Knitting, crocheting, and macrame are getting noticed by a new generation of crafters. These fun hobbies are a great way to relieve stress and make something from scratch. Whether you want to create handmade gifts or are looking to customize a scarf, blanket, or wall decor for your own family, textile crafts may be the way to go. As a beginner, I tried the We Are Knitters Medea Blanket Knitting Kit to see if I could get excited about this crafty hobby, too....

Where to Get a Zipper Foot A zipper foot is standard equipment with almost all sewing machines but if your machine does not have a zipper foot, visit a local sewing machine dealer to find an appropriate replacement for your machine. Sewing machine company websites can help you locate a local dealer for your brand of a sewing machine. Your sewing machine manual may also have a picture of the original zipper foot, so you know what to look for....

You can find the domain in an email address after an @ sign. The email address for the First Lady, for example, is first.lady@whitehouse.gov. You can see that “whitehouse.gov” is the domain. The ending of a domain tells you what type it is: Many countries have an official extension or country code that appears at the end of a URL (website address) or email address. The extension identifies where the host website or network is located....

Talking about language, the app provides facility to set a WhatsApp Status message for yourself. Although, for some users WhatsApp status is not a very important thing (yours truly is one of them!) but majority of folks wants to show-off some cheeky, intelligent-crafted one liner status messages in their WhatsApp profiles. So, I thought of doing a research and prepare a list of some cool status quotes (mostly in one line) that you can use as status....

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Different wiring projects call for different standards. Here are some guidelines for the most common wiring jobs you’ll find. Note that when working with specific products, manufacturers will often recommend a wire size and type. If they do, follow their recommendations. First, a few general notes about choosing wire. Wire gauges are coded by their size. The smaller the number, the larger the wire. The wire can also be purchased as solid or stranded....

Teak is a good example. Even though there are two varieties that are commonly sold as teak, because one of them, in this case, Tectona, was historically harvested using clear-cutting methods in Southeast Asia, it has become politically incorrect in some circles to use teak for woodworking projects. Bald Cypress as an Alternative The bald cypress tree is the state tree of Louisiana and is very well-adapted for use in outdoor woodworking projects because of its resistance to water....

DIY Origami Lampshade from Apartment Apothecary DIY Wall Art Inspiration: Make Wall Art with Wallpaper from Crafts N Coffee If you have stairs that have seen better days in your home, revamping them with wallpaper strips is an economical and quirky solution! You will love the colorful transformation every time you use your stairway. Your staircase will never have looked better. Marimekko Stair and Lampshade Upcycle from Pillar Box Blue Upcycled Wallpaper Covered Radio from My So Called Crafty Life This craft is easy enough for kids to do, and would work well with homeschoolers, scout groups and in the classroom as a cute springtime craft....

The design is made using very basic crochet stitches, such as single crochet and double crochet. Strategic increases and decreases create the “peaks and valleys” of the ripple, and you can alter how tall and deep those are with your spacing. The ripple afghan crochet patterns rounded up here are the cream of the crop; even a beginner can do them and yet they will bowl you over with their striking graphic-appearance....

Place your sheet of paper beside the edge and press down to cut with the large blade. These paper cutters provide a flat base imprinted with a ruler grid so you can easily measure your paper and cut it to the correct size. As the large, heavy lever swings down, it severs the paper against the metal edge of the base. Witha good sharp blade properly adjusted, you can usually cut through several layers of paper at the same time....

On Eckman’s website, you will find great patterns that she designed as well as detailed tutorials. Many of these cover problems every knitter and crocheter run across at some point. She also hosts classes on Craftsy and provides a free newsletter. If you’re ready to delve into this adorable world, explore the Amigurumei blog by Mei. It is filled with free crochet patterns of her little creatures, many of which are inspired by her love for anime....

A handful of the most valuable gemstones in the world are crystals that we will likely never see in person. These stones are highly sought after by museums and collectors. Other valuable gemstones are attainable with the right amount of money. This list includes 10 rare and valuable gemstones, along with origin information, buying tips, and more. Tanzanite ranks 6-7 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness so it is durable enough for everyday wear....

Hang A DIY Galentine’s Day Banner from Kristi Murphy DIY Happy Galentine’s Day Card from The Paper Mama Personalized Coasters from The Proper DIY Heart Photo Backdrop from Design Love Fest Fries Before Guys Snack Box from Studio DIY Paper Plate Wall Decor from Francois Et Moi DIY Jewelry Holder from Persia Lou DIY Heart Balloons from Design Improvised Mini Flower Bouquets from Homey Oh My Matching Travel Mugs from Studio DIY

If you like the thought of saving money on light fixtures by upcycling something you may already have, take a look at these ingenious ideas below for creating overhead lighting. Lots of different things can be turned into light fixtures. Pendant lights, in particular, are probably the easiest type of ceiling light to DIY using items you may already have around the house. Each of the unexpected items below was turned into a ceiling light fixture with the help of, in most cases, just a simple pendant light kit and some ingenuity....

These online mazes are organized into easy, intermediate, and hard. Most of them are presented as maze games, but some are simple online mazes where your mouse simply acts as the pen. If you’re looking for some more mazes, you can find thousands of free printable mazes, such as ones geared toward Dr. Seuss, that you can print out on your computer and then hand over to the kids. There are many other free printable activities for kids as well....

Sunflower Embroidery Pattern from Love Embroidery/Gathered Kansas Hand Embroidery Pattern, $6, Wandering Threads Embroidery Sunflower Time Pattern from DMC Sunflower Stitch Sampler Pattern, $8, Beth Colletti Sunflower Embroidery Pattern from A Lively Hope Sunflower Wreath PDF Pattern, $5, Pixels and Purls DIY Magnets With Embroidery from Cutesy Crafts Sunflower Pattern Bundle, $8, Illumine Creative 5 Ways to Stitch Sunflowers from Sarah Homfray Sunflower Bouquet Pattern, $8, Embroidery Art by Nat Sunflower Hand Embroidery Pattern, $6, Just Sew Helen Fall Embroidery Patterns from Wild Olive Sunflower Embroidery Tutorial from Super Creative Embroidery Sunflower Floral Wreath, $4, Becky’s Embroidery Shop

Colorful Cardstock Bookmarks from Crafts Unleashed Brass Clip Bookmark from Your DIY Family Fabric and Elastic Bookmark from Crazy Little Projects Lightsaber Bookmarks from Crafts by Amanda DIY Tassel Bookmarks from Apricot Polkadot Pro tip: Use a very heavyweight construction paper or cardstock for this craft to prevent ripping and ruining your cute cats. Cat Bookmarks from DIY Candy Rainbow Corner Bookmark from Red Ted Art Faux Leather Personalized Bookmarks from Your DIY Family Shark Fin Bookmark from Simplistically Living Bear Bookmarks from The Inspiration Edit Felt Earth Elastic Bookmark from Crafts Unleashed Pressed Flower Bookmarks from Lovely Indeed Tassel, Pom Pom, and Patterned Bookmarks from The House That Lars Built Fruit Corner Bookmarks from Hey, Let’s Make Stuff Mermaid Tail Bookmark from Six Time Mommy Chain Tassel Metal Bookmark from Goody Beads Paint Chip Bookmark from Mama Miss