The Crafers' Way 63- Blogs for Everyone

I write a weekly Craft Column for a local paper. I share it here for bloggers or you can view online at www.northlakesmessenger.com.au


I could easily spend my entire day on the computer trying to keep up with all the latest craft stuff but I would never get any work done. I can justify the occasional hour or two browsing through blogs, all in the name of research. Here are a few of my latest finds.

http://brisstyle.blogspot.com/ this site is local. Brisstyle is a cooperative group of artists, crafters and artisans all living in Brisbane, who sell their wares on Etsy. This site will keep you up to date with all the artists’ latest products and news. Keep an eye open for their planned Christmas Market. If you like to support local talent this is a site for you.

http://scrapmatters.com/wordpress this site will link you with a heap more scrap booking blogs. There are quite a few ‘non related’ advertisements on the mother site. I find these a bit annoying especially if I’m on the home computer and they are chewing up my limited downloads. Once I moved onto the linked sites they appeared to diminish. Most of the sites I looked at had tutorials on traditional and digital scrap booking.

http://thriftycollageartist.blogspot.com/ this site is very user friendly. The author is a Mixed Media and Art Journal Artist. You will find quite a few tutorials and a daily freebie. At a quick glance the tutorials were easy to follow.

http://1ststeptosewingsuccess.blogspot.com/ the web address is correct, be careful to type in the right ‘s’. The author is a retired sewing instructor who states that her blog is to encourage sewing using common sense. Gotta love that. I enjoyed this site and saved it as favourite. I might need it.




www.yarntomato.com/crochetblogs this is a web ring of blogs that concentrate on crocheting. The linked blogs cover the whole gamut, from traditional through to the new wave of crocheting. If you enjoy crocheting pop over to have a look. I’m sure you will find some inspiration.

Photo courtesy of Lilly Cottage – Old Petrie Town.

Etsy - New

I got my act together and listed the Jeans on Etsy. The jeans, images and postage sheets were all in the same place at the same time.


The first pair were ECO DYED first. When i saw the way the colours swirled around I immediately thought my frog stamp would be perfect. I had cut it ages ago but hadn't used it.















I thickened the dye and started printing. The frogs appear on one leg only. They seemed a little 'flat'. When the print was dry I used an almost dry brush to add some gold fabric paint. When that was dry I brushed on a little more of the thickened dye. This method gives the frogs a bit more depth without sparkle.

The second pair were dyed specifically with the vine print in mind.





They were ECO DYED first then printed with thickened dye. For this pair I wanted a little more oomph, so the silver fabric paint is more obvious than on the frogs.




The Handprinted Jeans are so much fun to make.

Online Classes

I have started doing some online classes. Currently I have listed classes on Hand Dyeing and Hand Printing Fabric, a couple of Cross Stitch Charts and two of my Stitchery Designs. You can find them at CraftEd Online or click on the box in my sidebar.

These are more convenient much less expensive way to learn a new skill or craft.

I'll let you know as I add more.

Also keep an eye out for some new listings in my Etsy store. I had planned to list them next but just remebered that the images of the items are on the computer at the shop. Guess it will have to wait until tomorow.

I won!

At the first ever Handmade Expo the organisers offered an opportunity to win your next month's site free. All you had to do was complete a feedback form. Too Easy. Guess who won. I received a phone call from the lovely Leisa to inform me that I get my next site free. It was lovely surprise.

The Crafters' Way - Chicken Scratch

I write a weekly craft column for a local paper. I share it here with bloggers or you can view online at www.northlakesmessenger.com.au



Chicken Scratch Embroidery is a type of embroidery worked on gingham fabric. It is also known as Snowflake Embroidery, Depression Lace or Gingham Lace. The exact origins of this craft are unclear as is the origins of the name ‘Chicken Scratch’. Chicken Scratch embroidery is worked on gingham fabric and uses 3 embroidery stitches. Couldn’t be simpler. In fact many of us can probably recall being given a piece of gingham, needle and thread as children to sew with.


The needle should have a long eye and a sharp point, a number 20 Chenille or number 5 embroidery needle are perfect. The thread is embroidery floss or stranded cotton. White is the colour of choice but you can certainly experiment for different effects. The number of strands you choose to use will alter the finished look again experiment.







Chicken Scratch is worked from a chart; anyone familiar with Cross Stitch charts will be able to follow one. Before beginning to stitch it is important to measure you fabric. Do not guess this. While gingham checks come in a variety of sizes most are not square. Measure the number of gingham squares in 1 inch of fabric, top to bottom and side-to-side. This will determine the stitch count necessary for your project. If you do not do this accurately you may find that you don’t have enough fabric to finish the work.



Work Chicken Scratch in a hoop. Remove the fabric from the hoop when not working. Some of the gingham fabrics are very fine and they will mark if left in the hoop for long periods. The stitches used for Chicken Scratch are already familiar to most Stitchers. The Double Cross Stitch, the Straight Running Stitch and the Woven Circle Stitch are worked in various combinations to produce a multitude of patterns. The Double Cross Stitch may be more familiar to some Stitchers as Smyrna Stitch. Chicken Scratch is worked in order. The outline is completed first. The Double Cross Stitch is worked next followed by the Running Stitch. The Woven Circle Stitches are worked last.


If you are unfamiliar with any of the stitches used in Chicken Scratch a quick ‘google’ will reap you many useful resources

Etsy - Brisstyle

I've just added the Brisstyle link to my creative people sidebar. These girls are all have Etsy stores and are all from Brisbane, Qld Australia.

When you've finished here pop over and have a peep.

The Crafters' Way 61- Wow Bows

I write a weekly Craft column for a local paper. I share it here for bloggers or you can view it online at http://www.northlakesmessenger.com.au/ If you view online you will see a second article featuring me and my ECO DYEING.


After the positive response to the instructions for the Paper Bows I have got another one for you. The samples have been made with my Hand Dyed Paper however you can use any paper (don’t forget those catalogues).

You will need: Paper in 2 colours, Paper trimmer or scissors, Double Sided Tape or Glue.





Step 1: Cut your paper into strips. The samples were 1cm x 19 cm. The length and width may need to vary depending on the weight of the paper. You need 8 strips in the first Colour and 4 in the other.





Step 2: Join the ends of the strips together to form a circle.






Step 3: Using 2 circles of the same colour, join them together forming a cross.

Step 4:Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have 4 crosses in Colour 1 and 2 crosses in Colour 2.

Step 5: Take 2 crosses of the Colour 1 and join them together. Make sure that you angle them so that you start to fill in the gaps. Next add a Colour 2 cross filling in another gap. Continue in the following order; Colour 2, Colour 1, Colour 1.

Step 6: Cut a strip of paper 1cm x 4 cm. Form into a circle. Place on top of bow.




Attach to present with a small strip of double sided tape.

Back to more Free Craft Projects

Handmade Expo

The first Handmade Expo at Ipswich yesterday was a wonderful success. The organisers did a brilliant job. There were 87 stalls with over 2000 people visiting during the day.

Didn't get a chance to take any photos as I was busy all day. These photos were tken during my practice set up.

These are my new variegated stranded cotton threads. I think they look like a box of Japanese sweets.

And these are my new medley packs. I'm off now to list a couple on Etsy.

New to Etsy

I've been busy get ready for the Handmade Expo at the Ipswich showgrounds tomorrow and I have only managed to list one new item in the Etsy shop.

These are new. Variegated Stranded Cotton Threads. Each skein is 16 m long.

I have other colours so keep watching.

The Crafters' Way 60 - Both Ways x 2

I write a weekly Craft column for a local paper. I share it here with bloggers or you can view it online at http://www.northlakesmessenger.com.au/




They say a picture is worth 1000 words. The images from the Both Ways x 2 exhibiton certainly fit this description. So this week I’m going to let the pictures tell the story. The combined exhibition features works by Glenys Mann, Hilary Steel and Judith Gray. Both Ways x 2 is being held at Gallery 159. Opening hours 11am – 4pm Saturdays and Sundays. The gallery is also open weekdays by appointment. Phone (07) 3300 6491 or email tafta@iinet.net.au

Photos courtesy of TAFTA








Glenys Mann’s Retrospective exhibition “ Marks on Cloth’ is being held a little closer to home at the Pine Rivers Regional Art Gallery. Glenys considers the opportunity to put most of her work together in one show to be a highlight of her long quiltmaking life. ‘Marks on Cloth’ continues until the 26th August.

Repurposed & Hand Dyed

Here's a sneak peak of some cushions I've been creating. I'll get some listed in Etsy early next week.

This is one made from my hand printed fabric. It will eventually have a matching footstool.

These next three have been repurposed from some vintage tablecloths. I left my mother with 2. One on and one in the wash. How many tablecloths does she need.

Now I just need to plan a visit to my 6 Aunts, the inlaws ......

New stuff

Boy! what a week!

I've been busy trying to keep up with Etsy. I've listed a few more items but really they are just replacing ones that have sold.

I've also been trying to do all the stuff that one needs to do when you join a team. Intially it seems quite time consuming but I always try to focus on the big picture and I know that it will all be worth it.

In amongst all of that I actually did some dyeing today. This is a photo of some threads both variegated and (I don't want to use the word plain) normal. They are actually a bit messy. I needed to take them off the paper towel ( checks for colourfastness) as they weren't drying and hang them up. hopefully they will dry overnight.

It doesn't matter how many times I do this I still get a buzz out of the colours.

And I'm always still amazed at how the dye colour works across different threads. The bottom thread is rayon, the top a silk.

Gotta go. Alan is cooking tonight and just came and gave me the 5 min warning.

Synthetic Dyeing

I love using cold reactive dyes. The vibrancy of colour and the ease of use is wonderful. I've never really had much need to dye synthetics so haven't been bothered to go down that dyeing path.

Having said that I do like to experiment. I had some thickened dye left over from another project and decided to see if I could get the same vibrancy of colour on synthetics as I do from plant fibres and silk.

Great idea except that I couldn't find any in my stash. After much hunting I found 2 pieces, one a piece of nylon lace and the other was small piece of lining.

I soaked them in soda ash first. Then I used a sponge brush to apply the thickened dye.

I let them dry and then heat set them. (Thickened dye is needs to be heat set).

I then washed them a couple of times to check for colour fastness. I am very happy with the colour of the lace. The lining is pale, not as pale as the photo but pale just the same. I'm going to have another go as I didn't check that the thickened dye had penetrated the fibres before heat setting.

Could be that the dye just isn't suitable for the fabric. But now I know that I can dye nylon lace quite successfully with thickened dye.

The Crafters' Way 59 - Online Shopping

I write a weekly Craft column for a local paper. I share it here with bloggers or you can view online at http://www.northlakesmessenger.com.au/




Shopping online for craft supplies and quality handcrafted items can be fun and informative, it can also be time consuming. Here are a few sites that I visit regularly.

We are all familiar with eBay. Its worldwide, safe and you can bag yourself a real bargain. Craft shopping on eBay can be time consuming if you are not looking for a particular item. eBay has categories within categories, then pages of listings to peruse. Some may be very happy to have this much choice, personally, I find that my attention span wanes very quickly and I give up my search without purchasing.

Etsy is another online marketplace with the byline of ‘ your place to buy and sell handmade’. They have made it much easier to buy handmade goods, as you are not searching through manufactured items. Etsy does also allow non-handmade crafts supplies and vintage Goods 20 years plus to be listed but these are clearly tagged. The downside is that all prices are in US dollars so you need to check your conversion rates before committing. http://www.xe.com/ is an excellent currency conversion service.

DaWanda is an European based online marketplace. The prices here are all listed in Euros. Again, it’s easy to navigate, as you know everything is handmade.

Madeit is an Australian site. You can buy independently designed and made items here. All sellers must reside in Australia. No currency conversion needed here. In addition to the online marketplace they also have a directory of independent designers.

If you are interested in quality handcrafted items you will enjoy a drive to Ipswich on the 16th August. The Handcraft Expo is being held at the Ipswich showground from 8am – 2 pm. For more information ph: Liesa on 0422876154.

Naughty Blogger

I've been a bit slack about posting lately. I've been trying to set up the Etsy store. Got a few items listed but would like to have some time to add more. Maybe next week.

This week disappeared in a flash. Keep in mind our working week is Wednesday to Sunday. Wednesday was spent finishing the hand painting of the spirals on the cushion fronts. I haven't finished the background yet as I needed to take them off the frame to make room for a class. On the way home picked up 45 t- Shirts.

Thursday I had a dyeing class. This was full on but as always lots of fun. Friday, I washed the shirts and dyed them. Today was spent washing out. These have all been ECO DYED. I don't Tie Dye. I don't use any string or rubber bands. I have even worked out a way to get patterns like the star on top without stitching. Pretty happy about that. Oh, and I'm not telling.

I brought some home to finish washing out. With a bit of luck they will be dry for tomorrow.

Tomorrow is Sunday and I'm hoping that before the market crowd arrives I will be able to iron the t-shirts. I'm going to concentrate on the kids ones first.

Alan has also been busy. He has assembled the takadai and made me an additional 62 large bobbins. Guess Its now up to me to dye the threads and start the first braid.

Alan also got a bargain today. We've been talking about racks for the clothes but have been unwilling to spend the money they ask for them new. Alan picked up 2 of these racks for $40 from an opshop. What a bargain. They are in perfect condition.

The t-shirst look good too.