GIMP is a graphics manipulation programme very similar to Adobe Photoshop. The major difference between the two is that Photoshop costs around $1,500 retail and GIMP is a totally free open source software programme.

The easiest way to create your own satin stitch embroidery patterns using GIMP is to download and install some free brush sets. GIMP recognises brush sets designed for Photoshop, so there are hundreds to choose from. In the spirit of free and open source, please don’t use these free brushes for commercial purposes.

You can download GIMP here.

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If you’re doing a lot of craft, then you will come across the need every now and then to do some tracing.

Yes you can do the whole hold it up to the window trick, but when you’re doing a lot of tracing, a light box is ideal. The problem is that commercial light boxes cost an absolute fortune, so here is a way to create a makeshift light box for free.

I actually got this idea from a wonderful little quilting blog I came across months ago, but I can’t for the life of me find it again, so I apologise for not crediting the blog and providing a link. If I find it, I’ll add it in.

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Photo from Modest Mavern

I thought that aprons were a bit passé, but lately I need to wear an apron all the time. All my clothes have grease marks on them from cooking and my hand-eye coordination seems to have gone out the window, because I even need an apron on while I eat. I love the cafe style aprons, but an apron without a bib just won’t cut it.

I always get a little carried away with these collections. I thought there would be only a couple of apron variations but 300 tutorials later, I’ve realised that that’s not the case. Every time I thought “last one” I came across a new design or a new design element that had to be included. The up side to this is that there is a variety of techniques and designs that can be used as inspiration and mixed and matched.

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Have you started making your Christmas gifts yet? I thought I would post a quick update on some of what I’ve been making. 

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a collection of tutorials on making bags, and there was a lovely reversible beach bag that I thought I would give a go as I’m keen on improving my sewing skills. This is my finished version of the bag.

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A few weeks ago, I posted an article on making bags, which is an easy place to learn how to sew, but if you’re wanting to start sewing clothes, then a skirt is a nice and easy garment to start with. All of the skirt tutorials below don’t require commercial patterns, but are either pattern-less, or show you how to draw up your own easy patterns. Of course this way, the skirt fits perfectly.

I’ve scoured the web to bring together some great free skirt tutorials. I found so many wonderful skirt tutorials that it was hard to choose which to include. If in doubt, I added a link. I’ve tried to include a variety of styles, sewing techniques, difficulty levels and funky inspiration ideas so that mixing and matching from these tutorials means that you can make almost any type of skirt imaginable. There are a lot of skirts for young girls, but they can be just as easily be made for adults by changing the measurements or vice versa.

As usual, these tutorials are usually for personal use only, not commercial use, consult each individual website for details.

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Ok, with Christmas only 9 weeks away (so I’m told), it’s time to get crafting on all of those handmade Chrissy Gifts. If you’re like me and need a little inspiration, here are 35 websites dedicated to all things crafty. Amongst these sites there are literally thousands of craft patterns, tutorials ideas, inspiration and resources.

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Of all the gifts that my husband has given me, a pack of gift certificates was the most memorable and the most meaningful. And it cost almost nothing. The old cliché ‘it’s the thought that counts’ really rings true. A thoughtful gift, handmade with love, is to me so much more meaningful that something bought at the shop.

The thing about gift certificates like these is that it’s a gift that keeps on giving. After the special day has long passed, you can pull one of the gift certificates out and get a present all over again.

With Christmas coming up, making your own gift certificates can be a great present for the hard to buy for person and is a very inexpensive option. Make them handmade, or use a computer and printer, or combine the two methods to make up some snazzy gift certificates.

Below is a tutorial for making up some gift certificates using Word 2007. As usual, this can be done in earlier versions using the drop down menus instead. I originally created this tutorial to use in conjunction with mail merge for the class I teach. Save the file as a template, and you can reuse the file over and over. Print your certificates on nice paper, cut them out, paste them on some nice cardboard and embellish however you like. Scrapbooking supplies can be a fun and creative way to jazz them up.

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I’m kicking off a new type of article for Frugal and Thriving -  I’ve been around the web and back again to compile some of the best free online tutorials and resources for a given category – today: making bags. Both the title and the picture are links to the tutorial.

I’m not much of a sewer, but I’m trying. I made a bag recently and have gone a little bit bag crazy. Making a bag is a great way to learn how to sew. Below is a range of different bag tutorials to try. They vary from beginner level to the more complex, in no particular order.

There are quite a few sewing and construction techniques in these tutorials that could be easily combined to create your own custom bag design.

Some authors ask that you don’t use their patterns and tutorials to make bags for commercial purposes, so check out their site for details.

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I’ve been around plenty of blogs and forums in the last few years and have heard people often wax lyrical about the wonders of knitted dishcloths. I have to admit, I didn’t really get it. Oh, I get the whole natural, non-disposable part sure, but I thought that cutting up old towels and other rags would work just as well, with less effort. I mean, going to all that trouble to knit something that is meant to get dirty?

But recently I came across a video teaching how to knit the European or continental way and I wanted to give it a go. Basically, the thread is held in the left rather than the right hand. I thought this would make it easier swapping from garter to purl and back again, and I do crochet so it is similar to holding the cotton when you crochet.

Now, I’m not a bad knitter, I’m just not a good one. I made a whole jumper once which wasn’t too bad, but any kind of stitch or pattern beyond the basic garter and purl and I know nothing. But switching from right to left handed set my knitting skills back about 20 years.

So I thought, what better way to practice than on making dishcloths. It doesn’t matter how bad my knitting is then.

Well now it’s my turn to expound on the benefits of using knitted dishcloths. I’ve actually been using mine as bench cloths, because that is what I needed more. The texture of the cloth makes cleaning very easy. It’s soft yet the bobbly, knitted texture provides enough abrasion to clean very quickly and effectively.

The cotton I used was one that I had in the cupboard for years. Its a 4ply crochet cotton, I think. White is not the best colour. Especially when you’re wiping up tea stains and tomato sauce. I clean my cloths by soaking them in nappy soaker and throwing them in the wash with the sheets – they’re clean, but the stains mean that they don’t look clean. I will choose a better colour next time, but you can’t beat using what you already have on hand.

I cast on 50 stitches  using no. 10 needles (English sizing I think) and made my cloths square, but the beauty of course of making your own, is that you can make it whatever size suits you! And the type of yarn and size of the knitting needle will also dictate how many stitches you cast on to begin with.

So I’m definitely converted, I really love the way my knitted dishcloths clean, and if you’re wanting to learn how to knit or to try new stiches and patterns, then a dishcloth is a quick and easy project to practice on.

One of my favourite hobbies is quilting, so I thought that I would share a bit about that today.

I started quilting about eight years ago. I read a book about a woman who took up quilting and decided to give it a go. I have always been a crafter: knitting, crocheting, paper crafts, but quilting is certainly my favourite.

I taught myself. My first effort was a cushion cover, pretty dismal but still on the couch today. I picked a block pattern out of a book and started cutting and sewing. By my second block, I had worked out there was a right order and a wrong order to sew pieces. I never looked back.

I use a sewing machine sometimes, but my preference is for hand sewing – hand piecing and quilting. I’m a glutton for punishment. You get a lot of bang for your buck with quilting, it’s an easy hobby, but the results can be quite stunning. If you can sew a straight line, then you can quilt.

Like many hobbies, quilting can get pretty expensive. Not only is there the fabric to buy and the wadding and the thread, there are all those little nick nacks that seem essential when you have a hobby. In the effort to keep sewing on a minimal budget, I’ve been looking for ways to make inexpensive quilts.

Quilting is often seen as an American tradition, but other countries have their own quilting styles and traditions including Australia. The Wagga is a traditional Australian quilt originally made by men from old grain sacks. Later women made them from sugar bags and old woollen suiting, recycling fabrics that they had around the home. The original purpose of patchwork quilting was to use up leftover fabrics. Making traditional quilts is a great way to save money on the hobby, and one that I will be looking into more. Some ideas on saving money on quilting include:

1. Recycle old clothing, sheets, tea towels and other fabrics around the home. Try to stick to cotton if you can as it tends to be more durable, but other fabrics work just as well. I have made quilts using satin leftovers (that I lined for stability) from a formal dress I made . Quilts using recycled fabrics have sentimental value, “I wore that top on our first date,” “that was our baby’s first top.” To use random fabrics in a way that gives good design, look at the fabrics in terms of value – darks and lights – rather than colour.

2. Raid the local thrift store for vintage sheets and fabrics. They often also sell fabric off cuts that other sewers have gotten rid of.

3. Ask for fabric as a gift. A friend once gave me a stack of fat quarters for my birthday and it turned out to be the perfect gift, the fabric is now a half finished lap rug. It may even end up a gift back to her or someone else!

4. Don’t waste scraps. Leftover material can be made into new quilts. The lap quilt in the photo below was made entirely from scraps that I had on hand. For some of the blocks I had to sew tiny scraps to make strips big enough to finish the quilt. I think this adds to the quilt’s character. Fabric shops often sell scraps and off cuts heavily discounted, or you could swap scraps with other sewers that you know. You could also try factory outlets for remnants where garments, sheets or other household goods are sewn.

5. When it comes to the wadding in the middle, try using an old blanket or quilt.

When you take into account the number of hours it takes to make a quilt, especially if you hand sew, then it actually ends up being quite an inexpensive pastime, even if you do buy all new fabrics. And quilts often become gifts that are treasured for years, if not generations, making their value far outweigh the initial cost.