DIY Box Set 12 Books: 1. Jewelry Making; 2. Candle Making ... · beginners to practice with.-Sliver...

JEWELRYMAKING

THEULTIMATEGUIDETOJEWELRYMAKINGFORBEGINNERS.

LEARNHOWTOMAKEJEWELRYWITHBEAUTIFULJEWELRYDESIGNS

Tableofcontent:Introduction

Chapter1-JewelryMakingTools

Chapter2-SuperUsefulTipsforJewelryMaking

Chapter3-JewelryMakingMistakestoAvoid

Chapter4-JewelryMakingTechniques

Chapter5-JewelryDesigns

Conclusion

Introduction

LEARNTOMAKEJEWELRYWITHBEAUTIFULJEWELRYDESIGNS.

Thereisnothingmoresatisfying,pridefulorpleasingthanmakingyourownjewelry.Itgivesyoutherighttochoosethedesignyouwantandalsothechoiceofbeads,whichyoufeeldescribesyourstylemore.

Beadstringingisabasictechniquethatmostjewelrymakersknow.Itisbettertokeepthingssimplewhenstartingjewelrymakingandthenasyoubuildyourconfidenceyoucangointothemorecomplexstageofjewelrymaking.LikeIsaidearlier,thedesignyouchooseistheoneyoufeeldescribesyourpersonality.

Jewelrymakingmightbealittletoughforsomepeople.Ifyouhappentobeoneofthem,donotworryyouarenotthefirsttobeinthatsituation.Maybeyouarehavingadesignblock.Iguaranteeyouthatafterreadingthechapteron“gettinginspirationforjewelrydesign”youwillbecomerefreshed.Youwillsucceedifyouputyourhearttoit.Alwaysremembertobeyourself,donottrytocopyothersbecausewhatworksforthemmightnotworkforyou.Besidesyouwillgetagreatersenseofaccomplishmentwhenyoudosomethingyourselfanditturnsoutgreat.

Inthisbook,wearegoingtocover:

-Tipsonjewelrymaking,

-Sometechniquesforjewelrydesign,sometoolsusedforjewelrydesignand

-Gettinginspirationforjewelrydesignandlotsmore.

Chapter1-JewelryMakingToolsThesearetoolsusedtoassistyouinmakingjewelrywithjewelrywireandbeads.Therearedifferenttoolsusedinjewelrymaking,butsincewearedealingwithbeginnersweareonlygoingtotalkaboutfewbasictools.

1.Thechainnosepliers:Thisisatoolthatisusedmostlyinjewelrymaking.Itislikeasecondsetofhands.Thechainnosepliersareusedforgripingwiresorcompressingacrimpbeadinthebeginningofajewelrymaking.

2.WireCutters:Likethenamethepurposeofthistoolistocutthestringsusedinjewelrymaking.Wirecutterscomeindifferentsizesandstrengths.Thetypesyouusedependonthethicknessofthewire/stringyouwanttouse.Wirecuttersareusedtocutheadpins,eyepinsandjewelrystringingwire.

3.Roundnosepliers:Thistoolissimilartothechainnosepliersbuttheyareverydifferent.Theroundnoseplierisusedtobendwires,makeloops,circles,curves,coils,spiralsetc.whensculptingwire.Itisatoolthatiscompletelyroundandusedmostlyforeverything.Also,youwillneedameasuringrulertomeasurethelengthofthewireyouwant.

4.Anvil:Isahardmetaltoolusedasabasewhenhammeringwire.Itcanbeusedtoflattenjewelrywire.

5.Flushcutter:Thisisatoolforcuttingwire.Whenused,onesideofthewireisflatandtheothersidepointed.

6.NylonJawpliers:Thishasasoftjawusedforgrippingandholdingjewelrycomponents.Anylonjawplierisusedtostraightenjewelrywireortosqueezewirecomponentstoflattenandhardenthem.

7.Bentchainnosepliers:Thistoolisusedforgriping,bendingandholdingwire.Itleaveslittlemarksonthewire.

8.Chasinghammer:

Itisusedtohardenjewelrywire.

WIRES

Therearedifferenttypesofwiresusedinjewelrymakingforexamplegold,silver,brassetc.Wiresaresoldindifferentsizes.Whenchoosingjewelrywires,itisadvisabletochooseonethatcomplimentsthedesignyouwant.Also,afinishedpieceofjewelrymustbeabletostandonitsownwhenworn.

-Copperandbrasswireareinexpensive,easilyfound,soft.Itagoodwireforbeginnerstopracticewith.

-Sliverwireisanothereasywiretoobtain;itischeapandeasytouse.

-Goldwireisreallyexpensiveandhardtoobtain

-Memorywireisastrongwirethatkeepsitsshapeevenafterbendingandtwisting.Itiseasiertocutwhenitisfirstheatedincandleflame.Itcanbeboughtinnecklace,braceletorringsize.Itdoesnotrequiretheuseofclasp.

Shapesofwires

Yesyoucangetdifferentshapesofwiresfromroundshapestosquareshapes.

-Roundwireisacommonwireshape,anditisthestandardshapeusedinmostwireworking

-Squarewireismostlyusedforaestheticreasonsbecausethecornersgiveadifferentlooktoafinishedpieceofjewelry.Itispreferablewhendoingbandingdesigns

-Halfroundwireisusedtoconnectpiecesofsquarewire.

-Twistedwireisformedfromeitherroundwireorsquarewire.Itisusedtoprovidetexturalandaestheticqualitiestowirework.

Wirethicknessismeasuredbygauge.Thelowerthegaugethethickerthewireisconfusingright.

Hereisalittleguideinchoosingwireforjewelrymaking:

-Itisadvisabletouse20Gwireforearrings,18Gwiresforbraceletand18or16Gfornecklace.

-16Ghalfhardwireisalittlestiffsoitisbettertobuythesoftwire.

-Lastly,dyedwiresorartisticwiresisnotrecommendedbecausethedyesmayhaveharmfulchemicalsthatdoesnotgowellinthehumanbody.

Softwiresaremostlyusedtomakespiralorroundshapesanditcanbeusedforanyapplicationlikewirewrapping.Althoughsoftwireiseasytouseithasitsowndisadvantagetoo.Itcannotmakesharpbendseasilyunlikehalfhardwirewhichmakessharpangles.Halfhardwireisgoodformakingcomponentsthatneedtoholdtheirshapes(clasp,jumprings,earwires,necklacefoundations,braceletforms,etc.)

JEWELRYMAKINGFINDINGSFindingscanbeclassifiedintothreeparts

-FunctionalJewelryfindings:Thisisthecomponentpartsormaterialsusedinmakingapieceofjewelrythatserveamechanicalfunctionsuchasattaching,joining,likingexampleincludescrewback,post,pinback,catchesandomegaclips.

-DecorativeJewelryfindings:

Thecomponentpartsormaterialsusedinmakingjewelrythatprovidesthebeautyofthepiece.Inhandmadejewelrythesearethepartsthatarenormallyproducedbythegoldsmithorsilversmith.Therearemanydecorativefindingscommerciallyproducedsuchascharms,festoons,filigrees.

-Hybridjewelryfindings:Thecomponentpartsormaterialsusedinmakingapieceofjewelrythatserveamechanicalfunctionsuchasattaching,joining,linking,butduetotheirnaturelendthemselvestobecomingdecorativefindingsaswell.Sotheycanbeeitherbothdecorativeorfunctionalfindingsexamplesarebeadcaps,braceletlinksandlocketbails.

Injewelrymaking,findingsarealsoimportant.Therearethebackbonesofjewelrymaking.Thisarepartsthatareusedtojoinjewelrycomponents(beads,wires,andchains)togethertomakeitcomplete.Exampleheadpins,eyepins,chains,jumprings,earwires,claspsetc.

-Headpinsareflatatoneendwhichisusedtoholdbeadsinplace,andtheotherendisfor“looping”.Forstartersitisrecommendedtogetthelongerones.

-Eyepinsareusedtoattachthingslikechains,wiresorevenmoreeyepins.Liketheheadpins,itisbettertobuythelongones.

-Jumpringsaremultipurpose.Youcanusethemtoattachanythingtoeverythingrangingfromeyepinstoheadpintochainsandsoon.Itcanbegottenindifferentsizes.Inaddition,theendsofthewiresarebenttogethernotsoldered.

-Earwiresaremadefromwires.Itisusedtoattachapieceofearringtotheear.

-Claspsarejewelryfastenersthatareusedtoconnectorendbraceletsornecklaces.

Chapter2-SuperUsefulTipsforJewelryMakingHerearesometipsthatwillhelpyougetstartedonjewelrymaking.

ChoosethetypeofJewelrythatyouareinterestedin.Therearemanysourcestochoosefromrangingfrombeadstometaltoclayandsoon.Itisimportantthatyouchoosetheoneyoufeelsuityouoryourpersonalitybecauseifyoujustchooseacertainareayoudonotfeelstronglyaboutthenjewelrymakingmightbecomefrustratingforyou.

MakesuretohavesomebasicskillsJustlikewhenyouareworkingonaprojectorlearningtorideabike,youhavetohavesomeknowledgeaboutit.Itisthesameforjewelrymaking.Somebasicskillsabeginnerwillhavearehowtocloseajumpringorputwireintheholeofbeads.Makesureyoureadaboutit,dosomeresearch,attendaclassandrememberalwaysbepatience.Evenifyoudonotgetitthefirsttime,keeptryingwhatisthatsayingaboutpracticemakesperfect.Okayyougetthepoint.

Havetherighttools

Youcannotfixacarwithouthavingtherighttoolsforit.Injewelrymaking,therearecertaintoolsyoumusthave(basictoolsforbeginnersistalkedaboutinchapter1).

Investingoodstoragecontainers

Makesuretogetgoodcontainersthatcanstoreyourbeads,pins,wiresinagoodway.

Knowwhatyouneed

Whenpurchasingsuppliesforjewelrymaking,youhavetoknowexactlywhatyouneedandthedifferentbetweentwoitemsthatmightlooksimilarbutaredifferentforexampleheadpinandeyepinorroundnosepliersandchainnosepliers.

DonotbeafraidAlwaystryoutnewthings,newdesignsevenifyoudonotgetitthefirsttime.Youcantakeclassesandthereareonlychancesforimprovement.MakesuretobePATIENCEatalltimes,Romewasnotbuiltinaday.

Chapter3-JewelryMakingMistakestoAvoid

Nooneisperfectinthisworld.Inthischapter,wearegoingtotouchonsomemistakesbeginnerjewelrymakersmake.Wealsotalkedaboutwhatyoucandotocorrectthesemistakesinthetablebelow:

MISTAKES CORRECTION

Wireloopsarenotuniform Youcanmarkyourroundnosepliers.Markwhereyouwanttheloopstobemade.Thiscanbedonewithamarker.

Pickingaprojectthatishardforyou

Makesuretoalwaysstartfromthebasics.Startbydoingsimpleprojectsandmakesuretohavehadenoughpractice

Cuttingwireincorrectly Learnhowtouseawirecuttercorrectly

Notusingapracticewirefirsttopracticecutting

Practiceonapracticewirefirstbeforecutting.Youcanpracticeoncopperorbrasswires.

Notfollowingthebasicsteps

Measureandcutthewiretothelengthyouwantthenmakealoopatoneendandthenstraighten.Thebasicstepisasimplestep

Jumpringisopenedbypullingthemapart

Usetwosetofplierstoholdtheringsothattheopeningisinthemiddle.Thenpulloneoftheplierstowardsyouandtheotherawayfromyou

Notreleasingyourgriponthewireafterbendingitagainstapeg

Whenyoureleaseyourgrip,thewirerelaxesbacktoitsnormalposition.Sobyreleasingyourgripafterbendingthewireagainstapegitenablethewirecomponentnottospringoutofshape.

Chapter4-JewelryMakingTechniquesTherearedifferenttechniquesusedinjewelrymaking.Thisisthechaptersomereadershavebeenlookingforwardtoo.Inthischapterwearegoingtotellyouhowtomakesomebasicjewelry.Asabeginner,youmightgetconfusedwithwhattostartwithnottoworrythestepshereareeasyandself-explanatory.

MAKINGA“P’LOOPWITHWIRE

1.Youneedawireandroundnoseplier

2.Usethepliertoholdasegmentofthewire(veryclosetooneendofthewire).

3.Holdthewirefilmywiththeplier.Thenpushthewirearoundthejawofthepliersasfaraspossibleuntilitcannotbepushedfurther.

4.Youwillnoticethattheloophasaverysmallopeningwheretheroundedwiredoesnottouchthestraightwirepiece.Toclosethesmallgap,repositionthewireinthepliersjawsothatyoucanandfirmlygraspthewire.

5.Pushthewiresothatthegapisclosed.The“P”shapedloopshouldhavestraightwiresegmentthatconnectstotherounded“P”.

CUTTINGJEWELRYWIRE

1.Makesuretoalwaysholdbothendsofthewirewhencuttingit.Itisadvisabletowearsafetyglasseswhencuttingawireincasethewiregoesflyingtoyourface.

2.Agoodtechniquetouseespeciallywhencuttingjewelrywirefromacoilorspool

istocutitinawaythattheflatsideofthecutremainsonthespoolorcoil.Ifitis

cutthisway,thewireyoucuttoworkwithwillhaveaflatendandalsoasharp

end.Alsorememberthatcuttingtoolsaresharpsoalwaysbecarefulwithit

especiallywhenlittlekidsorbabiesarearound.

BEADSTRINGING

1.Gatherthebeadsyouwanttouseandalsothepanofyourdesign.

2.Gatherthetoolsyouwillneedroundnosepliers,wirecutters,chainnose

pliers(flatnoseandchainnosepliers),endfindingsandaclasps.

3.Measurethelengthofthewireyouwantusingaruler.Thentrimitusingthe

wirecutter.

4.Startstringingonthefirstcrimp.Passoneendofthebeadingwireupthroughoneofthecrimps,positioningthecrimpaboutthreeinchesfromtheendofthewire.Makesuretopassitbackdownthroughthecrimp,pullingtheshortwireuntilasmallloopforms.Makesuretheloopislargeenoughtotakethejumpringyouwillattachlater.

5.Usethepliercrimpthathastheround/notchedindentationtograspthecrimpbutdonotsqueezedown.

6.Useyourfingerstoseparatethewirestrandssothatthetwowiresareparalleltooneanother.Holdthewiresaparttokeepthemfromcrossing.

7.Squeezedownthecrimpingplierstomakethefirstindentationinthecrimp.

8.Repositionthecrimpinthejawsofthepliers.Usingtheothercrimppliers

(thedouble-roundindentations).Turnthecrimpfromitsoriginalangle.

9.Squeezedownthecrimpingpliersagain.Makesurethecrimpissecured.

10.Trimtheexcessbeadingwirefromthewiretailusingwirecutters.

WIREWRAPPINGTECHNIQUE

Forthisyouneedbeadsandwire(about24G)ofyourchoosing.

1.Thetoolsneededarewirecutters,roundnosepliers,curvednosepliers,needlenosepliers.

2.Startbythreadingthebeads,andthenmakealoopusingtheroundnosepliersthensethecurvenoseplierstowrapthemainwirethattheroundnoseisholdingtwice.

3.Makesuretotrimtheremainingpieceofthewireend.Whentrimming,trimclosetothemainwireusingthewirecutter.Thenusethesmallneedlenoseplierstopressthecutend.

4.Afterdoingthefirstloop,slidethenextbeadthreadedonthewireagainstthefirstloop.

5.Tomakethesecondloop,holdthemainwirefirmlywiththeroundnosepliersuseyourfreehandtowrapthewireoverthetopjawoftheroundnosepliersandaroundtheportionofthemainwirethatisbetweenthepliersandthebead.Wrapthewiretwice.

6.Afterthesecondwrapping,trimthewireclosetothemainwire.

7.Threadthenextbeadandrepeatthestepsonloopingtillyoureachthelengthofbeadyouwant.

8.Thenattachtheclasp.Youcanattachitbyformingthenumber8withtheroundnosepliers.Placeitinoneoftheloops,andaloopformthestringofbeadsisplacedintheother.

9.Lastly,wrapthewirethreetimesaroundthefigure8andpressusingthepliersandthentrimoutexcesswire.

MAKINGNECKLACEWITHPOLYMERCLAY

Youwillneedclay,apastamachineorroller,cuttingtool(knife),waxpaper,jumpring,chain

1.Puttheclayintothemachineandrollittillyougetthedesiredsoftnessyouwant

2.Cuttheedgesoftheclaytogiveitasmoothlooking(thisisoptional)

3.Usinganobjectofyourchoosing,(youcanuseaclaymoldormaybeastickanythingyouwanttheclaytotaketheformof).

4.Wraptheobjectwithawaxpaperoranythingthatisokaytobeputintheoven.

5.Thenwraptheclayaroundtheobject.Useatoothpicktosmooththeends

6.Whenyoufeelyouhavegottentheshapeordesignyouwantremovethepaperandstick

7.Thenpainttheclaywithanycolorofyourchoosing

8.Usingaplier,openthejumpringandlooponeendofthechainthroughit.

9.Thenattachtheclasptothejumpringandplacethechainthroughtheopeningofthecoloredclay

10.Closethejumpringandyourchainisreadytobeworn.

MAKINGABRACELETWITHCHARMS(CHARMBRACELET)

Youneedaroundnoseplier,headpin,clasp,jumprings,beads,chain,anycharmofyourchoice

-Startbyopeningajumpring(rememberthecorrectwaytoopenajumpringwastalkedabout)

-Addacharmtoitthenaddthechainandclosethejumpring.

-Takeaheadpinandinsertitthroughthebead

-Usethepliertocutouttheexcesspinafterinsertion

-Makealoopusingtheroundnoseplier

-Addthechainviatheloopandclosetheloop

-Takeanotherjumpringandaddacharm

-Attachthejumpringandcharmtothechain

-Theninsertaheadpinthroughthepinandmakealoop

-Attachthebeadtothechain.

-Keepdoingthisuntilyoufeelyouhaveenoughcharmsandbeadsonthechain

-Toaddtheclasp,placebothonesideoftheclaspandtheendofthechainonajumpring

-Dothesamethingwiththeotherendoftheclasp

-Makesureyouclosethejumpring

-Youcharmbraceletisreadytowear.

MAKINGBANGLESWITHWIRE

Youwillneedwirecutter,glue,needlenosepliersandjumprings,anybeadsofyourchoice

-Takeawireandmeasureoutthesizeofyourwrist.Remembertoleaveexcessbecauseofthejumpringyouwillattachlater

-Aftercuttingthewirewiththewirecutter,straightenthewireoutwithyourhand

-Loopthewirethroughtheholeofthebeadofyourchoice.

-Makesuretokeepthewirestraightallthetime.

-Ifyouloopedmorethanonebead,putadropofglueinbetweenthetwobeadsandallowittodry.

-Toattachthecirclehook,usetheneedlenosepliertocurveuponesideofthewireattheend(justalittlecurve).

-Thenattachthehookandusingtheplieragain,pressdownonitsothehookdoesnotcomeoff.

-Towearthebangle,looptheothersideofthewirethroughthecirclehookandvoila!Youarereadytogo.

MAKINGWIREWRAPPEDPENDANT

Forthisyouwillneedwirecutter,roundnosepliers,wire(20-22G),chainnoseplierandanypendantofyourchoice

-Pulloutabout12inchesofwirefromthespool.Usingwirecuttertocutit.

-Thenrunthewirethroughyourfingers,thismakesthewireeasiertoworkit.

-Runthewirethroughtheholeofyourpendant,bringitupandusetheroundnosepliertotwistit.

-Trimtheexcesstail.Thenusingtheroundnoseplier,placeitontopofthewiretoformaloop.

-Usethechainnosepliertograsptheloop,useyourotherfreehandtowrapthewirearoundthestem.

-Trimtheexcesswire.Thenyouhaveyourwrappedpendantwithaloop.Youcanattachachaintothelooptowear.

SIMPLEWIRERING

Tomakeasimplewirering,youwillneed;wirecutters,hammer,eitherwoodoriron.

-Firststartbymeasuringandcutting17cmofwire.*ifyouwantabiggerringcutalongerwire.

-Thenyoucurluponeendofthewiretoformaswirlandcurltheotherendalittlebit.

-Thenusethehammertomakethewireflatfromtheswirltotheotherend.Getouttheitemyouwanttousetoformtheringlikeanailpolishorabottleneckandwrapthewirearoundit.

-Finally,aftergettingtheringofftheformglueittoanybaseofyourchoiceandyourringisreadytowear.

BEADNECKLACEWITHCHAIN

Todothisyouneedroundnosepliers,achainofyourchoice(gold,brass,sliveretc.),beads,wirecutter,eyepinandclasp.

-Thisdesigncanbedonebybeginnersitissimpleandquick.

-Firstplacetheeyepinthroughthebeadsthenbendit.

-Usingthewirecutter,createaloop.

-Thenloopthechainsontobothsidesoftheeyepinonbothsidescutthetopofthechainandattachtheclasp.Yournecklaceisreadytowear.

Chapter5-JewelryDesigns

Jewelrydesignsideascancomefromeverywhere.Youcangetanideawhenlookingatamagazine,differentcolorcombination,differentlogos,whenwatchingTVetc.Youcanmergetodifferentdesignsfromthingsaroundyou(rugpatternsetc.)tocreateyourowndesigns.Wearecreativeinourownway.Itiseasierforsomepeopletheycanjustgetvariousdesignsbylookingattheground.Whileothersneedtimetothinkgoplaces,lookatdifferentpatterns,color,readdifferentmagazines,togetsomesortofinspiration.

Todiscoveryourcreativityinjewelrydesigndependsonyou.Howyouviewfashion,whatinterestyou?Theredifferentpatternswhenitcomestojewelrymakingandtheseare:

1.RepeatThisisarepetitiveorrepetitionofapattern;black,white,black,white,blacketc.

2.Symmetrical:Apatternthatisidenticalonbothsides.Itisusuallystaredfromthemiddle.Itisamirroredtypepatternequaledinbalanceandproportion.

3.AsymmetricApatternthatisdifferentononesideandalsodifferentontheotherside.

4.RandomIsanunpredictablepattern,itisaimlessandirregular.

AJewelrystyleiswhatapersonthinksoffashionandsincefashionisuniquesoisaperson’sJewelrystyle.Itisusedtoexpressoneself.Itcanbeclassic,simple,big,sassy,fun,chic,festive,brass,current,boldorretro.Manythingsinfluenceyourchoiceofstylevarieties;options,choicesandinterestplayarole.

Wecannottalkaboutstyleswithouttalkingabouttrends.Trendscomeandgobutstyleremainsthesame.Trendandstylegoestogether.Whencreatingajewelrydesignthinkaboutthetrendsyouseetoday,trendsyoustillrememberfromthepastandalsothetrendsthatyouliketofollowitwillhelpwhencreatingajewelrydesign.

Anotherthingtoconsideriscolor.Coloriseverywhere.Inthesky,land,changeofseason,footballclubsarerepresentedbydifferentcolors.Soitisanimportantfactorinjewelrydesign.Alsothetypeofjewelryyoudesigndependsontheoccasionyouwanttouseitforchurch,work,movies,dinner,partiesetc.Addingbeadstojewelrydesigncangoalongway.Youmayhaveseenabeadsomewherethatyouthoughtwasniceandcandecidetoincorporateitintothedesignyouareworkingon.

Remembertospendwithinthebudgetyouhave.Thatiswhyitisalwaysgoodtoknowwhatyouwantinothertoavoidoverspendingorthetroubleofhavingtoreturnthingsbacktothestore.Donotgoandgetstuffsfromthestoreifthedesignyouwantisstillinthinkingprocess.Themoreyoucreatejewelrydesignsthemoreideaswillflowintoyourmind.

GETTINGINSPIRATIONFORJEWELRYDESIGN

Inspirationisallaroundus.Ifyoulookandobservecloselyyouwillnoticeit.Itcanbeabithardtonoticeifyouareoverwhelmed.Sothebestthingforyoutodoistotakeabreak,clearyourheadandtryandrelaxyourmind.Thereareseveralplaces,thingsetc.

youcanbeinspiredfromNature:Ifyouaresomeonewhoenjoysthegreatoutdoors.Youenjoylayingonthegrass,listeningtobirdsmakebeautifulmusic,youlovewatchingthenightstars,flowers,rocks,wateroreventheclearbluesky.Youcanfindajewelrydesignfromanyofthis.Inspirationforadesigncancometoyoufromthethingsthatsurroundyou.Itmightcomefromthewayabutterflyflew,howarockisformed,the

shapeofacloud,thecolorofaflower.

ColorAsdiscussedbefore,ifyoulookeverywhereyouwillfindcolor.Noticethateachcolorhasdifferentshadeyoucanfindthisbylookingatdifferentshadesofflowersorgoingtoacolorstoreandbrowsingaround.

Magazinesreadlotsofmagazinethattalkaboutdecorationrangingfromfashionmagazine,crafts,andwomen’s,tohomedécormagazines.Itwillspeaktoyouandgiveyouanideaorideasinajewelrydesign.

Substitute

likethenamesuggestsubstituteapartofadesignwithsomethingelselikeforexamplethinkwhatwillitlooklikewithwood,brass,gold,stone,concrete,plasticinsteadofjustplainsilver.Substitutionalsoworkswithcolorinsteadofusingthesamecolorforeverything,tryusingadifferentcolorormixturesofcolors.

Combine

Trycombiningideasthatdoesnotnormallygotogether.Trydifferentmaterialswitheachothertillyoufeelyouhavefoundtheonethatresonateswithyou.

AdaptSomethingyounoticedinnatureorsomewhere.LikeforexampleyouareinafestivalandthelanternusedareredandgoldChineselanternswhichsymbolizesboldandwealth.Ifthatresonateswithyou,youcancreateajewelrydesignsimilartothat.

EliminateTryremovingpartsofadesignforanotherdesign.Insteadofaddingmorestonehowaboutyouremovetheexcessunnecessaryparts.

ModifyTrymodifyingsomepartsofyourdesign.Likesmallportionsthatcontributetothedesigntrymakingitthebigportioninstead.

RearrangeTrysomethingdifferentbyswitchingthedesign,ideas,ormaterialsaround.Maybethewaythebeadsarearrangedorthestonestrydoingitinatotallydifferentway.

Whengoingoutforinspirationeitherviabus,walksoranythingremembertoalwayscarryanotebookandapentosketchorwritedowntheideasasitcomestoyousothatyoudonotforgetormakemistakeswhenyouarefinallyreadytostartyourdesign.Therearequitealotoftechniquesavailabletousouttherethatcangenerategoodideasforadesign.Itcancomewhenyoudonotevenexpectit.Also,rememberthatallthisthingstakepatiencewhilesomemightbeveryluckyintheinspirationdepartmentasitcomesquicklytothemothersmightnotsoremembernottogetfrustratedordownbecauseeventuallyitwillcometoyouandwhoknowsthatmightbethebestdesignyouhaveevermade.

ConclusionSo,inthisbookwehavetalkedaboutalotofthingstohelpyougetstartedwithjewelrymaking.Thekeytoeverythingisdetermination,soifyouputyourheartintoityouwilldefinitelysucceed.

Asabeginnerinjewelrymaking,itisimportantthatyoustartatthefirstlevelbecauseyouwilllearnalotofthingsdoyourresearch,readbooks,watchvideo,attendbeginner’sclassesandgetsomejewelrymakingsupplies.Thesearethingsyouneedtostartthejewelrymakingprocess.Justlikeanyotherhandworkjob,youhavetogetsomesuppliesfirst.Alwayshaveanideaofwhatyouthinkyouneedwhengoingshoppingforjewelrymaking.Makesureyouhavetherightnameofthetools,sothatyoudonotoverspendorbuythewrongthings.Thatiswhyitisadvisabletodosomeresearchfirstandalso,knowingthemeasuringofwhatyouwant.Likeeithera20Gwireor40G.Doingallthisthingwillhelpyoudevelopagoodfoundationinjewelrymaking.Learnhowtocutwirescorrectly,learnthepropertoolstousefortheoccasionforexampleyoucannotuseawirecuttertomakealoopyouhavetousearoundnoseplier.

Also,asyouprogressremembertoalwaysexperimentandtryoutnewthingsbecauseindoingso,youwillgainexperience.RememberthekeytoeverythingisPATIENCE.Soevenifyoutryoutanewideaoranewdesignforthefirsttimeanditdoesnotturnouttobewhatyouwantdonotgiveup.Keeptryingtillyougetit.Jewelrymakingisalotoffunonceyouunderstanditandyoualsogettocreateandwearsomethingthatdefinesyourpersonalitymore.Evenifyoufeelyouareoutofdesignsrememberwetalkedaboutdifferentwaysyoucangetinspiration.

GOODLUCK!!!

CANDLEMAKING

DIYCANDLES:THEULTIMATEHOMEMADECANDLESGUIDE-

CANDLEMAKINGFORBEGINNERS-MASTERMAKING

LUXURIOUS,NATURALCANDLESATHOMEFROMSCRATCH

BookDescription

Candlesarerelativelycheapandeasytofindonthemarkettoday.Becauseofthat,whywouldanyonewanttomakecandles?Forsome,thepleasurecomesfrommakingsomethingtheyfindmeaningfuloruseful.Otherswanttocreateahomemadeproducttogiftafriend,colleagueorfamilymember.

Thisguidewilltakeyouthroughthejourneyofmakingcandleswhileassumingyouareaneagerlearnerwithnopriorexperience.Topicsyou’lllearnaboutinclude:

Candletypes

Waxes

Wicks

Fragrancesanddyes

Howtomakecontainer,votiveandpillarcandles

Bytheendofthisguide,you’llbeabletomakethreetypesofcandlesandhavetheknowledgeandskillstomakemanymore.

TalbeofcontentIntroduction

Chapter1-CandleTypes

Chapter2-KnowingYourMaterials

Chapter3-SafetyFirst

Chapter4-MakingaContainerCandle

Chapter5-MakingVotiveCandles

Chapter6-MakingPillarCandles

Conclusion

Introduction

Candlesusedtobeavitalpartofpeople’slives,especiallybeforetheadventofelectricity.Peoplearoundtheworldwouldusecandlestoconductactivitiesduringthenight,whetherthatbereading,sittinguplatewithfriendsortakingcareofsickfamilymembers.Weneededlight,andstilldo,atalltimesoftheday.

Today,candlesarenotasnecessary,buttheyarestillacommonpresenceinourlives,whetheratbirthdayparties,weddings,holidayevents,finediningorprayers.Peoplelikecandlesbecauseofthecalmandcelebratorypresencetheyexude,becauseofthecuriosityorreflectivenessgeneratedbythedancingflamesandbecauseoftheirbeautifulcolorsandaromas.

Candlesarerelativelycheapandeasytofindonthemarkettoday.Becauseofthat,whywouldyouwanttomakecandles?Forsome,thepleasurecomesfrommakingsomethingtheyfindmeaningfuloruseful.Otherswanttocreateahomemadeproducttogiftafriend,colleagueorfamilymember.Regardlessofyourreason,havingonewillmakethisprocessworthwhile.

Inthisguide,we’llmakecandlesatarelativelylowcost,usingamixofappliancesyoualreadyhaveandthoseprovidedbytheindustry.We’llprimarilybemakingtheminthekitchen,orsomeplacewithastovetop.Thisguidewillassumethatyouareaneagerlearnerofcandlemakingwithnopriorexperience.Itwillprepareyouwithknowledgeaboutcandletypes,wax,wicks,dyesandotherbasicmaterialsneededforcandlemaking.

Ihopeyouwillenjoythisguideandfinditgivesyouhopetomakecandles.

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Chapter1-CandleTypes

Whenyouareaskedtoimagineacandle,whatisthefirstimagethatcomestoyourmind?Didyouimagealongstickofwaxsittingonasmallplatewithaflameatop?Orperhapsaroundsoap-likeobjectburninginacup?Candlescomeinavarietyofshapes,containersandstylesthatarecraftedwithdifferentmethods.Severalcommontypesofcandles,whichyou’llseeatweddings,restaurantsanddecorativeevents,arecontainercandles,votivecandlesandpillarcandles.Iwouldrecommendstartingwiththesetypesforthebeginnercandle-maker.

ContainerCandle

Thecontainercandleissuchnamedforitsuseofacontainer.Thewaxfillsthecontainerinitsentirety,takingtheshapeofthecontainer.Commontypesofcontainersforthiscandleincludeheat-resistantglassandceramicpottery,becausethesematerialstendtodowellunderexposuretoheat.Asmallwickappearsatthecenter,anditcanbeburntuntilallthewaxhasmeltedintoviscouspool.Theuseofglasswarethatprotectsandencapsulatesthefireofthecandlemakesthisagenerallysafe,steadytypeofcandletohavearoundthehouse,onshelves,ontablesandsoforth.

PillarCandle

Thepillarcandledistinguishesitselfasacandlethatcanburnwhilestandingonitsown.Thecandleusuallycomesinaround,cylindricalshape,althoughitcanalsocomeinsquareandhexagonalshapes.Itisgenerallymolded,meaningthatyoucarveandcrafttheshapeofthecandle.Aheat-resistantplateorstandisoftenplacedunderneaththiscandletocatchanymoltenwaxthatdripsoff,althoughifitiswickedcorrectly,thereshouldn’tbemuchdrip.

VotiveCandle

Thevotivecandleislikeahybridbetweenthecontainercandleandthepillarcandle.

Theyaregenerallysmall,shapedinasquareorcylinder,andriseabout2½inches,thelengthofabatterycell,and1½inchdiameter.Thevotivecandleisgenerallyplacedinacontainerlargerthanitself,sothatitburnsinitiallylikeapillarcandle,butthenappearsmorelikeacontainercandleasthewaxmeltstofillthecontainer.

ThecandlereceiveditsnamefromitscommonuseasavotiveofferinginChristianity.Traditionally,itisburntataltarsandchurchesasanactofprayer.Thecandlecanalsobeburntduringmanyotheroccasions,includingduringdiningandholidaygatherings.

Chapter2-KnowingYourMaterials

Thischaptercoversavarietyofmaterialsthatyou’llneedtoknowaboutbeforebeginningtomakecandles.Tomakethisasunintimidatingaspossible,thischapterisbrokenupintosectionsandwillcontainsubheadingsandsomepicturestoguideyourlearning.

Wax

Waxisthebasicmaterialformakingcandlesandvariesdependingonthetypeofcandleyouwanttomake.Themeltingpointofthewaxhelpsyoudecidewhichwaxissuitable,asdifferenttypesrequiredifferentmeltingpoints.Amongthethreetypesinthisguide,containercandleshavethelowestmeltingpointofwax,votivecandlescomeinsecondandpillarcandleshavethehighestmeltingpoints,whichisnecessarybecausetheyneedtostandontheirownandcannotbecomeamessypool.Thefollowingaretherecommendedmeltingpointsforeachtype:

130°F(55°C)orlowermeltingpointofwaxismostsuitableforcontainercandlesbecausemeltedwaxiseasilycontained.

129°F-142°F(53°C-60°C)meltingpointissuitableformakingvotivecandles.

134°F-147°F(56°C-63°C)meltingpointissuitableformakingpillarcandles.

Thesemeltingpointscanbefoundineachofthewaxmaterialsoutlinedbelow,althougheachwillalsohavespecificpropertiesthatsuitcertaincandletypesmorethanothers.

Paraffin

Paraffinwaxisthemostcommontypeofwaxusedincandlesaroundtheworld.Imagineasmallpillarcandle,andyou’lllikelyimagineacandlethatiswhiteandsmooth,madeofparaffinwax.Itissynthesizedbyindustrialmethodsofremovingthewaxysubstancefromunrefinedpetroleum.Theabundanceofpetroleum,comparedtonaturaloils,beeswaxoranimalfats,paraffinhasallowedparaffintoreachthepopularityithastoday.Paraffinisavailableatavarietyofmeltingpointsandisusedincandlesofalltypes.

Soy

Soywaxisavegetable-basedcandlewaxmadeasa“natural”alternativetotheparaffinwaxes.Theprocessofmakingthistypeofwaxiscoincidentallysimilartomakingtransfats:byhydrogenatingsoybeanoil.Soywaxesthataremadeof100%soybeanoilarebestusedascontainercandlesasaresultoftheirlowmeltingpoints.Theycanalsobeblendedwithotherwaxes,suchaspalmorparaffin,tocreatewaxblendsofavarietyofmeltingpoints,propertiesandfragrances,givingyoubenefitsfrommultiplewaxsources.

Palm

Palmisavegetable-basedcandlewaxandanothernaturalalternativeonthemarket,madeinthesamewayassoywaxesare.Palmwaxtendstohaveveryfirmqualities,makingitagoodcandidateforvotiveandpillarcandles,althoughsomecontainercandleshavebeenfoundtousepalmwaxaswell.Itstextureproducesalovely“feathered”designincandles.

Waxblend

Waxblendsarecommercialwaxproductsthatblendavarietyofwaxestocreateawaxwithspecificcharacteristicsandqualitiesforyourneeds.Waxblendswilloftenrecommendatypeofcandletobeusedforwillbelabeledwithmeltingpointandwillnoteitsfragranceretention,ortheabilitytoproducefragranceasthecandleisbeingburned.

Wicks

Whenyoulightacandle,youprobablyinstinctivelygoforthepaperyliketipthatsticksoutofthecandle.Thisiscalledthe“wick.”Itisthepartofacandlethatholdstheflamewhenyoulightitwithamatch.Inaway,thewickfunctionslikeapipe,carryingmeltedwaxtotheflametokeepitburningconsistently.Animproperlymadewickoronethatcarriesmeltedwaxinefficientlycancausetheflametoquicklygoout,ormoredangerously,toflareandburgeonwildly.

Therearethreemaintypesofwickthataresoldinstores.It’simportanttochoosetherightonetomatchthetypeofcandleyou’retryingtomake,aswellasthetypeofwaxyou’reusing.

Flat

Flatwicksareknittedorplaitedandmadefromthreefibrestrandsthathavebeenbraidedtogether.Thesetendtoburnconsistentlyandcurlintotheflame,allowingtheflametoburncleaner.Becauseoftheirabilitytoburnconsistently,theyaregreattousewithpillarortapercandleswheretheflameisexposedtothesurroundingair.Flatwicksmaycauseproblemswhenusedwithvotiveorcontainercandlesbecauseoftheircurlingproperties,whichcanleadtodamageofthecontainerthatholdsthecandleiftheflamecurlsintoit.

Square

Thesewicksarebraidedorknittedinsimilarstylesasflatwicksbutarelargerandroundertoallowthemtodelivermorefueltothecandle.Thesquarewickisthepreferredstyleforcandlesmadeofbeeswaxtopreventcloggingofthe“pipe,”whichismorelikelytohappenwhenmeltedbeeswaxistransmittedthroughsmallerwicks.Squarewicksarealsoagoodchoicewhenusingpalmorsoywax,asthesetypesofwaxareviscousandclogeasilyaswell.

Cored

Coredwicksusearigidmaterialfortheircore,oftenofzinc,tin,paperorcotton.Thematerialkeepsthewickstandinguprightsothattheflameremainsinplaceasitburns.Unlikeflatorsquarewicks,coredwickswillnotcurl.Asaresult,theyalsoburnlessconsistently;flaringordimmingalittlemorefrequentlythantheothertwotypes,buttheflamewillnotcurlintothecontainer.Forthisreason,coredwicksarepopularchoicesforcontainer,votiveandpillarcandles.Beforethemid-1970s,coredwickswerealsoofferedinlead.LeadwickshavebeenbannedintheUnitedStatessince2003,andstudieshaveshownthattinandzincaresafemetalsforburning.

Twisted

Twistedwicksaregenerallylow-qualitywickscomparedtothepreviousthree.Thisisbecausethewicksaremadebytwistingstrandsoffibertogether,resultinginalooseconstruction.Theyarenotrecommendedformoderatetolong-burningcandles,suchaspillar,containerorvotivecandles,buttheyarefrequentlyusedforthebirthdaycandles.Ifyou’veeverseenabirthdaycandlebefore,you’veseenhowquicklytheyseemtoburnandshrinkwithinaminuteofthecandle’sbeinglit.Theflameofthecandleisalsounsteady,flickeringandflaringattheslightestwind.Incontrast,theflamesofcandlesburntoncored,flatorsquarewicksaremoreconsistentandlessvulnerabletounintentionallyblowouts.

VesselsandHolders

Manycandles,especiallyofthecontainerandvotivetype,requireavesseltocontainthecandle.Pillarcandlesdonotrequireonebutcanbenefitfromthedecorativeappealwhichholdersandvesselsgivetotheirlook.Therearemanyoptionsofvesselsandholdersforeachtypeofcandle.

ContainerCandles

Forcontainercandles,you’llneedtochooseavesseltokeepyourcandlein.Glassandceramicareparticularpopularmediaforcontainercandlesbecauseoftheirheat-resistantproperties.Aconventionalpieceofglasswareforcontainercandleswouldbeanapothecaryjar,butyoucanevenuseusedtomato-pastejars,jellyjarsorothercontainersyoucangetatgrocerystores.Justbecarefultouseglasswarewithoutcracksandisstandardglass—meaningnotmixedwithplasticsorothermaterials.Sometimesthecontainerisaccompaniedwithaglassormetallid,butthisisnotnecessary.Othercommonoptionsincludesquareandhexagonalshapedglassorceramicjars.

VotiveCandles

Votivecandlesarecommonlyplacedinsmallpiecesofglasswareorceramic.Theseincludeglasscupsslightlytallerthanthecandlesthemselves.Votivecandlestendnottohavelidstraditionally,soastoallowtheflametobeseenclearerduringaprayeroroffering.

PillarCandles

Pillarcandlesdon’tneedglasswareorceramicholders,buttheycanusecandleholders,whicharestandsthataremadefromavarietyofmaterials.Standscanbemadeofceramic,glassorevenwood.Theirmainpurposeisdecorationandtheycomeindiverseshapes,frompedestalstotrident-shapedholders.

Molds

Moldsmostlyapplywhenmakingvotiveandpillarcandles.Becausethesecandlestakecertainshapeoftheirown,theyneedtobesculptedintothisshapefromthewax.Moldsarethemostcommonwayofdoingthis.

MoldwithWickPin

Youcanchooseamoldthatcomeswithawickpin,athin,metalrodthosesubstitutesforthewickthatwillbethreadedintothecandleafteritscompletion.

MoldWithoutWickPin

Othermoldsdonothaveawickpinbutmayhaveawickholethatmarkswherethewickshouldbecentered.Ifyouchoosethistypeofmold,youhavetheoptionofusingawick-settertoolormakingamakeshiftsetteryourself.Whicheveroneyouusewillbesatisfactoryfortherecipesinthisguide.Forthepurposeofmakingtherecipesmoreaccessible,theywillshowyouhowtocreateamakeshiftsetter.

Ifyou’relookingtouseawick-settertool,areliableoneistheEZwick-setter,whichcanbeboughtfromsuppliersonlinewithinstructionsonhowtousethem.Thewick-settertoolwillbeevenmorehelpfulformoreadvancedwicking,suchassettingdoubleortriplewicksonasinglecandle.

Fragranceadditives(optional)

Thereareendlessscentsthatcanbeaddedtothewaxofyourcandle.Whenthecandleburns,thefragranceinthewaxisreleasedandthescentpermeatestheair.Justasampleofthefragrancesonthemarketincludesalmondcake,butterpecanpie,cinnamonstick,lilac,jasmine,honey,muscadine,unwashedlinenandtropicalfruitsalsa.

Usingphthalate-freeoilsorDEP

Oneimportanthealthconsiderationwhenchoosingfragranceoilsisthepresenceofphthalates,atypeofchemical.Anumberofphthalates,includingDibutylPhthalate(DBP)andDiethylHexylPhthalate(DEHP),shouldbeavoidedduetotheirclassificationascarcinogens.TheonlysafephthalatethatshouldbeconsideredisDiethylPhthalate(DEP),whichhasnotbeenrestrictedbytheFDA(FoodandDrugAdministration),theIFRA(InternationalFragranceAssociation)andotherorganizationsforregulationandsafety.Youcantrytoavoidphthalatesaltogetherbylookingintophthalate-freefragranceoils.Manyofthemwillhavealabellettingyouknowthattheydon’tcontainthischemicalintheirproducts.

Dyeadditives(optional)

Dyesaddcolortothecandleandcanbefoundincraftingstores.Youcanuseliquidorsoliddyes.Onlyasmallamountofdyeisneededtocolorasubstantialamountofwax,andtheamountyouaddisuptoyou—howlightordarkofshadeyouwantforyourcandle.Theconcentrationofdyesshouldbelabeledontheirproductsandwillgiveyouanindicationofhowmuchdyeyoumightuse.

Warninglabels(optional)

Attheendofyourmakingyourcontainerorvotivecandle,youmaychoosetoaddawarninglabelontothebottomofyourvessel.Youcanbuytheseonlineorincraftstoreswithoutmuchtrouble.

LabEquipment

Makingacandleislikedoingasmall-scaleexperimentinthelabbutdoingsoinyourkitchen.You’llneedsomeequipmentarrangedbeforeyoutakethefirststeptowardmakingyourcandle.

SourceofHeat

Formostpeople,thiswillbeakitchenstove.Asourceofheatthatyoucanregulateisrecommended.

Double-boilersystem

Thisisatermforalarge,low-edgedpotofboilingwaterwithanothercontainerinsideofittomeltthewax.Fortheouterpot,youcanchoosetouseanordinarysaucerorfryingpan.Thecontainerinside,it’srecommendedtohaveapouringpot.You’llbeboiling,mixingandpouringwaxoutofthispot.

Exampleofan“outerpot”

Pouringpot

Apouringpotcancomeindifferentsizes,themostimportantdecisionindecidingistodeterminehowmuchcandlewaxyouwanttomakeandthesizeofyourouterpotinthedouble-boilersystem.Forthepurposesofthisguide,whichmakessinglecandlesatatime,asmallpouringpotholding1lb.ofwaxwillworkwell.

Exampleofapouringpot,abasicmetalpotwithaspoutforpouring.

Scale

Ascalewillbenecessarytoweighthewaxyouneedforyourcandle.Anyaccuratescalewilldo,butadigitalscalewillmakemeasuringmoreconvenient,asitcangiveyouunitsinavarietyofstandards,suchasounces,poundsorgrams.

Thermometer

Candythermometer(optional)

Acandythermometerisalsoknownasa“cooking”thermometerora“sugar”thermometerforitsuseinmeasuringthetemperatureofsugarysolutions.Youcanalsousethisformonitoringthetemperatureofyourmeltingwaxsolution,whichissimilarlyviscousintexture.

Digitalthermometer(optional)

Adigitalthermometergivesyouadigitalreadingofthetemperature.Thesecangiveanaccuratereadinginaspectrumofsolutions,includingwaxsolutions.Withametaltongueforreadingthetemperature,thesearemoredurablethantheglassusedforcandythermometersandcanbemoreexpensive,too.

WickSetterMaterials

ThesematerialsareonlynecessaryifyouchooseamoldwithoutawickpinandchoosetoforegoanEZwick-setter.Theywillalsobeusedinthestep-by-stepsectionofthisguide.Tosetthewickbyhomemademeans,you’llneedafewtools:

Awickbar-alongmetalbarwithaslitinthemiddleforholdingthewick.

Hotglue–forgluingthewicktothebottomofcontainers.

Athinhollowedoutpenorathinstraw–tohelpcenterthewickinthecontainerandsetitstraight.

Chapter3-SafetyFirst

Afterassemblingallyourmaterialsandunderstandingtheirpurposes,itisimportanttokeepinmindsafetybeforebeginningtomakeacandle.Checktoseeifyou’vemetthefollowingsafetyrequirements.Ifyoudiscoveryouhavedoubts,revisitaprevioussectionthatitwascoveredin.

Beforemakingyourcandle

Haveyouchosennon-flammablematerialforyourcontainer,ifapplicable?

Isyourwickmadeofappropriatematerialandsizeforthetypeofcandleyou’remaking?

Doesyourwaxmeltingpointsuityourtypeofcandle?

Duringcandlemaking

Hasthewickbeenproperlycentered?

Istheglasswareingoodcondition,meaningthatithasn’tdevelopedcracksfromheatexposure?

Aftercompletingyourcandle

Willthecandlebeburnedonaheat-resistantsurface?

Arethereflammablematerials(liketableclothordrapes)neartheburningcandle?

Meetingtheserequirementswillprovideasafeguardforyouandyoursurroundings.Remember:workingwithfirealwaysneedsprecaution.

Chapter4-MakingaContainerCandle

Now,thatyou’vebeenbriefedonthematerials,safetyandbackgroundforcandlemaking,let’sbegintomakeourfirstcontainercandle.Containercandlesaregreatforthebeginnerbecausetheyintroduceyoutocommonstepstomakeallcandleswhilehavinglessdifficulttechnique.Atthecompletionofthisrecipe,you’llhaveabeautifulcontainercandlethatcanbeplacedalmostanywheretoexudeacalmpresence.

Materials

Stoveorheatsource

Oven(optional)

Waxwithmeltingpoint130°F(55°C)orlower

Candlejarorcontainer

Wick(coredpreferred)

Wicksettingmaterials(straworhollowedpen,hotglue,wickbar)

Pouringpot(partof“double-boiler”)

Saucepan(partof“double-boiler”)

Metalcookiecutter(optional)

Metalspoonorstickforstirring

Thermometer

Dye(optional)

Fragranceoil(optional)

Knife

Papertowels

Scrappaperornewspaper

Cookiesheetorpan

Cautionlabels(optional)

Step1:CalculatetheAmountofWaxWe’regoingtostartbydetermininghowmuchwaxwe’llneedbyasimpleformula.Usingthescale,measureandrecord—inounces—theweightofyourcontainerwhileempty,andthenitsweightwhilefilledwithwatertothelevelthatyouwouldliketofillwithwax.Determinetheweightofthewateralonebysubtractingthewater-filledweightfromtheemptycontainerweight.Then,multiplythatnumberby.844todeterminethenumberofouncesofwaxyouneed.

Step2:MeasureouttheWax

Dependingonthetypeofwax,especiallyifyouuseparaffin,youmayneedaknifetocutouttheportionyouneed.Measureoutthiswaxonthescaleandsetitaside.Youmaywanttomeasureoutalittleextratoaccountforthe“secondpours”inStep10.

Step3:SettheWickontheContainer

Forthisstep,we’regoingtouseourwicksettingmaterials,wickandcontainer.Threadthewickthroughthestraworhollowedpentokeepthewickstraight.Dababitofhotgluetotheendofthewickandfirmlypressitintothecenterofthecontainer.It’simportantthatthewickiscenteredsothattheflameburnsevenlyinthecontainer.Withdrawingthestraworpenshaftfromthewicksetthewickbarhorizontallyacrossthejar,insertthewickintotheslitandadjustsothatthelengthinsidethecontainerisstraight.Repeatthisstepforasmanycontainersasyou’llmakeforthisexperiment.

Step4:Pre-HeatContainers

Keepingthewickbarsinplace,loadthecontainersontoacookiesheetorpantoplaceintotheovenoronanalternativeheatedsource.Pre-heatto150Fsothatthejarsarewarmbutnotheatedenoughtomeltthewicks.Pre-heatingwillhelppreventtheglassfrombreakingwhenwelaterpourhotwaxintothesecoldercontainers.

Step5:MelttheWax

Createthe“double-boiler”byadding1inchofwatertothesaucepanandplacingthepouringpotinthepan.Makesurethefitisgood,andifnot,placeametalcookiecutterunderneaththepottoelevateit.

TakethewaxyouhadsetasideinStep2andmeltitinthepouringpot.Usingthethermometer,monitorthetemperatureofthewaxsolutiontoensurethatitreachesatleast170F.Adjusttheheatifnecessarytopreventthesolutionfrombecomingtoohot(200Forhigher).Oncethesolutionhasmelted,youarereadytoaddfragrances.

Step6:AddFragranceOil

Youcanmeasureoutfragranceoilbyspoonorinasmallcontainer.Atablespoonamountsto.5ouncesoffragranceoil.Whenmeasuringfragranceoilinacontaineronthescale,makesuretotakethecontainerweightintoaccount.Itiscommontoadd1ounceoffragranceoilper16ouncesofwax.Pourthefragranceintothewaxandstir.

Step7:AddDye

Addthedesiredquantityofdyetotheheatedwaxsolution.Ifyou’reusingsolidblocks,breakthemintosmallerpiecestoallowforeasierdissolving.Ifyou’reusingliquiddye,addthedesirednumberofdrops.Mixthoroughlyuntilthewaxhasaconsistentcolor.

Thecolorofthesolutionwillbedarkerthanthecoloroncethewaxhashardened.Totestthecolorofthedye,takeasmallspoonofwaxanddripitontoapapertowelorcloth.Allowthewaxtohardentogettheshadeofthefinishedproduct.

Step8:PourintoContainers

Spreadoutthenewspapersonaflatsurfacetoprepareforpouring.Takethewickedcontainersoutoftheovenandplacethemontothenewspaper,keepingthemcloselygroupedtoslowtheircooling.Pourthewaxslowlyintothejarswithoutoverfillingthem.Afterpouring,makesurethewicksarecenteredandupright,adjustingthemwiththewickbar.

Step9:AllowtheWaxtoCool

Allowthewaxtocoolslowly,keepingawayfansorothercoolingsourcesfromthewax.Oncethetopsurfacehascooled,youmaypokesomeholesnearthewicktopreventthatareafromhavingairpocketsthatcandisruptburning.Completecoolingmaytakeseveralhours.

Step10:SecondPour(optional)

Asthecandlewaxsolidifies,itmay“shrink”some,creatinggapsinthecandle.Ifso,reheatanyremainingwaxinthedouble-boilerandpouroverthecontainersagain.AdjustthewicksifnecessaryandrepeatthecoolingprocessinStep9.

Step11:TrimtheWicks

Afterthewaxhasfullycooled,removethewickbarandtrimthewicksto¼inchfromthesurface.Becarefulnottotrimthemtooshort.

Step12:AddtheCautionLabel(optional)

Addacautionlabeltothebottomofyourcontainer.

Congratulations,you’vemadeacontainercandle!Allowittositafewdaysbeforeburningthemtogetthebestscent.

Chapter5-MakingVotiveCandles

Votivecandlesaremadeinasimilarwayascontainercandles,butthereareseveralpointsofdifferences.Insteadofacontainer,avotivemoldisusedtogivethecandleitsshape.Nopre-heatingwillbenecessary.Attheendofthisrecipe,youshouldhaveanicevotivecandlethatyoucanburnatprayers,festivitiesorotherevents.

Materials

Stoveorheatsource

129°F-142°F(53°C-60°C)meltingpointwax

Votivemold

Wick(coredpreferred)

Wicksettingmaterials(straworhollowedpen,wickbar)





Knife

Thermometer

Dye(optional)


Papertowels



Step1:CalculatetheAmountofWax

We’regoingtostartbydetermininghowmuchwaxwe’llneedbyasimpleformula.Usingthescale,measureandrecord—inounces—theweightofyourcontainerwhileempty,andthenitsweightwhilefilledwithwatertothelevelthatyouwouldliketofillwithwax.Determinetheweightofthewateralonebysubtractingthewater-filledweightfromtheemptycontainerweight.Then,multiplythatnumberby.844todeterminethenumberofouncesofwaxyouneed.


Dependingonthetypeofwax,especiallyifyouuseparaffin,youmayneedaknifetocutouttheportionyouneed.Ifyourwaxcomesinsmallpebbles,scoopandweighouttheamountyouneed.Ifyourwaxcomesintoughblocks,youmayrequireautilityknifetocutouttheportion.Anefficientwayofcuttingistoscoreasectionandbreakitoffwithyourhands.Measureoutthewaxonthescaleandsetitaside.Youmaywanttomeasureoutalittleextratoaccountforthe“secondpours”inStep9.

Step3:SettheWickontheVotiveMold

Spreadoutnewspapersonaflatsurfacetoplacethemoldson.Then,preparethewicksettingmaterials,wicksandvotivemolds.Threadthewickthroughthestraworhollowedpentokeepthewickstraight.Youshouldnotusehotgluebecausethecandlewillbeeventuallyleasedfromitsmold.Instead,alignthewicksothattheendjusttouchesthebottomofthemoldandkeepthewickcentered.Withdrawingthestraworpenshaftfromthewick,setthewickbarhorizontallyacrossthejar,insertthewickintotheslitandadjustsothatthelengthinsidethemoldisstraight.Repeatthisstepforasmanyvotivemoldsasyou’llmake.

Step4:MelttheWax


TakethewaxyouhadsetasideinStep2andmeltitinthepouringpot.Usingthethermometer,monitorthetemperatureofthewaxsolutiontoensurethatitreachesaround180F.Adjusttheheatifnecessarytopreventthesolutionfrombecomingtoohot(200Forhigher).Oncethesolutionhasmelted,youarereadytoaddfragrances.



Step6:AddDye

Addthedesiredquantityofdyetotheheatedwaxsolution.Ifyou’reusingsolidblocks,breakthemintosmallerpiecestoallowforeasierdissolving.Ifyou’reusingliquiddye,addthedesirednumberofdrops.Mixthoroughlyuntilthewaxhasaconsistentcolor.

Thecolorofthesolutionwillbedarkerthanthecoloroncethewaxhashardened.Totestthecolorofthedye,takeasmallspoonofwaxanddripitontoapapertowelorcloth.Allowthewaxtohardentogettheshadeofthefinishedproduct.

Step7:PourintoVotiveMolds

Letthewaxcoolto170F-180F.Pourthewaxslowlyintothevotivemoldswithoutoverfillingthem.Afterpouring,makesurethewicksarecenteredandupright,adjustingthemwiththewickbar.



Step9:SecondPour

Asthecandlewaxsets,itwill“shrink”someandyouwillbeabletoseea“sinkhole”aroundthewick.Itiscommonwhenmakingvotivecandlestodoasecondpour.Reheattheremainingwaxinthedouble-boiler,thistimeto190Fforbetterblendingofthewaxes,andpouroverthemoldsagain.Pourjustslightlyhigherthanthemold’sedge,asthewaxwillshrinkagain.Allowthewaxtosettleforseveralhoursuntilcompletelycool.

Step10:RemoveCandlesfromMolds

Ifthewaxiscompletelyset,youshouldbeabletoeasilyremovethecandlesfromthemoldsbypullingthemupbythewicks.Ifyouhavetroubleremovingthem,placethemoldsinthefreezerfor5minutesandrepeatthisprocessifnecessary.Takecarenottoleavetheminthefreezerfortoolong,asthewaxcanfallapart.

Step11:TrimtheWicks

Removethewickbarandtrimthewicksto¼inchfromthesurface.Becarefulnottotrimthemtooshortsothattheyburnproperly.


Addacautionlabeltothebottomofyourcandle.

Congratulations,you’vemadeavotivecandle!Chooseasmallglasscontainerthatfitsyourcandlebeforeburningit.

Chapter6-MakingPillarCandles

Likevotivecandles,pillarcandlesalsorequirespecialmolds.Theprocessformakingthistypeofcandleismorecomplexbecauseoftheprecisionneededtofixthewicks.Notetheuseofawickpininthisrecipeandthelackofhomemadewick-settingmaterialsaswereusedinthepreviousrecipes.Bytheendofthisguide,you’llhaveapillarcandlethatcanburnonyourdeskwithoutsupport.

Materials

Stoveorheatsource

134°F-147°F(56°C-63°C)meltingpointwax

Pillarmoldwithwickpin

Moldputty

Wick(braided,flatorcored)

Wickbar





Knife

Thermometer

Dye(optional)


Papertowels



Step1:CalculatetheAmountofWax

We’regoingtostartbydetermininghowmuchwaxwe’llneedbyasimpleformula.Usingthescale,measureandrecord—inounces—theweightofyourcontainerwhileempty,andthenitsweightwhilefilledwithwatertothelevelthatyouwouldliketofillwithwax.Determinetheweightofthewateralonebysubtractingthewater-filledweightfromtheemptycontainerweight.Then,multiplythatnumberby.844todeterminethenumberofouncesofwaxyouneed.


Dependingonthetypeofwax,especiallyifyouuseparaffin,youmayneedaknifetocutouttheportionyouneed.Ifyourwaxcomesinsmallpebbles,scoopandweighouttheamountyouneed.Ifyourwaxcomesintoughblocks,youmayrequireautilityknifetocutouttheportion.Anefficientwayofcuttingistoscoreasectionandbreakitoffwithyourhands.Measureoutthewaxonthescaleandsetitaside.Youmaywanttomeasureoutalittleextratoaccountforthe“secondpours”inStep9.

Step3:SettheWickonthePillarMold

Spreadoutnewspapersonaflatsurfacetoplacethemoldson.Then,preparethewickbar,moldputty,thepillarmoldandthewickpin.Thewickpin,ifnotalreadybuiltintothepillarmold,shouldbefastenedtothebottom-centerwithsomemoldputty.Insertthewickpinintothewickbartokeeppincenter-alignedandstraight.Nowickisnecessaryatthisstep,becausethepinwillsubstituteinitsplaceuntilneartheendofthisprocess.Repeatthisstepforasmanyvotivemoldsasyou’llmake.

Step4:MelttheWax


TakethewaxyouhadsetasideinStep2andmeltitinthepouringpot.Usingthethermometer,monitorthetemperatureofthewaxsolutiontoensurethatitreachesaround180F.Adjusttheheatifnecessarytopreventthesolutionfrombecomingtoohot(200Forhigher).Oncethesolutionhasmelted,youarereadytoaddfragrances.



Step6:AddDye

Addthedesiredquantityofdyetotheheatedwaxsolution.Ifyou’reusingsolidblocks,breakthemintosmallerpiecestoallowforeasierdissolving.Ifyou’reusingliquiddye,addthedesirednumberofdrops.Mixthoroughlyuntilthewaxhasaconsistentcolor.Thecolorofthesolutionwillbedarkerthanthecoloroncethewaxhashardened.Totestthecolorofthedye,takeasmallspoonofwaxanddripitontoapapertowelorcloth.Allowthewaxtohardentogettheshadeofthefinishedproduct.

Step7:PourintoPillarMolds

Letthewaxcoolto170F-180F.Pourthewaxslowlyintothepillarmoldswithoutoverfillingthem.Afterpouring,makesurethewicksarecenteredandupright,adjustingthemwiththewickbar.



Step9:SecondPour

Asthecandlewaxsets,itwill“shrink”someandyouwillbeabletoseea“sinkhole”aroundthewick.Itiscommonwhenmakingpillarcandlestodoasecondpour.Reheattheremainingwaxinthedouble-boiler,thistimeto190Fforbetterblendingofthewaxes,andpouroverthemoldsagain.Pourjustslightlyhigherthanthemold’sedge,asthewaxwillshrinkagain.Allowthewaxtosettleforseveralhoursuntilcompletelycool.

Step10:RemoveCandlesfromMolds

Ifthewaxiscompletelyset,youshouldbeabletoeasilyremovethecandlesfromthemoldsbyturningthemupsidedownandtappingonthebottom.Ifyouhavetroubleremovingthem,placethemoldsinthefreezerfor5minutesandrepeatthisprocessifnecessary.Takecarenottoleavetheminthefreezerfortoolong,asthewaxcanfallapart.

Step11:InsertWicks

Setasidethewickbarandgentlyremovethewickpinfromthecandle.Takeawickandthreaditthroughthespaceleftbythepin.

Step12:TrimtheWicks

Trimthewicksto¼inchfromthesurface.Becarefulnottotrimthemtooshortsothattheyburnproperly.


Addacautionlabeltothebottomofyourcandle.

Step14:TryyourCandle

Besuretokeeptrackofthemeltpoolofyourpillarcandlewhileburningit.Thisisthebestwaytotestthesuccessofyourcandle.

Congratulations,you’vemadeapillarcandle!Ifyoulike,youcanpressontheedgesaroundtheuppersurfaceofyourcandletosoftenthem.

Conclusion

Makingcandlesisasimpleyetpatientventure.Ifyou’vetriedoutarecipe,youknowthatwaitingforcandlestocoolbeforedoingasecondpourcantakeawholeafternoonortwo.Buttherewardsarefulfilling.

You’vefinishedwithalong-lastingcandlethatcanburnformanyhoursthatyou’vemadebyyourself.Hopefully,youhaveaproductwiththecolor,fragranceandotherqualitiesthatyoulike-becauseyoupickedthem.Andevenifyourexperimentturnedoutlessfortunate,hopefullyyoufoundthejourneyitselfworthwhile.Theknowledgeandskillsyou’vegainedfrommakingsomethingonyourownarevaluableinitself.

Ihopeyou’veenjoyedthisguideandwillcontinuetotrymakingcandles.

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CONTAINERGARDENING

THEULTIMATECONTAINERGARDENING

GUIDE:DIY-HOWTOGROWAIR-CLEANINGHOUSEPLANTS,FLOWERSAND

ORGANICVEGETABLESATHOME

TableofContent

Introduction

CHAPTERONE-ChoosingtheBestPlantsforContainerGardening

CHAPTERTWO-Aguidetocontainersforgardening

CHAPTERTHREE-Plantingandcaringforcontainergardens

Conclusion

Introduction

Plantscontinue theirdominance inour lives.Besidesbeinga sourceof food forusandanimals they alsohappen tobe the sourceof elegance that completes ahome.Today, ahouseisneverconsideredcompleteuntilithasanumberofplantsnotonlyonitsoutsidebutalsointheinside.Buildahouseandusethebestarchitecturaldesignsavailabletoday,give it the best wall colors and wall papers, observe the best practices in interior andexteriordesigning,furnishitthebestwayyouknowhowbutifallthatdoesnotincludeanumberofplants- flowers tobemorespecific- thehousewillstill feeldead,empty.Afew plants will always give that life than completes an elegant house. Having goodknowledgeandapplyingafewindoorandoutdoorplantingmakeseventhesimplestbuilthouselookandfeelmuchmoreexquisite.

Thebiggestproblemwehavetodayisspace.Theincreaseinpopulation,costoflivingandcostoflandhasseenmanypeopleendupwithoutroomorspacewheretheycanputplantsto add that beautiful touch to their houses.Thishas seen aneed for alternateways andmeans of beautifying houses therefore resulting to the emergence of artificial plants toservethispurpose.Artificialplantsaregoodforthelookofthehousebuttheydon’tcomeclosetowhatrealplantdo.Containergardeningpracticehasthereforeemergedandwillprovidelonglastingbeautytoahomewhilealsoprovidingfoodinformofvegetablelesforthefamily.

Withcontainergardeningyouwillbeabletocreateabeautifulflowergardenbothindoorsandoutdoors therefore improving the lookofyourhome.There issomuchyouneed tolearnconcerningcontainergardening including thebestplants touseas flowersand thebest plants for container planted vegetables. To achieve the best results in containergardening there are a number of things that one needs to look into very keenly. Thisincludes container choice and design, soil types, best plants for indoor and outdoorplanting and also the procedures and practices that help you nurture a beautiful andproductiveorganicplant.

Thisbookwillguideyouonthesepracticesfocusingonbeauty,health(safety)andfoodasthemainprinciplesofIndoorgardening.Thereasonswhypeoplemakecontainergardensistoachievebeautyfortheirhouses,improvetheairintheirhomesandalsogetfoodfromtheplants.After reading thisbookyouwillbeable togrowaircleaninghouseplans to

replacetheartificialonesandalsogetvegetablegardeningtipsthatwillnotonlyprovideyouhealthiervegetablesbutalsoimprovetheappearanceofyourhouse’sexterior.

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CHAPTERONEChoosingtheBestPlantsforContainer

Gardening

Theprocessofmakingandmaintaininghealthycontainergardensstartswithselectingthebestflowers,vegetablesorsimplyorganicplantstouseforyourorganichomegardening.Thetypeofplantsyoudecidetogrowishighlydeterminedbythespaceavailable.Thishelpsyou assess the sizeof containers youwill be able tousewhich in turnhelpsyoudecide the size of plants youhave to put insideor outsideyour house.There aremanyplantsyoucanputinyourhomegardenbutofcoursekeendecisionmakinghastobegonethroughtoensuretheplantsgrowwell.Youhavetomakesuretheflowersorvegetablesyoudecide to plant dowell in the space available.This is determinedby the roots andheightofplantgrowth.Tohelpyoudecidetheplantsthatbestsuitsyourhomegardeninghereareanumberofplantsthatdogreatincontainergardening.

Vegetablesforin-houseandoutsidecontainergardening

BeansBeansdogreatinbothindoorandoutdoorplanting.Thebestthingaboutthemisthattheydon’trequireverylargeplanters/containers.Thesizeofthecontainermaybedeterminedby the number of plants you wish to put in one planter. They don’t require toomuchmaintenance for them to grow. You can combine a number of bean varieties in onecontainer.

CarrotsThesizeof thecarrotplantheightwiseandthefact that it isarootplantmakes themagreatchoice.Inatwogalloncontaineryoucangrowasmanyasfiveplantsaslongastheylongenoughforthecarrotroot.Thenumberchangeswithcarrotvarieties.Youmaywanttoconsidercombinetheshortandlongvarieties.

TomatoesTomatoesplantingvarywithvariety.Therearethosethatgrowtoolongandrequirecagesorsuspenderstooffersupport.Mostpeoplepreferthedwarfvarietiesthatproducesmallsizesof tomatoberries.For tomatoesyoumaywant tochoosealargecontainer togrowthemoutdoors.

SquashThebestthingaboutsquashvarietiesisthefactthatyoucangrowthemanywhere.Aonegalloncontainerwillbeenoughforsquash.Theirversatilitymakes themagreatchoice.Theydon’tevenrequiresupport.

ParsleyForan indoorplanterparsleywill begreat choice. It doesn’t requirebig containers andwilldowellduringwintertoo.Youcangrowthemindoor,inyourbalconyoranysmallspaceremainingbetweenotherplantcontainersasitdoesnotneedmuchspace.

OnionsJustlikeParsleyonionswillonlyneedasmallspace.Thereareanumberofvarietiestochoosefrombutthebestaretheleafyqualitiesasyoutheycontinuetoproducemoreareyoupluckandusetheparts.

HerbsThere are number of herbs thatwill grow just like an onion or parsley. The best thingaboutmanyherbs is their small space requirementandsimplekeeping.Youcanchoosefrom dill,mint, rosemary etc.With a larger container you can grow a number of themcombinedtogether.

Lettuce&EggplantIfyouhavespacethenlettucewillbeanothergreatchoice.Forlettuceyoumayrequireafive gallon container for them to do well outdoor preferably. Another plant that willrequirethesameistheeggplant.

CabbagesCabbagesareamongthemostcommonplantsyouwillfindinahomecontainergarden.Mostpeoplefavor thembecausetheydon’thavelongrootsandthereforeoneplantwillnotrequirealargeorlongcontainer.Theonlyissuewiththemisthatthepartabovesoilwill take up some space. Combining them with kales at the edges of the container oraroundthemmakesthemworkbetter.

KalesJust like the cabbages, kaleswill never fail. Long kale varieties can be combinedwithothershorttypesofvegetablesincludingherbstomaximizeuseofspace.Theydon’tneedsupportandtheymatureveryfirst.Still,theyhaveaverylonglifespansoyouenjoythemlongerthanmanyothervegetables.

PepperPeppersdogreatincontainergardening.Apepperplantgrowslongandthereforeisgoodforsomeonelookingtodocombinations.Intheircontaineryoucanputanumberofshortherbs.

BroccoliForBroccolijustgetafourgalloncontainerforeachplant.BeittheDeCiccoortheGreenComet,theyareafavoriteforcontainergardening.

OthersThelistofvegetableplantsyoucangrowincontainergardeningisverylong.Thechoiceyoumake has to be based on the space available and the season duringwhich you aredoingyourgardening.Otherplantsyoumaywant toconsiderfor this typeofgardeningincludeRadishes,cucumbers,Basil,Zucchini,Strawberries,Cantaloupe,Oregano,Chives,cherry, Potatoes, chard, Asian greens, Spinach, garlic, turnips, beets, Peas and manyothers. The best thing about vegetables is the fact that they can be combined in onecontainer.

Air-Cleaningindoorplantsandflowers

AloeVeraAloeVeraisfamousforitscharacteristicsasanessentialoil.Itisalsoaverypopularaircleanerandwillgrowwellinaninhousecontainer.Ithoweverrequiressunlightforittoflourish.Astrategicpositionwouldbenearawindow.

FernsTheBostonfernandKimberleyqueenareconsideredthetopfernsyoucanchoosefromfor indoor plants due to their air purification capabilities. You can trust on them forBenzene, formaldehydeandXylene removal.Theyare easy tomaintainand theirwaterintakeisnotwanting.Withacontainerwithagoodreservoirtheycangolongwithoutre-watering.

ChineseevergreenThis plant also known as the Deborah is a favorite in container gardening because itproducesbloomsandredberriesasitcontinuestocleanair.Itiseasytomaintainandwilldogreatinalmostallseasons.

EnglishIvyTheivywillnotonlyremoveformaldehydefromyouhomebutwillalsoprovidebeautytoyourhomestructures.Itisaclimbingplantsoyoucanplaceitscontainerononeendthenguideittowardsaplaceyouwantittodecorate.

Red-edgedDracaenaAsthenamesuggeststheyhaverededgeswhichmakethembeautifuladdingatouchofgreenandredcoloringtoyourhome.Theygrowlongandtheyaregoodfortheremovalofxylene,formaldehyderesultingfromlacquers,varnishesandgasoline.

GoldenpothosThegoldenpothosisgainingpopularityeveryday.Itisoneoftheeasiestplantstocareforandwithstandharshconditionsforalongtime.

PhilodendronsThe philodendrons and golden pothos look very much alike and still have the samequalities. They are a great air purifier and their keep make them great for ContainerGardeningforbeginnersespeciallyforindoorpurposes.

ChrysanthemumThisflowerwillremovebenzeneandotherpollutantsfoundinpaints,glueanddetergents.Itjustrequiresyoutopositionitinaplacewherethereisbrightlight.Youmayneedtoputthemindirectsunlightforthebudstoopen.

PeacelilyThe lily does really great indoors and will grow and maintain its healthy appearanceduringallseasons.Itwillridyourhouseofbenzene,formaldehydeandothercleaningandpersonalcareproductemissions.Theyarebeautifulandeasytomaintain.Theyhoweverneedtobeplaceawayfromchildrenandpets.

GerberdaisyThis flower requires light for it to flourish. It is a great trichloroethylene and benzeneremover.Youjustneedtomakesureyoulocateit inapositionwhereitwillgetenoughlight.

TulipsTulipsarebeautiful,don’t takemuchspaceandaregreataircleaners.They just requireconstantwateringandfeedingandregulargardeningpracticestoremovetheflowersthatdryofftokeepthemlookingattractive.

GerberaDaisiesThisflowerisonebeautifulflowerthatdoesgreatatformaldehyderemovalandotherairpollutants.Theyrequireproperattentionjustliketulips.Theydon’trequirebigcontainerssotheyaregreatforpeoplewhoneedtokeepshiftingplantstochangethelookoftheirrooms.

PalmsThereisavarietyofpalmtreestochoosefromforindoorcontainergardening.Palmtreesarebeautifulandthedwarfvarietiesdon’t taketoomuchspaceandareeasytocarefor.Youcanusedwarfdatepalms,parlorpalms,bamboopalms,ladypalmsandarecapalmsforindooraircleaning.

WarneckdracaenaThisplantisanotherfavoritethatremovespollutantsinoilsandvarnishes.Ithasstrippedleavesthataddtothebeautyofahome.Itdoesnotrequiredirectsunlightforittogrowwell.

AzaleaThis is a very beautiful flower for indoor container gardening that will eliminateformaldehyde.Itgrowwellinareasascoolas60degreesandabove.

WeepingfigTheycanbeabithardtomaintaincomparedtoothercontainerplantsforindoorpurposesbutaslongasyouwaterthemregularlyandgivethemlighttheywon’tfailyou.

SpiderplantThisplant ispreferredbymostpeoplewhoarenot tookeenonmaintainingplants. It isveryresilientmeaningitwillsurviveabandonment.Ithasrichfoliageandproducessmallflowerswhichmakeitagoodplantforbattlingcarbonmonoxide,formaldehyde,xyleneandbenzene.

CHAPTERTWOAguidetocontainersforgardening

Afterrecognizingthetypesofplantsyouaregoingtouseforyourorganicgardeningthenextthingyouthinkaboutisthecontainerstouse.Quiteobviously,thesizeandtypeofcontainerwillbeverymuchinfluencedbythesizeoftheplant.Whatmattersistheheighttowhichtheplantwillgrowandthetypeandsizeofitsroots.Thereisalsotheissueofthewhethertheplantwillbekeptinsideoroutsidethehouse.Otherpeoplewillmakemobilegardenswherebytheycanshiftflowersfromonepointtoanothertobringanewlooktotheirrooms.Insuchacase,asmallflowercontainerisrecommended.Thefinalissuethata gardener ought to consider is whether or not there is going to be combination of asnumberofplantsinonecontainerwhichhelpsthemdecidethesizeofthecontainertheyaregoingtoneed.

There isnolimit to the typesofcontainers thatcanbeusedforcontainergardening.Aslongastheyhaveanareawhereyouwillputthesoilandwaterthentheycanbeusedasaplanter.Thebestcontainers for indoorplantingare theonesknownas the selfwateringcontainers.

These containers aregreatbecause theydon’t requirewatering as thenon selfwateringrequire.They have a reservoir at the bottomwhich enables them to storewater for theplantsyoujustneedtokeepaddingwateraftercertaindurationdependingonthesizeofthe container, the size of the plant and the type ofwhether. They can also be used foroutsidecontainers.Forthecontainersthatdonotselfwateritisimportanttoensuretheyarecheckedregularlytoensuretheplantsdon’tdryupduetolackofwater.Drainageisanimportant factor to consider. When soil has too much water it becomes water loggedsomethingthatkillsplants.Forthisreasonisimportantthatyouensurethatplantershavedrainageholestodrainexcesswaterfromsoil.Thisisjustasmallholethatthewaterwillgetoutthrough.

Themostcommoncontainersforhomegardeningincludebarrels,grow-bags,basketsandboxes.Toactualizegardeningcontainersyoucanusethefollowingmaterials:

ClayThebest thingaboutclay is the fact that it canbemolded intoanyshape.Withclayorterra-cottayoucandesignanytypesofshapesandsizesofpotsandurnsthatcanbeputinsideoroutside ahouse.Theyarevery attractive andcanbepainted into anycolor toimprovetheirappearance.Potsarehoweververybreakableandsomaximumcareshouldbe practiced during their handling. It is preferred that you keep them away from frostwhichdamagesthem.

PlasticPlastic containers are a favored choice formanydue to theirweightwhich favors theirmobility. Any plastic container without use in your home can be easily turned into agardeningplanter.

WoodWooddoesnotgettoohotduringhotdaysandneitherdoesifbecometoocoldthereforepreventingdamagingofplantsduringextremeweather.Theyalsodonotburnorwitherplant branches and leaves something that comeswith heat conducting containerswhenpartsof aplant touch thecontainer.Theyareeasy tomakebut they rotunless theyareprotectedwitharot-resistant.

ConcreteThegreatestadvantagethatcomeswithusingconcretecontainersforyourgardeningisthefactthattheylastlongerthanmostoftheothermaterialsandarenoteasilydamagedbychangesintheweather.Itsheavinessthoughaffectsitsmobilityandsoyouarenotabletomake very large planters with it especially if you have a need to keep shifting thecontainers.

PolyurethanefoamThisisanotherverylightandlonglastingmaterial.Theyarenoteasilycrackedorchippedand they protect plants from hot and cold temperatures so they are good for outsidegardeningtoo.

GlassGlassthoughnotfavoredbymanyduetoitsbreakabilityisstillusedforindoorplanting.Itisrecommendedthoughthatacontainermadeusingthismaterialbecolored.

MetaMetal is anothermaterial used formaking containers for gardeningbut dues to its heatconducting capabilities demand the need to have an inner lining probablypolythene/plastictoprotecttheplantsfromheat.

Containergardeningplanterstips

SizeLargecontainersarebetterthansmallcontainers.Theyhaveenoughspacefortheplantstodevelopandprovidealargersurfaceareaformoistureandothernutrients.Inthemyoucanbeable tocombineanumberofdifferent flowers thathelpscreateamixofcolors.Youcan also combinedifferent vegetables or plants that provide benefits to eachother.Usesmallplantersforindoorpurposesandforplantsthatneedtobemovedfromonepointtoanother.

ColorandtextureDonotleaveyourcontainersafteryouafteryoumakeandshapethem.Colorthem.Therearemanycolorsthatwillimprovetheappearanceofthecontainers.Orange,blue,white,greenetc.Chooseacolorthatgoeswellwiththeflowersoftheplant.Usedifferentcolorsfordifferentcontainerstomakethemlookcool.

HangingplantersPlantersmade from lightmaterial canbehangedor suspendedusing a strong threadorropefromahighpositioninthebalcony,cornerofaroomorinthegardenoutside.Thisisgreatforimprovingappearanceofaplaceandalsoworksgreatifthereisn’tenoughspace.Vinesaregreatwithhangingplanters.

WindowboxesAwindowboxprovidesaverybeautifulplanterasitimprovestheappearanceofthehouseandtheviewisexcellentwhetheryouareoutsideorinsidethehouse.

StandinggardensAcontainerwith stands is very attractive and easy tomanage. Below it you canput aplantthatdoesnotneedtoomuchsunlightorisn’taffectedbytoomuchshadeordoesnotgrowtootall.Theyalsodonotdamagethefloorespeciallyiftheyareputinapavement.

WheeledplantersIfyouintendtohaveabigplantingcontainerthatyouwouldwanttomovefromonepointtoanothermaybeforshiftingthelookorchangeofweatheryoumightwanttoconsiderputtingsomewheelsonit.Youcanalsouseaplantcaddy

PlantprotectorsThere are plants protectors available in the market that make a planter feel like agreenhouse. If you are growing vegetables or plants that are too sensitive to extremeweatherorwanttoprotectthemfrompests,justgetaplantprotector.

FencetagsYoucanplantanumberofplantsalongyourfence.Theyworkthesamewayahangingbasketworks.Youcanpinthemtothefenceoruseatagthanpositionsthemhighonthefence.Itisgreatforflowerstodecoratethefence.

UseawallYoucanimprovetheappearanceofawallbyattachinganumberofcontainersonthewall.Usealaddertowaterthem.Theycanbeusedforflowersorvegetablesifthewallisonthesideorbehind.

VerticalcontainersHavingyourcontainerfacesidewaysratherthanabovesothattheplantsgrowsidewaysisbeautifulespeciallyforshortgrowingplantsflowers.

RacksandholdersToaddonspaceuseracks,railsandholderwithstairsandsidedbranches.Thismakesanareathatwouldhaveheldoneplantbeabletoholdmoreplantcontainers.Designingthemintoapatternalsomakesaplacelookmorebeautiful.

CHAPTERTHREE

Plantingandcaringforcontainergardens

Withyourplantsandcontainersreadyforplantingthenextthingyoushouldthinkaboutispreparingthegarden.Thiswillinvolvechoosingandaddingsoilandothernutrients.Thenextimportantthingaftercontainersissoil.Thereareanumberofsoiltypesbuttherearethose thatwill do better than others in container gardening as a result of their nutrientcontent,theiraerationandcapillaritycapability.

Whatyouneedtoknowaboutsoil

Itisrecommendedthatyoudonotusegardensoilforcontainergardeningbecausegardensoil inacontainerbecomes toocloggedwhichresults to thedeathof theplants. Iagreewith thisbutnotcompletely.Thereare instanceswheregardensoilwilldo justgreat. Itdependsonthecountryyouareinandthecharacteristicsofsoilinyourregion.Forthosepeople in countrieswhere their land contains loam soil that is used andworkswell foragriculturalvegetation thenyoucangoaheadanduse this soil forcontainervegetation.However, you may want to combine the soil with a lot of composite to improve itsaerationanddrainage.Donotuseittoplantvegetablesororganicplantsthataregoingtotakemorethantwoseasons.Afterharvestingtheproducegoaheadandchangethatsoil.Ifyoucan,usegardensoilonlyifyouaregoingtousebasketsandsacksasyourplanters.There is a cheaper version of potting soil which looks like the artificial containergardeningsoil.Itisalmostlikegardensoilknownasbaggedsoilorcompost.Thesesoilsarelikegardensoiljustabitimprovedandshouldneverbemistakenforpottingmedia.

Container gardening soil also known as artificial or potting media is a soil-less mediamadefromothermaterialsbutpossessingsoilqualitiesthatfacilitateplantgrowth.Pottingsoilhasverygoodaerationanddrainageandcanbeuseforanumberofyearsbefore itbecomesfullyspent.It ismadeusinganumberofmaterialsincludingbutnotlimitedtopeatmoss,barks,vermiculate,coirfiberwithadditionofothernutrients.Whenyougotothe market to purchase potting soil to ensure you get the best quality look for thefollowingingredientsforthesoilAgedbarksometimescalledcompostedforestproducts,vermiculate,peatmoss, limeandperlite.Agoodsoil isoneonwhichawettingagent isadded.Thewettingagentsimprovestheabilityofthesoilholdorstaymoistureforaslongtime. Some soils though expectedly costly will contain a fertilizer that helps the plantgrow during the first few months. You will need to give them fertilizer after a whilethoughasthisdoesnotlastforever.Betterpottingsoilproductswillalsohavepesticidesthathelpprotecttheplants.

Whenselectingpottingmediachoosethecoarsetypeespeciallyifitisfororganicplants.Forplantsthatwillgrowwithinashortperiodespeciallythevegetablesfinersoilproductsarebetter.Becauseof the cost ofpotting soil peoplehaveopted for the combinationofvarioussoilswhich isalrightbutyoushouldnever forget that this lowers thequalityofpottingsoilandthedurationthatthesoilwouldlastproductively.Youcancombinepotting

soilwithcompost,sandandgardensoil.Becarefulnottochoosegardensoilfromanareainfestedwith insects or pests. Ensure you choose safe soil.Reuse the potting soil afterharvestingthevegetablesorotherorganicplantsunlessthepreviousplantsdidshowsignsofinsectsandpestsinfestation.Whenreusingpottingsoilitisrecommendedthatyoufirstremoveitfromthecontainerandgothroughitremovingall therootsfromthepreviousplant. Never reuse a soil onwhich you planted tomatoes to plant other tomatoes etc –observerotationalcroppingstrategiesandwhencombiningcropsinonecontainerensurethatyoufollowtherightmixedcroppingmeasures.

Finally,when filling thecontainerwithsoildonotadd it to thebrim.Reaching thesoilleveltothetopofthecontainerwillonlymakewateringhardaswaterwillbelost.Leaveaninchortwobetweentheedgeofthecontainerandsoiltoprovideasectionforholdingwaterbeforeitgoesdownthesoil.Fillingsoilinanindoorcontainerwillcausespillingofthesoiledwaterinthehousewhichcouldbeverydamaging.Somethingelse,duetothecostofpottingsoilyoumayfindthatifyouhaveaverylargecontainerthenitwouldbeexpensivetofillthemwithsoil.Justuseanonbiodegradablematerialatthebottomofthecontainer to hold soil up therefore reducing the volume. Use aluminum or plastic justensurethatitwillallowdrainage.

Caringfortheplants

Havingcompletedthepreparationandplantingoftheorganicvegetablesandflowersyouarehalfwaydowntheroad.Thenextthingisthecaringoftheplants.Carefortheplantsinvolvestwomainprocedures;wateringandfeeding.

WateringcontainergardensWateringoftheplantsisnothardanddependsonthetypeofplantandsoilused.Duringthe early stage of the plants you may need to water the plants almost twice a dayespeciallyifthecontainersarenottheself-wateringoneswithareservoir.Theideaistoalwaysensurethatthesoilremainsmoistallthetime.Ifyouaredoingoutdoorgardeningthe process is not quite complicated as all you need is to just pour out water into thecontainerand if thearea isbigenoughyouwayevenusepipesandwater jets.Anothercommonmethodisdrip irrigation.Somepeople justfixabottlewithwater into thesoiltherefore keeping the containers in supply with water for a period. For the indoorcontainers,theprocessofwateringshouldbedonecarefullyandthisisbecauseanywaterspillingoutofthecontainersmaybedamagingtoyourfurniture,wallsandcarpets.It isrecommendedifthecontainersareinahighpositionyouensurethanyouusealadderorpositionyourselfinaplacewhereyouwillbeabletoseewaterlevelasyouadd.

FeedingcontainergardensBasically,thisistheadditionofnutrientsandmostlyorganicfertilizers.Somepottingsoilwillcomewithfertilizersandsoyoumaynotneedtostartfeedingtheplantsatanearlystage.Justconsultthelabelsonthebagstoknowthenyoushouldstartaddingfertilizers.There are many types of fertilizer and many methods of application. There are thoseappliedinliquidformandothersthatcometobeappliedintheirsolidstate.Forthesolidones,becarefulnottoburntheplantsleavesandbrancheswhenapplying.Therearealsotheslowreleasingfertilizers,thesefertilizersaregreatbecauseonceyouapplythemyoumaynotneedtoaddforalongperiodastheydon’tgetwashedawayorspentoutfast.Ifyoudon’tgettheslow-releasingfertilizersthenyouneedtokeepaddingalittleregularly.

Weeds,insectsandpestscontrolJust liketheusualgardens,containergardensalsoget infestedwithweedsandpestsbutnotatbigrateasthenormalgardenswould.Theyrequirepestcontrolmeasuresbetaken.Themostcommondisturbersofcontainergardeningincludeweevils,aphids,spidermiteanddiseaseslikeimpatiensdownymildew,andleafspots.Taketherightcontrolmeasuretimetotimeandensureyouusehandweeding.Neveruseanythingmorethanahandtoweedacontainerevenif ithasonebigplant.Useyourhands topluckout theweeds toavoiddamagingoftheplantroots.

For plants like tomatoes and other high growing plants don’t forget the use of cagesupporters and threaded guiders that provide a place for the branches to climb. Somepeoplewillguidetheclimbingplantthroughameshwireoragrillholesoeventhoughtheplantcontainerisplacedonthegroundtheplantclimbsandgrowsoverthegrillormeshwirewhichsupportsitbranches.Thisalsoworksforlikethestrawberries.

Conclusion

Containergardeningisnotashardaspeopleperceiveitanditcanreallyhelptoimproveyour health and the appearance of your homes. It doesn’tmatter that you don’t have apiece of landor a big back yard.As youhave seen plants can be planted in balconies,patio,windows,walls,pavementsandevenover fences. Ifyouadopt the rightskillyouwill be able to create attractive gardens. Just remember all you need to do is design acontainer in the shape you desire, color it so that itmeets the color specifications thatmatchwithyourfurnitureandhosedecorationsthenfinishwithaddingplantsorflowersthatreflect thesame. Ifyouneedasnowlookjustusewhitecoloredflowersanduseacontainer that is painted white. For complex color combinations just pick plants thatproducedifferently colored flowers and combine them in the same container and if notcombining then position differently colored flowers next to each other or form colorpatternswiththem.Changeplantswithseasonsandeventsathomebyhavinganumberofdifferentlycoloredcontainersatstocksomewheretobeshiftedasseasonoreventschange.If you are a beginner or don’t havemany plants then justmove plants in one room orposition to another and so on. Don’t ever forget the five rule procedure for containergardening: Select Right plants, Shape and color containers, Use the best potting soil,Combine considerably and care for plants (Feed/water/weed). With those five you arebound to achieve healthy and attractive container gardens. Wish you the best as youcontainergarden.

FREEBonusReminder











OR



CROCHETFORBEGINNERS

(WITHPICTURES)MASTERTHEARTOFCROCHETIN1DAYWITHEASYCROCHETPATTERSFOR

BEGINNERS!BONUSCHAPTERONCROCHETFLOWERSINCLUDED!OUTSTANDINGCROCHETPROJECTSANDCROCHETSTITCHES!

TableofContent

Introduction

Chapter1-TOOLSFORCROCHETING

Chapter2-LET’SBEGINCROCHETING

Chapter3-TIPSONCROCHETING

Chapter4-CROCHETPATTERNS

Chapter5–CROCHETABBREVIATIONS

Conclusion

INTRODUCTIONThethingscoveredinthisbookaresomesimplethatyouaregoingtoenjoydoinganditisalsoeasytolearnasabeginner.Tips,pattern,stitchesandmanymorearementioned.Youwillalsogettolearnaboutthetoolsused.Remembertoinvolveyourfriendsasyoustartcrochetingasitisalwaysgoodtohavesomeonetolearnwithbecauseyoucanexchangeyourideaswithoneanother.Inthisbookyouwilllearn:

Toolsforcrocheting

Tipsoncrocheting

Abbreviationsusedincrocheting

Basicthingsyouwillneedtolearnbeforeyoustartworkingonanyprojectand

Howtocrochetsomesimplepatterns

Nomorewaiting,let’sjumprightintoitandhavefunlearning!

BONUS:YourFREEGift





Chapter1-TOOLSFORCROCHETING

HOOKS:

Whenstartingcrocheting,youwillnotneedtoomanyhooksjustafew.Hookscomeindifferentwidths.Sinceyouwillnotbedoingveryadvancedcrochetingfornow,youwillnotneedthelargehookscalledAfghanhooks.Theycomeinlengthsthatrangefrom9-20incheswhichisabout22.86-50.8cmlong.Theyaremainlyusedinprojectsthatmustholdlotsofstitchesonyourcrochethook.Soinsteadofgettingthoseonesgetthesmallerlengthhooks,whosewidthsareapproximatelyaquartertohalfofyourindexfinger’swidths.Atthestore,thesehooksaresometimeslabelledasstandardcrochethooks.

YARN:

Youcannotstartcrochetingwithoutyarns.Sinceyouarejustinthesimplebasiclevel,itisrecommendedyoustartwithyarnsthatarelightcolouredforearlysimpleprojects.Acheapyarnyoucanstartwithislightcolouredplainacrylic.Ifyouuseadarkercolouredyarn,itmightbehardforyoutoseethemistakesasyoucrochet.Sinceyouareabeginner,youareboundtomakemistakes.Soforyourfirstprojects,tryusingwhite,pink,yellow,lightblue,lightgreen,lightorange.Avoidusingblack,darkbrown,navyblue,gray,darkredetc.

SCISSORS:

Scissorisoneitemthatyouwillbeusingasyougoalongwithyourcrochetingjourney.Youwillneedittocut,trimandfinishyarns.Youdonotneedanyspecialorspecifictypeofscissors.Anotherthingyoumightneedtohaveisaneedleandthreadthatmatchthecolouroftheyarnyouareusingtoworkonaproject,becausesomeprojectrequiresyoutoattachtopiecestogetherandyoucanusetheneedleandthreadtosewthemoryoucanuseadifferentcolourofyarntoattachthemtogether.

VIDEOS/BOOKS:

Videosandbookslikethisaboutcrochetingcanbeveryusefulwhenyouarejuststartingoutincrochetingworld.Gettingabookthathaspicturesincludedinitisrecommendedbecauseitiseasierwhenyouhavevisualdemonstration.Oneproblemthatarisesisthatyouarelearningthisonyourownsoyouhavenoonetomakesuggestionsabouthowastitchshouldgobutonlyyourself.Itisokaytherearewaysinwhichyoucanhavesomeonewithyou.Youcouldenrolinanartclassthatofferscrochetingorhaveafriendwhoknowsaboutitteachyou.Havingsomeonewhosupportsyouandoffersyouhelpwhenyouarejuststartingoutisverygoodandalsooneofthebestcrochetingtool!

Chapter2-LET’SBEGINCROCHETINGHowtoMakeaSlipknot:

Step1:

Makeaslipknot:Startmakingaslipknotbymakingtheyarnliedownandthenloopit.Makesuretheshortpiecewhichisthetailisontopofthelongyarn.Thenextthingtodoistoflipthewholethingdownontothelongeryarn.Holdthemiddleyarnbetweenyourthumbandforefingerandgentlypulloutthemiddleyarn.Keepholdingthetailwhilepullingthelooptotightenit.

Step2:

TightentheLoopusingyourlefthand,pickuptheloopandthenslidethehookintotheloop.Makesuretotightenthelooparoundthehook.Butdonotmakeittootight

Step3:

HowtoHoldtheThread:useyourindexfingertotwistthelongsideofthethreadaroundyourpinkie.Takeholdoftheshortsidewhichisthetail,usingyourmiddleandringfingers.Useyourrighthandtoholdthehook.Whenyouholdthehookandthreadthisway,youkeepthetensiononthethreadandtherewillbeenoughspacetomovethehook.

Rememberthattheyarelotsofwaysyoucanholdyourhookandthread.Findtheonethatyouarecomfortablewiththatworksbestforyou.

Step4:

BegintheChain:Todothis,twistthethreadaroundthehookandthenpullitthroughtheloop.

Step5:

FinishtheChain:Remembernottomakethelooptootightandtodothesecondloop,pullthethreadthroughthesecondloopandkeepdoingthistillyouhaveachain.

Step6:

BegintheFirstRow:Tobeginthefirstrowofsinglecrochet,insertthehookinthesecondchainfromthehook.Twoloopswillnowbearoundyourhook.

Step7:

CrochetingtheChainedRow:useyoulefthandtoholdtheyarnusingthehookandpullitthroughthefirstloop.Youwillbeleftagainwithtwoloopsonyourhook.Catchtheyarnusingyourhookagainandthepullitthroughthetwoloops.

Repeatthestepsaboveuntilyougettotheendofthechainedrow.Ifyouwanttocrochetmorerows,chainonestitchattheendofyourrowandturntheprojectovertostartthenextrow.

Step8:

Finish:cutthelongsideoftheyarnandpullitthroughthelooptofinish.

Howtomakeacrochetslipstitch:

Slipstitchesareveryusefulincrochetingandyouwillusethemveryoften.Slipstitchesareusedtofinisharow,joinelementsandalsousedasafinishingedge(stitchesanddetails).slstistheabbreviationforslipstitches.Belowarepicturesonhowtodoaslipstitch.

Makingaslipstitch:

1.Insertthecrochethookintothespotyouwantyourslipstitchtobe,

2.Thenhooktheyarnanddrawitthroughthespotandthroughthelooponyourcrochethookatonce..

3.Ifyouarecrochetingahat,bagandotherstuffsthathavecircularpatternsyouwillnoticethatyoumostlystartwith3rowsofchainsandthenaringandthenaslipstitch.

Howtomakeasinglecrochetstitch:

Singlecrochetstitchisthemostpopularstitchbecauseitisusedtocreatethebodyofaproject.Youcanalsouseitasabaseforotherstitchesaswell.Theabbreviationforthisstitchissc(seelastChapterforabbreviations).

IMPORTANT:

Ifanumberisaftertheabbreviationinastitchinginstruction,thatmeansyouneedtomakethatnumberofstitchinthenextstitch.Toexplainbetter,sc3meansyoushouldmakeascintheneareststitchandthenanotherscinthestitchthatfollowsandthenanotherscinthestitchthatfollowsifyoucountthenumbersofscyouwillseethatitis3.

Ifanumberisbeforetheabbreviation,thatmeansyouneedtomakethatnumberofstitchintheneareststitch.Forexample2scmeansmake2scinoneneareststitchsoinsteadofmakinganscinonestitchandthenanotherscinanotherstitchyoumakebothscinthesamestitch.Themaximumnumberthatisusually2scbutonlyonrarecases3sc

Tobeginmakingasinglecrochet(SC)

Beginbyinsertingthehookinthestitchofthepreviousrow.Itwillbeabeginningchainifitisyourfirstrow.

Puttheyarnoverthehook

Thendrawuptheloopyouwillnowhave2loopsonyourhook

Puttheyarnoverthehookagainanddrawitthroughbothloopsatonce.

Youwillnoticethatyouonlyhaveoneloopleftonyourcrochethook.

Youaredonemakingthesinglecrochetingstitch.

Youcanmakeasmanyscasyouneedtilltheendoftherow

Makeach1(chainstitch)onthenextrowandcontinuemakingscstitchestilltheendofthenextrow.And

thenfinally,slipstitchsquare.

Howtomakeadoublecrochetstitch:

Singlecrochetstitchisusedasabaseinthisstitchbutitsaddingonemoreleveltoit.Theabbreviationforthisstitchisdc

Beginbyyarnoverbeforeinsertingthehookinthestitchofthepreviousrow.

Putthehookinthestitchofthepreviousrow

Thenyarnoveragainandhooktheyarn

Fromtheleft,drawtheyarnthroughthefirstloop

Thenyarnoverthehookagainandatoncedrawtheyarnthroughthefirsttwoloopsontheleft.

Dotheyarnoverthehookonelasttimeanddrawtheyarnthroughtheremainingtwoloopsatonce.

Youhavecompletedthedoublecrochetstitch.

CreatingtheStartingChain

Afteryouhavedoneyouslipknotonyourhook,whatyouneedtodonextistocreatethestartchain

Onceyouhaveyourslipknotcreatedandonyourhook,youneedtocreatethestartingchain,whichwillbethesaeinanycrochetproject.Thisgivesyousomethingtoworkfromonthefirstrow.

Sobeginbyyarnoverthehook

Hooktheyarnandpulltheloopthroughthehook

Nowyoushouldhaveonelooponyourhook

Repeattheprocessandcontinuedoingituntilyouhaveastartchainlongenoughfortheprojectyouwanttoworkon.

Onceyouhaveyourchain,flipyourprojectaroundsoyouwillnowworkfromrighttoleft.

Chapter3-TIPSONCROCHETING

1. Breakforhandandfingerstretching:Assomeonewhoisjuststartingcrocheting,itisfunandexcitingandwhenyoustartworkingonyourfirstproject,youjustwanttokeepgoingandyoumightforgetthatitisimportantyoutakeabreakbecauseyoumightbewatchingyoufavouriteshowonTVorlisteningtoyourfavouritemusicwhilecrocheting.Remembertotakeaquickbreaktostretchyourhandsanddosomefingerrolls.Ifyoudonotdothis,youmightgetslightcramps.Soremembertoalwaysmakeamentalnotetostopforabitandstretchyourhandanddosomewristrolling.

2. Watchyourposture:Anotherthingtoconsiderwhencrochetingisyourposture.Ifyouaresittinginapositionwherebyeverynowandthenyouhavetolookdownandlookup(especiallyifyouwatchingTV).Thisisnotagoodpostureforcrochetingbecauseeventually,yourshoulderswillgettiredsowatchoutforyourposture.Trytofindaposturethatisgoodforwhereyoumuscleswillnotgettiredeasilybecauseoftoomuchputonthem.TakingcareoftheYarn:Ifyouryarnisprovingstubbornanddoesnotwanttogothroughtheneedle’seye,youcandipthetipoftheyarninclearnailpolishandtwistittightwhileitisdrying.Youcannoweasilymakeitgothroughtheneedle’seyejustremembertocutoffthenailpolishtiplater.Thisalsoworksforputtingtheyarnthroughasmallbeadholethatyoucan’tgetaneedlethrough.

3. Tensionmatters:Thepositionatwhichyouryarnstaysininyourlefthandmatters.Becauseasyoupulltheyarnthrougheachloopforeverystitchyoumakewithyourrighthand.Whatmattersishowtightorloosetheyarnisbeenheldinyourlefthand.Soyouneedconsistencywhenholdingayarn.Ifnotyouwillgetapiecethathastworowsinthemiddlereallytightorreallystretcheddependingonhowtightlyyouheldtheyarn.Asabeginneryouarenotexpectedtoquicklyknowhowtoholdayarnrightbutasyoupracticemoreyouwillgetthehangofit.

4. Fakeittillyoumakeit:somepeoplemayraisetheireyebrowupforthisone.Youdonothavetoquicklygetthemostperfectcrochetedhatorscarfasabeginner.Youareboundtomakelittlemistakesasyoucrochetsoifthecurrentprojectyouareworkingonhaveafewmistakes,donotfretasyougetmoreandmorepractice,youwillnoticethatthemistakeswillstartdwindlinguntilthereisnomoremistakes.Also,asyouarecrocheting,ifyouseethemistakesoonyoucanunravelitandstartagainfromthatpointorcoveritupifyouareusingachunkyyarn.

5. KeepingRecord:Writedownallthetypesofyarnsandhooksyoualreadyhaveonanindexcardandkeepitwithyou.Thatwaywhenyoushop,youwon’tbuystuffyoualreadyhaveandwastetimeandmoney.

6. Storingyourhooks:ThewayyoustoreyourhooksisdifferentfromthewayIstoremyhooksandevendifferentfromthewayanothercrocheterstoretheirhooks.Itisamatterofpersonalpreference.Youcanstoreyourhooksinapencilbox,jewelleryboxorhangthemonathinpieceofwood.Youcanalsousefoodcontainertostoreyourhooks.

7. Startwithsimpleproject:Ifyouarejustlearningsomething,youhavetostartwiththesimplebasicstufffirstbeforeyougetintothedifficultcomplexones.Samewithcrocheting,startwithbasicprojectssoyoudonotgetfrustratedorburnoutquicklyormaybeloseinterestincrocheting.Alwaysdoprojectsthatyoucanunderstandandarefunforyoutodo.

8. ILovecrocheting:Ifyouarethetypethatlovestocrochetnomatterwhereyouareschool,office,busstation,etc.Keepaprojectinasmallbagthatyoucancarryandgooutwheneveryouwant.

9. Keepabagorbasketbythecouch:Itisalwaysgoodtobeorganisedineverythingyoudo.Sohaveasmallbagorbasketrightbesidewhereyouusuallydoyourcrocheting.Fillyourbagorbasketwithallyourcrochetingneedshooks,yarns,scissoretc.sowhenyoustartcrochetingyoudonothavetorunaroundlookingforwhereyoumighthavekeptthescissororyarnetc.

10. Slowandsteadywinstherace:Ah!Ilikethatsaying.Whileitisgoodtobefastwhenyouaredoingsomethingsitisalsobetterforyoutoslowdownsothatyoudonotendupmakingmistakesorlotsofmistakes.Asabeginneryoumighthavethetendencytoworkonyourprojectfastbecauseyouareexcitedtoseehowitwillturnoutandthenyouendupmakingalotofmistakeswithoutevenknowingandattheendyourprojectwon’tbepleasingtotheeyes.Soremembernottorushwithworkingaprojectbesideswillyounotlikeitifyourprojectturnsoutamazingthanifitturnsoutwonky.

Chapter4-CROCHETPATTERNSCrochetflower

Whatyouwillneed:

YarnorCrochetThread:

Youcanuseanyyarnyouwantbutitisbettertouseayarnthatissmooth.Forthisexactflower,usemediumweightyarn,cascade220.Cascade220issoftsmoothlovelywoolandyoucangetitinadifferentbeautiful

CrochetHook

Tocrochetthesampleflower,useasize1hook.Thisispreferablebecauseitisagoodsizetouseonmediumweightyarn.Youcanuseadifferentsizeofhookdependingontheyarnyouuse,thesizeofthefloweryouwantorifyouuseadifferentyarnthanthecascade220.

Tapestryneedle:

Youneedthistoweaveintheends.

Instructionsonstartingtheflower:

Step1:

BeginbymakingCh5.(Fivechains).Thenjoinwithaslst(slipstitch)toformaring.

Step2:

Rnd1(round)Work11sc(singlecrochet)sts(stitch)inring.Tojointhework,slst(slipstitch)inthe1stsc(singlecrochet)intheround.

Step3:

Rnd2(round2)[ch3(threechains),tr(treblecrochetstitch)inthesc(singlecrochet)st(stitch)thattouchesthech-3(threechainstitches),ch3(threechain),slst(slipstitch)insamesc(singlecrochet)st(stitch),1slst(slipstitch)ineachofthenext2sts(twostitches).]Repeatthesequenceinbrackets5moretimesforatotalof6flowerpetals.

Step4:

Enditbyweavingintheends.

CrochetedFlower

Thematerialsneededforthisarepatonsbumblebeebaby-weightyarn(100%cotton),

Hook:SizeF-5U.S.orsizeneededtoobtaingauge,Yarnneedleabout3mmwide.

Createyourcrochetedflower:

1. Followthisstitchpattern:

Centerring:Leavinga6-in.length,ch6andcloseintoaringwith1slstinfirstch.

Round1:DoCh1,work15scinring,slstinfirstsctojoin.

Round2:DoCh1,scinsc,ch3,skipnext2sc,repfromtoaround,slstinfirstsctojoin(5ch-3loopsmade).

Round3:Doslstinfirstch-3loop,ch1,(sc,hdc,3dc,hdc,sc)ineachch-3looparound(notethatnowyouwillhave5petalsmade),slstinfirstsctojoin.

Round4:DoCh4;skipnext6sts,slstinnextsc,repfromtoaround(5ch-4loopsmade).

Round5:Doslstinfirstch-4loop,ch1,(sc,hdc,2dc,tr,2dc,hdc,sc)ineachch-4looparound(5petalsmade),slstinfirstsctojoin.

Round6:DoaCh5;skipnext8sts,slstinnextsc,repfromtoaround(5ch-5loopsmade).

Round7:Doslstinfirstch-5loop,ch1,(sc,hdc,2dc,3tr,2dc,hdc,sc)ineachch-5looparound(5petalsmade),slstinfirstsctojoinandfinallyfastenoff.

AutumnShawl

Sizeofgaugedoesnotmatter.Thisisaneastcrochetingpatternforbeginnersitisnotcomplex.Youcanuseanyyarnofyour

(DKweightyarnpreferable)thesizeoftheyarnshouldbeapproximately738yardsand11ozandyourcrochetinghookshouldbe9.00mm)

Firstrow:

Holdtwostrandsoftheyarntogetheranddoach3,slstinthefirstchyoudidtoformaring.Thendoch3,9dcintotheringdonotjointhe9dc

Secondrow:

Doch3thenturnanddo5dcinthefirstdcskipthenextdcandscinthenextdcandthedcafterthatthendo5dcinthenextdc.Dothistwicethatis15dcand2sc

Thirdrow:

Startwithch3,turn,thendo5dcinthefirstdcandskipthenextdcthatisdoascinthenextdcandskipthenextrowdc,thendo5dcinthenextscandskipthenext2dctwice,thendoascinthenextdc,andskipthenextdcdo5dcinthelastdcthiswillresultin20dcand3sc

FourthRow:

Doch3,turn,do3dcinfirstdc,skipthenextdc,thendoascinnextdc,skipnexttwodcanddo5dcinnextsc,skipnext2dcanddoascinnextdc,repeatuntil2dcremain,thenskipthenextdc,anddo3dcinlastdcthatis21dcand4sc

FifthRow5:

Startwithach3,turn,doadcineachstacrossthatis26dc

SixthRow:

Startwithch3,turn,do5dcinfirstdc,thenskipthenextdc,doascinnextdcandskipnextdc.Do5dcinnextdc,repeatfromacrossthatis35dcand6sc

SeventhRow:

RepeatRow4:36dc,8sc.Remembertotakebreakstorestyourwristsandfingerswhencrocheting.

EighthRow:

Startwithch1,turn,doscinfirstdcandthenskipnext2dc,do5dcinnextsc,skipthenext2dc,doascinnextdc,repeatfromacrossthatis35dcand6sc

NinthRow:

Startbydoingch3,turn,5dcinfirstsc,andthenskipnext2dc,scinnextdc,skipnext2dc,5dcinnextsc,repeatfromacrossthatis40dc,7sc

Tentotwentyonerows:

Repeatthesamethingyoudidinrowfourandninetwotimesanditwillresultin314dcand68scintotal

Twentytwototwentythreerows:

Repeatwhatyoudidinrowfourandfivethatwillresultin47dcand5sctotal

Finally!

Finishitupbyweavingintheendstomakeitpretty.ThefinishedSizeforthiswillbeapproximately50″(127cm)wideand15″(38.1cm)long

Crochetingabeanie

Theremanydifferentpatternthatyoucanlearntocrochetabeanie.Sinceitisacapthefirstthingforyoutostartdoingistostartcrochetingfromthetopofthebeanieusingmultiplestitchestoformacircularshape.Thenumberofstitchesincreasesasyoucrochetaroundthecircletotheformtheshapeofbeanie.Onceyouhavethebeanieaswideasyouwilllikeittobe,keepcrochetingwithoutincreasingthewidth.Thencontinueyourcrochetingtillyoureachyourdesiredlength.Crochetingabeanieisveryeasytolearnifyouusethebasiccrochetstitchesandpatterns.Thestepslistedbelowareanexampleofasimplecrochetpatternforbeanie.

Materialsneededforthisprojectare:

Mediumweightyarnand3.75mmhook

Forthegauge,17sc=3’’.8rows=2’

GaugeSwatch:3’’wx2’’h(7.5cmx5cm)ch18.

Row1:scinsecondchfromhookandineachchacross

Row2–8:ch1,turnscineachscacrossthenfinishoff.

FinallytostartcrochetingyourBeanie:

Round1:startbydoingch2,sc10inthesecondchfromhook,placemarker

Round2:thendo2scineachscaround

Round3:thendo(2scinnextsc,1scinnextsc)around

Round4:do(2scinnextsc,1scinnext2sc)around

Round5:followupbydoing(2scinnextsc,1scinnext3sc)around

Round6:thendo(2scinthenextsc,1scinthenext4sc)around

Round7:(2scinnextsc,1scinnext5sc)around

Round8-9:Do(2scinthenextsc,1scinthenext10sc)around

Round10-11:DoscineachscaroundRound12:Do(2scinnextsc,1scinthenext10sc)around

Round13-17:scineachscaround

Round18-19:Doa(2scinthenextsc,1scinthenext15sc)around

Round20-31:lastly,doascineachscaround

Finishoff.Thefinishedsizeforthisis5.5inc(14cm)long,7inc(18cm)wide.

AutumnShawl

Youwillneed2ballsofBernatSatinyarninthefollowingcolours:

E:Rouge

D:Cameo

C:Amber

B:Buff

A:Mochaanda5.5mmhook

Instructions:

StripePattern:Work2rowsofeachcolorinfollowingsequence:A,B,C,A,D,E.These12rowsformStripePattern.

Shawlisworkedwidthwise.

StartbyusingAdoch227:

Row1:ontherightside(RS)do1scinthesecondchfromhook.1scineachchtoendofch.Thendo226sc.Turn.

Row2andalternaterow:doaCh2and1hdcineachsttoendofrow.JoinB.Turn.TheFirst2rowsofStripePatternarecompleted.

Row3:usingBdoch1and1scineachoffirst3hdc.*(Pulllongloop,1scinnextfoundationchtworowsbelow–longscmade)twice.1scineachofnext2hdc.Repeatfrom*tolast3hdc.1scineachoflast3hdc.Turn.

Row4:usingC,doCh1.1scinfirsthdc.*Longscineachofnext2hdctworowsbelow.1scineachofnext2hdc.Repeatfrom*endingwith1scinlasthdc.JoinA.Turn.

Row5:WithA,ch1.1scineachoffirst3hdc.*Longscineachofnext2hdctworowsbelow.1scineachofnext2hdc.Repeatfrom*tolast3hdc.1scineachoflast3hdc.Turn.

Row6:As2ndrowjoiningDatendofrow.KeepingcontinueofStripePattern,

repeatrows5and8forpatuntilworkfrombeginningmeasuresapproximately24inc[61cm],endingwithawrongsiderowandthenfastenoff.

Tofinish:WiththerightsidefacingjoinAwithslsttoleftcornerofsideedge.WorkinscacrosssideedgeofShawl.Fastenoff.Repeatacrossotherside.

Chapter5–CROCHETABBREVIATIONSAbbreviation Description

[]workinstructionswithinbrackets

asmanytimesasdirected

()

workinstructionswithinparenthesesasmanytimesas

directed

*repeattheinstructionsfollowingthesingleasteriskasdirected

**

repeatinstructionsbetweenasterisksasmanytimesas

directedorrepeatfromagivensetofinstructions

:

instructionsafter(totherightof)thecolonindicatesthetotalstitch

countfortherow

alt Alternate

approx. Approximately

beg begin/beginning

bet between

BL backloop(s)

bo bobble

BP backpost

BPdc backpostdoublecrochet

BPsc backpostsinglecrochet

BPtr backposttreblecrochet

CA colorA

CB colorB

CC contrastingcolor

ch chainstitch

ch-referstochainorspacepreviously

made:e.g.,ch-1space

ch-spchainspace,thespacemadeby

thechain

CL cluster

cm centimeter(s)

cont. continue

dc doublecrochet

dc2tog doublecrochet2stitchestogether

dec decrease/decreases/decreasing

dtr doubletreble

FL frontloop(s)

foll follow/follows/following

FP frontpost

FPdc frontpostdoublecrochet

FPsc frontpostsinglecrochet

FPtr frontposttreblecrochet

g gram

hdc halfdoublecrochet

inc increase/increases/increasing

lp(s) loops

m meter(s)

MC maincolor

mm millimeter(s)

oz ounce(s)

p picot

pat(s)orpatt pattern(s)

pc popcorn

pm placemarker

prev previous

rem remain/remaining

rep repeat(s)

rnd(s) round(s)

RS rightside

sc singlecrochet

sc2tog singlecrochet2stitchestogether

sk skip

slst slipstitch

sp(s) space(s)

st(s) stitch(es)

tchort-ch turningchain

tbl throughbackloop

tog together

tr treblecrochet

trtr tripletreblecrochet

WS wrongside

yd(s) yard(s)

yo yarnover

yoh yarnoverhook

CONCLUSION

Soasyouhavereadcrochetingissimpleeasytolearnjustmakesuretohaveafriendorsomeoneyoucanpracticeordo

somecrochetingwithitisenjoyablethatwayasabeginner.Also,followthetipsoncrochetingandanotherthingtonote

istheabbreviation.Crochetinghasitsownsetofabbreviationsomakesuretolearnwhattheymeanandluckilytheyare

notmuchsoyoucanquicklylearnthembecausethatiswhatyouwillbeusingwhenyoustartcrocheting.Makesureto

giveyourhandsrestasyourcrochet.Afteryouhavemasteredbasicprojects,liketheonesinthisbook,donotbeafraid

togoontootherprojects.

FREEBonusReminder











OR



DIYCLEANINGANDORGANIZINGTHEULTIMATEDIYGUIDETOHOUSECLEANING,ORGANIZINGAND

PRODUCTIVITY.LEARNSMARTANDEASYTRICKSONHOWTOCLEANANDORGANIZEYOURHOUSEIN3DAYSWITHABONUS

(DIY,DIYORGANIZING,DIYCLEANING,DIYPROJECTS).

TableofContentIntroduction

Chapter1-5EFFECTIVEORGANIZATIONSTEPS

Chapter2-EFFECTIVECLEANINGTIPS(DOITFAST)

Chapter3-TIPSANDTRICKSINCLEANINGYOURKITCHENANDBATHROOM

BONUSCHAPTER-TIPSANDTRICKSONORGANZINGYOURLIVINGROOM,BATHROOMANDKITCHEN

Chapter4-CLEANINGSUPPLIES

Conclusion

IntroductionCleaningandorganizingcanbefunforsomepeoplewhileforotheritisanagonizingtask.

Thethingthatmakescleaninghardforsomepeopleisbecausetheypickadayinamonth

todoallthecleaninginthehouseandbeforetheyareevenhalfwaydone,theybecome

tired.Thekeytocleaningandorganizingistohaveamethodbeginatonespotendatone

spot.Notgoingbackandforthinaroomorcleaningaroomthewrongway.

Yesthereisarightwaytocleanaroomandwearegoingtotalkaboutthatlateroninthe

book.Youwillenjoylivinginacleanorganizedhousewaybetterthaninadirtycluttered

environmentandheyyourfriendswillalsobeabletovisitandeatinyourhouse.Iamsure

someofyouhavebeentopeople’shousethatyouarenotsureyoucaneatorevendrink

waterthereitmaybebecausethehousehasafoulsmellorthekitchenlooksuntidy.You

canalsogivethisbookouttothattypeoffriendha-ha.

Chapter1-5EFFECTIVEORGANIZATIONSTEPS

GETRIDOFTHINGSTHATARENOTUSEFULANYMORE

Likeyoumighthavenoticedifyouwantyourhousetobeorganizedyouhaveto

getridofallthestuffsyoudoneedanymore.Beforeyoustartgettingridofthings,

makesuretoformanattackplan.

Onebestwaytomakeyourhousefreeofclustersistomakeaninventoryandonce

youhavehighlightedthethingsyoucandownsize,youcangettowork.After

gettingridoftheclutterthatyoudonotneed,youwillrealizethatitisnoweasier

toorganizeeverythingelse.

LOOKFORBETTERWAYSTOORGANIZEYOURTHINGS

Thenextthingtodoaftergettingridofallthestuffsyoudonotneedisasbefore

formanattackplan.Makesureeverythingyouhavelefthasahome.Ifyouarenot

surewheretoputsomething,youcanputitintheclusterbucketanddecideon

wheretoputitlaterafterarrangingotherthings.

KEEPITCLEAN

Soaftergettingridofyourclustersandorganizingwhatelseisleftyouarefeeling

prettytirednowandatthatmomentyoudecidethatyoudonotwanttogothrough

itagain.Sowhattodoyouhavetodotomaintainit?Youkeepitcleanandmake

sureitstaysorganized.Thismightbeabithardforsomepeoplebutinsteadof

maybehavingthatspecialdaywereyoucleanandorganizethewholehousetry

cleaningitfor15minuteseveryonceinawhile.

Youwillgettoperfectionwithjustthatlittleeffortandyouwillbesurprisedbyit.

Wheneveryouleavearoom,takewhateveritemthatdoesnotbelonginthatroom

withyou.Youdonotneedhourstocleanororganizethingsifyoutrythis15

minutesmethod.Afewminutesisallyouneedandonceyougetusedtoitanditis

partofyourroutine,youwillnotevennoticethatyouaredoingit.

FOOTWEARSHOULDBEINTHEFOYER

Keepyourshoesinarackoramat.Makesurethatwhereyourshoesarekeptison

amovablesurfacesothatthefloorunderneathcanbecleaned.Stackableshoeshelf

isknowntobeinexpensiveanditisalsogoodforwetshoesorbootsasitprovides

plentyofaircirculationtoletitdry.Whetheryourfoyerisformalorinformal,you

canstillfindaprettyshoerackormatthatwillsuityourneeds.Inaformalfoyer,

youcanusethematthatiskeptinsidetheclosetunderthecoats.Inaninformal

foyer,youcangetdecorativebasketsorwoodenormetalshoerackstoholdand

keepyourshoesandboots.

COATSTORAGE

Ifyourentrywayfallsintothecategoryofnothavingacloset,itisnobigdeal

becausemanyentrywaysdonothaveaclosetandthefewthatdohaveafree

standingfurniturethatprovidesextracoatstorage.Withtheuseofcoatracks,hall

tress,hooksandpegsyoucanhangyourcoats,scarf,mittensandgloves.Your

scarf,mittensandglovescanbehungtoairthemout.Youcanalsokeepthemina

basketifyouwant.Remembertouseaclothpinforthemittens,scarfandglovesif

theyaremanypeopleusingtheentryway

Chapter2-EFFECTIVECLEANINGTIPS(DOITFAST)

Learntocleanyourhouseinthesameordereverytime

Startbyworkingwithoneroomatatime,startingandfinishingfromthesamespot.

Thatwayyoudonothavetorunbackandforthwhencleaning.Youalsohavetobe

consistentincleaningifyouwantittoworkaspartofyourroutine.Theroutineisthe

methodyouusetocleananditisalsoapermanentsteadymethod.Thespeedyouuse

incleaningcomesfromyourmethodnotbyhurryingup.Because,ifyouhavenostart

orfinishpointwhencleaning,youwilljustendupwastingalotoftime.

Cleantoptobottom,lefttoright

Oneothereffectivewaytocleanisbystartingfromthetop.Letusassumeyou

haveaceilingfanandunderitisatable.Youwillnotstartcleaningthetablefirst

beforethefanbecauseyouknowthatthedustfromthefanwillstillfalltothetable

andthenyouhavetoredoitagain.Samethingascleaninglefttorightthatwayyou

donothavetogorunningfromplacetoplaceandworkingfromtoptobottomand

lefttoright,ensuresthatyoudogobacktocleaningplacesyouhavealready

cleaned.

Usesqueegeeforastreakfreefinish

Squeegeeisthenextbestthingtogetifyoucannotgettheshineyouwantfrom

Windexandpapertowels.Tousesqueegeetogetasteakfreewindow,dropadish

ofsoapinagallonofwaterandwipeitwithacloththenuseasqueegeetofinishit

off.Startfromtoptobottomofthewindowandwipethebladeeachtimeatthe

bottom.Youcanalsouseaglasscleanerandamicrofiberclothinplaceofa

squeegee.Butmakesurenottocleanthewindowsincircularmotionasthiswill

leavesteakmarkinstead,cleanusinghorizontalstrokesandmovefromtopto

bottom.Lastly,refrainfromusingnewspapersorpapertowelswhencleaninga

windowasitwillleavearesidue.

Keepthetoolsneededatanavailableplace

Thisensurethatyouwillnotwastetimegoingbackandforthtogettheproduct

youneedwhencleaning.Youcandothisbyplacingyourproductsinabucketor

caddyandjusttakeitalongwithyoutothespotyouwanttostartcleaningfrom.

Somepeoplemightrecommendpouringthecleaningproductintoasmallbottleif

theoriginalbottleisbigforyoutocarryaround.Iwillnotrecommendthisbecause

someoneelsemightmistakethesmallbottlesforsomethingelseanditmaybe

hazardous.Youcanavoidabigcleanupbydoinglittlethingslikegettingashower

cleanerandsprayanytimeyouhaveashowerandthenrinseitthenyouwalkaway.

Youdonothavetoscruborwipeanything.Alsoashowercleanerisnotreally

expensive.

Youcandustwithoutspraying

Usingadusterisagreatwayforcleanup.Youcanuseittodustpicture,blinds,nooks

andotherareasthatmightnotseemreachableusingacloth.Noteiftheplaceyouare

dustinghasheavybuildup,useaclothorvacuumandthenmakesuretodusttheplace

withdustereveryweekorsoafterthat.

Dealwithkitchengrease

Thereisnowaytoavoidgreasestainsinthekitchen.Butnottoworry,thereare

manywaystobattlegreasestain.Youcanusebakingsodaandwaterfortough

stains,remembertoscrublightlyoryoucanuseacleanerwithorangeoilinitor

youcanuseadishwashingdetergentthatfightsgrease.Mixitwithwaterandtestit

onasmallspotfirsttomakesurethatitdoesnotaffectthefinish.

Lemoncleaner

Someofyoumightknowthistrickaboutusinglemontoremoveanyruststainon

yourpatio,porch,garageflooranddrivewayinsteadofusingacid.Putsomefresh

lemonjuiceonthestainandallowittositforabout10minsifthestainhasbeen

thereforlong(weeksormonth)scrubwithahardbristlebrushandrinsewithclean

water.

Battlebathroommold

Hydrogenperoxideisnotonlyusedforcutsyoucanuseittobattlethemoldin

yourbathroom.Sprayonmoldandallowittositfor3to5minsanditwillkillthe

funguscausingthemold.Youcanuseafanwhileshoweringtokeepthemoldfrom

comingback.Aftershowering,useasqueegeetodothewateronthetileand

showerdoor.Youdonotwantthemoldtohauntyourbathroom.

Defeatmineraldeposits

Ifyouarehavingproblemswithyourfaucetduetomineraldepositfromhard

water,usewhitevinegaronaclothandcleanthefaucet.Donotuseabrushasthis

willscratchthefaucet.Theuseofvinegarwillalsomakeyoufaucetsparkle.

Keepstainless-steelshining

Doyouknowtheenemiesofstainlesssteel?Itisfingerprints,watermarksand

smudges.Ifyouhavemineraloilyoucanuseittocleananystainlesssteelsurface

oryoucangettheproductforitandapplyittoaclothawipethesurfacedown

onceaweek.Withmineraloil,toothpasteiskeptfromstickingtothesinkanditis

easiertowipe.

Havefunwithmagicerasers

IamsuremostofyoureadershaveheardaboutMr.Cleanmagiceraser.Thiseraser

willhelpyougetstainoffwhennothingelsewill.Sokeepsomeinyourbucketof

productswhencleaningastheywillcomeinhandy.Youcanuseittocleanwalls,

anyfloorsurface(wood,tile,andlaminate)anditisalsocheap.

Cleanthemicrowave

Insidesofmicrowavemayprovetoughtocleanatfirstespeciallyifbakedfoodhas

beensittingtherefordaysorlonger.Butthereisatrickthatcanhelpyoucleanthe

microwaveeasierandfaster.ButbeforeItellyouthatIamgoingtotalkabouta

fewotherthingsfirstohjustkiddingIamnotgoingtoleaveyouinsuspense.The

trickistoputacupfullofwaterandheatitupinthemicrowave.Themoisture

fromitwillhelploosenthethingsonthesides,topandbottomofthemicrowave.

Thencleanwithadampcloth.

Vacuuminrows

Ifyouwantaneffectivevacuuming,allyouhavetodoistovacuuminastraight

rowandthenmoveoverandstartagainatthefrontoftheroom.Makesureto

vacuumplacesthattendtogetdirtyquicklyatleastonceaweek.Ifyouarehaving

troublewiththecordswhilevacuumingjustplaceitoveryourshoulder.

Speed-cleanregularly

Cleanmoreoftenifyouwanttocutdownyourcleaningtime.Afteramajor

cleanup,fromtimetotimelike15minuteseverydaydoalightcleanup.Pickup

trash,cleanthetable,floorsandkitchen.Doingthiskeepsyourhomelookingnice

andcleaned.Ifyoukeepthisup,theday]youaresupposedtodoyourmajor

cleanupyouwillfindoutthatyoudonothavemuchthingtocleanandthiswill

saveyoufromanagonizingjob.

Chapter3-TIPSANDTRICKSINCLEANINGYOURKITCHENANDBATHROOM

Kitchen

InTheKitchen

Whencleaningyourkitchen,alwaysbeginfromtherightsideofyourstove,andthen

moveclockwisearoundtheroom.Sincethestoveismostlythedirtiestpartinthekitchen,

endingyourcleaningwiththestovepreventsyoufromspreadinggreaseanddirttoother

cleanedpartofthekitchen.Soakpans,potsandknobsinwarmsoapywaterbeforeyou

startcleaningsoaftercleaning,theywillbemucheasiertoclean.

SanitizetheSink

Nowthisisahardtobelievefactbutdoyouknowthatyourdirtykitchensink

containsmorebacteriathanthetoiletseat.Thatiswhyitisalwaysgoodtosanitize

thesink.TodothisuseadisinfectantwipethathasanEPAlabelonit.Another

methodyoucanusetodisinfectistocleanthesinkwithsoapandwaterfirstthen

sprayvinegarandthenhydrogenperoxide(donotmixthevinegarandperoxide

together).Tomakeyoursinksparkleifitisstainless,usemineraloilonaclothto

bluffit.Thiswillpreventwaterandmoldbuildupanditwillkeepthesinklooking

cleanforlong.

CleanDishwasher

Usebakingsodaonadampspongeonceaweektowipeoffoodstains,crumbsorstuckon

foodaroundthedishwasheredges.Usedishwashermagicwhichisaproductthatkillse

coiltocleaninsidebyrunninganemptycyclewithit.Duringthecoldandfluseason,add

bleachtotheregulardishcycletokillbacteriaifyouareworriedaboutthebleachdonot

frettherinsecyclewillrinseitoffandmakesureitissanitizedenoughtouse.

LoveYourOven

Theovenistheheartofyourkitchensokeepitcleanyoucanuseanovenlinerthatcanbe

wipedwithpapertowel,orputinadishwasherthetypeyoucanreuseoverandoveragain

usethenon-sticktype.

SmellyDisposal?-Disinfectit:Ifyouwanttogetridofodouruseasliceoflemon,salt

andfewicecubes.Thelemontakesthesmellawayandthesaltandcubeswashoffany

residue.

CrumplePaperTowelsorMicrofibercloth

Useamicrofiberclothinsteadofpapertowelsbecausetheclothscanbewashedand

reusedwhileapapertowelcanonlybeusedonceandthendisposed.Youalsocan

savelittlemoneyfrombuyingamicrofibercloth.Butthechoiceisyourswhatever

makescleaningeasierforyou.

CleanasYouGo:Aneasywaytodothedishesorkeepaspotcleanisforyoutofill

upthesinkwithsoapywaterwhenyoustartdinner.Afterusingaplateorpanjust

dumpitinthesinkanditwillbesoakingasyoueat.Thatway,onceyouaredone

withallyourmunching,itwillbeeasyforyoutocleantheplatesandpansalsoclean

anystainimmediatelydonotallowittosittherefordays.

RemembertheSponge

Spongescanbeabreedinggroundforbacteria.Somepeoplestilluseashreddedand

smellyspongeandthisisnotveryhygienic.Disinfectyourspongebysqueezingout

thewaterremnantandthenmicrowavingitonhigheverynight.Replaceyour

spongeifitisoldandwornout.

Bathroom

MakeDoorsShine:Youcanuselemonoil(rubateaspoononthedoor)orrainXglass

treatmenttostopwaterbuildupontheglassshowerdoors.UsetherainXtwiceamonth.

TametheToilet:UseateaspoonofTangDrinkMixinthetoiletbowl.Letitstayonfora

fewminutes.Thecitricacidactslikeascrubberitisalsonon-toxic.Afterafewminutes,

usethetoiletbrushtoswishandthenflush.Ifyouareworriedabouttoiletwatersplashing

atyou,pushthetoiletbrushinandoutofthetrapbeforeyoustartcleaningthebowl.This

methodlowersthewaterlevel.

CorralStrays

UseDranoorliquidplumbtokeeptheshowerdrainsfreeofhairstrandsorother

thingsthatwillclogupthedrain.Pourboilingwaterdownthedraintomakesureit

staysproblemfree.Useadamptowelpapertogetridofthehairstrandonthefloor

everymorning.

UseBedtimeasCleanTime

Wipedownthetub,toiletandmirrorandthrowoutthingscausingclutters.

Remembertodothesinkandfloorstoo.

BONUSChapter-TIPSANDTRICKSONORGANZINGYOURLIVINGROOM,BATHROOMANDKITCHEN

LIVINGROOM

CONTROLUNCONTROLLABLECORDS

Iamsurenooneisastrangertouncontrollablecordsthatweencounterbehindour

entertainmentcenter.Welltherearethingsinthemarketwecanbuytohelpwithit.Like

thecableyoyoitcoilsuptosixfeetofcordandwiththeadhesivebacking,youcanstickit

toanysurface.OryoucoulduseacablecaddywhichsticksontoadesktoporbehindaTV

consol.Ithasspaceformanycables.Sinceyourcordswillstilldanglefreelyyoucanusea

cablezippertoenclosethem.

HELLOWASTEBASKET

Trashisinevitableineveryhouseholdsomakesuretogetatrashcantocutdownonthe

clutter.Somepeoplethinkthathavingatrashcaninaroomisunattractiveanditmight

maketheroomsmelly.Ifyouareonethesepeopletrygettingacanthatfitsthedécorof

theroomandbuysometrashbagsthatcounterssmellsandalsohavealidsoyoucan

closethetrashespeciallyifyouplanonthrowingfood.

KEEPFLATSURFACESCLUTTER-FREE

Thefamilyroomistheplaceyouwillexpecttoseealotofclutterbecauseitisaplacethat

mostpeoplegather.Soyouwilloftenfindbooks,magazines,papersandbrochures

accumulatethere.Youcangetastackablefilecartifyouhavenofloorspacetokeepthe

papersandbooks.Youcouldalsouseadrawer.Makesuretherestofyourfamilyfollow

inkeepingthesurfaceclutterfreebyputtingthebooks,magazineetc.whereitissupposed

tobe.Youcanquicklysweepthrougheverysurfaceandpickuppaperstoputintothebin

andthensortthemoutlater.

TAKEADVANTAGEOFSPACEBEHINDTHESOFA

Thespacebehindthecushioncanbeveryusefulinputtingextrapillows,candles,or

blanketsthatmightaddcluttertothelivingroom.Youcanalsoputalowbookcasebehind

yoursofa.Keepitorganized.

DISPLAYPICTURESINACREATIVEWAY

Ifyoulovepictureslikemeandhavealotofsmallphotoframesthatclutterthefamily

room,youmightwanttoconsidergettinganalbumasthisisagreatwayforyouorganize

andstoreallyourphotos.Youcanuseadigitalframeifyoudonotusefilm.Ifyouarea

scrapbooker,organizingyourpicturesbydatesoroccasionsinpictureboxesisagreat

ideabecauseyoucankeeptheminonecentrallocationonabookshelf.Remembertoalso

usetheverticalspaceonthewallsandnotjustamantelorsidetable.

BATHROOM

CONTROLHAIRITEMCLUTTER

Gettingaplastictubthatcanbeplacedunderthesinkisgreatforkeepingyourhairgels,

dryer,curlers,spraysetc.Alsoquicklygothroughallofthemandtakeouttheonesyoudo

notneedoruseanymoreandgivethemouttoafriendorcharity.Whenyouwanttofix

yourhair,youcantaketheplastictuboutandgetwhatyouneedwithoutcreatingamess.

ADDCREATIVETOWELSTORAGE

Yourtowelracknotbigenoughfortheentirefamily?Addhookstothebathroom.They

arecheap,easytomountandwiththemyoucancreatespaceforeverymemberofyour

familytohangtheirtowel.Alsothebathroomfloorwillremaindryandnotdamp.

ORGANIZEYOURMAKEUP

Bathroomdrawerstendtostoreallmosteverythinginabathroomandthisendupwiththe

drawersandotherthingsbecomingdisorganized.Gettinganexpandablemakeupdrawer,

thatcanfitinashallowdrawerandtakestheplaceoflargemakeuppacks.Diversesize

compartmentswillsortoutlipstick,blushandeyeshadowsoyouneverneedtoscoot

aroundtodiscoverwhatyouaresearchingfor.Asyouarrangeyourcosmetics,make

certaintodiscardanythingthatsmellsorislapsed.Anoldcosmeticcontainsmicroscopic

organismsthatcanaggravateyourskin.

USETHESPACEOVERYOURTOILET

Extratoiletpaper,toiletriesandeventowelscanbekeptoverthetoiletbathfurniture.

Thereisalwaysspacefororganizationaroundthehouseeveninsmallbathrooms.If

toiletsseatsarenotkeptdown,youcangetaunitwithcabinetsorclosedshelvestostore

toiletries.

KITCHEN

EMPTYCABINETS

Gothrougheverythingthatisinyourcabinetanddiscardthethingsyoudonotneedagain

orgiveoutthethingsyoudonotusefrequently.Mostkitchensdonothaveenoughspace

forstoragesothekeyforthistoworkisforyoutoonlykeepthethingsyouloveusing.

ORGANIZETHECABINETS

Nowthatyouhavegroupslaidoutonthefloor,decidewhereeachitemshouldbestored.

Cookingandbakingpiecesshouldbekeptclosetowhereyoudofoodpreparation.

Utensilsshouldbeinthedrawernearesttothepreparationareaaswell.Glasswareshould

bekeptnearthesinkorrefrigerator.Yourcoffeeorteastationthatincludessugar,milk,

mugsandfiltersshouldbenearthewatersourceifthisispossiblethatway,youdonot

havetogobackandforththekitchenforwhatyouneedjusttomakeyourfavorite

beverage.

GROUPLIKEITEMS

Putitemsthatgotogetherinthesameplace.Likeyourentirecookingutensilputthem

together,sortallyouritemsforbakingandputthemtogether.Thedishesyouuse,theones

visitorsuse,theholidayoneseventheonesthatyouuselikeonceortwiceayeargroup

themaccording.

USETRANSPARENTCONTAINERSTOSTOREITEMS

Usecontainerstoreorganizetheinsidesofyourcabinets.Assembletogetherthingslike

packetsofsaucemixes,gravymixes,seasoning,cerealandhotcocoaenvelopes,thenput

themintosmallplasticcontainerstoavoidthembeingdispersedalloverthecabinet.Use

clearplasticshoeboxestostorefoodthatisintinyboxessuchasgelatineorpuddingmix.

STORECONTAINERSANDLIDSTOGETHER

Somepeoplemakethemistakeofdiscardinglidsknowinglyorunknowingly.Thewayto

preventthisoreventopreventlookingforwhereyoukeptthelidtoaparticularplateisby

storinglidsandcontainerstogether.Youcanputthelidsonthecontainerorstorethemin

alargercontainerthatwayyouknowwhereitiskept.Oryoucanopttostoringthemona

wirerackbytheirside.

MAKEUSEOFVERTICALSPACE

Placehooksunderneathcabinetstoholdmugsabovethecountertop,orhangastemware

rackinthesamespotforwineglasses.Thiswillfreeupconsiderablecabinetspace.You

couldalsohangadhesivehooksontheinsideofcabinetdoorsorpantrydoorstoholdtools

suchasmeasuringcups,ovenmittsorotherkitchenappliances.Contemplateusingwall

spaceoraceilingracktohangpotsandpans.Keepinmindthatanyspaceyoucanuseto

hangsomethingwillfreeupflatspaceinsideacabinet.

USELAZYSUSANS

LazySusanhahaha(Ifindthenamefunny).Thiscanbeveryusefulforyouroils,

beverages,spices,vitamins,medicationsandothercookingingredients.Youcanuseitfor

leftoverfood,jarsofpickleetc.Allyouhavetodoisjusttorotateittogetwhatyouwant

simple!

USEDRAWERDIVIDERS

Drawerdividerisagreatplaceforyoutostoreyourcookingutensils.Itallowsyoutofind

alittlespotforeachitemandyoualsoknowwherethatitemisincaseyouneedtouseit.

SORTPAPERS

Youcanuseamagneticboxthathangsontothesideoftherefrigeratorfortakeoutmenus,

coupons,notepad,papersorotherthingsthatyouknowtendtoaccumulateon

countertops.Eachtypeofpapershouldhaveitsownsectioninthesorter.

CLEANOUTTHEREFRIGERATOR

Cleaningouttherefrigeratormightseemabithardforsomepeopleespeciallyifyouare

notusedtoit.Aneasywayforyoutostartgettingusedtoitortodoitisforyoucleanit

outonthesamedayyouhavetotakeoutyourtrashtothecurb.Youcanstartbyhavinga

trashcannearbyandputtingtwotrashbaginthecansothatwhentheoneontofillsupand

youremoveit,youalreadyhavetheotheronereadyinthecanforyou.Thenyoucanstart

sortingoutyourfoods.Checktheonesthatwillexpiresoon,haveexpiredalreadyorhave

stayedtoolongintherefrigeratorandthrowthemoutimmediately.Afterdoingthis,only

thegoodediblefoodswillremainandthiswillonlytakeafewminutesofyourtime.How

youarrangeyourkitchenisuptoyou.Itdependsonyourpersonalworkstyle.Remember

thatasyouarearrangingyourkitcheninawaythatismoreefficientandsmoothforyou.

Somakesureyouspendtimeorganizinganddeclutteringyourkitchenbecauseyouwill

enjoymakinguseofitthisway.

Chapter4-CLEANINGSUPPLIESInthemarkettoday,therearemanydifferentcleaningproductsouttherethatcanmake

housecleaningeasier.Tokeepyourhouseclean,therearefewbasictoolsandcleaners

thatareamusthavetomakeyourcleaningmoreeasyandefficient.Asyoumighthave

cometorealize,noteverycleaningproductisrequiredatyourhouselikeforexampleif

yourhousethewalltowallcarpetingtypetheproductsyouwillneedisdifferentfromthe

oneswiththehardwoodsallover.

DustingSupplies

Cloths(Microfiberones)touseforgeneralandcomplexdusting

Dustingsprayandfurniturepolish

Vacuumcleaner(dustingattachmentforhighceilings,wallsetc.)

Trash

Trashissomethingthatcanbegeneratedevenfromthesmallesthousehold.Weallalready

knowthetoolsneededtotakecareoftrash

Trashcans(foreveryroomandLouorareainthehouse)

Trashcansliners(thesecanbereusedgrocerysacks,orstoreboughtliners)

BakingSoda

RecyclingBins(labelledforeasysorting)

GeneralSurfaceCleaning

Everysurfaceinthehomegetsdirty.Youcanyouuseagoodall-purposecleanertoclean

spills,smudges,stickyspots,orstains.Ifyouwanttoanextracleanerforothergeneral

cleaningaroundthehouseyoucanuse

All-PurposeCleaner

KitchenCleanerorWipes

BathroomCleanerorWipes

Sponges,PaperTowels,CleaningCloths

Scrubbers

SpecialSurfaces

Inmosthomes,therearesurfacesthatneedalittlemoreextracarethantheothersandif

youhappentohaveoneofthosesurfaces,andyoutrycleaningthemwiththenormal

generalcleaner,youmightnoticethatthesurfacemayfadeovertime.Soitisbettertouse

theproductsthatisapplicabletothesurfacelikeforexample:

OvenCleaner

StoneCleaner

GlassCleaner

DishSoap

DishDetergent

WoodPolish

LaundrySoap

UpholsterySpotRemover

LeatherCleaner

LaundryStainRemover

LaundryAdditives

ToiletBowlCleaner

SoftScrubbingCleaner

AirFreshener

Bleach

SilverorMetalPolish

StorageandOrganizing

Nomatterhowcleanyourhomeis,youstillneedtoorganizeandstoreitems.Organizing

andstoringinyourhomeproperlycanmakeabigdifferenceonhowneatandorderlyyour

homewillturnouttobe.Although,storageandorganizingneedscontrastbutyoucanstill

considerthefollowing:

Storagecontainersitmightbeplastic,clear,andstackablewithhandles

Labelsoralabelmaker

Filingsystem

Floors

Thefloorisusuallythemostplacethatgetsdirty.Thingsisspilledonitandsmeared

throughout,footprints.Thecleaningproductorsupplyyouuseonthefloordependon

thetypeofflooryouhavewhetheritiswoodenortilled.Ifyouhavealotofpeopleliving

inyourhouse,thenyourhousewillprobablyhavedifferentfloortypesanditwillneed

differentsuppliestocleanthefloor.Someoftheseare:

Broom

Dustpan

VacuumCleaner

Mop

MopBucket

MoppingSolutionforfloortype

Polish

SOMEDIYCLEANINGPRODUCTS

Youcanmakeamultipurposecleaner,windowcleaner,toiletbowlcleaner,furniture

polish,andfloorcleanerathome.

All-purposecleaner :½tablespoonofdishsoap,2tablespoonofborax,½tablespoon

ofbakingsoda,2cupsofhotwater.Mixitalltogetherandputinanemptyspray

bottle.

Windowcleaner :2cupsofvinegar,¼cupofvinegar,½tablespoonofdishsoap.Putit

inanemptyspraybottleanduseofyourwindow.

Toiletbowlcleaner :½cupofbakingsoda,1cupvinegarthisisforthemediumsize

bowl.

Furniturepolish: ¼cupofvinegar,afewdropsofoliveoilandasbeforeputitinan

emptyspraybottle

Floorcleaner: 1gallonofwater,¼cupofdishsoap,¼cupofvinegarandthena

bucket.Yourfloorwillbesparklingclean.

ConclusionLotsofinformationtotakeinrightbutnowareyounotgladyoudid.Yesthesearethe

secrettocleaningandorganizingyourhome.Oneofthemostimportantthingsto

rememberistocleanthehomeatleastevery15minseveryday.Thatwayyougetusedto

itandyoualsogettoavoidthebigcleanupday.Rememberalwayskeepthefamilyroom,

kitchenandevenbedroomorganizethatwayyouwillknowwheretogetsomethingin

caseyouneedit.Alsostoreyourcleaningproductsinasafeplace.Iusesafeforthose

whohavebabiesorlittlekids.Somepeoplelockuptheircleaningproductoruseproducts

thatarenottoxictothehealth.

Remembertoalwayswipeofstainsorspillsassoonastheyhappensoyouwillnotforget.

Also,makeuseofthespacearoundyourhousetostorethingslikethebackofthesofato

storeextrablankets,pillowsetc.Asyoureadthisbookandfollowtherules,Iamsureyou

willbemuchhappierinyourcleanhome.

GOODLUCK!!!

DIYCHRISTMASGIFTSANDIDEAS

28AMAZINGEASYTOMAKEHOMEMADECHRISTMASGIFTSIDEASANDHOMEMADE

DECORATIONSIDEASFORWINTER.BONUSDIYMASONJARCHRISTMASGIFTSINCLUDED

BookDescriptionThisbook,DIYChristmasGiftsandideas,istheultimateguidetoChristmasdecorations,giftsandideas.Itwillprovide

thereaderwithinformationtohelpthemprepareforacolourfulChristmas.Itwilladvicethereaderonthevariousways

theycandecorateoutdoorsandindoorsoftheirhousestoreflecttheChristmasspirit.Theideasindecorationsprovided

inthisguideareallhomemade.Theywillenlightentheuseronhowtheycancustomizetheirhomesusingreadily

availableresourcesincludingmetallic,plasticandwoodenpiecesthatcanbecurvedorshapedtofitthemanyChristmas

spiritfeatures.Itwillalsoprovideusersinformationtohelpthemcreatecustomgiftsfortheirlovedones.Theplansand

ideasaresimpleandcheap.AfterreadingthisbooktheuserwillbeabletocreateacolourfulChristmasthattheywill

enjoyandcherishfortherestoftheirlives.Thetopicstobecoveredinthebookinclude:

DIYoutdoordecorationforChristmas

DIYindoordecorationforChristmas

HomemadeChristmasgifts

DIYMasonjargiftsanddecorationsforChristmas


Chapter1-ChristmasDIYIndoorDecorations

Chapter2-ChristmasDIYOutdoorDecorations

Chapter3-DIYChristmasGifts

Chapter4-MasonJarsIdeasandProjects

Conclusion

Introduction

Christmas is a great time but how good the time becomes depends on how well youprepare for it. Basically, preparation for Christmas involves decoration and gifts andanything else you do tomake the season colourful andmemorable. Recent times havebeenfacedwithanumberoffactorsthathavecontributedtohardshipsinpreparationforChristmas. Such challenges include financial difficulties, location, time and evenavailabilityoftheresourcesoneneedstomaketheseasonasuccess.

Thereisthenativitysetups,snowandsnowmen,reindeersandmanyotherthingsthatarekeytoaChristianChristmassetting.Ifyouarenotwelllocatedgeographically,accesstosnow is hard. For example, many countries in Africa do not get snow and even ifsomebodyworkedhardandbroughtsnowhome,tobeabletomakesnowpeople,placeitstrategicallyandhaveittherefortheentireseasonisnexttoimpossible.

BONUS:YourFREEGift





Christmasisalwaysagreattimetospreadthelove.Theloveisdepictedincolours,giftsandcomingtogetherofpeople

fromallfrontswithanultimategoalofsharing,beingwithlovedonesandbasicallymakingmerry.Itisatimeforpeople

torelax,appreciatelifeastheygivethankstoGodforthemarvelstheyhaveexperiencedintheirlives.Therearefour

thingsthatarealwaysineverybody’smindduringthistime.Thesearefamilyandfriends,gifts,decorationsandreligion.

Improvisationcomestotherescuehere.DIYistheonlychoicethatmostofushave.ThegoodthingaboutDIYisthatitischeap,funandmostoftheresourcesweneedtoerectorimprovisethesethingsthatweneedforChristmasareeasilyavailable.Itdoesnotmatterifyou need indoor or outdoorChristmas paraphernalia.DIY alternatives are available forwallhanging,outdoorandindoorstuffandevengifts.TheseDIYoptionswillsaveyourChristmasthistimearound.

Chapter1-ChristmasDIYIndoorDecorations

Decoratedpaperornaments

ThepaperornamentswillmakeyourChristmastreelookmuchbetter.Allyouneedisborderpunches,differentlycolouredpaperstripsandstaples.Punchoutpatternsinthepaper strips and then staple thepapers together.Staple them in away that theywilltaketheshapeofanornament.Youcanimprovetheappearanceoftheornamentsbysprayingorstickingshinystripsorpiecesintothepaperswithglue.Thiswillmaketheornamentsshiny.HangthemonyourChristmastreeoranyotherpositioninaroundthehouse.

Deadshrub/branchChristmastree

ThisisagreatoptionforpeoplewithsmallspaceorlookingtobemorecreativeabouttheChristmastree.Allyouneedisashruborabranchfromadeadtreewithoutleaves.Fix the tree on a plastic or metallic container filled with moss or sand. Cover thecontainerwithacolourfulwrapperorpieceofcloth.Hangyourbulbs,stars,ornamentsandanyotherhangingsyouwouldliketoaddonthetree.

Scrabbleletterornaments

Scrabble lettersaregreatornaments ifhangedformingholidayphrases.TheycangoontheDIYindoortreeoranywhereintheshelves.Youcanhangthembyathreadorglue themacrossonawall.Useapowerdrill todrillasmallhole themuseeitheragreenorredthreadtojoinandhangtheletters.ExamplesofworldsyoucanformareJOY,CHRISTMAS,WELCOME,NOELetc.

LadderCalendar

AladderisaverycreativewayofdisplayingyourChristmasseasoncalendar.Youcanmakea small ladderusingwoodor simplyget a smallone from the store.Paint thecalendarwith your favourite color ormay be one thatmatcheswith your furniture.Hangnumberedenvelopsforeachdayandeventcardsontheladder.Usedifferentlycoloured envelopes to make it look better. You can also hang ribbons and shineornamentsonthisadventcalendar.

Peppermintwreath

Don’tworryanymoreaboutawreath.Allyouneedisahotgluegun,threepeppermintbagsandwreathform(whitefoam).

DIYfireplace

Soyouhaveyourideaofthehomemadestockingsorsockyouwillusefortheseasonbutyouhavenoideawheretohangthembecausethereifnofireplaceinyourhouse.Allyouneedisabigpictureofmirrorframe.Youcansticktogetherarectangularorsquareframeandhaveitmountedonthewall.Besure topain itwithwhiteandredpainorsimplyhaveshinyribbonsorledbulbsmountedonit.Apersonnotlookingtohave theentire rectangular framecan justmountasinglepieceofwoodacross.YoucanplaceotherChristmasdecorationsandphrasesontheframe.

DIYholidayvignette

Oldbook’scoversprovidearustictouchtoyourholidaydisplay.Ifyouhaveoldbookslyingaroundandwithoutprobability for futureuse, simplypluckout thecoversandusethemincombinationwithotherwrappers.Youcanthrowinafewornaments,LEDlightsandevergreensaroundtheentirethingtoimprovetheappearanceofthevignette.

Homemadecandleholders

Forthisyouneedmasonjars,fakeberries,scentedorunscentedcandles(colouredlookbetter).Putasmallholder forcandlewaxat thecentreof thebigMason jarand thesurround itwith the fake berries and spruce.Use ribbons or twine bow towrap themason jars.Christmascandystrippedribbonswillperfect the lookof themason jarswhentheyarelightedatnight.

Multi-holidayvintagewreath

It ispossibleyouhavesomeoldfabriclyingaround.It is timetoput themtouse.Itmay be velvet or any other type of fabric.As long as it is coloured, has flowers orstrippedthenyouaregoodtogo.Grabyourselfsomefoamcoreboardandcutoutawreathshapethesizeyouwantforyourwreath.Coverthewreaththewayyoupreferwith a fabric of your choice. Glue or sew buttons onto the covered wreath withalternating colors. You can spiral around some thread or folded pieces of cloth tominimizethenumberofbuttonsneeded.Tocompleteit,justmakeabowfromtheoldfabricorahandkerchiefandattachthemtothebottomofthewreath.Hangitonyourwallanduseifforanyholiday.

Tropicaltree

Who said that a Christmas tree has to be red and green coloured?You canmake achangethisChristmas.Simplygetadeadsmalltreewithplentyofbraches.PlentyofDIY paper snowflakes and stars and LED lights. Use turquoise or gold colors forribbonsoranyotherdecorationsyouwanttoaddonthetree.Justdon’tanythinggreenorredincolor.

Adventcalendarmadeofmagnet

Thebestthingaboutthismagneticcalendaristhefactthatnotallpartsofitneedtobemade ofmagnet.Mounting themetal frame, rack, plate of any shape on a piece ofmagnetwillmake itattractotherpiecesofmetalyouwish tousefordifferentdates.Color and number the shapes however you like and stick them on the board. Usedifferentshapesfordifferentdaysandaddmorepicturesanddecorationson themtomakeitmorecolourful

.

Chapter2-ChristmasDIYOutdoorDecorations

Mosswreath

Youwillneedmoss,wreathshapedfoam,pinecone,glueandberry.Gluethemossallaround thewreath shaped foam.Accent thewreathwith a decorative pine cone andembellish itwithberry.Tocomplete the look,usea redribbonaround thewreathorsimplyuseittohangthewreath.Lettheribbonbeexcessivesothatitfallsalmostallthewaybehindthewreath.

Wreathmadefromyarnballs

Thethingsyouneedtomake thiswreathareyarn,hotglue,wreathshapedwireandstyrofoamballs.Wraptheyarnaroundtheballs indifferentdirections tomakeyarnballs.Usinghotgluesticktheballsontothewreathshapedwires.Greencolororanyother color close to that will make the wreath look great. To finish it off glue redcolouredballsorornamentsintothewreathinterchangeablyorcoilredribbonsaroundthewreathtogiveittheChristmastouch.

PVCCandyCanes

Candy canes are an important decoration if not a favourite delicacy for the kids.ChristmasisallaboutgiftsandamongthegiftsyouexpectfromSantaiscandy.Candycanesactasasignal thatSanta isaroundorcandy is inplenty.Beyond that, it isanimportantdecoration forChristmas.Youdonothave toget the actualbig candy forthisChristmas.Justgetsomeredribbons,PVCpipesandwhitepaint.

IfyoumanagetogetwhitePVCthen,goodforyou.PaintthePVCwhiteandletitdry.CoiltheredribbonsaroundthePVC.Ifyouwish,youmaywanttousefiretocurvethePVCatthetopbeforeyoupaintit.PositionthePVCcandystickonbothsidesofthedoortocomplementtheChristmasmatandwreathonthedoor.

DIYplastic,woodorpapersnowflakes

ManycountrieswillnothaveaccesstosnowthisChristmasduetotheirgeographicalpositioningandchanges inweatheror seasonpatterns.However, thisdoesnotmeanthat you cannot complete your Christmas lookwith snow. Snowflakes can be madeusing almost any available material as long as it is simple to shape and color.Whichevermaterialyouchoosetouse,cutitintotheshapeofflower,staroranyothershapeyou feel fits your idea of snowflakes.Color themwhite and thenuse awhitestringorthreadtosuspendthemfromanyplacearoundandinsidethehouse.Theonlythingyouhavetomakesure is that theyarenot toospacedoutandpositionthematdifferentlevels.Clothespinsalsomakegreatsnowflakes.

Cement,wood,plasticpresents

Its common thing to put a heap of presents either by the door or in the back yard.Nowadays, thispresentsarenevertheusualboxescontaininggifts inside.If theyareplacedoutsidethebiggestpossibilityisthattheyaretherejusttomaketheplacelookfestive. Give the impression that there is a heap of gifts but actually work as aChristmasdecoration.Youjustneedabrick,asquareorrectangularpieceofwoodorany plastic box not having any use. You can even use old books.Wrap themwithwrappersandribbonsorpainthem.Decorate themhoweveryouwant toachievetheimpressionof agift themheap themsomewhereor simpleplace themby the fence.Youwillnotworryaboutthembeingstolenordestroyed.

DIYsnowpeople

Soyouwanttoerectsnowmanbutyouhavenoideahowtodoitbecauseyouhavenoaccesstosnoworevenifitisavailablehowtomakeitstayfortheentireseason.Itissimple.Thinkwoodorplasticcontainers.Forwoodyoujustneedtogetapieceoflogandtrytshaperitintoaheadorsimplyjustshapeitsothatyouhaveitlooklikethepartsofthebodyfromthenecktothewaist.Youdon’tneedtohavehandasyoucanjustfixbranchesorpiecesofwoodtolooklikelimbs.

Sprayorpainthemwhiteandtheuseblackpaintomakeimpressionsofbuttonsoranyother protrudingorgans of the body.For the head, just find a pumpkinor anyothercontainerandfixitattheneckofthelog.Useaplasticconeshapedcuptomakeanoseandcoloritblack.Ifyouchoosetouseplasticcontainers,justusebucket.Placetheminside eachother andplace themupsidedown.Color themwhite and add theblackfinishesforthenoseeyesandotherorgansyouwant.Rollanoldscarfaroundtheneckandyouaregoodtogo.

DIYnativityset

Complete your decorations andChristmas preparationswith aDIY nativity set. Forthis you can choose to either use wood or modeling clay (or any other available‘shapeable’ material). It is a fun thing to do on a free weekend or day just beforeChristmas.Curvethewoodorshapethematerialtoobtainthepeopleandanimalsinanativity set.Aman,woman, an infant, sheepor cows and then a fewvisitors to thebirthareawillbegreat.Makethemsmallifyouwantanindoorset.Thissetcanalsoworkoutsidebythewindoworinthebalcony.

Colorthemcreatingtheimpressionofclothesandcolorsofpeople.Findanoldboxorcartonlayingaroundpositionitwhereyouwantthesettogo.Arrangethepiecesinthecontainerandunsuretheyarefirmsothattheywon’tbeblowndown.Youcanusegluetostickthem.Youcanthrowinsomeplasticplants.Shapepapersintostarsandfinishthemwithglossyorshinymaterial to reflect light. Inoneendof thecontainer, fixarainbowshapedplasticorpaperandgiveitrainbowcolors.FindsomeLEDlightsandputtheminthecornersofthecontainerorasmallcolouredcarbulbtoprovidelighttotheset.RemembertocovertheoutsideoftheboxtomakeitChristmassy.

Chapter3-DIYChristmasGifts

Christmasbeingoneofthemostfamousandworldwidecelebratedholidaybringspeopletogetherfromdifferentpartsoftheworld.Itprovidesasweettimeforfamilygatheringstoenjoytogetherandrecapfortheyear.ChristmasholidayisheldinordertocelebratethebirthofJesusChrist,thesaviouroftheworld.TheonlysonofGodwhobroughtforththeredemptionofour lives throughbelieving inHimandacceptinghimasoursaviourandourLord.HeisthewaythetruthandthelifeandnoonegoestothefatherunlessthroughHim.ThisspecialdayiswellrespectedbyallChristiansineverycountryandtheyholditwiththehighestlevelofhonouranddegreetowhichitdeserves.It’samerryday.

It’sanorm,alifestyleandawaytokicktheChristmasdaybyofferinggiftstoourfriends,relatives, theorphans,payinghomageto thestreetchildren,spendingtimewith thesickandelderly in thesociety.Lovemarks thebeautyof thisauspiciousholiday.The joyofgiving, the joy of being part of a great family is quiet overwhelming andmost peoplespendtheirpenniestomakethejoybefeltbyeveryonearoundthem.

Finding the right gift can be very hectic and troublesome and at times breathe taking.Living in a society where everyone lives like a single family, all having positiveexpectations for a special gift from you different fromwhatever you offered them lasttime.This task is tough thanmakingadecisionfor thewholecountryonaverycriticalissue.Notforgettingyourownfamilyandkidsmakesiteventougherandalmoststealsthelittlepeaceofmindyoushouldbeenjoyingduringtheholidays.

The problem explodes when you remember that your kid has got several closeschoolmatesandteacherslivingindowntown,alllookinguptoyoutoextendahandtothem.Aswesay,holidayshaveneverbeengoodfriendswithourwallets;thisonereallystrangles your wallet almost to death though the best part is that this comes withsatisfactionandunlimitedhappinessformgenerosity!

ThisiswherenowtheDIYsavestheday.Engagingyourcreativityandabilitytoinnovatequite beautifulChristmas gifts for your loved ones. ThisDIY are pocket friendly, timesaving,mindopening,freedom,prideofinnovation,personaltouchandalsogivesyouachancetoprovetotheworldthatyouhavesomethingspecialtoshowtotheworld.

Inawaythroughthisregularexpertise,onedevelopsnotonlytomakethefriendssatisfiedbutalsoexposesyoutobusinessworldthatmayatonetimebridgeyoutothedestinyinamoveyouneverexpected.

Over the verymany years I have lived under the sun, several types of gifts have beenofferedtomeduringtheholidayamongstthembeingtheDIYChristmasGifts.DIYstandsforDoItYourself.Thisgiftshavegotasupernaturaleffectonanyonewhoreceivesthem.Theyshowlove,theyshowthatsomeonetookhisprecioustimetohonoryouwithagift.DIYhavebecomecommonlycommontoverymanypeopleinallareas.Istillkeepsomeofthisgiftsassouvenirs.

ExamplesofDIYChristmasGifts

Luckytohaveyougiftcollection

Thisisagreatseasontotellsomeoneyoulovehowmuchtheymeantoyouandremindthemofthegreattimesandthingsthathavemadeyourlifewiththemgreat.TomakethisDIYgiftyouwillrequirecandy,cakes,chocolateoranyothersweetthingthatyouthinktheywill like and printable paper andwrappers.With your candy ready, printmultiplequotesortextsontheprintablepieceofpaperusingacomputerandcutitdowntosmallsquarepiecesenoughtofoldthecandy.Youcanalsoopttohandwritethepiecesusingapen.Wrapthecandyorthedelicioussmallgiftsforthelovedoneswiththenotesanduseanotherwrappingabove thequotedpaper. It isadvisable thatyouhaveanotherwrapper(nylon)betweenthecandyandtheprintablepapertopreventcontactwhichwouldeitherdestroythenotesorthecandyitself.Withaboutthirtypiecesofcandyyouarefine.Feeloktoaddmoreifyoufeelyouneedtoaddmorereasonsyouareluckytohavethatperson.Puttheminaboxandwrapthemwithanappropriatewrapperfortheseasonthenfinishwithafinalribbonformingaknotatthetopofthecarryingbox.

MemoryCalendar

Makeyourowncustomizedcalendarfor thenextyearandgift themtoa lovedone.Allyouneedisacolorprintingmachine,twelvepictureprintablepapersandphotosfromtheentireyeareithersavedinacomputeroralreadyprinted.Theprintedphotoscanbefixedusingglueorcanbescannedtothecomputer.Calendarforthenextyeariseasilyavailableasasearchthroughtheyearwillbringthousandsofthem.Shouldyouchoosetowriteoneyourself,itwon’tbehardasthereprogramslikeexcelthatwillhelpgeneratethepatternforthedaystogettheaccuratedateforeachday.

Usingwordprocessingsoftware,arrangethecalendarsothatitoccupieshalfthepageofthe A4 size printing paper (preferably photo paper). To get enough space, reduce themargins of the paper to about 0.2” but leave a gutter for attaching the pages.You caneitherputthecalendardatesatthebottomthentheimagesonaboveortheimagesonthebottomorcenteritthensurrounditwiththeimages.Usedifferentsizesandshapesfortheimagesand throwincaptionswith thedatefor thememoryandanydetailsyouwish toadd. Itmaybe thenamesofpeopleon the imageor the location.Printmorebut largerimagesonthebacksideofthepaperorleaveitblankandusegluetopinalreadyprintedphotosordecoratedandtexts.

Printthepapersandusespiralbinderstobindthepiecestogetherintoonecalendarbook.Add a stronger paper for the covers.An embossed paperwill do. The calendar can bestoodagainstthewallwiththecurrentmonthpageopenedoryoucanuseclothhangerswithclipstohandthemonwalls(hangerswithclips/peggedhangers).

CreativeGloves

Asweallknow that this is a festive season for all individuals,makehimorher averyattractivedecorativeovenglovetouseduringthisandotheroncomingholidays.Foryourfriendswithmadloveforthekitchen,substitutetheirtornandobviousgloveswithabitofpretty fabric and your sewing skills! Make him/her treasure the kitchen by satisfyinghis/hergloveneeds.Theoutputshallalwaysbegreat.Motivationmakesit!

Wrapping

Givenagift,obviouslythefirstthingyounoticeisthewrapping,ensurethatthewrappingis very appealing and quiet attractive.Wrapping your gifts requires a special attractivewrapperinordertowinthetasteoftherecipient.Givethemthechalkboardlookforonce!Thegiftwrapandchalkinkmarkersareavailableatcraftstores,toyourtaste,giveitthebestshot!Wrappingcanbeaspersonalizedastheactualgifts.Thearrayofwhite,blackandgoldcombinationsarereallyexoticcolorsthatwillactuallysetablazetherecipientsloveforthegift.

Sleighs(candy)

There isnothingsweet tokidsandyoungsters thanoffering themdelicacies,snacksandchocolates.Weallknowthatfeelingwhenyourlittleonedeclaresthatheorshewantstohandout gifts to thewhole class; it’s adorable that theywant to give, but it also spellstrouble foryou!Thesequirkycandysleighsare theperfectsolution; theyarecheapandeasyenoughtomakeawholebunchinnotime,andyourlittleonecanalsogetinvolvedinthe process so that you aren’t the one doing all the work. Make your kids and yourneighbouringkidsbeyourguestfromtodaytotherestofyourlives.

DIYrecreationDough

Sometimesbakingforyourselfthefavouritecakesissafer,sure,andtothelevelyouwantittobethanbuyinganalreadypreparedone.Sure,playdoughisn’tallthatexpensive,butifyoumakeityourselfthenyouknowexactlywhatgoesinit(sothatit’ssafeandnon-toxic).Plus,youcanmakeitsmellyummy,andyoucanmakeawholelot!Justmakesureto store in an airtight container. Give your Christmas the heavenly appeal throughhomemadeplaydough.mmmmhyummy!

SimpleClutch

Thereisnothingsweetlikehonouringafemalefriendwithaverybeautifuluniqueclutch.Thebestpartofitisthattheywillfallinlovewiththeclutchbagandshowitofftoherfriendswithtime.Mostofthewomencanneverhaveenoughoftheselittleclutches,theirloveforclutchesareinsatiable;usingthemasmoneyandphoneholders.Gofindareallypretty,elegant,quirkyorfunfabrictomakealovelyhandmadezipperedclutchforoneofyour girlfriends,mom, or daughter.Make her feel loved and appreciated by offering asimplehandmadeclutchbagthatnooneinallgenerationshavegivenher.

‘ Scarves’andother‘swingon-s’

Givehertheyearlysmilesheneverhad.Makeuseofthatoldt-shirt.Usingjustanoldt-shirt,andapairofscissors,youcanmakethisstylishmulti-strandscarfwithin10minutes.You can even use twodifferent colors to liven it up evenmore.Avery simple processinvolved:quietcheapbutveryimpressive.

Handbandsandbelts

Groomyourmaleandfemalefriendswithaparacordbracelet.Ifyouhaveanoutdoorsymaninyourlife,perhapsyoucouldmakehimthisreallycoolparacordbracelet.It’sthickandchunkywithoutbeingoverbearing,andifheeverfindshimselfinatrickysituation,hecould actually use it to help build a shelter.Over years, formenwhoprefer not to usewristwatchesaregoingforthisbraceletthatinalloccasionsitsoutstanding,appealingandcomfortable.

Wonbyeverybeautifuloutfit,theflowerbeltsproutsabeautifulappearancetoabeautifulwomanwearing it. This gift should go down reallywellwith any of your ‘fashionista’friends; making it isn’t really complicated, but they’ll be so impressed with yourhandiwork!Themostamazing thing is that itblendswithboth trousersand fulldressesaccordingtothetasteofyourwomen.Makeherseveralflowerbeltsthatmarryheroutfittothedot;averycreativewayforcomplementingyourlady’soutfit.

Rack/bookorganizers

Every man in this generation atleast owns several electronic gadgets and hence book-organizer would be very helpful for these times. This tech travel organizer is just sooutstandinggetasecondhandvintagebookfromanybookshoparoundandmakeoneforyourfriendsaround.Makethemownoneduringthisperiod

DIYLightedsnowflakesandStarlanterns

Lastlyconsidermakingyourneighbour’ssittingroomapalace.It’seasytodevelopaStarPaper lantern.These star lanterns are absolutely gorgeous and different in sizes to suithis/herhousepainting.Allcolorsofmaterialsareavailableineverycraftshopandhencenostruggleinmakingseveralforyourfriends.

Advantages

1.Itiscost-effective.

2.Itcanbepersonalized

3.Becomesatreasure

AsyoushoweryourfriendswiththisDIYgifts,don’tforgettohaveonegiftforyourself.Keep it in the best position youwill see each day and appreciate your handiwork.ThebeautyoftheDIYgiftsbeginswithyou.

Chapter4-MasonJarsIdeasandProjects

MostofusareawareofthebeautifuljarsbythetitleMasonJarsthattoanextenthappentobetheworld’scommonChristmasgifts.Theyhaveseveralusesthatarequietsatisfyingto the recipient. Mason jars have been all the rage for a long time. They are used topreserve the harvest, and passed jars, canning recipes. They are used by families topreservefamilytraditions.Vintagemasonjarsarebothdecorativeaswellasfunctional.

Advantagesofthemasonjars

Mostaretransparenthenceflexibleformanypurposes

Glassisusedtomakethemhenceun-reactivewithcompoundsstored.

Helpreducetheglobalwarmingeffectsbyreducinggarbage.

Somearere-usable

Substitutekitchenutensilstosomeextent

Cheapandaffordableallround.

Someareusedforplantingvegetableshenceprofitable

Caneasilybereplacedoncetheywearoutorduringbreaking

Thejarscanbemanipulatedtodifferentcolorscomplyingtoownersinterests.

Masonjarprojects

Marking this eve colourful and a success, it’s essential to give the festive season adifferent tastebymakingyourownmasonjarDIYalternative.Letmetakeyouthroughtheprocessofmakingoneortwo!

MakingaBasicFairyJar

Arrange to take the project in the evening. This project requires glow sticks. However,glowsticksonlyglowforacertainamountoftime,soitwouldbebesttodothisprojectintheeveningwhenitisalreadydark.Thisreducesthechancesofwastingthesticks.

Findasuitablejarforthefairies. Jarsvaryinsizesandshapesandhenceyoucanuseanyjarsizeyouwant,thesmallerthejaris,themoreglow.Alargerjarwillhavelessintense glow, requiresmore glow sticks.A better consideration is a bulb-shapedglass bottlewith a cork stopper that is both economical and appealing.Considerusingatintedmasonjar

Purchasingtheglowsticks .Withthevariousglowsticksinthemarket,itisadvisabletousethe6-inchglowstickswillhavebetterresultsthanthebraceletsornecklaces,whichdonotglowforvery long.The larger the jar is, themoreglowsticksyouwillneed.Youwillneedtwotothreeglowsticks,dependingonthesizeofthejar.Considerpurchasingalong-lastingglowstick.Considerpurchasingmultiplecolorsofglowsticks.

Activationoftheglowstick .Holdtheglowstickwithtwohands,andbenditinhalfthisproducessoundsimilar to“snap.”Thiswillshatter theglass tubeinsidetheglowstickandhencereleasingthechemicalsthatcauseittoglow.

Holdtheglowstickoverthejarandcutoneoftheendsoffusingacraftknifewearingapairofglovesto

avoidskinirritation

Pourthecontentsintothejar .Turntheglowstickupsidedownandpourtheliquidintothejar.Youmayhavetoshakethetubealittlebittogettheentireliquidout.

Sprinkleinsomeglitter. Youcanuseanytypeofglitteryouwant,butiridescentglitterwill give you the best results because it will allow the glow to shine through.Considerusingshapedpiecesofglitter,suchasflowers,hearts,andstars.Considermixing super-fine glitter and chunky crafting glitter in different colors for aninterestingeffect.

Addsomefiller. Theglowstickfluidwillcausetheglittertosticktothesidesofthejar,butyoucanmaketheglitterappearasthoughitissuspendedinsidethejarbyadding filler, such white tulle or organza. You can also use clear, iridescentcellophane.Simplycutapieceofyourchosenfiller,andscrunchit insidethejar.Youwantittobebigenoughsothatfitslooselyintothejar,butnotsobigthatitcompletelystuffsthejar.

Close the jar tightly and shake it. Be sure theglow stickmaterial andglitter coats theinsidewallsofthejar.

Decorate the jar. You can make your jar extra special by painting the lid or evencovering it with some glitter or pretty fabric. Read the section in this article ondecoratingyourjarformoreideas.

Finally,takethejarintoadarkroom .Theglowstickfluidwillshineduringdaylight,butitwillbeevenbrighterandmoreeffectiveinadarkroom.

‘Re-powerble’ FairyJar

Selectaclearjar.

Cleanyourjar

Buysomeglow-in-the-darkpaint

Chooseyourpaintingtools

Prepareyourpaint

Makelittledotsinsidethejar.

Letthepaintdrybeforeputtingthelidbackon.

Activatethepaint

Considerdecoratingthejar.

Usethejar.

DecoratingYourFairyJar

Fromthefairyjarwemadeinthepreviousprocess,itisnecessarytodecorateitinordertoachievetherequiredtaste.Thefollowingsystematicprocedureisfollowed:

Addfiller

Addafairyinsidethejar

Paintthelid

Addglittertothelid

Coverthelidwithsomefabric

Embellishthelid

Tiearibbonaroundtheneckofthejar

Useacolouredjar

Addfairy-shapedsilhouettes

CONCLUSION

Beingpartofthebigfamily,sharelove,generouslyextendyoursmiletothepeoplenearyourworld.MakethisChristmasaDIYgiftsseason.Letsomeonefeelthatyoucare,thattheyarepartofyou,maketheorphansknowthatsomeonestillexistsdearlyintheirlives.Make your loved ones enjoy this hidden beauty andmake them look forward to otherChristmasseasons.MakeflowerbeltstoyourfriendsandletthemshinethisChristmas.

Standinthegaptodecoratethatroomusingthemasonjarswiththerespectivepurposes.Don’t forget the star paper for lanterns. Make your room a living palace.A handmadeproduct is much more appealing than a gift from the shops. They have emotionalattachment and influence. The beauty of theChristmas lies in your capacity tomake adifferentspecialandauniquemove.Sharelove,shareDIYGifts,sharetheMasonJars!WishyoumerryChristmasandahappynewyear.

FREEBonusReminder











OR



DIYPANTRYTHEULTIMATEDIYPANTRYGUIDETOLEMON,

BAKINGSODA,PEROXIDEANDESSENTIALOIL.LIFE

SAVINGDIYPANTRYTIPS.


Chapter1-DIYPantryGuidetoLemon

Chapter2-WhyyoumusthaveBakingSodainYourDIYPantry

Chapter3-DIYPantryGuideToHydrogenPeroxide

Chapter4-DIYPantryGuidetoEssentialOils

Conclusion

IntroductionPeopleexperiencemanydifferentproblemsathomeandoften find that the remedies totheseproblemsavailableinthemarketareeithernotcostfriendlyorsafe.Buyingmostofthesethingsinthemarketwillmostofthetimesleaveyourpocketitching.Whatisworseisthefactthattheseremediesthatyougetatsuchcostsmaybeharmfultoyouandyourfamily.Other times theydon’tevenget todoabetter jobatwhat theyare intendedfor.This is because there is no guarantee or prove that they aremade using the ingredientshownat the label.Thisbookisguide tostockingupofapantry. ItcoversanumberofthingsyouwillneedtoensureyoualwayskeepinyourDIYpantryandwhy.

When designing and stocking your DIY Pantry there are a number of things that youshould always ensure that youhave.Thenext timeyou set out to designor stockyourpantryensure thathydrogenperoxide,bakingsoda, lemonsandessentialoils likeGrapefruit oil, Bergamot oil, Rosemary oil, Chamomile oil, Tea tree oil, Citronella oil,Eucalyptusoil,Coconutoil,Cinnamonoil,Peppermintoil,Lavenderoil,Orangeoil,Limeoil,GingeroilandOreganooilarenotleftoutorignored.Thisisbecausethereareplentyofwaysinwhichtheywillcomeinhandy.Besidesbeingusedasamusthaveingredientsyouwillalsofind that theycanbeusedasperfectalternatives incaseyoufindyourselfmissingcertainingredients.

Most probable problemswe experience at home include appetite lack, unhealthy foodsfromthemarket,unsafespicesandflavourersinthemarket,airfresheners,deodorantsanddisinfectantsfromthemarket thatdonotguaranteesafetyandeffectivenessandmostofalltheiravailabilityatunreasonablecosts.Thebestsolutiontotheseproblemsisdoingityourself. It is cost effective, easy, safe and fun. After reading this book youwill havemanyDIYoptionsthatwillbegreatalternativesformanufacturedproducts.ItwillprovideyouknowledgeonthingsthataregreatinyourDIYpantry.

Chapter1-DIYPantryGuidetoLemonLemonsareprobablyoneofthemostamazingfruitscreated.Despitetheirsourtastetheystillremainirresistibleduetotheirbenefitsanduses.ThatlemoninyourDIYpantrywillbeusedformorethanahundredpurposes–frommeals,drinks,desserts,etc.Thisisduetotheirhealthbenefits,flavourandcircumstancesinwhichtheycanbeused.Lemonpeelscontain crude protein, phosphorous, calcium, copper, iron, zinc, sodium, potassium andsome chemical parameters in feedstuffs. Nearly the entire fruit can be used for healthbenefits.TheyaremostknownfortheirVitaminCcontent.With53gramsofVitaminC,onelemonprovidesmorethan60%ofthedailyrecommendedallowanceforthisnutrient.Lemonsalsocontainarangeofothervitaminsandminerals.

DIYUsesoflemons

Thediversityofapplicationsforlemonsfarexceedsgeneralknowledge.Lemonscontainpotassium which controls high blood pressure and reduces the effect of nausea anddizziness.

DIYinsecticide

Lemonsareanefficient toolformakingyourDIYhomeinsectcontrolalternative.Theycan help to keep insects out of the kitchen by squirting some lemon juice on doorthresholdsandwindowsills.Youcansqueezelemonjuiceintoanyholesorcrackswherethe ants keep getting in. Finally, scatter small slices of lemon peel around the outdoorentrance.Lemonsarealsoeffectiveagainstroachesandfleas.

DIYdepressionandstressreliever

Lemonwater can also prep upmood and also relieve you from depression and stress.LongdistancewalkersandworldtravelersaswellasexplorerslookuponthelemonasaGodsend.Whenfatiguebegins,alemonissuckedthroughaholeinthetop.Aquickactingmedicineitisasitgivesalmostunbelievablerefreshments.

DIYantisepticanddisinfectant

When cleaning, play tools, house equipments, appliances or even the entire homeincludingbathtubs,sinksetcjustaddlemontothewaterofthetoolyouusetocleanwith.Lemon is agreat andcheapantiseptic its acidic andchemical composition is a safeyetcheapmethodofcontrollinggerms.Whenyougetinjuriesjustapplylemontotheinjuredpart.Ithelpstopreventinfections.

Usedforcooking

Potatoes and cauliflower tend to turn brownwhen boiling but you can change that bysqueezingateaspoonoffreshlemonjuiceintothecookingpot.Lemoncanalsobeusedtopreventricefromstickingonthesidesofthecookingpotbyjustputtingafewdropsoflemonjuiceinthepot.

DIYbloodpurifier

Commercialdeodorantsarefullofscary,harshchemicals.Luckily,dabbingalittlejuiceinyourarmpitsworksjustaswellthanthestoreboughtstuff.Consumptionofalotofjunkfoodorfoodwithalotofpreservativesandartificialflavoursbuildsupalotoftoxinsinthebodybutdailyconsumptionoflemonwaterhelpstopurifytheblood.

Reducinginflammationandpreventingkidneystones

Lemonisadiureticmeaningthatitassistsintheproductionofurine,whichhelpsthebodytoreduceinflammationbyflushingout toxinsandbacteriawhilealsogivingrelieffromarthritis and rheumatism. Lemon also helps prevent kidney stones through regularconsumption of lemon juice mixed with water. It increases the production of urinarycitrate,achemical in theurine thatprevents theformationofcrystals thatmaybuildupintokidneystones.

DIYRoomfreshener

Youcanalsofreshenandmoisturizeyourroomusinglemon.Ifyouhaveawoodburningstove, place an enamelled cast-iron pot or bowl on top, fill with water and add lemonpeels,cinnamonsticks,clovesandappleskins.Thiscreatesafreshscentallaroundandmoisturizesthewholeroom.Thenexttimeyourunoutofroomfreshenerorarelookingforwaystosave,relyonlemonsasacheapsourceofroomfreshening.

DIYSkinimprovement

Youcanalsozapzitsbynaturallydabbing lemonjuiceonblackheads todrawthemoutduring theday.Youcanalsowashyour facewith lemon juice foranaturalcleanseandexfoliation.Yourskinshouldimproveafterseveraldaysoftreatment.

DIYtoothpasteandMouthwash

Lemonsareagreatingredientformakinghomemadetoothpastes.Tomaintaincleanwhiteteeth use lemon. You can also boost the effectiveness of store bought toothpastes byadding a little of this oil during brushing sessions. You can also make an impromptumouthwashby rinsingwith lemon juice straight from thebottle.The juice can alsobeswallowedforlonger-lastingfreshbreath.ThecitricacidinthejuicealtersthepHlevelinthemouth,killingbacteriathatcausebadbreath.Rinseafterafewminutesbecauselong-termexposuretotheacidinlemonscanharmtoothenamel.

DIYdandruffsremover

Ifitchy,scalydandruffhasyouscratchingyourhead,reliefmaynotbefurtheraway.Justmassagetwotablespoonsof lemonjuiceintoyourscalpandrinsewithwater.Thenstirone tea spoonof lemon juice into one cupofwater and rinse your hairwith it.Repeatdaily tilldandruffsdisappear.Youcanalsouse it togetherwithyourusual shampoo forbetterresults

DIYHeadachesandhangoverreliever

Hangovers and the headaches that come with it can ruin your day. They reduce yourproductivity.Afteralongnightoutjustuselemonandyouaregoodtogo.Lemonjuicewithafewteaspoonsofhotteaaddedisthetreatmentforheadachesandhangoverfromheadaches.Itchyelbowsarebadenough.Forbetterlookingelbows,mixbakingsodaandlemon juice to make an abrasive paste, then rub it into your elbows for a soothing,smoothingandexfoliatingtreatment.

Andthatisnotjustit,thereareplentymorewaysyoucanuselemon.Whenitcomestocookingitcanbeusedasasourceofflavourforalmostalltypesofdishes.Youcanadditalmostallmealsyoumakeathomeandyoucanbesure thefoodwill tasteextrabetter.Whatisbetteristhatitwillhelpyouimproveonappetiteandsinceitisgreatwithweightloss,itwillhelpyoueatmoreformoreenergywhileatthesametimeensuringyoudon’tbecomeoverweight.Thefollowingarethebenefitsthatcomewithlemonsinyourdiet

HealthBenefitsoflemons

Increasingperistalsisandtreatingscurvy

Bygivingoneto twoouncesof lemonjuicedilutedwithwatereverytwotofourhours,scurvyistreated.Lemonsalsoincreaseperistalsisinthebowels,helpingtocreateabowelmovementthuseliminatingwasteandhelpingwithregularity.Addthejuiceofonelemontowarmwateranddrinkitfirstthinginthemorning.

Liverdetoxification

Thelemonisalsoawonderfulstimulant to the liverandisadissolventofuricacidandotherpoisonsasitalsoliquefiesbile.Freshlemonjuiceaddedtoalargeglassofwaterinthemorningisagreatliverdetoxifier.

Restoringbody’spH

Lemonsareacidictobeginwithbuttheyarealkalineformingonbodyfluidshelpingtorestore balance to the body’s pH. The lemon peel also contains the potent nutrienttangerine which has been proven to be effective for brain disorders like Parkinson’sdisease.

Treatinghighbloodpressure

When there is insufficient oxygen and difficulty in breathing, lemons are very helpfulwhentaken.BloodvesselsarealsostrengthenedbythevitaminPinlemonthuspreventsinternalhaemorrhage.Thisalsomakesitusefulintreatinghighbloodpressure.

Improvingeyedisordersandtreatingcancer

The symptoms of eye disorders, including diabetic retinopathy have been shown inresearchtoimproveduetotherutinfoundinlemons.Lemonsalsocontains22anti-cancercompounds including naturally occurring limonene oil which slows down or halts thegrowthofcancertumoursinanimalsandflavonolglycosideswhichstopscelldivisionincancercells.

Lowersischemicstrokerisk

Eatinghigheramountsofcitrusfruitsmaylowerischemicstrokeriskforwomen.Thosewho ate the highest amounts of citrus had a 19% lower risk of ischemic stroke thanwomenwhoconsumedtheleast.Also,theantioxidantvitaminC,wheneateninitsnaturalformorappliedtopicallycanhelptofightskindamagecausedbythesunandpollution.Italsoreduceswrinklesandimproveoverallskintexture.

Chapter2-WhyyoumusthaveBakingSodainYourDIYPantryPeopleunderestimatethepowerofbakingsodabylimitingitsusetohomebakingneedsandinfridgesforodourabsorption.However,bakingsodaisagreatDIYelementthatcanbeusedasacheaperalternative formany things that costyoumoneyand time.Bakingsoda issomething thatyoushouldput topof the listwhendecidingwhatgoeswhere inyourDIYpantry.Itshouldneverbeleftout.Herearesomeofthegreatwaysyoushouldusebakingsodaeitherasanalternativeforotherthingsorjustforconvenience.Whatisbetteristhefactthatitissimpleandverysafetouse.Withbakingsodainyourpantryyoucanrestassuredthatyouhaveaguaranteedcleaner,personalcare,deodorantandbakingingredient.

GreatDIYusesforbakingsoda

Toothpasteandmouthcleaning

Thenexttimeyourunoutoftoothpasteorsimplywanttouseahomemadealternativeforaquicktoothpasteyoucanrelyonbakingsoda.Youjustneedtomixitwith3%hydrogenperoxide which happens to be another great DIY substance. This is a good enoughtoothpastereplacementfornon-fluorideoffthecounterone’s.It’scheapandeasytomake.Whenhavingmouthodourproblemsjustaddtwoteaspoonsinaglassofwaterandswishitinyourmouth.Afterrinsingyouwillhaveafreshodourlessmouth.

HomeandapplianceDIYcleaning

When itcomes tocleaningbakingsodaworksasagreatDIYsubstance.Greasydishes,pans and pots can bewashed using baking soda. It can also bemixedwith detergentscommonlyusedasiteasestheprocessofremovingthegreasesandfoodsfromthedishes.Justaddtwospoons.Youcanalsoleavethemtosoakinwatercontainingbakingsodatomake the job easier. You can use it for cleaning your bath tubs, sinks, tiles by justsprinkling some into the surfaces and scrubbing. Ovens and microwaves can also becleanedusingbakingsodaasitdoesnotleavefoulsmellontheinsideoffthemicrowave.Toensureyoursilverwarearecleanandshinyusebakingsoda.Teaandcoffeepotsarehard to clean and will sometimes leave a certain taste that is carried on to the nextbeverage prepared on them. Soakwith baking soda for around twelve hours and abovebeforecleaning them.Thiskicksout the stains, smell and taste.Foryour floor just addhalfaglassofbakingsodaintowaterandusethattocleanthefloors,furnitureandevencars.

Itisalsoagreatlaundrysolutionforwashingclothes,curtains,babyclothesanddiapers.Youcanaddittoyourlaundrytogetherwithotherdetergentsoronitsown.Forcurtainsyoucanaddbakingsodatoaspongeandwipethemclean.Itnotonlyleavesyourclothesfeelingsoftandgentlebutalsosmellingfreshandclean.GreaseandoilfromthegaragecanbeeasilyremovedbyusingthisgreatDIYcleaner.Cleaningyourbatteries,gardeningandlandscapingtoolsusingbakingsodawillhelpreducetheirrateofcorrosionthereforemakingthemlastlonger.

FruitandVegetableScrub

The most effective and safest method for cleaning vegetables and fruits is the use ofbaking soda. Just use a sponge to scrub the dirt off the fruits andvegetables then rinsethem.

Skinandfacialscrub

Mixbakingsodaandwaterintheratiothreeistoonetoformapaste.Rubthepasteonyourskinorfacegently.Youcanletitstayforaboutfiveminutethenrinseitwithwater.Thiswillgiveyourskinaninvigoratinglyexfoliatedtouch.

Deodorantandairfreshener

Sometimethedeodorantsweuseareverystrongthattheycorrodeourunderarmsleavingthemstingy.Youcanskipthesedeodorantsbyusingbakingsodaasasolutionforodourandsweatingprevention.Youjustneedtopatsomedeodorantinyourarmpits.

Apartfromitbeingusedasadeodorantforhumanbeings,itcanalsobeusedforplentyotherairfresheningroles.Theseincluderemovingodoursfromrefrigerators,recyclables,drains,dishwashers,garbagedisposals,trashcans,carpets,vacuumcleanersandevencars.Anotheruseisfresheningofpetboxesandcages,shoes,linens,toysandstuffedanimals.

DIYAntacid

Thenexttimeyouexperienceheartburnspreventingyoufromhavingfunandthereisnoantacidclose to remedy theproblem. Just rush toyourpantryand licka¼ teaspoonofbakingsoda.Itiseffectiveandsafe.

GreatDIYremedyitchyskinandinsectbites

Gently rub a paste or salve of baking soda on the itchy part and let it rest for a fewminutes. It neutralises the acidproducedby the insect therefore comforting and leavingyourskinoraffectedpartfeelingbetter.

DIYHomemadeHandCleanserandSoftener

Neverworryaboutrunningoutofhandcleanser.Youcanalwaysusebakingsodaforthispurposewhichwillleaveyourhandscleanandsoft.Itwillalsoremoveanysmell.

DIYBathingandfeetsoothing

Simplyaddahalfglassofbakingsodaintoyourbathtubandgetintoit.Itwillleaveyouskinclean,acidfreeandfeelingsoft.Itwillalsobeeffectiveforsoothingyourfeetwhereyoujustaddafewspoonsintothewaterthensparyoufeetinit.

DIYHaircare

Mixing your shampoowith baking soda when cleaning it ensures that any residue leftbehindbyyourhaircareproductsiscompletelyremovedleavingyourhairclean,strongandmanageable.Hairbrushesandcombscanalsobecleanedusingbakingsoda.

DIYfireextinguisher

Smallhomefireaccidentscanbecontrolledusingbakingsoda.Sprinklingbakingsodaonafirewillputoutthefireasittheheatingofthesodaproducescarbondioxidewhichdoesnotsupportcombustion. Incaseofsmall fires just throwsomebakingsoda into thefireanditwillputout.

Chapter3-DIYPantryGuideToHydrogenPeroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is colorless only a little more viscous than water. It has powerfuloxidizing properties, which allow it to work as a bleaching agent. The same oxidizingagents allow it to reactwith bacteria, viruses, spores and yeast,making it a greatDIYdisinfectant.HerearethemanywaysinwhichHydrogenperoxidecanbeusefulinyourhousehold.

DIYwoundCleaneranddisinfectant

This is one of themost obvious uses if you have hydrogen peroxide at home.The 3%solutionyoucanbuyat thedrugstorecanbeapplieddirectly tominorwounds tocleanaway dead tissues. It can haltminor bleeding and can help to clear up infections fromsettingin.

Getridofacneandboils

Ifyouhaveinfectedacne,youmaybeabletospeedupthehealingprocessbyapplyingalittle hydrogen peroxide to the infected sites. It will act just the same way it does onwounds,helpingtokilltheunwantedbacteriaandcleantheacne.

Curescancersores

Ifyouhavecancersoresinyourmouth,youmaybeabletogetthemtogoawayfasterbyswishingsomehydrogenperoxideinyourmouth.Combineitwithwatersothatyoudon’tcauseanyblisteringorirritationinyourmouththenswishitaroundforhalfaminuteorso,thenspititoutandrinsewithfreshwater.

DIYbadbreathmouthwashalternative

Onegreatalternativetomouthwashtostopbadbreathishydrogenperoxidesinceitkillstheunhealthyorganismsinyourmouththatcausebadbreath.Allittakesishalfaminuteofswishingtogetbadbreathgoaway.Justswishingwithhydrogenperoxideeveryonceaweekcouldmeanyouaregoodtogofortherestoftheweek.

Treatscolds

Thereisnocureforthecommoncoldandhydrogenperoxideisnoexceptionnothatrule.Commoncoldcanbetreatedbyputtingdropsofhydrogenperoxideintheears.Thiscanalso help to clean any infection or blockage in the ears. You can also use hydrogenperoxideinyourearstotakeonanearinfection

DIYearwaxclearer

Earwaxisnotaninfectionbutitcancertainlydriveyoucrazywhenitblocksuptheearsomuchyouhavetroublehearing.Tryaddingacoupledropsofoliveoilandthenfollowitupwithacoupleofdropsofhydrogenperoxide.Keepyourheadtiltedforafewminutes.Thisreportedlyrelievesasignificantamountofpain.

DIYteethWhitenerandtoothpaste

Peroxide acts as a bleaching agent. Thatmeans that swishing it around in yourmouthhelpstobleachteethleavingthemsparklingwhite.Youcanuseit tocleanyourteethorsimplyuseitincombinationwithcommontoothpastetoboosttheireffectiveness.

Cleancontactlenses

Contact lenses can gradually accumulate a build-up of proteins over time. Hydrogenperoxideistheactiveingredientinmanylenscleanersasitissinceitkillsallgermsanddisinfectsthelens.

DIYStainRemover

Hydrogenperoxideisthebeststainlifterifusedfairlysoon–althoughbloodstainsasoldas2dayshavebeensuccessfullyliftedwithHydrogenPeroxide.Althoughitwillbleachordiscolourmanyfabrics.Ifalittleperoxideispouredontothestain,itwillbubbleupintheareaoftheblood.Afterafewminutestheexcessliquidcanbewipedupwithaclothorpapertowelandthestainwillbegone.

Washing/Laundry

Youcanalsoaddacupofhydrogenperoxideinsteadofbleachtoaloadofwhitesinyourlaundrytowhitenthem.Ifthereisbloodonclothing,pourdirectlyonthesoiledspot.Letitsitforaminute,thenrubitandrinsewithcoldwater.Repeatifnecessary.Peroxideisaperfect alternate solution to keep those clothes white. Also, when chlorinating clothes,theytendtowearoutfaster–peroxidewon’tdothat.

Inthebathroom

Fillaspraybottlewitha50/50mixtureof3%hydrogenperoxideandwaterandkeepitineverybathroomtodisinfectwithoutharmingyoursepticsystemlikebleachormostotherdisinfectantswill.After rinsing off yourwooden cutting board, pour or spray hydrogenperoxide(andthenvinegar)onittokillsalmonellaandotherbacteria.

DIYHairLightening

Peroxideisableachingagentandisusedforlightenedhair.Dilute3%Hydrogenperoxidewithwater(50/50)andspraythesolutiononyourwethairafterashowerandcombitthrough.Youwillnothavetheperoxideburntblondehairlikethehairdyepackages,butmore natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, faddish, or dirty blonde. It alsolightensgraduallysoit’snotadrasticchange

ToothAche

Hydrogenperoxide is not apain-killer; however, as an anti-viral, antibacterial and anti-fungal agent, it is effective at treating the pathogen that is causing the infection. Byswishing it inyourmoutha few times, itkills all thebacteriacausing infection inyourteeth.

VegetableSoak

Useasavegetablewashorsoaktokillbacteriaandneutralizechemicals.Add1/4cupof3%hydrogenperoxide toa full sinkofcoldwater.Soak light-skinned (light lettuce)20minutes,thickerskinned(likecucumbers)30minutes.Drain,dryandrefrigerate.Prolongsfreshness. If time is aproblem, sprayvegetables (and fruits)witha solutionof3%.Letstandforafewminutes,rinseanddry.

Chapter4-DIYPantryGuidetoEssentialOilsAgreatDIYpantry isnevercomplete if it lacksessentialoils.This isbecauseessentialoils will be used for somany purposes at home. It ranges from cooking, cleaning, airfreshening,disinfectingetc.Thebestthingaboutessentialoilsisthattheyarecheapandsafer than most of the things we use at home for which the essential oils are used asalternatives.Healthy living is vital in our lives and essential oils are great at providingthat.HereareanumberofessentialoilsthatyoushouldkeepinyourpantryforyourDIYpurposes.

Teatreeoil

Teatreeoilisknownforitstropicalantisepticandinfectionreducingbenefits.Ithelpstopreventlicenaturally.Italsoreducesitchinessfromrashesaswellasreducingtherashesonyourskin.Teatreeoilalsonaturallycuresbadbreath.Teatreeoilcanalsobeusedtohealburnsbyapplyingsomeofitontheburntarea;itpreventstheburntareaoftheskinfromblistering.

Citronellaoil

Thistypeofessentialoilispopularlyusedasaninsectrepellent.Italsopreventscoldsandhelps treat colds, fevers and headaches. Citronella oil is used in aromatherapy since itprovidesrelieffromanxietyandalightfeeling.Itcanalsoproviderelieffrommenstrualcrampsandmusclespasms.Italsohelpsinhibitinflammationintheliver,stomachandthedigestivesystem.

Eucalyptusoil

This is a pure essential oil and has practical and industrial uses as well has healingproperties. It is taken orally for pain and inflammation of respiratory tract mucousmembranes. This oil also exhibits antibacterial activity against tooth decay causingbacteria.Asastimulant,ithelpseradicateexhaustion,mentalsluggishnessandrejuvenatesthebodybystimulatingmentalactivitybyincreasingbloodflowtothebody.

Coconutoil

Whencombinedwithglycerolithelpsinreducingcoldsores.Itisalsousedtoreliefthepain caused by the black fly’s bite. It is also used as a make-up remover as it gentlyremovesallthemake-uponourfaceandhasnosideeffects.Thisoilcanalsobeusedtoremovechewinggumthathasstuckanywhereincludingyourhair.Itisalsousedtosoftenbathwatersinceitalsoproducesalovelyaromaandleavesyourskinsoftandhealthy.

Cinnamonoil

It can be used as an additive in soaps and a flavouring to seasonings.With its stronggermicidalproducts,itworksasanon-toxicnaturaldisinfectant.Italsoworksasamouthwashforpeoplewithdentures.Youcanalsogetridoffungalinfections.Italsoactsasaninsectandbedbugsrepellent.

Peppermintoil

Thisessentialoilisusedforindigestionasithelpsinexpellinggasesfromthestomach.Italso provides effective relief frommany respiratory problems like nasal congestion andthemostcommoncoldandcough.Itisalsooftenincludedasaningredientinnaturalchestrubs to help with congestion. It can also be used to lessen tandem symptoms such asnausea,vomitingandsensitivitytonoseandlight.

Lavenderoil

It can be used to ease sore or tense muscles, joint pain and rheumatism, sprains andbackache and also to lessen pain following needle insertion. Lavender essential can beusedtotreatvariousskindisorders.Ithastheabilitytohelpformscartissueswhichareessentialinhealingofwounds,cutsandburns.Itisalsousedtokeepyourhairhealthybykilling lice, lice eggs and nits. This oil also helps stimulate the production of bile andgastricjuicewhichmayhelptreatstomachpain,indigestion,flatulenceanddiarrhoea.

Orangeoil

Orangeoilisgoodforsoothingdry,irritatedoracne-proneskin.Ithelpsthesheddingofdeadskincells, reduceswrinklesandbrightensdullcomplexions. Itcanalsobeused toprotect wooden furniture. You can also use it in a mouthwash for gingivitis or mouthulcersorapplydirectlytothegums.Orangeoilcanalsobeusedasahearttonicsinceitreduces the heart rhythm. Swelling can be reduced by using orange oil as it stimulateslymph.

Limeoil

Youcanrelievestress,exhaustionandanxietybydiffusingafewdropsusingavaporizer.This also helps boost your immune system especially after an illness. It treats bleedingcutsandwoundsbyputtingtwodropsinacoldcompressandpressingitontheaffectedareas.Youcanalsomixafewdropsoftheoiltoyourfavouriteshampootoremoveoil,dandruffandmoisturizeyourskin.

Gingeroil

Whenusedtopically,itcanhelprelieveachesandpainaswellaspromotenormalbloodcirculation.Gingeroilcanalsohelp revitalizeand reenergizeourbody,mindandsoul.Gingeroil’santisepticandcarminativepropertiescanhelptreatfoodpoisoningaswellasintestinalinfectionsandbacterialdysentery.

Oreganooil

It isusedtotreatfootornailfungus.Italsohelpsboosttheimmunesystem,worksasashieldagainsttoxins,helpspreventtissuedamageandencourageshealing.Itinhibitsthegrowthofcancercells.Oreganooilalso inhibits inflammationand isalsobeneficial forconditionsincludingosteoporosisandmetabolicreactions.

Chamomileoil

Itisusedtotreatirritationfromchestcolds,slowhealingwounds,andskinconditions.Itcan also be used to treat stomach upsets. It can also be used as a tea to treat sleepingproblemsandmenstrualpain.Chamomileisalsousedontheskintoreduceswellingandfightbacteria.

Rosemaryoil

Thisoilcanbeusedtohelpinvaginalinfections.Itisalsoadisinfectantandisoftenusedasamouthwashhelping removebadbreath. Ithasalsobeen foundout todecrease thelevelofcortisol,ahormonereleasedduringthebody’sflight-or-flightresponsetostress.Itisalsousedtoreliefpain.Thescentoftheoilhasbeenshowntoproviderelieffromthroatcongestionandalsointreatingrespiratoryallergies,colds,sorethroatsandflu.

Bergamotoil

This essential oil helps alleviate symptoms and complications of bacterial infections. Italso has an anti bacterial effect on shingles and chicken pox. It also has amazingantifungalpropertieswhenusedas a tropical remedy for infectionsbroughtbyCandidafungusstrains.Itisalsousedinaromatherapypreparationssinceithelpslessenstressandanxietylevelsofpatientspriortosurgery.

Grapefruitoil

It helps curb hangovers, headaches, mental fatigue and depression. Because of its antimicrobial properties, grapefruit oil can help treat and prevent infections inwounds andcuts. Itmayalsohelpeliminatemicrobes thatdevelop in thegut,kidneysandexcretorysystem.Likeother citrusoils, grapefruit oil has antidepressant properties that provide arelaxingandupliftingfeeling.Italsohasstimulatingeffectonthebrainmakingsomeonemorealert.

ConclusionAperfectpantryshouldbeattractiveenoughtogivethosewholookatitanurgetotastewhat ismadeusing itscontents.Lookingatapantryshouldneverhaveyou losingyourappetite. It should be appealing enough to have you salivating.The pantry should be aperfectreflectionofthehealthylivingyouenvision.Besidesbeingcleanitshouldalsobewell organised to ensure ease in tracing of ingredients and other props stored there forpreparation of meals and other purposes. The organisation should also be safe for thepeoplethatwillhaveaccesstothekitchenandthepantryitself.

Another important characteristic that a pantry should posses is availability of allingredients.Whenstockingupapantry theownershouldkeep trackofall thingsstoredthere ensuring that they are well maintained and restocking done regularly. There isnothingworse than realising that a certain ingredient ismissing justwhen you get intopreparinganimportantmeal.Itcanruinanentireday.Knowingmealtrendsforahomeisimportantasitreallyhelpsinknowingwhatshouldneverlackinapantry.

Itispossibletolivehealthyataverylowcost.Keepyourenvironment,foodandyourselfsafeandhealthybyusingtheaboveDIYlifesavingtips.Yourlifeis importantandyoucanprotectusingverycheapandsafemethods.WishinggoodluckasyouenjoythefruitsofyourDIYpantry.

Disclaimer:

Thebookisforinformationpurposesonly.Pleasenotethattheauthorisnotresponsiblefortheresultsofyouruseofthemethodsdescribedinthisbook.Ifyouhaveanyhealthproblemspleaseseeapractitionerbeforeapplyingsomeofthemethodsinthisbook.

INDOORGARDENINGTHEULTIMATEINDOORGARDENING:BESTWAYTOGROWAN

INDOORGARDEN-GROWVEGETABLESANDHERBS.

TableofContentINTRODUCTION

CHAPTER1:INTRODUCTIONTOINDOORGARDENING

CHAPTER2:REQUIREMENTSFORANINDOORGARDEN

CHAPTER3:TAKINGCAREOFYOURPLANTS

CHAPTER4:TYPESOFPLANTSTOGROWINANINDOORGARDEN

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

Whetheryouareatypicalvegetarianorjustapersonwhoenjoysfreshgreenvegetables,havinganallyearround,allweathersupplyoffreshvegetablescouldbeadream.Havingyourownreliablesourceofvegetablescouldbeadreamcometrueforsomepeople.Duetoseveralfactorsthatmakeoutdoorgardeninghard,ifnotimpossible;suchasextremeunfavourableweatherconditions,littleoutdoorspaceornospaceatall,outdoorgardeningmaycontinuebeingjustawish.

Somepeoplehaveneverconsideredindoorgardeningasapossibility,whileotherslackthenecessaryknowledgeandskillstosetupanindoorgarden.Thisbookprovidesusefulinformationonallmattersrelatingtoindoorgardening.Inthefollowingverydeepandinformativechapters,youwilllearntheessentialsofindoorgardening.

1.)Introductiontoindoorgardening.

1.)Whatyouneedtosetupanindoorgarden

1.1)Toolsandequipmentneeded

1.2)weatherconditionsforanindoorgarden

2.)Cropsandvegetablestoplantinanindoorgarden

3.)Takingcareofyourplantcrops.

Inthesechaptersyouwilllearnalltheessentialrequirementsforaproductiveindoorgarden.Itismyassurancethatthisbookwillbeworthreading.Ifyoudesiretotransformyourindoorspacetoaproductivegarden,thisiswheretostart.Itisofgreatimportancetoknowthatyoudonotneedtobeanagriculturalisttodothis.

Throughthisbookyouwilllearnnotonlyhowtomakefarmingfunbutalsosustainableandproductive.

BONUS:YourFREEGift





CHAPTER1INTRODUCTIONTOINDOORGARDENING

Paulisahighschoolteacherbyprofession,hiswifeJessyontheotherhandworksinafastfoodrestaurant.Theylivedanormallifelikemanyothermodernfamilies,andjustlikemanyotherfamilies,pizza,burgers,friesandfrozenfoodsweretheorderoftheday.Adaywouldnotgobywithoutoneortwoofthese.Theyknewhowunhealthytheirlifestylewasbutstoppingwasoutofthequestion.

Itwasn’tuntiltheyhadaheartattackscarethattheychangedtheireatinghabits.TheirdaughterMerlin,onedayafterschoolshecamehomeasusualtookaburgerandslumpedontothecouchinfrontofthetelevision.WhenJessyarrivedhomefromworklaterthatday,shewenttotakeashower.PaularrivedalittlewhilelatertofindMerlinonthefloorgaspingforairandcouldhardlyspeak.

Theywerescaredandtheonlythingthatcrossedtheirmindswasthattheirdaughterwashavingaheartattack.Theyrushedhertotheemergencyroomandwererelievedtolearnthatitwasonlyanasthmaattack.Thisincidenthoweverworkedouttobeawakeupcallforthefamily.Theyconsidereditaclosecallanddecidedtochangetheirlifestyle.

Theystartedwithcuttingtheconsumptionofjunkfoodsandintroductionofhealthieralternatives.Thisasexpectedwasnoteasyandattimessomeoftheveggiescouldnotevengodowntheirthroats,butwithpersistencetheygotusedtoit.Jessiesubscribedtoaweeklynewsletterthatprovidedusefulinsightsonfoodstoavoid.Mostofthesefoods,accordingtothenewsletter,wereresponsibleforrisingcasesofcancer,heartdiseases,obesityandotherillnesses.

Theneedtogrowtheirgardengrewasaresultofhavingtodriveeverydaytothemarket,whichwasquiteadistance,togetfreshvegetables.Thehealthguidewarnedagainstusingtoomuchfrozenfood.Theonlyoutdoorspacetheyhadwasallocatedforthecarparkandtheremaininglittlespacewasnotenoughtogrowevenahandfulofvegetables.

Afterdoingsomeresearch,Paullearnthowtogrowanindoorgarden.Withthehelpofabookhehadborrowedfromafriend,ittookhimsixdaysaftergettingalltherequiredtoolsandequipment,tobuildanindoorgarden.Twoyearsdownthelinetheyhavelearntalotthroughexperimentingandreadingarticlesandbooks.Theycannowaffordayearroundsupplyoffreshvegetablestosupplementtheirhealthydiet.

Advancementinplantandagriculturaltechnologyhasmadeitpossibleandeasytogrowagardenindoors.Thisisveryimportantsinceitismoreeconomicalintermsofcashandreliable.Indoorgardeningisnotlimitedtofoodcrops;thereareotherplantsthatcanbegrownindoorsfortheirattractiveness.Therearesomanyplantcropsyoucangrowindoorswiththerightweatherconditions.Ifyouhavesomespaceindoorsforagarden,makeuseofitandyouwillreapfreshrewardsandalsomakeyourfriends‘green’withenvy.

Somepeopleventureintoindoorgardensonlyduringtheseasonswhentheoutdoorconditionsareunbearable,whileothersduetolackofoutdoorspacemakeindoorgardeninganall-timething.Nomatteryourreason,thesecretsonsuccessfulindoorgardeningareusefultoanyonewhowantstogiveitatry.

Chapter2REQUIREMENTSFORANINDOORGARDEN

Lightingequipment

Lightisveryimportantforthegrowthofanyplant.Withoutlightsplantscannotgrowandif(bychance)theydo,theyarelikelytobeweakandhavestuntedgrowth.Itisthereforeimportanttoprovideartificiallightingtosupplementthenaturallightinanyindoorgarden.Theonlylightplantscanabsorbistheredandbluelight.

Growlightsareconsideredamongthemostessentialrequirementsforanindoorgarden.Thisisbecausetheyaideintheplantsprocessessuchasphotosynthesis.Differentplantshavedifferentlightrequirements.Therearedifferenttypesoflightstochoosefrom.Theselightsvaryincost,effectivenessandefficiency.

Incandescentlightsaretheleasteffective.Theyproducemoreheatthanlightandleadtoveryhighutilitybills.

Themostcommonandpreferredlightingbypeoplewithindoorgardensisthefluorescentlight.Itisaffordableandproducesmorelightthantheincandescentlight.Italsolastslongerandmoresuitableforplantsthatrequirelowormediumlight.Howeverforcropswithhighlightrequirementforexample,fruitbearingplants,thisisnotthebestalternative.Itdoesnotproduceenoughlightneededinfruitformation.

LightemittingDiodepopularlyknownasLEDlightisamongthelatestinventioninindoorgardenlighting.Ithasbrightlightandcompact.Itsadvantageisthewayyoucansetittoproduceonlyredandbluelight.Itsdisadvantageisthatitisveryexpensiveformostpeople.

Itishighlyadvisablewhenbuyingalightingequipmenttobuyacompleteset.Thesewilleliminatethetaskofsearchingforballasts,cords,reflectorsandotherpartsthatarecompatiblewithit.

Ventilation

Everylivingthing,plantsincluded,requiresairforsurvival.Tomaintainawellventilatedindoorgarden,forstarters,youneedafan.Plantsrequireaconstantsupplyofcarbon(iv)oxideforphotosynthesis.Usinganexhaustfanreducesexcessheatandbringsinfreshair.Anoscillatingfanproducesaircirculationwhichisveryimportantinmaintainingoptimumatmosphericconditions.Incasewhereyourchoiceoflightingisproducingtoomuchheat,itwouldbeimportanttoinstallanairconditioner.

Thethirdandveryimportantrequirementisthegrowingmedium.Thesemediumsprovideabasewhererootswillbeembedded.Therearevarietiesofmediumstochoosefrom.Someofthemcomecompletewithnutrientswhileothersareplainwithnonutrients.Examplesofmediumsincludesoil,soilless,hydroton,cocoandstonewall.Inordertomakeadecisiononwhichmediumtouse,youneedtohaveanideaoneach.

Cocoismadefromcoconuthusks.Theyprovidegoodaerationandwaterdrainagecapacity.

Stonewallisbasicallyjuststonesmadeintofibresbeforebeingputintocontainers.

Hydrotonismadefromclaypellets.Ithasgoodairtowaterratioandcanbereused.

Thenextthingyouneedtofigureoutisthecontainerandhydroponics.Thisiswhereyoustoreyourgrowthmedium.Theyprovidehousingfortheplant.Forabeginner,soilgardeningisagoodchoice.Itonlyrequiresacontainerandgoodsoil.Ifyoudecidetochoosehydroponics,therearecertainconsiderationsyouhavetoputinmind.Hydroponicsdeterminesthetypeofmediumtouse.Forexamplehydroponicsworksbestwithhydrotonwhichisrecyclable.

Containerscanbepurchased;therearedifferentsizesthatcaterfordifferentplantneeds.However,ifyouinintendtosaveoncosts,tryusingcontainersinyourhousethatyoudonotuse.Forexampleanoldbucketortincanbeused.Considerthespaceavailableinthegrowroomandthespaceneededbytheplantinselectingthesizeofcontainertouse.Plantsthatgrowdeeprootsneedacontainerthatisdeepandwithalotofsoiloranyothergrowthmediumofyourchoice.

Inchoosingthegrowingmethodyouneedtoconsiderthespaceavailable,typeofplantsyouwillgrowandthebudgetyouareworkingon.Forstarters,usingatinandwateringitissimpleandcosteffective.However,therearegrowingmethodsonecanconsider.Thereistheebbandflow;whichinvolvesfloodingtheplantswithnutrientsthendraining.Thisisdoneatregularintervals.Thesecondisthedripgardensystem,whichmakesuseofpipesanddripstakes.Thethirdisthenutrientfilmtechnique;itinvolvesslowmovingnutrientfilm.Thegrowingmethodwilldeterminethetypeofcontainerorhydroponicstouseandthegrowingmedium.Thereisalsoanothermethodcalledaeroponics.Itinvolvespassingoxygenatednutrientsinasolutionformthroughpipestotheplant.

Seedsandseedlings

Agardenwon’tbeagardenwithoutcrops.Itisadvisabletoplantcropsasseedsinsteadofseedlings.Thisissoastoensurethatnodiseasesandpestsaretransferredtoyourgarden.Usingstartingseedsalsoensuresyougetavarietyofgoodseedlingsunlikewhenbuyingseedlings.Someseedlingsrequiretobeputinanurseryoraseedbedwhileotherscanbeplantedsimply.Aplantcanhavedifferentvarietiesofthesameplant,researchandfindoutwhichvarietyyoulikebestoronethatiseasiertocultivate.Alsomakesureyoupurchasehighqualityseedsbecausesomeseedsmaynotgrowwhileothersmighttakelongerthanthenormalduration.Beforepurchasingaseed,readonthetagtomakesurethatwhateveryouarebuyingisaplantyouwillwantinsideyourhouse.Apartfromseedsyoumightalsousebulbs,smallplantsandclones.

Withtherightenvironmentalconditions,seedswillmostlikelygerminateinafewdays.Afterseedshavegrownsomemightrequiretransplanting.Knowingwhentotransplantisveryimportant.Whenyoutransplantbeforetime,theplantsmaytaketoolongtosetrootwhileothersmaydie.Thesamegoesfortransplantingwhentheplantistoogrown.Alsoknowthemodeofpropagationandthetypeofplantsthatrequiretransplantingandthosethatdonot.

Therearecertainoptimumweatherconditionsthatarenecessaryforplantstogerminate,growhealthyandmature.Maintainingtheseoptimalconditionsespeciallyinadverseweathercanbeverytrickybutnotimpossible.Differentplantsmayhavedifferentrequirements.Eventhesameplantmayhavedifferentneedsinitsdifferentstagesofgrowth.Knowingwhatyourplantneedsandwhenisverycrucial.Whenplantingseeds,usesomefertilizertoprovidetheseedwithenoughnutrientsneededtogerminate;andfortheearlystagesofgrowth.

CHAPTER3TAKINGCAREOFYOURPLANTS

Whenseedsgerminate,theyrequirealotoflightandnutrients.Youneedtoadjustyourlightssothattheyareclosertotheplants.Thedurationoflightalsoneedstobelongerforexamplebetween12to14hoursaday.Havingatimeratthispointwillmostdefinitelymakethingseasier.Failuretoprovideenoughnutrientsandlightwillmaketheplantsweak.Theplantsmightalsobendtowardsthedirectionofthelightsourceinsteadofgrowingupstraight.Lightalsopreventstheplantsfrombeingattackedbyfungi.Itisgoodtonotethatplantsarepronetodiseasesfromthetimetheygerminate,sotakinggoodcareofthemisofessence.

Astheygrowplantsdevelopleaveswhich,withtheaidofchlorophyllandlife,producefoodfortheplant.Thishoweverdoesnotmeanthatyoustopsupplyingnutrientstotheplant.Thereareverymanytypesoffertilizerapersoncanconsiderrangingfromorganic,inorganicandamixtureofboth.Forabeginner,choosingtherightfertilizercanbeprettyhard.Therearetwotypesthatapersonshouldbeawareof.Thereisthegrowfertilizerneededfortheplantsvegetativestagesandthebloomfertilizerforthefloweringstages.Basefertilizercontainsmicronutrientssuchasnitrogen,phosphorus,magnesiumandothernutrients,italsocontainsmacronutrients.Thereareothernutrientsupplementsthatapersoncanlearnasheorshecontinuesgardening.

Itgoeswithoutsayingthatplantscannotsurvivewithoutwater.Theyneedwatertogrow.Someneedmorewaterthanothersdo.Inmostcases,plantsneedtobewateredtwicedaily,inthemorningandintheevening.Reusingwaterfromthehousecanbeagreatwaytosaveonwater.Itishoweveradvisabletousecleanwatertopreventpestsanddiseasesattackingtheplants.

Usingsoapywaterorwatercontainingdetergentswilldehydratetheplantsandmakethemyelloworevenkillthem.Theamountofwaterandfrequencyofwateringdiffersaccordingtoplanttypeandtheseason.Knowingtherightamountofwaterrequiredhelpspreventoverwateringwhichmaycauserootstorotleadingtotheplantsdeath.Ontheotherhand,underwateringmightmaketheplanttowitherandgrowweak.Itisadvisabletoinvestinawatergauge,aninstrumentusedinmeasuringthemoisturecontentinthesoil.Thistellsyouwhenitisokaytowatertheplant.Youcanusewaterfiltrationtoensureyouprovideyourplantswithwaterthatisfreefromharmfulchemicalsandmicroorganisms.

Pestanddiseasecontrol

Inindoorgardening,therearefewpeststhatarelikelytoattacktheplants.Howeverpreventionisalwaysthebestoption.Itisnotrecommendedtousechemicalstosprayplantsinanindoorgarden.Thismayaffectanyonelivinginthehouseorevenpets.Youcantryhomemadesolutionstoeradicatepestsifchemicalsposeathreattootherlivingthingsinthehouse.Thereareorganicandsyntheticpesticidesreadilyavailableforthosewhowanttousethem.Forexample,burningwoodandusingtheashasapesticidehasbeenknowntokillsomepests.

Fungiandmouldsarethemostlikelydiseasestoaffectindoorplantssomeofthemostcommondiseasesincludescab,blackspot,rust,powderymildewandDowneymildew.Maintaininganoptimumhumidityandaircirculationisimportantinpreventingdiseasesandpests.Asapreventivemeasureitisalsogoodtosprayfungicidesregularlyandalsouseafreshgrowingmediumandalsoavoidusecompositemanure.

Weedingisveryimportant.Itentailsremovalofunwantedplants(weeds).Someweedsarebeneficialastheyprovideshadeandfoodtoyourplants.Somehowevercompetefornutrientswithyourplants,whenthestruggleisforthefittest;theweedswinwhiletheotherplantsmaylose.Someweedsmaypreventlightfromreachingtheplantsmakingthemfailtoproducefoodandtheymaydie.Weedscomefromthesoil,especiallyifthesoilistakenfromoutdoorsandbroughtindoorsorfromimpureseedsthatmaycontainweeds.

Weedingcanbedonebypullingouttheweedswithyourhand.Thisshouldbedonecarefullysothatyoudonotuproottheplantsintheprocess.Pullingtoohardmayweakenthesoilandtherootsmakingiteasyfortheplantstofallespeciallyifyouareusingafan.Herbicidescanbeusedtokillweedsindoors.Theyworkselectivelybykillingtheweeds.Howeverherbicidesarenotthebestsolutioninweedremoval.Thisisbecauseherbicideismadeoutofchemicalsthatcanaffectpetsandalsopeople.Herbicidesmaynotkillallweedsorendupkillingallplants,especiallywhentheweedandtheplantarealmostsimilar.

Humidityinsidethegrowroomshouldbeoptimumatalltimes.Ifyoucanaffordit,youcangetyourselfamisthumidifier.Acheaperwayofmaintainthathumidityisbytheuseofaspraybottleandwateratroomtemperature.Thisprocessiscalledmisting.

Takingyourplantsoutdoorsaftertheunfavourableseasonhaspassedshouldbedonecarefully.Plantstakenoutdoorsfromindoorsyouwillneedtoallowtheplantsaperiodofhardening.Theoutdoorconditionsmightbetoohard.Lettheplantsadjustslowlytotheoutdoorconditions.Bringingplantsindoorsfromoutdoorswillalsoneedtobedonecarefully.Thetemperatureandlightingdifferencesmightaffecttheplant.

CHAPTER4TYPESOFPLANTSTOGROWINANINDOORGARDEN

Therearedifferenttypesofplantsonecangrowinanindoorgarden.Someofthemarefoodcrops;someareherbswhilesomearejustforbeauty.Differentplantsmayhavedifferentgrowthrequirementsbutgenerallyplantsneedamplesunlight,soilmoistureorwater,optimumhumidityandnutrients.Someplantsmayhaveadditionalrequirements.Thischaptertakesyouthroughsomecommonplantsthataresuitableforindoorgardens.

Greenbeansareamongplantsthatgrowveryfast.Theyneedenoughsunlight,moistureandnutrients.Duetotheirweakstemsandthenumberofpods,theseplantsneedadditionalsupport.Youcanusesticksorsmalltwigstosupportthem.Supportkeepsthepodsoffthegroundtopreventthemfromrotting.

Carrotsareveryeasytocultivate.Theyneedsoilinaput(preferably12inchesdeep)andsunlighttogrow.Youcaneasilygetcarrotseedsonline,innurseriesoringardenstores.

Basilisanamazingherbknownforitsanti-inflammatorycharacteristics.Basilsareeasytoplant.Basilgrowsbestinwarmtemperaturesandalotoflight.Theyneedtobefertilizedatleastonceamonth.Pruningtheleavesmakestheplantgrowmorehealthyleaves.Itisalsoadvisabletowatchforandnipflowersassoonastheyappear.Wateringshouldbedoneoncedailywhentheweatherconditionisratherhot;whenit’shumidyoucanwatereveryotherday.

Tomatoes,apartfrombeingoneofthemostusedvegetable,arealsobelievedtopreventandreduceriskofcoronaryheartdisease.Becauseoffrequencyofuse,itisofessencetomaintainacontinuoussupplyoffreshtomatoes.Toachievethis,itisrecommendedtoplanttwoplantsovertwoweeks.Theseedsaretobeplanted1/4inchdeep.Thesoilshouldbeconstantlywateredbutnottobemadesoggy.Seedstakeuptotendaystogerminate.Aftertwoweekstheseedlingsshouldbereadyfortransplant.Twoweeksaftertransplantingyouneedtoapplyfertilizer.

Continuewateringyourplantsandmaintainingyoursoilmoisture.Duetodifferencesinenvironmentalfactors,tomatoesgrownindoorsdonotgrowastallandbigasthoseoutdoors.However,thetomatoesgrownindoorsarejustastastyasthosegrownoutdoors.Whentheplantsbeginmakingtomatoestheyneedsupportsothatthestemdoesnotbreak.

Scallions,likeotherplantsinthealliumsfamily,haveveryusefulcancerpreventionproperties.Theyalsogiveagoodflavourinfood.Goodthingwithscallionsisthattheydonotrequireseeds.Takeabunchofscallionstiedtogetherwitharubberbandandimmersedinwater,remembertochangethewaterdaily.Afterafewdaysyouwillnoticeshootsformingfromthescallions.Atthispoint,theyarereadyforplanting.Theplantsshouldbeplantedinashallowpotorcontainerandbeevenlywatered,donotwaituntilthesoilisdrybeforewatering.Theyshouldnottakelongtobeready.

Saladgreensareamicrogreensthatarerichinvitamins,ironandfoliate.Youcaneasilypurchasetheseeds.Plantingtheseedscanbedoneinplanterboxeswithholesfordrainageatthebottom.Makeaholewithyourfingerfourinchesapartfromeachotherandplaceseedsinit.Putsomesoillightlyontopoftheseedsandwaterthesoilandkeepitmoist.Whentheseedsgerminate,pullthemalloutfortransplantingexceptthosethatarelargeandfirm.

Waterregularlyandapplyfertilizer.Whentheleavesarebigenough,taketheouterleavesandleavetheresttocontinuegrowing.

Mushrooms,howeverlabourintensive,theyareverynutritiousandhavecancerfightingproperties.Theycanbegrowninalaundrybasketifyouareworkingonabudgetorplanttheminapurchasedkit.

Chiveisoneotherherbthatissuitableforanindoorgarden.Chimeseedsareplantedinholesinapotthatisalmostfullwithsoil.Thesoilsshouldbe1/8ofaninchindepth.Afterplacingseedsintheholescoverlightlywithsoil.Waterregularlytokeepthesoilalwaysmoist;theyarenotlabourintensive.

Cilantroisgrownfromseedsknownascoriander.Useapotorcontainerthatiseightinchesdeep.Fillthepotwithsoilonlyleavingoneortwoinchesinthepot.Theseedsarethensimplypressedintothesoilandthesoilwatereduntilmoist.Putaplasticpaperaroundthepotwitharubberbandorstringtiedaroundtokeeptheplasticpaperinplace.Whentheseedsgerminateremovethepaper;whenthecilantroispushingagainstthepaper.

Gingerisoneeasyherbtoplantindoors.Itdoesnotneedseeds.Youcangetagingerinthemarket.Placethegingerinthesoilandhaveitcovered.Makesurethatthefreshlookingbudsfaceup.Placethecontainerorpotinsuchawaythatitdoesnotreceivedirectlight.Waterconsistentlytokeepitmoistbutnotwaterlogged.Afterafewdaysyouwillnoticetheshootsappearing.Whenitisfullymatureduprootitandtakeasmuchasyouneed,placetheremainingbackinthesoilandrepeattheplantingprocess.

Plantingrosemaryindoorsgivestheindoorsawonderfulsmellaswellasbeingusedasaspiceandamedicinalherb.Theseplantsgrowwellindirectlightofuptosixhoursaday.Theydonotneedtoomuchwater;wateringisrequiredwhenthesoilisgettingdrybutnottoodry.Italsothrivesinalkalinesoil.AddingagriculturallimetothesoilwillgiveittherequiredPHvalue.

Mintsaretasty,medicinalandalsohelpsoothehangovers.Youneedadeeppot,ofuptotenincheswithsoilfilledinit.Ensureitisinaplacewherethereisamplesunlight.Justlikeotherplants,wateringshouldbedoneregularlyafterplantingtheseeds.

Forthosepeoplewanttogrowplantsindoorforbeauty,therearenumerousplantsyoucanplantthatarebeautiful,haveanicesmellandgenerallybringcolourandlifetoyourindoors.

Pothosisaplantthatabsorbstoxinsfromtheair,whowouldn’twantthat?Theyareeasytogrow.Theleavesvariegatewellwithsunlight.Itisbesttobegrowninhangingpots.Duetothenatureinwhichtheyclimb,itisnecessarytocutitsothatitdoesnotgrowtoolong(itisaclimbingplant).

Spiderplantsstillremainintheheartsofmanyhomeownersevenafteryearsofbeingaprofferedindoorplant.Itthrivesinmoistsoilandatemperaturerangeofbetween60°to70°Celsius.Theylookbestwhenhangedup.Theirlightrequirementrangesfrombrighttomedium.

Jadeplantissucculent,forthosewholovethelookofsuch.Itisalsoeasytocareforandmaylastforverylongwithoutgrowingold.Ithaslushandthickleavesandaveryattractivestem.Plantingitinanattractivepotwithaddtoitsvisualappeal

Englishivyhasanelegancethatdoesnotageandlooksreallyprettywhenlefttotraildownfurniture(especiallywoodenfurniture).Theythriveincoolertemperatures.

Peacelilyhasdarkleaves,prettycurvingwhitebloomsandveryeasytogrow.Thisisthereasonitisgrowninsomanyhouseholds.Itisbestinhumidplaces(roomswithfewwindowstendtobeveryhumid.Thetemperatureshouldbemoderateroomtemperatureandmoistsoilthroughoutthepot.

Oneoftheeasiestplantstogrowindoorsisthesnakeplant,alsoknownasthemother-inlaw’stongue.Ithasgreenvariegatedleavedthatarepretty.Theythriveinanylightingconditionsandnormalroomtemperature.Thoughtheseplantshardlyflower,theyhavebeautifulflowerswhentheydo.

Shamrockplantshaveverybrightgreenleavesandprettywhiteflowers.Theygrowinroomtemperatureandinindirectorfilteredlighting.Thesoilsurfacedisrequiredtobethoroughlydrybeforebeingwateredagain.Forthisreason,youcanwateryourplantonceeveryweek.

Therearesomanyotherplantsthatyoucantryplantinginyourindoors.Mostoftheseedsyoucaneasilyaccessonlinewhileotherscanbeboughtfromagardenstoreoragroceryshop.

Theyincludethefollowing:

Kaleandothermicrogreenssuchasspinachgrowinthesameenvironmentalconditionsasthesaladgreens.

Chard

Onionstakethesameprocessofcultivationasdoesthescallion.

Lavender

Oregano

Andpeppers

Thedosanddon’tsinindoorgardening

DOS

Everyplantneedsattentioneventhosethatarelessdemanding.Itisessentialthatyouvisityourplantsafewtimesaweekandobserveanyobservablechanges.Someofthesignsthatshouldbeacauseforalarminclude;leavesbecomingyellow,weakstem,unusualspottingontheleavesandanypest.Doingthiswillenableyoutakeactionearlysoastopreventmorecropsfrombeingaffected.

Rotatingyourplants,especiallyifthewindowisthesolesourceoflightorwhenthelightisnotevenlydistributedisneededinordertopreventtheplantsfromgrowinglopsided.Phototropismisatendencyofplantstogroworbendtowardsthesourceoflight.Thisrotationshouldbedoneregularlyforexample,weekly.

Usewaterthatisroomtemperaturetowatertheplants.Usinghotwaterwillburntheclotheswhiletoocoldwaterislikelytoshocktheplantsmakingtherootstodropandtheleaveswillbeunabletoabsorbthewatereffectively.

Cleaningyourcropsregularly,byremovingyellowanddriedleavesandflowers,isalsoimportant.Thisallowstheplantsroomtogrowmorehealthyleaves.

Don’ts

Donotaddfertilizerwhenthesoilisdry.Makethesoilmoistbeforeaddingfertilizer.Alsoitisimportantnottoputthefertilizer(especiallysyntheticfertilizer)directlyonthecrop.Putitaroundthecrop.Reasonforthisisthatsomefertilizercanactuallyburnthecrops.

CONCLUSION

Anypersoncandogardening.Justlikeanyotheractivityitrequiresyoutobepassionate,patientandcommitted.Itishardtohavefundoingsomethingyoudonotenjoy.Successforanyplanttypeisnotguaranteed,someareboundtofail,andthisshouldnotbeareasontodespair.Learningfromyourfailedcropswillenableyoubebetterandproducebetterinthenextcrops.This,ifyouaskaround,hasbeenthesuccessstoryofmanysuccessfulgardeners.Thegoodnewsisthatitgetsbetterandeasierwithtime.Befreetoexperimentbutevenwhileyouaredoingthis,takeintoconsiderationtheplants’needs.

Forabeginner,Iwilladviseyoutouseitemsfoundaroundyourhouse.Asyougetmoreexperienceingardening,youmovetomoretechnologicallyadvancedkits,growthmediumsandgrowingmethods.Thisishowever,unlessyouhavetheservicesofaseasonedgardeneratyouraid.

Whenchoosingthetypeofplanttogrow,ifyouareaimingatgrowingdifferentplantsinthesameroom,goforplantsthathavethesamelighting,water,humidityandtemperaturerequirements.Thiswillmakeyourworkalittlebiteasier.Yourchoiceofplantshouldalsobebasedonthesizeofspaceyouhaveindoors.Someplantsmayrequiretoomuchspacewhileothersmaygrowtoolong.Forexample,youcannotplanttreesthatgrowtoolongindoors.

Yourplant’scontainerneedstohaveholesatthebottomfordrainagepurposes.Thispreventswaterloggingwhichisbadforplants.Waterloggingpreventstheplantrootsfrombreathing;waterfillsupallthespaceinthesoildisplacingalltheair.Rootswillnothaveairtobreathandmaydie.Itisalsoadvisable,ifpossibletowaterplantsfromthebottombyplacingthecontainerinwater.Reasonforthisisthatsomesoilbecomestoocompactwithtimetotheextentthatthewatercannotreachtheroots.Iftheplantistooheavy,itwilltaketimeandpatience.Putalittlewateratatimeandallowittosipthroughthesoilthenaddmore.

Advancementinagriculturehasfacilitatedtheproductionofnaturefriendlyherbicides,pesticidesandfungicides.Theseproductsnotonlykillpestsanddiseasebutalsobenefittheplantsintermsofnutrients.Theseproductswillensureyourplantsarehealthywithoutharmingtheenvironmentaround.Inordertopreventtransmittingdiseasesandpests,youshouldwashoffanycontainerbeforereusingit.Somegrowthmediumssuchashydrotoncanbereused.Inthiscase,usesubstancesthatkillpathogensonthegrowthmediumbeforereusing.

FREEBonusReminder











OR



KNITTINGFORBEGINNERSMASTERTHEARTOFKNITTINGIN1DAYWITHKNITTING

INSTRUCTIONS.BONUSCHAPTERWITHKNITTINGPATTERSINCLUDED!LEARNHOWTOKNITFASTWITHSTEPBYSTEP

INSTRUCTIONS.

.

TableofContentChapter1-KNITTINGTOOLS

Chapter2-PROPERWAYTOHANDLETHENEEDLES

Chapter3-TIPSONKNITTING

CHAPTER4-KNITTINGABBREVIATIONS

BonusChapter-TECHINQUESINKNITINNG

Conclusion

BONUS:YourFREEGift





CHAPTER1-KNITTINGTOOLSWhenyouareanewknitter,youdonotneedtoomanytoolstobeginwith.Butifyouare

workingonaproject,youwillneedafewmoreitems.Sowhataretheseitems?

Atapestryneedle

Thesimplesttoolinanyknitter’skit,atapestryneedleisalargesewingneedle,with

aneyebigenoughtoaccommodatebulkyyarn.You’llusetheneedletoweaveinthe

tailsofyarnleftafteryoubindoffyourproject.

Stitchmarkers

Thesesmallringssliponyourneedlestomarkparticularpointsinyourpattern.Some

markerscanbeclippeddirectlyontoastitchifyouneedtomarkaspotontheproject

itselftocomebacktolaterinthepattern.

Stitchholders

Astitchholderislikealargesafetypin.Whenapatterncallsforyoutosetsome

stitchesasidetocomebacktolater,youwillslipthosestitchesontoaholder.

Rowcounters

Manypatternsrequireyoutokeeptrackofhowmanyrowsyouhaveknit.Some

countersslipontoyourneedleandhaveanumberdialyouchangeaftereachrow.

Somehaveasimplebuttonyouclick.Also,yes,thereareadvancedmobilephone

applicationsforthat

Measuringtape

Agreatdealofpatterns,requirevariousinches,insteadofvariousrows.Anadaptable

measuringtapewillbefundamental,particularlywhenmakingsetsofthings,similarto

glovesorsleeves.Youwouldprefernottoguesswhetheryoursleevesarethesame

length.

Needlecaps

Youusethiswhenyouaretakingaknittingbreak.Needlecapcanbeplacedontheend

ofyourneedlestoensurenostitchesslipoffwhileyourprojectisinyourknittingbag

orpurse.Youcanalsouseittoturnadouble-pointneedleintoastraightneedle.

PointProtectors

Pointprotectorsarelittlerubbercapswhichcomeinavarietyofstylesandsizes.Thestandardpointprotectorsare

liketheonesontherightofthepicturebuttheyalsocomeinmanystyles.Icouldn’tresistthecutelittlesockones.

Simplyputthemontheendsofyourknittingneedleswhenyouaredoneknittingandyourstitcheswillnotslipoff

theneedles.Thisisahandyknittingaccessorytohave.

Cableneedles

Thesecutelittleneedlesareusedforknittingcablesandtheycomeeitherstraightorcurved.Ilikethecurvedones

bestbecausethestitchesarelesslikelytoslipoff.

Typesofknittingneedles

Knittingneedlessharethesamenameasneedlesthataresharp,eventhoughtheyshould

notbesharpatall.Needlescomeinmanydifferentstylesandlengthsandcanbemadeout

ofmetal,plastic,casein,bambooandwoodormoreglamorousmaterialssuchasebony,

rosewood,birchandwalnut.Eachissomedistinctiononthepointedstickconcept.The

needleyouusedependsonyourprojectandpersonalpreference,soexperimentwithafew

differenttypesuntilyoufindtheonethatsuitsyourknittingstyle.

Listedbelowarethethreetypesofneedles.Someprojectsrequireusingmorethanone.

Theclassicstraightpair

Doublepointneedles(soldinsetsof4or5)

Circularneedles

Straightneedlesareusedformostofyourrectangularprojects,likescarvesand

washcloths.

Circularneedlesaretwoneedleheadsconnectedtoacord.Theyarenecessaryfor

largerprojects,likeblankets.Theyarealsousedforprojectsthatareworkedinthe

round,likehatsorthebodyofaseamlesssweater.Theseneedlesdifferbyneedle

sizeandbycordlength,from9inchesto60inches.Ifyouareafrequentknitter,

youmightwanttoinvestinacircularneedlekit,whichoffersgreaterflexibility

insteadofbuyinganeedleforeachproject,akitallowsyoutomodifythecord

lengthandtheneedlesize.Plus,ifyourprojectcallsforchangingneedlesize

partwaythrough,allyouhavetodoissqueezeyourstitchesontothecordand

switchouttheneedleheads.

Double-pointneedlesareusedforsmallerprojectsjoinedintheround,likemittens

orthecrownofahat.Frequently,youwillstartaprojectoncircularneedles,and

thenswitchtodoublepointsasyougetclosetobindingoff.Thegoodnewsisthat

mostofthesetoolsareinexpensiveandyoucankeepthemforyears!

Allneedlesbeitstraight,circularordoublepointedcomeinawiderangeofstandardized

sizes.TheyaremarkedinnumericU.S.sizes(0-50)ormillimeters(2.00-25.50)which

indicatethediameteroftheneedle.Asageneralrule,thelowerthenumber,thethinnerthe

needle.Sohavefunneedleshopping

YARN

Nowletustalkaboutyarn.Youcangetanyyarnofyourchoicefromnaturalfiberslike

wool,alpaca,angora,cashmereorcotton,linen,silkandmohairorsleeksyntheticsthat

rangefromcheapacrylictoexpensive,shinyrayonnoveltiesandevenmodernmaterials

likemicrofiberandpaper.Thick,thin,smoothortextured,youwillfindtheminsolid

colorsaswellasstriped,parti-coloured(lengthsofdifferentcolorsalternatedwithinthe

sameball)andmulticoloredpatterns.Whennextyougotothestoretogetayarn,takea

goodlookatthemultitudeofchoicesavailable.Ibetthatyouwillneverhavetimetotry

themallbecausethereisjustsomanytochoosefrom.

Whetherspunfromwoolorpaper,traditionalorcuttingedge,yarnsaregatheredintobasic

categoriessothatyoucaneasilychoosewhichoneisrightfortheprojectyouwantto

workon.Yarnsareorganizedbyweightwhichisthethicknessoftheyarntheyrangefrom

superfineallthewaytosuperbulky.Nowthatyouunderstandthebasicsofyarnand

needlesize,youwillstillwanttoknowhowdotheyworktogether.Apartfromlace

knitting,whichisarareexpectationwhenknitting,thinneryarngoesbestwiththinner

needles.Thesamelawgoeswiththickeryarn.Ifyouaregoingtouseathickeryarn,usea

thickerneedle.Knowthateachyarnweighthasacorrespondingrangeofrecommended

needlesizes.

.

Chapter2-PROPERWAYTOHANDLETHENEEDLESHowtoholdyourneedleandyarntotallydependontheindividualbecausethereareso

manywaystoholdyourknittingneedlesandyarn.

Asanewknitter,ittakesawhiletofeelcomfortableknittingsoitisbettertowaituntil

youfeelmuchmorecomfortablewithit.Youmaydevelopyourownwayofknittingas

youkeeplearninghowtoknitanditisokayithappenssometimes.

Howtoholdyourknittingneedles

Thisisapersonalpreference.Onceyoustartknitting,andyoubegintodevelopanice

knittingrhythmyouwilldiscoveryourownuniquewayofknitting.Knittingmightfeel

awkwardatfirstbutjustgiveittime.

Below,theknittingneedlehasthehandoverit.

Whileinthisotherpicture,theneedleisbeenheldlikeapencil

Youcanuseanyofthesetwomethodswhenknittingorusethembothorevencreateyour

ownwayofholdingyourneedle.Justdowhatevermakesyoucomfortableduringknitting.

Also,wehavetwomainknittingmethods,whicharetheEnglishmethodandthecontinentalmethod.

TheEnglishknittingmethod:Inthismethod,yourrighthandwillbemovingtheknitting

needlethroughthestitchesonyourlefthandneedle.Ifyoudecidetowraptheknitting

yarnaroundyour

fingersyouwillwraptherighthand.Englishknittersholdand“throw”theyarnwiththeir

righthand.

TheContinentalknittingmethod:Inthismethod,yourlefthandwillbemovingthe

knittingneedlethroughthestitchesonyourrighthandneedle.Andifyoudecidetowrap

theknittingyarnaroundyourfingersyouwillwrapthelefthand.Continentalknitters

manipulatetheyarnwiththeirlefthand

Tryanyofthesetwomethodsaboveandseewhichoneyoufeelmostcomfortablewith.

Rememberthatyoumightnotgetcomfortablewiththematfirstsogiveyourselftimeto

adjust.Learninghowholdyourneedleandyarntakestimetolearnsodonotworrymuch

ifyoudonotgetitatthefirsttry.Whatmakeslearninghowtoholdayarnandneedle

confusingisthattwopeoplecannotdoitthesameway.AlthoughtheEnglishand

continentalstylehavethesameendproduct,mostknittersthinktheirwayismoresuperior

toothersway.Ifyouhavebeentaughthowtoknitbysomeone,youhaveachanceof

choosingonewayofknittingovertheother.

Chapter3-TIPSONKNITTINGLearninghowtoknitcanbeveryoverwhelmingatfirst,butthesetipswillmakeitmucheasier

StartwithSimpleConcepts

Ifyouareanewknitter,startwiththebasicstuff.Yesyoumightwanttogointothe

biggerproject,butifyoudonotstartwiththesimplestuff,youwillnothavemuch

successwiththebiggerstuff.Also,startingwiththebasicsallowsyoutoworkyour

wayuptoahighlevelofproficiencywithyournewskills.

FollowInstructionsCarefully

Readingandunderstandingaknittingpatternisimportanttoyoursuccess,especially

whenyouarejustbeginning.Readtheinstructionsseveraltimesandmakeacareful

noteoftherecommendedyarns.Thiswillhelpyouavoidmistakesandensurethat

whenyouaredoneworkingontheitem,itiseverythingyouwantedittobe.Ifyouare

amuchmoreexperiencedknitter,youwillbeabletomakeyarnsubstitutionsbecause

youwillalreadyhaveafullunderstandingofhowdifferenttensionsanddrapeaffect

thefinisheditem.

PrepareYourselfProperly

Asaknitter,notonlyshouldyouhaveallyourknittinggearsready;youshouldalso

getyourselfready.Makesureyoureyesarenotdryandtiredbeforeknitting.Also

makesurethatyourhandsaremoisturizedandnotdry.

UsetheRightYarn

Itiscrucialtofollowtheinstructionsonwhichtypeofyarnorcolourofyarntouse.

Additionally,ifyoushouldneedextrayarn,youmustensureyoubuythesametype,

tensionanddyebatchnumberasyouusedprimarily.Ifyoudonot,youmayfindthat

thenewyarnisaslightlydifferentcolourorknittingtensiontotherestoftheitem.So

remembertochecktheyarntensionandcolourdyebatchnumber.

KnittheGauge

Somepeopleseetheknittinggaugeasapointless,timewastingextratask.Thisisvery

untrueKnittingpatternsdonotallowforknittinggaugeerrorsinthefinisheditem,so

doingthegaugeisvital.Theknittinggaugepracticerunallowsyoutomakemistakes

andthenadjust,soyoucanbemoreaccuratewhenyouactuallystartyourproject.And

younevercantell,thegaugeitselfmayturnoutbeautifullyandbeallreadytomake

intoalovely,usefulblanket!

OrganiseYourNeedles

Needleorganizingmightnotbethatimportanttosomepeoplebutitisbestifyoukeep

allyourknittingstifforganizedthatwayyouknowwheretheyallareandyoudonot

havetowastemoneytogetanewknittingkitbecauseyoulostsomethinginyour

previousknittingkit.YoucanuseaB6zipperpouchtostoreyourneedlesthisallows

youtoswapneedlesquickly.

Startbig

Whengettinganeedle,getthethickestandlongest,about14inchesneedlesandalsoa

thickyarnsomepeopleprefertousecircularneedlesmorethanthestraightneedles

becauseitputslessstrainontheirwrists.Butitmightbealittleconfusingonknitting

withthem.However,youmayfinditconfusingtolearnhowtoknitwiththem.One

waytobeginknittingistostartwitharmknittingbecauseitallowsyoutoseewhatitis

youaretryingtodoandthenyoucouldtransferyourarmknittingtechniquestoyour

needles.

Investinadecentbook.Getagoodbookthattalksaboutknitting.Notallbooksyou

buywilltalkaboutknittingindetailbutmakesureyougetatleastsomethatwillbe

helpfultoyou.

YouTube

WatchvideosonYouTubeaboutknitting.Asweallknowseeingsomethingdone

beforeoureyesisbetterthanusreadingaboutitbecausewhenweseeitdone,wecan

followthestepbystepprocedureonhowtheotherpersonisdoingit.Haveyouever

triedknittingandreadingabookatthesametime?Itisnoteasytodo.Itisveryeasy

towatchavideoandtrytomimicit.

Findafriend

Youcanmakeafriendinaknittingclass.Thisisagoodthingifithappenstoyou

becauseyoutwocanshareyouruniqueknittingideastogetherandhelponeanother

out.Asyouknowthereisadifferencebetweenhavingareallifeassistantthanlettinga

videohelpyou.Havingsomeonewithyouisveryhelpfulandyouwilllearnalot

videosarejustforremindersonhowtodostuff.Evenifyoudonothaveafriendwho

knowshowtoknittryandconvinceonetostartIbettheywillfinditfun.

Keepalistofabbreviationshandy

Asyouknowknittinghasitsownsetofabbreviations.Sowhenknitting,keepacopy

ofthemclosesbyincaseyouwantstomakeaquickreferencetoit.

CHAPTER4-KNITTINGABBREVIATIONS

Abbreviations/Symbols Meaning

“

inch(es)

()

workinstructionsbetweenparentheses,intheplace

directed

[]

workinstructionsbetweenbrackets,asmanytimesas

directed

*

repeatinstructionsfollowingthesingleasteriskas

directed

**

repeatinstructionsbetweenasterisks,asdirected

alt

alternate

approx. approximately

beg

begin(ning)

bet

Between

BO Bindoff

CA ColourA

CB ColourB

CC Contrastingcolour

CDD Centereddoubledecrease

CHChain(usingcrochethook)

startwithaslipknot

CM Centimeter

CNCableneedle:shortneedle,usedasanaidinthetwisting

ofacable

CO Caston

CONT Continue

CROSS2R

Crosstwostitchestotheright(toworkacable).Slip2stitchesp-wiseontoacableneedle,letcable

needlehanginbackofworkasyouknitthenextcoupleifstitches,thenknitstitches

offtocableneedle.

DC Doublecrochet

Dec(s) Decrease

DKDoubleknittingweightyarn.Slightlyfinerthanworsted

weight

Dpnakadp

Doublepointedneedles.Ashortneedlewithpointsatbothends,usedinsetsor4or5forknittingintheround

EON Endofneedle

EOR Endofrow

FC Frontcross(inworkingcable

FL Frontloop

Foll Followfollowsfollowing

Grp Group

Gr Grams

HK Hook

In Inches

Inc Increase

Incl Including

K Knit

k-bKnitswitchinrowbelow.(infrequentlyusedforknitthroughthebackloop

k-wiseKnitwise.Insertrightneedleintothestitchasiftoknitit

K1f&bakakfbKnit1stitchinthefront,

thenintheback.Thisisalsocalledabarincrease

K2tog Knit2stitchestogether

LH Lefthand

Lp(s) Loop(s)

LT

Lefttwist(wheretwostitchescrosseachother,asinthesmallestcablestitch

possible)

M Meter

M1

Make1thismeanstoincreaseastitch.Ifthe

methodisnotspecified,usewhicheverincreaseyoulike,

forinstanceM1F

M1A Make1away.Anincrease

NO Number

OZ Ounce

P Purl

PtblakaP!tbl,P1bpurl throughthebackloop

P-BPurlstitchintherowbelow.(infrequentlyusedtomeanpurlstitchinthebackloop

REM Remaining

REP Repeat

REVST

Reversestockinet/stockingstitch.The“purl”sideof

plain,stockinetstitch.PurledonRS,knittedonWS

RH Righthand

RIBRibbing:verticalcolumnsofknitandpurlstitches,sidebyside,asinK1,P1ribbing

RND(s)Round.Incircularknitting,a“row”iscalleda“round”

RS

Rightside,forinstancetheoutsideofasweater.Statedtoindicatewhichsideisfacingyouwhencarrying

outinstructions

RT

Righttwist(wheretwostitchescrosseachother,asinthesmallestcablestitch

possible)

SC Singlecrochet

SK Skip

SK2P

Slip1,knit2tog,passslippedstitchover(adouble

decrease)

WYIB Withyarninback

WYIF Withyarninfront

YBakaYBK Yarntotheback

YD Yard

YFONYarnforwardandoverneedle.Sameasyou

YFRNYarnforwardandroundneedle.Sameasyo

YFWDakaYF Yarnforward

YOYarnover:wraptheyarnaroundrightneedle

YO2akaYO Yarnovertwice

YONYarnoverneedle.Sameas

yo

YRNYarnroundneedle.Sameas

yo

MORETERMSINKNITTING

AsEstablished

Workpatternorseriesofstepsaspreviouslyset-inotherwordsyoumayseesomething

like‘continueworkingpatternasestablished’

Asiftoknit

Knitwise,beginknittingnextstitchlikeyouaregoingtoknitit

Atthesametime:Workingmorethanonesetofinstructionsatthesametime.Youmay

readsomethinglikethis:‘Continueworkingpatternatthesametimedecreasingstitches

everythirdrow’

Backofwork

Thebackofworkisthesidethatfacesawayfromyouwhenyouareholdingtheneedles.

Block

Blockingisafinishingtechniquewhereyoulayyourfinishedpiecesoutflatanddampen

orsteamthem.Thishelpstoformandshapethemandalsohelpsdefinecomplicatedstitch

patterns.

Cont.inpatt

Continueinpattern-Continueworkingpatternaspreviouslyestablished.Alsomeaning

keepknittingthewayyouwereoriginally.

EndingwithRSrow

Lastrowtoworkwillbearightsiderow:AnexampleisContinueworkingasestablished

endingwitharightside(RS)row.

EndingwithWSrow

Lastrowtoworkwillbeawrongsiderow.Anexampleiscontinuingworkingas

establishedendingwithawrongside(WS)row.

Everyotherrow

Workinstructionsonalternaterowsforinstanceyoumayseethis:Continueincreasing

stitcheseveryotherroworcontinueincreasingstitchesoneveryalternaterow.Soyou

willincreaseononerow,workaregularrowwithoutincreasingandthenincreaseonthe

nextandsoon

Frogging

Whenknittersarefroggingtheirknittingitmeansthattheyaredisplayingorrippingout

theirwork.

Frontofwork

Thesidefacingyouwhenyouholdyourneedles.Itcanbetherightsideorthewrongside

ofthework.

Gauge

Thenumberofstitchesandrowsperinchiscalledknittinggauge.

Joinyarn

Addinganewballofyarntoyourknittingoraddinganewcolorknownasjoiningyarn.

Knitwise

Asiftoknit.Beginknittingthenextstitchlikeyouaregoingtoknitit.

Ktheknits,Pthepurls:Thesearethecommontermusedtodescribeapatternofknitand

purlstitches.Ratherthanrepeatingthepatternoverandoveryoucansaytorepeatevery

rowknittingtheknitstitchesandpurlingthepurlstitches.

Onalternaterow(s)

Workparticularinstructionseveryotherrow

Workeven

Continueknittingwithoutmakinganyincreasesordecreases.

WS

Wrongside-thesidethatwillnotshow

BonusChapter-TECHINQUESINKNITINNG

Relax

Figuringouthowtounwindeverythingfromyourshoulderstoyourarms,and

whateverelsethatmaybestrained,istheabsolutemostessentialelementinexpanding

yourknittingspeed.Italsomakesyoursewingamorepleasantaffair.Forthoseofyou

thataretightknitterslearntoworkonknittingmorefreely,andyouwillnoticethat

yourknittingpacewillexpandtoo.

DecreaseyourMovements

Someofusmakeunnecessarymovementswhenknittingandthismovements,slowus

downanditmakesourmusclesgettiredandoverused.Wheneveryouknit,attemptto

watchyourselfcloselyandwipeoutanymovementthatyouthinkmaybebackingyou

off.Frequently,whenknittingyououghttokeepaspecificmovement,(forcase

wrappingayarnaroundaneedle),yetattempttomaketheactivityofwrappingless

overstated.

ChangeyourPosture

Agoodposturetousewhileknittingisthesameyouuseatworkifyouworkatyour

desk.Makesureyouaresittingupstraight,andyourworkisrestingonyourlap.Your

armshouldbebentat90degreeangleandyourfeetshouldberestingonthefloor.This

willapplylesspressuretoyourjointsasyouworkonyourproject.

BeComfortableFeelingUncomfortable

Ifyouareanewknitter,andyouaretryingtoknitfaster,rememberthatatfirstyou

willfeeluncomfortabledonottrytorushthisstageasyoumaynotgetthehangofit.

Insteadembraceitandtrytogetcomfortablewithit

Practice

Asthesayinggoes,“practicemakesperfect”.Somakesuretohavealotofpractice

withknittingandastimegoesonyouwillseethatyouwillbecomeafasterknitter.

KnittoFastMusic

Ifyouareamusicloverlikeme,youcanknittofastmusic.Youwillnoticethatyour

knittingspeedincreasestokeepupwiththebeattothesong.

KeepYourKnittingMovingForward

Donotbedistractedbydroppedstitchesoranythingelsewhenyoutryingtolearn

speedknitting.Justkeepgoingbecauserightnowyourfocusonhowtoknitfastso

evenifyoudonotgetarowcorrectdonotstopjustkeepgoing.

TrytoBeatYourBestTime

Recordyourtimewhenknitting.Likeforexample,ifyouaretryingspeedknitting

withatablecloth.Trytorecordhowlongittookyouandthentryitagainandtryto

beattheprevioustime.

NOTE:Theworld’sfastestknitter,MiriamTegels,applaudsknittingaswatchwithUS

size8needles,andsomedkweightyarn.Caston20stitchesandthenknitcompletely

comfortable,onlywiththetipsofyourneedles,asyoutrytodecreaseanyoverstated

movements.

Learntocablewithoutaneedle

Thisworksforsmallercables,butislesssuccessfuloncablesthatare4over4and

larger.Ifyouhaveanytroublewithtoo-tighttension,thiswillnotbesuccessful.Slip

yourrightneedleintothestitchesthatneedtochangepositionfromthebackorfront,

whicheverwaythepatterndictates.Slipthefirststitchesdestinedtobeacableoffthe

needle,andcarefullytransfertheunknotstitchesfromtherightneedleontotheleft

needle.Carefullysliptheleftneedlebackintotheremainingstitchesofthecable.Now

youcanknititisprettyeasy,andsavestime.

Useslipperyneedles

Ametalneedleishighlyrecommendedwhenknittingbecausetheyarnmovesacross

theneedleasyouwork.Ifyouaregoingtousecircs,makesuretogetonethathasa

smoothjointbetweenthecableandtheneedle.Youwillseeagreatdifference.Also,

nickelcanalsobeused.

Limitdistractions

Asyou,youcannotgivegoodworkonsomethingwhenyouaredistracted,samething

goeswithknitting.Keepyoureyesfocusedonwhatyouareworkingonatalltimes

andavoidbeinginsituationsthatmayprovidedistractions.

Committoaschedule

Committoacertainnumberofrowsperknittingsession.Itisenoughtokeepyou

movingalongwhenyourprojectorscheduleisthrowinguproadblocks.Ifyouusually

manage6rowsatasitting,committo7.Ifyoupass7andwanttokeepgoing,you’ll

stillownyourself7morerowsatyournextsitting.

Swatch

Swatchesarelikeascrappaperforknitting.Youcanlearnanewskillonasimple

narrowswatch.Thiswayyoudonotwastetimerippingbackrowsofyourprojects

becauseyoudonotlikethewayyourdesignisgoing.Youcanswatchitonceortwice

untilyoulikeitandthenworkitintoyourproject.

Usestitchmarkers

Anyoftheseuseswillspeedupyourprocess:Marktheedgesofadesignelementso

youdonothavetocount.Placeastitchmarkeratthebeginningofrounds.Forwider

projects,placeastitchmakerevery10stitches.

Readthroughtheentirepatternfirst

Thefartherintothepatternyouarewhenyougetstuck,thelesslikelyyouaretofinish

yourproject.Ifapatterndoesnotseemrightasyouwork,trytofigureitout,swatchif

youneedtobeforeyougetfartherdownintothepattern.

Takegoodcareofyourhands

Takingcareofyourhandsisanotherimportantthingtorememberwhenknitting.Dry

hands,hangnails,cuticlesandroughnailscanbeawkwardandtheycanslowyou

down.Alsotheycancausetheyarntosnag.Washandmoisturizeyourhandsat

bedtimewithadeepmoisturizereveryday.Donotmoisturerightbeforeyouknit

becausethemoisturizerwilltransfertotheyarnanddirtillclingtotheyarnmore

easily.Filesyournailsregularly,andwhendoinghousechores,weararubbergloves

alsodosomefingerandwriststretchseveraltimesinadaytomaintainflexibilityand

goodbloodflow.Yourskinandhandwillbemoresuppleanddoagoodjobwhile

knitting.

KNITTINGPATTERNS

CastingOn

Thisisthefirstknittingprojectthatyouwilllearnasanewknitter.Itisabittrickyto

explaincastingon.

Formaslipknotonyourneedle,todothis,holdthetailendoftheyarninyourleft

palmwithyourthumbandthenwraptheyarnfromtheballofyarntwicearound

yourleftforefingerandleftmiddlefinger.Thenpulltheyarnstrandattachedtothe

ballupthroughtheloopbetweenyourtwowrappedfingerstoformanewloop.

Slidetheright-handneedleintotheloopontheleft-handneedle,fromfrontto

back.Thenextstepistotaketheyarnattachedtotheballandloopitoverthepoint

oftheright-handneedle,goingcounter-clockwise.Makesureyoudonotloopthe

yarnoverbothneedlesorpulltootightlyonyourstitches.Youwantyourloopsto

betightenoughtostayontheneedlewithoutsagging,butyoudonotwanttopullit

tootight,orknittingwillbereallyhard.

Nowslidetheright-handneedlebackoutfrombehindtheleft-handneedle,while

keepingtheloopyoujustmadeontheright-handneedleandtheslipknotonthe

left-handneedle.

Slowlyslidetheright-handneedledownsotheloopgetsclosetothetipofthe

needle,butdoesnotslideoff.Theright-handneedlewillbecomingoutfrom

behindtheleft-handneedleatthesametime.

Whentheright-handneedlejustcomesoutfrombehindtheleft-handneedle,give

therightneedlealittlepushwithyourleftindexfingertopushtheneedleinfront

oftheleftneedle.

Nowslidetheloopthat’sontheright-handneedleontotheleft-handneedle,above

theslipknotloop.Youhavejustcastonyourfirststitch.

Justkeeprepeatingthesestepsuntilyouhavetherightnumberofstitchesonyour

needle.Youareprobablygoingtowantabout30stitchesforthisproject,butyou

canmakethescarfasthinorasthickasyoulike.Wellwithallthesesteps,you

havejustlearntcaston.

Thepicturealsoexplaincaston:

Thispictureexplainshowtoknitstitch.

CONCLUSIONNowthatyouhavereadthebookIhopeyouwillhaveoneortwothingsaboutknitting.

Withknitting,youcanmakeextraincomebecauseyoucansellwhateveryouknitorgive

itoutasagifttoalovedone.Knittingisnotahardthingtodoonceyouhavefiguredit

out.Learningthebasicofknittingcanberoughlikecastingon,itiseasytolearnand

understandwhenyouaredoingityourself.Knittinghassomeconceptsthataretoo

difficulttoexplainandsinceitisdifficulttoexplainitismoredifficulttolearn.Anyways,

nowthatyouhavereadthisbook,Ihopethatknittingwillcomeeasyandunderstandable

toyou.Makesuretofollowthetipsthatarementionedandhavefunknitting!

FREEBonusReminder











OR



ORIGAMI

THEULTIMATEORIGAMICRASHCOURSEWITHIMAGES:MASTERORIGAMIIN2HOURS.LEARNORIGAMIWITH20STEP

BYSTEPPROJECTSTHATINSPIREYOU

BookDescription

Areyouinterestedinlearningtheelegantandeye-catchingJapaneseartofOrigamibutareunsureofwheretostart?Doesthethoughtoflearningonyourownseemdauntingoroverwhelming?HaveyouattemptedtomakeOrigamidesignsinthepastbutfeltitwastoodifficultorfrustrating?Areyoulookingtolearnsomethingnewandunique?Looknofurther!Inthisinstructional,easytounderstandinstructionalbook,youcanlearnhowtomasterallofthedelicatefoldsandshapingtechniquesthatOrigamientails.Completewithpictures,fulldescriptionsandstep-by-stepexplanations,youwillfindyourselflearningfastandforgettinganypastfrustrationsordifficulties.Withthehelpofthisbook,youtoocanlearnhowtomakeOrigamiart!

Whenlearningsomethingnew,thebiggestobstacle(andusuallybiggestcomplaint)isthatthelearningprocessisfrustrating,timeconsuming,complicatedandhardtounderstand.Origamiisnodifferent!WhilemuchofOrigamirequiresconfusingfolds,complexshapingandstrangebendingofthepaper,thisbooktakesawaythoseworries!Withthehelpofthisbookandit’sstep-by-stepandcarefullyexplainedinstructionsyoucanlearnatyourownspeedandwiththehelpofconciseteachingandpictures.

Thisbookincludes:

-Step-by-stepinstructionswithcarefulexplanationsanddescriptions

-Colorpictures

-BasicintroductiontofundamentalOrigamifolds

-ToolsusedinOrigami

-10verysimple,beginnerOrigamiprojectstolearnthebasics

-5noviceOrigamiprojectstobroadenyourknowledge

-5Origamiprojectsthatwilladdachallenge

-TipsandtricksofOrigami

-HowtoavoidpossiblefrustrationswithOrigami

TableofContent

Introduction

Chapter1-LearningtheBasics

Chapter2-GettingStarted:10BasicOrigamiProjects

Chapter3-Steppingup:5moreOrigamiProjects

Chapter4-Addingachallenge:theLast5Projects

Conclusion

Introduction

WelcometothewonderfulworldofOrigami!Origamiart,originatesfromtheJapanesewords“oru,”(‘tofold”)and“kami,”(“paper”).Itisknownforitselegance,precession,beautyandcreativedesigns.Origamiistrulyauniqueandfascinatingart.

ManybeginnerandnoviceOrigamiartists,mayhavetriedahandatitbackinelementaryschool,whenyourteacherincludedOrigamiintheirholidayartlessons,orinhighschoolartclass.Maybeyouhaveeventriedlearningitonyourown,fromonlinevideosorperhapsacommunityeducationclass.WhateverexperienceyouhavehadwithlearningOrigamiithasleftyoufeelinginterested,intriguedandyet,nonethelessdissatisfiedwithyourlevelofunderstanding.

Tomany,however,theideaofthisartisquiteforeignandoftentimesfrustrating.Manyfinditdifficulttofollowthepreciseandconfusingfoldingtechniquesaswellaskeepupwithinstructionalvideosorteachers.ItalsoseemscommonforthosethatareinterestedinlearningOrigamitofeellikelearningtoturnasimplepieceofpaperintoaworkofartisdauntingandoverwhelming.

BONUS:YourFREEGift





IfyoupossessthesefrustrationsandconcernsbutfeeldrawnandinterestedinlearningOrigami,thenyouhavechosenthebestlearningtool!TheworldofOrigamiisnowatyourfingertips!Althoughvideosandteacherscanbedifficultandtoofasttofollow,youcaninsteadtakeyourtimeandgoatyourownpacewithourclear,tothepointdescriptionsandstep-by-stepinstructions.Youmayalsofeelthatthefoldingandshapingofthepaperisdifficultandhardtoduplicatewhenfollowingateacherorinstructor.Restassured,withtheclear,easytofollowpicturesandexplanations,youwillbeabletopracticethefoldingtechniquesandmasterthebasics.Therewillbenopressuretokeepupwithavideoorinstructor!

ThisbookwilltakeyouthroughnotonlythebasicsofOrigami,butconfrontthepossibleandprobablefrustrationsordifficultiesyouhaveexperiencedinthepast.Itwillalsoinstructyou,step-by-step,withcolorpictures,howtocomplete20beginnerOrigamiprojects!Bythetimeyoucompletethisbook,youwillhavesuccessfullymasteredthebasicsoftheartandcreated20Origamiartpieces!

Chapter1-LearningtheBasics

OneofthemostfamousandinspiringstoriesthatstemsfromOrigamiartisthestoryofSadakoSasakiandhercreationofonethousandpapercranes.WhilegravelyillwithleukemiaasaresultoftheatomicbombingofHiroshima,Japan,SadakofoldedandgraciouslysculptednearlyonethousandpaperOrigamicranes.Sadako,hearingoftheJapanesefolktale,foldedthepapercranesinhopesshewouldbegrantedonewishupontheircompletion.

AlthoughSadakowasJapanese,shetoofounditdifficultandfrustratingatfirst.Itwasn’teasytocompletethedelicatefoldsandsculptingtechniquesrequiredbytheartofOrigami.Astimewenton,Sadakofounditmoreandmoredifficultbecauseofherfailinghealthandespeciallyherswellingfingers.

AlthoughyourindividualreasonsforlearningandunderstandingOrigamiareprobablyquitedifferentfromSadako’s,thebasicsremainthesame.Origamiisauniqueandbeautifulartthatdrawsinpeoplewhoarelookingtobeinspired.Howamazingisitthatwithjustonesimplesquareofpaperwecancreatebeautifulandintricateart?It’squitefascinating!ItisalsoarelieftohearthatsomeonesocommittedanddedicatedtoOrigami,likeSadako,struggledasshelearnedtheart.Here,isbecomesclearthattomasterOrigami,onemustfirststartwiththebasicswhilekeepingtheiraspirationsinmind.

OrigamiTools:Whatshouldyouuse?

Contrarytocommonbelief,thereisquiteabitmoretoOrigamithanmeetstheeye.WhenonethinksofOrigami,thefirstthingstocometomindmaybeJapan,Origamicranes,andsimply,foldingpapertocreateadesign.Surprisingly,therearemanydifferenttypesofpaperandmaterialobjectsavailablewhencreatingOrigamiart.Therearemanydifferentoptions.Itisnotonlyimportanttochoosewhatisbestforyourindividualprojectbutalsowhatyouprefer.

Overall,itispossibleandcompletelyacceptabletousevirtuallyanyflatpieceofmaterialthateasilyholdsacreasetocreateOrigami.Thatsaid,however,“Kami”isthemostcommontypeofpaperused.Itislighterthancopypaperandistherecommendedtypeofpaperbecauseitcanbeusedforawiderrangeofprojectsandisquitecommonwhenlookingtobuymaterials.Kamipaperisusuallycoloredorpatternedononesideandwhiteontheother.However,thisisnottruefortheentiretyofKamipaper.Oneshouldchoosewhatevertheydeembestfortheirindividualproject.

“Washi”paperisanothertypeofpaperonemightchoosetocompleteaproject.Thispaperisabitthickerandsturdiersinceitismadefromwoodpulp.ItwillbeabitmoreontheexpensivesidebutwillalsobetougherthanregularKamipaper.WashipaperisusuallyusedinJapanwhencreatingOrigamiart.

Althoughitmaysoundsilly,itisalsoquitecommontousepapermoney,theAmericanDollarhavingthebestconsistencyandweight,tocreateOrigamiprojects.Frompapermoney,itiseasytocreatecrispfoldsaswellashavinganinterestingpatterntogowithyourdesign!It is alsoquitepracticalsincealthoughonemaynothaveKamiorWashipaperonhand,papermoneyisusuallyeasytocomebyandisinexpensive!

TherearealsoseveraldifferenttypesofeverydayobjectsyoucanusetohelpyoucreateOrigami.Itwouldn’tseemlikeit,butotherthanyourfingersandaflat,solidsurfacetofoldon,therearemanyoptions!

Usually,ofcourse,foldsaremadewithyourfingersandalthoughthisisacompletelyacceptablewaytoworkonOrigamiprojects,youcanalsoturntothehelpofabonefolder.Thiscouldbeusedifonewantedtocreateanemphasisonvery,verycrispfolds.

Furthermore,afewmoreoptionaltoolsarepossiblybeapaperclipwhenyouarestrugglingtoholddownorconfinespecificpiecesofthepaper.Thiscanalsocomeinhandywhenpracticingdifferentfoldingtechniques.Youcanuseapapercliptoholdonepartofthepaperdownorawayfromwhereyouarecurrentlyworking,tomakemorespaceforyourpractice.

Lastly,whenworkingwithsmallortinyfoldsthatmayfeelcumbersomewithyourfingers,youcoulduseatweezers.Withatweezers,youcangrabthepapermoreeasilyaswellasmakethetinyfoldseasilywhilestillusingprecision.

*Tip:Youmayalsofindruler,orhairsprayuseful.Arulercanbeusedtomakemoreexaltfolds,orsketchinginlines.Hairspraymaybeusefultokeepthepaperrigidsotheformandfoldsholdbetter.

BasicFolds:UnderstandingtheFundamentals

WhenfirstbeginningOrigami,theoverallartitselfmayseemoverwhelmingandimpossible,asawhole,tomaster.ManypeoplelookatanOrigamipapercrane,frogorroseandseeitasonecomplex,confusingpieceofpaper.However,ifwebegantochangethatmindsetabitandlookatitinsteadasaslow,step-by-stepprocess,brokendownintoaseriesoffoldsandcreases,itbecomesmucheasiertocomprehend.Itisimportantandvitaltobeginhere,withthebasics.

Thefirstimportantfoldtonoteisthe“ValleyFold,”or“MountainFold.”Thisfoldisquitesimpletounderstandandcomplete.WithyoursquareOrigamipaper,simplyimagineyoursquareintwoorthreeequalsections.Imaginetwoorthree,individuallines,runningverticallyfromtoptobottomanddividingthepaperequallyintosmallersquares.Theonlydifferencebetweenthetwofoldsisthat“MountainFold”referstofoldingtheOrigamipaperinadownwardmotion,likeyouwouldtocreateatabletent.The“ValleyFold”referstotheprocessoffoldingthatpaperinabackwardmotion,oroppositeofatabletent.

*Tip:Tomakeiteasiertocomprehend,insteadofimaginingthelinestomakethefold,youcaninsteadsketchthemontothepaper,lightly,withapencil.Thisway,itwillbeeasiertopracticemorecrisper,cleanerfolds.

Oursecondbasicfoldinourfundamentalunderstandingisthe“PleatFold.”Whenattemptingtomakethisfold,imagine,again,atleasttwolines(forbeginningpieces,twowillbemostcommon).Thesetwolinesarelocatedinthecenterofthepaper,andinsteadofdivingthepaperintoequalsections,itinstead,createsonesmallsectionwithtolargesectionsontheoutside.

*Tip:Tomoreeasilyunderstandthisfold,thinkofitlikeanaccordion.

Third,thesefoldswillbevitalwhencreatinganimalOrigami,especiallythecraneandfrog.Withthe“OutsideReverseFold,”andthe“InsideReversefold,”youwanttobeginwithyourpaperfoldedintoatriangularshapethathascreatedaflap.Thefoldcanbemadeinthreesteps.First,foldtheflapofpapertooneside.Second,unfoldtheperviousfold.Thiscreatesacreaseinthepaper.Then,pressthetipofthetriangledownward.Youwillsee,asyoudothisthatagapiscreatedandyouwanttofoldthepaperdownintothisgap,thuscreatingashapethatlooksliketheheadofananimal.Theonlydifferencebetweenthetwoisthatwhencreatingthe“OutsideReverseFold,”thelaststepwillbetheopposite.Tocreatethisfold,inthelaststep,insteadofpressingthepaperdownandin,youshouldtopressitout.Whencompleted,thelightersideoftheOrigamipapershouldbeshowing.Inthisinstance,thisfoldisabitmorecomplicatedanddifficultthanpastfolds.Itwillbesignificantlyeasiertocompletethisfoldiflightlydottedlinesareaddedtothepaperbeforemakingthefold.Thisgivesextraguidanceandcreatescrisper,cleanerfolds.

Theforthfundamentalfoldisthe“CrimpFold,”and,atthebeginnerlevelwillonlyentailthinkingoftwolines.Tomakethefold,therearethreetofourmainssteps.Ifyousochoose,lightlysketchtwoconsecutivelinesontoyourflatpieceofOrigamipaper.Bothshouldbeverticallineanddividethepieceofpaperunequally.Then,foldyourpaper,ontothefirstline.Lastly,immediatelycontinuetopushthemostrecentfoldbackandfoldagain,onthesecondline,thuscreatinga“crimp”inthepaper.Thisfoldcanbedoneatanangleorasastraightfold,dependingonwhatthespecificdesigncallsfor.

Ourfifthimportantfoldisdubbeda“SinkFold.”YouwillbemakingthisfoldwhenyouhaveyourOrigamipaperinadiamondortriangleshape.First,pushdownonthetipofthediamondortriangleto“sink”it.Continuetopushthepaperdownuntilitissubmergedinbetweentherestofthepaper,thuscreatinglayers.Then,pressthecornersthiscreatesinwardandcreasethepaper.

Finally,wehavethesixthandlastbasicOrigamifold,the“SquashFold.”Tocompletethisfold,layyourpaperflatandbeginbygrabbingthecornerofthepartofthepaperyouwantto“squash.”Then,openthepaperwideenoughuntilthecornersbegantoconcave.Lastly,squashit!Youwillknowyouareopeningthepaperwideenoughwhenyoubegintoseetheupperorlowerpartofthepaperfallintoatriangleorsquareshape.Whenyouseethis,it’stimetopressdownandmakeafold!

YouhavenowsuccessfullycompletedandlearnedaboutthebasicfoldsofOrigami!Itishighlyrecommendedtotryallofthefoldsmultipletimes.Thiswillincreasethemusclememoryrequiredtomakeclean,crisp,correctfolds.Astheysay,“practicemakesperfect!”Itisalsoinyourbestinterest,ifyouarefindingsomeofthefoldsdifficultorcomplex,tosketch,softpencillineswhereyouwantandshouldbemakingthefold.Thiswillhelpwithguidanceandprecession.Congratulationsoncreatingandcomprehendingthebasics!

Chapter2GettingStarted:10BasicOrigamiProjects

Congratulations!YouhavelearnedthebasicfundamentalsofOrigamiandyouarenowpreparedtotryyourhandatbasicOrigamiprojects!Ifatanytime,youfeeltheneedtostop,gobackandre-readorpracticethebasicfoldsmore,takeyourtimetodoso!Origamicannotbemasteredwithoutcomprehendingandmasteringthebasicsfirst.Let’sgetstarted!

OrigamiProject#1:AHouse

Inourveryfirstprojectwearegoingtostartasbasicaspossible!Tobegin,let’splaceourbasic,squarepieceofKamipaperfacedownonanyflat,solidsurfaceofyourchoice.

Now,foldyoursquareperfectlyinhalfandonceyoumakeacleancrease,unfolditsoitisonceagainasquare.Next,foldthetopcornersofthesquaretomeetinthemiddlecreaseyoujustmade.Chooseoneofthesecornersandfoldoneofthemupforthethirdstep.Finally,foldbothofthesidesinwardtomaketwosmallverticalrectangles.Oncethisfoldiscomplete,flipoveryourpaper.YouhavecompletedanOrigamihouseaswellasyourfirstOrigamiproject!Congratulations!

OrigamiProject#2:ATadpole

Foroursecondproject,youwillagainneedaregular,square-shapedpieceofKami

paper,placedfacedownonwhateversurfaceyouhavechosen.Makesureyouplaceyourpaperintheshapeofadiamondbeforebeginning.

First,startbyfoldingyourpaperinhalfbytakingthetoppointofyourpaperandfoldingindownwardtomatchthebottomcorner.Now,foldthepaperinhalfoncemorebytakingtherightcornerandmatchingitwiththeleftcorner.Yourpapershouldnowbeatriangle.Ontheleftside,thereshouldbetwolayers.Takethetoplayer,pullupandouttoopenit.Asyouopenit,youwillnoticeitwilltaketheshapeofatriangle.Asyoupushitdowntofold,itwillfoldintheshapeofasquare.YourOrigamipieceshouldnowbetheshapeofasquarewithatrianglestickingoutfromit.Takethecornerofthetriangleandfolditbackward.Thiswillmakethetadpole’stale!Thereyouhaveit,projectnumbertwo,atadpole!

OrigamiProject#3:AFox

ForourthirdOrigamiproject,wewillbecreatingafox!Beforestarting,youwillneeda

pieceofregular,squareKamipaper,layingfacedowninadiamondshape.

Forthefirststep,foldthepaperinhalftomakeacentercrease.Thiscreaseshouldrunfromtheleftsideofthepapertotherightside,(orinahorizontalline).Makesurethisfoldisniceandcrispandthenunfolditoncemore.Now,makeanothercentercrease,in

theoppositedirection.

Youshouldnowhavemadeahorizontalandverticalcentercreaseinyourpaper.Aftermakingtheverticalfold,leaveyourpaperfolded.Now,forthethirdstep,takethetopcornerandfolditintothecenter.Dothesamewiththebottomcorner.Youshouldnowhaveasmallerdiamondshapedpieceofpaper.Ontherightsideofthepaper,atthe

corner,youshouldhavetwoflaps,orlayers,ofpaper.Takethetoplayer,openit,flattenitandfoldit.

Youhavenowcreatedthefox’shead!Tofinishyourfoxpiece,turnyourpaperaroundandfoldtheleftbackcornerin.Thiscreatesthefox’stail.YourthirdOrigamiprojectis

finished!

OrigamiProject#4:ATruck

Forthisproject,beginwithapieceofKamipaperlayingface-downintheshapeofasquare.

Tobegin,foldyourpaperinhalfverticallyandhorizontally.Onceyouhavecreasedthesefoldsnicely,unfoldthepaper.Now,taketheverybottom1/3ofthepaperandfolditupward.Leavethisfolded.Then,folddownthetwooutsidecornersofthisflapthatyouhavejustfolded.Next,turnyourpieceovertotheothersideandfoldthetop1/3ofthepaperdown.Youshouldnowhaveapieceofpaperwitharectangleatthetop,wherethetop2/3ofthepaperiswhiteandthebottom1/3ofthepaperiscoloredwithtwosmalltrianglesatthebottom.Finally,foldthebottomrightcorneroftheflapyoujustcreatedupwardtocreatethewindowofthetruck.Youarenowfinished!

OrigamiProject#5:AWhale

Forthisproject,youwillneedtoplaceasimplepieceofKamipaperlayingonaflatsurface,face-downinadiamondshape.InjustsevensimplestepswearegoingtocreateanOrigamiwhale!First,takeyourpaperandfolditinhalftocreateacentercreaseandthenunfolditsoitisbackinadiamondshape.Now,foldthelefthandcornerintothecentercreaseyoumadepreviously.Dothatsamewiththerighthandcorner.

Yourpapernowlookslikeanicecreamcone.Now,foldtheverytoppointofthepaperdownandthenfoldtherightsideofthepaperintothecenterfold.Yourpaperisnowastrangelookingtriangle.Turnyourpapersothelong,flatsideofyourpaperistowardyourbody.Now,foldtheveryendpointup,thus,makingthewhale’stale.Youhavenowfinishedanotherproject!

Origamiproject#6:OrigamiBoat

Forthisproject,youwanttouseabasicpieceofKamipaperandbeginbyturningthewhitesideofthepaperuponwhateversolid,flatsurfaceyouareusing.Then,foldthepaperinhalfbutmatchingtwocornersofthepapertogetheronoppositesidesofthesquare.

Then,youwanttograbthebottomcornerofthepaperandmoveittowardthetopofthepaper,tomakeanoffkilterfold.

*Tip:thisisaninstancewheresketchingalightpencillinetoguidethefoldwillcomeinhandy.

Younowwanttodoareversefoldtocreatethehulloftheboat.Todothis,grabthebottomcornerofthepaperandpullitupandtowardsthetop.

Finally,youwillseethatthetopofyourboatispointedintoatriangleshape.Youcandotwothingshere:onebeingcuttingoffthetopofthetriangletomakeitflator,intraditionalOrigamifashion,doonefinalreversefold.Tocompletethelatter,pushdownonthetipofthetrianglepointandpushthepaperdownandinwards.Thiswillcreateaflattopandalayerofpaper.YounowsuccessfullycreatedyoursecondOrigamiproject!

OrigamiProject#7:OrigamiFan

Forthisproject,youwillwanttouseapatternedpieceofKamipaper.

First,layyourpieceofpaper,whiteside-uponasolid,flatsurface.Now,youwanttomakeavalleyfold.Tocompletethisfold,grabthebottomonthepaper,andfoldthepaperdirectlyupwardsinasmallrectangularshape.

Now,youwanttomakeamountainfold,meaningmakingafoldintheoppositedirection.Youcandothisbygrabbingthepaper,flippingitover,grabbingitagainwhereyoumadethelastfoldandpressingupandin.Thisfoldshouldmakea“tabletent”shape.Tocompletethefan,youwanttocontinuethesetwostepscontinuallyuntilyouhaveusedallthepaperavailable.Then,tocreateahandleforyourfan,slightlyunfoldyourfantoviewthefaceofthefan.

Now, folddownaportionofyourfanabouttwoinchesfromthebottom!Greatjob!Youarefinished!

OrigamiProject#8:AWindmill

Inoureighthprojectwewillbemakingawindmill!Youwillneedaregular,

squarepieceofKamipaperandifyousochoose,aplasticstrawandpin.

*Tip:Forasuperfun,interestingpatternandmaybeabitofachallenge,youcouldusemoneyoraDum-DumSuckerwrapperinplaceofKamipaper!

Forstepone,makesureyourpaperislaid,face-downonthesolid,flatsurfaceofyourchoice.Then,foldyourpaperinhalfvertically.Makeanice,cleancreaseandthenunfoldit.Thereshouldnowbeacreaserunningdownthemiddleofthepaper,thusdividingthesquareintotworectangles.Now,taketheoutsidesofthepaperandfoldtheminwardtomeetinthemiddle.Again,makesureyouadequatelycreasethepaperandthenunfolditoncemore.Youshouldnowhavethreecreasesinyourpaperthatdivideitintofourlongrectangles.Leavethesefoldsfoldedanddonotopenthemlikeinthelaststep.Yourpapershouldbeonelongrectangle.Next,foldthetophalfdownwardtomeetintheverycenterwhilealsotakingthebottomhalfandfoldingitupwardtomeetinthemiddleaswell.Thisshouldturnyourpaperintoasmallersquare.Now,unfoldthesesoyourpaperisbackinalongrectangleshape.Youshouldseetwohorizontalcreasesinthepaperthatyoujustmade.Next,atthebottomofyourpaper,youwillseetwocornersrestinginthecenter.Takethesetwocornersandpullthemupandout.Youwillseethatasyoupullupandout,thiswillcreateanupside-downtrapezoidshape.Makeacreasehere.Dothissameexactstepontop.Now,imaginealinerunningfromthebottomleft

cornerofyourpaper,diagonally,tothetoprightcorner.Makeacreasealongthisimaginaryline.YounowhaveanOrigamiwindmill!Ifyousochoose,youcannowattachtheplasticstrawandpintoyourOrigamipiece.

*Tip:Itmaybequitehelpfultosketchinmanyoftheselinesratherthanjustimagineit.Don’tbeafraidtosketchinthelinessoitcanmakeiteasierforyoutolearn!

OrigamiProject#9:AFish

Forprojectnumbernine,youwillneedabasicpieceofKamipaperplacedface-down.Forthefirststep,simplyfoldthepaperinhalfthehorizontallyandvertically.Oncethesecreasesaremade,unfoldyourpaper.Now,taketherightbottomcornerandfolditupandintomeetatthecentercrease.Dothesameforthetoprightcorner.Nowdothesametothebottomleftandtopleftcorners.Thiswillturnyourpaperintoasmallersquare.Next,takethetopleftcornerandfolditdiagonallydownward.Dothesameforthebottomleft

corner.Now,flipoveryourpaperandyouhaveanOrigamifish!Nicework!

*Tip:Ifyousochoose,youcanaddeyesandscalestothefishtomakeitmorerealistic!

OrigamiProject#10:ATalkingDog

OurtenthorigamiprojectforthischapterwillrequirearegularpieceofKami

paper,amarker(todrawontheeyesandnoseoncethedogisfinished)andaflat,sturdysurfacetodoyourfolding.

Tobegin,startwithyourKamipaperfacingdownonthesurfaceintheshapeofadiamond.Then,foldtheleftcornerofthediamondtomatchupwiththerightcorner.Youhavejustfoldedyourpaperperfectlyinhalfandcreatedacentercrease.Onceyouhavecompletedthisfold,openthepaperagaintothenturnitclockwise.Thecreaseyoujustcreatedshouldberunninghorizontally.Now,foldyourpaperinhalfonceagainandkeepitfolded.Then,foldthetwocornersdiagonallydownward.Thiswillcreatethedog’sears!Now,atthebottomcorner,takethetoplayerofthecornerandfolditupwardintoasmalltriangle.Thiscreatesthedog’snose!Thefoldingisnowfinishedandyoucandrawonthedog’seyes,andmouth!

ChapterThreeSteppingup:5moreOrigamiProjects

Inourthirdchapter,wewillstillbeexplaininghowtomakesimple,yetinterestingOrigamiart.However,wewillbeshowcasingprojectsthatconsistofmorecomplexfoldingtechniquesandafewmorestepsthaninthepreviousprojects.Nonetheless,theywillstillbeeasytocomprehendandfollow!Let’sgetstarted!

OrigamiProject11:Ladybug

Inthefirstprojectofthischapter,wewillbemakingaLadybug!Thereareafewmorestepstothisprojectthaninthepreviousones,butyoushouldn’tfindanyofthefoldstoochallenging.

Instepnumberone,beginwithyourpieceofKamipaperpattern-sidedownona

flat,solidsurface.Placethepaperinadiamondshaperatherthaninasquareshape.Then,foldthetopcornerdowntomeetthebottomcorner,thusfoldingyourpaperintotwoequalparts.Next,foldyourpaperinhalfagain,bytakingthetwooutsidecornersandmatchingthemtogether.Creasethisfoldwellandthenunfoldit.Youshouldthenseeacreasemarkdownthemiddleofthepaper.Now,foldthetwooutsidecornersdown,butnotalongthecenterlinewehavebeenfollowinginpriorsteps.Instead,leaveagapinthecenterofthetwofoldedcorners.Fortheforthstep,flipyourpaperoverandyouwillseeacorneratthetop.Takethiscornerandfolditdowntotheverycenterofthepaper.Onceyouarefinishedwiththatfold,simplytakethebottomofthecorneryoujustfoldeddownandfolditupwards.Finally,flipoverthepaperandyou’refinished!YoujustmadeanOrigamiladybuginsixeasysteps!

OrigamiProject#12:ABee

PlaceyoursquarepieceofKamipaperinadiamondshape,face-downontheflatsurfaceofyourchoosing.Tobegin,foldthepaperinhalftwotimes,oncehorizontallyandoncevertically.Onceyouhavemadethesecreases,unfoldthepaper.Now,takethetoppointofthepaperandfolditdownintothecenterpointofthepaper.Next,taketheoutsideleftandrightcornersandfoldthembothindiagonally.Oncethiscreaseismade,unfoldthepaperonceagain.Now,takethesamecornersandfoldtheminhalftheamountyoudidinthelaststepandtofollow,foldalongthesamecreaseyoudidinthepreviousstep.Youshouldnowhaveslantedshapesoneachsideofyourpaper.Next,taketheopeningonthesmallflap(madebythecreaseyoujustcompleted)andopenitup.Ifyouopenitwideenough,itwillbegintoformasmalltriangleshape.Foldalongthisline.Thereshouldnowbetwokite-shapedtrianglesoneachsideofyourOrigamipiece.Lastly,flipthe

paperoverandyou’refinished!

OrigamiProject#13:ASnake

Inthisproject,wewillespeciallyfocusontheValleyandMountainFolds.Althoughwehavedonethemabitinpriorprojects,wehaven’tfocusedonthemspecificallysincetheintroduction,sothiswillbegoodpractice!

Forthispiece,youwillwanttousearegular,squarepieceofKamipaper.Beforestartingthesteps,placethispaperpattern-sidedownonaflatsurfacelikeatableorcountertop.Placethepaperinadiamondshape.

*Tip:Ifyousochoose,itcouldbefuntouseplasticaplastic“googlie”eyeorablackmarkertomakethesnake’seyeoncethefoldingisfinished.

Tobegin,takethetopcornerofthediamondandfolditdowntomatchthebottomone.Thiswillmeanyouarefoldingyoupaperperfectlyinhalf.Makethiscreaseniceandcrispandthenunfoldit.Now,takethesametopandbottomcornersandfoldthemintothecentercreasethatyoujustmade.Yourpapershouldnowlooklikeasidewayskiteorice-creamcone.Forthethirdstep,takethetwocornersonthebottomandtopandfoldthemintothecenteronceagain.Thiswillmakeyoursidewayskite(orice-creamcone)intoaskinnerversion.Nowtakethetwonewtopandbottomcornersandfoldthemintothecenterline.Nowyourpapershouldbecompletelyonecolor.Now,startingtowardstherightendofyourpaper,beginfoldingyourpaperintoaValleyFold.Immediatelyfollowingthisfold,makeaMountainFold.Continueinthispatternuntilyouhaveused3/4ofyourpieceofpaperup.Itshouldnowremindyouofanaccordion.Nowtakethetipofthepartofthepaperyoudidn’tfoldandfolditdown,tomakethesnakeshead.Finally,foldtheverytipoftheheadofthesnakebackwardandyouarefinished!

OrigamiProject#14:AJumpingFrog

Ourfourteenthprojectwillseemquitesimilartothelastfewinthefirstchapter,withfoldsthatarequitecomparabletothethosewejustcompleted.Therewillbeafewmorestepsbutnonetheless,thefoldsandstepswillbeatthebeginnerlevel.ThisprojectisespeciallyfunifyouaredoingOrigamiwithchildren!

First,forthisproject,youwillneedarectangularshapeofKamipaper.Layit,pattern-sidedownonasolid,flatsurfacewiththerectangularshapeplacedthelongway.Then,foldthepaperperfectlyinhalfthelongway.Makesurethisfoldiscrispandthenunfolditsothepaperisopenwithacreaserunningdownthemiddle.Now,nearthetopoftherectangle,takethetwosidesofthepaperandfoldthemdirectlyintothecenterlinewhereyoumadeacreaseearlier.Then,immediatelyfollowing,takethetoptwocornersandfoldthemacrossthepaperdiagonally.Bothcornersshouldbefoldedtotheoppositesidesofthepaper.Makecleanfoldsandthenonceagain,unfoldthem.

Now,youwillhavetwolayersoftriangleshapesatthetopofthepaper.Takethetoplayerandfoldthemupwardtomeetthetopcornerofthepaper.Forstepsix,foldtheoutsidesofthepaperinward,tomeetthecenterlineyoucreatedinstepone.Then,foldthebottomhalfofyourpaperup,sotheverytophalfofthetwotrianglesarevisible.Finally,foldhalfofthesamepartofthepaper(thatyoujustfoldedup)down,thusmakingacrimpfold.Now,flipyourmodeloverandyouhaveajumpingfrog!

*Tip:Tomakethefrogjump,pressonthecreaseatthebottomofthesquarethatmakes

thefrog’sbody.

OrigamiProject#15:ANecktie

Inthisproject,beginwitharegularpieceofKamipaperlayingfacedownonaflat

surfaceofyourchoosing.LaytheKamipaperintheshapeofadiamond.

First,foldyourpaperinhalf,verticallybytakingtheleftcornerofthepaperandmatchingittotherightcorner.Onceyouhavemadeanicecrease,unfoldthepaper.Now,foldthetwocornersontheleftandright,intothecentercreaseyoumakeinstepone.Yourpapershouldnowlooklikeanupside-downkiteorice-creamcone.Flipyourpaperover,soyouarelookingatthecoloredside.Now,foldthetoppointdownward,intothecenterofyourpiece.Then,foldwhatusedtobetheverytoppointthatyoujustfoldeddownward,up,toformasmalltriangle.Now,foldthissmalltriangleupward,tocreateasquareshapeatthetopofyourpaper.Forthelastseriesoffolds,turnyourpaperoverandfoldinthesidestomeetinthemiddle.Flipyourpaperoveroncemoreandyouarefinished!YounowhaveanOrigaminecktie!

ChapterFourAddingachallenge:theLast5Projects

Ifyouarebeginningthischapteritmeansyouhavecompleted15Origamiprojects!Wayto go! Think back to the beginningwhenyouwere brandnew toOrigami! Youhavecomesofarandlearnedsomuch!Congratulations!

Inthelastfiveprojects,wearestillfocusingonabeginner’slevelofOrigami,however,theseprojectswilladdoneortwomorestepsandabitmoreofachallenge.Restassured,thefoldsandtechniqueswillstillbeeasytofollowandwillbebasedonexactlywhatwehavebeendoinginthepriorprojects.Herewego!

OrigamiProject16:SamuraiHelmet

Forprojectnumbersixteen,wemoveintoslightlymorechallengingfoldsandmorecomplexsteps.Here,youwillgetalotofpracticewiththebasicfoldsandfundamentalsthatwecoveredinChapterOne.

*Tip:Itwillhelpimmenselytotakeadvantageofsketchinginlineswhereyouwantyourfoldstobe.Thiswillmakeitmucheasiertobreakdowneachandeverystepaswellasmakecleanerfolds.

Tobegin,youwillneedabasicpieceofKamipaper.Keepinmind,thereareseveralfoldsinthisprojectthatwillsignificantlydecreasethesizeofyourpaper.

*Tip:Ifyouarestillworkingonperfectingyourfoldsoriffoldingstillseemscumbersome,tryusingalargerpieceofpapersothereismorepaperandroomtoworkwith.

Layyourpieceofpaperwiththepattern-sidefacingdownward.Layitdownintheshapeofadiamond,insteadofasquare.Then,foldthetopcornerdowntolineupwiththebottomcorner.Thisfoldwillessentiallycreaseyourpaperintotwoequalparts.

Now,taketheoutsidecornersofthepaper,oneoneachsideandfoldthemdowntomeetthebottomcorner.Oncethisiscomplete,youwillhaveatoplayerandabottomlayeroftriangles.Takeonlythetoplayeroftrianglesandfoldthemuptomeettotoppointofthepaper.Thisshouldmeanfoldingthemalongthemiddlecreaseyoumadeinstepone.Next,taketheverytoptipsofthetrianglesyoujustfoldedandfoldthetopsoutward.Now,takethenextlayeravailableandfolditthree-fourthsofthewayuptowardsthetriangles.Finally,instepssixandseven,takethebottomlayerandfoldituptowardsthetopofthetriangles,thenunfolditandtuckitbackwards,tocreateanopening

atthebottom.Greatwork!Youjustfinishedanotherproject!

OrigamiProject#17:ATortoise

YouwillfindthisprojectquitesimilartotheSamuraiHelmet.Manyofthefoldsarethesameandalthoughyoumaynoticewearebuildinguptomorecomplexprojecteachtime,

wearestillfocusingonbeginnerfoldsandOrigamitechniques.

TobeginmakingyourOrigamitortoise,youwillneedaregular,squareshapedpieceofKamipaperandapairofscissors.Placethepieceofpaperfacedownonthesolid,flatsurfaceofyourchoice.Steponeistodivideyourpieceofpaperinhalfbyfoldingtheleftcornertomatchupwiththerightcorner.Onceyoucreasethiswell,openthepaperagain.Now,turnitclockwiseonetime,sothatyouhaveadifferentcorneratthetop.Now,foldyourpaperinhalfagain,thistime,foldingthetopcornerdowntomeetthebottomcorner.Then,takethetwooutsidecornersandfoldthemdowntotheverymiddle.Followthe

creaseyoumadeinstepone.Now,whenlookingdownatyourpaper,youshouldseethatyouhavetakenyourlargesquareofpaperandmadeitintoasmallersquare,withtwotrianglesontop.Next,taketheoutsidesofthetrianglesandfoldthemupward.This

shouldmakethetwotriangleshapespokeoutfromtheoutlineofthepaper.

Now,youwillneedyourscissors!Carefultoonlycutthetoplayerofthepaper,cutfromthebottompointuptothecenterofthepaper,alongthemiddlecreaseyoumadeinstep

one.

Now,taketheflapsyoujustcreatedandfoldthemouttomakeatriangleoneachside.ThesetrianglesshouldcreateperfectsymmetrywiththetophalfofyourOrigamipiece.Next,foldtheoutsidepointsinwardtomeetinthemiddle.Finally,foldthetoppointdownandthenupagain,usingacrimpfold,tocreatethetortoise’shead.FlipyourpaperoverandyouhavecreatedanOrigamitortoise!

OrigamiProject#18:ASittingDog

Hereinprojecteighteen,wearechangingthingsuptotrysomenewfoldsandtechniques!Althoughstillbeginnerandeasytofollow,manyofthesefoldswillbenewanddifferentthaninourpastprojects.YouwillseethatmanycouldandwillbeusedinyourfutureofOrigamitomakeanimalssuchasbutterfliesandcranes.

Tobegin,youwillwanttoplaceyoursquarepieceofKamipaper,patter-sidedownonaflatsurfaceandputitintheshapeofadiamond.First,foldtheleftcornertotherightcorner,thuscreatingacentercreaselineandfoldingyourpaperperfectlyinhalf.Onceyouhavemadethecentercreaseline,unfoldthepaper.Now,takethetwooriginalcornersontherightandleftsideofthepaperandfoldtheminwardtomeetintheverycenter,whereyoujustcreatedacrease.Then,foldyoupaperinhalf.Forthefourthstep,chooseaplaceabouthalfwaydownyoupaper(thatisnowintheshapeofanobtusetriangle)andfolditbackward.Thisfoldwillcreatethedog’sneck.

Next,inthetophalfofyourpaper,orthepartthatisshapedlikeatriangle,chooseaspothalfwaydownandmakeafoldfrontward.Thiswillcreatethedog’shead.Now,youwillseethedog’s“neck.”Atthisexactspot,makeasinkfoldbypressinginonthepointandfolding.

Then,taketheverytopcorneronthedog’sfaceandfolditin,tocreatethedog’snose.Finally,takethebottompartofthepaper,wherethedog’sbackmightbeandfolditinandupward,tocreatethedog’stail.Youarenowcompletedwithyour18thOrigamiproject!

OrigamiProject#19:APenguin

Tobeginournextprojectofthischapter,usearegularpieceofKamipaperandsetitonaflat,solidsurface.Placeitfacedowninadiamondshape.Forthefirststep,foldyourpaperinhalfbytakingthetopcornerandliningitupwiththebottomcorner.Makesureyou’vemadeastrongcreaseandthenunfold.Now,imaginealinerunningfromthelefthandcorneruptothetopcorner.

*Tip:Itmaymakeiteasier,ifyousketchinthelineratherthanimaginingit.

Next,takethetwopointsofthepiecesyoujustfoldedinandmakeaCrimpFoldbytakingthepointsandfoldingthembackandthenforwardagain.Nowfoldyourentirepieceinhalfbyfoldingitbackwardalongthecenterfoldyoucreatedinthefirststep.Youshouldnowbeabletoplaceyourpieceright-sideup,soitisstandingup.Next,ontheoutsideofyourpiece,chooseaplace1/3ofthewaydownfromthetopandmakeanOutsideReverseFoldbypushinginwarduntilthepapercaves.Thisstepwillcreatethepenguin’shead.Thenextstepwillcreatethepenguin’sstomach.Todothis,makeanotherOutsideReverseFoldbypressingontheverybottomcornerofyourpieceuntilthepapercavesinwardandyoucreatealmostapocketthatwillformthepenguin’sbelly.Inthesecond-to-laststep,takethepointattheendofthepenguin’sheadandpressitinwardandfoldtomakethebeakofthepenguin.Finally,foldinthenewbottomcorner.Thiswillcreatethe

penguin’sfoot.Yourpenguinisnowcomplete!

*Tip:Ifyouwouldliketogetmorecreativeandaddmoretoyourpiece,youcanuseaplastic“googlie”eyeoramarkertomakeaneyeforthepenguin.

OrigamiProject#20:AGinkgoLeaf

Canyoubelieveit?Wearealreadytoourlastproject! wearegoingtofollowmanyofthefoldsandtechniqueswehavebeenworkingonthroughoutallofourdifferentprojects.Inthisparticularproject,therewilljustbemoreofthem.

*Tip:Sincetherearemorestepsinthisproject,itwillhelpgreatlyifyoufocusonmakingthebestcreasesandfoldspossible.

Beforebeginning,makesureyouhavechosenaflatsurfaceandplacedyoursquarepieceofKamipaper,face-downinadiamondshape.First,foldyourpaperperfectlyinhalf,makeacreaseandthenunfoldit.Next,takethetwooutercornersandfoldthemintomeetthecenterfoldyoujustmadeinstepone.Thisshouldmakeyourpaperlooklikeanicecreamconeoranelongatedkite.Now,flipyourpaperoverandpickthespotjustunderwheretherearetwopointsinyourpaper(oneontheleftsideandoneontherightside).Now,foldthispieceinabackwardmotion,towardsyourbody.Now,youshouldsee,afterfoldingitbackward,thatthereisawhitetriangle.Abovethiswhitetriangle,therearetwosmallflaps.Takethesetwoflapsandpullthemupandoutward.Youwillsee,themoreyoupull,thatitformsasquarewithatriangleatthebottom.Foldhere.Now,youwillneedtodoaCrimpFold.Todothis,grabthebottompointofyourpaperandfolditup.Youwillhavejustfoldedatriangleontopoftherestofthepaper.Now,chooseaplacenearthebottomofthistriangleandmakeafolddownward.Youhavenowcompletedthecrimpfold!Next,attheverytopofyourpiece,youwillseetwoflapsalongthecentercreaseyoumadeinstepone.Takethesetwoflapsandfoldthembothouttomaketwo

tinytriangles.Finally,flipoveryourpaperandyou’refinished!

Conclusion

Congratulations!YouhavenowlearnedaboutmanyofthebasicfoldsandtechniquesofOrigami,toolsyoucanusetohelpwithyourOrigamiskills,tipsandtrickstomakeyourOrigamiexperienceeasier.Youhavealsosuccessfullycompletedtwenty,fullOrigamiprojectsonyourown!Greatwork!Sincepageoneyouhavecomesofar!YoucannowgoforwardwiththisvaluableknowledgeandbuildonyourOrigamiartskills!Goodluckanddon’tforgettokeepthosefoldscrisp!

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OR



QUILTINGFORBEGINNERS

THEULTIMATEQUILTINGCRASHCOURSE:

LEARNBASICQUILTINGTECHNIQUESMASTERTHEARTOF

QUILTINGANDSTARTCREATINGAMAZINGDESIGNS!10MODERNQUILTPATTERNSANDIDEAS

BookDescription

Areyoueverjealousofthosebeautifulquiltsyourauntorgrandmotherusedtomake?Wereyoueverinterestedinmakingyourownbutwereunsureofhowtobegin?Areyoulookingtostartanew,interestinghobby?Iftheanswertoanyofthesequestionsis“yes,”thenthisisthebookforyou!Thisbookwillassistinteaching,educatingandhelpingyoulearnnotonlythebasicsofquiltingbutalsohowtoputtogetherandcompleteyourveryownquiltingprojects!Inthepast,youmayhavefoundquiltingoldfashioned,difficulttolearnandclasseshardtofollow.Restassured,withthisbooktherearestep-by-stepinstructions,picturesandfullexplanationstohelpyoueasilyfollowandunderstandquilting.Thereisnocomplicatedvideotofollowandnoteachertokeepupwith.Youcanworkatyourownpace,practiceasmanytimesasyouwantandlearntoquiltstep-by-step.Thisbookincludes:

-Anintroductiontoquilting

-Quiltingjargonandterms

-Anoverviewandinformationonthetoolsyouwillneedtobeginquilting

-Step-by-stepinstructions

-Full,indepthexplanations

-Colorpictures

-10quiltingpatternsandideas

TableofContent

Introduction

Chapter1-QuiltingBasics

Chapter2-TheFundamentalsofQuilting

Chapter3:FivemoreQuiltingProjects

Conclusion

Introduction

Welcometothewonderfulworldofquilting!Tomany,quiltingmayseemlikeanobscure,outdatedanddifficulthobby.Forthemajorityofpeople,itissomethingwehaveseenourauntsorgrandmothersdointheirsparetimeandsomethingwehavemaybeenviedfromafar,yetnevertakenthetimetopickupourselves.Quiltingalsoseemstobequiteaforeignconceptandmostcannotevenfathomhowtobegin,letalonehowtolearntheuniquehobby.

However,withthisbook,youcanresteasy!Thisbookwillprovideyouwiththeverybasicsofquilting.Startingwiththetoolsandanyequipmentyouwillneed.Itwillthenexplainthebasicsofthehobbyaswellashowtopracticeandmasterthefundamentals.Fromthere,itwillshowcasetendifferentquiltingprojectswithstep-by-stepinstructionsandexplanations.Theseexamplesandideaswillbeeasytofollow,especiallywiththecolorpictures!Inthepast,youmayhaveattemptedtolearnbyfollowingvideosaretakingaclass.Thisrequiresyoutokeepupwithyourteacheroravideo.Withthisbook,therewillbenoonetokeepupwith!Youcangoatyourownspeed,practiceasmanytimesasyouneed,gobacktoreviewandtakeyourowntimetolearnhowtoquilt.Thereisnostressinvolved!Let’sgetstarted!

BONUS:YourFREEGift





Chapter1-QuiltingBasics

Whenyouthinkofquilting,youmaythinkofyourgrandmother,yourauntorsomeoneinyourfamily,sittingaroundthehouseonholidaysandweekendspracticingtheirhobbyataleisurelypace.Chancesare,youwerequitetakenbythecolorful,intricatepatternsandinterestingdesignsyourfamilymembercouldmake.MaybeyouevenreceivedoneofthesecolorcreationsasaChristmasorbirthdaygiftatimeortwo!However,youalwayswonderedjusthowtheydiditandhowtheymadeitlooksoeasy.

Onestoryofquiltingmostaren’tfamiliarwithhoweverishowtheywereusedontheUndergroundRailroadinpreandpostcivilwarera.ThequiltsarerumouredtohavebeenleftouttosendsecretcodedmessagestothoseusingtheUndergroundRailroadtoescapetofreedom.Forexample,somesaypicturesonquiltsrepresentedspecificmessagesthequilterwouldbetryingtosendtothosenavigatingthroughtheUndergroundRailroadsystem.Somequiltscouldtellrunawayslavesifaspecifichousewassafeoriftheyshouldcontinuetomoveonandusecaution.

Whetheryouarefamiliarwithbothofthese,oneornone,itisclearquiltinghasafascinatinghistoryandhasalwaysbeenauniqueandinterestinghobbytolearn.Aswithlearninganynewhobbyortrade,therearestruggles.Yourgrandmotherorauntprobablyfoundtheirfirstpatternsdifficultandconfusing.ThequiltersontheUndergroundRailroadprobablyfoundtheirtaskdauntingnotonlybecausetheyhadtosewspecific,difficultpatternsbutbecausetheyalsohadtogetitperfectlyright.Inthebeginning,itisclear,weallstruggle.

Withthisbook,however,youaresuretohaveamorerelaxed,stress-freeexperiencebecauseofthestep-by-stepprocessandcarefulexplanations.Ifyouhavealwaysdreamtofcreatingbeautifulquiltingpatterns,justlikeyourfamilymembersbeforeyou,ormaybelikethosebraveseamstressesalongtheUndergroundRailroad,thenlet’sbegin!

QuiltingFundamentals:QuiltingJargon

Whenfirstlearningsomethingneworbeginninganewhobby,itisessentialtolearntheverybasics.Inthisinstance,itisimportanttolearnthejargonor“language”thatwillbethrownaroundwhenexplaininghowtoquilt.Understandingthesetermswillmakeyourlevelofunderstandingsomuchhigheraswellasmakeyourquiltingexperiencemuchmoreenjoyable.

First,isbacking.Thisreferstothematerialthatwillmakeupthebackofthequilt,orthesidewithoutaspecificpattern.

Second,wehavebatting.Thismeansthematerialyouputinbetweenthefrontandthebackingofthequilttomakethequilthavemoresubstanceorifyouarelookingtouseyourquilttoactuallykeepwarm.InLehman’sterms,itiswhatevermaterialyouhavechosentoputinthemiddleofyourquilt.Forthismaterial,youcanchosecotton,silkorpolyester.

Third,wehaveFat-Quarter.Thistermreferstoapieceoffabricthatismadewhenyoucutayardoffabricinhalfandthencutinhalfagain,butthistime,vertically.Thispieceoffabricwillbe18”by22”.

Next,thereisseamallowance.Thismeansthe1/4”offabrictotherightofaseam.Inquilting,itusuallymeasuresat1/4”although,therearetimeswhereiscouldbedifferent.Allquiltsinyourupcomingprojectswillusethisseamallowance

.

Finally,wehavetemplates.Thiswillbeanimportanttermandonethatwillcomeupafewtimesinyourfutureprojects.Atemplateisashapecutfromplastic,cardboard,paperorsometimesevenfabric.Atemplateisusedasanoutlinetomakeother,multiple,identicalshapesexactlylikeit.Youcanalsouseatemplatetotracetheshapeontofabric,paperoranyothertypeofmaterial.Youwillfindtemplateshighlyusefulwhenquilting.

QuiltingTools:Whatdoyouneed?

Firstandforemost,itisimportanttochoosethecorrectfabric.Asthismaterialistheentirebasisforwhatyouwillbemaking,itisanimportantaspect.Whenchoosingfabric,100%cottonishighlyrecommended.Thisisbecauseitholdsupwellthroughoutanywearandtearafterthequiltisfinishedaswellashandlinganymoisturewell.Itcreasesmuchmoreeasilyandisfoundtobemuchmoredurablecomparedtoblends.Inthefuture,asyourskillsimprove,youmayfindthatyouwanttouseanassortmentofdifferentfabrics.Manyexperiencedquiltersdothis.However,aspreviouslystated,thiswillcomewithtimeandmoreexperience.

Anotherthingtoconsiderwhenselectingandpurchasingfabricistomulloverthepatternyou’rethinkingofpurchasing.Ifyouchoosealarge,complexpieceoffabricandthenchooseapatternwherethefabricneedstobecutintosmallpieces,youwilllosetheoriginalpatternyouinitiallylikedsomuch.Becarefulwiththescaleofthefabricyouarechoosing.

Yoursecondimportanttoolwhenquiltingisthread.Thisisobviouslyvitalformanyreasons.Thisisthematerialthatisgoingtoholdyourquilttogetheraswellasdeterminehoweasyitwillbetosewyourquilttogether.Youwanttochoosethebestpossiblethreadtohavethebestquiltingexperienceaswellastomaketheverybestquiltyoupossiblycan.Whenchoosingfabric,itishighlyrecommendedtopurchasecottoncovered-polyesterthread.Cheappolyesterthreadsshouldbeavoidedbecausethesecanactuallycutthroughthefibersofyourfabricratherthanholdingthemtogether.

Anotherthingtoconsideristhecolorofthreadyouaregoingtousewhilequilting.Ifyou’remakingabrightlycoloredquilt,whiteoroff-whitethreadcolorswouldprobablybebest.Ifyou’remakingadarkercoloredquilt,thenagraythreadisstronglysuggested.

Next,itisimportanttothinkaboutwhatisreferredtoas“batting.”Battingisessentiallywhatmaterialwillgoinsideyourquilt.Itisfirstimportanttothinkaboutwhowillbeusingthisquilt.Ifthequiltisforchildren,youwillwantthematerialinsidetobesturdyanddurable.Ifthequiltisjustadecoration,youcoulduseathinnerbattingsuchassilk.Ontheotherhand,ifyouaremakingthequiltforthepurposeof,forexample,tostaywarmduringthewinter,thencottonbattingwouldbeagoodideasinceitissowarm.

Now,afterdiscussingthematerialsyoumayneedforquilting,let’smovetotoolsyoumaywanttochoose.Thefirstandprobablymostobviousistheneedle.Allneedlesarenumbered1-12.Forquilting,numbers7-12arerecommended.Ifyouareusingasewingmachine,looktothemanualforsuggestions.

Then,youwillwanttoconsidershearsandscissors.Shearsarebetterforcuttinglonger,biggerpiecesoffabricandarealsomuchsharper.Scissorscanbeusedforcuttingortrimmingsmallerpiecesofmaterial.Youmayfindyouwantboth,butregardless,makesurewhenpurchasingtheseitemsensurewhatevertypeyoubuyarequitesharpandofgoodquality.Youdon’twanttoruinfabricorevenyourquiltwithcheap,dullcuttingtools.

Lastly,othertoolsyoumaywanttoconsiderarethimbles,rulers,templates,safetypinsandpins.Ifyouareplanningtohand-sewyourquilts,athimblemaybeagoodidea,especiallyifyouarealsonewtosewing.Whenconsideringthelattertwo,alwaysmakesuretheyarenottoowidetoavoidmakingbigholesinyourfabric.

Chapter2-TheFundamentalsofQuilting

Fivebasicquiltingprojectstogetyoustarted

Youarenowreadytobeginyourveryfirstquiltingproject!Inthischapter,wewillcoverfivebasicquiltingprojectsthathavesimpleandeasysteps.

QuiltingProject#1:ClassesT-shirtQuilt

Ourveryfirstquiltingprojectmaybeoneyouhaveseenbeforeorarefamiliarwith!TheT-shirtquiltisquitepopularandalsoagoodprojecttobeingwith.Toprepareforthisproject,youwillwanttosetasidemaybeaweekendorafulldaytoputtogetherandcompleteyourquilt.Youwillfirstwanttochoosewhicht-shirtsyouwanttouseforyourquilt.Makesureyouchooset-shirtsthatofferenoughfabrictomakethedesignlookconsistent.Whenchoosingt-shirts,youalsoneedtotakeintoconsiderationhowlargeyouwantyourquilttobe.Forexample,ifyouhave9t-shirts,youwillwanttopatternyourt-shirtsina3x3fashion.Agoodplacetostartmaybe9-15t-shirts.Anythingmorethanthiswillcreatemoreworkanditmaybemorethanyoubargainedfor.Younowwanttocutyourt-shirtsdownsotheycanfitintothepattern.Agoodsizetocutthemintois15”x15”.Youwillalsowanttopreparethefabricyoudesireforthebackofthequilt,yourbatting,theneedleandthethreadofyourchoiceandfinally,interfacingmaterialtoputonthebackofeacht-shirt.

Onceyourt-shirtsareallcutout,younowwanttocuttheinterfacingmaterialdowntoperfectlymatchtothesizeofeachindividualsquareoft-shirt.Ensureeachpieceofinterfacingmaterialaswellaseachsquareoft-shirtiscuttomatchexactly.

Now,puteachofyourt-shirtsintoapatternbylayingthemoutjustasyouwanttheminthequilt.Now,youcanbegintoseweacht-shirttogether.Makesureyouaresewingthet-shirtsinonerowtogetherbutnotsewingallofthedifferentrowstogetheryet.

Next,onceallofyourt-shirtsaresewntogether,intoneatrows,youcanbegintosewtherowstogether.Tomakethisprocesseasierandtoensuretheneatnessofyourquilt’spattern,youcanpintherowstogether.

Now,onceyourt-shirtsareallsewntogether,youarenearlyfinished!Younowwanttoputinanybattingthatyousochooseandsewontheothersideofthequilt.Todothis,measureoutthefabricfortheotherside.Youcandothisbylayingthematerialunderyourfinishedt-shirtsandcuttingthelattermaterialtwoincheslargerthanyourt-shirtsideofthequilt.Oncethisisfinished,youcancutthematerialdowntofitperfectlyandthenpinthetwosidestogethertoensureevensewing.

Finally,sewthetwosidestogetherandyou’refinished!Congratulations!Youhavejustfinishedyourfirstquiltingproject!

QuiltingProject#2

OursecondprojectisaBasicBrickFatQuarterQuilt.Basically,youwillbetakingdifferentcoloredandpatternedsquaresorfabricandsewingthemtogethertomakeacolorful,warmquilt!Forthisquiltingproject,youwillneed12quarters(tobeexplainedinthenearfuture),100%cottonforthebattingandthescissors,shears,needleandthreadofyourchoice!Togiveyouageneralsense,youwillneedabout4-5hourstocompletethisquiltingproject.

Tostart,cutyourfabricintothe12quarters.Yourquartersshouldbe18”by22”,withfour6.5”by9.5”squares.This,intheend,willgiveyou48squares.Althoughyouwillonlyneed45squaresforthequiltoverall,youcanusethethreeothersquaresforsomethingelseinthefuture.

Onceyouhaveyoursquarescut,youwillwanttobeginsewingthemtogether.Youwanttoenvisionsewingthemtogetherasifyouaresewingtogetherabrickwall.Everyoddrowwillbe5blockssowntogetherwhereastheevenrowswillhavefourblockssowntogether,withthefifthblockcutinhalfandsowntoeachend.

Aftersewingallofyoursquarestogetherinbrickformation,youthenwanttoaddthebattingandsewthecompletedsideofthequilttotheotherhalf.Usually,youwouldmaketheothersideonesolidcolor.Youhavenowfinishedyoursecondproject!

Greatjob!

QuiltingProject#3:QueenSizePanelQuilt

Ontoyourthirdquiltingproject!Inthisproject,youwillneedaboutaweekend’sworthoftime.Thisisbecause,ifyoumakethequiltbasedontheinstructions(recommended)thenyourquiltwillbenearlythestandardsizeofaQueensizebed.Foryourfabric,youwillneedthreedifferentcolorsorpatterns(seeleftpicture).Yourcenterpieceshouldmeasureoutat2.5yards.

Forthetwo,longrectangularsidepiecesoffabric,theyshouldmeasurehalfayard.Finally,fortheoutsidefabric,youwantittomeasure2yards.Youwillalsoneedwhatevertypeofbattingyou’dlikeaswellasscissors,shears,aneedleandthread.Sincethisprojectislarger,youmayprefertouseasewingmachine.Thiswillcutdownthetimespentontheprojectsinceitisquitelarge.Or,youcanchoosetomakethequiltitselfsmaller!Useyourownbestdiscretion.

Now,youwanttocutthefabricdownabittomakeiteasiertoworkwith.Leavethecenterpieceasis.Cutthetwolong,skinnypiecesintofourseparaterectangles.Eachsquareshouldmeasureabout4.5by44”.Finally,cuttheoutsiderectangleintosmallerpiecesmeasuring18”.

Sewthesepiecestogether,addwhateverbattingyou’dlikeandsewontheothersideofthequilt.Sincethecompletedsideofthequiltissocolorfulandbusy,youmaywanttochooseasolidcolorbutthisdecisioniscompletelyyourown!

QuiltingProject#4:LasagnaQuilt

Thisquiltingprojectisafunone!Althoughtheremaybefoodinthename,don’tworry,itwon’tactuallyresemblelasagna!Forthisproject,selectwhatlookslikea“jellyroll”offabric.Thisfabricshouldcomeinarollandshouldcomewithatleast42stripsoffabricthatmeasure2.5inchesacross.Youwillwantanother.5yardoffabricforbinding(orputtingtogetherthetwosidesofthequilt),soyoucaneitherpurchaseanother.5yardsoffabricorsetasideaminimumof5ofyour“jellyroll”strips.Finally,youwillneed5yardsoffabricforthebackofyourquilt.Thisquiltcanbefinishedinabout4hourssosetasideaneveningorafternoontocompleteit!

Tobegin,layoutallofyourstripsoffabricasyouwantthemtolookonyourfinishedquilt.

Next,youwanttotaketherighttrianglesideofonestripandsewittothenextrighttrianglesideofthestrip.Makesuretoputtwodifferentcolorsorpatternstogethersothattheselectionandoveralldesignofthequiltlookrandom(unless,ofcourse,youwantthesamecolorstogether).Now,whenallofyourstripsaresewntogether,irontheflappycornersdown.Yourstripsshouldnowmeasure1600”.Take18”offoneendofeachstripthatyouhavejustsewn.Thiswillhelpoffsetanysloppyseamsasyousew.Now,you’rereadytosew!Sewyourstripstogetheruntilitmeasures44”x65”.Finally,addwhateverbattingyouhavechosenandsewonthebackofthequilt.Youhavenowfinishedyourthirdquiltingproject!Waytogo!

QuiltingProject#5:BlockQuiltThisisthefifthandfinalquiltingprojectofthischapter!Inthisproject,youwillwanttouseallthescrapmaterialyouhavelayingaround.Aftercompletingthelastfourprojects,youshouldhaveplenty!Ifyouchoosetofollowthistutorialexactly,yourquiltwillmeasure50”x60”aftercompletion.Youwillneedtochoosewhatfabricyouwillwantforthebackofthequiltaswellasaneedle,threadandwhateverbattingyou’dprefer.

Youwillbemakingseveraldifferent“blocks”tomakeuptheoverallquilt.Foronesingle“block”youwillwant122.5”squaresoffabricforwhateverbackgroundcoloryouchoose.White,greyorasolid,neutralcolorissuggested.Youwillthenneed82.5”squaresoffabricfortheouterringofthe“block.”Theseshouldbepatternedorallthesamecolor.Lastly,youwillneed52.5”squaresoffabricfortheinnercoreofyour“block.”Thesesquaresshouldalsobepatterned.Forthisquilt,youwillwantenoughfabricsquaresfor20“blocks.”

Tobeginmakingyourquilt,youwanttolayoutyoursquaresintheblockpatternandsewthemtogether.

Next,afteryoursquaresaresowntogetherintoablockformation,youneedtotrimtheoutsideedges.So,atthispoint,theoutsideedgesarepointed.Youwanttocuttheoutsidecornersoffsotheentireblockmakesaperfectsquare.

Cutalongthestraightedge

Younowwanttocontinuebysewingallthe“blocks”together.Whenyouarefinishedwiththis,carefullycutdownthefabricyou’regoingtouseforthebackside,pinthetwosidestogetherandthensewthetwosidestogether.Don’tforgettoputinthebattingrightbeforeyou’refinishedsewingthetwosidestogether!Youhavenowcompletedfivequiltingprojectaswellasthischapter!Waytogo!

Chapter3:FivemoreQuiltingProjects

Fivequiltingprojectthatwilladdabitofachallenge

Thischapteroffersfivemorequiltingprojectsat,ofcourse,thebeginnerlevel.Atthispoint,youhavealreadylearnedthebasicsofquiltingaswellascreatedfiveprojectsallonyourown!Greatwork!Continuereadingtolearnevenmoreandcreateevenmorefunquilts!

QuiltingProject#6:ColorPatchworkQuilt

Welcometothesecondhalfofyourquiltingprojects!Forthisproject,youwillneedtochoosefourdifferentcolorsforyourquiltpattern.Thesecolorsshouldtechnicallyallbethesamebuttheyshouldbefourdifferentvariations.Forexample,navyblue,skyblue,indigoandbabyblue.Youwillwanttorankthesecolorvariationsintoyourmaincolor,secondcolor,thirdcolorandfourthcolor.Youwillwant83squaresofyourmaincolor,40squaresofyoursecondcolorand21squareseachofyourthirdandfourthcolors.Eachsquareshouldbeexactly6”.Youwillalsowanttoselectthebatting,needle,threadandfabricforthebackingofyourquilt.

Now,togetstarted,layallofyoursquaresoutasyouwanttheminyourfinishedquilt.Itissuggestedtodoalayoutof15rowsby11columnsandthiswilltake165squarestotal.Whenyouhaveallthesquareslaidoutlikeyouwanttheminthecompletedquilt,stackthemupbyrowinorderfromlefttoright.Thisshouldgiveyou15stacksofsquarescontaining11squareseach.Youcannowbeginsewingyoursquarestogether!

Afterallofyoursquaresaresowntogether,younowwanttoworkonthebattingandbackingofthequilt.Tomaketheback,cutwhateverfabricyouhavechosenabout5”widerthanthefinishedside.Laythetwosidesouttogether.Youcannowcutdownthebacktomatchwiththefrontperfectly.Oncebotharecuttomatch,pinthemtogetherandsew!Ifyouchoosetoaddbatting,putitinsiderightbeforesewingupthelastbitofthetwosidesoffabric.Youarenowfinished!

QuiltingProject#7:PinwheelQuilt

Forourseventhproject,wewillbemakingapinwheelquilt,soyouwillneedtochoosetwodifferentcolorsoffabric.Youwillalsowanttoselecttheneedle,thread,battingandbackingofyourchoice.

Tobegin,wewillbemakingten6”blockpinwheeldesigns.Todothis,youwillneedtocutout3”halfsquaretrianglesfromeachofyourfabriccolors.Youwillneedtocutout40halfsquaretrianglesforeachfabriccolor,so80trianglesinall.Startbytakingtwotrianglesoftheoppositecolorandfirstpinningthemtogether.Youwillwanttopintogethertwotrianglesoftheoppositecolorthatwillthenmakeasquare.Youneedfoursquarestomakeoneofyourtenblocks.Whenyouhaveallofyoursmallersquaressowntogether,putthemtogetheringroupsoffourtomaketheblocks.Thenpinthesetogetherandsewthem!Aftersewing,youwillhavetenblocks!

Now,youwanttosewtogetherallofyourblocksintoonemass,thuscompletingthefrontpartofyourquilt.Finally,tofinish,youwanttosewonthebackingandalsoputinwhateverbattingyouhavechosen.

QuiltingProject#8:TriangleQuilt

Welcometoyour8thquiltingproject!Youwillneedthreedifferentfabriccolorsorpatterns.Ifyouwouldliketousepatterns,itissuggestedthatyouusetwodifferentpatternsandasolidcolorfabric.Youwillalsoneedtoselecttheneedle,battingandbackingofyourchoice.

Let’sbegin!First,youwillneedtocutyourfabricsintoacutetrianglesofallthesame,identicalsize.Youwillwanttocutthesetriangleswitha2”base.Youwillneedatleast120ofthesetrianglesandyoushouldhave60trianglesofyourmain(orsolid)colorfabricand30triangleseachofyourotherpatternedorcoloredfabric.Intheend,thequiltwillbe6x20.

Onceyouhaveallofyourtrianglescutout,youwillwanttolaythemoutingroupsofthree(seeright).Makesure,asyouarelayingoutyourtrianglesintothepatternthatyouarespacingthecolorsapartcorrectly.Youdon’twanttwotrianglesofthesamecolortouching,thiswillruinthepatternofyourquilt.Now,youwillwanttooverlapthemslightly,pinandsewthemtogether.Then,onceallofyourtrianglesaresownintogroupsofthree,beingsewingtwogroupsofthreetogethertomakegroupsofsix.

Finally,onceyouhavecompletedthistask,thefrontofyourquiltisfinished!Youcannowaddthebattingandbacking.Projecteightisnowcomplete!

QuiltingProject#9:PolkaDotQuilt

Hereinthe9thproject,wewillbegettingalittlebitmorechallengingwhilestillstickingtothepromisedbeginnerlevel.Thisprojectalsodiffersfromtheothersinthatyouwillnowneedtocreateandusetwosimpletemplatestocompletethisquilt.Thefirstbeingaquartercircleshapeandthesecondbeingthepapermaterialaroundthequartercircletemplate.Youwillmakethesetwotemplatesoutofonepieceofpaper.

Youcouldalsomakethesetemplatesoutofsometypeofstudiermaterialifyousochoose.Forexample,youcouldusecardboardorplastic.Thisquiltwillbemadefromtwentydifferentblocks.Thatmeans,youwillwant80oftheshapesshowntotheleft.Eachblockwilllooklikethepicturetotheright.Onceyouhavetheseshapescutout,youwillwant

toconjointheoddshapetothequartercircleshape.Todothis,Youneedtopinthetwotogetherandthensew.Thiscanbedonebytakingthepointoftheoddshapeandpinningittothecenterofthequartercircle.Now,youwillwanttoroundtheedgesoftheoddshapestoformaroundtheothershape.Asyoudothis,makesureyouarepinningitdowntoavoidanysloppinessofconfusion.Afterpinning,youcanthensew!

Yourshapedshouldnotbefourdifferentsquares.Thesefoursmallersquareswillmakeuponeoftwentyblocks.Next,youwillneedtosewthesesquarestogethertomaketheblock.Now,youcancontinuetomaketheothernineteensquares.Whenthe19squaresarefinished,youcansewthemtogetherandthenthefrontofyourquiltisfinished!Simplyaddthebattingandthebackingandyour9thquiltprojectisfinished!

QuiltingProject#10:Zig-ZagQuilt

Welcometoyourverylastquiltingproject!Waytogo!Youhavecomesofar,

learnedsomanythingsandcreatedsomanyuniquequiltssinceyoufirststarted!Foryourlastproject,wewillbemakingacolorfulzig-zagquilt!Forthisproject,youwillneedabitlongerasitismoretimeconsumingbutprobablynomorethanaweekend.Althoughthisquiltwillbeatthesamebeginnerlevelastherest,youmayfindthisonetobemoredifficult,orthemostdifficult.That’sokay!Thislastprojectismeanttobeabitmorechallengingbutnottoochallenging.Youshouldstillhavenoproblemwithitandaswithalltheotherprojects,thisonewillbeexplainedstep-by-stepandwiththehelpofpictures.Herewego!

Beforeyoustartsewing,youwillwanttoselecttendifferentcolorsorpatternsoffabric.Oneofthese,however,shouldbeasolidcolor.Youwillalsowanttochooseaneedle,thread,battingandbackingforyourquilt.

Now,youcanbegin!First,cuttwo3”stripsfrom9ofthefabricsyouhavechosen.Next,cut183”stripsfromthesolidcoloroffabricthatyouhaveselected(seeright).Now,sewyourstripsbytwos.Forexample,takeonepatternedstropandsewittothesolidcolorstrip.Usea1/4”seamhere.Onceyouhavesownyourstripstogetherintocouples,cuttheminto5.5”rectangles.Eachstripshouldgiveyousevenrectangles.Now,layoutyourtwostripsintoazig-zagpattern.Makesureyouareonlyusingonepatternedfabricandthesolidfabricatthispoint.Keeplayingoutthispatternwithallofyourdifferentfabricsuntilyouhaveusedthemall!Now,youcanbegintosewitalltogether!Beginsewingatthetoprightcornerofyourlaid-outpattern.

Whenyouhavesownyourentirepatterntogether,usearotarycuttertomakeacleanedgeonthetopandbottomofthefrontofyourquilt.Yourquiltshouldmeasure46”x61”whenitiscompleted!Now,allyouhavetodoislayout,cutoutandsewonthebacking.Don’tforgettoputinanybattingifyousochoosebeforeyoufinishsewingtogetherthetwosides.

Congratulations!Youhavenowsuccessfullycompletedtenquiltingprojects!Waytogo!

Conclusion

GreatJob!Althoughquiltingseemedlikeanearimpossibleanddauntinghobbyattheverybeginningofthisbook,youhavenowlearnedsomuchandcompletedtenofyourveryownprojects!Youhavecomesofar!Inthebeginning,youwereworriedabouthowtoevenbegin.Youwereworriedabouthowyoucouldpossiblylearnahobbythatseemedsocomplexand“old-fashioned.”However,lookwhereyouarenow!Youhavelearned,withtheguidanceofthisbook,whattoolsyouneedforquilting,thebasisofquiltingandhowtoputtogetherandcompletetendifferentprojects!Youshouldfeelextremelyproud!Youcannowgoforth,usingtheinformationyouhavelearnedtocontinuequiltingandmakingprojectsofyourown!Goodluckandhappyquilting!

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SEWINGFORBEGINNERSLearntoSewwith7SimpleSewingPatterns.BestSewingProjectsfor

Beginners

TableOfContentIntroduction

Chapter1-GatheryourToolkit

Chapter2–DecidingWhatToMake.ChoosingTheFirstPattern

Chapter3-ChoosingyourFabric

Chapter4-PreppingyourFabric

Chapter5-Choosingyourneedleandthread

Chapter6-ThreadingyourNeedle

Chapter7-BeginningtoSew

Conclusion

Introduction

There’sinspirationallaroundus.WithpopularwebsitessuchasPinterestandawiderangeofDIYblogs,theideasareendless.Learningtosewisoftenthoughtofasathingofthepast.ButIcanassureyouthatsewingisfarfromalostart.Infact,learningtosewhasmanybenefitsforyouandyourwallet.Sewingcanbeatherapeutichobbythatyoucandoaloneorwithfriends.Sewingcanbeacosteffectivewaytoreplicatethingsyouhaveseeninyourfavoritestoresbutcouldnotbringyourselftopayingthepriceforit.Sewingcanalsosalvagesomeofyourfavoritepiecesbypatchingholesorrepurposingoldthingsintonewconversationpieces.Whowouldnotwantsomethingthatisoneofakind?Imagineifeverythingyoualwaysdreamedofwasrightthereinyourcloset!Learningtosewopensthedoortothisexcitingpossibility.Bynow,Iamsureyouwouldliketoknowhowtogetstartedandthisbookistheconciseguidetosewingforbeginnersthatwillgiveyoualloftheinsightyouneedtodojustthat.Sewingissimpleonceyoulearnthebasics.Thisbookwillprovideyouwithabasicsupplylist,outlinestep-by-stepinstructionsandsupplyyouwithgreattipsforallyourfuturesewingneeds.

Thisbookwithwalkyouthroughavarietyoftopicsthatwillkeepyouorganizedandincontrolofourprojectfromstarttofinish.Youwilllearnhowtobuildyourinitialsewingtoolkit.Whatsuppliesdoyouneedintheverybeginningtocompleteyourfirstproject?Thisbooksanswersthisquestionwithashortlistofsuppliesthatwillbesuretomeetallofyourfirsttimesewingneeds.Thelistincludessuggestionsforadditionalsuppliesyoumightliketohavehandyandgivesabriefoverviewofwhateachtoolwilldotohelpyoucompleteyourprojectsoyoucanfeelconfidentyouwillonlyspendingmoneyasneededuntilyoudecidethatsewingisanartyouwillenjoyoveragain.Thisguidewillprovideyouwillsuggestedresourcestofindingaprojectyouwouldliketostartwith.Sometimesfiguringoutwheretostartisthehardpartandforsomepeopleambitioncanbiteusoffmorethanwecanchew.Thisguidewillhelpyoutomakeinformeddecisionsforwheretostartyourskillsatandwillopenyoureyestothefactthatpossibilitiesareendless.

Youwillbrieflylearnaboutfabricsandhowtochooseduringthisexcitingtime.Knowledgeoffabricisimportantwhenchoosingwhattoworkwithandthisguidekeepsthingssimpleandraisesawarenessonhowtochoosethebestfabricforyourfirstandfutureprojectsbyposingsimplebutrelevantquestionstokeepyoufocusedonyourprojectneeds.Anythingyouinvestyourmoneyinyouwanttoensureitlasts,right?Thisguidewillgiveyoutipsontakingcareofyournewfabricandwalkyouthroughpreparingyourfabrictocutandmoveontoactuallysewing.Makingbestuseofthefabricyouhavepurchasedisessentialandthisguideshouldhelpyouavoiderrorsduringthiscrucialtimeofbeginningtosew.

Andwhatissewingwithoutaneedleandthread?Thisguidenotonlywalksyouthroughpurchasingtherightneedleandthreadforthejobathandbutitalsogivesyoustep-by-stepinstructionsforthreadingyourneedlewithgreattipsthateverybeginningsewistneeds.Finally,thisguideendsbygivingyourverydetailedbutbriefstep-bystepinstructionstobeginsewingwhetheryouhavedecidedtotestthewaterswithhandsewingordiverightinwithmachinesewing.Thisguideprovidesrecoursesforbothtechniquesandwillguideyoutotheveryend.Sewingiseasyonceyoulearnthebasicsandthisbookisfullofgreatinsightandusefultipsfromstarttofinishtohelpyousuccessfullycompleteyourfirstsewingprojectstressandworryfree.Readingthisguideisthenextstepinyoursewingjourney.Enjoy!

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Chapter1-GatheryourToolkit

Everyjobrequiressometypeoftoolsorsupplies.Withoutthem,howcouldwegetthejobdone?Experiencedsewistswilltellyouyoursuppliesareaninvestmentandqualitymatters.Spendingmoremoneynowwillputmoremoneyinyourpocketslater.Butdonotfear,tobeginyoursewingjourney,thesuppliesyouwillneedwillcostyoulessthan$100dollars(andifyouareabargainshopper,lessthan$50—notincludingyoursewingmachineifyouchosetobeginyoursewingjourney,mightIadd).

Thereisalonglaundrylistofthingsyoucanbuytoenhanceyoursewingexperience,butthelistyouwillfindinthischapterhighlightsexactlywhatyouwillneedwhenstartingoff—thebareminimumtohelpyousurviveyourtrialanderrorstage.Anygreatsewingguidewilltellyou,youmusthavesomethingtohelpyoumeasure,mark,cutandpressyourfabricwhenyousew.

Precisemeasurementsareessentialtomakingthebestuseofyourtimeandyourfabric.Markingyourfabricgivesyouexactpointsforprecisecutsandleaveslessroomforerrorifyourfabricshiftswhileyouwork.Pressingassistswithfolds,pleatsanddrapingandperfectsyourfinalpresentation.Youdon’twalkintoaclothingstoretowrinkledgarmentsonhangersforareason.Andlastbutcertainlynotleast,sewingwouldn’tbesewingwithoutaneedleandthread.Solet’sbegin:

TapemeasureTapemeasureallowsyoutomeasurethree-dimensionalobjectsandtakelongermeasurements.

YardStick

Ameasuringtoolthatwillgiveyouastraightedgeforaccuratemarkingandcutting.Arulerisalsoacceptable.

*Aseamgaugeisnotanecessityandisacommonlyoverlookedsupplybutisworthmentioningbecauseitcansaveyouloadsoftimeandworkwhenmarkinghemsandseamallowancesonclothing—itsslidingpieceworksbetterthanarulerforsomepeople.

MarkingtoolThiscanbeintheformofapen,pencil,orchalk.Fabricchalkisgreatbecauseitbrushesrightoffthefabric.Watersolublepensandfabricpencilsarealsookaybecausetheywilleasilywipeorwashoutofmostfabrics.

Seamripper

Seamripper:Makesmostsewingmistakesdisappear.Thesharpertheseamripperthebettertoremoveanyunwantedseamsfromyourfabric.

Shears

Shears:Youshouldaimforclean,precisecutsandwhileapairofsafetyscissorsmayworkforyourthincottonblends,investinginapairofshearsisamustforanyoneseriousabouttheartofsewing.Forcuttingfabric,thelongertheblades,thefasterthejobandthecleanerthecut.Forcuttingthreadsorgettingintothesmallnooksandcranniesofyourfabric,asmallerpairofshearsisideal.

*Somepeopleliketokeeparotarycutteraround(nottobemistakenforapizzacutter).It’snotanecessitybutitisgreatforcuttingcurvesquicklyandprecisely—anddon’tforget,thesharpertheblade….Notethatthistoolalsorequiresacuttingmat.

IronandironingboardSomesewistschoseirons,otherslikesteamers.Startingoff,Isuggesttheiron.Youdon’tneedanythingtoofancy,justsomethingwithheatandsteamcontrol.Ifyouchosetheiron,findaboardthatfitsbestinyourworkspace.Theysellsmallboardsthatworkjustasgreatisyourtraditionalironingboard.Somepeoplewithsuggestapressingclothtoprotectyourfabricbutifyouknowtheheatlimitsofyourfabricsyoushouldbeokay.Delicatefabricsarewhereasteamermaycomeinhandy.

Needles

Forthosewhoarestartingoutwithasewingmachine,yourmachineshouldcomewithasetofneedlesbutunderstandtherearedifferentneedlesfordifferentweightsoffabric.Yoursewingmachinemanualshouldcomewithallofthisinformation,shouldyouneedreplacementneedles.Handsewingneedlesarebestpurchasedinavarietypacksoyouhavetherightsizeneedleforanyjob.

NeedlethreaderThemoreexperienceyouhavethreadingneedles,thelessyou’llfindthissupplynecessary,butforbeginnerstheneedlethreaderisperfectforquicklygettingyourthreadthroughtheeyeofyourneedle.

Thread

Juststartingoff,all-purposethreadwillworkwellformostsewingprojects.Findacolorthatmatchesorcomplimentsyourfabricandbuildyourthreadcollectionupwitheachproject.

PinsandpincushionStraightpinscomeindifferentvarieties.Steelpinsareyourbest.Somecomewithaflatheadandotherswithsmallballsatthetop.Theyallservethesamefunction.Pincushionscananythingfromyourgrandmothers’traditionalminifabricpouftothemoremodernmagnetictraysthatwillkeeppinssecurewhennotinuse.

Chapter2–DecidingWhatToMake.ChoosingTheFirstPattern.

Youhavespenthoursinyournearbycraftstoreandyoufinallyhaveeverythingyouneedtogetstarted.Butwhatareyougoingtomakeforyourfirstproject?Theeasiestwaytolearnisbyusingstep-by-stepinstructions,cut-outs,anddiagramscalledpatterns.Somepatternsaremorecomplicatedthanotherssotrynottobetooambitiouswhenchoosingyourfirstpattern.Unlessofcourseyouareafastlearner,foundamoneytreetoreplaceanythingyoumightruin,orjustwanttodiverightin.Isuggeststartingoffwithsmallprojectslikeheadbands,coinpurses,orevensimplesquareshapedbagsfor—eventhesecomewithsimplepatterns.Dollclothingisalsoafunwaytolearnhowtoassemblegarmentswithoutthefearofwastedfabricortime.

Storeboughtpatternsthatyouwillfindinyourlocalcraftstoregenerallycomeinsideofenvelops.Readtheoutsideofyourpatterncarefullytohelpmakethedecisionisthispatternisrightforyou.Onthefront,youwillnoticetheremightbedifferentstylevariationsofwhatyouarelookingtomake,calledviews.Forexampleadressmightbeshownwithacollarwhiletheotherhassleeves.Orabagmighthavedoublestrapswhiletheotherviewhasjustonestrap.Thisisshowingyouwhatoptionsyouhavetomakebyusingthispattern.Ontheback,itgivesawrittendescription,suggestedfabrics,sizes,andhowmuchfabricyouwillneedtocompleteyourproject.

Wewillgetmoreintochoosingtherightfabricinthenextchapter.Remember,whenyouarestartingout,trynottopurchaseapatternwithtoomanypiecesorcomplicatedinstructions.Ifitlooksliketoomuchwork,itprobablywillbe.Donotspendtoomuchmoneyonyourfirstpattern.Themoreexpensive,themorecomplicatedthepatternprobablywillbe.

Onceyouhavechosenyourpattern,insidetheenvelopeyouwillfindyourinstructionsandwhatappearstobeprintedtissuepaper.Handlewithcare!Theseareyourpatternpieces.Ontheinstructionsyouwillseeakey,whichmuchlikeonamap,helpsyouunderstandwhatpiecesyouwillneedandhowtolaythemoutonyourfabrictoensureyouhaveenoughfabrictocompletethejob.Itwasalsowalksyoustep-by-stepthroughtheprocessofassemblingyourproject.

Somepeoplefindthatusingpatterns,evenbasicpatterns,tobedifficultandtimeconsuming.Someofyouarejusttryingtostartoffsmallbyjustlearninghowtosewtwopiecesoffabrictogetherwithoutlosingafinger.Thisbookisgearedmoretowardsbeginnerslikeyouwhoarejusttestingthewaterwiththeirskills.Justbeawarethatpatternsareanoptionandcanbeagreatresourceeveninthebeginning.Itisallabouttakingyourtime,readingcarefully,andfollowinginstructions.

Ifyouareplanningtowearyourcreationitistimegetyourmeasurements.Useyourtapemeasuretomeasureyourbust,hipsandwaisttohelpyouchoosetherightsizedpatternforthejob.Thesearethethreebasicmeasurementsyouneededwhenchoosingapattern.Havingsomeoneelsetakeyourmeasurementswillprovideyouwithamoreaccuratenumber.

Notethatyourclothingsizeinastoremaynotreflectthesamesizeforthepatternyouchoose.Thiscouldbeflatteringordownrightdishearteningbutunderstandthatsomepatternsjustrunabitbigoratadsmall.Donotmakeassumptions;readthemeasurementrequirementstobesureyouarepurchasingapatternthatwillfityouandtoensureyouarecuttingouttherightsizefromyourpatternpieces.

Forthosewhoareholdingoffonusingapatternbutwouldliketomakesomethingsimpletopractice,youcandoquiteafewthings.Manystoresoffersmallfabricsquaresofprecutfabricthatyoubuyinthesmallsquares.Foldorcutyourfabrictopracticeyoursewingwiththese.Formoreambitiousbeginnersthatarenotreadytoexperimentwithpatternbuthavesomethingathometheywouldnotmindtryingtoreplicate,youcanlayasimplegarmentyoualreadyownontothefabricyouhavepurchasedandsimplytracearoundittocreateyourpattern.

Besurethegarmentyouareusingtotracefitsyouandbecarefulwhentracingorcuttingarounditasnottoruinit.Also,traceaboutaninchoutaroundtheitemyouaretracing.Wewillgetmoreintothereasonwhyincomingchapterssojustholdtight.

Asmentionedintheintroduction,theinternetisawealthofresources.Simplepatternsareavailableforyoutodownloadandprintyourselffromyourcomputer.Figureoutwhatyouwanttomakeanditisalmostguaranteedthatsomeoneelseistryingtodothesamethingthemselvesandhasfiguredoutasimplewaytoassembleitwithminimalfabric,sewingskillsandsupplies.

Haveyoudecidedwhatyouwouldliketomakeyet?

Chapter3-ChoosingyourFabricChoosingyourfabricmightjustbethemostfunpartofsewing.Knowthattherearemanytypesoffabricsandnoteverythingworksforeverypurpose.Knowingandunderstandingwhatfabricsworkbestfortheprojectyouareworkingonwillhelpyoutonarrowdownyourchoiceswhenchoosingthefabricyouwant.IfyouareanythinglikeIwasinthebeginning,“ifit’sprettyI’mgettingit”,withoutanyconcernforifitwillworkfortheproject.Pleasedon’tmakethesamemistakesIdidbybuyingfabricswithoutmakinginformeddecisionsaboutmyfabricchoices.Wewillgetmoreintohowyoucanfindtherightfabricinthischapter.

Therearefourtypesoffibers:natural,synthetic,man-maid,andblends.Naturalfiberscomefromnaturalsourcessuchaswool,silkandcotton.Syntheticfibersarechemicallyproducedsuchasnylon,spandex,andpolyester.Man-madefibersusenaturalmaterialslikeacrylicandrayontoproduce.Andblendscomefrommultiplesources.Fabricsyouwillmorethanlikelychoosefromasyoulearntosewarecotton,rayon,knits,wool,silk,denim,satin,flannel,nylon,polyester,spandexandlinen.Andtherearemanydifferentvariations.Whenstartingaprojectwithapattern,thedesignerhasalreadysuggestedfabricsthatwillworkbest.Trustthatthedesignerhasfiguredoutalreadythroughtrialanderrororbasicsewingknowledge,whatfabricswillworkbest.Blogsandotherinternetsourcesoftensuggestappropriatefabricsaswell.Inthebeginningstagesofyoursewing,cottonwillbeyourbestfriend.Itiseasytoworkwithandleavesmoreroomforerrorsthanotherfabricswould.Theaddedbonusisthatcottonisgenerallylessexpensive.

Whenfabricshopping,generallyfabricsareseparatedthroughoutthestorebyfibertype.Ifsomethingcatchesyoureye,youcanfigureoutwhatitismadeofbyreadingthetopofthebolt.Thereitwilltellyoueverythingyouneedtoknowaboutthisfabricfromitsfibercontent,howtocareforit,toitswidth(whichisimportantwhenusingapattern—thisdetermineshowmuchfabricyouneedtobuytolayyourpatternpiecesoutasshowninthepatterninstructions).

Asmentionedabove,howdoyouknowwhatfabricstochoosewhenithasnotbeensuggestedforyou?Thinkabouthowthefabricfeelsandaskyourself,wouldIwearthis?Wouldthisbegoodinthisweather,canthisholdupforwhatIneedittodo,willthisdrapeordroop?Willitwithstandafewwashesandstilllookthesame?HowwillIneedtocareforthis?Gentlecycleordrycleanonly?Iknow—somanyquestionsthatneedanswers.Findingtherightfabricislikefindingtherightshoes-isitappropriateoftheoccasion,comfortable,durable?Thebestwaytoansweralotofthesequestionsistolookatthetagsontheinsideofsomeofyourfavoritegarmentsandgoodsinyourhomethataremadeoffabric.Thiswillhelpguideyouwhenyouareonthehuntforyournextpieceoffabric.

Understandthatfabricslikesilkrequiremoreskillandprecisionwhensewing,nottomentionareexpensiveandasabeginnershouldn’tbeyourfirstchoiceoffabrictoexperimentwith.Startingoffwithalightormedium-weightcottonorcottonblendisyourbeststartingpointbecauseitislessexpensive,easytoworkwith,andasanaddedbonus,generallyhasmoreoptionsforprintsandcolors.Knowthatprintmattersforcertainthings.Certainpatternsmakeassemblingprojectsmoredifficultbecauseyouhavetomatchthelinesandshapesinthepatternstowhatyouaresewing.Asbeginnersweprobablyarenotthereyet.Keepitsimpleandalsothinkofthebigpicture.

Nowthatyouknowwhatquestionstoaskyourselfwhileoutonyournextfabricshoppingtrip,keepthesethemesinmindasyoufindsomethingthatwillworkforyourfirstsewingproject.Yourcraftstoreemployeescanalsosuggestgoodfabricsforyou.Tellthemwhatyouarelookingtomakeandshowthemthefabricchoicesyouhavepickedout.Findingfabricshouldbepainlessandfun.Justmakeinformeddecisionsandasabeginner,keepyourexpensestoaminimum.Youcanevenpracticeonoldpiecesoffabricyouhavearoundthehouselikeoldclothingthatisfallingapart,youdon’twear,orhaven’tgottenaroundtodonatingyet.

Chapter4-PreppingyourFabric

Nowthatyouknowwhatyouaremakingandyouhavepurchasedyourfabric,itistimetogetstartedpreparingyourfabrictosew.Inthetoolkitchapter,wediscussedwhycertaintoolsareneeded.Well,letusbegintoputthatknowledgeintoaction.Somesewistsliketopreptheirfabricbywashingit,especiallyifyouareusingfabricsthatcanpotentiallyshrink.Ifyoudonotplanonwearingyourcreationorcareifthefabricshrinks,washingyourfabricmaynotbeatoppriorityforyou,butitishighlysuggested.

Careforyournewfabricthewayyouwouldanythingyoualreadyownofthatsimilarfabric.Afterwashinganddryingit,itisbesttobreakoutyourironsoyoucangetacrispfoldandlaytobeforeyoubegincutting.Careforthefabricwhenironingitthesamewayyouwouldthingsyoualreadyown.Onceyourfabriciscompletelyironed(orsteamed)layitoutonyourworkspace.

Forpatterns,payspecialattentiontothedirectionthefabricisfoldedin.Yourpatterninstructionswilltellyouexactlywhattodo.Cutoutthepatternpiecesthatarecalledfor(alsoindicatedontheinstructionpaper).Somepeoplewillchosetokeeptheoriginalpatternintactincasetheyplantousethepatternforsomeoneelseorinthecaseofgarmentsortheuserforeseesdrasticweightlossorgainintheirfuture.Intermsofgarments,forthepurposeofthisbookandasbeginners,let’skeepitsimply—wehavechosenapatternthatfitswhowearerightnow.

Onceyourpatternpiecesarelaidoutonyourfabric,itistimetopinandmarkyourfabric.Useyourstraightpinstosecurethepatternpiecestoyourfabric.Useasmanyoraslittlepinsasyouneedtokeepthepatternpiecesfromshiftingasyouliftthefabrictocutormoveit.Certainfabricsneedmorepinningthanothersbutthispartisessentialtogettingyourpiecesthecorrectsize.Somepeoplechoosetomarkandpintheirfabricextensivelytoensureaccuracy.Itisbesttoplaceyourpinshorizontally.Whensewing,itmakesiteasiertoremovethepinsasyougoalong.

Ifyouarenotusingapattern,youcantracewhatyouaretryingtoduplicateorfreehanddrawit.Markyourfabricusingoneofthemarkingtoolslistedinthetoolkitchapter.Rememberthatifyouarenotusingapatterntotraceaboutaninchoutfromtheitemyouaretryingtoreplicate.Youhavetoallowroomforseams,whichwewilltalkmoreaboutincomingchapters.Ifyoucutthefabrictoscalewiththeitemyouaretryingtosew,understandthatitwillbesmalleronceyouhavecompletedyourprojectbecauseyougenerallyhavetoturnthingsinsideoutsotherawedgesdonotshow.

Nowitistimetocut.Dependingonwhatyouaremaking,youcanchoosetouseyourshearsorifyoupurchaseditforyourconvenience,yourrotarywheel,youcanusethattoo.Don’tforgetyourshearsneedtobesharpenedandcleanand

ifusingtherotarywheeltohavetoplaceyourmatunderneathyourfabric.Keepyourlinesascleanaspossibleandtakeyourtimewhilecutting.Cuttingoutourfabricdeterminesalotforthelookofyourfinishedproduct.Amessycuttingjobcanmeanamessyandunevenfinishedproduct.Takeyourtimeandbepatientduringthisprocess.Itwillallbeworthitintheend.Nowthatyouunderstandhowtoprepareyourfabricforcutting,getstraighttoit.Afteryouhavecutoutyourpieces,whetheryouareusingastoreboughtpattern,aprintableanddownloadablepattern,orjustcuttingfabricsquaresofyourown,youarenowonestepclosertocompletingyourproject.Nowitistimetochooseyourneedleandthread.

Chapter5-Choosingyourneedleandthread

Sewingcanbedonebyhandorwithamachine.Hopefullybynowyouhavedecidedwhichmethodworksbestyouandforcompletingyourproject.Someprojectsrequirebothhandandmachinetocomplete.Somepeoplesuggestlearningtohandsewbeforeyoulearntomachinesew,butitisuptoyou.Bothmethodshavetheirprosandconsfornewusersbutifyouarewillingtobepatientandlearn,thanstartingoffonasewingmachineshouldnotbeanissue.

Thisguidewillnotleadyoutobuyingyourfirstsewingmachine.“Bad”sewingmachinessotospeakdonotreallyexistifyouarebuyingnew.Purchasingawarranteeissuggestedasyouwouldforanymajorappliancethatyouarelookingtolastyousometime.Myfirstsewingmachinewasfromagaragesaleandjustneededtobecleanedup.Thepriceofrefurbishingbrokenoroldsewingmachinesmightbeasmuchassimplybuyingabrandnewmachinebutfigureoutwhatisrightforyou.

Ifyouintendtogrowwithyourmachine,itisokaytobuyamoreexpensivemachinewithmanyfunctionsandcapabilities.Inthebeginningyouwillnotneedtousethesefunctionsbuttheywillcomeinhandythemorethatyousew.Asimplesewingmachinewillworkjustfineanddonotcostalotdependingonwhereyoupurchaseit.

Thereareguidesoutthatwillhelpyoutochooseamachinethatisrightforyou.Forthepurposeofthisguide,wewillassumethatyouhavealreadychosenyoursewingmachineifyousochoosetotakethatrouteasabeginnersewist.Thenewerthemachine,themorecapabilitiesitprobablyhas.Pleasenotethatallmachinesaredifferentbuttheinstructionsinthisbookprovideyouwithgeneralstep-by-stepinstructionstogetyoustarted.Pleaseusetheinstructionmanualthatcomeswithyoursewingmachineforassistanceandtakecarewithhandling.

Findingtherightthreadandneedleforyourprojectiseasy.Choosingtherightthreadisdependentontheprojectathand.Asmentionedbefore,all-purposethreadisgenerallyokayformostprojects.Ifyouareusingapattern,readthebackoftheenvelopetofindoutwhattypeofthreadyouwillneed.ForDIYprojects,seewhatthesuggestedthreadchoiceis.

Chooseacolorthatcomplimentsthefabricyouareworkingwith.Somepeopletrytofindtheclosestmatchtotheprimarycoloroftheirfabric.Somepeoplechoseacolortheylikefromthefabrictheyhavepurchasedtocreateaneye-catchingcontrast.Beawarethatifyourchosethisroute,yourstitches(whichwe’llgetmoreintoduringlaterchapters)needtobeclean,evenandprecisetoachieveanintentionallook.Onceyouhavechosenyourthread,itistimetofindtheperfectneedle.

Choosingtherightneedledependsontheweightofyourfabric.Forthepurposeofthisbookwewillpretendthefabricyouhavechosenismediumweightcottonaswesuggestedearlier,becauseasbeginnersthisisthebestfabrictostartwith.Pleasebeadvisedthatthewrongneedlesizeonasewingmachinecancauseyourneedletobreak,getstuckinyourfabric,orcreatenoticeableholesinthefabric.Thewrongneedlechoicewhenhandsewingcanmakethesewingprocessverydifficultbyhavingtopushharderontheneedletogetitthroughoritmightcreatenoticeableholesinthefabriciftheneedleistoobig.

Youcantestyourneedlebypushingitthroughacornerofthefabricbeforeyouthreadit.Ifitglidesrightthroughthefabricsmoothlyandnoholesareleftbehind,thanyouaregoodtogo.Whenhandsewing,somebeginnersewistschoosetousethimbles,othersfindthattheygetintheway.

Thepurposeofathimbleistoprotectyourfingerswhenpushingyourneedlethroughyourfabric.Buthavingtherightsizedneedleforyourprojectcaneliminatetheneedforthis.Aslongasyouarepayingattention,beingcareful,andtakingyourtime,athimbleisnotanecessarystarterkittoolbutcancertainlybehelpfultopreventyoufromprickingyourselfwiththeneedle.

Chapter6-ThreadingyourNeedle

We’realmostthere!Itistimetothreadyourneedle.Forhandsewing,youwillneedyourthread,aneedle,sheersandyourneedlethreader.Needlethreadersmakethisprocessfast,painlessandsimple.Withoutthistool,threadingyourneedlesinthebeginningofyoursewingjourneywilltakesometime—forsomealotoftimeandfrustration.Butinordertothreadyourneedle,firstyouneedtocutyourthread.Grabyourspoolandlet’sbeginmeasuring.

1.Measurethelengthofonesideofthefabricyou’retryingtosew.Thiscanbedonewithyourthreadorwithyourmeasuringtool.Thelessthreadthatyouhavetoworkwith,thelesschanceyouhaveofyourthreadgettingknottedupandyouhavingtocutitandstartallover.

2.Triplethelengthofthethreadandcuttheendfromthespool.Havingsharpsheerswillhelpmakethethreadingprocesseasier.

3.Holdyourneedleinonehandandslipthewireendofyourneedlethreaderthroughtheeyeofyourneedle.Thewirepartoftheneedlethreadershouldseparateenoughtoslipyourthreadthrough.

4.Pullthemetaltabofyourneedlethreaderoutinthedirectionitcamefromandyourthreadshouldsliprightthroughtheeyeoftheneedlealongwithyourthread.

5.Pullthethreadthroughhalfwayandtiebothendstogetherinaknot.Dothisoveragainuntiltheknotifthickenoughnottoslipthroughyourfabric.Leaveabouthalfaninchofuntiedthreadontheend.Youcanclipthislater.

Ifyouareusingasewingmachine,gettingyourmachinereadywillbecomesecondnaturewithpractice.Itrequiresmorestepsthatthreadinganeedlebuttheactualthreadingoftheneedleisexactlythesame.Forthisyouwillneedtosecureyourneedleintothemachine.

1)Allmachinesaredifferentbuttypicallyitisassimpleaslooseningthescrewabovethepressurefoot,slippingyourneedlein(theflatsideoftheneedlefacingthebackofthemachine)andsecuringthescrewbackintoplace.

2)Youmustwindyourbobbin.Openthesmalldooronthefrontofyoursewingmachinetorevealthebobbincase.Itisasmallmetalpiece.Removethebobbincasefromthemachineandliftthelever.Aplasticormetalbobbinshouldbeinside.Itshouldbefreeofthreadbeforewinding.

3)Atthetopofyourmachineshouldbeaspoolpinthatresemblesandantenna.Placeyourspoolofthreadontopofthepin.Whenyoupullthethreadfromthespool,itshouldrotatecounterclockwise.

4)Atthetopofthemachineontheoppositesideofthespoolpinwillbewhatiscalledthewindingtensiondisk.Almostallmachineshavediagramsprintedrightonthetoptomachineguideyou.Windtheendofthethreadaroundyourbobbinthatyoupulledfromthebobbincase.

5)Infrontofthespoolpiniswhatiscalledabobbinpin.Placeyourbobbinontopofthebobbinpinandslidethebobbinpintotherighttolockitintoplace.Youshouldhearitclick.

6)Holdyourthreadlightlyandbegintowindyourbobbinbylightlypressingonyourfootonthefloorpedal.Itshouldbegintowindthebobbinforyou.Whenthebobbinisfullthemachinegenerallywillstopitself.

7)Slidethebobbinpinbacktotheleftandremoveyourbobbin.Snipthethreadthatshouldstillbeattachedtothespoolandplacethebobbinbackinthebobbincase.Allowsomeofthethreadtopeekoutofthebobbincasebeforeplacingthebobbincasebackinitschamber.Youwillhavetolifttheleveronthebobbincasetoslipitbackintoplace.Whenyouletgoofthelever,thebobbincaseshouldbesecureandyouarenowreadytoclosethedoor.

8)Fromthespoolthatisstillattachedtothespoolpin,pullyourthreadinthedirectionthediagramatthetopofthemachineguidesyouto.ThearrowsshouldguideyouaroundthetensiondiskagainandfortomakeaU-shapearoundthetakeuplevertothreadyourneedle.Ifitfeelslikethethreadisbeingpulledtootightasyouaretryingtogetthethreadtoreachtheeyeoftheneedle,itprobablyisnotthreadedcorrectly.

9)Youcanusetheneedlethreadertothreadyourmachineneedleinthesamewayyouwouldwithahandsewingneedle.Oncethethreadisthroughtheeyeoftheneedle,stillholdontoitlightly,thenturnthewheelonthesideofyoursewingmachinetoloweryourneedleandraiseitbackup.Thisprocesswillcatchthethreadfromthebobbinchamber.

10)Youshouldnowseetwothreads,onecomingupfromthebottomofthemachinethroughthepressureplateandtheotherthreadiscomingthroughtheeyeoftheneedle.Nowyourmachineisthreadedandreadyforyoutosew.

Chapter7-BeginningtoSew

Yourfabricisprepped,markedandcut.Youhavethecorrectsizeneedleanditisthreadedandreadytogo.Great!Nowyoufinallygettoassembleyourproject.Thisparttakespracticeandmaynotcomeoutperfectthefirsttimebutjustrememberthatatthisendofthischapteryouwillhavesewnforthefirsttime!Thisisanexcitingmoment!

Ifyouarehandsewing,thisguidewillstartwithyoufirst.Takeyourfabricinhandandyourthreadedneedleanddecidewhichedgeyouwouldliketostartsewingatfirst.

1)Itisadvisedtostartaboutaninchoutfromtheseamofthefabric.Theseamistherawedge.Youcanmarkthistouseasaguide.Thiswillallowyoutofollowandmaintainastraightline.Useyourmeasuringtoolandmarkingtoolofchoicetocreateyourlinesonyourfabric.Asbeginnersthiswillshowyouexactlywhereyouneedtogoandwillmakeforamoreeven,polishedfinishedproduct.

2)Stickyourneedlethroughthefabricandpullitthroughcompletelyuntiltheknotyoucreatedattheendofyourthreadtouchesthebacksideofthefabric.Tuggentlytoensuretheknotdoesnotbreakthroughthefabric.Ifitdoes,thatisokay,justtietheknotafewmoretimes.Watchyourfingersasyoupushtheneedlethrough.Iftheneedleistherightsize,thereshouldnotbetoomuchpressuretopushtheneedlethrough.

3)Dependingonhowbigyouwantthestitchtobe,bringtheneedlebackdownintothefabricandpullitallthewaythroughagain.Howeverwideyoumakethestitch,besuretostayconsistentthroughout.Astandardstitchisabouthalfaninchwide.Youdonotneedtomeasureyourstitchesout,justuseyourbestjudgment.

Ifyouareaperfectionist,youcanuseyourmarkingtooltomarkthestitchlengthsinsteadofmarkingonestraightlineonyourfabricbeforeyoubegin.Whenyoubringtheneedleallthewaythrough,donotpulltootight.Keepthefabricflatandensurethethreadisnotbunchinguporknotted.Removepinsasyougo.Somebeginningsewistsalsousetheirpinstoshowthedistancebetweenstitches.

4)Whenyougettotheendofyourline,gooverthestitchafewtimesinthesameareatosecurethestitch.

5)Cuttheremainingthreadswithyourshearsandtieanottoreinforceitifyouwouldlike.

6)Repeattheprocessuntilyourprojectiscomplete.

Whenusingasewingmachine,sewingastraightlineisverysimple.Rememberthatpracticemakesperfectandtakingyourtimeisessential.Trytestingasmallsquareoffabricfirsttotestthestitchlengthandtoensurethatyourmachineisthreadedcorrectlyandwillnotjam.Again,everysewingmachineisdifferent,sogettoknowyourmachinebyreadingthemanualthatcomeswithitandbeingpatientasyoubegintolearnallofthebasicfeatures.

Understandthesmallerthenumberofyourstitchlength(whichcanbefoundonthemachineandstitchlengthscanbechanged),theclosertogetherthestitcheswillbe.Itisgoodtotestyoursamplefabrictoseeifthestitchwillbetoofarapart(whichcanleadtoholesdowntheroadwithuseofyourproject)ortooclosetogether(whichcanleadtothefabricbuckling,yourthreadjamming,andmakesithardertoremovetheseamsifyoumakeamistake.)

Forbeginners,allyoureallyneedtoknowislistedintheinstructionsbelow.Almostallsewingmachineshavewhatiscalledaseamguide,whichisessentiallyameasuringtoolthatisattachedtothemachinelocateddirectlybeneaththepressurefoot.Tosewastraightline:

1)Placeyourfabricunderthepressurefoot.Leaveaboutaninchbetweenwheretheneedlewillfallandtheseamofthefabric.

2)Alignyourseamwiththeseamguideandensureyourstraightpinscaneasilyberemovedasyoubeginsewing(placedhorizontally).Ifyoursewingneedlestrikesastraightpin,itcouldcauseyourneedletobreak.Paycloseattentiontowhatyouaredoing.

3)Lowerthepressurefoot.Onmostmachines,thisisdonebyasmallleverlocatedonthesideorthebackmachine.

4)Usethewheeltolowertheneedlesintothefabric.

5)Gentlyputpressureontothefloorpedalandyouwillseeyourneedlebegintomoveupanddownandthroughthefabric.Itisgoodpracticetoreversestitchafteryourfirstfewstitches.Onmostmachines,thisisdonebypressingabuttonthatwillbackoverthestichesyouhavejustdoneinordertosecurethemfromunraveling.Readyourmachine’sinstructionmanualtoseeifithasareversestitchingfeature.

6)Continuepressingthefloorpedalataslowandsteadypacetoallowyourfabrictomoveforwardagain.Thereisnoneedtorushthispart.Gentlyguidethefabric.Remembertoremovethestraightpinsasyougoandbesuretheseamofyourfabriccontinuestofollowtheseamguide.Itisimportanttowatchtheseamguideandnotyourneedle.Besureyourfabricstaysflat,andthethreadisnotknottinguponthebacksideofyourfabric.Onceyourhavereachedtheendofyourline,reversestitchagain.

7)Raisethepressurefootandremoveyourfabric.Youwillnotethatthethreadsarestillattached.Clipthemandpreparetodothesameprocessonallothersidesuntilyourprojectiscomplete.

Examineforanyholesorlosestitchesandpressagainusingyourironorsteamer.Makeanyneededfinaladjustments.Wow,youhavejustsewnforthefirsttime!Nowyouaresettoshowitoffyourcreation!

ConclusionCongratulations!Youhavefinallycompletedyourfirstsewingproject.Hopefullynoonegothurtinthemakingofthisprojectandyouareeagertotryagainandagainuntilyouareamastersewist.Hopefullythisguidewashelpfulinallareasfromstarttofinish.Hopefullythisguidemadeyourinitialshoppingtripstressfreeandgaveyouguidanceoneverythingyouneededtogetstartedandsuccessfullycompleteyourproject.

Thehopeisthattheinformationlistedinthisguidehelpedyoutomakegooddecisionsbasedonyourskillleveltofindapatternorprojectandgaveyouthetoolforyoutofeelcomfortableandconfidentasyouworkedfromstarttofinish.

Hopefullythestep-by-stepinstructionsallowedyoutosuccessfullycompleteyourfirstsewingproject,leavingnoquestionsunansweredandexceedingyourexpectationsonyourfinishedproduct.Thisguidewasintendedtoprepareyouforalongjourneyofsuccessinsewingandthisisjustthebeginning.

Mostimportantly,theideawasthatyouhadfun!Everythinginlifebecomeseasieroncesomeonegetsyoustarted.Practicemakesperfect.Bestofluckonyoursewingjourneyandwhateveryourheartdesirestocreate.Mayitbebeautiful,functionalanddropjawsallovertown.

Enjoyyourfirsthandmadegoodieandhopefullythiswillnotbeyourlast!

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