Homemade Crafts 

Homemade crafts are one of the best ways to say "I love you" for birthdays, Christmas, and for housewarning presents.

If you need a gift for a special person, or just need some time to unwind, make a creative handicraft.  Crafting is therapeutic when you are feeling stressed, and it also can yield a useful or decorative item.  Everyone has some measure of creativity, and with modern kits and patterns, a creative handicraft does not have to end in frustration.

If you have a sewing machine, you can learn to make a creative handicraft that will be a useful and welcome gift.  Potholders are a great beginning sewing project that can be made from scrap material or unwanted clothing and a bit of double-fold bias tape.  Here are the simple instructions for this creative handicraft.

Things You'll Need For This Homemade Craft:

• Scraps of material
• Bias tape/stripped material
• 8-by-8 inch quilt batting

1.  First cut two 8-inch (21 cm.) squares of fabric to be the front and back of the potholder.  Choose coordinating fabrics that match your kitchen for these pieces.  To make it easier, you can make an 8-inch square pattern from a piece of cardboard to use as a pattern.  Cut more 8-inch squares of any old fabric to stack for the filling or use quilt batting.  You want the stack of fabric squares to be thick enough to protect you from a hot pot, but thin enough to be flexible and able to be sewn through.

2.  Stack all layers so that the outer layers are facing to the outside and the filler layers are inside.  You can put a couple of large straight pins through all layers to keep them together.  Now sew right across the middle of the stack.  Sew across the middle again, perpendicular to the first stitching.  You will have divided the square into 4 squares.  Sew across the stack again from corner to corner, and again from the other corner to corner.  The layers should be joined and sturdy now.

3.  To bind off the raw edges of your creative handicraft, trim with scissors so that all the layers are again even at the edges.  Open out one folded edge of the  bias tape.  The wider bias tape might seem to be easier to use, but the narrow type makes a neater finished product.  

Starting at one corner, line up the edges of the tape with the edges of the potholder, and start stitching through all layers along the first fold line, which will be about 1/4 inch from the edge.  Stitch neatly and slowly, attaching the opened tape all around the edge until you reach the beginning corner.  Cut the bias tape off, leaving 3 inches, (7 cm.) to make into a hanging loop. 

4. Fold the bias tape over the raw edge so that the middle fold lines up with the outside of the potholder and the other fold is hiding the raw edge of the bias tape.  Now, for best results, hand sew the binding down, forming a loop on your creative handicraft when you get to the end.  

Watch This Video To Make a Christmas Potholder:

Concerning homemade crafts, potholders are one of the easiest and most useful gifts you can make.   

Go here to make an apron.

More Hobby & Homemade Crafts

Painting Clay Pots	Family Game Night	Craft Ideas For Kids
Kid Christmas Crafts	Free Dough Projects	Clay Pot Crafts
Kids Summer Crafts	Hobby Greenhouse	Rock Collecting
Homemade Aprons	Homemade Potholders	Home and Hobby

For More, Return To:  << Free Craft Projects Site Map

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Want To Find More Homemade Crafts? Use The Internet:

For more ideas use the Internet. To search the web, use the search box below.  It's easy, just enter the word or name you wish to find and the results will appear on your screen right on my website.  Use words that describe the kind of painting you desire.  If you want to do a lion face painting, enter:  Lion Face Painting.  It's that easy!  

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