Craft

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  • 10 Inspiring Examples of Kokedama: Discover the Art of Making Moss Balls
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    10 Inspiring Examples of Kokedama: Discover the Art of Making Moss Balls

    Discover how to connect with nature at home thanks to this Japanese technique for growing designer plants, sans pot Many of us have been led to believe that you need a pot to grow a plant indoors. Enter the art of kokedama, which consists of growing a plant from a ball of soil covered in moss, i.e. sans pot. This technique was created 500 years ago by Japanese artists who wanted to stay connected to the forest even though they could no longer live near it. Below, we share contemporary ways to brighten up your surroundings and connect with nature using the art of kokedama.

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  • Kintsugi Tutorial: How to Glue Your Broken Bowl
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    Kintsugi Tutorial: How to Glue Your Broken Bowl

    Learn the basic steps to prepare the glue to stick together broken pottery using the ancient Japanese art of imperfection Kintsugi is the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, leaving visible golden lines along the seams where the cracks once were. It celebrates an object’s imperfections instead of hiding them, embracing the philosophy of impermanence and simplicity. Kintsugi is perfect for anyone looking to give a second life to their favorite pottery pieces in a unique and creative way. You can use items that are already broken, or you can purposefully break your pottery and put it back together for a beautiful and original result. Kintsugi also has the added advantage of grounding and calming the mind as you focus on the delicate process of putting your ceramics back together.

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  • 5 Amigurumi Artists and Their Inspiring Characters
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    5 Amigurumi Artists and Their Inspiring Characters

    Crocheter and character designer Príncipe del Crochet shares the artists who inspire him Marcelo Javier Cortés, best known on social media as Príncipe del Crochet (@principe_del_crochet), is a Chilean crocheter and character designer who shares his creative process crocheting characters on Instagram, YouTube, and his personal blog. His amigurumis, as these creations are called in Japan, reflect the large number of creative possibilities given by this crocheting technique. According to tradition, every amigurumi character has its own personality, and it is up to the artist to embody this aspect through their crocheting. Read on as Príncipe del Crochet introduces us to five artists who create characters with personalities and are a source of inspiration. Lalylala Germany Lydia Tresselt is a crochet artist, illustrator, and collector of inspiring material living and working in Leipzig, Germany. Lydia loves the smell of summer thunderstorms, snail shells, popping bubble wrap, chocolate vanilla ice cream, and walking barefoot on the lawn. And she also likes to create characters that accompany her on her adventures. She is Javier’s primary amigurumi model, and he’s the proud owner of a book signed by her.

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  • Embroidery Tutorial: How to Prepare Your Hoop Step-By-Step
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    Embroidery Tutorial: How to Prepare Your Hoop Step-By-Step

    Learn step-by-step how to prepare an embroidery hoop, with Courtney McLeod Embroidery is a great form of self expression that has only continued to get more popular. But before you can start creating beautiful embroidered pieces, you need to make sure you have a well-secured embroidery hoop with an even surface that won’t tear or pull whilst you’re embroidering. Courtney McLeod (@dearest_q) is an embroidery and textile artist specializing in hand-embroidered hoop art. From her Philadelphian studio, Dearest Q, she stitches colourful yet minimalistic figurative pieces. Her love of fashion and combining different fibres and techniques leads to finished works that are full of surprising textures based within a pastel color palette. In this tutorial, Courtney McLeod shows you step-by-step how to prepare your hoop so that you can start embroidering.

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  • 7 Key Embroidery Terms You Should Get to Know
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    7 Key Embroidery Terms You Should Get to Know

    These embroidery posts are a must-read if you want to discover amazing tools, techniques, and styles If you've ever stepped into the world of embroidery, you'll know that it offers endless creative possibilities. In most cases, you only need two items to get started: a needle and thread. But how can you approach new techniques and styles or try out new tools? Besides constantly looking for new references, another alternative is to get to know different embroidery terms. Knowing more about crewel embroidery, needle painting, or latch hooking will push you to experiment. If you are just starting out or want to keep learning, discover these seven inspiring types of embroidery. To learn more about each one, just click on the titles in red. What Is Embroidery and What Are the Main Types of Embroidery? Did you know that almost every culture has some sort of history with embroidery? Some examples date back as far as the 5th century B.C. It is fascinating to explore its history and see its evolution. This is a great way to learn about different techniques available to you and experiment freely. Before picking up your needle, learn more about this exciting practice. This will also help you appreciate the value of each piece you create.

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  • Discover the Different Types of Clay to Make the Perfect Tiles
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    Discover the Different Types of Clay to Make the Perfect Tiles

    Learn about the different kinds of clay and the best types to make and decorate beautiful Portuguese-style tiles There’s nothing like vibrant, colorful, handmade tiles to add unique and charming touches to your home, or to any space for that matter. This is an area where you can really let your imagination go, with endless designs and patterns inspiring you to create beautiful decorations. But before you get started, it’s important to know a little bit about the process of making the tiles themselves, as well as the properties of clay as a material.

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  • Free Punch Needle Pattern for Your Embroidery Projects
    Teacher Craft

    Free Punch Needle Pattern for Your Embroidery Projects

    Textile artist Sara Luna shares a free template so you can make patterns for your embroidered portraits Punch needle is a really popular way to create beautiful embroidery, but it can be hard to get your idea onto fabric. Sara Luna (@saralunart) is a visual artist specializing in textile art and punch needle, whose work has been exhibited in New York and Salt Lake City. She is passionate about combining embroidery portraiture with striking color scales to create depth in her creations and bring them to life.

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  • Ceramic Tutorial: Basic Glaze Technique
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    Ceramic Tutorial: Basic Glaze Technique

    Learn step-by-step how to seal your hand-painted designs onto ceramics using enamel so that they’re ready to use Nuria Blanco (@nb_1980) is a multidisciplinary artist who turns plates and tableware into hand-painted works of art. She is a reference for other Spanish artists, and her work has been exhibited in different galleries and international fairs. She has also been published by the likes of Vogue, AD, El País and others. In this tutorial, she teaches us the basic glazing technique that seals your drawings onto ceramics, as well as allowing them to be used for food. Find out in the video.

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  • 6 Online Courses for Embroidering Floral and Plant Designs
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    6 Online Courses for Embroidering Floral and Plant Designs

    Learn basic embroidery techniques and stitches to depict natural themes with our experts There is no limit to creativity, and you can use needles and thread to capture the beauty of nature with its colors, shapes, and textures. In addition to creating unique pieces, engaging with embroidery allows you to relax and disconnect from the stresses of everyday life. There are various embroidery techniques and styles. If you are learning this art, you will enjoy exploring all the possibilities available. The following courses introduce you to several artists who can guide you step by step and show you their creative processes while inspiring you with extensive reference material.

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  • Free Guide: A Brief Explanation of Kintsugi Techniques
    Teacher Craft

    Free Guide: A Brief Explanation of Kintsugi Techniques

    Discover two different approaches of the Japanese method inspired in wabi-sabi to restore your ceramics with gold The ancient art of Kintsugi has its roots in the wabi-sabi Japanese aesthetic, which embraces imperfection, impermanence, and simplicity. Ceramic artist and kintsugi expert Clara Graziolino (@claragraziolino) describes the Japanese restoring method as an active meditation. You can learn to repair ceramics using gold dust—and patience! Clara guides you through every step of the way to discover the history and philosophy of kintsugi. She has created a brief guide to explain the two techniques you can use in your restoration projects: the gold relief technique and the gold flush technique.

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  • Basic Materials for Starting Out in Kintsugi
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    Basic Materials for Starting Out in Kintsugi

    Repair ceramic pottery using basic materials following this traditional Japanese technique Five centuries ago, Japanese emperor Ashikaga Yoshimasa sent off a damaged ceramic bowl to China for repair. When he got it back, he felt disappointed in seeing it had only been put together with metal staples. He, therefore, turned to Japanese artisans, who restored it using gold powder. Without knowing it, they had invented Kintsugi. The bowl still had cracks in it, but the result was something else. It was art. This Japanese artistic discipline is one of the most renowned traditions of the country. It is also tightly linked to Buddhist and wabi-sabi philosophies with their tendency to move away from the fast pace of modern life. This may explain why it can sometimes take months to complete one piece in the traditional Kintsugi technique.

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  • Ceramic Tutorial: How To Make A Pinch Pot At Home
    Teacher Craft

    Ceramic Tutorial: How To Make A Pinch Pot At Home

    Learn the pinch technique to create simple ceramic pieces at home with ceramist Lilly Maetzig Ceramist Lily Maetzig (@mae_ceramics) runs her ceramics business, Mae Ceramics, from South East London and specialises in creating handmade functional objects for everyday use. Her ceramic style is mostly minimal, with sharp lines and a limited color palette. She fell in love with ceramics after attending art school in New Zealand and bought her business with her when she moved to the UK in 2016. In this tutorial she teaches you how to create a pinch pot from scratch using minimal resources. Pinch pots are an easy way to create ceramics from home and have an authentic, handmade look.

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  • 7 Free Tutorials With DIY Ideas to Easily Repair Your Clothes
    Teacher Craft

    7 Free Tutorials With DIY Ideas to Easily Repair Your Clothes

    Give your designer clothes a second chance and learn new DIY craft techniques with these experts More and more people are getting interested in creative movements such as upcycling to give useful but used objects a new life. You too can save money while expressing yourself creatively, and upgrading your designer clothes. With your crafty work and DIY techniques, you’ll also gain a unique wardrobe that truly reflects your personality.

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  • 4 Inspiring Books for Starting Out in Weaving
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    4 Inspiring Books for Starting Out in Weaving

    Learn about this mindful craft, be inspired by popular hand weaving books and get your own projects going Hand weaving is a meditative art that allows you to unwind while creating something beautiful. Fiber artist Lucy Rowan (@peasandneedles) incorporates her love of playful colors and texture in her work as a specialist hand-weaver and punch needle embroiderer. After buying a lap loom off the internet and learning from books borrowed from the library, she began almost by chance and has so far been featured in magazines, opened an online shop, and even written two books about her craft.

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  • Essential Materials for Cross-Stitch
    Teacher Craft

    Essential Materials for Cross-Stitch

    Discover the materials you need to cross-stitch, from the basics to the full kit, with Emily Peacock With a background in graphic design, cross-stitch creative Emily Peacock (emilyp) creates bold and unforgettable graphic cross-stitch work. She was named designer of the year during the first National Needlecraft awards and has collaborated with brands such as Liberty of London, DMC, and Appletons. In this tutorial, she talks us through the materials you’ll need to get started in cross-stitching and shares tips for how to develop your kit as you go. Watch the video!

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  • 7 Books on Wabi-Sabi and Japanese Culture
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    7 Books on Wabi-Sabi and Japanese Culture

    Learn more about the japanese art of putting broken pottery back together that sees beauty in flaws and imperfections Clara Graziolino (@claragraziolino) is an Italian ceramic artist and kintsugi expert living in Madrid. She creates sculptures and installations for galleries and international interior designers and teaches ceramic restoration and kintsugi. Kintsugi is the centuries-old Japanese art of putting broken pottery back together using a special tree sap lacquer dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum, which highlights the cracks. It results in one-of-a-kind pieces of pottery.

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  • 13 Free Tutorials for Creating at Home Using DIY Techniques
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    13 Free Tutorials for Creating at Home Using DIY Techniques

    From printing techniques to ceramics, these tutorials will get you creating with your hands These DIY tutorials invite you to take a break from the screen and try out different handmade techniques. From printing techniques to ceramics, you’re sure to find an activity that inspires you to turn your home into a crafts studio for the rest of the day. Our top experts will share top tips and guide you through their professional yet easy-to-follow processes. Give it a try! Ceramic Tutorial: How to make a rock-shaped flower pot from clay Rocks come in all shapes and sizes and can be a great source of inspiration. Xènia Bas (@xenia_bas) is a ceramic artist and co-founder of Bas, a ceramic workshop in Barcelona. She believes that a clay pot not only provides a home for your plant, but has the power to enhance its beauty. In this tutorial, Xènia guides us through moulding our own rock-shaped clay pot by hand, and shares tips to create the perfect finish.

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  • Free Butterfly Embroidery Pattern
    Teacher Craft

    Free Butterfly Embroidery Pattern

    Do you want to embroider a beautiful monarch butterfly? Check out this pattern shared by Emillie Ferris In the art of needle painting, a needle acts like a brush and the thread as the paint, helping you achieve hyper-realistic designs. You can create realistic embroidered pieces using the long and short stitch technique, just like Emillie Ferris (@emillieferris), who makes contemporary embroidery patterns, kits, pins, and original hoop art using traditional methods. Insects are a wonderful place to start if you’re a beginner, as they can be very forgiving of mistakes. Their symmetrical nature also makes the entire embroidery process very meditative and relaxing.

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