crafts Archives

diy pillow cover tutorial roundup

My current project (which I’ll share more of later) is making new slip covers for the lounge. Once they’re done, I’ll make some new cushion covers. One of our current cushions (pictured) was my very first attempt at patchwork quilting, bias binding, adding piping and sewing a zip. All hand sewn too, as it was [...]

tip tuesday – starting a craft box for the kids

I’ve recently started a craft box for the little fella. He’s a bit young yet (although ripping and scrunching paper can be a whole lot of fun), but boy he is going to have a lot to craft with when he’s old enough (hopefully he will be into craft). What is in our craft box? [...]

small quilt tutorial roundup

I was a little hesitant to do this round up because I love to quilt and there are so many tempting tutorials out there. I would like to say that I’m an avid quilter except that my time for such things has diminished to almost nothing. The last quilt I made was a baby quilt [...]

recycled paper craft roundup

From Make Projects Magazines, junk mail, catalogues…turn unwanted paper into beautiful creations for yourself or as gifts for friends and family.

striped santa stocking tutorial

We aren’t getting into a whole heap of Christmas decorating this year, the little fella is too young to notice and the budget is too tight for frippery. However, I did make the little fella his very own special, striped, Santa stocking. After visiting the annual craft fair in Brisbane, I picked up some very [...]

frugal skirt in the eleventh hour

Mother’s group last week was a Melbourne Cup luncheon. Great food, champagne, chatting, oh and babies. And dressing up. It’s the dressing up part that had me. Since the little fella arrived, I’ve only bought a pair of jeans and a couple of t-shirts. I just don’t have the budget for frivolous dress purchases. Especially [...]

Making it yourself: fulfilling a human need?

I’m taking the lazy way out today and sharing with you a video I saw on The Atlantic. I love this quote: “It’s fun using the things that you make because they have stories.” That sums up everything I feel about making things yourself. If you buy something from the shop it doesn’t really have [...]

frugal toys for baby

You don’t need to spend a lot of money on toys for baby. Oh, I know it is tempting, there is so much fun looking stuff out there. But there is a lot of truth in the old idea that babies prefer to play with the empty box. There are plenty of things that you [...]

winter wool projects part four – knitting roundup

This is the last post in the winter wool projects series. Below are a few links to some knitting projects meant to challenge. I understand that it is very cold down south. Mum’s pipes froze and she went without water. Minus five. I don’t miss that. So if you’re down south, you probably don’t want [...]

winter wool projects part three – learning to knit

The first thing that I remember knitting was a little tank top for Mr Mousey. Short and sleeveless. In pink. Lucky Mr Mousey. Knitting isn’t really a craft I do often, though. At the moment I am knitting up some new dishcloths and in the past I have made the usual scarf and even the [...]