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How-Tuesday: Stuffing Recipe From The New Thanksgiving Table

2009-11-24T16:00:00-05:00

When it comes to the Thanksgiving feast, I reserve most of my plate for the stuffing. Savory, moist, and hearty, the irresistible mixture is my primary motivation for stumbling across the Turkey Trot's finish line.

Families tend to adhere to traditional Thanksgiving recipes for generations and generations, but I love the idea of incorporating regional flavors and techniques to truly reflect contemporary Americana. Diane Morgan's The New Thanksgiving Table introduces tapenades, ginger brines, and enchiladas to the standard fare. For this week's How-Tuesday, she shares her recipe for Linguiça Sausage Stuffing With Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions — my salivary glands have officially kicked into overdrive.

Purchase The New Thanksgiving Table from Amazon or an independent bookseller

Thanksgiving is the one day of the year when nine out of ten Americans sit down to a home-cooked meal, and that meal, according to one survey, almost always features turkey. Depending on where you live, however, that turkey is roasted, smoked, grilled, deep-fried, or turned into the elaborate Cajun specialty known as "turducken," in which a boned chicken is stuffed inside a boned duckling, which in turn is stuffed inside a boned turkey, along with stuffing, to boot! There are also regional preferences in seasonings: sage and garlic are perennial favorites in some parts of the country, while rosemary, paprika, and cloves seem to rule in the South.

The New Thanksgiving Table commemorates this quintessential American holiday with a spotlight on the regional specialties that make this vast land of ours so gastronomically amazing. While the classic Thanksgiving meal includes turkey, cranberries, pumpkins, and root vegetables, those same ingredients have been reinterpreted in myriad ways that reflect the diversity and breadth of twenty-first-century America.

Traditional cranberry compote, for example, may have Yankee roots, but it has metamorphosed into a cranberry salsa with onions and chiles in the Southwest. Or, the classic savory bread or rice dressings used to stuff turkey in the Northeast is often replaced with versions featuring crunchy, ebony-colored wild rice farther west in Minnesota, taking advantage of the native grain — actually a grass — of the region. In the Heartland, late-harvest corn is made into a pudding to accompany the holiday bird, whereas corn bread dressing and sweet potato spoon bread are served in the South. Along the Chesapeake Bay, a crab appetizer often starts the Thanksgiving feast, while along the Gulf Coast, pickled shrimp or oysters on the half shell whet the palate in anticipation of the holiday meal.

Here's wishing you a bountiful and peace-filled Thanksgiving — with a regional twist, of course!

Our culturally diverse nation may have strong Yankee roots that defined much of what we know as the traditional Thanksgiving meal, but recognizing and incorporating other wonderful ethnic foods into our harvest feast speaks to the spirit of the holiday. I couldn't resist using Portuguese linguiça sausage in this stuffing. The smoky, zesty sausage is a great match for roast or grill roasted turkey. Ask your local butcher or specialty-foods shop about availability, or order online from www.gasparssausage.com, a fourth-generation family-owned business.

Serves 12

5 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
10 cups unseasoned dried bread cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound linguiça sausages
1 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped or brushed clean, stems trimmed, and quartered
1 bag (14 ounces) frozen pearl onions, thawed and blotted dry with paper towels
1 tablespoon sugar
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a deep, 9-by-13-inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter.

Place the bread cubes in a very large bowl. In 10-inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and swirl to coat the pan. Add the sausages and cook, turning as needed, until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add to the bowl with the bread cubes.

Return the pan to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onions to the pan and sauté, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Sprinkle the sugar over the onions and sauté, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes until the onions turn golden and the edges caramelize. Add to the bowl with the bread and mushrooms.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Swirl to coat the pan and add the carrots and celery. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the parsley, thyme, sage, salt, and a few grinds of pepper and sauté for 1 minute longer. Add the vegetable-herb mixture to the bowl and stir to combine.

Cut the sausages into 1/4-inch rounds and add to the stuffing. Add the eggs and stock and mix well. Scoop the stuffing into the prepared pan and bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour until the top is lightly browned and crusty.

If you have room in your oven, bake the stuffing while the turkey is roasting. Otherwise, bake it beforehand and reheat it once the turkey is out.

Do ahead: The bread cubes can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. The sausages can be browned up to 1 day in advance; let cool, place in a covered container, and refrigerate. The mushrooms, onions, and vegetables can be sautéed along with the herbs up to 1 day in advance. Let the mixture cool completely and refrigerate in a covered container. Remove the sausages and vegetables from the refrigerator 2 hours before assembling the stuffing.

Thanks to Diane Morgan and the good folks at Chronicle Books for sharing this recipe with us. For more mouth-watering Thanksgiving recipes, check out The New Thanksgiving Table.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Plants and Edibles Category | The Home Chef Gift Guide

Come Craft With the Etsy Labs & Esther K. Smith: Rolling Ball Books and Ornaments

2009-11-19T10:30:00-05:00

Want to test out our latest How-Tuesday project with us at the Etsy Labs? Come join us for a free workshop with artist and author Esther K. Smith— whether you're in Brooklyn or anywhere in the world. Stop by for our weekly Craft Night in our online, interactive classroom, the Virtual Labs, for a live demo via webcam at 5 p.m. ET, or in person at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn anytime between 4-8 p.m. ET at 55 Washington Street, Suite 512 in Brooklyn, New York. (Click here to see what time 5 p.m. ET is in your hometown.) Craft Night is a time to make things, sharpen your craft skills, and meet new friends.

This week, on Monday, November 23, Esther K. Smith will show us how to make rolling ball books and ornaments. Is it a book or a toy? You decide!

Esther K. Smith is Purgatory Pie Press designer and author of How to Make Books and Magic Books & Paper Toys. She handcrafts artist books and limited editions at Purgatory Pie Press in New York City, collaborating with typographer Dikko Faust and other artists and writers. Keep an eye out for her new book, The Paper Bride, in December 2009.

Looking for more paper projects? Try these how-to's:

Paper Flowers | Do-Si-Do Books

Will we see you on Monday? Let us know in the comments below.

How-Tuesday: Rolling Balls From Magic Books & Paper Toys

2009-11-17T14:14:00-05:00

As a lover of both books and crafts, I have a very difficult time letting my coffee table volumes or National Geographic issues sit on the shelf for long before I'm ripping, cutting, folding, and gluing. Pages sticky with mod podge, my collection of paper transforms into a vault of materials and inspiration. Paper guru Esther K. Smith will be hosting Craft Night at the Etsy Labs next Monday, November 23. As a teaser, she shares her Rolling Balls project from Magic Books & Paper Toys for this week's How-Tuesday. This would make a great project (with or without the kids!) as you get ready to decorate for the holidays.

Purchase Magic Books & Paper Toys

Long before I ever thought of making books, I got a hexaflexagon in the mail from Dikko. Other men send flowers, jewelry, or chocolate, but he wooed me with paper. (It worked — we've been collaborating on art and our family for many years now.)

He had read about them in Martin Gardiner's math column in Scientific American and made one for a grad-school course at the University of Wisconsin. The flexagon was cool. I made them for a while — sent one to my mathematician cousin (he was not impressed) — and then forgot about them. Years later, teaching a class at Cooper Union called Instant Artist's Books, I found that hexaflexagon again and decided to include flexagons in my class. Then I got a photocopy of a page from a Victorian children's book that showed magic wallet construction. Those two forms were so easy and interesting that I built a curriculum around them. I developed my Magic Books & Paper Toys weekend workshop, which started at New York's Center for Book Arts. I've taught it at Long Island University, The San Francisco Center for the Book, and Penland School of Crafts.

When I began teaching design for CUNY, I used flexagons with my CUNY undergrads for design and color-theory problem solving. Since their designs split and reverse, they make an interesting design challenge. They also keep me amused.

I added flip books, strip animations, and spinners with wonderful results. One student rendered a paint can that sprays graffiti, another made a subway car with cut-out windows that show the stations changing.

I've seen flip books of fingernails growing, T-shirts changing designs, and all kinds of winking, blinking spinners. I wish I could see the cool things YOU make!

I've seen these made from holiday cards as ornaments, but they are also interesting books. And it's fun to roll them. You could even put a simple pop-up inside.

You Will Need
Heavy, foldable paper
Compass or round object (glass, bowl) to trace
Pencil
Scissors
Bone folder
Adhesive
Drawing and collage materials to embellish
Velco, magnets (optional)

1. Trace circles onto the paper using a compass, or trace a jar or small bowl. The heavier the paper, the fewer circles.

2. Cut the circles out with scissors or a knife.

3. Fold them in half and burnish.

4. Adhere the folded circles back to back, lining them up with care and burnishing until you have enough to create a full ball shape when you open up the ball.

5. Place Velcro or magnets on the covers so that the ball can stay open.

6. Roll your book to be sure it works.

7. Embellish with drawing, rubber stamps, or collage.

Rolling Faces: You can put whatever appeals to you on the pages of your rolling book. Faces can be fun. One student thought faces of politicians would be nice rolling away. Cut them from magazines or newspapers and collage.

Thanks to Esther K. Smith and the good folks at Potter Craft for sharing this project with us. For more paper inspiration, check out Magic Books & Paper Toys.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide

How-Tuesday: Miniature Stocking Ornament From Sweater Renewal

2009-11-10T14:30:00-05:00

As the season of bulky fibers descends upon us, I inevitably must clean out my sweater drawer for new finds. Pulling out fistfuls of thick wool, I mourn moth holes, shrunken sleeves, oil stains. The colorful knits, even flawed, nevertheless feel enduring, and thus when I came across Sharon Franco Rothschild's Sweater Renewal, I was already inspired. For this week's How-Tuesday, Sharon shares her wool felting technique, along with a template to make a cozy upcycled Christmas ornament. You could even enlarge the template to make a full-size Christmas stocking.

Purchase Sweater Renewal from Amazon or an independent bookseller

I am, always will be, a self-confessed sweater junkie. Whether I am designing, knitting, buying, felting, cutting, or wearing sweaters, I can never get enough of them. Sweaters provide comfort, warmth, and a certain sense of style.

We all have our favorites — some that make us feel fabulously stylish, some that make us feel incredibly comfortable, and those that offer a coziness and warmth that no other piece of clothing can compete with. As we collect and add sweaters to our wardrobes year after year, memories also attach themselves to each piece.

I will forever remember one of my all-time favorite sweaters, and its quick demise. I was sixteen years old, and the sweater (I can remember it like it was yesterday) was a pink mohair cardigan, the exact color of cotton candy. When I wore this sweater, I felt transformed. I felt grown up, stylish, even beautiful. But one of my father's first attempts to do the laundry for our family ended in disaster for this cherished piece of clothing. After some washing-machine agitation (in hot water, no less), my beautiful sweater shrank down to one-third its original size and was suddenly and completely unwearable. But my love affair with this sweater was not yet over. I kept it in my top dresser drawer, and every time I opened that drawer, I would look at my pink sweater and remember instantly how good it had made me feel. It was years before I could actually part with it. How I wish now that I had made something else out of it, something that I could have continued to use in my daily life, to remind me of my dad and the wonderful feeling that sweater had given me.

Fortunately, I have discovered that damaged sweaters, old sweaters, out-of-style sweaters, and sweaters that once belonged to a loved one can have a second life. So clean out your closets, start your washing machines, sharpen your scissors, and get ready to redesign, recycle, and renew your wool sweaters.

Miniature Stocking Ornament

It's never too soon to start thinking about the holidays. These tree ornaments are just waiting to be stuffed with tiny treasures and placed on your tree or above your fireplace. The stocking is made from a brightly colored mohair sweater.

Finished Measurements
3" (7.5cm) x 5 1/2" (14cm)

Materials
Yellow-green sweater made of mostly feltable fibers, at least 8 3/4" x 16 1/2" (22cm x 42cm)
Stocking template (download here) and tracing paper
Sewing needle and yellow thread
1 skein each Rowan Classic Cashsoft 4-ply yarn, 57% extra fine merino, 33% microfibre, 10% cashmere, 1.75 oz (50g), 197 yd (180m), in light brown and dark green, plus fuchsia for crochet flower (optional)
Crocheted fuschia five-petal flower (optional)
Four 10mm nugget beads, 3 amber, and 1 translucent white (2 amber beads and the white one are optional)
Small box of straight pins
DMC embroidery needle #5
Beadalon big eye beading needle 2 1/4" (5.5cm)
Tapestry needle
Size G-6 (4mm) crochet hook (optional)

Techniques
Washing and felting
Embroidery: Blanket stitch, running stitch
Crochet (optional): Silp stitch, chain stitch, single crochet, double crochet

Felt the Sweater

There are three methods for felting sweaters: in your washing machine, by hand in your sink or tub, or at your local dry cleaner. The washing-machine method is the easiest and fastest way to felt, especially if you are washing a whole sweater or blanket. If you are doing a small piece, such as a sock, hat, or a cut piece of a sweater, you may find the hand-washing method easier. If you do not want to deal with the actual washing and felting yourself, your local dry cleaner is a good alternative.

Washing-Machine Felting
1. There are two types of washing machines — top loaders and front loaders. Top loaders open at the top of the machine, and you put your clothes in a basket-like container that has a cylinder in the middle. Top loaders work best for sweater felting for two reasons. The first is that you can open the top at any time during the wash cycle and check your felting. The second is that the cylinder in the middle provides a lot of agitation, so your sweater will felt very quickly, often in one cycle.

Front loaders have a door that opens in the front of the machine, and they provide a much larger, more open space than a top loader. Once the wash cycle begins, the door automatically locks and cannot be opened until the cycle is finished. Because there is no spin basket in the front loader, there is less agitation. So with front loaders, I suggest that you begin any felting project using a very short cycle (hand-wash is best) and know that you may need to go through a few cycles before your sweater will felt the way you want it to.

How to Felt Using the Washing Machine

Place your item in a pillowcase. This will protect your piece and provide more friction (which is a good thing).
Select a very short cycle to begin. The hand-wash cycle is always a safe bet.
Set the water temperature to Warm.
Add about 1/4 cup (60ml) of Ivory liquid soap, or any dishwashing liquid with a low pH balance.
Select the shortest spin cycle and the gentlest wash cycle. Spinning the item for too long can distort the shape of the piece, but it needs to spin a little so all the water comes out.
Place the pillowcase with your item inside in the washing machine. Start your washing machine. Do not felt more than one piece at a time. After each cycle, take your piece out of the pillowcase and check to see if you need to wash it again.
When you have achieved the desired results, put your item in the dryer (still in the pillowcase). Run the dryer on a very low- or no-heat setting until the item is dry.

Make the Stocking

2. Trace and cut out the Stocking template (download here), enlarged at 200%. Pin the template onto the felted sweater and cut it out.

3. Pin right sides together. Machine-stitch around the sides of the stocking, using a 1/2" (13mm) seam allowance. Leave the top edge of the stocking open. Turn the stocking right-side out.

4. Turn under 1" (2.5cm) at the top of the stocking. Using light-brown yarn, the tapestry needle, and running stitch, stitch around the stocking to secure the top hem.

5. Blanket stitch around the machine-stitched edges of the stocking, using light-brown yarn and the tapestry needle.

Appliqué & Embroider

6. If desired, you may crochet a five-petal fuchsia flower.

Chain 4, leaving a tail 3" to 4" (7.5 - 10cm) long. Join with a slip stitch to form the loop. (Chain 3, single crochet 1 into the loop) 4 times. Chain 3. Using a slip stitch, join to the base of the first chain 3. You now have five petals. Fasten off, leaving a tail 3" to 4" (7.5 - 10cm) long.

Pin the crocheted flower in place on the front of the stocking. WIth the beading needle, sew an amber nugget bead in the center of the flower, simultaneously sewing the flower to the stocking front. Be careful not to sew the front of the stocking to the back while doing this. If you do not wish to use the crocheted flower, simply sew the amber bead to the front of the stocking at the same point where it would be if the flower were there.

Crochet Loop (Optional)

7. This loop will attach to the bead center of the flower, closing the stocking. Using dark-green yarn, join the yarn to the top center back of the stocking with a slip stitch. Chain 32, slip stitch into the 22nd chain to form the loop, work a single crochet in each chain from that point back to the edge of the stocking. Tie off the yarn and weave the end under the hem of the stocking.

Crochet Strap (Optional)

8. Using two strands of light-brown yarn held together, leave a 3 1/2" to 4" (9-10cm) tail and tie an overhand knot with the two strands used as one. Attach yarn to the upper left corner of stocking (on the heel side). Crochet a 7" (18cm) chain. Chain 10 beyond the 7" (18cm) point. Form these 10 chains into a loop and slip stitch to the end of the 7" (18cm) chained strap. Sew an amber nugget bead onto the upper right corner of the stocking (on the toe side). The chained strap will come over the stocking and attach to this bead by the loop. At the end of the strand of yarn you left as a tail at the beginning of the strap, tie an amber bead. Tie the white translucent bead at the end of the other yarn tail.

Thanks to Sharon Franco Rothschild and the good folks at Potter Craft for sharing this project with us. For more upcycling inspiration, check out Sweater Renewal.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide

How-Tuesday: Rose Petal Tee From Appliqué Your Way

2009-11-03T16:07:00-05:00

Picking through the scrap bins at fabric stores is my cherished scavenging adventure for texture and pattern. In every nook of my craft storage, strips of vibrant textiles bloom forth. When I find projects made for these sweet trims, I'm not only reinventing a T-shirt or a tote bag, I'm also creating something completely new out of my neglected bouquet of materials. Kayte Terry, who has shared many a resourceful embellishing how-to on The Storque, has come out with a new book, Appliqué Your Way. These projects will inspire you to root your way through not just your own pile of discarded cloth, but your neighbor's as well.

Purchase Appliqué Your Way from Amazon or an independent bookseller.

I came to appliqué through my love of fabric and patterns. I adore the contrast of rich velvet on linen or a sweet Liberty print mixed with tweed. My heart goes all aflutter when I score a stack of feed-sack fabrics on eBay or unearth a set of vintage Marimekko curtains at a flea market. Doing appliqué is a way for me to highlight these special fabrics in my work and to play with textures and colors.

The beauty of appliqué is that you can use small amounts of gorgeous fabric to make a statement. It's a great way to use scraps from your other sewing projects or to put old clothing or linens to new use. You can transform everyday clothing and household items into one-of-a-kind works of art with the addition of some simple appliqué. There's really nothing more satisfying than answering the question "Where did you get that?" with "I made it myself!"

While I love the comfort of a T-shirt, sometimes a basic tee just won't cut it. Romantic rose blooms and leaves, also made from T-shirts, gracefully trail down the neckline of this tee. A monochromatic palette makes this tee super sophisticated. Hit up your local thrift store for extra-large men's tees (they give you more fabric to work with) in different shades of one color.

Materials
Boatneck T-shirt
3 T-shirts in assorted shades complementary to the boatneck tee
Quilting ruler
Self-healing cutting mat
Rotary cutter
Pencil
Card stock
Tailor's chalk
Fabric scissors
Sewing machine and thread in complementary colors
Needle and thread in colors to match T-shirts
Straight pins

Make the Flowers and Leaves

1. Use a quilting ruler and work on a cutting mat using a rotary cutter to cut from the assorted T-shirts the following strips of fabric:
One 6" x 24"/15cm x 60cm
Five 3" x 14"/8cm x 36cm
Three 2" x 9"/5cm x 23cm
Note: You may have to sew a couple of strips together to get a 24"/60cm strip.

2. Trace about a dozen leaves onto the assorted T-shirts. Cut with fabric scissors. Mark simple leaf veins on the leaves with tailor's chalk.

3. Set your sewing machine to a straight stitch and sew veins on the leaves, backstitching at the beginning and end.

4. To make the flowers,
a. Thread a needle with a thread color that matches the T-shirt strip. Knot the thread end and set aside.
b. Fold a T-shirt strip in half lengthwise. Holding each end of the strip with your hands, with the folded edge at the top, fold the upper left corner down so that the raw side edge of the strip meets the bottom edge of the strip, forming a 45-degree angle. (See figure 1.)

c. Start rolling the first few inches of the left side of the strip to make the center of the rose. (See figure 2.) Sew through the bottom edges of the flower center to secure.

d. Fold the strip at a 45-degree angle next to the flower center and roll flower center onto the fold. (See figure 3.) Sew bottom edge to secure. Repeat folding the strip, rolling the flower onto fold, and stitching to secure, until there's no fabric left.

e. Tuck the final end of strip under the flower and sew to secure.
f. Repeat all the steps to form flowers from each T-shirt strip.

Assemble the T-Shirt

1. Lay the boatneck T-shirt out on a flat, clean surface. With the T-shirt facing you, pin the largest rose just slightly left of the center of the shirt. Pin two leaves below the rose. With a needle and thread, hand-stitch to the shirt to secure. Remove the pins.
2. Cluster four roses to the left of the large rose and accent with leaves as desired. Pin, hand-stitch to secure, and remove the pins.
3. Pin clusters of leaves trailing up the neckline of the T-shirt to cover the rest of the left side of the neckline. Hand-stitch to secure, then remove the pins.
4. Cluster four roses to the right of the T-shirt in a different formation than the one on the left and accent with leaves as desired. Pin, hand-stitch to secure, and remove the pins.
5. Pin clusters of leaves trailing up the neckline of the T-shirt to cover the rest of the right side of the neckline. Hand-stitch to secure, and then remove the pins.

Thanks to Kayte Terry and the good folks at Chronicle Books for sharing this project with us. For more modern embellishments, check out Appliqué Your Way.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide

Pikaland's 9 Tips to be More Creative

2009-10-15T11:48:00-05:00

Amy Ng, Pikaland blogger and artist collaborator extraordinaire, has many a helpful article on creativity, business and life in her zine, The Good to Know Project. Amy hosted a Virtual Lab as part of our Holiday Workshops for Sellers series on Getting Out of the Box (you can find the recap here). I asked Amy to share more tips on sparking the creative process with Storque readers. Here they are...

About fueling creativity:

Creativity is fueled by experiences, sights, sounds and smells. Sitting still won’t bring new ideas in; experimenting and trying new things will jog your creativity.
I maintain a certain pattern to the day, with my morning bath signaling to me that I am starting my work with a fresh mind and spirit. After breakfast is when my day officially begins — I turn on the radio and look at my to-do list (see #3).
I jot down notes every night before I go to bed about what I need to accomplish the next day. This way, I’m actively placing my worries onto paper so I can go to bed not fretting about what needs to be done.
I have a box labeled for each different project I’m involved in, so I don’t worry about misplacing things or ideas. (This one was inspired by The Creative Habit.)
I also keep a different sketchbook for different topics and ideas. I have one for business, one for random sketches and another for my writing. And in these sketchbooks I sometimes allocate different sections so that my thoughts don’t get messed up too much (there isn’t a search function on them, like a computer has!).
I throw these sketchbooks all over the place, so when I have a thought I scribble it down quickly.
I try and find the pattern between things, and connect the dots between random things just for fun when I’m stuck in a rut. For instance, when I see the color yellow around me, I start to focus on finding yellow things — stuff that I didn’t notice before will show themselves to me. I’m heightening my sense of awareness because I’m narrowing my focus to one thing.
Doing things differently helps. I love calligraphy, but sometimes I seem to be stuck in a rut — it seems that I could only write in a certain way! So I stop, and see what others are doing, and try to analyze what I could do differently. A little more pressure on the downward stroke? Or how about adding more flourishes to that letter? It took me about a week of constant practice to free up my hand. If you’re stumped for ideas, have a look at Keri Smith’s 100 ideas to get you started.
Practice, practice, practice. Creativity is like a muscle that you need to flex regularly. I dread staring at a blank piece of paper, but everything begins with that first stroke. I’m a perfectionist, so I train myself to not use erasers at all when I’m drawing. And if I do make mistakes, I start on a new piece of paper — that way I let new ideas in and not just dwell on what I previously did.

Here are some books in my collection that I pick up whenever I need a boost:

The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp: I love this book. Twyla is a dancer and choreographer, but a lot of the things she has to say cuts across all disciplines.
How to Be an Explorer of the World: Portable Life Museum by Keri Smith: Keri reminds everyone to put on their explorer goggles and look at the world with new eyes — I did a review of her book here.
Living Out Loud by Keri Smith: Although the book is a little girlish for guys, I love the article she wrote about how to find what you love to do.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: This is an amazing book that I pick up and read again and again. The message is simple — you won’t find what you’re looking for until you follow through on your dreams.
How to be an Illustrator by Darrel Rees and Nicholas Blechman: I like how they talk to illustrators and get their feedback on running a creative business.
Lines & Shapes by Lena and Mav: Amazing artists and beautiful, beautiful pictures. I have volume no. 5 and I treasure it.
The first issue of the Good to Know project: I like keeping a copy on my bookshelf so I can read up on what my friends have to say about being creatively stuck.

Seller Handbook | More Posts on Creativity | Your Shop 101

How-Tuesday: Button-Down Shirt From Design-It-Yourself Clothes

2009-10-13T15:20:00-05:00

Trying on clothes in fitting rooms tends to be a less than inspiring experience. Puckering, pulling, shifting, and stretching — the garment quickly becomes an obstacle in itself. Cal Patch's book, Design-It-Yourself Clothes, is built on an inherently sensible premise: perfect fit comes from custom patterns. Cal's approach that every sewer deserves to empower herself through learning the craft of patternmaking, is both encouraging and liberating. Each project in this foundational manual builds upon the previous one, so a basic shirt turns into a jacket turns into a dress.

For this week's How-Tuesday, we're sharing the button-down shirt; I hope the skills you learn in creating this pattern will equip you for exploring the next frontier in your designs. Since this project is rich with information, I've included an excerpt below, but you can download the full how-to (for free!) as a PDF here.

Purchase Design-It-Yourself Clothes

Picture this: You're out shopping, maybe at your favorite vintage shop, maybe at a fancy designer boutique, and you see something familiar. Hmm. Where have you seen that dress before, you wonder. In a magazine? A movie? Oh wait, you remember! You've seen it in your dreams!

You try it on, and for a moment, you are enraptured: Life is complete! You will forevermore be the one envied at every party for what you are wearing. But then you do a reality check. The color, now that you are thinking clearly, doesn't suit you at all. The fabric is a little more synthetic than you'd like. The waist is actually too small, and wouldn't it be way dreamier with a wider, kimono-esque sleeve? And a different neckline? Not to mention longer, with more flare at the hemline, and some shirring at the bust? And again, you realize, this scenario is all too familiar: You know exactly what you want and you've got the sewing skills to pull it off, if only there weren't that one, teensy-weensy recurring problem: the pattern. Even the best seamstress needs one, but a pattern for the vision in your head just plain does not exist. Yet.

It's no secret that sewing is the new hot craft — more people are sewing now than ever before. Sooner or later, most stitchers want to tackle more advanced projects, namely clothing. This is where the trouble sets in. The problem isn't in the sewing, but in the pattern. Unfortunately, finding the perfect pattern for what you want to make can be anywhere from difficult to impossible. The sewing pattern industry, with a few noteworthy exceptions, doesn't seem to be quite in sync with the surge in modern sewers — sewers who want to make clothes that look like what they might buy at their favorite retailers.

The new generation of indie seamstresses is watching Project Runway, reading ReadyMade and Selvedge, and shopping at small boutiques selling one-offs by local designers. You know what you want to wear but can't always find it on a rack. You know how to sew but don't see patterns that resemble what you want to make. You do want to make a unique look based on your own personal taste, influences, and body type. And you need the freedom to create patterns as your taste evolves over time. What's an intrepid stitcher to do?

Well, the obvious answer is to learn how to make your own sewing patterns! Patternmaking is an age-old art form, which, at its core, is extremely simple. The clothing we currently wear tends to be relatively simple from a patternmaker's point of view. We don't wear finely tailored suits or dresses with princess seams, darts, and gussets. We wear simple knit tops, skirts, loose dresses, basic woven shirts, and pants. Their style tends to come from details, as opposed to dramatic or complicated cut and construction. Thus, it's quite possible to teach today's sewers how to make their own patterns. And this book does just that in a fun, concise volume for the modern girl.

There are other reasons, besides the lack of selection, to learn how to make patterns. For example, three little letters: F-I-T. Fit can make or break a look. Whether shopping for clothing or patterns, finding ones that fit is frequently a struggle. This is because clothing manufacturers can't possibly make clothes to fit every conceivable body height, width, shape, and every combination of those factors. So they aim for the middle ground and hope for the best. Commercial sewing patterns have the same problem, though they do offer the possibility of simple adjustments, like altering length or combining two sizes in different areas to approximate your body. But only building a pattern from scratch, around your own personal set of numbers, can ultimately result in a garment that fits like it was made for you. Because it was!

Basic Shirt

There's nothing more classic than a woven collared shirt. Whether it's a menswear-style button-down, a Western cowboy-inspired number, or a girly, ruffly blouse, woven shirts are infinitely versatile and wearable. Feel like making one? You've got lots of options for fabric: cotton shirtings, quilting prints, eyelet, voile, chambray, pinwale cord, really almost any light- to medium-weight woven will do!

Let's talk for just a minute about functional ease. Whereas a knit shirt can be exactly the same measurements as (or even smaller than) your body, woven shirts require a bit of breathing room. Because they don't stretch, woven fabrics can't move and bend with you the way knits do. So giving yourself a little space between your skin and the garment will allow you to reach, twist, laugh, and dance without fear of busting a stitch! Functional ease subsequently will be referred to as FE.

Measurements
Bust circumference + FE* (at the fullest point)
Waist circumference + FE*
Distance from HSP (High shoulder point) down to waist
Hip circumference + FE* (where you want the bottom of the shirt to be)
Length of shirt (HSP to hem)
Shoulder width + 1/4" FE**
Neck width**
Front neck drop
Sleeve length
Bicep circumference + 1/4" FE**
Wrist circumference + 1/4" FE**

*For each of these horizontal measurements, divide by four. These quarter measurements will be the ones you use for drafting the pattern. They will be referred to as quarter-bust, quarter-waist, and quarter-hip.

**Divide these measurements by two. These will be referred to as half-shoulder, half-neck, etc.

Determining your armhole measurement
When measuring the armhole of a garment, we usually just measure a straight line (even though the actual armhole is a curve) from the point where the shoulder seam intersects the sleeve, down to the point where the underarm seam meets the side seam. A standard armhole measurement for a medium-sized fitted T-shirt is about 7" to 7 1/2". To figure out what will be best for you, grab some favorite tops from your closet and measure the armholes. If they tend toward 6 1/2-7", go with 6 3/4", and likewise if they're bigger. Or if you know your shirts always feel as if they're pinching at the pits, or conversely if you usually feel as if you're swimming in them, add or subtract an inch accordingly. You'll fine-tune this once you make a muslin and try it on, so for now just take your best guess.

Determining your front neck drop and neck width
For this woven shirt we will be making a collar, and your neck drop and width will determine the placement of the seam where the collar is attached to the shirt. Therefore, the drop should be a fairly traditional placement, right at the base of your neck where your two clavicle bones meet. On me, that's at about 3 1/2" down from my high shoulder point (HSP). The width should be the distance between your two HSPs. On me, that's about 7". You can play around with more adventurous collars and seams when you've got a little more experience, but for now let's just keep it simple!

For the rest of this how-to, download the PDF here.

Looking for more patternmaking inspiration? Check out a copy of Design-It-Yourself Clothes to kick-start your new wardrobe. Thanks to Cal Patch and the good folks at Potter Craft for sharing this project with us.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide

How-Tuesday: Frog Suit From Wacky Baby Knits

2009-09-29T15:00:00-05:00

Well, I'm not sure I really need to say anything once you've seen this baby in a frog suit. The cutie patootie inspires me not only to knit, but to reproduce. Since Halloween is only a month away, we picked this week's How-Tuesday according to our early childhood indoctrination program. Alison Jenkins' lovable and cuddly creations introduce your toddler to a lifetime of handmade costumes. You can download the project as a PDF here, or follow along below.

Alison's book, Wacky Baby Knits, has projects to suit any baby's style. With knitted mohawks, biker jackets, and monsters, I think I could find reasons year-round to play dress-up with the little ones. Can't get enough of the gleeful masquerade of children? Cast a vote for your favorite Etsy Halloween kids item here!

Purchase Wacky Baby Knits

One of the many joys of having babies is that you can dress them up in any way you choose. Sadly, this state of affairs is temporary: in a few short years they will have as many opinions about what they will and won't wear as you do. Try getting a three-year-old to wear a cute cow suit if he or she doesn't want to! Take full advantage of the opportunity while it lasts, using this book as your guide and inspiration.

This all-in-one outfit will keep baby snug as a bug — or amphibian — in a rug from head to toe, and the hood even has soft knitted frog eyes. Rows of knitted bobbles along the sleeves and hood add an irresistible tactile texture to the knit, but because the yarn used is very soft the bobbles won't feel lumpy against your baby's skin.

You Will Need
Pair of size 3 (3.25mm) needles
Pair of size 6 (4mm) needles
Size 3 (3.25mm) circular needle
5 (6:7) 2 oz (50g) balls light worsted knitting yarn in color A (green)
Oddment of light worsted knitting yarn in color B (white)
Oddment of light worsted knitting yarn in color C (black)
Tape measure
Stitch holders
Bodkin
17 small green buttons
Small amount of soft toy filling, approximately 1/2 oz (15g)

To Fit Sizes
0-3 months: chest 16 in (41cm)
3-6 months: chest 8 in (46cm)
6-12 months: chest 20 in (51cm)

Gauge
22 stitches and 30 rows to 4 in (10cm), mesured over stockinette stitch, using size 6 (4mm) needles

Special Abbreviation
mb — make bobble
Work to bobble position; purl into the next stitch, then knit into the same stitch. Repeat once more, then purl once. You will have made five extra stitches. Use the tip of the left-hand needle to pass the first four extra stitches over the last to form the looped bobble. Work to next bobble position, and repeat.

Back

LEGS (MAKE 2 ALIKE)
Using size 3 (3.25mm) needles and col A, cast on 16 (16:18) sts.
Work in k 1, p 1 rib for 1 1/4 in (3cm), ending with a rs row.
Increase row with ws facing: rib 4 (2:3), then *m 1, rib 1 st; rep from * to last 3 (2:2) sts, m 1, then rib to end. (26 [29:32] sts.)
Change to size 6 (4mm) needles, and cont in st st until work measures 8 (8 3/4:9 1/2) in [20 (22:24)cm] from cast-on edge, ending with a ws row.
Transfer sts to a stitch holder.

BODY
Join legs to form body: work across sts from one leg, then work sts held on stitch holder from the other leg.
Cont in st st on these 52 (58:64) sts until work measures 8 1/2 (9:9 1/2) in [22(23:24)cm] from the crotch join, ending with a ws row.

RAGLAN DECREASE
Bind off 3 sts at beg of next 2 (2:2) rows **, then dec 1 st at both ends of next and every alt row until there are 18 (20:22) sts, ending with a ws row.
Leave sts on a stitch holder.

Front

Work as back to **.

DIVIDE FOR FRONT OPENING
With rs facing, begin raglan shaping as follows: dec 1 st, knit 18 (21:24) sts, turn, and place the rem sts on a stitch holder. Work 1 row in st st. Cont dec 1 st at same end of next and every alt row until there are 11 (12:15) sts.
Work 1 row in st st.

NECKLINE SHAPING
With rs facing, dec 1 st, work to last 2 sts, dec 1 st. Dec 1 st at neck edge of next 3 (4:5) rows, while continuing the raglan shaping at the armhole edge. There are now 5 (4:6) sts. Dec 1 st at armhole edge only on rs rows until 2 sts rem.
Place rem 2 sts on a stitch holder:
Slip the sts for the right front from the stitch holder onto your needle, and rejoin col A.
Bind off the first 6 sts, then cont following pattern instructions to make the right front section, remembering to reverse the raglan and neckline shapings.
Place rem 2 sts on a stitch holder.

Sleeve (make 2 alike)

Using size 3 (3.25mm) needles and col A, cast on 26 (29:31) sts.
Work in k 1, p 1 rib for 1 1/4 in (3cm) ending with a rs row.

INCREASE ROW WITH WS FACING
First size: rib 3, then *m 1, rib 3; rep from * to last 2 sts, inc 1 st, then rib to end. (34 sts.)
Second and third sizes: rib (3:4), *inc 1 st, rib 3; rep from * to last (2:3) sts, inc 1 st, rib to end.
There are now 34 (38:40) sts. Change to size 6 (4mm) needles and begin patt as follows:
Cont in st st for 4 rows.
Next row (bobble row): with rs facing, work 4 (6:7) sts *mb, work 4 sts; rep from * to last 0 (2:3) sts, k0 (2:3).
Work 5 rows, then work bobble row, keeping bobbles in same position vertically.
Cont in patt.
Inc 1 st at both ends of 2nd (2nd:2nd) row, then at both ends of every foll 6th (10th:10th) row until you have 40 (44:48) sts. Work 5 (7:9) rows.

RAGLAN DECREASE
Bind off 3 sts at beg of next 2 rows, then dec 1 st at both ends of next and every alt row until 6 sts remain.
Leave rem 6 sts on stitch holder.

Hood

With rs facing, using size 6 (4mm) needles and col A, pick up and knit 10 (12:14) sts up right front neck, k across sts on front and first sleeve stitch holders, across back neck work *k 1, m 1; rep from * to last st, k 1, k across sts on second sleeve and front stitch holders, then pick up and k10 (12:14) sts down left front neck. (71 [79:87] sts.)
Purl 1 row.
Cont in st st until hood measures 7 (7 1/2:8) in [18(19:20)cm], ending with a ws row, then bind off 22 (26:30) sts at beg of next 2 rows.
With rs facing, cont on rem sts and patt as follows:
Cont in st st for 4 rows.
Next row: with rs facing, work 3 (3:4) sts *mb, work 4 sts; rep from * to last 4 (4:4) sts, mb, work to end.
Work 5 rows, then work bobble row, keeping bobbles in same position vertically.
Cont in patt for a further 4 1/4 (5 1/4:6) in [11 (13:15)cm], ending with a ws row.
Bind off all sts, and fasten off securely.
Using a bodkin and col A, join hood seams.

Button band and buttonhole band for front opening and hood

Using a size 3 (3.25mm) circular needle, pick up and knit 17 (19:19) sts along right front opening to neck, then 42 (46:50) sts along right side of hood to seam, 27 (27:27) sts across hood center front to other seam, 42 (46:50) sts down left side of hood, and 17 (19:19) sts along left front opening.
Work in k 1, p 1 rib for 3 rows.
Buttonhole row: Rib 3 sts, *ym, k2tog, rib 4; rep from * another 2 times, then rib to end.
Rib for 3 more rows, then bind off all sts in rib, and fasten off securely.

Button band and buttonhold band for leg opening

BUTTON BAND
With rs facing, using size 3 (3.25mm) needles and col A, pick up and knit 45 (51:57) sts evenly along inside leg edge of back to crotch, beg at the ankle rib of the left leg then pick up and knit 46 (52:58) sts from crotch to the edge of the right ankle rib. Work in k 1, p 1 rib for 7 rows, then bind off all sts in rib and fasten off securely.

BUTTONHOLE BAND
With rs facing, using size 3 (3.25mm) needles and col A, pick up and knit 45 (51:57) sts evenly along inside leg edge of front to crotch, beg at the ankle rib of the right leg, then pick up and knit 46 (52:58) sts from crotch down to the edge of the left ankle rib. Work in rib for 3 rows.
Buttonhole row: Rib 4, *ym, k2tog, rib 5 (6:7); 3 more rows, then bind off all sts in rib, and fasten off securely.

Eyes and eyelids (make 2 of each)

Using size 3 (3.25mm) needles and col A for eyelids (col B for eyes), cast on 18 (24:30) sts. Purl 1 row, then cont in st st for 6 (10:12) rows.
Next row: *k 1, k2tog; rep from * to end. Break off yarn, then draw it through the rem sts, pull together tightly, and fasten off securely.

Nostrils (make 2)

Using size 3 (3.25mm) needles and col A, cast on 15 (18:21) sts.
Purl 1 row, then cont in st st for 6 (8:10) rows.
Next row: *k 1, k2tog; rep from * to end. Break off yarn, then draw it through rem sts, pull together tightly, and fasten off securely.

Sewing together

Join raglan, sleeve and side seams. Weave in all loose ends neatly on the reverse.
Overlap the bands and sew the lower edges to the bound-off edge at the center front opening.
Sew buttons onto lower left front side of button band to correspond with buttonholes.

SEWING TOGETHER EYES AND EYELIDS
Join eye seam, and stuff each with a small amount of toy filling. Sew the cast-on edges to the hood at the end of the seam near the crown. Take an eyelid, and wrap it around the back part of the eye, so that the cast-on edge forms the lid around the eye. Sew the other edge to the hood around the base of the eye.

SEWING TOGETHER NOSTRILS
The cast-on edge represents the opening of each nostril; sew the other edge to the hood close to the seams at the front.
Weave in all loose ends neatly on the reverse. Finally, use a small amount of yarn in col C to make large stitches at the front of each eyeball to represent pupils.

Looking for more knitted baby costumes? Check out a copy of Wacky Baby Knits for the cutest inspiration you'll ever need. Thanks to Alison Jenkins and the good folks at Perigee for sharing this project with us.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide

How-Tuesday: Like-New Shoes From Crochet Adorned

2009-09-22T16:00:00-05:00

When my fingertips begin to get antsy, overambition tends to get the best of me. Weeks and weeks later I end up with a bag of abandoned crochet squares in my closet, yet no afghan under which to cuddle and drink hot tea. Linda Permann's book, Crochet Adorned, is a bounty of pretty crochet projects that prove crafting satisfaction is attainable for all! With cheerful ideas to spruce up old cardigans, tote bags, and aprons, this autumn will be the season to refashion, renew, and renovate. For this week's How-Tuesday, Linda answers some of our questions on inspiration and design, and shares her Like-New Shoes project for those extra bits of handspun yarn you've been saving in your basket.

Purchase Crochet Adorned

There is something so simple about sitting down with a hook, some yarn, and an idea. And yet the thought of making something to wear can be so intimidating! Notions of shaping stitches to fit your body, making sure you have the precise gauge, and wondering if you even measured yourself correctly in the first place can turn off beginners — and plenty of more experienced crafters! — from making crocheted garments.

Last summer I started thinking about ways to incorporate crochet into my wardrobe that took away the intimidation factor. I kept seeing crochet details in fashion and thinking, "I could do that... better." There's something about having a hand in making your garments that gives them longevity — for me, no store-bought piece can compete. So I started to design embellishment projects from simple trims to vintage-inspired, motif-based yokes and collars, and from there, this book was born. I hope you find the projects quick to work, inexpensive, and fun to make.

Interview With Author Linda Permann

Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do.
My name is Linda Permann and I'm a crochet and craft designer and writer. I design crochet patterns and craft projects, write articles on techniques, and write a crochet advice column for Crochet Today, among other things.

What draws you to crocheting and how did you get started with it?
I think I've just always liked to work with what I have and do things as I go, and crocheting lends itself to both of those practices. My grandma taught me to crochet when I was little but I really never went anywhere with it, and then in 2001 I went to the Knit Out and picked up some crochet pamphlets — no idea why I decided to do crochet instead, but there you have it. I mainly wanted to make some hats and scarves for myself and then I started making more for friends, coworkers, etc.

Where do you find inspiration for your creative process?
Everywhere! For this book I looked at a lot of fashion and ready-to-wear catalogs — not only at crocheted things, but knitted, sewn, machine produced, etc. I find a lot of inspiration by reading blogs and in real life attention to little details. I work at a yarn shop and I love seeing what people are making and touching all of the yarn. Yarn is probably the #1 thing that inspires me; even if I have a somewhat predetermined idea of what I want to make in my head, the yarn tells me the best way to make it.

What's next for you?
More writing, more crafting, and more crochet designing! Although I can't divulge the particulars, let's just say I don't see myself stopping anytime soon.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Check out my blog at www.lindamade.com and, if you make something from or inspired by the book, please add it to my Crochet Adorned Flickr Group.

Like-New Shoes

Give your tired shoes a mini-makeover with these easy trims. They work up so quickly that you'll be able to coordinate a pair with every outfit. You'll only need a tiny bit of yarn for each shoe, so try working with odds and ends you have on hand.

Skill Level
Beginner

Finished Measurements
The completed Chain Stitch Trim measures 1/8" (3mm) wide; the length of the trim is determined by your shoe. One completed Ruffle Trim measures 3/4" (2cm) wide by 3 1/4" (8.5cm) long.

Materials
Yarn
Size D-3 (3.25mm) crochet hook (for ruffle trim) or size F-5 (3.75mm) crochet hook (for chain trim), or size to obtain gauge.
Yarn needle
Shoes to embellish (look for a pair that's easy to sew through)
Hand-sewing needle
Sewing thread to match yarn
Fabric glue (optional)

Gauge
Gauge is not critical for this project. Refer to the finished measurements, and make one ruffle or one length of chain to check gauge.

Ruffle Trim (Make 2)
With yarn A and a size D-3 (3.25mm) hook, ch 14.
Row 1 (WS) Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across, turn — 13 sc.
Row 2 Ch 2 (counts as first hdc), (3 dc, hdc) in first sc, *hdc in next sc (hdc, 3 dc, hdc) in next sc; repeat from * across.
Fasten off. Weave in the ends.

Note: If you'd like a longer ruffle, work a longer foundation chain. Make sure to work a multiple of 2 chain stitches.

Attaching Ruffles
Sew one ruffle to the toe of each shoe. Use a sharp needle to sew the foundation chain loops to the front edge of the shoe opening, then tack some of the ruffles in place from the inside of the shoe. Knot off the thread and secure the end with a dab of fabric glue, if desired.

Chain Stitch Trim
Make two foundation chains, each about 1" (2.5cm) longer than the opening of your shoe. Fasten off the yarn and weave in the ends.

Place one end of the chain trim at the instep of the shoe and sew the trim around the entire edge. When you reach the beginning of the trim again, overlap the excess 1" (2.5cm) and securely sew the trim in place. You can also try gluing the trim in place, but be sure to test the glue first to make sure it won't discolor the shoe or yarn.

Looking for more ways to embellish with yarn? Check out a copy of Crochet Adorned for delightful inspiration. Thanks to Linda Permann and the good folks at Potter Craft for sharing this project with us.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide

How-Tuesday: Headboard From Wallpaper Projects (Giveaway too!)

2009-09-15T16:44:00-05:00

My favorite part of visiting historical homes is hands down, the wallpaper. Ornate, textural, colorful, geometric, gilded, florid — these are the kinds of patterns that transform a space into a realm. For this week's How-Tuesday, we're sharing a project from Wallpaper Projects, as well as general instructions for installing wallpaper yourself. In Derek and Lauren's book, innovating with this inspiring material to produce brooches, lampshades, medicine cabinets, and room dividers brings instant design to any element in your home. The Headboard how-to below is an easy way to customize your bedroom with the option to change it up every few years. And since even Marimekko has jumped on the wallpaper bandwagon, it's time to take paste into our own hands.

Do you use wallpaper in unusual ways? Comment on this post and you'll be eligible to win a free copy of the book, or pick one up for yourself here.

Why Wallpaper?
It's beautiful. Yes, this is certainly true. If you've spent any time browsing home decor books or magazines, or clicked around on any design blog worth its salt, you've undoubtedly noticed all the gorgeous contemporary and traditional wallpapers making their way back into the mainstream of interior design. Artists and designers of all stripes are not only rediscovering wallpaper, they're reinventing it. Aided by remarkable innovations in digital printing, design, and distribution, many manufacturers are exploding traditional expectations of what wallpaper can be, offering consumers all sorts of new and exciting options — from types of paper and ink to alternative eco-friendly materials to affordable custom designs.

It's versatile. Sure, paint is great, but it's got nothing on wallpaper. Even with 101 different shades of white to choose from, painting a room can only get you so far. Wallpaper, on the other hand, can (and will) completely transform a space. Depending on what pattern, motif, or colorway you choose, applying wallpaper to even just a single accent wall can make a room feel tall, wide, small, big, bright, dark, fun, serious, quiet, loud, funky, classic...whatever look or mood you're going for, there is a perfect paper out there for you.

It's easy and fun. Forget all your preconceived notions about wallpaper. It isn't messy, or hard to install. It's not some sort of interior design tattoo that you'll be stuck with forever. The papers and adhesives on the market today have made the whole process much safer and more forgiving, and the results more durable yet even easier to remove. If you make a good game plan and use the right tools, we bet you'll be pleasantly surprised at how easy wallpapering actually is.

It's great on and off the wall. Every wallpaper project is different, but one thing they all have in common is leftover scraps. With a bit of crafty ingenuity you can turn what would normally be inevitable waste into a unique opportunity to beautifully accent different areas in your home, create personalized stationery and accessories, revamp tired pieces of furniture, create frame-worthy works of art, make one-of-a-kind gifts...the options are endless. We've included more than 50 fun projects in this book to get your creative juices flowing.

Headboard

Since we've never found a headboard we were in love with, we spend an inordinate amount of time in the morning fluffing up our pillows to conceal as much of it as possible. Crafting one out of wallpaper opens up all kinds of possibilities: Not only can you play with colors and patterns, but you can cut out shapes as ornate or simple as you'd like.

Materials
Large piece of scrap paper for template
Wallpaper

Tools
Measuring tape
Pencil
Scissors
Blue painter's tape (optional)
Wallpaper paste
Brush or paint roller
Plastic float
Sponge

1. Measure the width of your bed and decide how tall you want the headboard.
Standard Bed Widths

Single: 39"
Double/Full: 54"
Queen: 60"
King: 76-78"
California King: 72"

2. To create a template, photocopy or trace our Headboard template or draw your own template design on scrap paper. To ensure symmetry, make the template for one half of the headboard and flip it over so that it mirrors itself when tracing out your design. You can download a PDF of the Headboard template here.

3. Cut out the template from the scrap paper with scissors, and trace the design onto your wallpaper of choice. If your design is wider than two sheets of wallpaper, you may need to align and piece three sheets together. We suggest lining up the seams and temporarily taping them into one piece with blue painter's tape before tracing and cutting out your design.

4. Cut out your wallpaper headboard, and apply the paper to your wall as you would normal sheets of wallpaper. See general instructions for applying wallpaper below.

Applying Paper to Your Walls

Two sets of hands are better than one when it comes to handling long expanses of wet paper, so it's a good idea to invite over a friendly helper.

Pasting
First, read the instructions that came with your paper. Different manufacturers may recommend different methods for installation. Prepasted papers, for example, just require a quick soak in water. But in general, the following instructions pertain to most situations. Cover your table with a plastic drop cloth and have all your tools within easy reach. Then, start pasting.

1. Lay your wallpaper strips on top of one another, pattern-side down, with the first piece on top of the pile. (When you spread the paste over the edges of the top piece, it'll go directly onto the back of the next piece, which means less mess and no wasted paste.)

2. Pour a nice, big glob of paste into a paint tray.

3. Use either a wallpaper brush or a paint roller to apply an even layer of paste to the entire back of the paper, working from the center out to the sides. It's especially important to make sure you get the edges, which will prevent your seams from showing. Because nobody wants their seams showing, right?

Booking
Once you have full paste coverage on your strip, it's time to book it. "Booking" your paper involves laying pasted sides together — which seems quite counterintuitive but ends up saving you space and ensuring better adhesion of your wallpaper. This process will allow the paste to activate and be properly absorbed by the paper. Rest assured, it will pull apart just fine.

1. With your first strip pasted-side up, grab one end and bring it toward the center of the strip, creating a very loose fold. Without creasing the paper, place the end down so the pasted sides are together.

2. Bring the other end toward the center and place it so that the cut lines are butting — thereby essentially folding your strip into thirds.

3. Now you can fold the strip onto itself a few times (no creases!) and set it aside while you paste up the next one. You can leave booked pieces in a plastic bag for up to half an hour without any problems. We generally paste and book 4 to 5 pieces at a time.

Hanging It Up
This is it. The moment of truth — applying the pasted paper to your wall. This is also when you discover wallpapering is much easier than you imagined it would be. The paper is totally manageable, the paste surprisingly forgiving... Congratulations, you are minutes away from enjoying a magically transformed room.

1. Use a level and a pencil to lightly mark a plumb (perfectly vertical) line on your wall where you want to put up the first piece of wallpaper.

2. Unfold the top half of your first pasted-and-booked strip and, beginning at the top of the wall, line its edge up with your plumb line.

3. As you line up the edge, press the paper against the wall and begin smoothing it down with your smoothing brush.

4. Once you reach the middle of the wall, unfold the bottom half of the paper and continue lining up the edge with the plumb line, smoothing as you go. You may notice a few small air bubbles, but don't panic — those will disappear as the paper dries. If there are a number of large air bubbles that are making you nervous, gently pull the paper away from the wall and smooth it down again.

5. With the paper in place, nice and straight, smooth the entire strip down with your brush, working from the center outwards.

6. Repeat the same smoothing process with your plastic float. This will spread the underlying paste evenly out toward the edge of the paper and press your seams flush to the wall.

7. Grab your second pasted strip and repeat steps 2 through 6. But instead of lining up the edge with the plumb line, you're now matching the pattern of the wallpaper.

8. Once you've got a few pieces up, gently wipe down the paper with a damp sponge, especially at the seams, to remove any paste that may have made its way out onto the front.

9. Continue pasting up your strips until you reach the end of the wall.

10. Place your 4" broad knife at the top of the wall where it intersects with the ceiling or molding. Carefully slide the blade of your utility knife along the edge of the broad knife to create a clean, straight cut. Continue cutting in this manner until you've reached the end of the strip. Snap yourself off a fresh blade and move onto the next strip.

11. Repeat the same cutting process along the bottom edge of the paper where it intersects with the floor or molding.

Do you use wallpaper in unusual ways? Comment on this post and you'll be eligible to win a free copy of the book, or pick one up for yourself here. Thanks to Derek Fagerstrom, Lauren Smith, and the good folks at Chronicle Books for sharing this project with us.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide

This Is Not a Blog Post

2009-09-11T12:28:00-05:00

I have always been fanatical about narratives, but I hadn't really contemplated the possibilities of the book as an object until working at Special Collections in college. From 19th century miniatures to hand-printed Yolla Bolly aquatint etchings, books came to be portable sculptures, records, decor, specimens, shrines. As any fellow library-lover knows, the marginalia is often far more engaging than the original text.

In the spirit of reinventing our relationship with these ubiquitous artifacts, this post shares a few pages from Keri Smith's This Is Not a Book. With projects for personal contemplation and public experimentation, Keri's creation is meant to be vandalized with inspiration.

Keri provides some context for this unusual book with these encouraging words:

"As with all of my books, I wanted to create something that was a direct experience (as opposed to a passive one). You cannot sit and do nothing with it or it means nothing. I am interested in what is called an "open work," a work that is created by me but the final output is a result of the reader/user's experience of the world. Every person who comes to This Is Not a Book will have a different response to it. This is what I find beautiful about social mediums, seeing what other people come up with that I would never have thought of. I am also interested in pushing the imagination to a place it's never been before. Adults especially are not encouraged to use the imagination for fear of being thought of as crazy. I aim to change this the world over. The world would be a much better place if we could all dream more and challenge ourselves to be ridiculous."

How do you transform your everyday objects? Share in the comments below, and I'll pick a commenter at random to win a free copy of the book from Penguin Publishing. Or you can pick up a copy for yourself here.

Have you checked out Etsy's Books and Zines category lately?
You can find handmade publishing for style, satire, and poetry.

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