Whiptips craft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. Whiptips archive here. Questions to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos!

Valerie from BeingCrafty.net

What can I do with yarn and other fibers besides knit or crochet with them? I’ve made yarn pom-pons before and have used some in place of ribbon to wrap gifts, but I’d love to hear some other craft project suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

Whiptips craft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. Whiptips archive here. Questions to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos!

Seri asks:
do you have any ideas/links/patterns/suggestions for some non-cheesy christmas stockings? i am an avid knitter and a burgeoning seamstress. Put me to work!

Whiptips craft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. Whiptips archive here. Questions to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos!

Jenny writes in with a suggestion and a question.

I have spent the better part of today looking for a discontinued yarn. Noro – Big Tubu to be exact. I’m almost crazy trying to find it because I know that someone, somewhere had a skein (or more!) just sitting in their stash but they don’t know what to do with it. Wouldn’t it be fabulous if I could somehow find this person? I am not web savvy at all but I think we need a stash site where people can register what they have – then we can trade/buy from each other!!!!! Most of the yarn I have in my stash I would be happy to get rid of – but I spent good money on it and know that SOMEDAY I will get around to making something with it – even though I continue to buy yarn at a faster pace then I can knit! Maybe one of your readers knows of such a site or would be interesting in starting one. Maybe one of your readers has some Big Tubu in their stash!

Whiptips craft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. Whiptips archive here. Questions to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos!

Rebecca from in the bakery writes in with a good question about reproducing vintage fabrics.

I’m one of those fabric hounds. Aren’t we all? Sometimes I do come across gorgeous vintage fabric in the form of tableclothes or pillowshams and it seems a shame that once I cut it up that’s about all there is. How can one go about reprocuding vintage fabric while still respecting copyright? The fabric I find normally doesn’t have any kind of indentifiying features and I have no idea where to start.

Whiptips craft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. Whiptips archive here. Questions to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos!

Robyn writes in asking where can she purchase really top quality wool felt? and I want to know if there are any bargains to be had.

I know that I can make felt thrifted from wool sweaters and the like. I have also bought very expensive felt from catalog children’s sites like Magic Cabin. I want to know where readers think the best source for good crafting felt is…

Whiptipscraft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. View the Whiptips archive here. Submit questions to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Lindsey from Linques is asking for website design advice

My question is more technical then crafty, but for a crafty reason. Last year when I wanted to start a website store, I bought all-in-one software that lets me easily upload my items and publish it to my site. It is not, however, very aesthetically pleasing! Now that I’ve grown, I really need a site to showcase my work.

Since then, I’ve been trying to research new software and website designers, without much luck. I would love a designer, but usually they’re too expensive for such a small business. Having looked through the crafty world, I have seen some fabulous sites, so I am pleading for some advice! Does anyone know of either easy to use software or a wonderful designer? How do you get such lovely and easy to navigate sites?? I do have Dreamweaver, but am fuddling through it and do not know much about adding shopping carts! Thanks!

Whiptipscraft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. View the Whiptips archive here. Submit questions to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Alice from Raspberry writes to ask anybody if they can help her purchase a certain mag in the UK.

I wonder if anyone can help me!? I want to purchase the next copy of Marie Claire Ideas, but I can’t find them anywhere to buy in the UK! I don’t want to commit to a whole year via a Amazon.com subscription, I just want to see a copy and flick through, is this too much to ask?! Can anyone help me please!

Whiptipscraft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. View the Whiptips archive here. Submit questions to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Susan from joybucket writes in asking what to do when you think someone is ripping off your designs.

I have recently discovered an Etsy shop that is selling (much to my horror) ripoffs of my work. I have my work under “Creative Commons - Some Rights Reserved” and the button is clearly posted on my blog. I have emailed the owner with a copy of the Creative Commons and I’ve emailed Etsy. What else should I do?

I think that Susan may have answered her own question - she has since posted a notice on her blog after consultation with the US copyright office.

Whiptips - a crafts advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. View the Whiptips archive here. You can submit questions, to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Camilla of horse flesh productions writes in asking ideas for recycling plastic road signs.

You know those plastic signs that popup everyone in the autumn, exhorting you to vote for this, consider that, or espouse something or other? Lawn signs, I think they are called, or campaign signs. I haven’t seen a good craft for them, and they’re everywhere, so it seems like there should be some sort of useage for them once their information is no longer useful.

Whiptips - a crafts advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. View the Whiptips archive here. You can submit questions, to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Beth writes in asking for some advice on hand made gifts for boys.

I have a number of 6-10 year old boys in my life. With gift-giving season (birthdays and Christmas) quickly approaching, I would love to make something for them. Unfortunately, my options seem to be extremely limited. These boys are a bit past the stuffed animal stage, but beyond pillows in cool print fabric, what can you do?

Whiptips - a crafts advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. View the Whiptips archive here. You can submit questions, to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Kari at Craftyginger is asking for some pocket and zipper advice.

I was just wondering if [anyone] had any tips for inserting different kinds of pockets in bags? I’m working on a knitting tote and just can’t decide which kinds of pockets will work best for me. Thanks!

Whiptips - a crafts advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. View the Whiptips archive here. You can submit questions, to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Winnie writes in asking for a picture to use in a collage. Can anyone help out with her specific enquiry? or with suggestions for sites with pictures that are out of copyright with high-res images suitable for download and printing? For a start there are quite a few childrens printable colouring in sites that could also be useful for this purpose or online libraries with old books and archived prints. Any more ideas?

I am making a collage for my front door and am trying to find the outline of a crow. Have searched as many internet sites as possible but still haven’t found one and I don’t draw crows very well. (you don’t want to see!)

Whiptips - a crafts advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. View the Whiptips archive here. You can submit questions, to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Alisa from one was johnny writes in asking for ideas and practical advice on how to make hair clips.

I have a 4 year old daughter with some serious scarecrow hair. We need to keep it in clips or ponytails but she hates “plain boring” ones. She’s more interested in wearing the frilly ribbon clips that the girl across the street wears.
I’d love to make some hairclips for her (with her, actually) but I’m stumped on how to make some actual cool clips that aren’t over the top dripping in pink lacy cuteness.
Any suggestions? Any tutorials? I’d love to see what others have done. Plus this seems to fit right in with the whiplash theme this month.

Whiptips - a crafts advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. View the Whiptips archive here. You can submit questions, to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Barbara has written in asking for ideas on where to find - or perhaps put together the perfect sewing kit.

Hello. Love your blog and am a regular reader.
I’m searching for a sewing kit, complete with all the notions one would need to begin sewing, as a gift for someone. Something average would be easy to find…but I want one that’s truly beautiful and special. Back when Organic Style magazine was still in business, they had one available on their website that was gorgeous–Italian scissors, Hable Construction zippered pouch—and that’s the sort of thing I’m looking for and haven’t been able to find. I thought that perhaps someone in your group of stylish and capable women would be able to point me in the right direction.

I hope someone there has a wonderful idea!

Whiptips - a crafts advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. View the Whiptips archive here. You can submit questions, to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Alison writes in asking on how to make a spoon into a ring. I have occasionally seen beautiful old silver cutlery bent and shaped into chimes, pendants and all sort of wonderful things - anyone know how to do this?

I recently found a really cool spoon at a thrift store, and I’m dying to make it into a ring. I was wondering if you could do a little write up with this kind of theme. I don’t even know if I’m capable of making this or not, but a little story about spoon rings [and those cool coin rings] would be super cool!

keep up the good work, whipup is my favorite website!

I am not sure about the story, but perhaps readers could help out with suggested websites, online tutorials or cool artists to feature.

Whiptips - a crafts advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. View the Whiptips archive here. You can submit questions, to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Dixie writes in asking for instructions for hand hemming silk.

I have lost instructions I had years ago for hand hemming silk scarves. It used only hand stitching and involved taking a few small stitches in a certain way then pulling gently on the thread to turn the hem into a roll. Can you help!!! I am so in need of this.

Whiptips - a crafts advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. View the Whiptips archive here. You can submit questions, to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Christine writes in asking for a pattern:

Has anyone calculated this hat, worn by Meryl Streep in “Angels in America,” into a pattern? Something similar should be relatively easy, but I’d love to try a pattern if there’s one available. The hat is clearly identifiable as mass-produced by the tag seams in the front. I was so surprised how distracting that was.

Whiptips is an crafts advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving your comments. View the Whiptips archive here. You can submit questions, to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Sara from mad mommy wants to know how to crochet a cover for a box, she says:

I’m so glad you’re offering this feature!
Last night I was lying awake trying to figure out how to ask the blogging/crafting community how to crochet a cover for my son’s baby wipe box. There are so many tea cosies and tissue box covers that I figured this would be a pretty easy thing, but I’m not finding any. I am also a beginner when it comes to crochet (in other words, I crochet about as well as I drive a stick-shift, which means I probably could in an emergency, but otherwise, not so good…). If you can help, please let me know!

Can anyone help?

Whiptips is an crafts advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving your comments. View the Whiptips archive here. You can submit questions, to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Wendi from Hip to be Square wrote in asking for advice on making her daughter a super hero costume (Teen Titans to be exact). Her question has a few sections - stencilling or appliquing a design from from a comic book, ink jet printing onto fabric - is this ink jet fabric good enough to then make clothing out of - how sturdy is it for wash and wear?

Every September my family goes to Dragon Con, a sci-fi/fantasy convention. The first couple of years my daughter went she didn’t really get what was going on. Last year she loved seeing all the costumes, and this year she’s actually a fan. She LOVES Teen Titans and I want to make her some fan gear. I’ve been thinking about appliquéing or stenciling a small bag for her to carry her water bottle and a snack, but the other night I had the wild idea to scan and print (on fabric) some art from one of the Teen Titans comic books and sew it into a simple dress for her to wear. I looked at the ink jet print on fabric products today at Michaels and ended up leaving without buying. Does anyone have experience working with these? Do they print well? Is the fabric quality good enough to make a dress? I don’t mind piecing together 8.5 x 11 panels, but it won’t work well if the fabric is tissue-thin or too loosely woven. Can the final project be machine washed? Any and all advice is very welcome - include completely different suggestions for making her something Teen Titan-y.

Whiptips is an crafts advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving your comments. View the Whiptips archive here. You can submit questions, to whiptips@gmail.com. Please include photos with your questions!

Thank you to Weeks Ringle for posting her response to some quilting questions we had received. Great drawings and ideas for what to do with unfinished quilts!

I thought this next question was good, but it means we’re asking people to divuldge their trade secrets…

“I know there are a lot of crafters here who have participated in shows and fairs and sell their goods and I was wondering what have been your best selling items? I have been asked to participate in a craft show of sorts through a MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) fundraiser. We pay a $25 table fee and get to keep all of our profits. Sounds like a great deal but I don’t want to make 20 art smocks when the hot selling items are tissue holders! So, any advice or input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so very much!”

This summer, we got a table at a concert. I made a wide variety of things, and got together with two friends to sell crafts at a stall. It costs us 100 USD for the table. Yipes! I I sold two things I called ‘travel collage holders’, which is really like a notebook holder with space for a pens, glue stick and scissors. I showed my own I had done as a sample to give ideas. I sold them for 15USD

But my friend, Danny, made a bunch of funky wrist cuffs which closed with velcro. So sold lots and lots of them. They were 10USD. I think she sold 15, but she could have sold more the next day. She was just too hungover to set-up. I was annoyed because I spent ages making alot of different things, and she had made these simple, inexpensive and clever wrist cuffs, and the girls were swarmed around them.

She also displayed them well, having made a sort of ladder by tying long peices of driftwood together.

I think the thing to consider is your audience, the price and the time it takes to make the item. Each one of the travel collage holders took about 2 hours, her cuffs took 1/2 an hour or less. They were also priced at an easy-to-part with 1000 Yen, which was a big help I think!

Best of luck to Shannon!

The travel collage holder, open: