I’ve loved flip books ever since grade school when I used to draw stick figure animations in the margins of my text books. Lately I’ve seen a lot of different ways to make them yourself, or have them made for you from your videos or illustrations. They’re definitely a fun little thing to have around, an interesting novelty, but I have to admit my practical side has resisted them, because really, what purpose do they serve?

The answer is simple: tutorials! These knitting flip books, called Flip Knit, by Annie Modesitt are the perfect practical application of the flip book. Each book shows two different knitting techniques. Flip the book from the front for the first one, and turn it over to flip from the back for the second. Here’s a video of one in action. This is such a great idea, I wonder what other craft techniques could be taught with a flip book?

via The Independent Stitch.

Cheers!
Donna

How to make a fabric brooch

You will need:

• Fabric
• A pen
• Circular shape
• Pinking shears/scissors
• Ribbon
• Buttons
• Brooch back/safety pin
• Needle and thread

1. Assemble all your things. I find it easier to select my fabric and ribbon first and then match the buttons to them later.

2. Use your circle shape – I used a sticky tape roll – to draw out a circle on your fabric. Then use the pinking shears to cut it out. If you want more of a “shabby chic” look then just use normal scissors and the edges will start to fray after wearing a few times.

3. Next you need to decide how long you want your ribbon pieces to be. Do they extend over the edge of the circle or stay well within it? Again for a “shabby chic” look use regular scissors rather than pinking shears. Cut your ribbon to the desired length – I cut mine so that they just reach the edge of the circle.

4. Lay your ribbon onto the fabric circle and sew into place – you only need a couple of stitches at this stage as your button will be sewn onto the same place later on. It should look something like this:

5. Next, sew your button on! After this you will need to attach the brooch back/safety pin. I’m using a safety pin as more people are likely to have these lying around. However, for a more professional look, use a brooch back. This is the part that can be quite fiddly. I lay my pin down like this:

I then sew around the back bit of the safety pin (the bit that doesn’t open) and voila your fabric brooch is finished!

Here are some variations.

Enjoy!

 

I just have to add that since I made these I have started to use brooch backs instead of safety pins and they work much better as they are easier to attach and look much more professional.

Cable without a Cable Needle

This link leads to a tutorial by the famous Grumperina and shows how to cable faster and more efficiently.   If you are tired of always trying to locate tha tiny cable needle, or find it frustrating to deal with an extra needle, then this is the method for you.

When I first began to cable, I used this tutorial and found it easier and quicker to move my stitches around.

please visit dqb-dqb.blogspot.com and watch a very humble tutorial on how to make your favorite fabric bias tape.

hugs, Dominique

Hi there!

Wow this blog has been busy lately, so many awesome posts! Anyway I was wondering if anybody was up for a challenge.

I would like to have a new design for the banner + a button for Craft Tutorials Blog. The size is 770 x 140 pixels and the winner will have his/her design as a banner until the end of the year!

Please post your designs onto our Flickr Group

Good luck! Competition closes 1st of August.

Eve