{"conf": "crafts", "generated_at": "2026-04-26T08:00:02.954878Z", "threads": [{"num": 1, "subject": "Welcome!", "response_count": 5, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, May 15, 2000 (12:15)", "body": "Aloha! Wolf and I have been hatching this for so long in our minds that I wonder if we can remember all the goodies we thought of to place in here. I can't wait till she gets home, so I might surprise her. Thank you, Cfadm!"}, {"response": 2, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (16:18)", "body": "Wonder why no one except me is posting in here. Sorry for using your food wallpaper. I had a really nice one chosen to go with these Tourmaline green (like my Alexandrite) horizontal bars, but nothing I did in rc would install it. Same with the #005500 matching link color. Oh well, if you ever feel like fooling around ( ! ) with it, green links would look great with this and the other wallpaper I had planned. Probably would be good to leave this wallpaper, though. It is much easier to find fallen pins on a plain carpet!"}, {"response": 3, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:02)", "body": "*doing the happy dance* well, it's about time!!!! *grin* yeah, i can't remember all the stuff we wanted to talk about in here. it'll come to us. you'll come on down and visit."}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:24)", "body": "Maybe we should hunt up where we did talk about it. I'll do that later when my creative bursts slack off. I just created a hiking topic n the fitness conference in which I hope a scout of exalted status posts, also a landscape painter who is a great hiker and has done Mt Katahdin in Maine more than a few times... Wolfie, I am delighted you finally got in here and posted. It was getting really lonesome! Haven't done knitting or crocheting yet, either...*sigh*"}, {"response": 5, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:26)", "body": "Oh! *Doing the Happy Dance* right along with you! crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 10, "subject": "Ornamental Hand Sewing", "response_count": 53, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:02)", "body": "This I was taught very young along with playing the piano. It was considered requisite to becoming a young lady, along with being able to discourse on any subject your partner brought into the conversation. I play the piano barely adequately, hand sew nicely, and converse...well, you may dicide that for yourself. (And yes, I do know how to spell embroidery...sigh)"}, {"response": 2, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (18:06)", "body": "i learned to embroider as a child but can't do it now to save my life (i really wasn't a great student). but, have taken up learning crewel and embroidery. but what i really love to do is cross stitch and i have several pieces in my home adorning the walls. the pieces i pick take a year or so to finish and don't give me any of the cutesy stuff to work. do mostly wildlife and am particular about those pieces as well. there's nothing like hanging a piece of handworked stitchery on the wall! (ok, maybe a couple of things better)"}, {"response": 3, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (18:51)", "body": "Are you doing plain cross stitch or counted cross stitch? On is a very fine art akin to needlepoint and the other tapestry arts. (Yeah, but you cannot hang THAT on the wall *grin*)"}, {"response": 4, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (19:11)", "body": "i do counted cross stitch and am working a sampler on 25 count linen. it's more like tapestry, which i love anyway and needlepoint is much closer to tapestry."}, {"response": 5, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (19:37)", "body": "That is really an artform. It should not be called anything \"cross stitch\" since it is often mistaken for the crude form little children are taught as their first use of needle and embroidery thread. Your sampler should become a family heirloom for your daughter and so on. Don't think David needs my stuff, though when I looked at the photos of their Christmas tree, there were plenty of things on there I had made *grin*"}, {"response": 6, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Sat, May 27, 2000 (17:27)", "body": "My daughter is a beautiful counted cross sticher, she has done some truly lovely work. i don't have the patience. I prefer varied embroidery and was delighted to see one I did a long time ago framed at my friends house recently."}, {"response": 7, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, May 27, 2000 (18:23)", "body": "What a huge compliment to find your creation framed and displayed in someone else's home. I am very impressed. I have done entire tea sets (tablecloth, serviettes and teapot cozy matching) but they are mildewing just like everything else."}, {"response": 8, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Sat, May 27, 2000 (18:34)", "body": "I was impressed with it too!!! coldn't believe I'd done that. It was based on the Diary of a country Lady and reperesented the seasons. One day I'll get into design. Oh I have all these great ideas for when I retire in umpteen years time!!"}, {"response": 9, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Sat, May 27, 2000 (18:35)", "body": "maybe i can scan some of E's work for you to see, it really is impressive."}, {"response": 10, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Sat, May 27, 2000 (18:36)", "body": "I taught my girls to sew in the evenings while their Dad read aloud to us. Very cosy!"}, {"response": 11, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, May 27, 2000 (19:27)", "body": "Please do scan it whatever size you can do it and I will resize it for you. We did some other scanning and resizing of live embroidery in Collecting conference and it came out just fine."}, {"response": 12, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, May 27, 2000 (19:29)", "body": "I taught my son to sew on buttons and to repair open seams and such...He is no artist when it comes to this skill. It is good he needs us for something!"}, {"response": 13, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (06:54)", "body": "I taught T to do the same, by refusing to do it for him. I may not always be here .... How do I scan things that are too big for the scanner? Do I do it in parts?"}, {"response": 14, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (10:04)", "body": "yes. do it in bits. unless you have a digital camera or instant camera, you can just send that. i'd love to see the piece!"}, {"response": 15, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (11:52)", "body": "I took it out of its frame and sent the scanned pic to Marcia to put in for me. I had to adjust the brightness etc as it's on a black background, but I think it came out OK. (it fitted on the scanner oK) How do you put the bits together again if you do it in pieces? I haven't figured out how to scan my painting in. (I have taken a photo and will see if that can be scnned in OK)"}, {"response": 16, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (13:19)", "body": "you'd post it one right after the other without spaces inbetween. like this: (note substituted the { for <) {img src=\"img.gif\"}{img src=\"img2.gif}{br} {img src=\"img3.gif\"}{img src=\"img4.gif}"}, {"response": 17, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (13:20)", "body": "whether or not the images appear side by side will depend on the size of each image."}, {"response": 18, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (13:20)", "body": "can't wait to see it btw!"}, {"response": 19, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (13:31)", "body": "I will post it...Hold your horses!"}, {"response": 20, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (13:38)", "body": "Esther's needlepoint"}, {"response": 21, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (13:41)", "body": "Maggie, you sent it at 128KB which was fine, but far too big and wasteful of space on Terry's Hard drive. I reduced it to 44KB. Do not like to go much above 32KB, but his come out very well. Thanks. I'll be happy to resize and post your things when you get them scanned."}, {"response": 22, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (13:55)", "body": "Thanks. The colours are a bit disappointing, but I couldn't get it any better. It's called Dragon Isle and is counted cross stitch on black Aida."}, {"response": 23, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (18:42)", "body": "isn't it hard to cross-stitch on black? i had to make sure the light was just right in order to see the holes. and it's especially tough when trying to stitch in darker colors, esp. black. the dragon is excellent and intricate. it must've taken her a while to finish this one."}, {"response": 24, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (19:06)", "body": "It is very hard to count rows and stitches in very dark yarn, too, even using magnifiers and arc lights... I particularly love the temple/palace in the background."}, {"response": 25, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Mon, May 29, 2000 (11:33)", "body": "The temple shows more clearly in the original. We keep meaning to get round to designing our own pictures - she's a good artist too, one day I'll get the software. Haven't got any more of her stuff at home just now, they've all been given away to people. anyway, glad you like it, she was very surprised."}, {"response": 26, "author": "wolf", "date": "Tue, Aug  8, 2000 (22:38)", "body": "ok you veteran cross stitchers out there, i've got a project being worked on 25 count evenweave fabric. it's big and intricate so i've got it on stretcher bars to allow me to work on more area at a time instead of having to constantly readjust the hoop. how do i keep the thing taunt?"}, {"response": 27, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, Aug 17, 2000 (18:42)", "body": "Wolfie, the tension (tautness) adjustment should be on the hinge - at least the enclosed ones are. If there is no othe place to adjust the tautness, hanging weights on the bottom of the piece works well. Has for millenia, as any archaeologist can tell you..."}, {"response": 28, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sat, Aug 19, 2000 (19:57)", "body": "the stretcher bars are the kind with a slits on both ends (top and bottom) for you to wrap your cloth around, then you roll it and tighten the hand bolts on both sets. but it never stays taut. so there's no place to hang weights."}, {"response": 29, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sat, Aug 19, 2000 (20:07)", "body": "http://www.twdesignworks.com/Designs/egs.html is the site with a pic of my first teresa wentzler design that i'm presently working on."}, {"response": 30, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, Aug 20, 2000 (14:17)", "body": "Wolfie sweetie, you may just have to resort to a google search for \"stretcher bar tension control\" or some such. I have never used them... How frustrating!"}, {"response": 31, "author": "wolf", "date": "Mon, Aug 21, 2000 (19:42)", "body": "it's ok, just keep having to tighten the bars over and over!"}, {"response": 32, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, Aug 21, 2000 (22:03)", "body": "Try some rubber bands on them..."}, {"response": 33, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Mon, Aug 28, 2000 (15:34)", "body": "I'll ask Esther when she gets in - she uses a similar frame, actually come to that so does Tony for his tapestry ....I'll get back to you..."}, {"response": 34, "author": "wolf", "date": "Thu, Jun  7, 2001 (22:36)", "body": "as if i don't already have enough projects to do, i ordered two more from thestitchery.com *laugh*"}, {"response": 35, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Fri, Aug 24, 2001 (00:31)", "body": "Pack them up, dear... If you would like I can send you the celtic needlework horizontal bars from here. The Spring can still not see my files on the net for rc functions, but they can see yours. I'll email them to you in any case if you have time to put them on."}, {"response": 36, "author": "Charlotte", "date": "Fri, Aug 24, 2001 (08:13)", "body": "Why am I unable to see the photo of Esther's piece? Is something wrong at my end?"}, {"response": 37, "author": "wolf", "date": "Fri, Aug 24, 2001 (18:36)", "body": "marcia, send away!! where's esther's picture at? it was really big, i remember that much!"}, {"response": 38, "author": "curious", "date": "Sat, Aug 25, 2001 (13:58)", "body": "Here are two articles pertaining to this topic: Viking Embroidery Stitches and Motifs The Development of Embroidery Throughout Chinese History"}, {"response": 39, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sat, Aug 25, 2001 (16:36)", "body": "thank you for giving us some more stuff to look at! (and add to our list of things to do!!)"}, {"response": 40, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, Aug 25, 2001 (17:06)", "body": "Wolf, the Celtic stitch bars we orignially used here are on their way to you. If it works, I just might send you my buttons and bars for geo since my rc files cannot see where they are and you and I checked that out thoroughly. *Sigh* Only parts of Spring love me, I guess *;)"}, {"response": 41, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, Aug 25, 2001 (17:58)", "body": "Great links, Anon. celtic embroidery can be done on anything from heavy damask to standard weight cotton. In each case it is lovely and adds so much class to what you are doing. Gold threads occasionaly added make it glisten quite amazingly!"}, {"response": 42, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (15:27)", "body": "I wondered about where Esther's embroidery was, as well. Probably on my old site. Wolfie, I'm going to send you my buttons and bars so I can post them since Geobuttons in my Spring files is invisible to my rc file. Perhaps it could see yours!"}, {"response": 43, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (15:27)", "body": ""}, {"response": 44, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sat, Apr 20, 2002 (22:24)", "body": "well, like all hobbies, we put them down and pick them up again later. i'm still trying to finish that sampler but have taken on a smaller project to give me some satisfaction. the sampler is really tedious but will be worth it once it's finished. i've also been asked to stitch something up for a neighbor of mine but haven't a clue what to do. she likes lighthouses so i think i'll find a nice one of those."}, {"response": 45, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, May 27, 2002 (00:01)", "body": "I haven't done hand work in a long time. My hands rebel at using clutching a needle for long hours. Either I do computer typing or needlework. For my own sanity, I have chosen the computer!"}, {"response": 46, "author": "wolf", "date": "Tue, May 28, 2002 (19:10)", "body": "*laugh*"}, {"response": 47, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 29, 2002 (01:11)", "body": "Of course there are other people to consider. HM wishes I would take up the needle again but think of all the kind people who say they would miss me. I would miss them even more! Besides, this keeps my mind occupied. Needlework tends to make it wander where it probably should not go. *;)"}, {"response": 48, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 29, 2002 (18:43)", "body": "HM says that to keep you from us *HUGS*"}, {"response": 49, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, Jun  4, 2002 (01:07)", "body": "HM has found the one place he cannot isolate me from the world. I will not allow him to gain that goal. I am now in the \"driver's seat.\" More to come over the weeks ahead. I just wish the world was a lot smaller in some places and a lot bigger in other places. *sigh*"}, {"response": 50, "author": "wolf", "date": "Tue, Jun  4, 2002 (21:06)", "body": "please do keep me posted sweetheart!! you are my twin afterall!!! *HUGS*"}, {"response": 51, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, Jun  5, 2002 (04:39)", "body": "Both here and email, Sweetie!"}, {"response": 52, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, Aug 25, 2002 (11:47)", "body": "ok, you know those 50% off coupons you get for framing? well, i had one for the entire project and it still cost $100!!"}, {"response": 53, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Fri, Mar 21, 2003 (00:25)", "body": "Wow!!! I am looking forward to doing more knitting, crocheting and handsweing when I am back on the mainland. It is too sticky hot out here to do it in Hawaii - and then it mildews. Paradise? Not for me! crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 11, "subject": "Interior Decoration", "response_count": 7, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:47)", "body": "Black & White Floor Have you admired one of those striking black and white tile floors in a magazine or showhouse and dismissed ever having one because you thought it was too formal? Well, think again. This look is very easy to work with. Imagine a sleek and shiny modern kitchen with a black and white floor. Or perhaps you like country; that could work, too, with smaller gingham black and white checked material at the windows, a touch of weathered paint, and a few antiques thrown in. Then there is the French provincial look with pine furniture, rush seats, and fancy curtains with lots of hanging brass pots. So you, too, can have this beautiful look in your kitchen."}, {"response": 2, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, May 18, 2000 (02:24)", "body": "Pattern Blends Are you trying to create a cozy feel in your decorating by adding pattern, but are afraid to mix more than three? Don't be! You can use up to six different patterns together by using similar colors and varied scales. First choose a dominant pattern, one with a large scale. Use it on one of your room's largest elements; the draperies, perhaps. Then repeat it on articles of less importance, such as chair seats or pillows. Next you can use tone on tone, as in a stripe on a sofa or bedspread. Then use small scale patterns in your accents such as a needlepoint pillow or artwork. By using many patterns together, you can create a rich look with style and visual interest."}, {"response": 3, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, May 18, 2000 (02:26)", "body": "Community College Feel like you're stuck in a rut, working alone in your garage or basement? Maybe you need a refresher on basic skills, or just want access to industrial-sized machines. Many community colleges offer outstanding inexpensive woodworking programs. Current or retired professionals, who are eager to share their skills, often teach these classes. Although some of these departments are geared mainly toward training young people for production jobs, others will be very receptive to students who want to learn how to do fine, one of a kind work. Go meet the teachers at your local schools. You may be in for a very positive experience."}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, May 22, 2000 (15:02)", "body": "Decorative Painting Are your rooms looking drab and in need of a little something to perk them up? Try some decorative painting. You could paint a trellis and vine around and over an open doorway. Continue it down the hall for a surprising touch! Do you have a blank wall? Why not paint a mural on it? Try a beach scene, or maybe a forest with animals. If you' re not that artistic, you could start by painting a floor to look like large stones or a rectangular rug pattern that appeals to you. Experiment with it and have fun--you can always paint over it."}, {"response": 5, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, May 22, 2000 (16:51)", "body": "Mirror, Mirror On The Wall Thinking of adding a hanging mirror to your home decor? Consider using a vintage wooden window as your mirror frame. Scout out antique or architectural salvage stores to find the size and shape you want. Consider a multi-paned window for an interesting effect. Then, take the window to any home center that cuts glass. They should be able to cut mirrors to fit the panes."}, {"response": 6, "author": "curious", "date": "Tue, Aug 21, 2001 (00:21)", "body": "Once again, great tips!"}, {"response": 7, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (15:58)", "body": "Thanks. I need to find them again and post new ones. My inbox overfloweth if I get too many subscriptions going, and my first devotion is to Geo where I was left on my own to find things to make it fly or sink. Thus far we remain aloft. Pop by and check it out. You ARE and inhabitant of the known Universe? If so, I have something there that should be of interest. Even if you are a little kid! Do you have earthquakes where you live? Active volcanoes? I do! crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 12, "subject": "Quilting", "response_count": 17, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (19:08)", "body": "Hawaiian Quilts are unique in all the world http://www.nvo.com/poakalani/files/ will give you a pattern and instructions all the way to finished project http://members.aol.com/SangerSL/hawaiian.html How to do it by yourself with your own pattern This url has beautiful quilts to look at and admire! This is typical of Hawaiian applique quilt http://WWW.Hawaiian-Quilts.com/"}, {"response": 2, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (19:10)", "body": "For a close-up of the quilting (with a very non-Polynesian-looking model)at the same url as above:"}, {"response": 3, "author": "wolf", "date": "Tue, Aug  8, 2000 (22:45)", "body": "i've got quilt books, quilting for stupid people and i still haven't got the hang of it. maybe i just like the idea of quilts and should buy them instead! *laugh*"}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, Aug 17, 2000 (19:29)", "body": "Me too. My wicked Stepmother ended up with all of my Grandmother's hand made ones made for each of her granddaughers (me and my sisters) Hope she smothers under them!!!"}, {"response": 5, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sat, Aug 19, 2000 (19:58)", "body": "how selfish of her!"}, {"response": 6, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, Aug 23, 2000 (19:01)", "body": "Tell me!!! it gets worse, but that is not for here...*sigh*"}, {"response": 7, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Thu, Sep  7, 2000 (05:19)", "body": "The girls and I hand made quilts in Africa as an evening past time whilst house male read to us ... I still have the quilts. We did simple square patterns, and used old sheeting to join up the larger squares. They look quite effective. I have done more complicated ones in the past, including applique, but these are my favourites. Sorry about grandmother's quilts, Marcia...."}, {"response": 8, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, Sep  7, 2000 (14:38)", "body": "Ah, you are fortunate to have had daughters. Teaching my male offsping was accomplished with great difficulty. He can do a very neat solder joint, but sewing is a whole nuther subject. He gets it done, but don't look too closely!!! Quilting with daughters sounds wondeful, eppercially with someone reading to me..."}, {"response": 9, "author": "curious", "date": "Tue, Aug 21, 2001 (00:13)", "body": "Great links up there!"}, {"response": 10, "author": "wolf", "date": "Fri, Aug 24, 2001 (18:39)", "body": "those hawaiian quilts are beautiful! and yes, i'm still quite interested in making a quilt and don't want to take baby steps first. i adore the intricate ones all the way to the simple but stunning. a friend advised that i learn by sewing large scrap squares (say that three times fast) to get the hang of the corners and such. hmmmmm....."}, {"response": 11, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (16:13)", "body": "My mother used to make me take out my sewing when I took large stitches for non-basting purposes. Now I make such tiny ones that when I sew patches on, the look like they are woven into the fabric. I was particularly careful with my son's National Park Ranger Uniform. Suddenly I had a whole bunch of Rangers calling me, Mom! Beginning Hawaiian quilters can start by using precut pillow square ensembles. They are lovely and much easier to do than the entire full-sized quilts. Wolfie, do you want one in your next Care package? I need to know the colors you want and I'll work from that."}, {"response": 12, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, Aug 29, 2001 (13:09)", "body": "oh marcia, you don't have to go to all that trouble--send whatever colors you'd like!"}, {"response": 13, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, Aug 29, 2001 (14:31)", "body": "White background with blue or green or red jewel-tone appliques is how they usually come, but they also have light blue on dark blue. I much prefer the white background. They are always in the same stack, just like fabric bolts are. Your preference would not be any more difficult then chosing mine. Perhaps I should make my choice by sending the least intricate one. Some are so full of little twists and turns that it takes a whole lot of working to get it right. I'll find you something I think you'd like. We usually agree on these things =)"}, {"response": 14, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, Aug 29, 2001 (19:29)", "body": "jewel-tone on white is great!! and you can send whenever you wish, sweetie. if you send it out soon, it'll get here on time *wink* (and i'm still working on your care package but right now, all the goodies are still locked in my mind)..."}, {"response": 15, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, Aug 30, 2001 (20:52)", "body": "(you have too much to do to think about packages for me!) Jewel tones it is and I will choose by pattern, then. When you have a moment go feast your eyes at what I have put on the glass crafts topic if you have not yet seen it."}, {"response": 16, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, Sep  8, 2002 (12:00)", "body": "am working a quilt with a friend and we are both being instructed by a woman who can look at a quilt and tell you how to make it. this one will be a gift for my friend's mother and we're on the countdown til christmas to get it done! (marcia, before you take off from hawaii, don't forget the hawaiian quilt *GRIN*)"}, {"response": 17, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Fri, Mar 21, 2003 (00:29)", "body": "I promise Wolfie. I have to get out of the prison/house for a few moments of shopping. I did get into making dream catchers. I may make one for you if you do not have one already!!! Hawaiian quilt it is and block stamps too! crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 13, "subject": "Wreathing", "response_count": 10, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:09)", "body": "i enjoy making wreaths and swags. and am getting better at it the more i practice. don't be afraid to overdo them because the bolder the better for the most part. really depends on what you're trying to do."}, {"response": 2, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:55)", "body": "How do you afix stuff to yours? Hot glue? Thick tacky glue? Wire? What do you use for the framework? Grapevines? Raffia? Stryofoam? I have made little ones out of grapevines (3\" diameter), and have done the Hawaiian art of Haku a lot using whatever is blooming at the time. Haku wreathes look lovely around a pillar candles."}, {"response": 3, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (18:13)", "body": "i use hot glue and floral wire. use straw wreaths, eucalyptus swags, but mostly grapevine which can be embellished with all sorts of things. (these are, maybe, 18\" diameter grapevine wreaths). also do christmas swags. in fact, the one i made my sitter is still hanging in her living room."}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (18:43)", "body": "Mine do until the gekkos take up residence - then they go out with their progeny awaiting hatching! The eucalyptus smells good!"}, {"response": 5, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (20:57)", "body": "well, you can make living wreaths as well. just use a succulent as your plant and maybe some bromeliads and air plants. take spanish moss and wrap your wreath with it. use some fish line and attach your plants until they take root and hold on. mist once a week or more often and there you go! the gekkos would be at home for sure!!"}, {"response": 6, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (21:20)", "body": "I'd end up with earwigs, thirsty centipedes, and I don't know what all...!"}, {"response": 7, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (21:25)", "body": "yeah, but the birds will handle the pest problem!"}, {"response": 8, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (22:33)", "body": "Not putting this on your dining room table, are you? Hmmm... In that case it would be lovely and I can think of other stuff to put in there, too. Little maidenhair fern plants anchored to minute lave cinders or little ferns of any sort anchored to the cinders - they love cinders!"}, {"response": 9, "author": "wolf", "date": "Thu, May 18, 2000 (20:23)", "body": "you could use it as an indoor wreath or tabletop decoration. (ok, maybe not in hawaii)"}, {"response": 10, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Fri, May 19, 2000 (19:34)", "body": "How about on the Lanai?! It would be perfect there! crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 14, "subject": "Yarnworks", "response_count": 11, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (19:18)", "body": "i crochet lots and lots of stuff. even learned how to handle the finer threads to make doilies. am working on a multi-colored daisy motif afghan these days."}, {"response": 2, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (19:48)", "body": "I have knit just about everything it is possible to knit. Suits for myself, afghans, sweaters and mittens and socks in numbers I cannot even begin to imagine. I Perfer to crochet stuff I have invented and some have been really nice as place mats and seat cushion covers for baseball games. I do stuff like that because no one has ever taught me how to do anything other than double and single crochet, so I had to invent as I went. Not too hard if you have something someone else did and you can look at it carefully. Knowing how to knit also helps a lot."}, {"response": 3, "author": "wolf", "date": "Tue, Feb 18, 2003 (20:27)", "body": "the daisy motif has sat on the back burner awhile but, i've managed to make two baby blankets, an afghan for my daughter, an afghan for a friend who moved to colorado, and am putting together the strips of an afghan for me while working one for my son. needless to say, the cross stitch project that has taken a while is still gonna take a while!! still don't know how to knit. anyone know a good way to teach a leftie to crochet?"}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, Mar  8, 2003 (16:42)", "body": "look in the mirror. That is how I taught a Girl Scout group with two lefties."}, {"response": 5, "author": "wolf", "date": "Fri, Nov 25, 2005 (12:58)", "body": "wow, this place has been empty. am currently working on 2 baby blankets--one blue and one pink (folks in my office). am also working on a barbie bed doll pattern my daughter fell in love with along with about 3 cross stitch projects!"}, {"response": 6, "author": "wolf", "date": "Fri, Nov 25, 2005 (12:59)", "body": "my mom told me to just sit across from my daughter while teaching her crochet. she's not very interested right now but i'll be ready when she is. i also have a beginner's knit kit (thinner needles--the other kit i have has big fat needles and my fingers just can't get around them easily)."}, {"response": 7, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, Apr 10, 2006 (20:16)", "body": "I wish someone had actually taught me to crochet. I watched a neighbor make granny squares one afternoon and went home to dulicate her work. It is easy and I can granny square anything just about. I just need a little fine tuning - but I have pictures of a great huge double bed blanket of granny squares I made over the years in Hawaii but never used there."}, {"response": 8, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, Apr 10, 2006 (20:22)", "body": "When I put the squares together I double reinforced the seams so the squares domed a little bit. It stablizied the afghan and make it more toasty since the heat was trapped in there like a big thermal blanket."}, {"response": 9, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, Apr 10, 2006 (20:22)", "body": "I can also show what that looks like when I get this all gotomeeting-ed."}, {"response": 10, "author": "wolf", "date": "Tue, Apr 11, 2006 (18:58)", "body": "yippee because i was going to ask when you were going to show us!"}, {"response": 11, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, Apr 13, 2006 (10:42)", "body": "actually I did it to stablize it since it is such a large afghan and weighs considerably much. It not only works well for that reason but will be self blocking whenever it needs to be cleaned. I just did rows of single crochet over the joining rows and the thermal effect was just a happy coincidence. crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 15, "subject": "Photography", "response_count": 4, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, May 22, 2000 (14:56)", "body": "I just downloaded the first set of prints out of the new digital camera. Beware world, with eruptions on this island, flowers everywhere, and incredible scenery, you are gonna see lots of them. Shooting Better Slides When you send slides to galleries and competitions, you want them to be the highest possible quality so they garner the kind of attention your artwork deserves. Here are some criteria to shoot for: 1. Color quality. The color visible in the slide must match the color in the original work, especially if the slide will eventually be reproduced. 2. Maximum size. Artwork is rarely proportional to the image area of the camera lens, so make sure the longest side of the artwork--excluding the frame--fills the longer edge of the image area. 3. Plain background. Place a solid-colored backdrop--not a distracting object or printed background fabric--behind the artwork. 4. Squared up. The surface of the artwork needs to be exactly parallel to the camera lens. If it's not, you'll create a distortion known as parallax, in which the artwork appears to be narrower at the top or bottom, or one side seems shorter than the other. 5. Clarity. The images should be sharp and in focus. Use proper lighting. A well-lit, properly exposed slide shows no sign of glare or \"hot spots\" and isn't overly light or dark. If you're unable to create the best quality slides, hire a professional who has the knowledge and equipment to do the job right. And keep your files well stocked by ordering duplicate copies when you're having the originals processed. Art Tip provided by Passion4Art.com"}, {"response": 2, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Fri, Jun  9, 2000 (13:04)", "body": ""}, {"response": 3, "author": "terry", "date": "Mon, Dec 10, 2001 (21:16)", "body": "How many megapixels is your new digital camera? What make and model is it?"}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, Dec 10, 2001 (21:34)", "body": "Mine is a modest one - a learner. I'm looking at other options such as interchangeable lenses and such. I really miss having a good telephoto lens when I go to the volcano or try to photograph snow on the mountain. My son's is professional quality, has all the bells and whistles and cost 4 figures! My current camera is (and I have to share it with an inept other) a Kodak 215 Zoom a few years old. I'll check on the pixel density but I have programming options of jpg or bmp format. One uses considerably more than the other. Both are good and the jpgs are of sufficient quality that I have opted for more images on my 64K flash card rather than the precision of bmp files. crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 16, "subject": "Painting and Sketching", "response_count": 9, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 24, 2000 (17:59)", "body": "Art Tip of the Day Rubbing (or isopropyl) alcohol can serve a surprising number of purposes in the studio: General clean-up. Rubbing alcohol is an excellent solvent for many jobs where soap and water don't quite do the trick. The odor is mild and not offensive, and it's ecologically neutral. Watercolor special effects. When used in lieu of water, alcohol creates interesting effects with watercolors. The colors spread and \"wet\" very differently. And they're markedly more granular on the surface. Pastel blending. Use a small, alcohol-loaded synthetic brush to blend pastels on the painting surface. You can also use an alcohol-laden brush to pick up a dab of color from a stick of pastel, which you can use for corrections, touch-ups and light strokes of color. For dispensing small amounts, keep a bit of alcohol in a small squirt bottle or eyedropper bottle. But protect your good brushes by applying it with a synthetic brush or cotton swab. Art Tip provided by Passion4Art.com"}, {"response": 2, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, May 25, 2000 (13:20)", "body": "Draw It Right One of the challenges of good painting is getting the subject to look real and lifelike. Most often, this doesn't happen because of poor drawing skills. So here's a tip for creating realistic drawings as the foundation for your paintings: Force yourself to draw what you see, not what you think you should see. To do this, make your eyes move slowly along the contours of the object you're drawing. Then, follow the motion of your eye with your pencil. Try not to think about what you're drawing and avoid preconceived notions about how your subject \"should\" look. Art Tip provided by Passion4Art.com"}, {"response": 3, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Fri, May 26, 2000 (14:11)", "body": "Art Arithmetic Using a painting knife to create textures in watercolor requires practice because timing is critical. But with a little experimentation, you can learn to use a painting knife in one of two ways: additive or subtractive. One additive method involves pulling the thin edge of the knife through damp paint so that water and pigment fill this groove. Another technique is to dip the edge of the blade into paint and drag the knife across a dry surface. Both methods will create sharp, delicate linear textures. To use a subtractive technique, pull the palette knife toward you like a squeegee to squeeze the wet pigment from the paper, lifting off excess paint with a paper towel or leaving the paint to form shadows. Holding the knife at an angle suggests wood or rock textures. Use the flat tip of the knife to create soft lines. You'll have to experiment to learn when the paint is just dry enough to work with and how much pressure to apply on the knife. And keep in mind that these techniques can damage the paper, so be gentle. Once you've mastered these styles, experiment with the knife to find your own favorite angles. Art Tip provided by Passion4Art.com"}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, Jun  1, 2000 (20:51)", "body": "Layering Oils and Acrylics Remember that you can paint with oils over acrylics, but never acrylics over oils. Oils need to \"breathe,\" and a skin of acrylics on top of them will prevent oxygen from reaching the oils. Art Tip provided by Passion4Art.com"}, {"response": 5, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, Jun  7, 2000 (00:04)", "body": "No More Lumpy Paint If your paint or varnish has lumps and hardened particles in it, remove the cap and stretch a piece of nylon stocking over the top of the bottle, and then replace the cap. Strain the varnish by pouring it through the nylon into another container. Paint will be strained as you use it by squeezing it from the bottle."}, {"response": 6, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, Jun  7, 2000 (19:13)", "body": "Glass Painting Tricks If you get frustrated painting on glass with regular acrylics, try these tricks: -Paint on glass that is pre-etched or frosted. You can also etch the glass yourself with an etching solution (most craft stores have a variety to choose from). If your paint still won't stick, lightly spray the glass with satin varnish or clear acrylic spray. The spray will \"frost\" the glass slightly, leaving it no longer clear but adding a little tooth to hold your paint. -Another option is to brush on satin- or matte-finish varnish within the pattern area only. This will leave the remainder of the glass clear but provide tooth where it's needed. Art Tip provided by Passion4Art.com"}, {"response": 7, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, Jun  8, 2000 (22:12)", "body": "Care of Brushes Wipe the brush across a wet piece of soap until a good quantity of the soap is worked into the bristles. Grip the ends of the bristles with one hand and with the other hand move the brush so that the bristles are splayed out and the soap can work right up to the ferrule. Now place the brush into a sink and squeeze the soap back out by pressing the ferrule end of the bristles against the hard surface until you squeeze out the dirty soapy water. Rinse with warm water. Repeat this until the soapy water that you squeeze out is no longer dirty. Lastly repeat step one only, then gently mold the bristles nice and straight, leaving a good amount of soap in the bristles. The flat can have a chisel edge molded by squeezing gently between thumb and first finger. Leave to dry, with the soap \"training\" and protecting the bristles. You will be able to transport these now without them bending over if they press against anything. The soap, when dry, can be broken out again when you want to use the brush. Art Tip provided by Passion4Art.com"}, {"response": 8, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Fri, Jun  9, 2000 (13:05)", "body": "Using Turpentine Effectively Turpentine only suspends the paint, which then settles down into the bottom on your container. When you use turpentine as a cleaning agent, all you are doing after the first clean or two is stirring up sediment and forcing it up into the brush ferrules. So take a standard food preserving tin; making sure that the lid has been removed without sharp edges. Now take a smaller size tin, like a baby food tin, and place it bottom-up onto a desk. Now, take screwdriver with a medium-width end and, with a hammer, gently force slots into the base of the tin. Don't hit too hard: You only want slots and not holes. Not too close together or you will lose structural strength, but enough to cover as much of the bottom of the tin as you can. The shape edges should be inside the tin, and the smooth slots on the outside. Now place the small tin bottom-up inside the bigger tin. The smaller tin should fill about a half of the height of the larger tin. Fill the larger tin with turpentine until the smaller is only just covered. You will now be able to clean your brushes on the bottom of the small tin, and the paint will drop through the slots and gather in the bottom of the larger tin. If you let it settle, you can pour off the turps and clean out the big tin every now and again. Art Tip provided by Passion4Art.com"}, {"response": 9, "author": "terry", "date": "Sun, Jan 23, 2005 (08:43)", "body": "Guide to art gallery events in Austin, Texas. http://www.inthegalleriesaustin.com/firstsaturdays.html for example Russell Collection Fine Art Friday, January 28, 6:30 pm Lecture La Belle \ufffdpoque Wine & hors d'oeuvres begin at 6:30 pm Lecture will start promptly at 7:00 pm Please RSVP to 512-342-0747 or email Read more ART on 5th January 28 - 30 Vintage Poster Show Come experience one of our favorite shows featuring hundreds of unframed, original vintage posters from 1900 to the 1970's, directly from Europe. Subjects include movies, sports, music, fashion, travel & wine. In Austin 3 Days Only! Friday, January 28 & Saturday, January 29, 10-6pm Sunday, January 30, Noon-5pm Austin Museum of Art Saturday, January 29, 2 pm Public Tour Andy Goldsworthy: Mountain and Coast Autumn into Winter All programs are free with Museum admission, unless otherwise noted. crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 17, "subject": "Bisque Work", "response_count": 3, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, May 27, 2000 (13:05)", "body": "Yes, but do people make this stuff or paint it? If you mean decorating already made stuff, I have - a lot, but plaster and polymer stuff is what I did. Have not done greenware since high school because I do not have access to a kiln."}, {"response": 2, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (09:06)", "body": "well, both....i learned to pour bisque several years ago but haven't been back since. luckily, i do have access to a kiln but it's at a local craft shop. i've never worked in plaster. have done clay things in high school. and have never used a potter's wheel."}, {"response": 3, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 31, 2000 (04:20)", "body": "There is a real art to pouring bisque. I have watched a friend who was quite accomplished at the art doing it. Fascinating! Have worked in resin...that is interesting stuff which gives incredible details. crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 18, "subject": "Glass Work", "response_count": 7, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (23:10)", "body": "What is Glass? As defined by the American Society for Testing Materials, glass is \"an inorganic product of fusion which has cooled to a rigid condition without crystallizing\". Glass is a product of heating silica sand and other ingredients in a furnace at temperatures of 2300 to 2700 degrees fahrenheit. The raw materials of soda-lime glass(commonly used for hand-blown glass) are silica sand, soda ash, lime, salt cake, and feldspar. When glass is in its liquid or molten state it can be blown and manipulated into almost any shape. Hot glass has some of the same characteristics as honey. Above twothousand degrees Fahrenheit, glass is very runny and gooey. A glassworker must always turn the pipe that the glass is on to prevent it from falling to the ground as one might turn a knife or a spoon with honey on it to keep it from dripping. But as the glass cools, the molecules form a very rigid solid but they do not organize into a crystalline structure. How Glass is blown: The glassblower takes a blow pipe (a hollow metal pipe about four and half feet long) and dips the tip of the pipe into the molten glass in the furnace. He turns the pipe at a constant speed to wrap up an even \"gather\" of glass on the end of the pipe. Then, he exits the furnace and shapes the solid ball of glass on the marver(a flat sheet of steel) and then blows into the pipe to introduce a bubble into the solid mass. From there, more glass may be added by gathering again from the furnace. When the desired amount of glass is obtained, the glass can be manipulated into shape using the marver, gravity, heat, centrifugal force, and a variety of specialized hand tools. When the piece is finished, it is placed into an annealing oven to cool. Glass must cool down slowly in order to release the stress present in it. The thicker the glass the more time it takes to anneal (the process of releasing the stress in the glass). For example, to anneal glassware a quarter inch thick, it takes about six to eight hours."}, {"response": 2, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (23:12)", "body": "The above was from http://www.volcanogallery.com/glass.htm I was hunting for some blown volcanic glass from Kilauea but thought this above would be a good introduction. Off to find some mouth-blown glass... /\\~~~"}, {"response": 3, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (23:37)", "body": "http://www.lightweb.com/stainedglass.htm I have fed this lady's husband in my home on two occasions when he was head of Hawaii Volcanoes Observatory..."}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (23:40)", "body": "That bit of stained glass is a window in the HVO mentioned above. I've seen it - about 3 feet by 3 feet ( a meter square) and is absolutely gorgeous!"}, {"response": 5, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (23:42)", "body": "I want this one!!! Look a the rest of her work at http://www.lightweb.com/stainedglass.htm"}, {"response": 6, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, Aug 29, 2001 (00:01)", "body": "Well, it turns out this lady has a different life from what I knew of her here. I wonder where Dallas Jackson is now....!"}, {"response": 7, "author": "terry", "date": "Sun, Jan 23, 2005 (08:41)", "body": "Theresa Ueltschey, I hope I spelled that right, does some fantastic glass work. She and her husband work together and she's out of Austin, Texas. Fire Island Hot Glass Studio - http://www.fireislandglass.com/ Features glass art by Matthew LaBarbera and Teresa Ueltschey. Includes a calendar of events, photos of their work, and a list of galleries where their work is on display. found after I did a google search on ueltschey. crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 19, "subject": "Homemade Greeting Cards", "response_count": 9, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sat, Jun  2, 2001 (22:09)", "body": "well, this one got off the ground running *grin* anyway, awhile ago, saw a show on HGTV (among my fave channels) about using stamping to create your own little greeting cards or other paper crafts. you can do so much more with those things than scrapbooks and decorating letters and such. the lady on the show used intricate stamps to create the layered look by stamping, clipping it out, and stacking it on others of the same design, frames for pictures, all sorts of neato things. now stamping isn't cheap--i bought the cheapest i could find (paper, black ink, and stamp, oh, and a good pair of paper scissors) for $20. some stamps are $20. since i'm experimenting, this will do. will let you know what i come up with."}, {"response": 2, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, Jun  2, 2001 (23:47)", "body": "You need sharp POINTY ones, Wolfie! Scissors, that is! *grin*"}, {"response": 3, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, Jun  2, 2001 (23:49)", "body": "Do you need a Hawaiian Quilt stamp? Can send you one! Look really pretty, actually! Especially the big ones (abour 2 inches square or more)"}, {"response": 4, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sat, Jun  2, 2001 (23:51)", "body": "ooooo, marcia! i was looking for stuff for your next package! ok, i used a piece of cardstock and had to stamp the sucker 12 times before i got a full picture. you have to set the stamp down and wobble it without lifting to make sure all parts of the stamp contact the paper. i've got one that's on a triangle (like a corner medallion or something) and i'd like to make some designs with it but it appears to be tricker than i thought! it's fun though!"}, {"response": 5, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, Jun  2, 2001 (23:58)", "body": "I'm gonna get your next package together this week. Yippee! (I'm easy - send me a rock!) Will check for specially large stamp pads too. Lot of Tapa printing - native style - going on so have large selection!"}, {"response": 6, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, Jun  3, 2001 (00:04)", "body": "You gotta change your name to Creative Wolfie. If you are curious inGeo, the least you are here is Creative. I can think of other things to call you, but I know how modest you are...*HUGS*"}, {"response": 7, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, Jun  3, 2001 (10:21)", "body": "*blush* ok, i'll change it!! (can't wait to see what you send!!)"}, {"response": 8, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, Jun  3, 2001 (21:45)", "body": "k...i'm getting bored with black ink! and i was trying to figure out how to block off certain portions of the design. the only way i could think of was to use a paint brush and paint the ink only on the portion i want. hey, they've got these acrylic stamps now, you can see where you're putting your design."}, {"response": 9, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, Aug 28, 2001 (16:04)", "body": "Wooooo acryllic is great! How brilliant. Ok, I should be going to Walmart shortly, but I'll wait to send your stuff till I know where to send it =) when YOU know!!! We have large rainbow-inked stamp pads available. You should have them around, too. You can buy bottles of stamp pad ink and uninked pads at office supply stores. Get something other than black for a change! Red is always available! crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 2, "subject": "Plastic Canvas", "response_count": 7, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, May 15, 2000 (13:07)", "body": "The finest most flexible mesh produces results which mimic the finnest needlepoint and counted cross stitch. This is the most versatile stuff on the planet and there is just about nothing I have not made out of it at one time or another."}, {"response": 2, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:06)", "body": "i've never attempted to do plastic canvas."}, {"response": 3, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:29)", "body": "Really?! Ever done needlepoint? It would be a good time to introduce the fine art to your daughter...she can go from easy and fast stuff to difficult and painstaking art in a reasonably short length of time while making usable things. There are loads of good booklets with instructions at any crafts store."}, {"response": 4, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (18:07)", "body": "have done needlepoint and have introduced her to it but she wasn't interested. so we'll wait a month or so and reintroduce."}, {"response": 5, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (18:14)", "body": "Try her out on plastic canvas - it is so much easier to manage with little hands and short patiences. Then move her to finer and finer mesh till she is ready for canvas."}, {"response": 6, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (18:16)", "body": "that's what we tried. she didn't understand the angle thing and wanted to take the yarn all over the place. so will find a plain square piece and my leftover yarn and let her have at it."}, {"response": 7, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (18:32)", "body": "Yup! You might have to teach her up and down stitches separately so she does not warp the fabric, too - Plastic canvas will allow you to get away with bad habits which can really mess you up when you \"graduate\" to canvas. crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 20, "subject": "Paper Crafts", "response_count": 0, "posts": []}, {"num": 21, "subject": "Scrapbooking", "response_count": 3, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "wolf", "date": "Tue, Aug  8, 2000 (21:22)", "body": "well, i don't know what the rage is over scrapbooking these days, i was doing it long before and still have the one book i created. not to mention photo albums with stickers and stuff all over it. one thing i can say, the stuff they use nowadays is better at preserving the pictures and writings."}, {"response": 2, "author": "wolf", "date": "Tue, Aug  8, 2000 (21:23)", "body": "we actually have a shop dedicated to the craft. guess you gotta know what's hot and when. they're probably rolling in the dough too. good for them!"}, {"response": 3, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, Aug 20, 2000 (13:22)", "body": "I had to take mine all apart because the adhesives they suggested then were destroying the photographs. I would not recommend using any andhesive and stick with mounting corners. They are the least harmful way to mount your photos and try to refrain from cutting out other people for the sake of a \"cute\" design. Leter on you will be very happy you did...like in about 30 years! Please also lable them well so future generations have some idea who they are in those photos! crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 22, "subject": "Decorating for the Holidays", "response_count": 26, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "wolf", "date": "Thu, Dec 20, 2001 (22:22)", "body": "I was trying to figure out a way to show off my Christmas cards without buying anything special and I remembered that my mom used to hang wide ribbon down a wall and pin the cards to it. So, I took some wide ribbon and hung it horizontally on the wall with bows at either end (to hide the tacks). I punched holes in my cards and threaded sparkly pipe cleaners through them (they're called \"stems\" nowadays) and hung them from the ribbon. You can vary the length of the pipe cleaners too. Anyway, I got the idea from my veterinarian who had strung her cards up with ribbon only the ribbon went through the holes. My ribbon was a little too bulky so I thought this would work better. Think I paid $5 total for the ribbon and stems. It's a great way to fill up a blah spot on the wall without having to go all out and make another wreath or something. You can vary this idea from season to season--Easter, Kwanza, Hanukkah, birthdays, even Halloween (if you send cards for that). Oh, and don't forget anniversaries or other special moments in your life."}, {"response": 2, "author": "tsatsvol", "date": "Sun, Dec 23, 2001 (06:40)", "body": "Health & Happiness to all of you! Peace on Earth without natural disasters! ( John )"}, {"response": 3, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, Dec 23, 2001 (11:59)", "body": "thank you John!!"}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, Dec 23, 2001 (20:19)", "body": ""}, {"response": 5, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, Dec 23, 2001 (20:22)", "body": "Mele Kalikimaka John, your posts are always interesting and beautiful. Many Hugs for that! Wolfie, you get hugs too - for creating this topic! Brilliant!"}, {"response": 6, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, Dec 23, 2001 (20:32)", "body": "I have had much trouble with FTP today. I even restarted my computer as it was when I first turned it on this morning to be rid of the difficulties. Now is is not working for my graphics. I will try again! Sorry! That \"where an image should be\" is supposed to be the right hand side of the matching bell bracket. *sigh*"}, {"response": 7, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, Dec 23, 2001 (21:46)", "body": "i thought i recognized that phrase--it's on christmas vacation!!"}, {"response": 8, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, Dec 23, 2001 (22:12)", "body": "See? Even Chevy Chase movies are educational if you want them to be! I can still see him backing into Stonehenge...! John popping out of his chimney. *HUGS*"}, {"response": 9, "author": "tsatsvol", "date": "Mon, Dec 24, 2001 (02:34)", "body": "With your permission Marcia. Mele Kalikimaka John"}, {"response": 10, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, Dec 24, 2001 (14:23)", "body": "YES!!! My Programming master has done what I could not do. Thank you, John. You truly are my magician!"}, {"response": 11, "author": "wolf", "date": "Mon, Dec 24, 2001 (18:10)", "body": "thank you for gracing the crafts conference with the christmas cheer i cannot post right now!! the angel is cute as can be!!!!"}, {"response": 12, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, Dec 24, 2001 (19:48)", "body": "The little angel is John's and my contribution to festivity here. He slowed down a very frantic angel and got rid of her background (made it transparent.) I found her and finally got her on Spring's hard drive so I could post her. I put her above the flag icon after a lot of thought. I think all earthly things need a higher source of encouragement. Especially, now!"}, {"response": 13, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, Dec 24, 2001 (20:03)", "body": "I do like this one, though. I even had it on crafts where the angel is for a while... But, the angel was needed here."}, {"response": 14, "author": "wolf", "date": "Mon, Dec 24, 2001 (22:56)", "body": "the tree is fitting too and i love them both (and the lights)"}, {"response": 15, "author": "tsatsvol", "date": "Mon, Dec 31, 2001 (07:42)", "body": "\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd \ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd I wish everything good you have deeply in your heart to become real. John"}, {"response": 16, "author": "wolf", "date": "Mon, Dec 31, 2001 (19:55)", "body": "that has got to be one of the best snow globes i've seen!! thank you john, and the same to you and all our spring friends!"}, {"response": 17, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, Jan  3, 2002 (00:33)", "body": "The snow horizontal dividers are in in honor of the white new year in the southern parts of Europe and North America. No one seems to be happy about it, but snow is beautiful in Hawaii."}, {"response": 18, "author": "wolf", "date": "Thu, Jan  3, 2002 (12:40)", "body": "and so are the bars, thanks marcia!!"}, {"response": 19, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Fri, Jan  4, 2002 (20:48)", "body": "\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd \ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd That IS ther most beautiful snow globe I have ever seen, too! I used to collect tiny ones but I have not place to put them, so they are packed away. This way it is always safe and my rocks have replaced most of them on my display stand. Wolfie, just let me know when you tire of the snow and I will change them back to the Celtic embroidery - or whatever you like."}, {"response": 20, "author": "wolf", "date": "Fri, Jan  4, 2002 (20:52)", "body": "i love the snow bars marcia, they can stay up til spring!!"}, {"response": 21, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, Jan 12, 2002 (19:37)", "body": "OK!!! I just came in here to see if I should remove them. I like them, too! Until we deck the halls for Mardi Gras or the Easter Bunny... I stowed all of my bows and little trees and lights and other decorations for the holidays. everything looks so barren now. Like winter anywhere. Outside I have my huge hibiscus to prune and things like that. Perhaps tomorrow...! Besides, THAT goes in the Garden Conference."}, {"response": 22, "author": "terry", "date": "Sun, Jan 13, 2002 (06:07)", "body": "What's the next holiday?"}, {"response": 23, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sun, Jan 13, 2002 (14:54)", "body": "mardi gras!"}, {"response": 24, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, Jan 13, 2002 (15:36)", "body": "YES!!!!! Party time! I've been working on a thought and will send it to you in email for suggestions if I am successful in my endeavors to manipulate a graphic."}, {"response": 25, "author": "terry", "date": "Sun, Jan 13, 2002 (20:55)", "body": "Hey, great."}, {"response": 26, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, Jan 13, 2002 (21:40)", "body": "Terry, you have no idea how inspirational decorating Geo for the holidays has been. Thank John for that!! crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 23, "subject": "Cross Stitch", "response_count": 4, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "wolf", "date": "Tue, Sep  3, 2002 (20:00)", "body": "have been cross stitching for about 9 years now and all my pieces are hanging on the walls of my home. have about 15 more projects to work on and if you check the ornamental hand-sewing topic, you'll see that i have one big project that has taken 2 years so far--which is what's good about doing this as a hobby. i work on smaller projects between my rest periods on the big one to give me some gratification at finishing something! the big piece i'm doing is Teresa Wentzler's \"English Garden Sampler\" which will be about 21 3/4\" x 15 1/2\" unframed. it's stitched on 25-count fabric so you know the details are intricate. it has several stitching styles and some hardanger (which scares me a little). but it will be so worth it once it's framed and hanging in my bedroom. i'll see if i can find a website where you can look at the finished project."}, {"response": 2, "author": "wolf", "date": "Tue, Sep  3, 2002 (20:01)", "body": "here's a link to her main index: http://www.twdesignworks.com/"}, {"response": 3, "author": "wolf", "date": "Tue, Sep  3, 2002 (20:03)", "body": "and here's a link to the sampler i was talking about: http://www.twdesignworks.com/Designs/egs.html"}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, Mar  8, 2003 (15:41)", "body": "I have many pieces I have crosss stiched but they are all mildewing. When I move to the mainland I will resume hand sewing and knitting. I can hardly wait! crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 3, "subject": "Fabric Painting", "response_count": 14, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, May 15, 2000 (13:16)", "body": "This, I know all about. Have been altering Vulcan T-shirts for ages just to make them look better, improve on the original design and make it my own statement. One guy tried to buy one I was wearing for $75. I turned him down - it was the last one I did before I was put out of commission with Carpal tunnel. My technique uses a great deal of minute work and steady pressure on tiny nozzles. The results, however, are astounding and if done carefully, are good for as long as you can stand to wear the shirt."}, {"response": 2, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:07)", "body": "the closest to fabric painting i've done is taking one of those fabric paints and squeezing it onto a shirt! does that count?"}, {"response": 3, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:33)", "body": "Sure! I've done that, too. I modify my T-shirts so they look more feminine. I make a small box pleat in each sleeve and anchor it with a button. Then I embellish the neckline with beading done with tiny hemispheres of paint which will compliment the art I am doing in the center of the shirt. Hmm, I know your size - you just may end up with one of my modifications...*grin*"}, {"response": 4, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (18:08)", "body": "*woohoo*"}, {"response": 5, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (18:16)", "body": "*grin* *rubbing my crative hands together*"}, {"response": 6, "author": "wolf", "date": "Tue, Aug  8, 2000 (21:30)", "body": "oh, and for those of you afraid to try it, you don't have to buy special paints. just get a fabric additive (it looks like a bottle of craft paint) and you mix it with your regular plaid stuff (or whatever brand you use)."}, {"response": 7, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, Aug  9, 2000 (00:38)", "body": "Gee, Wolfie, it has been a while since I was in here. Looking nice!"}, {"response": 8, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, Aug  9, 2000 (17:24)", "body": "yeah, i went kinda nuts posting in here!"}, {"response": 9, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, Aug  9, 2000 (18:35)", "body": "Good! Fabric painting is still my favorite thing to do. Now, if I only had some talent...;)"}, {"response": 10, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, Aug  9, 2000 (18:36)", "body": "Btw, you know this surely, but you can add yor fav glitter to that fabric medium and make thing sparkle without using paint at all."}, {"response": 11, "author": "wolf", "date": "Thu, Aug 10, 2000 (17:24)", "body": "and there is a glitter that you paint on that won't come off with rubbing and washing. can't remember the name of it though."}, {"response": 12, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, Aug 10, 2000 (20:59)", "body": "Yeah, me either. Funny thing about glitter in the wash. Early on I glittered everything. It ended up on the towels sometimes. The House Male came to me after his shower and said, \"Guess where I sparkle!\""}, {"response": 13, "author": "wolf", "date": "Sat, Aug 12, 2000 (18:02)", "body": "*lol* this could be a good thing, depending.....*giggle*"}, {"response": 14, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, Aug 12, 2000 (18:30)", "body": "Wolfie, did you check your email? Opinion? crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 4, "subject": "Jewelry", "response_count": 1, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, May 15, 2000 (13:27)", "body": "I mount stones in precious metals. I also string creations out of beads collected from garage sales and bargain bins of craft stores. Actually, I do lots of things with stray beads - but more of that in another topic. crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 5, "subject": "Beadwork", "response_count": 1, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (00:17)", "body": "I have beaded sweaters, leather vests, and learned how to do it on my big sister's Walco Bead Loom when she was feeling charitable and only the ugly pea green, gray, and orange beads were available. But, I had the joy of seeing her lusting after one of my creations which she dearly wanted but did not fit her! I compromised and painted a t-shirt for her. crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 7, "subject": "Comments and Suggestions", "response_count": 15, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (00:36)", "body": "I could not think of anything to post for a start-up, so I hunted down a service which emails me stuff like this: Farmhouse Country Style Would you like to display the farmhouse country style in your home? You can achieve it by first painting your walls earthtones and pastels or with small floral wallpaper or stenciling. At your windows hang tab - top curtains in a \"ticking\" stripe or small plaid patterned fabric such as cotton. On the floors use area rugs such as rag rugs; nothing plush. Keep your furniture primitive with bare wood or painted for the simple look. Again, use pastels on your upholstery with simple but charming patterns. You don't need a lot of accessories, but whatever you choose make it functional, and fresh flowers are a must."}, {"response": 2, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (16:56)", "body": "No More Damaged Brushes If you've invested a lot of money in good-quality brushes, you probably want to keep them in the best shape possible. To do that, you can use the little green plastic tubes that you often get on rose stems or other cut flowers at your local florist. (Depending on the florist, they cost about 10 to 25 cents each.) To protect the bristles of your brushes while transporting them to and from art class or painting expeditions, you could slide your brushes, bristle-end first, into the tubes. You could throw your brushes in a travel case without worrying about damaging them. Art Tip provided by Passion4Art.com"}, {"response": 3, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:00)", "body": "and i see marcia hard at work in here! *grin*"}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:44)", "body": "Yeah...I found great wallpaper and it just would not show up so I borrowed the food broadloom for the while and let the dividers on - love the color but open to your suggestions, my dear! Geez, Hard at work is about it. I did about 3 hours before I had breakfast - not a smart thing for me to do since I tend to run on thin air, anyway. Any suggestions for the wallpaper?n This is what I chose originally which tiles beautifully (but not as purty as this stuff which I helped choose for the tv conference so long ago..."}, {"response": 5, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, May 18, 2000 (12:19)", "body": "Crayon Stain Removal For those of you with young children, here is a way to try to get crayon \ufffd either fresh or dried in \ufffd out of fabric. You will need: WD-40 (lubricant) Liquid dishwashing detergent Laundry detergent Color-safe bleach Paper towels Holding the fabric over the paper towels, spray WD-40 on one side of the stain, and let it sit for a few minutes. Do the same on the other side. Next, rub laundry detergent into the stained area, and then wash with laundry detergent and color-safe bleach in water as hot as the fabric can stand for about 12 minutes. Rinse in warm water. If your stain was from a crayon melting in your dryer, you may need to clean your dryer drum. Run a load of dry rags through a drying cycle to clean the drum."}, {"response": 6, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Fri, May 19, 2000 (16:23)", "body": "Masking Fluid How-To Here are some handy tips to make using masking fluid easy and economical: 1. Prepare a very small container for transferring the appropriate quantity of masking fluid you'll need for your work. 2. Use a tiny spoon to transfer the masking fluid from its original receptacle into the smaller container. 3. Don't leave the masking fluid bottle open for too long. Wipe the cap and brim of the container with a tissue immediately after use. Here's an extra tip: It's possible to draw very precise, fine lines with the masking fluid when using a slender knife. Art Tip provided by Passion4Art.com"}, {"response": 7, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Fri, May 26, 2000 (14:23)", "body": "Sure looks purty! Guess the hard work paid off."}, {"response": 8, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Fri, May 26, 2000 (18:11)", "body": "Yup! But still not sure of the wallpaper. I had the pearly gray version on here before but thought the blue might be nicer. Thoughts?"}, {"response": 9, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Sat, May 27, 2000 (05:15)", "body": "I actually like the blue, goes with the border nicely. It's quite restful. (I picked some up earlier - sort of celtic - want to look, not for here but maybe elsewhere sometime?)"}, {"response": 10, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Sat, May 27, 2000 (05:28)", "body": "go to this site to look at a slide show on African pottery techniques. it's fascinating. http://www.uiowa.edu/~intl/links/rft/pottery.html#arrow"}, {"response": 11, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sat, May 27, 2000 (17:20)", "body": "I'd like to see what Caltic stuff you found...yes! Please tell me the url - even in email if you want to save it - or send the file. I chose this knotwork because it resembled handsewing. I agree with the blue background. I found it for the TV conference make-over and it is gorgeous in there with the most spectacular horizontal bars ever! Ok on the url for pottery..."}, {"response": 12, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Sat, May 27, 2000 (17:31)", "body": "I found some great African stuff too, but I seem to have misplaced it! The other is on it's way."}, {"response": 13, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (00:14)", "body": "Ok...Love the heavy Celtic stone-looking bars but wonder if they are not too massive to go in Spring's format... There was an interesting pale blue one but when tiled it was not very celtic nor was it better than what is here now. I have gotten very attached to my blue broadloom and thread knotwork..."}, {"response": 14, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (05:25)", "body": "Yes, I looked at the pale blue one too. Didn't really think it would go here. I like the knotwork too. Let you know if I come up with anything else. I'm looking for African ones (*being mysterious!*). If I scan in my own cloth how do i make it into background? (Is that possible?)"}, {"response": 15, "author": "sociolingo", "date": "Sun, May 28, 2000 (11:05)", "body": "Can I have a glass painting and or greetings cards topic please, and that will spur me into geting some done! crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 8, "subject": "Woodworking", "response_count": 4, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (15:16)", "body": "Woodworking Tip of the Day - Materials List Making a good materials list can save you a lot of heartache on a project. For each part, list the number of similar pieces that you will make, their thickness, width, and length, and the joints or other operations you will perform on them. You can use this list to figure out how much wood to buy, allowing for waste, and to help you do all your stock preparation. Then use it to plan an efficient order of joinery."}, {"response": 2, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, Jun  1, 2000 (19:20)", "body": "Duplex Nails Duplex, or double-headed, nails can be extremely handy for temporary carpentry type projects. These nails have a second head, about 1/4-inch below the normal one. When you drive it, the outer head remains above the surface, making it easy to remove. For example, if you were making a box to use as a fuming cabinet for oak, you could put it together out of two-by-fours and duplex nails, and then quickly take it apart when you are finished."}, {"response": 3, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, Jun  1, 2000 (19:24)", "body": "To the above suggestion my house male said it was a lousy one. Put the temporary structure together using Grabber screws"}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, Jun  1, 2000 (19:27)", "body": "Sawing At An Angle If you are planning to handsaw a piece at an angle, it is generally best to clamp it diagonally, so that the direction you need to cut is either straight vertical or horizontal. That way you will be able to stick with your familiar cutting motion, and get a straighter result. If possible, try to clamp the work so that when you finish the cut, your saw blade won't end up near the bench. But do keep your cut as near to the jaws as possible, to reduce vibration. crafts conference Main Menu"}]}, {"num": 9, "subject": "Sewing", "response_count": 11, "posts": [{"response": 1, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (15:53)", "body": "I sew reluctantly. I do make table cloths and such but much prefer handwork. But, that is another topic! So, I shall post a helpful hint: Fabric for Swimwear When you choose a fabric for swimwear, make sure the fabric has at least 15% spandex and stretches both horizontally and vertically. Expensive ready-to-wear swimsuits have spandex counts in the 20-30 or more range (the more spandex, the more slimming the suit will be). This type of fabric is usually shiny, has great shape retention and is resistant to chlorine and salt water. In general, the greatest degree of stretch is the lengthwise grain. Place the pattern pieces so that the greatest degree of stretch is around the body. Since this fabric can become transparent when wet, line it with fabric that has the same amount of stretch as the fashion fabric. Pre-wash the fabric to take out chemicals and to allow it to resume its original shape."}, {"response": 2, "author": "wolf", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:03)", "body": "i make clothes and curtains. am still learning this craft and would love to make a wedding dress for fun."}, {"response": 3, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 17, 2000 (17:48)", "body": "Lucky you have a daughter - I'd have to stick to the beading and embellishment, though I have made MANY long hostess skirts and other things, it just occupies me to such an extent that Nothing else gets done till the outfit is ready to wear - not practical for involved things like lined garments and set-in sleeves (done that, too)"}, {"response": 4, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Fri, May 19, 2000 (19:32)", "body": "Quick Thread Belt Carriers It is easy to make thread belt carriers with your sewing machine. Measure the width of your belt and add seam allowances. Cut and twist several strands of thread together. Hold the threads taunt while you zigzag over them with a satin stitch. Sew them in place when you sew your side seams."}, {"response": 5, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, May 22, 2000 (13:52)", "body": "Repair a Shirt Pocket Breast pockets are a frequent repair on a still-serviceable shirt. To repair a rip, fuse a piece of lightweight fabric to the wrong side of the tear. Re-stitch the pocket on the original sewing line, duplicating the stitch length. Finally, for reinforcement, stitch a triangle in each corner of the pocket edge."}, {"response": 6, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, May 23, 2000 (14:39)", "body": "Covering A Cord An alternate, no-sew method to cover a cord for use as a decorative trim involves a strip of Stitch Witchery. Place the cord inside the decorative fabric strip. Then, instead of sewing the cord inside the strip, place a strip of Stitch Witchery along side the cord. Iron close to the cord to fuse the strip together. This method eliminates a row of stitching when you apply the cord to your project."}, {"response": 7, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Wed, May 24, 2000 (16:02)", "body": "Batting Alternative If you are making a quilt for everyday use, you may consider using an old blanket or two (just stitch them together) instead of commercial batting. There are several advantages: You can get additional use out of the old blanket(s) It can make a heavier/warmer quilt Commercial bats can separate and require close quilting No quilting \ufffd just tie the quilt. However, it is not easy to hand- or machine-quilt a quilt with a blanket as it is with the batting."}, {"response": 8, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Thu, May 25, 2000 (12:18)", "body": "Ribbing for Knits Here are some things to keep in mind when working with ribbing for knit garments: Select a ribbing the same weight as the fashion fabric. Stand your flexible measuring tape on its side for accurate measurements of circular openings, such as necklines and armholes. For a round neckline, cut ribbing 2/3rds of the measured length of the opening plus seam allowance. V-neckline ribbings are cut to the same measurement as the garment opening plus seam allowance."}, {"response": 9, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Fri, May 26, 2000 (14:16)", "body": "Notion: Jean-A-Ma-Jig An extremely handy notion to have on hand is a thick seam jumper or Jean-A-Ma-Jig. If you have ever tried to hem a pair of jeans or any other bulky fabric and have had your thread become tangled or your machine skip a stitch, then this is the item for you. When you place the Jean-A-Ma-Jig under the lowered presser foot, the thick plastic holds the foot level to allow you to sew over the bulky area without the usual problems."}, {"response": 10, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Tue, May 30, 2000 (14:17)", "body": "To Clip or Not It is easy to fall into the habit of clipping every curved seam you work with, but clipping the crotch or armhole seam is not advisable. Clipping the pants/sleeve seam reduces the life of that seam because it allows the seam to straighten out and puts additional stress on the seam line. For the strongest crotch or armhole seam, sew once on the seam line and then, again, slightly inside the seam allowance. Finish the edges together and press to one side. To reduce bulk, you may want to trim the seam a little in the curved area."}, {"response": 11, "author": "MarciaH", "date": "Mon, Jun  5, 2000 (15:00)", "body": "Weighting A Stuffed Project While it is tempting to use rice or birdseed to add weight or poseablity to a stuffed project, use polyester pellets (a weighted stuffing material) instead. Rice or birdseed could attract insects or promote mold growth in your project. If sewing a child's toy, enclose the pellets in a separate bag before inserting into the project so they won't scatter if a seam breaks. crafts conference Main Menu"}]}]}