STC Craft has put together a collection of 20 free patterns from their books, for you to download for some holiday / gift giving crafting: whether you knit, sew, stitch, or stamp, there’s something here for everyone.
I love this idea - bakerella has taken a basic cookie recipe and girlified it a little to make the cutest gift set – complete with recipe and downloadable labels so you can make your own.
love the alphabet fridge magnets – kids do too – here how to make a cute plush version.
School holidays are soon to be upon us – or are already in some parts of the world – for me its winter and for others its summer. Whatever season though – if you have kids you will need to think of some activities to keep them occupied. Here are my top 10 activities for kids to do in the holidays. These are things that 6 year olds and up can do without a lot of supervision – although there will always be questions and chatter. And best of all these activities are bound to keep them occupied for longer than an hour.
1. Reading and drawing takes up a lot of my kids time and I like to enable this by providing interesting drawing materials – nice pencils, fancy crayons, and lovely books.
2. I love sewing and usually my kids like to have a go if they think it looks fun – my daughter especially is into making her own clothes and with my recent sewing machine acquisition I was able to pass on my old machine to her. Why not let your kids experiment with making some costumes or dressing up the family cat.
3. Felting is another fun family craft – we went through a bit of a felting craze for a while – and the kids loved it – why not let them try needle felting or making some simple felt balls even felted soap – such a lot of messy clean fun.
4. Playing shop is a major favourite activity in our house – give them some materials to really make it authentic. Collect empty food packaging, cardboard boxes – they can even make their own currency.
5. puppets, masks and other dressup / theatrical opportunities can last all day. My kids are now directing their own movies using the digital camera. Hilarious.
6. Playdough has always been popular in our house – we make it ourselves and playing with warm fresh playdough is so tactile and nice. We have graduated slightly from this and now the kids beg me to let them play with real dough so they can bake funny shaped cookies and then eat them.
7. Paper crafts are also popular – give kids some recycled paper, scissors and glue and just sit back and watch. If you want to direct them or give them some creative ideas – try making flowers, boats, paper dolls and a doll house to go with.
8. The shower curtain playmat is a great idea – we do a papier mache version – making cubby houses and pretend houses – whatever your skill level as a parent – getting your kids to use their imagination and crafty skills will keep them happily busy for hours -
9. A yarn craze has entered our house – with competitions running for the longest finger knitting. We are doing 1 finger knitting, whole hand finger knitting, French knitting and are about to move onto bigger loom knitting projects.
10. Getting outdoors – this is a must no matter what the whether. Collecting leaves, stones and bits of bark to make things with later – try rock painting, bark boats and nature collage. So many possibilities.
Whiptips craft advice column for readers to ask questions or offer advice by leaving comments. email whipup[@]gmail.com
Liz wrote in with this question:
My local creche is holding a trivia night, and they want parents to contribute items suitable for packs for a 1 year old boy and a 1 year old girl. Do whipup readers have any suggestions as to something handmade?
Readers let us know your suggestions for quick and simple gift ideas to make for 1 year old children – co-ordinated packs or perhaps a few sweet little things that just go nicely together – thinking caps on…
The Complete Book of Retro Crafts: Collecting, Displaying & Making Crafts of the Past
Wonderfully crazy Kitsch book jam packed full of retro crafts. Not to everyone’s taste – all that glitter and macaroni – but also not surprisingly – many of these crafts reuse materials and are pretty ‘eco’ friendly – there are heaps of projects in here suitable for kids too!
With a whole chapter on glitter you already can see that this is not your pared back modern craft book – glittery lampshades, glass mosaic olive stand, party hats and decorations ‘glitter critters’ – just because you can. Vintage ephemera also has a strong hold in this book – with folded paper chains, vintage postcard frames and decoupage boxes.
One of the most kitschy holidays of the year has got to be Christmas – with all those reindeer, elves and trees – glitter and sparkles everywhere – so a whole chapter devoted to Christmas crafts was a must. I love the miniature Christmas village made from last years Christmas cards and a bit of tinsel too. Shell mosaic and other ‘encrustations’ get their own chapter – as does glass crafts – with bottle scenes getting a few projects – that is making a mini diorama and putting it in a bottle or jar – pretty cute actually.
Button crafting has made a big comeback recently – but not surprised to find that it fits into this book – like a glove – right along with wash mitts animals, bottle cap men, doily craft and matchstick crafts. Along with these fun projects there is a lot more on collecting, recycling, home decorating and party ideas.
This book might be crazy and wacky but it is also a huge amount of fun – with heaps of crafts suitable for children and rainy days with only a box of glitter, glue and the recycle junk box. Get craftin’.
Sweet Booties!: And Blankets, Bonnets, Bibs & More
Sweet booties is filled with sweet little sewing projects for baby from felt booties (in fact there are heaps of bootie projects), hats (I am not really into those baby headbands but there are those too), and I love the baby elf sleep hats, there are bibs galore (lines, plush, quilted, etc), and some really cute toys – rattle birds that tie onto the side of the cot, soft blocks, yoyo above the cot mobile. A few items of clothing – such as nappy covers, bloomers and pyjamas, and playmats and quilt covers finish it up.
While this book sure has a few really cute and useful projects, I was a bit disappointed in the instructions and illustrations – the projects seem to be beginner type simple sewing projects but without the extensive instructions that a beginner sewing book needs.
super cute tutorial at the storque – pattern and tutorial courtesy Baby Stuff by Aranzi Aronzo.
The Expectant Knitter: 30 Designs for Baby and Your Growing Family
In a world full of books full of knitting patterns for babies, this one is trying hard to be different. Marie Connolly has structured this book in terms of a pregnancy, with the easier projects designed for making during your first trimester when you might be feeling ill and tired, and during your last trimester when you might be feeling round and full of baby, and the more challenging projects to make during your second trimester when it is easier to concentrate and you may be feeling pretty good.
Projects include lots of things for the baby, a wrap shawl for a pregnant mama, and interestingly, a coat for your dog. There are baby blankets and quilts, hats, cardigans and jumpers, and even some toys. There is a nice range of patterns to suit babies in both warmer and cooler weather, from personal experience it is very frustrating to want to make something for my baby, but the pattern or the size is out of season!
It is a little difficult to judge which size to make the patterns in this book, though, as there are only a few child models in the book, and unfortunately many of the clothes are either too big or too small for the model, which makes it awkward to really see how the pattern is supposed to fit properly.
Sprinkled throughout the book are lists of advice for a pregnant mama, including medical and health advice. I could not see any references for any of this information, and it seems that much of it is from the author’s personal experience as a mother. While some of the advice is meant to be whimsical and funny, including instructions to buy extra yarn or snuggle up on the couch to knit baby socks to counter morning sickness. However I am uncomfortable with unreferenced medical advice turning up in a knitting book.
All that said, as a very new knitter I am keen to knit lots for my own baby, and the baby socks, leg warmers, daddy socks and raglan sweater are firmly on my To Knit list!
About the reviewer: Kate is a busy mother of four and has far too many craft projects on the go at any one time. These could include, but are not limited to, crochet, sewing, dyeing, paper making, spinning, felting and bookbinding. Kate has challenges in the areas of finishing things, saying no and craft supplies storage. She makes babyslings in her freetime – find them here.
Download the pdf pattern for these [via] adorable kimono baby shoes – from my home spun threads.
