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Fabric
Crafting |
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| Button Sewing |
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When you are sewing a four-hole button on material, sew only two holes of the button at a time. Cut and knot your thread after sewing two holes, then sew the other two. This will keep your buttons on longer. If one thread comes loose, the other will hold the button. |
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More Button Options |
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The next time you sew a button on a fabric craft item, consider using DMC embroidery floss instead of thread. There is a large assortment of colors to choose from, and it can be less expensive than thread. |
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Sharpening Shears |
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If your regular shears or pinking shears are dull, here's a quick fix. Fold a sheet of aluminum foil in half and cut through the doubled aluminum a few times. Remember for best results have your regular shears professionally sharpened. |
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Stiffener |
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For a different option, if you want to stiffen the fabric of a craft project just a bit, try Krylon clear acrylic spray paint. Start with a small amount and test it on a scrap piece of fabric first. The Krylon will not discolor your fabric. |
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Hot Glue Strings |
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To get rid of hot glue strings, use a hand-held hair dryer. Use the hot setting and move it back and forth over the strings. They will soon disappear! |
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Removing Hot Glued Items |
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If you have hot glued something in the wrong place or position, use a hand-held hair dryer on medium or hot. Holding the hair dryer at an angle blow at the edge of the item to be removed and slowly pull the item away from the fabric as the glue melts. |
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Removing Big Drops of Hot Glue |
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First, wait until the glue dries. Carefully scrape off as much of the excess glue as possible. Take your hair dryer and melt the small amount of glue left. It should melt into your fabric and disappear. |
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Pre-Washing Fabric |
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Before decorating fabric, try to pre-wash it. Just remember not to use fabric softener or dryer sheets. |
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Dyeing Fabric |
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Be sure to use hot water when mixing dye. After dyeing your fabric, rinse it in warm water, then in cool water. |
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For Deep Colors |
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When dyeing fabric, the longer you leave the fabric in the dye, the darker your color will be. |
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Cotton Hard To Beat |
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The best fabrics for dyeing are 100 percent cotton or other natural fabrics. |
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Versatile Felt |
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Felt can be cut and decorated very easily. Use it to cover a book or photo album, to clothe a cloth doll, make a tree skirt, for ornaments, stockings and more. |
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Bulletin Board for Kids |
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Cover a cork board in your child’s room with felt and together with your child cut out felt letters, numbers, animals and shapes. Stick velcro on the back of the shapes and letters so they easily stick to the felt board. |
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Felt Is Great for Kids |
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Work with your children to make felt finger puppets decorated with glitter and wiggle eyes, a greeting card, a bookmark, or napkin rings. |
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Static in Glitter |
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To keep static electricity out of glitter or embossing powder, store it in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. |
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Say No to Dry Cleaning |
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If you have used a glue gun
on a fabric crafted item, do not have it dry cleaned. Wash it by hand in
warm water and lay it flat to dry. |