What's your crafty secret?

[EvesApple]

[meexie]

Cooking tip:
If you have fruit that isn't as ripe as you'd like it to be, like peaches or pears, saute slices in a little butter, sprinkle with salt, and use as part of a fancy schmancy salad (bed of greens, sprinkle with a little cheese and/or some toasted walnuts or pecans).

[shuttrrbug]

[lizzymahoney]

When buying fabric, try to buy more than you think you'll need. You may not find the same bolt again if you do run out. Dye lots change, and some fabric is just not likely to be replaced at the fabric store. (Lots of it is one bolt only!) Whatever is cut for you is not a 'finished cut', that is, don't expect it to be the perfect size or shape without trimming.

If you need several yards, here's a way to guesstimate the yardage left on the bolt. It is not reliable for very sheer or very bulky fabrics, though. The fabric boards on standard bolts are roughly sized so that for every two full wraps of the yardage, it's another yard. SO if you want 6 yards, start counting on one side from the board out. Should be close to 12, or more than 12 for the yardage to be there. This is not science. Sometimes the inner wrap is folded or tucked where you can't see the fold meaning there's more on the bolt.

Lots of people fret over the 'right' side of fabric when it often doesn't matter. Just be consistent in whatever side you do use for a given pattern. But... look carefully at the selvage on both sides. Use a magnifying glass if need be. One side will often be rougher looking than the other, especially around those pin holes. That's the 'reverse' side. But do keep in mind that you can prefer the reverse as your choice of pretty side up!

If you have a special need for fabric like a wedding or a big party, shop at least 8 weeks before, and preferably earlier. Fabric is seasonal. You may have to custom order bolts, and that takes time. And what you want may simply no longer be available at any price.

[lizzymahoney]

Kneaded erasers are great to have in your desk. Aside from relieving stress, the pliable stuff will remove any dust or excess powder or glitter from your project, pick up pencil and chalk marks without leaving smears, and smooth down edges without leaving tool marks. Just work a gray blob for several minutes in your hands. Don't wonder about how long it will take to make it soft and usable. That depends on the age of the eraser, your body heat, and how much dust and gunk it already has picked up.

You can buy rubber cement squares called pickups or you can make your own for picking up the little extra smears of sticky rubber cement or similar adhesives. A lot of spray adhesives are this type, too. Anyhow, find a smooth surface and lay down a good layer of rubber cement. Let it dry. Or play with it, my personal preference. Ball it up into a 'booger'. Yeah, that's what we call it. Once it's firm it will pick up any rubbery excess and get positively disgusting looking. Keep it around forever. No one would steal anything that looks that much like snot. Can also work as an eraser.

[lizzymahoney]

Oh yeah, remember the #6 recyclable plastic for shrinkydink usage.

Most foamy containers for food are also #6. And any of those plastic wrappers that look kinda pearly on one side are #6. All will shrink pretty evenly.

[naomi]

When I first started knitting, I liked to take it to work to do. But I was frequently terrified of arriving at work with the knitting all slid off the needles. So I put a small blob of blu-tack on the end of my needle. It comes off easy, doesn't make the needle sticky, and best of all, I was not rummaging in my bag every two minutes to reassure myself that my knitting was safe!

[lizzymahoney]

Hot glue: Always keep a wet washcloth in a bowl next to your work. Plunge whatever body part you've glued right into it and wipe the glue off.

Let the glue strings accumulate until you are done. You can pick off the webby bits easier when you have several.

Another hot glue tip: Don't use hot glue, use Fabri-tac. So far everything I would have hot glued that I used Fabri-tac instead worked out great.

[lizzymahoney]

Want to cut a straight line in a large piece of paper or fabric? Use the crease of a table that has leaves. Of course old scarred formica is best, but if you are careful you can use most of them as straightedges. Just square up your item and use the crease to guide the lower blade.

[art_skoolgirl]

Here are a few tips

1. Use a small amount of baking soda with your shampoo to get out hairspray

2. chapstick can double as a moisturizer for your nose, if your nose is dry in winter.

3. Hair spray gets inkstains out of clothing - (you'd be surprised how many people don't know this)

4. Soak your paintbrushes in milk to keep bristles soft.


disposable dog bandanas for small dogs.
I have a minature pinscher she is only 6 pounds. So I buy bandana's and cut them in half. I used to sew the ends to prevent freying but over time they would get dingy or she would bite at it sometimes and put tiny holes in them.

I just started not sewing them and just letting them wear out. I still sew some for special occasions or nice walks out in the town. It saves time and money.
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~~Libby

[rubyseedless]

Not sure if this is a secret, but I just discovered this great double sided fusible web called "Steam a Seam" or something like that. Amazing for applique...just stick onto the wrongside of the fabric you are going to applique with and cut out your shape, then, peel off paper backing, stick onto the rightside of the fabric you are sewing the applique onto and iron. Both sides are slightly tacky without heat so things don't move around and when cutting out the applique, the web with backing paper provides a bit of backbone and makes cutting much easier. Yay!

[lizzymahoney]

When beading with silky rattail or threading cord through something, use a bit of scotch tape to bind the raw end tightly. Place the edge of the tape on the cord and wrap, pinching as you go. This keeps it from unravelling, and makes it easier to thread, kind of like a shoe lace aglet.

Also apply tape firmly to any trim or lace or sequin strand you are cutting. Right at the cut line, and cut through the tape. That keeps both ends intact. You usually can sew it into your seam tape and all, but if this bothers you, take the tape off once it's secured.


A painting tip for smallish items: Do them outside if you can. I have an old piece of chicken wire mounted between two posts on which I can suspend all sorts of things to paint with spray or brush. They dry faster, and you have better control. If you can't do them outside, chicken wire scrounged from somewhere is still a great thing. You can scrunch it up to hold your item and most of the first coat can cover everwhere except a few places the wire touches the object. Reposition when dry, paint those areas along with your second coat.

[felt]

Always have removable tape as a staple in your craft kit. Just like tailor pins, it's super handy for keeping things together temporarily. I prefer the Scotch Removable Magic Tape:

[teagrrl]

These are not really crafty secrets, but perhaps you need random "tips for life" as well...

* if you're like me you like to have a cup of tea at hand while crafting (just keep it away from papers and fabrics... :-). Eventually the tea mug or cup will be all brown and yucky inside...to get rid of this, put some salt in the mug and pour over hot water (I boiled it, but I think water straight from the tap will do too). Let it "brew" overnight, then just scrub it out and the tea residues should come off easily!

* as for how to get rid of the garlic smell, some people have mentioned using the tap or silverware (great idea!) but I only rinse my hands in cold water and it seems to do the trick just fine. The same thing applies to cutting boards, rinse them in cold water before washing them and the smell of onions or garlic should be gone.

* silver jewellery can be cleaned with toothpaste or even ketchup.

* wet hair is much easier to comb if the comb is wet as well. I can't believe it took me 23 years to figure that out.

I wish I could think of some crafty stuff to add, but alas...
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The 50 Project Year

[teagrrl]