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Bold, bright and beautiful. This delightful pincushion, designed by Jill Gordon, is a must for any workbox. What a superb treat! This is a project that you can really put your heart into – and onto! This quick and easy design is perfect for novice stitchers, and is a wonderful way to brighten up your…
I am a firm believer in alternative therapies for mental wellbeing whether they are used alongside traditional therapies or not. When I started making soap I realised that it is a great way to escape from the everyday stresses and strains of life. In fact, creative therapies have been found to assist in…
Acrylic paints are notorious for drying rapidly, but with the right approach this can be one of their strengths. Oil paints are a joy to use and give excellent results but take a long time to dry; it can be years before you can apply the final coat of varnish. Watercolours are immediate and sparkling,…
Take your cross stitch to another dimension with this wonderfully colourful and fun design by Dawn Marie Parmley 28HP1 evenweave – 20×20 in (51×51 cm), blue Stranded cotton – as listed in the key Tapestry needle – size 26 Backing fabric – 20×20 in (51×51 cm) to tone with front Cushion pad – 14×14 in…
OCCASIONAL FURNITURE Good Furniture needs the best finishing which is well within the grasp of all of us – and that includes French polishing! Wood finishing is an interesting subject – hundreds of products, each doing a different job and all combined with a mystique built up over years. The end result leaves many thinking…
Hours of work can be spoilt by one small slip. However, many mistakes can be dealt with, rescuing and perhaps even enhancing your painting. Roman Canal, Lincolnshire, (91/2X2rkins) by Peter De Wint (1784-1849), an English landscape painter of Dutch extraction. Image courtesy of The Tate Gallery Watercolour paintings are perhaps some of…
The Shakers pursuit of functional value achieved a characteristic simplicity that gave it a beauty far ahead of its time, and a style that nowadays is more modern than ever Before lifting a tool or taking hold of a needle, Shaker craftsmen and women would first ask themselves ‘how useful is the thing that I…
A challenge to make and even harder to solve A friend recently showed me a dovetail joint that not only demonstrated great craftmanship but also provided a puzzling challenge and an opportunity for some fun. I expect many amateur woodworkers have made one of these over the years. The dovetail joint, we all know what…
Get creative with these 10 fantastic free craft projects 1. Painted Crockery Pick up a paintbrush and allow your imagination a free rein. Hand painting your own mugs, cups, plates and bowls is a great way to design original pieces that match your kitchen décor and they can also make terrific gifts for loved…
We all feel the profound satisfaction of completing a craft project. We all turn to scrapbooking or coloring pages if we want to relax or keep busy. Although disabled adults face more challenges than others, they should still indulge in the wonders of crafting. After all, crafting is for everyone. If you’re a caregiver, teacher, or family member…
When a wet day proves the catalyst for developing a new set of skills… Being unwilling to venture out of the house, I was flicking though some old craft books and came across a rather complex process to make some lovely paper beads. With a pair of scissors, an old book and a…
If you were to ask people what batik was they would probably say it was a fabric technique using wax resist. The melted wax is either painted onto fabric or a tool called a tjanting is used to draw a line of wax onto the fabric. This then act as a resist once the…
