Delyn Designs

Don't throw away that old T-shirt, upcycle it

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 03:11:00 +0000

A review of The Upcycled T-Shirt: 28 Easy-to-Make Projects That Save the Planet - Clothing, Accessories, Home Decor & Gifts

Note: This article was originally published in my Substack, The Wandering Maker Corner.

Do you have a pile of old t-shirts that you really don’t want to just throw away and contribute to the growing piles in the landfill? Do you have favorites that have meaning to your or are mementos from trips or special events? There is a better way to keep them around. longer and this book from Jenelle Montilone will show you how

Note: This book is only available as a Kindle edition on Amazon as it is currently out of print. I checked out this book using Kindle Unlimited which is my favorite way to experience a book or browse different subjects without making a final purchase to download permanently or have a physical copy taking up room on a shelf.

Why this book?

So the reason I decided to check out this book was for two things. One, I have a growing pile of t-shirts that are either ill-fitting, have some holes, or stains. The second reason was I have been interested in t-shirt yarn for awhile now and even though I could just do a Google search and find a page or video on how to do it, there is just something about looking at a book that someone took the time to write. This person is providing me with options and ideas all in one compact format that I can flip back and forth through even if it is in digital format on a Kindle or my Fire tablet (my preference for how-to books with color images).

What does this book do and not do?

There are three basic parts of this book:

Introduction and the effects of clothing in landfills (unfortunately it looks like the blog mentioned in the Sewing with a Purpose section is no longer active)
The basics of how to prepare the t-shirt, sewing tips, dyeing, creating yardage, and making yarn
The projects - categorized: Wearables, home, kids, pets, decorations, reusable items (cleaning helpers and market bags)

Project instructions are clear and stepped out well. For some of the clothing, alternate knit fabric yardage is given along with the approximate number of t-shirts required. Instruction images are hand drawn and not photos but this actually may be more helpful as it simplifies the explanations and eliminates visual obstructions that can occur with photography. All finished models of projects are displayed with color photography.

If you prefer to have patterns included in your book then you will be happy with this one as there is a hyperlink in the Kindle version that will open up a PDF with all the needed patterns. For larger pattern pieces, it also includes how to assemble the pages you will need once you print them. The book does note that depending on your software and printer the sizing could be affected.

My final thoughts

I really enjoyed this book that provided me with different ways I can recycle and reuse t-shirts I already have and possibly transfer this to other clothing items. I wished she had done a series of different types of clothing: denim, sweaters, flannel, etc.

Although I only used it to make the t-shirt yarn, I will be trying out how to make a t-shirt quilt because unlike most t-shirt quilt instructions, the author chose to use the shirts as fabric to piece a patchwork-type quilt instead of the basic memory quilt using the print on the shirt for each square. The quilt made in the book was more modern and used paint to enhance the design.

My experiment
Although there are several projects in the book, I tried out the section on making my own t-shirt yarn.
There are two methods given but I wanted to try the one that would give me the longest continuous length possible. This involves cutting out a block of the shirt from under the sleeves to the hem. Then, mark a line 2 inches below one fold (side seam) and then cut strips beginning from the other folded edge up to the line. Next, cut diagonally from one strip across the fold. It is very similar to making bias binding strips for quilts if you are familiar with that process.

Once the “yarn” has been cut you starting pulling on the strips to make the fabric curl in on itself. As shown in the image below you will notice that the pink knit did not behave like it should have but I don’t think it will matter depending on how I end up using it. It will act more like a ribbon yarn versus a cord type of yarn that the beige is simulating.

Now, I just have try it out. I’m thinking of doing a small rug possibly with granny squares. The book does have different projects for using the yarn: tufted in burlap for pillows, knitting a chair pad, a macrame plant holder, and a arm-knitted throw.
What would you like to make with extra t-shirts?
Disclaimer: Links in this article are affiliate links and I would get a small commission without any cost to you. This will help me to continue this blog and making videos to share with you and be able to make them better.

An Easy Start to Making an Improv Quilt

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 02:40:00 +0000

A review of Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts: A Stress-Free Journey to Original Design

Note: This article was originally published in my Substack, The Wandering Maker Corner.

Have you ever wanted to just grab some fabric and start sewing it together without strict rules or thinking about points meeting? Do you enjoy the look of abstract art quilts and wonder if you could create one? This book by Rayna Gillman will help you to start.

I checked out this book using Kindle Unlimited which is a wonderful way to experience a book or browse different subjects without making a final purchase to download permanently or have a physical copy taking up room on a shelf. In fact, many of the books I will be reviewing in the future will be from my Kindle Unlimited adventures.

Why this book?

The reason I selected this one is I have always wanted to create art quilts and although I have a very extensive collection of quilt books I rarely follow a pattern exactly as shown. I don’t like buying quilt kits. My joy comes from picking out the fabrics even before I have a pattern in mind so you can probably guess that I also have a very large collection of fabric and this book seemed like it could help me with creating unique quilt pieces and use up some of my stash.

What does this book do and not do?

This is a guide book. There are no patterns. There are no hard rules. It shows you how to take your fabric and simply start by sewing strips together. You can work with yardage, scraps or existing blocks to create new looks. There are plenty of images and exercises to help you improvise and create unique pieces.

One of first things it will help you with is how to sort your fabrics if this is something you haven’t already done. If you are like me and are a compulsive fabric hoarder you may already have piles of fabrics separated by color, print, or themes.

Once you have mastered cutting and sewing strips, Rayna will show you how to take the strips and make them into various configurations. This includes making them into creative blocks with or without borders.

My final thoughts

The best piece of advice the book provides you is to be experimental and not be afraid of putting different colors together. The more you do this, the more you will find you can sew with less stress and more joy. If you are ready to let go of patterns and simply cut and sew then this book is for you. However, if you need more structured instructions I would at least recommend taking a look through it to appreciate this format and see how different patterns and colors can make unique projects.

My experiment

I took a few blocks I had in my stash from a class I took several years ago (I don’t get rid of anything) and used the information in this book to start cutting into them as encouraged by this book.

This first image is after I had already started slicing up some the half triangle blocks (like the ones on the far left) to make the rows you see in the center. I forgot to stop and photograph them beforehand.

This next image is where I completed some more slicing and added some purple strips. I will be adding more strips and am considering adding a full border around it to make it looked more like a framed piece of art. (Note: not all sections are sewn together yet as I am testing out if I like it.)

What do you think? Have you created improv quilt blocks or full quilts before? If not, are you ready to try?

Disclaimer: Links in this article are affiliate links and I would get a small commission without any cost to you. This will help me to continue this blog and making videos to share with you and be able to make them better.

5 Great Gifts for Quilters this Year

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 04:49:00 +0000

These 5 gift ideas will be much appreciated by the quilter in your life. You might just end up having a special quilt given to you in the very near future.

Quilting ruler set

Patchwork has been made so much easier with acrylic rulers paired up with rotary cutters. Quilters will love having a variety of sizes to create squares and strips to make work faster.

Includes 5 square rulers:

3 1/2"
5"
8"
10"
12 1/2"

3 rectangle rulers

6 1/2" x 12"
2" x 12"
3" x 9"

3-piece Magnetic Seam Guide for Sewing Machines
These are one of my favorite tools and a secret to getting a consistent and even seam size. The small size makes it a perfect stocking stuffer.

78 Piece Rotary Cutter Set

Now here is a great gift for someone who is just starting out with quilting, sewing or just needs some new tools.

Included:

Cutting mat
Rotary Cutter
Replacement rotary blades
Acrylic Quilting Ruler
Safety Pins
Straight Pins
Scissors
Sewing clips
Seam allowance ruler

Sewing Machine Carrying Case

The one thing that most sewing machines don't come with is a case. Whether it is needed for storage or traveling it is very important to help take care of your machine. Available in 3 colors: black, gray, and purple.

Travel Sewing Bag Organizer with Shoulder Strap

This is a great companion bag for the sewing machine case for the quilter who travels or attends a lot of classes and retreats. Contains lots of places for packing up supplies, fabrics, and anything needed on-the-go. Comes in the same colors as the case above.

Do you have a beginner sewing enthusiast or quilter among your friends and family? Are you a quilter who needs one of these - send this link as hint.

Note: Links in this article are affiliate links and I would get a small commission without any cost to you. This will help me to continue this blog and making videos to share with you and be able to make them better.

Easy to Make Scary Portraits for Halloween Decor

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 18:52:00 +0000

I found an easy way to take photos and transform them into scary versions using two art filters in a free online image editor called Lunapic. The great thing is not only is it free for transforming photos, art and any image; it is so easy. Follow the steps below for quick and easy results and for creating more detailed images like in the photo to the left watch the video at the bottom of this post.

1. Have your image ready in png or jpg format. This can be a photo, a drawing, free image from stock photo sites like Pixabay or Pexels, or an AI image which is what I did.

2. Go to Lunapic and click the Upload button.

3. Upload the image.

4. Go to the menu, hover over ART and click Famous Art Works on the drop-down list.

5. Find and click on the Blood filter.

6. Before downloading, select the Max Size checkbox.

7. To download, start by going to the menu and hovering over File and clicking Save Image.

8. The Save Image page opens and will display a green button in the default format, usually JPG but you will have the option to save several other ways. For this, simply click Save as JPG.

9. Continue to save the image to your computer as you normally would do.

Note: The other filter that gives eerie results is the Smoke filter and will give you a more black and white spooky image like this photo.

Are you ready to add some haunting to your house?

Below is the video to watch how I created the images in the first photo above. FYI - the frames and additional decorations are from Dollar Tree.

3 Beginner Sewing Machines

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 16:48:00 +0000

The Tiny One

The Portable Mini Sewing Machine is almost too cute to be taken seriously. However, reviews reveal that although it is very compact and easy to store it can still do basic sewing and a little more. It includes an expansion table for an even stable surface. It does only have 12 stitches but that's definitely enough to get started.

I imagine this would be great for having in a camper. If you are a beginner, there are several videos to show you how to work the machine and how to make those buttonholes. Weighs just under 6 pounds.

Currently under $70

The Middle One

The SINGER M2100 Lightweight & Compact Sewing Machine has a little more going on especially with it's 8 built in stitches that can be used for 63 stitch applications. It is more sleek and sturdy compared to the Tiny One as it is more than double the weight at just over 13 pounds. It does not have a table. The reviews on it vary but most like the compact size and feel it's a good value.

It is still a machine that would not be difficult to take to retreats or move to whatever room you need to be in. It is made for light to medium fabrics so no heavy fabrics for this one. It does have a front loading bobbin that users either love or hate.

Currently under $150

The Bigger One for Beginner Machine Quilting

The Brother CP100X Computerized Sewing and Quilting Machine is a step down from the one I have
that is no longer available. I love my brother machine as it is easy to set up and is more quiet than my other machines. The reviews on this agree with my assessment and it is the highest rated at the time of this writing (4.6 average of 737).

It comes with a table that is great for doing small quilting projects. Some of the reviews do say it is best for small quilting projects and doesn't have enough space to do larger projects. I would suggest to look at getting a table that you can sit the machine down in to give you more flat space to do quilting. Also comes with 10 different presser feet and does 8 different styles of buttonholes.

Currently under $220

Do you already sew or are you just getting started? If you do sew, what are your favorite things to do: clothing, quilts, home decor, or something else.

Introduction NightCafe AI Tool

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 03:26:00 +0000

Artificial Intelligence or better know as AI is here and can be helpful but it is quite controversial, whether it is the basis of how the companies train their product on existing art or replacing human artists with a machine.

But, if you enjoy creating items but don't have the skills to make it yourself or the money to commission someone else to do it then this is definitely an option. That being said, it is not completely done without any skills and depending on how much you create, it can cost you money. I am going to discuss the free AI tool NightCafe which is great to use if you are new to AI creation and if you only want to create a small number of items. There are many more AI tools available online but I am going to just focus on this one to get you started.

The best thing about NightCafe is it is completely free to use. There are pro levels you can buy but this is not necessary when you are just beginning. In fact, I still have a free account. There are some things that you cannot make, like videos, but they do provide a few pro credits periodically so you can try out some of the pro features. I don't make AI videos (yet) so I don't need to be pro. Maybe as I get more experience or really want a certain feature, I will invest in it then. BUT, you can earn free credits every day. The program just recently rolled out a feature that allows you the chance to earn more credits than the daily 5 they started you out with and they even give you the first creation for free.

You will need to sign up for a free account to keep a library of all your creations but you do not have to use anything but your email or Google account.

1. To create a design begin with clicking the Create button at the top of the page.

2. Choose an AI Model. Click Browse All Models to see the options. Different models will vary in cost
(payment in credits). There are too many to describe here. The best thing to do is just try one out. Several options will only cost half a credit.

3. Type in your Text Prompt. Whatever you can imagine you want and put in more criteria to get different images. For example: "A vase of roses sitting on a table in a room with green walls, vintage oil painting."

The next few things you can do are optional.

4. Advanced Prompt Editor lets you choose a specific style that has been pre-written and will be added to your text prompt. For the prompt I wrote in Step 3, I would removed the vintage oil painting as this will probably conflict with one of the choices available here. I suggest you play around with these to see what you get.

5. Choose A Start Image (optional) allows you to select an image of your own that you can upload, Free Image library provided, or one of your own.

Note: Some models will not have this option and others will have an option to use an image for the prompt. Also, be aware that the start image will drastically change your text prompt unless the two have similar features such as the image having the item you are writing about.

The next few are Settings. These may change depending on the model used.

6. Number of Images. Default is always 1. If you choose more, then the amount of credits needed will increase.

7. Runtime. The longer the runtime the more detailed and crisp the image can get. It will cost more for longer options.

8. Aspect Ratio. Chose what size you want and think about this with the prompt you write. A portait will do better with a 3:4 ration and a landscape scene will be best at 16:9 or 4:3.

9. Seed. Default is to be on. I suggest clicking the "?" button to learn more about this if you are curious. I always leave it on.

10, Challenge Eligibility. Every day there is at least on challenge you can enter your creation in but you can do this at a later time.

11. Click the Create button. This will tell you how many credits this will cost.

Then wait for the design to complete.

My results

The first one is the prompt I used above and then I changed the type of style from vintage oil painting to vintage watercolor painting, and then realistic photo. Each one kept the vases of roses and the green walls. Now it's your turn to try it out and see what you get.

Helpful Hint to collect credits so you can keep trying new things: Go back every day and collect credits but don't use any for a period of time. The credits will begin to pile up and then when you are ready to try to create different prompts or try editing your creations you will have plenty. Just remember to go back.

Watch the videos below to learn more about NightCafe and AI:

Use Kindle Unlimited to Learn Creative Arts

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 01:47:00 +0000

Back in December I shared 5 embroidery books that would make great gifts or to get for yourself. Of course, getting a physical copy of one of these books would be great but what if you just wanted to take a look before you buy, or, maybe you don't have room for books so you use a Kindle.

There is a program with Amazon called Kindle Unlimited that lets you view and read as many books and some magazines as long as they have been marked for the program. Not every book is in Unlimited but there are enough to keep you busy and there are several crafting books. There is also a limit on how many you can borrow at once but it's a good many and you can always return one to make room for another.

Two of the books I mentioned in December are available on Kindle Unlimited:

Pet Portrait Embroidery - $20.03 paperback or $12.99 Kindle
Doodle Stitching - $15.64 paperback or $11.99 Kindle

Cost

If you get Kindle Unlimited both are included for no extra cost. Of course
Unlimited has a monthly subscription fee (currently $11.99) similar to a fee for streaming video. I like to think of it as paid library access because I almost always incur fines from the library because I either forget to renew or I just want to keep a book a little bit longer. And, I can cancel at anytime so if I find myself not accessing it as much, I can always take a break and go back a few months later and sign up again.

Savings

So, at the $11.99 monthly fee, I can put both of these books in my Kindle library compared to buying both of them for my Kindle at a total of $24.98, a savings of $12.99 or a savings of $24.68 over getting the physical copies. But what if you really like to have the physical copy? If you have it in Unlimited you can take if for a spin on the Kindle and make the decision on whether you think you would get your money's worth before paying more for it. Then you can go check out other available books without spending more money...yet. I mean I have bookshelves filled with books, so....I might have a problem.

Using a Tablet

Plus, you can put more than just those two books in your library. I mentioned magazines above. I currently have Stitch magazine in my library. The only con with the magazines is that you cannot view them on your computer. You will need a tablet or other mobile device. I actually view most of my books on my tablet and I would suggest a decent size tablet to make reading easier. I have a Fire HD 10 tablet which is great for reading and perusing magazines with beautiful images. I also do some art work on it, listen to audio books, and watch my streaming shows. Tablets are very versatile and travel easily.

Do you already have a Kindle or Tablet with the Kindle App? Have you used it for more than just reading?

Thanks for stopping by!

How to Create Color Options in Spoonflower

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 03:08:00 +0000

When I started out with Spoonflower I would just make and upload one simple design. Eventually, I would make different color options and upload each one individually and they would be independent of the other colors. Then, one day, Spoonflower introduced fabric design colorways.

So, how do you get these to show up when you have more than one color option of the same print?

Make sure all the titles start the same and then add a (space) dash (space) and the color. Above you see that the name is Heart to Heart - Yellow. So then the remaining designs end in a dash (-) and the individual color name ( - blue, - purple, and - red). Note: "Fabric" is provided by Spoonflower and is not part of the title you provide.
Upload the files to Spoonflower.
Edit each design description to match. For this design each color is described as: Hearts and diamonds in monochromatic pattern. Great for Valentine's Day, making spring clothing, or fun holiday decor.
Add tags so that most are the same. Note: I did add a different tag for each color.

That's it. It does take awhile for them to show up and you will probably get concerned that it didn't work. I would wait 2-3 days and then if it does not show, go back through the steps above and check to see if the name, description, and tags are appropriate.

If you would like to watch how to do this watch my video below. To skip to just uploading the designs and making the colors click here to skip over designing with Repper. To learn how to easily make different colors with one design watch from the beginning.

New Pattern Coloring Book for Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 01:38:00 +0000

It's official. I have three coloring books completed and they are all part of a series, Patterns to Relax to. The latest one is just in time for Valentine's Day! Color Me Easy Valentine's Coloring Book: Patterns to Relax to Book Three is full of 50 patterns to color all with hearts.

This book took a little longer to create because I was much more selective on creating the hearts just right in the repetitive designs. I created each one using Repper using images with bold shapes and lines that would, with the correct manipulation, form the hearts. None of the images I used had hearts. I will save that for my next book but that will be for next year.

Kids and adults alike will enjoy coloring these for Valentine's Day and even using the finished coloring to create:

decorations

sweet Valentine's cards

wrapping small gifts

The first two non-holiday pattern books in the series are:

Color Me Easy Coloring Book: Patterns to Relax To Book 1 includes 50 designs

Color Me Easy Coloring Book: Patterns to Relax To Book 2 includes 74 designs

Are you interested in making patterns of your own? Or do you get enjoyment from coloring designs already made?

Please note that links in this post may result in a commission paid to me that helps support me to create this blog and my design projects. There is no additional cost added on to you when you make purchases.

5 Unique Embroidery Books to Buy for Yourself or as a Gift

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 04:43:00 +0000

Foolproof Flower Embroidery: 80 Stitches & 400 Combinations in a Variety of Fibers; Add Texture, Color & Sparkle to Your Organic Garden

I really want this book to help me come up with ideas in my slow stitching and crazy quilting projects. I mean, it has 80 stitches and 400 combinations! I don't think I could ever do them all but isn't it nice to try.

Stitchcraft: An Embroidery Book of Simple Stitches and Peculiar Patterns

This book has amazing photography and some very unique embroidery projects with close ups of some of the stitched pieces. The book contains projects of human and animal anatomy and creative skeletons. All are done on a black background with bright thread colors and patterns are available to trace from the book.

Doodle Stitching Embroidery Art: Move Beyond the Pattern with Aimee Ray

I actually read this one on Kindle Unlimited which is a great way to peruse lots of books and there are several crafting ones you can do this with. However, I would love to have a physical copy to flip through and admire through touch. The base of this book is to just make embroidery art with simple stitches and do it without a pattern.

Pet Portrait Embroidery: Lovingly Stitch Your Dog or Cat; A Modern Guide to Thread Painting

Creating an embroidery of my cats or one of those pieced quilt portraits is on my bucket list of embroidery projects. This book is in my Amazon wish list. The directions in this book are amazing and you can watch a video on Amazon of a reviewer who flips through it to show you the amazing instructions and detail that you can learn. Plus, it sounds like a great way to learn how to do Thread Painting.

DIY Embroidered Shoes: Techniques, Designs, and Downloadable Templates to Turn Any Fabric Shoe into Stylish & Unique Footwear

Okay, so this book is brand new. It was just published in October 2024 and I recommend you go look at it on Amazon and scroll down the page to see the close ups of some the designs. It's a book that I didn't know I needed but I really, really need it. I also think this would be a great gift for a teenager who is interested in putting that creative spin on their canvas shoes and they could complement any of their clothing for a full fashion statement.

What do you think of these? Do you have suggestions for me?

Note: Links to the books are affiliate links and I would get a small commission without any cost to you. It just might help me get my own copies because I don't have enough books already (wink, wink).

Christmas Movie Journal

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 20:08:00 +0000

Making a Christmas Movie Journal for KDP

I have been wanting to create and sell journals and other low content books for awhile. So, when my husband was complaining about remembering which Hallmark movies he has watched I came up with this idea. Yes, you read that right, my husband is an avid Christmas Hallmark movie viewer. In fact, last year for Christmas I got him all Hallmark movie gifts: mug, blanket, and sweatshirt. Until early January he will only watch Christmas movies. They don't ALL have to be on Hallmark but they do have to be Christmas. And, now he can document them in this journal and stop asking me if he has seen it (fun fact: I don't watch all of them, a lot of them, but not all of them).

For the inside of the journal I created different sections for each page:

Title
Year released
Date watched
On what network or streaming service
Your rating on a 5 star scale
Your recommendation
Main characters
A recap
Your thoughts
Best and worst parts

The cover was created with Canva including the artwork with Canva's AI Magic Media tool. Note: You do have to reveal if you use any AI items for your KDP works. In this case, it is the holiday fireplace done in watercolor style. I wanted something pretty with a warm and cozy feeling just like you get watching a feel good movie. What do you think? Have you made your own journals? I made this for personal use and just decided to see if anyone else would like it too.

***Links included above might result in a commission for me but does not have any cost to you. If you purchase a journal, I will definitely get a small commission since it is my design/journal for sale.

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 03:08:00 +0000

Easy to Use Design App - Repper

If you haven't heard about Repper, you are missing out especially if you want to make fabulous pattern designs for almost anything: digital paper, POD (print-on-demand), fabric, or coloring books.

The basics of Repper:

Use an image (upload or find one in Repper's link to Unsplash)
Choose from a variety of tilings
Move around a geometric selector
Watch the magic happen
Save designs you love
Export any design you want to use

Watch these videos to learn more about the app. The first one walks you through how to use it and the second one shows fabrics I had printed through Spoonflower with my designs I made with Repper.

Using Repper

Fabric Designed using Repper

Note: Repper is a membership tool that you can purchase monthly or yearly with a short free trial period. If you sign up with the link I do earn a commission that helps me buy fabric, keep my own membership, and write tutorials.

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 03:23:00 +0000

Starting up crafting again

My child is all grown up and about to graduate college. I now have a Masters degree and I've moved a few times finally landing in a house after many offers and heartbreaks for not getting my dream one. Sometimes you just have to settle so you can start living.

Several of the blogs that I used to write for are now defunct and I will have to sadly remove them from this blog. I have started another blog, too, but it is not ready and is not totally free to run like this one.

The country and the world seems in disarray but the one thing I can count on is using creativity to weather all the storms (at least that is what I keep telling myself). Plus, I really want to create my own way to more income so that once I get to retirement in about 10-15 years I have something that is all mine.

I started a YouTube channel: Delyn Creates where I will be using my technology skills and my passion of crafty things to make tutorials.

One thing I have been doing for a long time is designing fabric and selling at Spoonflower as well as selling smaller pieces through my Etsy shop: Creating with Thread. Some of my designs use a great online web design tool called Repper which is a totally addictive site and one of my main subjects on my YouTube Channel. I also decided to become an Amazon Affiliate because I am always telling people about products I use so I might as well get a little income along the way. Plus, if you want me to try something out and do a critique on here, let me know. I'm game!

So, thanks for stopping by and I hope to be posting more thoughts and sharing links with you about things you might like. My plan is to keep this blog more of a personal journey while the new one will be more tutorial based.

If you want to check out my first video on YouTube here it is:

Be Proud to be DIY

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:54:00 +0000

As many of you probably do, I subscribe to a number of blogs and they span a great deal of different interests but many times they do relate to each other even if it is not about crafting. That happened today with Get Rich Slowly, a personal finance blog that I read from time to time. The article today is Made by Hand: In Praise of Amateurs. It is a personal tribute not only to handmade, DIY and being self-sustainable but to the author's dad who did many projects and inventions over the years before his rather young passing. It is amazing how much he did in his short lifetime.

J.D. Roth, the author, also gives us a sneak peak at the upcoming book Made by Hand by Mark Fraunfelder the editor of Make magazine. Evidently it is not a do-it-yourself instruction book but a look at someone who loves to do what DIYers love to do. I came from a family of DIY types. We always had a huge garden, we canned and froze all kinds of produce, my mom taught me to sew and crochet, my brother was a wood carver and cabinet maker but not professionally and we never ate out which at the time I thought was tragic.

I really liked this article because it brought back my own memories but also the change I've felt in the last few years about being able to be more self-sustainable. I'm even taking a computer course so I can do my own maintenance and it has inspired me to one day to try to build my own computer. I recently learned how to knit and have had great praise for the scarves I've given away.

Do you do crafts as part of being able to DIY? Do you find yourself wanting to DIY other areas like constructing your own lamp or building a patio?

I'm in the Top 25 at Craft Critique

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:43:00 +0000

My wire-edge ribbon article I wrote for Craft Critique is one of their 25 most read articles. I'm so excited. You can read it too; click here. It contains a tutorial on making a ribbon rose. Or, you can go to Craft Critique to see it and all the top 25 in this special article.

Recycle Crafting and Green Crafting

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:03:00 +0000

I'm a little behind on my crafty links for each day of the month, National Craft Month. It was a very busy weekend with spending the whole day Saturday at Crop for a Cause. I didn't get much done but I did have a lot of fun with my friends and I did win one silent auction of some kids scrapbooking supplies for my daughter.

While trying to think of what I wanted to share with you next I came across an article about taking used items and making them into unique art items to sell. They called it Junk Style Art. Recently I have been collecting old sweaters (mostly wool ones to felt) and any unique pieces of clothing to create something new. I have done some re-fashion before and wrote about one of the items in this article: How to Re-fashion a Kid's Sweatshirt. I started researching sites to give me some ideas and found the ones below.

Try these sites for finding ideas on recycle crafting or being a green crafter:

Wardrobe Re-Fashion - You can pledge to re-fashion used clothing instead of buying new but it's a great source of inspiration.
Crafting a Green World - Eco-friendly craft projects.
Dollar Store Crafts - Emphasis is using supplies from a dollar store or dollar section of a store but you can find recycled ideas like this Recycled Plastic Bottle Chandelier.
Recycled Crafts at Craft Gossip.com - Very cute stuff!

Have fun exploring and getting inspiration.

Crop for a Cause: Making MS a Memory

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:30:00 +0000

Hi everyone. Tomorrow I'll be at the Crop for Cause: Making MS a Memory fundraising event. This is the 4th year for this phenomenal 8 hour event where about 200 scrapbookers, paper crafters and even other crafters come together to have fun and hopefully get some crafty work done.

There will be food and prizes and a great silent auction area where over 140 baskets of goodies are up for grabs. Baskets are filled with not just scrapping supplies but dinners, fitness memberships, Chicago Fire soccer tickets, and even a condo package in Hawaii. Check it out. If you are in the Schaumburg, IL area you can stop by and see the silent auction area for yourselves. The auction area is open to the public.

Since I will be here tomorrow, Saturday, March 6, I won't be posting my daily link but I did post 2 for today. Have a good weekend everyone!

Lion Brand Yarn

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

This is one of my favorite sites to get free patterns for crochet and knit. I've been crocheting ever since I've been a little girl. My mom taught me when I was 5. She also tried to teach me to knit but after too many arguments about how I was doing it all wrong and too many times getting all tangled up I gave up.

Fast forward 30 some years later and in half and hour with much more focus I learned to cast on and do a basic stitch at a quilt show. Although, I did not remember everything that day it gave me the itch to learn more. Luckily, Lion Brand has put these great how-to videos on You Tube. See, You Tube can actually be educational. Who knew?

The video below will show you one way to cast on. I don't do it this way but you can access other video lessons to do much more with your yarn and a pair of knitting needles.

Craft: Transforming Traditional Crafts

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:44:00 +0000

Many of you may remember when Craft was this cool new craft magazine that popped up on your local magazine rack at the bookstore. It was so different from all the other magazines. It spoke to a younger generation of crafters who were trending DIY and indie craft styles but it was a refreshing look at the art of craft for those of us not exactly in our twenties anymore. Then you may have wondered where it went.

After about 5 years as a hard copy medium it evolved into an awesome online magazine with a blog, projects, a community section and how-to videos. So, craftzine.com is my crafty link for today. Have fun exploring.

BurdaStyle

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:29:00 +0000

Going forward with my crafty site for everyday of National Craft Month I have selected BurdaStyle for today. It's a community of sewers who mostly create their own patterns from Burda's collection or their own then share them with the community. Burda calls it "open source sewing." You don't have to worry about copyrights here and you get a heck of a lot of inspiration from everyone's creativity. And if you don't sew clothes, don't worry they have non-apparel craft projects too.

Learning to Knit at Renegade

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:20:00 +0000

The Renegade Craft Fair is one of the most impressive displays of creativity you can find anywhere. Although, I've only been to the one in Chicago, I have went down for 3 years in a row. I have seen it grow from just phenomenal to just "WOW!" It is safe to say that I am much older than the average age of the indie crafter displaying their wares. At one time when I worked for Leisure Arts there was an air that crafting and hands on creativity was thought to be something of a relic in the near future. Then something happened. I don't know if it was the new generation tired of mass production and super consumerism that pervaded our culture or if the do-it-yourself (DIY) shows on HGTV made people realize that "Hey, I can do that" but whatever it was I am eternally grateful to know that the art/craft spirit lives on.

And, now, I think my daughter may have caught some of the crafting bug. She has always been interested in art especially drawing and painting but not quite the crafty part, at least, not whole-heartedly. At Renegade this year the Chicago Waldorf School was there giving on-the-spot knitting lessons which included making your own knitting needles. Basically, they take wooden dowels, sharpen one end with a pencil sharpener, sand and then place beeswax on the end for a stopper. Here is Emma making hers:

Then she started casting on.

Didn't take long to get started but it did take lots of concentration.

She was so interested she tried to continue to do it on the Blue Line but the ride was a little too bumpy. (You aren't seeing things, she is wearing cat ears that the Tree House Humane Society was handing out.)

We had a great day even if it was a little on the warm side for a Chicago September day. If you ever get a chance to get to a Renegade Craft Fair please go.

Fall is Coming

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:02:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago it seemed like October was just about here in Chicagoland already. It definitely put me in the baking mood but we are trying to be a little healthier around here so I got out my 12 Best Foods Cookbook and whipped up a batch of Sweet Potato Muffins. Well, I did have to go to the grocery store first but I had to do that anyway plus I picked out a black bean salad recipe out of the book to go with the grilled steak dinner my dear hubby was planning.

There is nothing like homemade food made from fresh ingredients. The muffins were made from fresh baked sweet potatoes, grated carrot and topped with pumpkin seeds. The salad involved fresh cilantro which is one of my favorite flavors. Great! I'm getting hungry again. Better get back to my craft table.

Project Linus and Other Charities

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Just wanted everyone to know that I'm going to be giving away my remaining fleece blankets to Project Linus. I also have a ton of fabric left that I'm going to make more blankets and donate. I do have non-kid fabric that I would like to make lap robes to give to veterans or nursing homes but I don't know who to contact. If anyone has any ideas I would love to know.

Also, I've made a few pet beds (small dog and cat size) that I would like to give to a shelter. I have a couple of places that I am going to call but if you know of something in the Chicago suburb area let me know what you think of those rescues.

Trying New Things

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:07:00 +0000

With my creations that is. Some of you may have already heard of Cafe Press. It's basically a website where you can take your creations and put them on just about anything. You can also buy other people's creations. For my first attempt I took a photo of a quilt square and put it on a few items. Here is a framed tile:

It actually looks much better at the site. If you get a chance to look around and let me know what you think, that would be great. I have it on note cards, buttons and magnets, too. My Cafe Press spot can be reached by clicking here. I'm hoping this can get me more motivated to create more. It feels nice (and fun) to see what I've done on something else.

Craft Show

noreply@blogger.com (donna) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:28:00 +0000

Unfortunately, emailing my picture to post mobile didn't work. But, here is a photo from the show I took with my new cell phone. Not the greatest picture because I had to email it to myself. I think once I get a new data disk for the phone and I learn to use it just a little better then I will be able to do this the way you're suppose to.

It was the first year for the show in Elgin, IL to raise funds for a friends pre-school. I sold a few things including the poncho that was displayed by my daughter on one of her stuffed animals. If you look closely you can see her peeking out kind of like ET between 2 stuffed animals. Most of my items are left over fleece items that my sister and I did together. I did add some new pet beds and a couple of blankets. I'm looking for new ideas for fleece because I have a lot of it left.

Delyn Designs

Don't throw away that old T-shirt, upcycle it

A review of The Upcycled T-Shirt: 28 Easy-to-Make Projects That Save the Planet - Clothing, Accessories, Home Decor & Gifts

Why this book?

What does this book do and not do?

My final thoughts

An Easy Start to Making an Improv Quilt

A review of Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts: A Stress-Free Journey to Original Design

Why this book?

What does this book do and not do?

My final thoughts

My experiment

5 Great Gifts for Quilters this Year

These 5 gift ideas will be much appreciated by the quilter in your life. You might just end up having a special quilt given to you in the very near future.

3-piece Magnetic Seam Guide for Sewing MachinesThese are one of my favorite tools and a secret to getting a consistent and even seam size. The small size makes it a perfect stocking stuffer.

Easy to Make Scary Portraits for Halloween Decor

3 Beginner Sewing Machines

The Middle One

The Bigger One for Beginner Machine Quilting

Introduction NightCafe AI Tool

My results

Use Kindle Unlimited to Learn Creative Arts

Cost

Savings

Using a Tablet

How to Create Color Options in Spoonflower

New Pattern Coloring Book for Valentine's Day

5 Unique Embroidery Books to Buy for Yourself or as a Gift

Christmas Movie Journal

Making a Christmas Movie Journal for KDP

Easy to Use Design App - Repper

The basics of Repper:

Using Repper

Fabric Designed using Repper

Starting up crafting again

Be Proud to be DIY

I'm in the Top 25 at Craft Critique

Recycle Crafting and Green Crafting

Crop for a Cause: Making MS a Memory

Lion Brand Yarn

Craft: Transforming Traditional Crafts

BurdaStyle

Learning to Knit at Renegade

Fall is Coming

Project Linus and Other Charities

Trying New Things

Craft Show

3-piece Magnetic Seam Guide for Sewing Machines
These are one of my favorite tools and a secret to getting a consistent and even seam size. The small size makes it a perfect stocking stuffer.