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Tie Dying is a fun introduction to working with dye and is virtually mistake proof –making it an ideal project to do on your own, with kids or in a group. Preparation is minimal, just choose dye colors that you like and that work well together, grab a few basic materials and a t-shirt, and get ready to dye.

If you are using a tie dye kit, you’ll find everything you need inside, including the solution to pre-soak your T-shirts. If you are using a fabric dye from the craft or grocery store, you only need to soak your shirt in water before beginning.

The best candidates for dyeing

• Plain white cotton or cotton blend T-shirts
• Cotton fabric in white or light colors
• White socks, baby onesies or scarves
• Use a white or light colored base when you tie dye, since the dye will not show up well on a darker color

Materials:

• Tie Dye kit or fabric dyes suitable for cotton (RIT works well)
• Rubber bands
• Plastic coverings for work surface
• Plastic gloves
• Bucket
• Pressure washer

Directions:

1. Use rubber bands to tie off sections of the shirt. You can accordion fold, twist or just bunch the fabric into a puff and tie it off with a rubber band. Any portion covered will remain white. Evenly space the rubber banded portions to make a balanced design.
2. If you want a large, central medallion, gather the center of the shirt into one bundle and secure with a series of rubber bands. If you prefer a more allover design, use single rubber bands to secure small bunches of fabric all over the shirt.
3. Soak the tied shirt in water if using RIT or cotton dye, or in a solution of soda ash and water if you are using a tie dye kit. Tie dye kits come complete with soda ash, so you won’t need to purchase this separately.
4. Cover your work surface with plastic or work outdoors. Wear old clothing when you dye –the color will permanently stain your clothes if you are splashed. Wear plastic gloves unless you want to sport blue or pink hands for the next few days.
5. Mix the dyes with water if instructed, and pour into plastic bottles if desired. The plastic bottles used for condiments work well for this project.
6. Drip, drizzle and splash the dye onto your tied shirt; you can also dip portions of the shirt directly into the dye. If you want a shirt that is just one color, mix the dye in a bucket and just drop the tied shirt inside.
7. The longer you leave the shirt immersed in the dye, the darker and more vibrant the color will be. Leave the piece in for several minutes for pastels, and about a half hour for brighter, more concentrated colors.
8. When you are happy with the color, use a pressure washer to wash away excess dye, take off rubber bands, and hang to your shirt to dry. It is very important to remove all of the excess dye so that your shirt doesn’t bleed dye the first time you wash it.

About the author: Danielle, who blogs on behalf of Sears and other prestigious brands, enjoys creating custom tie dyed wearables and accessories. Read her work at artroommelody.com.

The Creative Homemaker's Elf Kit

Assembling the kit

Whether you are going to make a Christmas or general application elf kit, the contents are about the same. The container is a crafter’s dream project for any time of the year. You will need an empty paint can, large coffee can or other similar-sized sturdy container with a lid. Repurposing is encouraged here.

The Creative Homemaker gives instructions on decorating a paint can while Knoji has useful steps for coffee containers. Author Rick Cunningham has a collection of free elves you can print out for decorating your container. These elves are perfect for a Christmas elf kit.

In addition to Christmas, elf kits as gifts are appropriate for a baby shower, bridal shower, birthday, graduation, retirement, wedding or anniversary. Items for your completed container should include, at a minimum, the following:

• A screwdriver set
• Scissors
• Box knife
• Batteries (e.g., AA, C and D)
• Garbage bags
• Thank you cards and envelopes
• A couple pens

Add stamps so the thank you cards go out in a timely fashion and any other items useful to your particular present.

Elf kits take on other forms

Maybe you need an elf kit in other aspects of your life. Consider kits for gardening, bicycle or auto emergency repair or a college dorm survival kit. A gardening kit might include a pair of gloves, a small trowel, seed packets or seed bombs. College students are bound to appreciate a gasoline card, healthy munchies for late-night study sessions or even a new pair of socks for long walks across campus. No matter what items elves include in your kit, they’ll make your thoughtful gift that much more useful.

Any crafter knows once you make one good crafting project, others will follow as the creative juices flow. What begins as a convenience on Christmas morning can easily become a year-round present that gift recipients everywhere will enjoy receiving.

Danielle, who blogs on behalf of Sears and other prestigious brands, enjoys doing DIY projects throughout the year so Christmas doesn’t sneak up on her (and her wallet). Read her work at Art Room Melody.

What color will you paint that wall, and what color will your new couch be? Did you know that the answer to this question could actually set the stage for the emotions people feel when they walk into your home? The colors you use to decorate can directly affect the way people in a room feel, so these are not decisions to take lightly.

Feeling Happy? It May Be the Color of your Walls

Even if you love the color red, you may want to stay away from the red paint when choosing the wall color, because this is color can convey the emotion of rage and stir up aggressive tendencies. While it also means love, red may be better suited as an accent color than a full wall.

Is blue your color of choice? This is a popular option, as it’s a calming, tranquil color. People who walk into a room painted in a subtle blue will feel calm and serene. White conveys the idea of purity and peace and is a welcome addition to any space. Consider a patio area decorated in blue and accented by white patio furniture cushions. Add a splash of yellow on the patio furniture cushions, and you add in a bit of happiness to the setting.

General Principles of Color and Mood

As you consider the colors of your walls and the various major pieces in your home or patio, there are a few general guidelines you may want to keep in mind. In general, cool colors like blues and greens are calming and create a sense of tranquility. They can help the space feel larger, if they’re light, and complement natural sunlight well. This makes them ideal colors for well-lit rooms and outdoor living spaces.

Warm colors, like yellows and oranges, make an individual feel welcome. They invite intimacy, and can make a large space feel smaller and more inviting. They work well for spacious rooms where the goal is to encourage more intimate emotions.

Shade can also play a role in how colors make you feel. While light blue can make you feel happy and calm, a dark blue or navy can bring feelings of foreboding. This is seen very well in brown, which has so many different shades and hues. Some tones of brown convey warmth in the same way that orange does, while other shades, like a deep rich mahogany on a piece of furniture, make a room feel sophisticated and important.

Bright, bold colors work best as accents. Yellow, for instance, conveys happiness, but when used in excess it can cause eye fatigue and make people lose their tempers. In small doses it serves like a happy little bit of sunshine in a room. Red can convey intensity and anger, yet in smaller doses it makes people feel powerful and can make the area look important.

Making the Choice

Whether you’re decorating indoors or outdoors, consider starting the process with mapping out the emotions you wish to bring out in those who use the space. Then, choose a color scheme that matches. Don’t be afraid to use surprising splashes of complementary colors to add interest and more emotion to your space.

Now, let’s get started. The most important thing to remember is that you do not want to use any materials that could harm the birds in any way. This means that you should not treat, stain, paint or varnish the inside of your birdhouse or around the hole the bird will use to enter the house. If you do, the birds will not enter the house. Pegs can also be dangerous. Although many plans, including this plan, call for it, do not put a perch on your birdhouse. They are cute and all, but the perch could be used by a predator bird to sit and wait for the unsuspecting victim to arrive.

Materials & Supplies to Build

• Galvanized nails
• Hammer
• Waterproof glue
• Screwdriver
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Hand saw
• Coping saw
• Power drill
• Paintbrush
• Paint
• Safety goggles

Then if you want to decorate use non-toxic paints, woodworking tools or a wood burning kit.

When this birdhouse is completed, it will be 9 ½” high. This birdhouse features a climbing wall to ensure she stays in shape, ventilation, naturally beautiful décor and drainage slots.

You can never have too many nails, screws and waterproof glue on hand. Make sure you have plenty. We will be using ¾” thick pine for this project.

The Wood

Quantity Needed/Length x Width/Part of the House

• 2 – 8 ½” x 5 ½” for the Front & Back
• 2 – 4 ½” x 4″ for the Sides
• 1 – 5 ½” x 3 ¾” for the Floor
• 1 – 5 ¼” x 6 ½” for the Left Side of Roof
• 1 – 6” x 6 ½” for the Right Side of Roof

Step One:

Cut 45° angles on the front and back pieces of wood.

Step Two:

Newly hatched chicks will sometimes find it hard to grip the smooth surface of wood to exit the birdhouse. Use a saw to create tiny ridges inside on the front wall of the birdhouse by the door.

Step Three:

Drill a 1 ¼” hole for the door. The center of the door should be 4 ¾” from the bottom.

Step Four:

Use a Large wood screw that is 3 to 4” long to mount the birdhouse. Drill a 1/8” pilot hole on the back wall of the birdhouse. Make sure this hole is 4 ¾” up from the bottom, just like the door. Start screwing the mounting screw in, just enough to get it started. We lined up the door hole and the screw hole so we could finish tightening the screw through the front door of the house.

Step Five:

Now it is time to nail the birdhouse together. Many times, people like to glue and then nail the birdhouse as well to make it sturdy that is fine.

Step Six:

While you are nailing the birdhouse together, remember to keep a 1/8” gap at the front and the back of the floor for drainage. You should also leave 1/8” gap under both of the eaves for ventilation purposes. If you used glue, allow the birdhouse to completely dry before beginning the next step.

Step Seven:

Paint the birdhouse whatever colors you like. Be sure not to paint the inside of the house. Let your birdhouse dry completely again.

Step Eight:

Find the perfect spot and mount your birdhouse using the mounting screw by going through the door with your screwdriver to finish mounting your house. Now, put another pilot hole at the bottom of the house and then use a 3 to 4” screw at an angle to make it stable.

Now, tomorrow morning you can open the curtains and watch the birds scurry around while you eat your breakfast! You should be able to enjoy your birdhouse (and its residents) for many years to come!

Danielle blogs on behalf of Sears and other prestigious brands. In her spare time, she enjoys making a list of spring projects, crafting and collecting different types of wood glue. Read her work at eatbreatheblog.com

The tools

I like using a variety of tools when sculpting, including household items like paper clips for creating fine detail, paintbrushes to change texture, and plasticware to manipulate the medium. Plastic knives are great for cutting, spoons smooth surfaces, and forks make precise, decorative holes. There are also plenty of sculpting toolkits available at craft stores that help with shaping and smoothing clay. Since tools can get messy, I like using tool boxes to keep everything together and prevent clay from getting on other projects I’m working on. I have used Sculpey and air-dry clay, which are both available at craft stores for a nominal cost. The bonus of using a product like Sculpey is that it comes in a variety of colors. It makes good practice for experimenting with color before going to a pottery studio and glazing bisque.

The process

Sculpting should always be fun. While it can frustrating when something I’m creating doesn’t come out the exact way I want it to, I should always remember that there is magic in the process of creating. (Stay with me.) Angels aren’t going to sing as I’m crafting a project but engaging my brain in creative activity is fun, relaxing, and a great alternative to getting lost in front of Netflix for hours. I find that keeping projects on an easy-to-handle scale helps me from getting overwhelmed, especially since I don’t always easily claim the label of artist. Always take your time when learning a new craft. The project you’re trying to create is in you; it just might take a minute to find it.

Project ideas

One of my favorite and simple projects is making clay flowers. I generally roll out a short length of green clay and coil it until it looks like a sleeping snake. Form petals by hand (using a sharp tool to cut out precise shapes) or smooth a single piece of clay into a shape reminiscent of a sunny-side-up egg. Set the flower shape on the base and connect the pieces gently with a smoothing tool. If using Sculpey, you can bake the flowers in the oven for a short time on low heat (keeping in mind that your colors will change slightly). The finished product is generally just a few inches tall, making the craft perfect for decorating mantels or cheering up a desk at work.

Again, be patient when you’re creating. The project you’re working on does not need to become The Next Big Thing at the Louvre… but it just might.

Danielle, who blogs on behalf of Sears and other prestigious brands, enjoys crocheting and is signed up for ceramics and glassblowing classes at her local art center. 

•  A grapevine wreath
• Felt in your choice of color(s)
• Glue
• A glue gun
• Scissors

Grapevine wreaths are available at your local craft store, generally in a variety of sizes. You’ll be making a number of rosettes, so you’ll probably want 8-10 pieces of felt (9” x 12” squares) for this project. The amount needed will vary based on the size of your wreath. If you plan to make a wreath for a holiday that’s months away, consider shopping now for deals on felt colors that are currently out of season. To wit, you might be hard pressed to find red and green felt now, but could luck out with affordable specials on spring or autumnal colors.

The craft:

1. Begin by making rosettes. Cut felt into small squares, such as 3” x 3” pieces. Round off the edges to make a circle. You can also use a pencil and an average-size drinking glass to draw more precise circles on your felt, which you can then cut out.

Photo credit

2. Cut your circle of felt into a spiral.

3. Take the end of your felt spiral (the pointy end) and begin rolling towards the center (the part of the felt that resembles an oversized comma). You’ll see the rosette naturally starting to form as you wind the felt around. Be sure to leave enough room to manipulate the material, especially if you’re looking to ‘fluff out’ the petals of the rosette as you form it.

4. When you’re happy with the look of your rosette, carefully glue the ‘comma’ to the base of the rolled felt. Set aside to dry and continue making rosettes until you have as many as you need. (This is a great part of the craft to do while you’re watching something on the DVR.)

5. Let rosettes dry a couple hours to make sure the glue holds.

6. When your rosettes are dry, use a hot glue gun to apply a small amount of glue to the bottom of each, one by one.

7. Glue rosettes around wreath however you’d like. If you plan to add additional decorations, such as faux flowers, make sure to leave room on the wreath for their placement.

8. You’re done! Lay the wreath flat to dry (another couple hours to be safe) and then hang wherever you’d like. Consider using your felt scraps to make Christmas ornaments or one of these projects.

 Photo credit

 The best part about making a felt rosette wreath, aside from its ease and beauty, is being able to use any color(s) of felt. You can craft a Christmas-themed wreath with red and green felt (or red and white if you’d like to create a wreath reminiscent of candy canes). Colors like pale blue and white will speak to the wintry season, just as yellows, pinks, and greens will work nicely for an Easter wreath. Happy crafting!

The following is a guest post by Danielle of Art Room Meloday.

Chicago hosted its 9^th Annual Renegade Craft Fair in early September, and I was there to enjoy the crafty festivities. After checking into my Chicago hotel and taking in a couple of the local sights, I made my way to Division Street in Wicker Park, and enjoyed a weekend of crafting workshops and handmade delights. Read on for descriptions of some of my favorite vendors.

Alternate Histories

This vendor was one of the most creative that I found during my visit. Alternate Histories brings the past to life by refashioning archival images with anachronistic monsters and science fiction elements.  Matthew Buchholz uses digital pictures and prints the finished product on recycled paper, making these environmentally responsible as well. There were many prints from which to choose, and I ended up buying Floating Saucer Crafts and the Chicago Fire, a rendition of a lithograph of the true cause of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871; I will give it to my UFO-crazy brother for Christmas.

AD LOVE

I have seen Angel D’Amico-Bauer‘s work before, but never had the opportunity to browse and purchase until this weekend. Angel (aka AD LOVE) is a freelance illustrator and designer who creates one-of-a-kind hand screen-printed clothing. I bought a super-comfy teal tank with her rendition of the Brooklyn Bridge and plan on gifting it to a New York-native friend. She is sure to love it!

Girls Rock! Chicago

Girls Rock! Chicago had a booth at the Renegade Craft Fair this year, and I was super excited to see them there. This nonprofit organization gives girls ages 8-16 an outlet for creative expression through music education programs, because they “believe that girls are rarely encouraged to explore self-expressive creative outlets and are less likely to be given access to musical and technical instruction or equipment” otherwise. In addition to information about their motivational week-long summer camp, they offered button-making, which brought out the artist in everyone.

For Strange Women

As someone who has frequently been labeled as strange, I was drawn to this booth like the proverbial moth to a flame. Jill owns and operates For Strange Women, and offers unique perfumes and concoctions that are sure to tickle your fancy. I bought a tin of Absinthe Lips, made from all-natural ingredients and flavored like Absinthe prepared with sugar; and a vintage-style solid perfume locket in Patchouli. When I got home, I realized that these would make an awesome gift for my mom, so I visited Jill’s website and ordered more for her.

Hello Wars

For all of you Hello Kitty and Star Wars lovers out there, Hello Wars is pure Nirvana. By cleverly blending these two childhood icons into characters such as Darth Vader Kitty, Chew Kitty, and C3KO (among others), this vendor has created a line of merchandise that is at once creative and eye-catching. My niece happens to be a fan of both of these, so I bought her a Storm Kitty shirt that she’s sure to love.

For those of you who missed out on the Renegade Craft Fair this year, don’t fret! The 6^th Annual Renegade Craft Fair Holiday Market in Chicago will be held December 3 and 4 at the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse, and you will be able to do all of your last-minute holiday shopping then. See you there!

Too many people assume that hobbies are for folks with too much time on their hands.

Nothing could be further from the truth, though. The famous actress and comedienne Lilly Tomlin gave us some good advice when she said, “For fast acting relief, try slowing down.” The fact is, the busier we are, the more we need a way to relax and refresh ourselves, and the best way to do that is to get a hobby.

A hobby is something that engages your brain, preferably involves your body, and has no object beyond your own enjoyment. Hobbies usually involve collecting, crafting, or some kind of sport, although some folks consider certain types of research or experimentation as a hobby.

Some folks are lucky enough to have shared a hobby with a parent or other relative while growing up, and in that event they can be said to have had their hobbies given to them. Other folks stumble upon new hobbies at county fairs or friend’s houses.

Then there are people like me, who realize that we need a hobby, but aren’t sure how to find a good one. I guess the difficulty here comes from having to define a “good” hobby for my situation.
Setting Priorities

After a little thought and a lot of discussion with my long-suffering husband, I decided that a “good” hobby for me would have to meet three criteria;

• It would have to be affordable
• It would have to be convenient – something I can do at home
• It should not have deadlines or inflexible schedules that will interfere with my family time

Of course, any new hobbies I consider should also be interesting enough that I would stick with them, so with these priorities in place, I was able to narrow my choices down to three; scrapbooking, gardening and playing the piano.

Considering the Options

I already know that I like scrapbooking because I’ve had some experience with it. Having put together a few family books, I am aware of the advantages of this pastime;

• It’s a relaxing activity which will also result in my big box of photos being organized
• It’s relatively easy to do, and if I keep the materials properly stored, it won’t take up much space
• I get to decide how much to spend on my materials, and I can make up for a paucity of pennies with a profusion of panache.

I don’t have much experience with gardening, but I have plenty with yard work. I’ll assume that gardening is much more interesting that mowing or raking, and I anticipate other advantages to gardening, as well;

• It will be a great reason to be out in the fresh air and sunshine
• I’ll be able to decide whether my plants will require a lot of nurturing or just a little water
• I could either save money by growing plants from seed or I could choose to have fun while shopping for plants at my local nursery.

Piano playing seems the most problematic of these hobbies, but I think I’ve found a way to simplify it.

You see, I tried to learn the piano in high school, but soon gave up. Not because I disliked the instrument, mind you, but because the process of learning it was so troublesome. I seemed to be constantly rearranging my schedule to accommodate lessons, practices and recitals.

Fortunately, I now have an option that simply didn’t exist when I was in high school; I can now learn to play the piano online. This option offers me several benefits what might make this a “good” hobby for me;

• I’ll be able to make the lessons and practices fit my schedule, not the other way around.
• I’ll be able to work at my own pace, and decide how far I want to take this talent
• I could either learn piano sheet music by rote or learn piano chords and playing “by ear”.
• I’ll be able to decide when and if I perform, so there’ll be no scheduled recitals to worry about

Perhaps if these options had been available when I was in high school, I would now know how to play the piano properly.

Choosing My New Hobbies

After much analyzing, the obvious has finally occurred to me; I’ve been over-thinking this whole process. Why is it so important to find one “perfect” hobby, or even a “good“ one? I could have three hobbies as easily as one, so long as I don’t attempt to do each of them every day.

For instance, gardening is a warm-weather hobby, while scrapbooking can be saved for the cold, wet days when going outside is not fun. Once I’ve actually learned the piano, I won’t be playing it every day, or even every week. It will be a nice skill to have when we have company over or when I just feel like playing it.

So, if you’re compiling a list of hobby tips, you may want to add the idea that if you can’t find the perfect hobby for yourself, the answer may be to find two or three hobbies instead. It’s nice to have options, isn’t it?

Do you have a hobby that you might recommend to other readers? Do you have an interesting story about how you picked up that particular hobby? I’d love to read your responses!

About the Author

Melissa Cameron is a busy wife, mother and freelance writer who likes to research complicated topics and simplify them for the average reader. She makes her home in Austin, Texas with her husband and two daughters.

Round 1: Ch 5

Create a chain of 5, connecting the first to the last to make a loop. Keep the loop pretty tight, so there’s not a big gap in the top of your hat.

Round 2: 2sc in each sc around

There should be 10 sc’s after this round.

Round 3: sc in first sc, 2sc in next sc, continue around.

Alternate: sc, 2sc, sc, 2sc all the way around (this round should have 15 sc’s).

Round 4: sc in first two sc, 2sc in third sc, sc in next two sc, 2sc in next sc.

2sc in every third sc: 2 singles, 1 double, 2 singles one double.

Round 5: sc in first three sc, 2sc in fourth sc, sc in next three sc, 2sc in next sc.

2sc in every fourth sc: 3 singles, 1 double, 3 singles, 1 double.

Round 6: sc in first four sc, 2sc in fifth sc, sc in next four sc, 2sc in next sc.

2sc in every fifth sc: 4 singles, 1 double, 4 singles, 1 double.

Round 7: sc in first five sc, 2sc in sixth sc, sc in next five sc, 2sc in next sc.

2sc in every sixth sc: 5 singles, 1 double, 5 singles, 1 double.

Round 8: sc in first six sc, 2sc in seventh sc, sc in next six sc, 2sc in next sc.

2sc in every seventh sc: 6 singles, 1 double, 6 singles, 1 double.

Round 9: sc in first seven sc, 2sc in eighth sc, sc in next seven sc, 2sc in next sc.

2sc in every eighth sc: 7 singles, 1 double, 7 singles, 1 double.

Round 10: sc in first eight sc, 2sc in ninth sc, sc in next eight sc, 2sc in next sc.

2sc in every ninth sc: 8 singles, 1 double, 8 singles, 1 double.

After each round, try it on. It won’t cover your ears, but you want to make sure it fits properly on top of your head. Once it feels like it is starting to get too big, you can move on to the next step. Depending on the size of your head and the type of yarn you’re using, you may be able to stop after round 6 or 7; or, you may need to add a few more rounds in the above fashion. For mine, I usually use 10 rounds, then move on:

Round 11: sc in each sc all the way around.

Here’s the easy part. Just crochet away. The hat is as big around as it’s going to get, now you’re just adding length to cover your ears. You can make it as long or as short as you want, then cut the yarn and weave it in. I recommend a dab of fabric glue (on the inside) to keep it in place, but you can just tie a knot.

Adding a little color to your hat is simple. To make rows of a different color, simply cut your yarn when you get to the beginning of a round, and tie the end onto the end of the 2nd color. You can tuck the knot inside once you’re finished so it’s not visible.

Once you get the hang of it, it’s a simple project that won’t take long. Try it with different weights of yarn—lighter yarns (like the multi-colored one) produce more flexible hats, while heavier yarns (blue and yellow) provide more warmth.

Author Bio: Cassidy Sutter is an SEO specialist and content writer for HandbagHeaven.com and TravelProducts.com. When she’s not writing about the latest fashion or travel tips, she enjoys arts and crafts and spending time outdoors.

Some of the fabrics I voted for in the recent butterfly-themed fabric design contest on Spoonflwer

If you have any aspirations of becoming a fabric designer, you should try designing fabric for the Spoonflower design contest. There is a new contest every week, with a prize of $100 in Spoonflower credit, which you can use to buy fabric printed with your own designs or other fabric offered in the Spoonflower marketplace. Even if you don’t win, you’re sure to benefit from the practice!

I’ve only entered once so far, but I’m seriously thinking about trying to come up with a design for the upcoming coffee-themed contest. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the high quality of the submissions in the contests overall, but of course there is a wide range of submissions from people of all skill levels. However, there are a few things I’ve noticed (as a voter, rather than a designer) that might help you if you have aspirations to win this contest.

Make Your Entries Professional

Seriously, there are some top-notch fabric designs in every contest. Take a look at your design and ask yourself if you can picture it on the shelf at your favorite fabric shop. If not, go back and revise your design until it represents your absolute best effort.

Don’t Use a White Background

Are you a quilter? Quick, go to your fabric stash and check to see what the predominant colors are in your fabrics. How many of them have white backgrounds? Not many, if you’re like most of us. Keep this in mind when designing.

Use a Patterned Background

I’ve noticed that many of the fabrics with patterned backgrounds look more professional than those with solid-colored backgrounds. Of course, you have to make sure that your background complements the design and does not overpower it. This is something that may be tricky to get right, but if you do, it can make a world of difference.

Learn to Tile Your Designs

The best designs almost always those that are tiled without looking like they are. You need to learn this skill if you want to be a fashion designer. It is something that takes some practice, but the last thing you want is to submit a design that has an unsightly line in it because it doesn’t tile properly.

More Information on Spoonflower Design Contests

If you are interested in entering Spoonflower’s fabric design contest, check out the upcoming themes and start designing. I look forward to seeing your entries.