Thank you for visiting! This site is about resources and has articles on any topic regarding the maker community. It is written with YOU in mind. Each article is a living document and will be updated as new resources are found. Please, pull up a chair and enjoy the visit! If there is a topic you want resources on, let me know!! Check back often as more articles and informations is added weekly. Have a wonderful, fun-filled adventurous year!!
Have you seen some of the gorgeous and fun crochet patterns from By Katerina? To include two amazing CALs!! One that was a stunning Mandela crochet pattern blanket and the second one that is coming up soon!!! The new CAL is a beautiful mosaic Elements of Nature blanket that can be done in any color combination to include one for Air, Water, Fire, and Earth (Air is my favorite) :). I’ll be joining in this one too and can’t wait to see what everyone makes!!!
Brie from Fiber and Fern, describes her journey to crochet pattern designing as well as some of her favorite resources that helped her get to where she is today. Also, check out additional crochet and knit pattern designing resources, some free and some paid to include classes. If you are looking to start creating your own crochet or knitting patterns, we would like to encourage you to do so and give you some recommended resources to do so.
Have you ever seen a gorgeous pattern or a crochet item and wondered the story behind it? What was the inspiration and who created it? Jenia from Stitch of Nature is amazing in her crochet patterns and her story. Her interview below is full of inspiration and caring on the tradition of yarn work from her mother and grandmother. Jenia created a Wattle Stitch Crochet Tutorial to share with you and we’ve included several of her patterns that use it in the tutorial.
Have you ever seen the beautiful crochet patterns that are from Desamour Designs? Elisabeth creates beautiful crochet patterns as well as helping to create an amazing community supporting BIPOC creatives. Find out more about her BIPOC MAL and many amazing and stunning works of crochet and knitting artwork shared throughout the MAL by reading on below.
Have you ever felt down about something going on in your life and not sure if you can have your dream because of health issues? These may be issues that have been around for a long time or are just starting or discovered. Know you are not alone and that this monthly creative community series is to encourage you by showing you others that have been there and have continued to thrive in their life, living their dream despite health issues. To start out the series is the amazing and talented Wilma of Wilmade who creates gorgeous crochet items that you can find on her website. She has lived all of her life with a facial tumor, and after many consults with a variety of doctors was diagnosed with having Facial Infiltrating Lipomatosis.
Have you seen the gorgeous crochet patterns or wonderful pictures from Knot Your Momma’s Yarn also known as Meredith Jane Art at Heart? She has done some amazing work and continues to create beautiful pieces that she shares with the world. I was first introduced to her awesome crochet patterns with her Larklynn Hat as seen below and have loved seeing what she continues to create. :).
Chunky yarn has taken the creative world by storm and is an amazingly soft, warm and in the case of merino wool can also be cool :) Claire of. Kind and Eye Co discusses how she got started with this awesome yarn, creating crochet and knitting patterns as well as selling her own yarns as well.
Color Made Easy Yarn by Lion Brand is a gorgeous yarn, size 5 (bulky), and has a number of different gorgeous colors. It is surprisingly soft and light for a bulky yarn. After having discovered it earlier this year, I wanted to do a review and create a list of bulky crochet patterns that you could create something beautiful with this wonderful yarn!
Have you ever seen gorgeous crochet items or worked through a fun and awesome crochet pattern and wanted to learn more about the crochet designer behind the pattern? We had the honor of interviewing Tacia of Joannna’s Crochet Things about how she started, her inspirations, and even some advice she has for fellow women entrepreneurs. :) Tacia also is behind the Half Double Crochet Back Loop Only Crochet Tutorial that is a part of our Crochet Stitches Tutorial Series.
Hello everyone!!! Have you ever seen some of the gorgeous crochet pieces floating around Instagram and wondered how they are made or even if you could make them yourself? You can!!! That is what this how to crochet series is all about! You will have the chance to meet a number of different designers and find amazing patterns and creations done by them and and others :) . I am so excited that you are here and wanting to start crocheting! It is such a wonderful thing to work with your hands and make something that you or a loved one can wear. You can even make things to sell!
Welcome crocheter to the how to crochet the scallop crochet stitch which is taught by Stephanie of Crochet Instinct. She teaches you a gorgeous crochet stitch of which she has used constantly throughout much of her crochet patterns. Read on for Stephanie teaching you step by step how to do the beautiful scallop crochet stitch, then find a list of her crochet patterns that use this stitch as well as others for you to practice this new stitch.
Welcome crocheter to the next how to crochet stitch tutorial! This one is how to crochet the Puff Stitch and is taught by Ellie of Hook Yarn Carabiner. She does such an amazing job with the video tutorial and has several beautiful crochet patterns that use the Puff Stitch!! She also teaches a fun variation of the Puff Stitch below. :). I look forward to seeing what you make with this and without further ado, here is the how to crochet the Puff Stitch Tutorial. :) .
Welcome crocheter to the how to crochet the Cables Stitch Tutorial! This is a beautiful stitch that I cannot wait to learn with you and I am excited for Catalina to share this tutorial with you! :) I can’t wait to see what you make using this tutorial!! After the tutorial there is a list of crochet patterns, to include a free downloadable cables crochet pattern from ByKaterina herself to get you started, you can go to when you want to make something using your new found knowledge of the Cables Crochet Stitch as well as the previous crochet stitch tutorials.
Welcome crocheter to the Wattle Crochet Stitch Tutorial! This is a new crochet stitch for me as well and I’m excited to share Jenia’s tutorial with you! :) I can’t wait to see what you make using this tutorial!! After the tutorial there is a list of crochet patterns you can go to when you want to make something using your new found knowledge of the Wattle Crochet Stitch as the previous crochet stitches.
Welcome crocheter to the how to crochet the Half Double Crochet Back Loop Only Stitch Tutorial! This is a great stitch I’ve loved using for a variety of projects and am excited for Tacia to share this tutorial with you! :) I can’t wait to see what you make using this tutorial!! After the tutorial there is a list of crochet patterns you can go to when you want to make something using your new found knowledge of the Half Double Crochet Back Loop Only Stitch as well as the previous how to crochet stitch tutorials.
Welcome crocheter to the Crab Crochet Stitch Tutorial! This is a new stitch I’m excited to work on as well using Sarah’s tutorial below and her crochet pattern too :) I can’t wait to see what you make using this tutorial!! This is the third of a series of three crochet stitch tutorials that Sarah has created, all featuring her Essential Crochet Basket Pattern so that you can create this awesome and colorful basket! The first is the Front Post Single Crochet Stitch and the second is the Camel Crochet Stitch. After the tutorial there is a list of crochet patterns you can go to when you want to make something using your new found knowledge of the Crab Crochet Stitch.
Welcome crocheter to the how to crochet the Seed/Moss/Granite Stitch Tutorial! The Seed Stitch is also known as the Granite Stitch or the Moss Stitch. This is a new stitch I’m excited to work on as well using Rebekah’s tutorial below and her crochet pattern too to make a washcloth using the Seed Stitch! :) I can’t wait to see what you make using this tutorial!! After the tutorial there is a list of crochet patterns you can go to when you want to make something using your new found knowledge of the Seed Crochet Stitch as well as the previous crochet stitch tutorials.
Welcome crocheter to the how to crochet the Camel Stitch Tutorial also known as the Knit Crochet Stitch! This is a new stitch I’m excited to work on as well using Sarah’s tutorial below and her crochet pattern too :) I can’t wait to see what you make using this crochet stitch tutorial!! This is the second of a series of three crochet stitch tutorials that Sarah has created, all featuring her Essential Crochet Basket Pattern so that you can create this awesome and colorful basket! The first is the Front Post Single Crochet Stitch. After the tutorial there is a list of crochet patterns you can go to when you want to make something using your new found knowledge of the Camel Crochet Stitch.
Welcome crocheter to the how to crochet the Front Post Single Crochet Stitch Tutorial! This is a new stitch I’m excited to work on as well using Sarah’s tutorial below and her crochet pattern too :) I can’t wait to see what you make using this crochet stitch tutorial!! This is the first of a series of three crochet stitch tutorials that Sarah has created, all featuring her Essential Crochet Basket Pattern. Using this and the next two tutorials, you can create this awesome and colorful basket! After the tutorial there is a list of crochet patterns you can go to when you want to make something using your new found knowledge of the Front Post Single Crochet Stitch.
Have you ever seen the beautiful illustrations of Jo Painter and wondered what the story was behind her artwork? We had the privilege of interviewing her about her work as well as her giving you tips and recommendations for new illustrators and women entrepreneurs.
Have you ever seen a beautiful piece of drawing art and wondered what inspired that person to create the artwork that they did? Looked through an art gallery and thought what was someone thinking when they drew that or painted this? Or even wondered if you could do it yourself? Savoury creates gorgeous drawings, true works of art that should be framed and hung in a place of honor. :)
Every Mother’s Day is a wonderful time to show your mother, aunt, friend, grandmother, or anyone that is like a mother to you. :) Granted, every day is also the perfect opportunity to show them how much you care for, love, and appreciate them! To help with finding the perfect gift for them, I have created an Etsy Gift Guide for you divided into several different types of gifts from Gifts for Every Mother, to the Fashion Mother, Crafty Mother, Foodie Mother, Travel Mother, Bookworm Mother, or Fantasy Mother and even a couple of honorable mentions of Etsy Shops I have personally bought from and recommend.
Etsy is full of gorgeous, one of a kind, handmade works of art (like this gorgeous wall hanging by Broadwick Fibers, one of my favorite artists) . And in exploring Etsy one day, I became curious to see what one could buy at different levels of money (indulging in my guilty pleasure of online window shopping for handmades :).
Thus, this Ultimate Etsy Gift Guide came into being. :) What started out as curiosity to see what could be bought if someone had say $1,000 or more, $500, $100, or $50, morphed into creating a list for you of these items. TThey are each further divided into the Jewelry, Clothing, Home, Wedding, Toys/Entertainment, Art/Collectibles, Craft Supplies, and Vintage. You will see some of the same shops within several different levels as I wanted to give you different options depending upon how much you wanted to spend, and several shops had these options as well as having many 5 star reviews :)
Every special day (birthday, Mother’s Day, and Christmas) is a wonderful time to show your mother, aunt, friend, grandmother, or anyone that is like a mother to you what they mean to you. To help with finding the perfect gift for them, I have created an Amazon Gift Guide for you divided into several different types of gifts from Gifts for Every Mother, to the Fashion Mother, Crafty Mother, Foodie Mother, Travel Mother, Bookworm Mother, Fantasy Mother, or Sport Mother :)
Happy Halloween!! Below you will find resources for Halloween crafts for kids, activities and events that they family can participate in together. These resources have been gathered with the goal of helping the family have fun during Halloween while also remaining safe, helping others, and learning some of the history of the holiday throughout the world as well.
While Christmas has come and gone, this article gives you resources to help set up and plan for Christmas in 2018. Whether it be games, starting family traditions, learning more about Christmas traditions around the world, or activities for Christmas Eve and Christmas, these resources help you save time and money by giving you a plethora of ideas for what you may need throughout the year for this coming Christmas, without the craziness that often accompany getting everything ready in December.
Thanksgiving is a time for family, celebration, being thankful for all of our blessings. With this time also comes the need to create family activities, family traditions (it is never too late to start a tradition), show gratitude for the blessings we have and knowing how others in the world share/celebrate a Thanksgiving type celebration as well. Whatever and however you and your family, friends or just you celebrate - Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours and know that we are thankful for each and every one of you.
Knitting Pattern Design, while similar to creating crochet patterns, is still different and as such will have different tips and recommendations by designers as well as different software to create it. We’ve gathered an ultimate list of some of the best of these tips to include video tutorials, step by step posts, tips from knitting designers that are sharing their journey and lessons learned so you don’t have to make the same mistakes as they have and much more.
Have you ever wondered how to start a website or create your own business online? Interested in hearing about what blog-flipping is or maybe want to start creating your own product? Chelsea of HerPaperRoute shares her ups and downs, successes and failures in her journey to becoming a multi-million dollar successful business owner, blog flipper, and niche content creator.
Hello my friend! Have you ever wanted to start teaching your child more about being creative or wish you had more ideas about how to start them on their creative journey? Knowing how hard it can be to find ways for your kids to be creative while being creative yourself, I’ve created a list below of some ideas as well as several articles that list out so many more fun crafts, arts, creative story telling and so much more your child can do to encourage their creativity.
Starting out a new year with learning a new skill is always a bit like opening a present and opening a new one as you learn more and more. :). With this in mind, we wanted to dedicate this first month of the new year to the skill of creating a pattern which could be a crochet, knitting, cross stitch etc. This first post is focused on the software and different resources available for you to start creating a pattern.
Hello my friend, thank you for joining us on this Ultimate List of Creative Community Encouragement. Seeing how much this global pandemic has affected the world from lockdowns to fear of going out and even of talking with or touching others to businesses going out of business and others thriving, I wanted to gather a number of those in the Creative Community’s responses to COVID and the things that they have found that have helped them as an encouragement for you. :).
Hello my friend!!! After the extensive research for the previous post on 7 Ways to Keep Your Handmade Business Legal, I wanted to provide you with more information about the amazing lady behind A Self Guru so you can hear from her what she recommends to keep your business legal as well as hear her story. She started her business from her father having lost his business due to a legal issue and is passionate about making sure that other entrepreneurs do not suffer through the same horrible event that he did but instead are protected and have the confidence that their business is legally secure no matter your niche or specialty.
Hello my friend! Wondering if your creative business is legal or what you need to do to ensure your business is legal? I started searching this very topic myself and found the amazing Amira at ASelfGuru who has created a TON of legal template pages that are perfect (and SOOOOOO easy to fill out). While I for one like to believe people are honest and like to believe the best in people, all it takes is one person to take you to court over something and you could lose your business. Unfortunately in this day and age there will always be that one person that will see someone in a vulnerable position (i.e. not having legal policies on their website), and will be looking to make money. :(.
Have you ever seen Stray Curls awesome designs or read some of her wonderful posts about how you can grow your business? We have a wonderful interview with her today and I am excited to share it with you! I’ve learned a lot from her myself and will discuss some of her products that I highly recommend after her interview. You can find more about Stray Curls on her website and find several of her awesome products and illustrations below!
Have you ever seen handmade decor and wish you had the chance to have some in your house? Or have you wondered where people find these beautiful works of art? ELhyme has created a wonderful subscription box full of stunning handmade works of art from around the world, brought right to your door. You can even work with them to customize your own box! VAMICreations will be partnering with ELhyme to give you some amazing interviews from wonderful artists, all of which you can find on the ELhyme website. You’ll find more about how the businesses are chosen to be included in the subscription box, recommendations for just starting your business (pre-launch!!) and so much more! And keep watching here on the website for more interviews with the amazing artists found in ELhyme boxes!
Today we have an awesome guest post that I’m very excited to share with you by Debra Jason, who we were able to interview earlier about her stunning alcohol ink paintings that you can also see throughout her guest post below. Debra is a marketing expert, she’s an award winning author (book link found below), who is also an artist and has a unique way of looking at marketing in this crazy times of COVID, social distancing and lockdowns. Below she shares with you her tips and recommendations on how to market artwork during these turbulent times. At the end of her post, you’ll also find a free report she is offering and more about her book.
Have you ever wanted to capture the dragons of your dreams? Bella will be your guide through the wondrous world of Mirordor; a magical realm of intrigue, unfathomable magic, and Dragonkin! Every Dragonkin in Mirordor has a story to tell, some sad, some happy and some downright silly, but one thing is for certain, no two dragonkin are alike. Dragonkin live within the world of Mirordor, a parallel world to our own, a place where Humans have not stepped foot in a millennium. Until Bella came along.
Have you ever seen something and had it stuck in your head forever? Or had a thought/desire to create something that would always pop back up in your thoughts continually until you created it? This has been me ever since I saw a dragon hair pin from an Etsy shop. While I’ve always had a fascination for dragons, it wasn’t until starting crochet that I realized that I could actually make a dragon!!! In my search I have come across so many amazing clay dragon makers on Instagram and cannot wait to share them with you!
Have you ever seen an amazing little clay dragon and wondered how he was created? Or been inspired by nature or something that someone else made? Amanda from DaylightCreations is a sculptress deep in the heart of Scandinavia and is surrounded by the amazing Swedish landscape, Viking legends, and in the hills and valleys where ancient dragons once strode. She is building her business and Etsy shop (soon to be live - check back later for the link). Find out all that inspires her as well as delve into the mysteries of the Scandinavian Dragons and other creatures.
The Capturing the Dragon of Your Dreams Series starts with the Dragons of Whimsy, a magical and enchanting land, where Veered has captured her vision of dragons in clay and made them come alive! Her clay dragons are caught in a variety of poses and environments, from those that are found sleeping on treestars, flowers, and leaves, to those that stare up at you with big beautiful eyes. In this maker feature she describes her journey and some of the resources that have helped her to hone her craft.
Have you ever seen a creature or something in nature and been captured by it? Inspired by it enough to start wanting to create or capture them in a way only you can? Jessica talks about how she does exactly that and more having found a love of dragons early on. And interested in dragon movies/tv shows and dinosaur movies/tv shows that may inspire you? Keep reading to find some of our favorites! Jurassic World anyone? Land Before Time? How to Train Your Dragon? While you read the goodies we have for you below, I’m going to go find my iPad to watch some of these movies below :)
Hello all!! I wanted to introduce you to an amazing group called Crafters for Kids. They take donations on their crafters website and bring them to kids in many hospitals within the US and just expanded to international hospitals. This group has created a way for crafters to give directly to hospitals and kids in a way that impacts both giver and recipient. Through an interview with Joyce, the founder of Crafters for Kids, she discusses more with you about what the organization is, how it gives back to the community, how it provides a way for crafters to give back, and the impact they are having in hospitals around the world.
Have you ever seen adorable clay dragons and wondered who made them and where they came from? Or where you can get one? Atria of AtriaPolymerClay answers these questions and more as she talks about her inspiration to start AtriaPolymerClay, her first creations, entrepreneurial advice and much more in her interview with us. An awesome addition to this interview is that it is both in English and Czech! Atria has answered her interview questions in both Czech and English so you will find the Czech version of the interview after the English version :).
Have you ever seen the most adorable little dragon clay sculpture and wanted to know more about who created it? Or wondered about what inspired them to create the dragons they did? We had the chance to interview April of Dragon of My Dreams all about her business, how she creates her dragons, what inspired her and much more!! Read on to find out more about this amazing lady and her adorable dragons! Each picture also has a description of the dragons by April herself where she tells you a little about each one and how they were made. :). At the end of her interview, you’ll find a list of the Sculptor resources found throughout this website. :)
Have you ever seen a clay dragon sculpture so detailed and lifelike you wondered if it could in fact be an actual dragon? Sculpting is used in movies and shows, plays, dramas, and so much more! And Verity is right smack in the center of it by creating these amazing dragons and other clay sculptures as well as beautiful drawings. And she also does it for the magic of film. :)
Who thought bats and other winged creatures could be cute? With Shannon of MySunkissedStudio, bats are adorable creatures who have galaxies on their wings and stars in their eyes. They’re magical creatures akin to her adorable dragons that have teenie tiny matching babies that they’re watching over. Even better is the ability to wear these amazing creations around your neck!! In this article, Shannon reveals more of her story and her amazing creations and we both provide resources to you for starting your own clay sculpture or jewelry journey!
Have you ever seen dragons so unique, so different, that you realized who the sculptor was? These are Heather’s clay dragons at MiniMythicals. And it is understandable why they are so unique when you see where Heather gets her inspiration, from the deserts and mountain pine forests surrounding her in Arizona and the myths and legends of ancient dragons there. Thunderbird, Quetzalcoatl, Piasa, the seven-headed dragon, Dragons of myth and legend of the ancient Native Americans to include the Mayans and Aztecs, Cherokee and more! Step into the amazing world of the Mini Mythicals and see for yourself if the legends are true.
Have you ever wondered about dragons and dinosaurs, if they are connected and could they even be the same? Could you sculpt them if you knew more about them and how to sculpt with clay? Ever wonder how Jen creates her awe-inspiring and beautiful sculptures and what inspires her? Keep reading while she shares all of this and more! Then find out how dinosaurs still exist! As well as several myths of dinosaurs that have been started by movies (Jurassic Park/World - my favorites! and others) that are different than what we know.
Have you ever seen the adorable little fairy garden clay sculptures by Poppy Roots Cottage and ever wondered about the story behind her work or wanted to see more of her pieces? See more of her beautiful pieces below as well as her more about her tips for women entrepreneurs and beginner clay sculptors.
Have you seen the adorable dragons of the Crazy Dragon Lady? Alex makes adorable clay dragons and continues to change and refine her dragons to make them even better (if possible)! Read on for her story and some tips for new sculptors as well as discovering her amazing dragons.
Have you seen some of the adorable dragons by Ayslyn’s Aviary and wondered the stories behind them and how Whitney got started? Read on for more information about her dragons, some tips for being an entrepreneur, and being a sculptor.
Have you seen the adorable clay sculpted dinosaurs created by Cookie and Dinos? She creates these beautiful and adorable dinosaurs that fit in the palm of your hand and make you smile. :). We had the great opportunity to interview Cookie and share a number of her gorgeous pictures below as well as learn more about this wonderful creative soul. :).
Have you ever seen an adorable beastie and wondered who made it and the story behind its creation? We’ve got a wonderful interview for you today from Dear Beasties where Paola talks to you about how she started Dear Beasties, where her ideas for each little one comes from gives new sculptors some tips, and much more!! After the interview, we have a list of places sculptors can join or find more resources about being a sculptor, places to sell your work, and help build your own sculpting community. :)
Adorable dragons? Wondering how art can heal and be therapeutic? Novastorm Designs talks about both in her interview below as well as how her art has not only been therapeutic but has helped to heal her through a horrible accident that left her unable to enjoy her art using a different medium. After her eye-opening and wonderful interview, you’ll find a list of places you can find clay, clay canes, eyes, and other equipment for starting your own sculpting journey.
Have you seen the adorable dinosaurs that are from Cookie and Dinos? You can find out more about her in her awesome interview with us. She is walking you through how to create a cute dinosaur using a crochet hook, clay, needle, and wire. What a great way to combine fiber arts and clay sculpting!!! And to introduce each world to the other :). So gather your materials and let’s get started on creating your own adorable dinosaur :). I can’t wait to see what you make!!
Hello my friend! Have you ever wanted to learn how to wood burn but had no idea where to start or wanted to try your hand at creating something new and unique? Emily of EandBBaublesandThings has created a wonderful wood burning tutorial and included a number of tips she has discovered for you below. You can find out more about EandBBaublesandThings from her interview with us. After the tutorial, I’ve also included a short list of places where you can find the three different types of wood Emily recommends as well as some of the tools she recommends.
Having completed several successful and truly inspiring (and hopeful given the state of my crochet pieces) blocking events, I think I’m hooked! Surprisingly, it is not as hard or time consuming as I thought. From start to finish it took me about one hour for several pieces and then another hour on another day for several other pieces. However, this also included pausing to take pictures and make sure I was able to document the whole process. Each step I took is documented within this step-by-step tutorial to include the equipment and pictures for the process blocking both a crochet necklace and a crochet vest are also included.
Bluprint is back and will become more like Craftsy!! Read on for more!!! and find out what is Bluprint and is it worth having a monthly fee or paying annually? What benefits do you get to subscribe and what is the difference between paying monthly and annually? Below, I go through step-by-step of how to set up a Bluprint account as well as my Bluprint review as I use it - what I looked at and watched as well as what I did with it. I continually update this with what I looked at and screenshots to give you a taste of what is available and what you can do with Bluprint.
Have you ever been interested in sculpting a clay dragon or just sculpting in general? We have the wonderful April from Dragon of My Dreams with us today to show you how to sculpt a sea dragon in the video below. :) You can also find out more about her and her wonderful dragons on her maker feature. After the tutorial, we have listed several places you can get the equipment you need to start sculpting today!
Welcome to the amazing world of yarn dyeing!!! Have you ever wanted to start dyeing your own yarn or just wanted to see how it was done? It can be an intensive process or one that is simpler depending upon what yarn dyeing technique and material you are using. Liz of HighFiberArtz has created an amazing and detailed yarn dyeing tutorial for you to learn the art and science of this art form. You can also check out her Sally colorway that is used for this tutorial and many others on her website.
Have you ever had that one shop that helped you realize a dream? Or had that missing piece of the puzzle to create a piece of artwork you’ve had in your mind for so long? For me, one of those shops was Unfettered Co, a great shop to find so many macramé, weaving, frames, yarns, leaves, and so much more. Janis of Unfettered Co, brings you in on her secrets for being a successful artist as well as entrepreneur and so much more in her interview below.
Have you ever seen a gorgeous piece of weaving or artwork with yarn fiber and wanted to see more and know more about the artist who created it? Jelica of Loom and Fibre makes beautiful artwork using yarn, her imagination and her loom :). She tells you about her weaving (and blogging!!!) journey as well as gives some recommendations for new weavers and entrepreneurs!
Have you ever seen gorgeous weaving wall hangings and wondered the story behind them? Or wanted to purchase one of these gorgeous weaving designs but had no idea where to find one? Or perhaps you want to try your hand at creating your own? Keep reading for the story behind By Bella Designs, click below to find her weavings to include weaving wall hangings, available to purchase to hang as a beautiful art piece on your walls, and find resources for weaving loom kits and other equipment to make your own weavings. :)
Have you ever wanted to create something magical, beautiful, and amazing out of wood? If you have been on Instagram and have looked at crochet pieces, chances are you have seen the gorgeous, sleek, light as air, crochet hooks that Kristina has hand carved from pieces of wood she and her family find around their house and in everyday life. In this 3rd Maker Feature, she shares with us some of her story and some of the resources that helped her in wood carving her fabulous crochet hooks and in growing her business.
Have you ever been inspired by someone and wanted to follow them and see all that they design and make? For new yarn dyers, those wanting to learn about yarn dyeing, crocheters and knitters, there are sooooo many fellow makers that can inspire you and help you along your journey. Jen is amazing and highlights a lot of whom has encouraged and helped her along her journey and she has also created some gorgeous patterns and handmade yarns!!!
Have you ever been exploring a forest emerald green, or hiked a frosted mountain snowy and breathtaking and wished you could capture those colors, to keep with you forever, dared to dream you could even wear them or sink deep into a soft blanket or sweater resplendent of these colors of your dreams and most treasured memories? That the essence of what these extremely talented yarn dyers have strived to create using their hands, wits, imaginations, and tools around them. And how they have succeeded!!
Have you ever wanted a place that you could call your yarn fiber home where you could be yourself and find amazing colored yarns? An online yarn dyer store that did the searching for you in order to bring you the most amazing indie dyers and yarn dyers from around the world? Then you have found the shop that answers all these questions and more with Needle Rebellion :) . We had the chance to do an exclusive interview with Shanel of Needle Rebellion, where I asked her questions about starting a business online, being a wife, mother, Kidney Transplant Nurse Practitioner and now an entrepreneur, her advice for new entrepreneurs and those just looking to start their own business, her plans for the future, and so much more!
Have you ever wondered about what resources are out there for you as a yarn dyer or maker using yarn - crocheter, knitter, weaver, spinner, yarn dyer, etc? I’ll delve into a very large list of resources to find groups, websites, guilds and more where you can become a part of a larger collective of hand makers of various crafts. But first, Elizabeth is going to talk to you about how she started her journey as an indie dyer and give you some resources to get started yourself!
The sea has so many vibrant colors and not just blues but whites, grays, purples, yellows, browns, and so many more! Have you ever seen some of these gorgeous colors in the sea or nature and wished they were yours to have forever? To create something unique, one of a kind (also known as OOAK), and long lasting but have no idea where to start? Jillian (who lives by the sea :)) helps you out with this desire by not only providing you with amazingly beautiful and oh so soft yarn (I have some myself that I still can’t decide what to make that will do justice to them). She also shares some of her own hard won tips below. Read on to learn more about Mothy and the Squid and to start your journey with creating your own masterpiece.
Have you ever looked at the vibrant colors in nature and wondered how to capture them in something you can touch and feel that does not fade or crumble into dust after a little while? Or seen that perfect crochet, weaving, or knitting pattern that you just can not find the right yarn for? Kelli of the Red Pansy has captured those vibrant colors and made them available to you, to make those handmade dreams come true :) And to think, she’s only be at this for a year! I cannot wait to see what she has planned for next year. :) Makes me want all the yarn…now if only I had the all the time to make all the projects in my head :)
Have you ever seen a skein of yarn and had tons of thoughts about how you wanted to use it or just simply LOVED the color because it just stunned you with its beauty? This was me when I happened upon Cashmere and Coconuts’ Radioactive Rainforest as well as Dragonfly in Amber :). Then I saw her shop and simply wanted ALL the yarn. :). Maybe it’s just me, but I’ll let you decide when you look at her beautiful work of yarn art that you can work with yourself. :) She also shares advice for new dyers, what inspires her for new colorways, how yarn dyeing is a science, and much more.
Have you ever seen stunning yarn and its inspiration picture and wondered the story behind that yarn or where you can find it? We have an interview with Robin of Rose Hill Yarns who has some of my favorite yarns and color ways and her story is an amazing one! Read on for more information about her and her shop as well as some ideas (pattern and yarn combinations) for what you can do with her yarn. :)
Have you ever seen gorgeous yarn and wondered the story behind that yarn or where you can find it? We have an interview with Tanya of Cornbread and Honey who has some of my favorite yarns and her story is an amazing one! Read on for more information about her and her shop as well as some ideas for what you can do with her yarn. :)
Welcome my friend to an interview with a yarn store (Nanà e Bobò) in Italy. You will find out more about the store, how it came to be, what they have in store as they grow, meetings here, and advice for starting a fiber skill. At the end is a list of crafts you can make with yarn and skills that use yarn.
Have you ever heard a story so inspiring you wanted to follow the person in your favorite social media account to see what they next come up with? Or loved the story behind a color of yarn or a product that you literally wanted to buy all the yarn? This is the case with Beth and Ashley a mother - daughter team of indie dyers that are Blue Mule Fiber. :). Not only do they have an amazing story about how they got started doing what they do, but they also make some of the most gorgeous yarn! Keep reading for their story and tons of ideas of what you can do with this yarn when you get your hands on it. :)
Nature has such amazing colors and so many gorgeous layers and color combinations. Have you ever wondered if you could dye yarn with a particular herb or other plants nearby you? Growing up I loved to read and in several of my book adventures were people that had created dyes out of the everyday nature items. Some where from Ancient Egypt where a variety of different crushed items created vibrant colors that sometimes only the wealthy were able to afford. While in even the most recent of stories, you hear about how someone created something from nature using their own ingenuity and patience. Hayley is one such person who has figured out how to use natural dyes to create beautiful yarns. She shares her story and resources that helped her below. :)
Have you ever seen a beautiful piece of yarn and wondered how they did it? How the yarn dyer created this piece of artwork? Maybe even the story behind them honing their craft? These next two months will be all about yarn dyers, some with a lot of followers, some just starting out, but all of them creating some amazingly gorgeous, stunning yarns. Holly starts out this group with her story and some of the resources that helped her get to where she is today, making some amazing yarns!!! I have also had the privilege of obtaining some of her yarns and LOVE them!!! If you see any pictures of mine that have glow-in-the-dark yarns, they’re from Holly! But she does so many more colors too! Keep reading for some of her story :)
Hello my friend! Sometimes being a crochet pattern designer no matter your experience (beginner or advanced) can be tough. For encouragement as well as to have some great recommendations by those who have been crocheting for a while, I’ve asked a number of crochet designers for not only how they got started and what they recommend for new pattern designers but what they wish they would have known when they first got started. :).