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How to Make Solar Panels

Fine Craft Guild — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:59:00 +0000

heating solar panels made with 180 soda cans.

How to Make Your Own Solar Panels

You can see I am on a greenhouse / gardening – kick. And so I followed Daniel Strohl from Hemmings.com, who made this solar panel out of need for heating. He wanted to tinker in his garage but it was too cold in Winter. So, he created his own heating system. After 3 years of refining his solar heating project, here it is:

I love Daniels’ practical approach of just finding a key element and then adjusting all the other elements to match. For this version of his solar panel, he found an old glass sliding door, and then used that as his measuring stick for all the other materials. He cut his 2×4’s and back plywood to that size for the box, and just filled it up with cans, with turned out are 180.

Panel Effectiveness: How Much Heat Does it Produce?

Daniel recorded temperature differentials up to 120 degrees in full sun and up to about 80 degrees in a mixture of sun and clouds. Not enough to boil water (almost), but sure enough to heat up a garage, greenhouse or garden guest house.

source: Daniel Strohl who writes for Hemmings.com, yes, that funky car site! You can find the full details of how to make heating solar panels on his site.

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Easy enough. We can do this…

Sweet Little Crochet Leaves :: Free Pattern

Fine Craft Guild — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:11:00 +0000

They all beg for them: crochet flowers, crochet roses & crochet hearts all want a couple of leaves to come along with them.

Forgo the standard option of making them in green. Try a lovely cream-colored leaf to accompany your peach or pink flower, rose or heart.

Crochet Materials

Yarn: I used the softest of the softest yarn ever, i.e. 100% organic cotton.

(note: if follow this link & you choose to buy from fabric.com, you may receive FREE SHIPPING in the US on order of $35.)

Crochet needle: Recommended Knit Needle Size: US 9 (5.5 mm), however I used 4.5 mm for this leaf.

This is the very yarn I used:

Crochet Leaf Pattern 1

In essence, when making a crochet leaf, one works around a central chain. This is how all leaves are made.

For this particular leaf, make a loop and chain 10 more stitches.

Then vary the width of the leaf, like so:

Row 1: skip 1 st, 2 sc,3 dc, 2 sc, and 1 sl st.

in the first st, 3 sl st

and now start working on the other side of the chain, in reverse order of row 1, like so

Row 2: sl st, 2 sc, 3 dc, 2 sc. Now the leaf should be complete.

Now, create a tiny stem:

Chain 2,

Make 2 sl st along the chain, going back down to the leaf.

cast off. Weave in ends.

Crochet Leaf Pattern 2

cast on, ch 9

in second stitch: sl st, 2 sc, hdc, dc, tc,dc,

in the last stitch: sc, sl st, sc

now on the other side: go in the reverse order: dc, tc,dc, hdc, 2sc, and finish up with a sl st.

cast off. Weave in ends.

Time Required

Takes approximately 2 minutes to crochet a leaf.

Choice of Yarn

Tip 1: Use variate yarn, i.e. yarn which has lots of different colors is ideally suited for crochet leaf, as it closely resembles the variation in nature.

The 100% organic cotton yarn I mention above, and as you can see here, has variate colors as well as full colors. Check out either of these two color combinations shown. When you click on the images, there will be other color combi’s to consider.

Tip 2: if you want to resemble nature a tat further, make one side of the leaf a tiny bit different than the other side. Eg.exchange the 3 dc for 1 dc and 2 tc. Experiment … and before you know it, you can do freeform crochet!

Crochet Patterns

We feature many crochet patterns here at Fine Craft Guild, including:
Kaleidoscope Crochet Scarf
Coffee Cup Crochet Pattern
Crochet Bike Fashion
eBook with Crochet & Knitting Patterns
Market Bag
Crochet Beach Bag with Flowers
Kids Crochet Hat (summer)
Free Crochet Patterns – an Overview page
Free Crochet Pillow Pattern
Gorgeous Scarlet Red Scarf Crochet Lace Pattern with Oversized Flowers
Craft Storage Tips
Fluffly Heart Crochet Pillow
Crochet Monsters
Crochet Flowers
Crochet Water Bottle – beginners tutorial
Crochet Briefcase / iPad case
and more crochet patterns

Curly Grosgrain Ribbons for Valentines Day Wreaths

Fine Craft Guild — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:50:00 +0000

Something nifty today:
Curly grosgrain ribbons!
So cute!

I happen to fancy doing this today. Besides making darling wreaths with them, curled grosgrain ribbons are ideal to embellish a bunch of creative projects I’m working on. You need them too?

How to Curl Grosgrain Ribbons

The traditional recipe of baking curls has been around for ages:

wrap ribbon around long pin & secure,
soak in water,
sprits starch
bake in oven for 1/3 hr.

and VOILA: a mountain of curly grosgrain ribbons.

Doesn’t that look tidy?

Ode to Nikki !!

Nikki, In Stitches, explains how to make curly grosgrain ribbons in some more details on her blog, Nikki in Stitches, and then shows how to make your ribbons into whimsical Valentines Day Wreaths.

In one word: adorable.

Image credit: Nikki’s.

Enjoy free shipping on orders over $25 (conditions apply).

Make a Recycled Dryer Sheet Envelope

Fine Craft Guild — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:47:00 +0000

Great Idea: Make your own envelopes for keepsakes from used dryer sheets.

Jennifer from Sunny Vanilla executed this creative idea that was the brainchild of Paula Spahr. Let me show you her works of art:

How to Make Your Own Envelopes

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Just a few steps to success for this craft project:

she ironed the sheets,
folded them over,
cut the sides of the envelop flap (see picture), and
sew a decorative line at approx. 1/4” of the edge.
Then, she used that same contrast color for the card inside. Love that red-white striped card.

Perfectly Easy, Creative Recycling Project

Make a stack of them at a time, so as to make it worth your while to get the sewing machine out.

Jennifer made the dryer sheet envelops for (Valentine) greeting cards. However, I can see a million other uses for these handmade envelopes, either embellished with lot of decoupage, or plain. Jennifer added a pretty, simple and nice button.

source: sunnyvanilla.blogspot.com

Scrapbooking Canvas Art (Pinterest Fave)

Fine Craft Guild — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:53:00 +0000

‘Soul Smile’

‘Laugh with your eyes, hug with your soul, and smile with your heart’ (Anonymous quote)

Wow. Powerful quote on canvas art. Paper art creation. Scrapbooking collage on canvas.

Below is my favorite Pinterest pin today.

Inspirational?

Love the colors, style and sincerity statement.

Comes with a very detailed tutorial.

source: Unity Opportunity

Like it?
Pin It!

DIY ‘Porcelain Rose

Fine Craft Guild — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:50:00 +0000

Isn’t this an awesome glossy porcelain rose? However, it’s made from 13 old plastic spoons instead. Would you believe it?!

Next time you have a party, save those plastic spoons! You’ve got roses to make…

Find an excellent, step-by-step tutorial by Gail here, at the “Can’t Stop Making Things”-blog.

Tip 1: Take good care of nature: Please, please, please use recycled materials instead of new. We must collectively curb our collective consumerism obsession. Thank you in advance.

Tip 2: Take good care of yourself: As you are heating up plastic, you are best advised to work in a well-ventilated area. Never leave an open flame unattended.

Tip 3: Try these roses in red and pink for a Valentine – look!

This my Pinterest Fave for the day. Hope it inspires you.

I think it would be a fun Valentines Day or Mothers Day gift. I also have seen used stuck on a Vase to resemble an Anthropologie knock-off.

How to Make a Topiary

Fine Craft Guild — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:39:00 +0000

Lets make a topiary. I will show you how.

It is winter and not much creative gardening going on besides making winter veggies and protecting whatever you planted from frost. It is however a time that in Italy, the olive farmers clip their olive trees again, and loads of free branches are to be had. And we can have fun with those branches, yessery!

Topiaries, or natural garden sculptures, can be quite expensive. But if you make your own, you realize you can make a thousand for the price of one store-bought sculptured plant. The secret: patience, a bit of ingenuity, and those olive tree branches. Because these branches make great topiary frames!

Step-by-step Topiary Making Instructions

1. Start with some ivy. Purchasing a plant with at least two long trails of leaves, or taking a clipping with roots and trails from a plant you already have. Ivy is pretty cheap at the moment. I think I paid $1.95 for a nice plant a couple of trails of ivy leaves.

2. Hop over to your nearby olive farm (I did the first year we were here), clip your own olive trees (I did the second year) for a bunch of the thinner branches. Take all the leaves off. Weave the olive tree branches into a circle, till your base wreath looks like photo #2. Do not make it too heavy with too many branches, although you could add a few more branches than I have used here if you wish, as it will make your topiary look fuller from the start. You want to create a topiary frame that’s stable. That’s the most important criteria.

No olive trees nearby?

Alternatively, use other thin branches from your garden or local park, or if you must buy something, go to your N. American dollar store and pick up a wreath made of olive branches, or purchase an official topiary frame, which is often made of a metal shape with a chicken-wire body. Here you can find topiary frames for near wholesale prices.

What we are doing today is pretty simple and straight forward. If you however want to make a topiary heart shape, well, than I highly recommend you purchase a topiary heart frame . This one here is only US$ 6.80, which seems inexpensive.

I’ll talk more about special topiary forms later, as I have some amazing topiary garden photos to show you of the most amazing living sculptures. But for now, we do an easy home decorating project…

3. Now here comes the secret to making olive tree branches work as topiary form: you take a bit of metal wire and fold it around 3 inches of your form. On both sides of those 3 inches you should have a pin coming out of 3 inches, pin A and pin B. These two pins are to be at the bottom of your form and you are to stick them into the earth of your pot with ivy. This will hold your wreath in place. Look at the photo of the heart topiary form and you’ll know exactly what I’m referring to.

4. Next, take one of the longs trails of ivy leaves and weave these around one side of the wreath form. Take the second and or third trails of leaves and fold them around the wreath going into the other directions. They will overlap with the first trail around the top of the wreath. Make sure it’s even and full all over.

5. Add some plant food to stimulate your ivy into growing a bit faster and fuller, and you’re done. Easy enough, right? Now go find 10 minutes to do this creative DIY project, because that’s all that it took me.

Other Garden, Porch & Plant Craft / DIY Projects

How to: Ying-Yang Friendship Bracelets

Fine Craft Guild — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:45:00 +0000

This friendship bracelet video tutorial with Chinese Ying-yang symbols celebrates several holidays together, from Chinese New Year (January 23), to our North American Valentines Day (February 14), to Carnival (March) in Latin America, where friendship bracelets were originally invented.

This is a very happy friendship bracelet with lots of Chinese red for good luck. Makes a fun little gift for your spiritual, yoga, Buddhist friends who wish to live in balance and harmony. And a lover also.

Incidentally, did you know that friendship bracelets were originally given to a friend at which time this friend could make a wish.

The bracelet was/is to be worn all day & night till it would fall of, at which time the wish is supposably being granted by the universe.

Mmm.. reminds me of Tibetan prayer flags, and how they are used.

In terms of difficulty level, I would not make this my first bracelet ever. However, if you’ve made other friendship bracelets before you could give this a try also.

Have fun!

Step-by-step Video Instructions

Make this Bracelet

How to Make a Friendship Bracelet featuring Ying-Yang symbols

Find the Video Tutorial Here Note: the source of the original design is below, however this video explains things a tat faster than the video tutorial featured on the website below.

For knot instructions and more details see Friendship-bracelets.net (image source).

AAA t-Shirt Bracelet: Leopard, Knotted, w Gold Chain

Fine Craft Guild — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:55:00 +0000

: HANDMADE JEWELRY EXTRA-ORDINAIRE. Old t-shirt + leopard design print + knot + gold chain = fabo bracelet. Absolutely wonderful. Let’s make some.

This fun tutorial video is long and chatty, so I’ve summarized the steps here for you.

Cutting up a tee is just step 1…. Designer Connie Yu goes a mile further… :

She paints leopard print on the shirt
She knots it into a sailors knot
She weaves in some gold chain,
To finish it off, she glues on some fabric to close the bracelet.

Involved, but easy. You can do it to. Here is the how-to.

Step-by-step Tutorial on How to Make this Bracelet

2- strand knotted bracelet

Step 1: cut a big rectangle from the fabric between the two sleeves at the front or the back of your tshirt. Paint a leopard design on with some black paint. Blow-dry it, or wait a day till dry.

Step 2: Cut 2 long strips of 1 to 1.5” width out of rectangle. Tuck along the whole length of both strips so that the sides curl in and they become tubes.

Step 3: Knot your two strands together into the Josephine knot. (this demo = approx at. 7 min. point in the video)

source knot image: http://www.satincord.com/knots/doublecoinknot.htm (also called the Josephine Knot)

Step 4: Fiddle around with it till it looks like the knot in the picture/video (picture #4). Check if the loop at the top fits around your wrist. If not, adjust the knot so that it fits. Also ensure that the dangling ends together also fit around your wrist (i.e. have the length of 1/2 the loop).

Step 5: Cut the loop exactly in the middle. You should now have 8 pieces dangling from your knot, that are almost even in length; 4 on each side of the knot. Trim ends perfectly even.

Step 6: Weave in the metal chains along the same lines of the knot. Hand-stitch the chain edges onto the fabric.

Step 7: Making the closure: Cut a 1 x 2 “ rectangle from the t-shirt, and cover it lightly in fabric glue. Let the glue dry 1/2 a minute. When the glue gets tacky, take your bracelet and flip it upside down, and lay the 4 ends of one side of your bracelet onto the middle of the glued rectangle. Fold over the other end of the bracelet and glue the other 4 ends onto the other side of that rectangle, next to each other to make the bracelet loop. Press the ends into the glue. As your glued rectangle is bigger than the knot ends, fold the rectangle over them so it covers up all ends nicely. Let it dry for 24 hrs.

Video Tutorial – How to Make a Leopard Print Knotted Gold Chain Bracelet

If you don’t see the video here, click: http://youtu.be/rXw394FAKwo

Source: http://thisolddress.blogspot.com

Contemporary Hexagon Pillows :: Free Sewing Pattern

Fine Craft Guild — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:55:00 +0000

: this hexagon designer pillow pattern reads like a nature mosaic. Something soulful about handmade pillows that have such attention to painstaking detail. It’s an exquisite sewing pattern and it’s free.

By centering 6 identical petals, the master seamstress team at Sew4Home has orchestrated yet another winning design.

They share the sewing tutorial and instructions.

Hexagon Pillow Tutorial

It’s pretty easy. But the secret, she says, is “to cut six identical pattern pieces for the front of the pillow. It’s crucial that they are exactly the same.”

Pillow Sewing Tips

Other tips she gives are:

Use an ½" seam allowances, and have them included in and marked on your base hexagon petal form.
Use a good sewing machine like the Janome DC4030
It’s optional, but consider using a zipper foot for the corners with the tassels as it gets a bit thick and tricky at each of the six corners. (My idea would be to simply add the tassels by hand, but I’m not a ‘real’ seamstress.)

Winter or Summer Pillow?

Prefer to bookmark this tutorial and make a summer version instead? Look at the result of this pattern using fresh and bright summer fabrics.

source images/instructions: sew4home.com

Pillows – Cushions – Sewing Patterns

25+ Free Pillow Patterns & Designs