In fact, quilting just means sewing together small pieces of fabric in a way to create something greater, and there are many ways to do that! While the typical quilt is usually quite big and requires a big investment in both time and supplies, there are plenty of ways to do smaller quilting projects that even beginners can get into. Doll or baby sized quilts with easy designs can be done using a few simple blocks, and bags, table runners or wall hangings are a fun way to explore some new techniques. And while quilt-blocks are usually made with a sewing machine, there's also a technique called English Paper Piecing that works using small 'stencils' made from paper and creates beautiful patterns using shapes like hexagons, diamonds, or triangles connected by hand sewing! There is also crazy quilting, which combines quilting with surface embroidery and uses many different stitches to decorate a small square sewn together from different pieces of fabric.

grandmothers flower garden by SleyTheDent Tabelrunner, Epp by TerraRavenBearheart  Thinking about Susan by SleyTheDent  EPP travel kit by unicornslave  Friends Topper by Mattsma

Quilting is usually done with cottons, but can really use any type of fabric. A great example for this are memory quilts, which are made from small pieces of garments or other blankets that have some emotional meaning - maybe using the clothes of a departed loved one, or one piece of clothing from every year of your child's life, or t-shirts featuring all your favourite bands!

Pinwheel quilt FINISHED front by BellaGBear <da:thumb id="78133559"/> Musical T-shirt Quilt by Durnesque Geometric bird tote bag by BellaGBear

Low to High Budget - Embroidery


Ah, embroidery, old friend - there are literally dozens, if not hundreds of different styles and techniques out there, and they are all fun to try out! Basically, they all fall into two categories, though: counted embroidery, where you work on a special fabric that allows you to 'count' the threads you're working on, and more free-form techniques that can be done on any kind of fabric, eyeballing the length of your stitches.

In free-form embroidery, you can jump right in. There are tutorials out there for hundred of different stitches, you can use whatever threads you fancy - from regular cotton embroidery yarn, over perlé to silks or metallics. You can work on pretty much any material as well - creating beautiful patterns or landscapes on a clean fabric, adding little characters to your bag, or enhance your cloths with some pretty edges, maybe adding beads or sequins? The possibilities are endless! If you're working on fabric that's not specifically made for embroidery, you'll probably want to use a sharp needle (whereas in many other forms of embroidery, you'll use a needle that's a little more blunt).

Magic Block by Mattsma Cherry Blossom evening purse by Oniko-art  Coat of Vines by Glori305  Coral Reef Diary Cover by Magical525  hand embroidery of realistic Pokemon Pikachu by ChunPhan

Cross stitching is probably the most common form of counted embroidery. Basically, you are creating pictures out of little crosses, similar to pixel art. If you feel more comfortable following strict instructions than experimenting for your first projects, this is probably the way for you to go. You can buy fabric, pattern and floss separately (or even make your own pattern, if you want to), or you can buy a complete kit that has everything you need to begin. They come in all sizes, and bigger cross stitch projects can easily take a couple hundred hours, so I recommend starting with something small! Finished cross stitch pictures can be frames, turned into small ornaments or wall hangings, or incoperated into sewing projects. You can also use soluble canvas to stitch directly unto shirts and other textiles.

Xstitch Pattern - Princess Peach's Stained Glass by pinkythepink <da:thumb id="825472809"/>  February NFSAL by Magical525  Indian Biscornu by Mattsma  Lyfa Erinshaw Coaster by pinkythepink


Mid to High Budget - Beading


Beads are a wonderful and extremely versatile medium. You've already read about how they can be used in many other arts and crafts, but they can also beautifully stand on their own! There is a multitude of  techniques using beads, from bead crochet to jewellery making to 3D animals or miniature dresses. Most beading artists won't stick to just one style, and who can blame them if there are so many to chose from! Usually, for any beaded technique, what you need are beads - of course - and some type of thread or wire. You might want to get a beading kit for something you like, and start designing your own projects from there - it's very easy to make a beading project your own by using your favourite colours, changing some small detail of a 3D pattern, or maybe add some crystals or charms to your jewellery. Beads come in all kinds of shapes and materials, so don't be scared to experiment - if things don't work out, you can always restart and use your beads in something new.

Hand Woven Seed Bead Heart Necklace by Pixelosis Bead loomed swirls bracelet by CatsWire  Purple Stripes Bead Ribbon Pin by pinkythepink  Beaded Dragon by Samantha-dragon  Harvest Cellini Spiral Bangle by beadg1rl  Little beaded box by Autumn-beads

The Tip of the Iceberg


I've talked about a fair number of crafts in this article, but obviously, there are countless more. And even as a beginner, there aren't a lot of limitations on what you can try. After all, but counts as a 'beginner' and 'low budget' craft will be highly dependent on what skills you start out with and what equipment you have access to.  Maybe you've got a friend who's into weaving, or someone is holding a tutorial course in pottery and providing the equipment? In any case, I highly recommend trying out all different kind of arts. Some of the most fun projects and techniques result from people combining different crafts, are people from different crafts cooperating. So whether you are a total newbie to the world of artisan crafts, or already an expert in one or more crafts, I hope I was successful in making you curious for what else is out there! In any case, have fun, and never stop exploring your creativity.


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Still Alive!

1 min read
Oh my, it has been ages since I updated this journal, and I haven't been very up-to-date on dA in general...I just submitted my latest finishes, though, and will try to keep things more updates from now on. Apart from that, I don't have much to say, life is good, the sun is shining, I just wanted something else here than those two-year-old tag games :D

Oh, and I'm working on lots of awesome things and have planned even more, so I hope I can show something more regularily in the future~
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Tripple Tag!

8 min read
So...my friend :iconmattsma: has been tagged with one of those question-thingies, and since then it has kinda been jumping around between several others of my friend and I've been tagged with the same thing (but different questions) for a total of three times. There are ten rules to follow on this, but I'll do a few cuts because I know how some people hate to be tagged, I'll only answer the questions because I believe it might be fun to do so.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

1. - You must post these rules. - check
2. - Each person has to share 10 things about them - check
3. - Answer the 10 questions asked to you and invent 10 questions the people you tag will have to answer.
4. - Choose 10 people and put their icons on your journal
5. - Go to their page to inform them they are tagged
6. - Not something like " you are tagged if you read that"
7. - You have to legitimately tag 10 people
8. - No tag-backs
9. - You can't say that you don't do tags.
10. - YOU MUST MAKE A JOURNAL ENTRY. NO COMMENTS. Unless you're commenting about the actual entry. - check

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Ten things about me:

1. For some weird reason, I enjoy doing questionaires like this

2. Despite beeing super busy most of the time, I'm actually super lazy and enjoy staying home all day and sitting in one place for hours.

3. I love technique and computers, but I don't own a smart phone or tablet.

4. I love math and science in general.

5. But I also love all kind of creative stuff, especially crafting and writing.

6. I like my room a little messy, but can't stand it when it gets filthy.

7. I hate calling or wirting mails to people I don't know.

8. I'm a trophy hunter (PlayStation 'achievements').

9. I love lists, especially to do-lists.

10. I like starting stuff. I don't like finishing stuff. But I totally hate having unfinished stuff laying about. (<- this tends to become a problem)

:iconmattsma:'s questions:

1.  What was your first true chocolate moment?
I don't reall know about a moment, but I remember that my mum and I used to share 'I love Milka' nougat pralines when I was really small ^_^

2.  Do you prefer chickens, rabbits or goats?
Chickens and rabbits are delicious, goats and rabbits are super cute and cuddly---two points for rabbits, rabbits win!

3.  What kind of tree would you be?
Probably not a tree but a water reed - I adore fable about the oak and the reed, where the oak makes fun of the reed for bending to every wind while the oak remains unmoved, but than there is a storm and the bendy reed survives and the sturdy oak gets disrooted. And I don't interpret 'bending with the wind' as 'changing one's opinion', but more like 'adjusting to one's surroundings'.

4.  Natural fiber or acrylic/nylon?
Natural fibers; I used to have really sensitive skin and couldn't really wear anything but cotton. It's gotten much better, but the preference remains.

5.  If the apocalypse happened, would you befriend the bums or the hoarders?
Hoarders I guess, because I hoard stuff myself and I do't like moving around that much.

6.  What is your favorite bird feather?
Raven or blackbird (no difference but the size I guess)

7.  Do you prefer noise and chaos or quite and serene?
Quiet and serene, everytime.

8.  How do you feel about macrame?
Okay I admit I had to look that one up...I used to do those friendship-bracelets as a child, and it was fun; might try something like this again some day.

9.  What are your thoughts on composting toilets?
Okay, I guess...as long as the 'tank' is not flooded by rain or something?!

10. Cabin, Cob House, Yurt, or Cave?
Probably a Cabin...Cob Houses and Yurts are pretty as well, so I might chose them for about a week or so, but for long term usage, Cabin.

:iconspitfirefae:'s questions:

1. What is your favorite craft/hobby?
Craft: Cross stitching without a doubt, but I love knitting annd crocheting as well. For hobby, it's a close draw between cross stitching, reading and gaming. I love all three of them and if I can't spend at least a few minutes with each of them on a day I tend to feel kinda...incomplete. Reading is probably the oldest of those, so I'd choose that if pressed.

2. Earth, Wind, Fire, or Water?
Wind

3. Favorite mythology?
Greek I guess, it's the only one if've spent a considerable time studying. Most of them are a tad to brutal for my taste anyway.

4. Books or Movies?
Books! Or reading a good book and making fun of the movie afterwards ^_^

5. Favorite genre(s) from question #4
Fantasy (High and Urban), Historical (with or without fantasy elements) and SciFi (mostly Star Wars), but there are books in every genre I enjoy.

6. If you could meet any famous person who and why? Past or present
Uhm, that's a tough one...right now I'd say Alan Turing, he was a great pioneer of computer science and treated to badly at his time (mostly for being gay), I'd love to let him know what impact his work would less than fifty years after his death.

7. Wine, beer, or liquor?
Neither, I don't drink alcohol. Virgin cocktail for my, please! ^_^

8. How'd we meet?
:iconstitchingpirates: ^_^

9. What is your favorite type of soup?
Grandma's vegetable soup, yumyum :)

10. What would you do if you won the lottery?
Depends on the sum, but I'd probably be rather boring. Buy a nice house, get a job solely for enjoyment (maybe charity work, or part time, or who knows), donate some, maybe travel a little, stuff like that

:iconkatjakay:'s questions:

1) What type of bed do you prefer?
Uhm...a normal one? Though I'd love to try out a futon, haven't had the chance yet 

2) If you could buy ONE object and one object only for yourself and money was unlimited, what would it be, it has to be selfishly just for you.
Oh boy...I guess it has to be something that really exists (aka no spaceships or something), so I'd probably go for a nice big house...but then that wouldn't be for me alone, so, hm...maybe a really big libraby :D

3) Favorite sport to watch?
I don't thing quidditch will count (although our town does have a team in the German quidditch league :D), so I'll go for soccer (during big tournaments) and sometimes show jumping

4) Favorite sport to play?
I like doing karate, but I think hips aren't cut out for that so I'll have to switch to something else, maybe badminton or ping-pong :(

5) Favorite flavor of a Dairy Queen blizzard
They don't make that hear, but drom what I've seen online I'd love to try Peanut Butter Cup or Cooki Dough

6) Have you ever played the “make a word from a license plate” game, and if so what was the best one you came up with?”
No really (out license plates are much less creative than yours I think), but I do like to look out for ones that already spell funny words on their own

7) Snooker, or 8ball
Uhm...pool? I guess it's somewhat like 8ball but I don't really know about those things

8) What is your most loved stuffed toy
My big lion, I got him when I was maybe seven years old and he still sleeps in my bed every night

9) What is the weirdest place you have found your keys
Even though I tend to loose all kind of stuff, my keys are mostly where they belong :D

10) What is your favorite Disney villain
I don't particularily like any of them, but Frol (Hunchback of Notre Dame) and Ursula have the most awesome songs in my opinon :D
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So...there are only a few weeks left of 2013, and I'm still busy finishing everything that needs finishing - a few last christmas presents, some things I promised people or I just want to make to say 'thank you' to somebody, projects I started this year but didn't get arround to finish yet - lots and lots of stuff, don't know if I'll make it. Well, I'm positive about the christmas presents at least, and those are the most important thing right now.

Anyway, I want to get as clean a slate as possible before New Year, because I'm planing to join :iconmattsma: and :iconkatjakay: in their '2014: The Year of the Magnificent Teresa Wentzler'-project, trying to make as many pieces of this wonderful artists work as possible next year. I already spent way too much money on supplies, and I can't wait for them to arrive and for me to be able to start on them ^_^

I guess I'll produce quite a lot WIP-pcs along the way, so I'm thinking about starting a blog away from dA for these so I won't spam my account here - still have quite some smaller projects on my toDo-list too, so I won't negect this either. But I don't know yet...well, plenty of time to ponder on that once christmas stress is over, I guess!
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So...after some practicing like following lines I had drawn on pieces of paper ans stuff like that, I finally found the guts to start my very first sewing project - a kit for a tote bag a bought some time ago. You can see the result in my gallery (fav.me/d6pfjd9 )
I always made smaller repairs and such by hand - my backstitch is quite regular - but it is a difference to work with a sewing machine and actually create something. I was soooo nervous when I put the needle into the fabric for the first time, but then it went quite smoothly.
Of course most of the seams are not as straight as they could or should be, but luckyly the worst ones are all on the inside of the bag so they don't show. I was amazed how quickly work progressed as compared to stitching or crotcheting for example, but then I imagine that the preparations and cutting might take even more time than the sewing itself, and that's something I didn't have to do this time since all the fabric was already precut. So I could concentrate fully on sewing everything together, which was challenging enough, I learned a fair deal aabout sewing in general and also the quirks of my sewing maschine in particular xD
So, all together, I feel a little hyped right now (it's actually been over a week since I finished the bag, but I couldn't find my camera, and writing this makes me feel excited all over again) and can't wait to start on my next project ^_^

On the other hand, my cross-stitch projects continue quite smoothly, thanks not lastly to my very newest purchase: A Q-Snap-Loop. It's not a loop per se, as it's quadratic instead of round, and the way the fabric ist fixed is so much more comfortable than with what I used before (I had a little loop where the other part is made of some kind of rubber that you have to actually stretch a bit to get it on because the regular wood-loop I used before lost the tension on the fabric way to fast) and also doesn't leave marks on the fabric, so I can just leave it in overnight. The tension it provides is just perfect, the quadratic form ist great to work with, and compared to my very small loop it's also quite big - I actually bought a second one, so I have one with 6" and one with 8". I don't think I would have made as much progress in the last few weeks without those little guys, and if I remembered in whose deviation I read about this I'd give a thousand thanks to that person - who ever you are, I owe you!
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Featured

So, you want to get into artisan crafts? by Fusainne, journal

Still Alive! by Fusainne, journal

Tripple Tag! by Fusainne, journal

Wrapping up 2013 by Fusainne, journal

First Steps in Sewing. Also: In love with Q-Snap. by Fusainne, journal