Need to improve your hand-eye coordination? Take up juggling. And make it crafty by whipping up a set of these soft, colorful Japanese juggling toys. All you need are some fabric scraps and a handful of dried beans or rice. The Japanese word otedama refers to a variety of juggling games, played with small handmade […]
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Temari is an ancient Japanese folk art dating back more than 500 years. Temari means “hand” (te) “ball” (mari), relating to both making by and playing with the hands. Originally, balls for games and children were made from bits and scraps of kimono, other clothing, or deer hide. Strips of cloth or leather would be […]
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When tackling this project I had sewn some outdoor gear before but nothing this complicated. Shoulder/Hip straps were the most intimidating part, but once I got underway they went fine. Why did I decided to make a portage pack? Because I am often too cheap to buy a commercial or custom made item. The pack […]
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Tired of looking at that heap of lifeless jeans plotting a coup on your closet floor? Then transform those comatose denims into super fabulous house slips and regain control of your closet. Join the recyclution! These instructions offer three women’s sizes: S (5-6), M (7-8), and L (9-10). Yardage caters to size L, so making […]
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Agitating wool in water causes the fibers to bind onto each other and shrink. The great news is that this binding action creates a dense, soft material whose raw edges won’t fray. This is known as felting. The next time your favorite wool sweater accidentally slips into the wash and shrinks to oblivion, take another […]
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Wash a wool sweater in the washing machine and you’ll see it shrink to child-sized. This, my adult-sized friends, is called felting. Agitating wool in water causes the fibers to bind onto each other and shrink. The great news is that this binding action creates a dense, soft material whose raw edges won’t fray. I’ll […]
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