If you've been hand knitting for a while, you may be considering buying a knitting machine. Instructions for knitting machines vary by brand. Still, there are some basics that you need to know when considering purchasing or starting machine knitting. Machine knitting can be its own special challenge

You can make a shawl out of yarn even if you don't have any experience with knitting or crocheting. Make your own yarn shawl by tying the yarn together in a creative sequence of knots. The shawl will be lightweight and open, with a meshlike texture. This type of shawl will provide a stunning accesso

Before self-sticking cabinet and drawer lining was available, many homemakers lined their shelves and drawers with paper or fabric. Felt was, and still is, used to line shelves and drawers that are used to store fine jewelry, china, cutlery, and crystal or glass. Felt is a common choice because it i

Designing an art rubber stamp is a hobby that does not involve the use of any special skill and it can be done with or without the special tools intended for its purpose. Art rubber stamps can easily be created using materials created for the task, or a simple rubber eraser and carving or cutting to

Maybe your parents won't let you have a real crossbow, the kind that shoots real arrows at high speeds, but they might let you keep a homemade bow you made out of pencils that shoots thin dowels or chopsticks. Just assemble some basic supplies and make sure you don't aim your final product at anyone

Whether you are celebrating a religious holiday such as Rosh Hashanah, cheering for a team with a ram mascot or simply drawn to the natural beauty of real ram horns, you can use the beauty of the curled ram horn as the basis of a craft project. Projects might include the use of real ram horns, the c

Colonists in America faced many challenges when they arrived. They had to establish communities where they could depend on each others' skills to provide the various necessities. They needed people with talents to provide the trades, sharing expertise by providing goods to one another. One of these

Milk cartons make ideal building blocks for a variety of craft projects. One of the easiest and most versatile art projects that can be made with a milk carton is a house. This can range from a miniature dollhouse to a complete milk carton city. Every carton has the potential to be a completely diff

Counted cross stitch is the art of placing x-shaped stitches on even-weave fabric to create lettering and pictures. Cross stitchers use special fabrics, bright colored or pastel embroidery flosses and embroidery hoops to create their beauty. Because of its versatility, cross stitch is used to make h

New sheer curtains look crisp and bright, but with time they can become soft and wrinkled, making the window treatments look sad and dingy. Ironing and starching is not the answer to make them stiff again. Most sheer curtains are made from synthetic fibers that can be damaged with a clothes iron's h

Mat boards are used inside picture frames to isolate the image or artwork for optimum visual display. Mat boards are a thick board that typically have a surface color paper laminated to an off-white or black board. When the mat board is cut to create a viewing window, the color of the top of the boa

Ladybugs have round bodies, so paper plates can easily be used to depict a lady bug's body in craft and other activities. A study on ladybugs can yield profitable information and hands-on activities help reinforce lessons and create a fun educational experience for young children. Though ladybugs co

Tattooing is rapidly becoming more socially acceptable.tattoo man image by MAXFX from Fotolia.comTattooing has become a more acceptable form of artistic expression over the years and, as a result, more people are being tattooed in areas of the body that are not completely concealable by...

Fashions in the 1940s were shaped by the restrictions of war. Women were urged to "make do and mend," while rationing restricted how much fabric was available for dressmaking. Styles that required lots of material or "unnecessary" details such as pockets or many buttons were impractical. The '40s ne

Hanging locker decorations for basketball season builds school spirit and can signal game day with the addition of decoration. Use school colors, basketball symbols and catchy slogans when making locker decorations for basketball season. Gather a group of students or parents to assemble the basketba

Dolls are fun for little girls to play with, especially if the doll has different outfits and accessories to wear. Purchasing several outfits for a doll is expensive, and may seem fruitless if you know your child is going to outgrow her dolls as quickly as she outgrows her shoes. Parents can take ad

If you're working on a tight budget, you can make your own jewelry using recycled materials to keep your costs low. Reusing household items or old jewelry reduces waste and sparks your creativity. The suggestions below are just starting points --- anything from a discarded wine bottle cork to a cera

Toys for toddlers need to be durable, bright and interesting. Most enjoy things that roll and move, such as small truck or cars. Since many toddlers still like to taste and chew on their environment, all parts need to be large enough not to be swallowed and any paints or finishes need to be non-tox

Everyone has old clothes hiding in the back of the closet that they just don't wear. And we've all seen great thrift shop dresses at our local store; great, except for the color. A change of color might be all a garment needs to come out of the closet and enjoy a second life. Dyeing a dress is a lot

Women sometimes experience an unattractive growth of facial sideburns, which is not generally desirable. In order to properly remove the sideburns, consider waxing them for the quickest and cleanest way to remove the hair. The cost of going to the salon for a facial wax to remove sideburns can add u