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Articles & Books From Crafts
Your simple guide to the DIY die-cutting machine that lets you create without limitations Your new Cricut can help you cut paper, vinyl, fabric, and beyond. Perfect for DIY enthusiasts, scrapbookers, and professional designers, Cricut machines are favorites among makers of all types. Cricut For Dummies gives you clear, simple instructions for using a Cricut machine, so you can start creating today.
Learn the basic skills and techniques you need for successful hand and machine sewing Over the past ten years, interest in sewing has grown. If want to learn how to sew or to improve your skills, Sewing For Dummies is the book you need to get started. This complete guide to sewing basics teaches you basic hand stitches and sewing machine operation, with easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step illustrations.
Put your knitting skills into action with these fun and easy-to-follow patterns Knitting is fun, functional, and stress-relieving—get started today with Knitting Patterns For Dummies! Written for all skill levels and perfect for beginners, it includes patterns for socks, scarves, sweaters, and beyond. Add to your knitting repertoire and experiment with different textures, fun colors, and pattern shapes.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 01-11-2023
If you love to crochet, this Cheat Sheet is a handy reference to keep nearby. It includes standardized yarn weights, international crochet symbols, and a metrics conversion table.Standardized yarn weightsStandardized yarn weights are wonderful because one weight (or size) yarn can be called by several different names.
Article / Updated 03-16-2020
The extended double crochet (abbreviated Edc) is a variation on the standard double crochet stitch (abbreviated dc). Occasionally a pattern may direct you to make extended crochet stitches, which are a little taller than the regular version of the same stitch. They also provide variation in texture with a slightly improved drape, meaning a fabric made of extended stitches is softer and less dense than one made with standard stitches.
Video / Updated 08-08-2023
Knitting and purling open the door to all sorts of patterns that involve alternating between knit and purl stitches. But as a beginning knitter, you really only need to know two patterns: garter stitch, which you create by knitting (or purling) every row, and stockinette stitch, which you create by alternating a knit row with a purl row.
Article / Updated 03-16-2020
Hand washing your handknitted and crocheted items is the safest bet, but you can try washing and drying some items, too. The following sections give you tips for each method.If the yarn label says “Dry clean only,” then by all means, take the item to the cleaners. A word of advice, though: Bring the label (or a copy of the label) to the cleaners with you.
Article / Updated 03-16-2020
Crocheting this scarf is really fun, and it’ll certainly brighten up your wardrobe. Not only are you changing colors with each row, but textures as well. You work the scarf completely with single crochet stitches, but you’d never know to look at it. Sometimes it’s okay to mix and match yarns, and this design is a great example.
Article / Updated 03-16-2020
Understanding how to measure and work with gauge is what allows you to go from a knitted or crocheted swatch to a finished project that has the correct measurements.If you’ve spent some time around knitters or crocheters, you may already know that mention of the word gauge often elicits a groan. Gauge has a bad reputation for three reasons.
Article / Updated 10-20-2023
A good hat is a must-have in your knitting repertoire, and this basic beanie, sized for babies through adults, fits the bill. Make it plain or cabled. Add in stripes or a color pattern. After your beanie is knit, top it with a pompom or tassel. The variations are endless. ©Ivanikova Tatyana/Shutterstock.com Materials and vital statistics Yarn: Berrocco Smart Mohair (41 percent mohair, 54 percent acrylic, 5 percent polyester); 108 yards (100 meters) per 50 grams; 1 (1, 1, 2, 2) balls; color: Pink Needles: US 10 (6 mm) circular needle, 16-inch length, or the size needed to match gauge; US 8 (5 mm) circular needle, 16-inch length; US 10 (6 mm) double-pointed needles Other materials: Eight stitch markers; yarn needle to weave in ends Size: Baby (toddler, child, small adult, large adult); circumference: 14 (16, 18, 20, 22) inches, unstretched Gauge: 16 stitches and 20 rows per 4 inches in stockinette stitch on larger needles This beanie is worked in the round, starting on circular needles and switching to double-pointed needles when you shape the crown of the hat.