I admit it, I'm lucky - I currently live about an hour away from the Fabric District in LA, and was recently just about ten miles down Pico Boulevard from it. So I'm incredibly spoiled - I'm used to being able to find crushed panne velvet for four dollars a yard, or a rich brocade for six dollars a yard. A friend and I once found some faux fur for about fifty dollars a yard - which sounds expensive until I say that the pile was about two and a half inches long, a rich brown color and 60" wide.
Just dried a load of laundry? Don't throw away that used fabric softener sheet just yet. You can repurpose a used sheet for a variety of practical uses around the home, such as picking up pet hair from your furniture, deodorizing your gym bag, removing static cling from your stockings, and adding shine to your mirrors and toaster.
Choosing Draperies for Your Home is as Easy as 1-2-3 Determine the Color Scheme and Pattern
I am the sort of man whom game companies fall all over themselves to seduce. I'm sweaty, pale, awkward, and spend too much money on video games. There are many of us, especially among XBox 360 owners. We are the most stereotypically "gamer" group of console owners. The XBox 360 doesn't have motion control like the Wii or a blu-ray player like the Playstation 3. It just plays games really well. That's why hardcore gamers like me prefer it amongst all the consoles, and probably why Silver Dolla...
In this tutorial, we learn how to get a dramatic smoky eyes look. First, prime your entire eyelid with a color that matches your skin. Next, take a silver color eyeshadow and apply it to your entire eyelid. Next, apply a black eyeshadow to the outer edge of the eye then blend it in with the silver. Next, curl your eyelashes and apply a white eyeshadow to the top of the eye under the brow bone. Next, apply fake eyelashes to your eye then apply black liquid eyeliner over the lash line. To finis...
The clock 'til countdown is ticking, but there's still some time left before the new year arrives. Try this last-minute recipe for New Year's Eve ball drop cupcakes from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen. They look pretty pro, but are actually quite simple to make. You Will Need:
If you've played the addicting game Angry Birds on your iPhone, chances are you've heard of a newer game called Cut the Rope. Chances are you're playing it right now.
Discount prices for designer apparel fabric. Seriously... Shetland Wool for $7.99/yd!??!
Viewer-crafter Jenn Docherty shares her technique for making adorable needle-felted chicks. Materials needed are foam mat, wool roving, felting needle, wood skewer, needle
If you want to keep the inside of your car smelling awesome, don't buy commercial air fresheners. They contain toxic synthetic chemicals which can be harmful to your health.
In order to create a fleece blanket, you will need 2 layers of fabric, for a no-sew version. Cut them evenly. Cut the 2 pieces of fabric to equal size. Cut away a 4" square from each of the corners. Then, cut 1" strips around the edges. Then, tie each pair of strips in a knot.
Ah, your mom’s wedding gown. You know – that 1980’s polyester monstrosity with poofy shoulders so large they’d darned near swallow your whole face that’s lurking in your folks’ basement? Yeah, that one.
Create your own T-shirt design with host Lisa Bleyaert by following along with this how-to video! All you need are a cotton t-shirt and some fabric paint and you’ll be on your way to a totally YOU fashion statement! You will need a t-shirt, fabric paint: green, glittery gold, black, and glow in the dark white, a piece of cardboard, and the step-by-step instructions in this video activity tutorial. Paint a t-shirt.
Nothing worse than the dreaded red wine stain. No need to panic if someone spills red wine on your crisp white shirt, tablecloth, or other washable fabric. In a few easy steps, the fabric can look as good as new. Learn how to remove a red wine stain with the folks from Martha Stewart's REAL SIMPLE. Removing stains has never been this easy.
Here's yet another one of those pesky multi-step time sink achievements, but the reward is great. To get the 'Genius' achievement in Batman: Arkham City, you have to rescue all five hostages The Riddler has taken. It should be noted though that you'll need a certain amount of Riddler trophies to activate the hostage rescue missions.
Are you hungry? One of the great things about Los Angeles is the abundance of food. I'm not just talking about restaurants. You need to get out of your car, and walk around your neighborhood. You could make a great meal just from what you find out on the streets. It's free, and most of it's organic. Just be sure to wash any dirt off of your treasure before you bite.
Want to treat your furry best friend to a new pet bed? All you need are two identical pieces of fleece, batting, and a pair of fabric scissors. The best part is that there is zero sewing involved.
This video will show you how to make a funky hand bound art journal using only consumer waste and unused household items for materials. Items and materials for the project include cereal boxes (as the main material), scrap papers, scrap fabrics, broken jewelry, along with whatever else you wish to use to jazz up your art journal and make it unique.
The perfect gift for the baker in your life! Get a Mason jar, and then layer the jar with all the different dry ingredients you use to bake up a delicious rice pudding. Decorate with ribbon, fabric, and then tie the recipe around the neck of the jar! Put together a rice pudding kit as a homemade gift.
Incredibly bizarre, Mika Satomi and Clemens Pichler have designed a pair of DJ hoodies to theatrically visualize a DJ battle. Unfortunately, for me at least, Human Centipede is evoked (damn, I shouldn't have seen that movie).
Thinking about binding your own hardback book? Although it might seem like a daunting task, it can be done! And with ease... once you get the hang of it. Luckily, there is a written tutorial floating around on the web to help get you started. Materials you will need to bind your own hardback cover book include:
TheTribalButterfly, in this video tutorial talks about cosplay for anime and manga, but not really. She really talks about how to choose the perfect fabric for all your cosplay needs. Those fictional characters are just dying to get out of your body and on your body, so cosplay away with the right tools to perform this new art.
In Part I, Kirsten showed you how to create templates for your applique. In this video, Part II, we'll show you how to use these templates, along with a heat-fusible sheet, to pre-cut and easily apply our applique fabric. Our apron project is completed in this video!
Painting your car's interior is a great way to enhance your driving surroundings and give you a new plush look. In most cases it can even increase the value of your car when you trade it in or sell it.
Kill with skill. That's the motto of the newly released Bulletstorm, available on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows. It may sound ridiculous and somewhat obnoxious by itself, but it's actually in regards to its many "ridiculous skillshots" that a player can perform. And yes, ridiculous skillshots was an actual quote, straight from Epic Games.
Is your cotton tank top or beloved pair of jeans feeling a bit tighter than usual? If you need to un-shrink an article of clothing that has been left in the dryer for too long, then you can use baby shampoo, hair conditioner, or simply water to gently stretch and pull the fabric back into its original shape.
Using dry beans and and some scraps of cotton fabric, you can make your own DIY microwavable heat pack which can be used to relieve sore muscles, warm your hands when stepping outside into cold weather, heating up your pillow case on a freezing night, and more.
To make your own fabric softener at home, simply mix together six parts water, three parts white vinegar, and two parts hair conditioner into one solution. Once you're done mixing, use ½ cup of the solution for every load of laundry during the rinse cycle to soften your clothes and to keep them static-free.
Last year and the year before that, I gave some suggestions on DIY holiday gifts that you could make for family and friends, and this year, I wanted to follow up with even more Christmas gift ideas.
If the holiday season is stirring your dormant DIY spirit to make cool handmade things, then look no further than your fruit and vegetable drawer in your kitchen.
Elisa Strozyk's wooden textiles fold and drape in beautiful forms. Incredible how a hard material combined with a simple, pieced construction can take on both sculptural and fluid qualities. Truly innovative.
It turns out that the popularity of soft circuit electronics has leaked out of the interwebs and into the hands of the U.S. military. Soft circuit electronics allow you to literally sew electronics circuits into fabric using flexible conductive thread instead of wire. Soft circuits can be used for all sorts of fun projects, like the TV-B-Gone Hoodie and the Heartbeat Headband.
Went fishing this past weekend in Fort Desoto and caught 4 black drum and many silver and spotted trout. The black drum were in huge schools swimming near the surface, it's amazing to see that many huge fish all at one time!
Mark and Stefani at HomeStudio share their secret to turning old SCRABBLE tiles into lovely pendants. Anyone with a crafty mind will enjoy these pendants, which "are great for necklaces, charms, and gifts to give."
Damn, I wanted to learn how to make those cigarette smoking glasses in Lady Gaga's Telephone music video, but the sparkly silver and black bra is fun, too (and perhaps a bit more practical). Previously, HowTo: Lady Gaga Video Glasses.
This is a new bar opening in our neck of the woods in Silver Lake. The Thirsty Crow is whisky and bourbon-centric, meaning that there will be no pansy ass vodka cocktails. Check out the menu, which includes a good selection of whiskies from the Highlands and Islay, and even a few Johnny Walkers.
I took this picture with my Blackberry, so sorry for the fuzzy quality. My birthday was on Monday, so of course we went and got a cake. It was a delicious red velvet cake from Lark, a great cake shop on Sunset in Silver Lake. My husband bought the last one!
Is your earring collection exploding all over your room? Are you finding one earring under your bed, and the other by your bathroom sink? Get yourself organized with help from a DIY made earring display! To make this organizational tool, you will need:
This instructional video demonstrates how to make a Muppet style puppet. You will need markers, scissors, tape, a hot glue gun, spray paint, spare fabric and foam, and two ping pong balls for the eyes. Make a Muppet.
To use your washing machine you will need washing powder and fabric softener. Load the washing into the machine making sure you've separated whites from colors. Choose a low heat for delicates and a high heat for badly stained clothes. Use your washing machine.
