How to Latch Hook You Tube Video

Found this great vid on You Tube thought it was a great tutorial for those who havn’t latch hooked before.

New Craft Storage Solutions added to the site this week!!!

Craft Storage

As a crafter you probably have bits and pieces all over your workshop. If you are really lucky the kids would have left home and you have a room to store all your craft items. If you are not so lucky and have to hide it all in a cupboard but want all your items to hand storage organisers are essential

There are many craft storage solutions. Scrappers and Card Makers can buy folders and boxes to keep scrapbooking papers, embellishments and cards in so they don’t get ripped or screwed up. Jewellery makers can buy bead towers and containers with many sections for the beads. If you are a knitter you would nee storage to keep all your wool, pattern, and needles.

A lot of craft storage these days is designed to be mobile as crafting has become a social event and there are lots of craft clubs all over the country. Mobile storage is also helpful if you are a professional and attend a lot of fairs.

Craft storage can be very expensive if not approached in the correct way especially if you have a lot to store. Before going out and buying loads of craft boxes that you are never going to use.

Check these few things first :

1. Are the craft items you are storing all the same size or lots of different sizes.
2. Have you got a lot of space or do you need to use as little space as possible.
3. Organise your craft so the items you use regularly are easy to access

Clear organisers are great because you can always see the contents without opening the box but if they are not clear always remember to label there is nothing more infuriating than having to keep opening storage boxes to find that one item

Below I have listed a few that might be useful to you and don’t take up to much space on your desk top and can also be mobile

Deluxe Carousel Organiser

* Holds 60 individual clear polypropylene cups with tethered lids
* Five layers high, mounted on a lazy susan turntable
* Only a 10″ footprint on your craft table
* Excellent for beaders, scrapbookers, fly tiers and more
* Fully Assembled

If you have a mountain of small idividual items to organize-beads, embellishments, jewelry supplies, etc., this is your organizer-60 individual clear poly cups with snap tight tethered lids (Each Cup is 2 1/2″ round X 7/8″ deep). You can store and organize lots of different items in this tried and true organizer- it has been out for years and is featured in many beading magazines and on TV. Excellent gift for that crafty person who needs to organize. Use with our Tidy Tray item #1612. Comes fully assembled. Only the organizer-no others item included.

R.R.P 21.99 our price £18.99 Buy now

Small Carousel Organiser

Tidy up your craft space with New Phase Organisers. No more hassle of looking for your craft supplies. Beads, bobbins, glitter, powders, sequins, eyelets, snaps and more, are right where you can see them in these wonderful clear containers! Made of sturdy plastic, these containers will hold up to years of crafting! Carousel 12 Slot Black- 12 clear, polypropylene, round containers (2.5″ diameter and 7/8″ deep) fit easily into slots around a circular plastic base. Base has a deep triangular center basin for holding taller items. Rivets included for stacking more than one together.

R.R.P £7.99 Our Price £4.99 Buy Now

Ultimate Stacker

The Ultimate Stacker from Tidy Crafts Holds Everything from pins and needles to snaps, brads, beads, buttons…nuts and bolts to paper clips and push pins, tackle to sequins and jewelry. Keep all the small stuff in your life organized in 5 durable layers- 8 compartments per layer. When you are ready to clean up and go, just fit the layers over the hollow center post, put your tools in the hollow, and lock all together with the locking cap. 7”x7”x6” Blue hexagon.

R.R.P £11.99 Our Price £8.99 Buy Now

Squidoo!!!!

Hi just recently found Squidoo and it has become an addiction, I write articles for it most days and they all link back to here or my website. I just cant get enough of it.

Have wrote an article about craft storage, craft jewellery, latch hook and got lots more to write about. If you write enough you can earn money out of it but not sure yet will have to have a look at that one. At the moment just an extra link to my web site is enough for me at the moment.

Here are some links to my squidoo articles hope you like them:
Making Jewellery – Getting Started|Craft Supplies for all Ages|How to Latch Hook|Craft & Bead Storage Solutions

Wedding Ring Finger

I found this on a jewellery site and thought it would be a great article for the wedding section of my blog. Hope those that read it enjoy.

Ever wonder why we wear a wedding band on our 4th or ring finger? There’s a few explanations as to why but here’s one that I found particularly cute.

Place your hands, palms facing each other, with your middle fingers bent and together and your remaining finger tips toughing each other just like the image above.

Your thumbs represent your parents.
Your second or index fingers represent your siblings.
Your middle fingers represent your Self.
Your fourth or ring fingers represent your life partner.
Your last or little fingers represent your children.

With your hands together just like in the image, try and separate your thumbs.

Your thumbs will open because your parents are not destined to live with you all your life and will have to leave you sooner or later.

Place your thumbs back together and try and separate just your index fingers.

Your index fingers, representing your siblings, will separate because your brothers and sisters will grow to have their own family and will need to lead separate lives.

Place your index fingers back together and try and separate your little fingers representing your children. They too will separate because your children will grow, get married and settle down with their own families someday.

Place your little fingers back together and try and separate just your ring fingers.

You can’t do it can you? Your ring fingers represent husband and wife, life partners that are to stay together through thick and thin.

Laser Etched Crystals

Laser Etched Crystals

Laser Etched Crystals come in fascinating designs, some laser etched with images that aretruly amazing in technology and design. The laser etched blocks are created by usingoptical crystal glass and the latest laser technique to create a 3D image inside the glass. The larger images can have as many as 100,000 laser dots. The image is permanent and with careful handling and cleaning with water or glass cleanser you will get long lasting pleasure from these glass collectables. Crystal come in many shapes and sizes Lage Blocks,Tall Blocks,Cubes, Globes,Pyramids & Key rings, and in many themes Animals, People, Flowers, Mythical. Romance, Occasions, Transport and lots more. All crystals come in their own sponge padded presentation box

How To Latch Hook

How to Use your Latch Hook Tool

Loop a piece of yarn around the hook, behind the latch Push the hook down through one square and up the one immediately above until the latch is through. Then pull the hook back slightly, just far enough until the latch begins to close. Bring the two ends of yarn across, into the eye of the hook. Pull the hook back slowly the latch will close and grab the yarn. Release the two ends of yarn and pull hook out. Keeping the two ends even, tighten the knot by giving it a slight pull

WORKING FROM A PATTERN

Arrange the page numbers of the pattern in order of the Layout Map, starting with the page that will form the bottom left hand corner. E.g. if there are say 6 pages in your pattern then you arrange them this way: page 4, 5, 6, 1, 2,3. Always leave at least 1” of blank canvas all the way around the design. This needs to be turned under when you have finished hooking and either binding sewn on, or you can use Iron-On binding. If your rug is made from acrylic yarn, then I suggest coating the back with a backing compound. This will make it non-skid, and also add bulk to your rug. It also holds it together when being machine washed. This is not necessary with pure wool, as wool is quite heavy and not prone to slipping on floors I do not recommend washing pure wool rugs. Pure wool naturally repels dirt anyhow and can be vacuumed in the normal manner. If you need to have it cleaned take it to a professional cleaner. Working from a graph pattern is not as daunting as you may think. You will see the graph is marked off into sections, each section comprising of one hundred squares. In each of one small square is a letter or symbol. All patterns come with a key i.e. a letter or symbol showing its designated color. ( just like paint by numbers) Each small square represents a stitch. The canvas when looked at closely has parallel horizontal threads and twisted vertical thread. The knots are made over the horizontal threads. Start at the lower left hand corner of the canvas, remembering to leave an inch to the left and bottom of the design this canvas you turn under and bind when the rug is completed. Carry on hooking following the graph and symbols for the colour required. Hook all the way across then start the next row. You might want to hook a section at a time that is entirely up to you how you work you rug. For a more finished appearance rugs and wall hangings should be bound, You can either sew or iron on a binding

To finish without binding, cut canvas at least 3 holes beyond the outside edge of the design, fold to back of rug, match mesh and baste in place.

To finish with binding cut canvas at least 3 holes beyond the outside edge of the design, then cut the corners diagonally about away from the pile. The with right side facing you, sew one edge of the binding as close as possible to the knotted edge. Turn so the back is facing your then fold back and se the other edge of the binging to the back of the rug. Miter corners and stitch down

Finishing a wall hanging:
Start at upper corner, sew on binding around both sides and bottom of the rug Then with right side facing you, sew one edge of the binding as close as possible the knotted edge of the top of the rug, turn over so the back is facing you, then sew down making sure you will have enough room to insert a rod.

exert taken from Latch Hook Resources

Craft News July – Magic Lady Crafts

Summer is almost in full swing and the kids will soon be on there school holiday know many of you will be on holiday or just away from your computers to enjoy the warm summer J weather but there are always some rainy days to do fun crafts. Kids getting bored check out the Kids Zone for some great crafts for them, and this months Free Draw is aimed at the Kids to. Enter it to win a Grafix Craft Chest full of great craft goodies

We haven’t forgot the adults either our check out our special offers on Aperture Cards, Glue Dots Magic Motifs and Plastic Canvas

New in this month for the rug makers we have a supply of latch hooks, Want to make your cards and peel offs look great then make them with our new line in Marker Pens and Chalks with lovely bright and pastel colours. If you are just looking for craft tools we have some new Craft Scissor Sets, and some Decorative Sets of Scissors to give your pages and cards a fancy edge

Please don’t forget to visit our blog with all its great tutorial and information for crafters new one just added about working with Magic Motifs and projects, if you want to add any projects or a link please contact me for details.

Happy Crafting

Sandie

Working With Magic Motifs

Magic Motifs

Ever wondered what to do with those magic motifs or how to work them check out this web site it has some great ideas and projects. Starting with instructions for how to use showing a small video demo. A page showing yo the 28 themed design sheets with delightful images for every occasions. Carry on through the site and you will find the projects and after that some great tips on magic motifs. Just click on the title of this post to acces the site. Go to Magic Lady Crafts to find pens, Chalks and other accessories to help you make great projects with Magic Motifs

Kids Zone – School Holidays

Kids Zone

Hi Summer (said with tonque in cheek) is nearly here and with the summer comes those long days of trying to entertain the children.

The kids are at home for their long summer break, and like mine, they are probably bored. Starting a craft is a great way to keep them occupied and achieving something for them to look back on and say, “I did that”

Crafting and scrapbooking may introduce your children, and yourself, to a lifelong hobby. This simple start may lead to many other projects along the way. There are some great stickers, Peel Offs and embellishments on the market these day to enhance and perosnalise cards and scrapbooks.

Scrapbooking & cardmaking is always a good place to start as your children can stamp his or her own individuality to it. Scrapbooking is great way to keep memories and can be added to at any time so it doesn’t have to stop when they go back to school.

Kids will find it great fun to add their own twist with colored pencils , markers, chalks, rubber stamps and crafting scissors.

They can make individiual scrapbooks or personalised gifts  for relatives & freinds. Grandparents always like something hand made from their grandchildren

This can be done before and after the holidays. By taking lots of pictures, they will be able to assemble them in their book.

Other great ideas for childrens crafts are jewellery making, plaster casting, craft kits, so don’t let the kids get bored introduce them to the kids zone.

Over the next couple of weeks will be adding some links and projects to this section so keep checking in and next months competition will be for a craft kit from the kids zone so put us in your favourites and check out the web site often as we are always adding new items

Ask The Crafter

http://www.askthecrafter.com/

Follow this link and find some great craft projects with step by step videos to watch

Click here for all your craft supplies