Wednesday, January 27, 2010

CRAFTY IDEAS TO HELP USE UP YOUR STASH/HOARD

There are several places I go to get ideas. The first and most obvious is to look at what others are doing on Etsy. I don't mean that I steal ideas from other artists on Etsy, I go there to see what people are doing and look at their creations. That always INSPIRES me in some way or another.

Another place I go to is About.com.  About.com has many, many areas of interest and not just ideas and patterns for creating handmade. Most recently I have been there to get free knitting patterns. Along with the knitting patterns, they have crochet and other needlecraft patterns. They have "how-to's" also. When I began knitting again in September after being away from it for years, I couldn't remember how to "cast off" or "bind off." I watched a video and had it mastered lickety-split. I believe this site to be the most comprehensive I've run across in my Internet browsing. Here is a link to the sites "Family Crafts: Crafting Tutorials" page: http://familycrafts.about.com/od/craftstechniques101/Crafting_Tutorials.htm/.

Some e-commerce sites that sell supplies will also offer free patterns and hope you buy the supplies from them. One such business is Leisure Arts. I recently bought some pocket guides for knitting and crocheting from them. Here is a link to their free projects page:  http://www.leisurearts.com/FreeProjects/skill/Crafting/Default.aspx/.

Another place I frequent is Threads eLetter. They have items for sale, a print magazine and the newsletter. http://www.threadsmagazine.com/. Lots of good stuff here.

This is a project I think I will try because they are so adorable and such a sweet little gift. This website is "craftstylish." http://www.craftstylish.com/item/945/how-to-make-pretty-pincushions/.


So, if you are out browsing, check out these places to get ideas to use up your hoards!!
But most importantly, have fun doing so.

4 comments:

  1. Oooh, I make those little mini pincusions! I have three of them in my sewing box, and had planned to sell them (not the ones I am already using, but new ones I will make) if I ever get anything back in my shop. I have tons of bottle tops in a drawer just waiting to be transformed. They are fun to make, but mine are not nearly as pretty as those pictured in this post. Here is my post from last year when I made them:
    http://naturewithme.blogspot.com/2009/05/pincushion-crazy.html

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  2. I can't wait to try them but I do have to wait. I don't have but one piece of felt in my hoard! And it's white! I made myself stop buying until I use up more of what I have.

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  3. Nancy, you gave me such inspiration, I had to go out and acquire a bunch more stuff! And now I have more felt (among other things) than I know what to do with.

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