What should I look for when I look for sewing machine needles? I am thinking of buying new needles for my Silvercrest SNM 33 B1 sewing machine, but I do not know whether sewing machine needle have a specific compatibility with specific a sewing machine manufacturers or have a universal one.
So I wonder what characteristics should I know when I look for replacement needles?

Home sewing machines use the same style of needle. Any store that sells sewing supplies for home crafters (as opposed to manufacturers) should have that type of sewing machine needles, and only that type. If they have multiple brands of sewing machine needle, any brand should work, and the choice is merely one of brand preference. The part that fits into the machine is round with one flat side.
Needles are chosen based on what type of fabric you plant to sew, not based on the machine brand. If you plan to sew normal garment fabrics, get universal needles. You'll need specialized needles for certain types of fabric: stretchy knit fabrics, thick and tough fabrics like denim or upholstery fabric, leather, or for quilting. Here's a basic "choose the right type of needle" guide for more details.
That said, it's a good idea to consult your machine's user manual to make sure your machine doesn't have unique requirements. If you don't have the user manual, you should make your next project finding a replacement copy. Most sewing machine manuals are available somewhere on the internet for download, although be sure your virus protection software is up to date before downloading anything. Or you may be able to find a physical copy for sale. Once you have a manual, treat it like an essential part of the machine, and always keep it with your sewing machine so it doesn't get lost.
This site seems to be the official site for the Lidl Silvercrest brand sewing machine, and it has manuals you can download, as well as some maintenance and troubleshooting information you can view without downloading anything. Based on a few of the diagrams I could see, it does appear that this brand uses the normal home sewing machine needle.


Can I use hot glue as resin by melting them in a pan Suppose I have a detective pikachu mold tray, some hot glue sticks and a small cooking pan.

Can I melt the hot glue sticks in the small cooking pan and use it as a resin, to be pour into the detective pikachu mold tray?

Will it cause any damages to the cooking pan, or the mold tray?

It won't work.

You can melt hot glue in a pan, but it tends to turn yellow and eventually brown if it gets too hot. whether the mold survives the pouring depends on the material.

The real problem is that hot glue shrinks quite a lot while cooling down. The mold surface is cooler than the hot glue, so it sets at the outside first, while the center stays liquid for longer. As the center cools down and shrinks, it pulls all surface areas towards the center, warbing the object and possibly damaging the mold.

I've done this experience with a very small object: a papercut of a treasure chest, no more than 2 x 1 x 1 cm. I wanted to add weight to the object and filled the whole thing with hot glue. Once it was cool, the side walls were notably pulled in and there was a big (relatively speaking) hole at the top of the hot glue, where the top surface was pulled towards the center.


Can you bake a sculpture with a copper wire inside? I am making a sculpture with a pure copper wire wrapped with polymer clay. Will I have problems baking this in the oven with a temperature of 120-13 degrees Celsius/ 248-266 degrees Fahrenheit?

Copper has a melting point of 1085°C/1984°F which is well above your expected temperatures. There should be no danger of losing structural integrity of the sculpture due to melting of the copper wire.

According to the chart at hyperphysics, copper has an expansion coefficient of 17x10^-6 per degree C. This is 0.000017 or 0.0017 percent per degree C. Only aluminum, brass and silver expand more than copper. If you consider an extreme case in which your copper was formed when the temperature was 200° cooler, this would make the expansion 0.34 percent (if my hasty math is correct). 33 percent is one third. 0.34 percent is one-three-hundredth and that's for a two hundred degree change.

There will be expansion, but I expect that it will cause no impact on the sculpture.


What is the Best Material for Chrome Guitar Pick Guard? I'm looking to cut a piece of metal in the shape of a pickguard, then have it professionally chromed.

What kind of metal material should I use? Can I get it at a hardware store or it is specialty metal? I will need to drill several small holes, I'm assuming this should be done before chrome plating?
Is there a minimum thickness that I need in order to hold the chrome plating? Pick guards are usually around 1/10 inch thick, but there's no reason why I couldn't go a little thicker.
What should I expect to pay for the chrome process? The item itself would only be less than 1x1 feet.
Are there any other things I should be aware of before I start this project?

Thanks for any insight!

I'm looking to cut a piece of metal in the shape of a pickguard, then have it professionally chromed

The chrome will go away quite fast, considering the abuse it will have to take - regardless how kind and attentive you are while playing the guitar (also depending how much time you play that guitar, and the material and quality of the pick itself). Unless you "professionally chrome" that metal every few months / years, the base metal will be there smiling at you all the time.
My best advice is to use stainless steel - it is metal, it is strong, it looks like chrome and it does not need any chroming. It might be more expensive for the beginning, but it will need zero maintenance afterwards.

A cheaper alternative is to use copper or aluminum. They are easier to find (I saw aluminum sheets myself quite often in generic home-repairs and gardening shops), easy to cut and polish, easy to chrome. Aluminum also is very light, it will not break the back of the player with the extra kilograms. Brass also comes to mind, as a base material.


How can I prep a pumpkin for painting? I'm trying to paint a white pumpkin, and I'm having some issues with applying the paint.

I'm using acrylic paint, craft-grade not art-grade, and applying it with brushes. I clean the surface off, first, but nothing else.

The main issue is that the paint applies too thinly, because it would rather stick to the brush than the pumpkin. When applying additional layers, if they aren't sufficiently wet/heavy then the initial layer occasionally rubs off.

So, for my principal work area I laid down a couple coats of white. This had the unfortunate side-effect of covering up my sketch/under drawing, and it still doesn't resolve the rubbing away issue.

In addition to John's answer, there are some options in the art supply world. In particular, Qor makes a watercolor ground that is good for watercolor, inks, and acrylics. The idea is similar to gesso and provides a base for painting on surfaces not otherwise usable for water-based media.


I'm stuck on Step 70 of HOJYO Takashi's Buddha... what does the diagram mean? I'm stuck on Step 70 of Hojyo Takashi's Buddha (the one in the 6th Tanteidan Convention book), and I don't read Japanese:

Clearly, from Step 71, I'm pulling paper around to cover the front of the wrist, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to flip the paper around and leave the rest of the hand the same.  What am I missing?

Addendum:

Closeup of the Japanese text for the Step 70 description:

Doing Japanese OCR, hand-fixing the scanos, and running it through Google translate has been no help at all.

As you found yourself Google Translate was not particularly helpful in this matter:

  By overlaying the more because What is the other side

  ` Ru to one representing the thumb of muscle

  To SenWataru and ho stick base of Ne亢layers of trout

  Although a state of twisted without breaking the non- g was Li

  Only to cowpea in the following figure around the hand of Saki珊

  Become good long as )

And using the camera-based Google Translate, we get:

  To represent the muscles of the thumb by overlaying more flipping and to the opposite side (but better at the root of this layer is to state that twisted without breaking the perfect interfere with the base looks like the following figure only the peripheral of the hands of the tip it is sufficient)

I approached the users in Japanese.SE chat for help with this. This is a wiki since the work was done by broccoli forest who is a user over there. It was translated as:

  roll up a layer and cover up opposite side with it so that visualize thumb's muscle

Note though, by that users admission, he is not familiar with origami.


How is the string attached to this clear piece of plastic? As seen in this piece, the thread goes thru the plexiglass (not sure if it is plexiglass) at the beginning and at the end of the word. But I don't see how the thread is being fixed onto the plexiglass for each letter in between.
How is each letter being "glued" to the surface?

As you've noted, the thread passes through holes in the plastic sheet. The process appears to mimic the mechanics of a sewing machine. A loop is pushed through the hole to the underside. Another thread is passed through the loop.
Looking up "hand stitching awl" presents a method likely to be used in the photo collection. This method uses a single thread, while a sewing machine uses a second thread in a bobbin located under the machine arm.
For this project, the loop is pushed to the underside of the sheet. The awl is removed and placed in the next hole. The new loop is then passed into the previous loop and tensioned.
The new loop becomes the previous loop for the next hole.

From the above image, it appears that the underside thread is pulled mostly to the top. The underside thread is not visible on the underside, but it has to be there and may be the angle of the photograph.
A YouTube video shows one method of connecting the loops, although there may be other methods possible.


Preserving paper stickers long term I'm going to frame a few old video game cartridges in a box frame for art and preservation.

I got the idea from a few posts I've seen online of others who have done the same:

I'm going use a sheet of foam and cut out the squares for the cartridges to sit in, within the box frame.

My one concern is the paper sticker-labels on the cartridges fading over time. They will be behind the glass frame permanently, but I don't want them to fade due to light exposure. My only idea so far for maintaining the labels is to not hang the frame in a location that will ever be exposed to direct sunlight. My only other thought is perhaps using special glass on the frame which reduces the light damage on the art inside? But I'm not sure if this even exists?

Is there anything else I can do to extend the lifespan of these cartridge labels?

Links to original posts:

https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemon/comments/csgqfp/

https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemon/comments/85k9d0/

https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemon/comments/72kkut/

The greatest culprit of the fading of printed colour is UV light. This process is called photo-degradation.

You can protect your images by framing them using conservation glass or UV filtering Plexiglas (which can be found at most art supply stores and framing ateliers), or coat the glass you already have with UV protective spray. This process needs to be repeated, though. There are also (adhesive) protective sheets you can cut to size, either to cover the frame window or the individual objects, but these are harder to find.

Apart from hanging your pictures out of direct sunlight, be sure to frame them cleanly, and place them in a stable and dry environment, away from heat sources.


What is a good set of tools for a beginner in leather working? I've always wanted to craft a small bag out of leather for myself, and I've seen so many different tools to use for leather.

For a beginner, what types of tools would you recommend?

Are there any great beginner tool sets that you know of that aren't very expensive?

The specific tools you need will depend on exactly what you want to do and the material you're working with; the list below covers both the tasks required to make a bag and the tools necessary to complete them, and assumes that you're using normal, veg-tanned, undyed leather.
Task: Cutting
You'll need some way of cutting the leather to shape. I like to use an ordinary scalpel, with a fresh blade, but a craft knife or Stanley knife will also do. You'll also need something to cut on and a steel ruler to keep your lines straight. For thin (<2mm) leather, chunky fabric scissors will also work but won't leave as neat an edge.
Shaping
Veg tanned leather can be moulded by soaking it in water (which I assume you have access to) and forming it to the desired shape. No additional tools needed.
Task: Sewing
To attach your bits of leather you'll either need to sew or rivet it together. If you're sewing you'll need a pricking iron, awl or stitch punch to make holes in the leather (you can't just sew straight through with a needle like you can with fabric) and a thick needle and strong thread.
You may also want a stitch groover to make a groove for the stitching to sit in. This keeps it from sticking out above the surface of the leather, which helps protect the stitching from wear and tear (think the stitching on the soles of shoes, for example).
Task: Riveting
If instead you want to rivet the leather, you'll need an appropriately sized hole punch and a hammer, or a pair of punch pliers to make the holes for the rivets to go through. You'll then need rivets to go in these holes and a rivet setter or pair of rivet setting pliers to fix them in place.
The above tools are all that are strictly necessary for a functional item; those below will help make it look better and last longer
Task: Finishing & Dyeing
There are lots of different ways of finishing leather, but most come down to some combination of dyes and oil based finish. For more information, see this previous question
Task: Edge Finishing
It's normal to bevel and slick the edges of a piece of leather using edge bevellers and edge slickers
Task: Embossing & Carving
To emboss (technically deboss, as the design is lowered not raised) you'll need stamps and a hammer. Carving can be done with any kind of knife, but there are specialist knives specifically designed for it too.
Task: Lining
If you want to line your bag with a layer of fabric, then you'll need fabric scissors and a needle & thread as a minimum.
I don't know where you live, so can't recommend any brands to you, but I personally buy from LeProvo here in the UK. Their site also contains pictures of all the tools listed above, which should help you to match their names to their forms.


Tracking down speckled/marbled upholstery fabric I'm working on a project that requires some upholstery work and I cant seem to track down the fabric I'd like. I'm looking for this pattern or something near it

The style shown on the website isn't sold anymore, but when it was they called it Nordic Weave, Indigo and that's about all the information I have on it. I've searched for quite a while to find it or something similar and I can't find anything.

Does anyone have a clue of where I might find this fabric?

There are some similar fabrics at lavivahome.com. They call it cotton stria and wool bouclè.


How can I fix or prevent getting holes in my jeans near the crotch? I am a male and I get a hole in the crotch of my jeans all the time. It happens in about 6-12 months of owning the jeans. It always happens in the same spot. I have tried many different brands now and it happens to all of them. What is causing this? What can I do to prevent it? How do I fix it if it already has holes?

It's likely caused by the friction of your inner thighs rubbing together causing the material to wear in that spot quicker (especially because there are a few seams right there).

This can also be exacerbated by wearing pants that are too tight so that it's relatively tight around the upper leg or ones you shrunk by washing in hot water and running them in a dryer. If you're going to dry them you should wash them in cold water and dry them on low to minimize shrinkage. I have shrunk great jeans before and had to get rid of them because I made them too small. Finding a different pant cut may alleviate this, however, this will probably happen to any jean if you wear and wash them too much so if you can have more pairs of jeans and wash them a bit less they'll probably last a little longer, but it's pretty much always going to happen eventually.

You could fix them by sewing a jean patch on (cut up a different pair of jeans or buy a patch from the store) but you have to remember you're going to add more seams and a patch of jean that's either a different color or older/newer jean material and it probably is not going to last all that long.


What is a stretchy cast-on for top down socks? I just finished my first sock but the top is too tight to go over my heel. I used the long-tail cast-on, should I have used a different one?

The long-tail cast-on is a sturdy one, excellent for when you need structure, but not so much when you need stretchy. Better choices, in turns of stretch, include:

cabled cast-on (super easy)
tubular cast-on (to go with 1-1 ribbing)
rolled edge (easy, durable, and would let you still use the long-tail method)

The links are for TECHknitting, but these are well known techniques and a web search will bring up lots of resources for any of them.


is there such a thing as a wide belt sander attached to a flex shaft? I want to sand/polish resin mold crafts. Most of the pieces I work with are around 2" on their widest sides. I am looking into a belt sander to avoid the manual process of sanding by hand. So far I only see two kinds of belt sanders:

Flex shaft belt sanders, that range from 1/2" to 1" width sanding belts. This is not ideal, since it would result in uneven sanding.
Table top belt sanders. It is easy enough to find 4" wide belt sanders like this, but these are extremely large bulk devices, and they offer no foot pedal.

Does there exist a device that can meet in the middle somewhere? Is it possible to jerry-rig a system using a flex shaft onto a table top belt sander, or attach a wider belt to flex shaft belt sander attachments?

The basic issue is the required power.  Belt sanders are designed for aggressive removal of material.  The larger the surface area that is sanded, the more power it takes.  At 1/2" to 1" wide belts, the required power is low enough that small motors can handle the job.  Flexible shafts can also handle that (they have limited strength).
At 4" wide belts, you need big motors, and a heavy duty structure to support everything.  You can find handheld 2" belt sanders that are within the power range that can be battery powered.  You probably don't want to work with a belt the same size as your piece for the same reason you don't want to work with a smaller belt.
A reasonable compromise would be a 3" handheld belt sander that you secure in a fixture that you make or in a clamping work table.  The motors for these are typically over 800 watts, which means they're normally plug-in, not battery-powered (although there are a few pricey professional-grade battery-powered ones).  There's a selection of inexpensive consumer models at the big retailers.
When not in use, the sander is the size of a handheld power tool, so it's easy to find a storage place.  The clamping work tables typically fold for storage, and are handy for a variety of uses (it is a general purpose work table, not a dedicated part of a sander).  You could make a tabletop fixture for the sander that would be relatively compact.  A 3" sander and fixture would be considerably smaller and lighter than a 4" tabletop sander.
I've seen videos of hobbyists who have made their own belt sander from wood and other available supplies that they power with a drill.  A drill motor will have enough power for very light duty sanding, but any significant load is likely to damage it.


What type of paint works well on plaster? So, the color of my dyed plaster died. After I finish up the details and smoothing of this piece, I'd like to restore the color with some paint.

What type of paint will work well for this?

I need something that will:

Hold fast
Work easily on the semi-porous plaster
Not seal in moisture in the piece, or add to it
Preferably semi-glossy to glossy
Not smooth out my fine edges and detailing, or thicken/round them

Since you don't want to loose any surface detail in your casting and it's a porous material you are wanting to colour, have you considered using a dye or stain instead of a paint?

Using dyes, you chemically change the colour of your material. Adding no thickness to the item being coloured.

I don't have much experience with dyes other than colouring Easter eggs. Using melted wax to mask areas allows for ornate designs to be created.

Here's a demonstration of the process.


What is the purpose of an abrader in flint knapping? I'm trying to learn flint knapping, and I keep seeing references to abrading the edge while working the material.

What is the purpose of doing this?  How do I know when an edge should be abraded, and how do I know when I have abraded it sufficiently to go back to pressure flaking?

The purpose is to prepare a flake for improved manipulation.

Abrasion is a process also referred to as 'raking':

  Raking is the action of carefully dragging a course abrader or other device to remove "micro" flakes from the edge of a biface or preform to change it's [sic] shape or give support to an edge before actual abrading is done prior to percussion or pressure work.
  source

  Edges being worked [especially while soft hammer knapping] must be ground dull prior to flake removal. This dulling helps prevent edge collapse. A piece of sandstone, very soft limestone, or other soft rock may be used to dull the edge.
  source

  The process [of lithic reduction] also involves frequent preparation of the edge to form better platforms for pressing off flakes. This is usually accomplished with abraiders made from a coarse-grained stone such as basalt or quartzite.
  source

Essentially, the abrasion allows for the force to be distributed more evenly and controllably.


Attaching a piece of wood to a necklace without drilling I would like to attach a rectangular piece of wood (without drilling through the wood) to a string to make a necklace. The piece of wood should be attached with a knot to its extremity, and hang vertically. I would like the knot to be small, easy and aesthetic. I am thinking about using a fisherman's knot to make a loop out of the necklace, and then somehow attach the wood to the loop - but it might be more clever to attach the wood to the two ends of the string.

What type of knot should I use?

You may have luck with hitches or whippings. The former tends to involve attaching a rope to something, such as a piece of wood. The latter finishes the end of a rope to keep it from fraying, or finishes a piece of wood...to keep it from splintering? Both tend to have styles that can be repeated down a bit of wood making them both more secure and more attractive.

You might have particular luck with a West Country Whipping or a French Whipping


Efficient cutting and preparation of fabric for sewing clothing My questions:

Is there an 'ideal' size to cut / store fabric for making clothes?
Do other sewers have an efficient system in place for cutting / preparing their fabric for future sewing projects?

There are many resources online providing methods of storing fabric stashes in a small living space. The focus of my question is on cutting, preparation, and planning, rather than just storage.
Background:
I am starting to build up a large fabric collection, which is a mix of different sizes/areas of material. I have large bolts of fabric (up to 4 metres long), smaller pieces like fat quarters, and also small off-cut scraps.
I started buying longer bolts of fabric when I realised that it can be tricky to follow patterns for clothing when you only have small scraps of fabric available. For example, when I want to follow a pattern for leggings, I need a length of fabric which is at least as long as the leg shape, plus extra length for hems etc. I purchased a few metres of fabric at a time in one continuous bolt for this reason, but have now realised that I am finding it difficult to store, wash, and cut. (One of the reasons I find the cutting difficult is because I have a small work space and the largest flat surface I have is just under 1m square. I have read about other sewers cutting out fabric on the floor, but the floor of my space is not suitable.)
I have considered cutting my large bolts of fabric into smaller pieces to help with storage, and this should also help me with cutting out, because I won't have long pieces of material drooping over the edge of my work space. However, I'm not sure if this is the correct solution, or if this will cause problems later on when I try to sew garments like leggings or trousers.

I would hesitate to cut my fabric into smaller pieces for storage, just because I can pretty much guarantee that as soon as you cut your fabric, the universe will send you the perfect pattern for that particular piece of fabric--but the pattern will require about 1/2 yard longer than your chosen cutting length.

But the reason I wanted to post an answer is because I just took a sewing class where my instructor insisted on teaching us how to cut fabric when you only have a small cutting surface.  The basic tenets were that you should NEVER let fabric hang over the edge of the table, as this can pull parts of your fabric off grain.  Instead we spent a lot of time folding and refolding unused and/or already pinned sections of fabric as we laid out our patterns in preparation for cutting.


What paint works for "mock" stained glass? I am pondering a project to make candle holders from wine bottles. I'd like to paint a "stained glass" style pattern on the outside, so it looks like a much more complex project than it actually is.

What paint will provide color for the "panes", but still be translucent? What paint should I use for the "lead" borders (not translucent)?

A very simple approach are Window Colour types of paint (example).

They basically produce removable decals. You can either work directly on the glass or - if bottle design and pattern permit - work comfortably on a flat surface, then transfer it to the bottle. (Or combine both and connect pre-made parts on the bottle with fresh paint.)

Lines / contours are done with opaque paints, they come in "lead grey" explicitly to mimick the lead of stained glass.

It needs no curing, but is admittedly less sturdy than classic glass paint. Otoh, I've had one design on a big jar for two decades now, including the occasional hand-washing. It has so solidified over the years that it is no longer removable.


Vine charcoal and Willow charcoal I'm about to buy a new set of charcoal, but I found vine and willow charcoal sticks, which I've never seen before.  Before I buy this charcoal set I need to know the difference.
I'd like to ask people who have used these types of charcoal before, what beneficial characteristics do they bring to the table, and in what ways are the experience of using them different?  How does the magnitude of difference compare to the difference in cost?  Are there certain kinds of results that are possible (or significantly easier) only with these kinds of charcoal?

You won't notice a lot of differences between using vine and willow charcoal.
Vine (of the grape) tends to be slightly darker in tone, is physically a little harder than willow, and I believe it has a somewhat finer structure. Vine is thinner and usually a little straighter than willow. The latter can come in a larger variety of thicknesses, which can be convenient when wanting to make broad strokes. Willow also tends to have more knots, which can have adverse effects while drawing (e.g. sudden changes in hardness and breaking in unpredictable ways).
Note that these characteristics can differ even between brands (different production processes, different climes, different wood species, different storage, &c.).
I suppose that historically vine charcoal was used more often in southern Europe (such as Italy during the renaissance), whereas in the north people had more access to willow.

If you can get your hands on it, it might be worthwhile looking into 'Nitram' charcoal.
I have no experience with it - I actually just found out about it - but it is supposed to have deeper colours while being as easy to erase as regular charcoal, and it comes in different hardnesses (H, HB, and B). It is easier to sharpen to a finer point for detailed work than regular charcoal types. It also leaves less dust, which might be especially appealing to people with allergies or sensitivities.


How can I cleanly cut the inside of a paper on a different angle? Here's an issue that I've always faced when trying to cut something.

Generally, when cutting a piece of paper with scissors, it goes on well. I cut a straight line. When I have to change the direction of the line, it becomes difficult. Often, I'm not able to continue the line perfectly, as I now have this "Y" shaped cut with one that just finishes. Here's an image to demonstrate.

While cutting: I'm changing the direction of the cut here.

After the cut:

Is there a way to stop these "Y"s? Any tips or techniques to prevent that, or stop it altogether? I'm hoping not to bend the paper just to get the end if I don't have to as well.

Using scissors, as you have pictured, would be a contributing factor here. Using a craft knife or something similar would most certainly be the go-to tool.

It is important to try to do the cutting in one motion - to not lift the blade from the paper and, if possible, not change the pressure you are exerting on the scissors. So if you were cutting this on a mat (without scissors of course), when you need to change direction you can rotate the paper accordingly. Craft knives have fine points so turning it is not likely to damage too much.

In the case of the specific Y, using a craft knife, I would also consider the starting point of the cuts to be the intersection shown and then cut away from that point. That approach is more case-by-case and really is dependent on your overall design.

If you insist on using scissors, the only tip I have to offer is to try and keep cutting as you are turning the paper. Try and finish the whole cut in one motion of the scissors. That would help stop the start of a tear. Hands and the tool itself can make that hard.


Need advice on a color that matches this color theory I’m currently working on an art project and came to a barrier. I need to implement a third color that is asssociated with one another based on the color wheel and color theory, to these colors as shown in the picture:

(It’s a print)

I’m thinking a light, lime green could achieve this; however, I’m uncertain and some second thoughts could help.

This is based simply on classic color theory:

You're currently using two colors, and want to add a third. So, using color theory would involve choosing the third color based on the relationship of the first two to one another.

Since the coral orange and dusty purple (based on my screen) are about 1/4 of the "wheel" away from one another, there's really two color schemes that fit:

Light, lime green fits in with a triadic color scheme.
A rose pink could fit in quite nicely with an analogous scheme.

Triadic color schemes have 3 colors that split the color wheel into equal thirds. Closely related is the split complementary theme, where two of the colors are adjacent to the complement of another. In my example, you'd be using a blend of both. Your first two colors aren't so close together that the complement of the lime green, rose pink, is actually adjacent to them. That's why it's more of a triadic color scheme, despite not being a perfectly even split around the color wheel.

The analogous scheme is using three colors that are near each other, the "outer" two (on the wheel) about the same distance from the center color. That's how I arrived at my rose pink suggestion.

It's important to remember that there's room to play, and color theory can be used to develop rich palettes with many distinct colors, even if it's only three base colors from the wheel. And the color you pick can affect the mood or tone you're trying to set in your work. Consider the difference it would make shifting the lime green closer to yellow or green. Or making the light green even lighter, or darker, which would add contrast of brightness.

Here's a quick example palette with the four colors discussed (roughly), as generated from the link I provided to Palleton (a simple interactive color wheel with built-in scheme options).


How can I prevent watercolor paper from buckling? Watercolor paper comes in various weights and the lighter variants can buckle (also known as cockling) when they get wet. How can I prevent or reduce this from happening? Is there a preferred technique or should I just buy the really heavy paper?

To prevent the paper buckling/cockling you pre-stretch it, That is you wet the paper and tape it down to a rigid board with gum strip. I generally use a wooden drawing board that I made in work shop practice 50 odd years ago. Note masking tape does not work as well as gum-strip for this as it does not adhere very well to wet paper.

You paint onto the stretched paper and only cut it free from the gum-strip when finished.

Heavier paper (say 300+ grams per square meter) usually does not cockle when you paint on it using water colour technique (do not regard this as a challenge, I'm sure you could get it to cockle with a wet enough technique).


What is a split primary palette? I'm looking at building out a gouache palette and I came across the term "split primary" palette. What is that and why would I want to have that?

A split primary color palette is a slight derivation of the artist primary color palette, which is composed of red, yellow and blue. The split comes from taking those three colors and splitting them into warm and cool versions.

Click for source website
As in the example above, the palette is often visualized with strong lines splitting the primary colors. The rest of the palette is developed by mixing the colors that are in the same divisional section. The "formula" comes out to be:

Warm Yellow + Warm Red -> Orange Secondary

Cool Yellow + Cool Blue -> Green Secondary

Warm Blue + Cool Red -> Purple Secondary
If you try mixing across these lines, such as Warm Red + Warm Blue, the pigment interaction can cause the colors to become washed out or muddy. The same is true with your Secondaries. Don't mix your Purple with your Cool Blue. Sticking to the formula above and only mixing colors in the same 1/3rd sections keeps colors looking bright and intense.

Here's an example that shows how crossing the boundaries creates muddy colors (the center 3 colors):

Click for source website
Aside from more vibrant colors, this type of palette allows you to more easily mix a full spectrum of colors. This is in part because the Cool Blue, Cool Red, and Cool Yellow are closer in value to Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow, the Subtractive Primaries (as seen in CMYK color standards). CMYK works better for mixing paint, because the paint gets its colors from pigment which "absorbs" light (and only reflects back the wavelength we perceive). The absorption is where the term subtractive comes into play.
From a physics standpoint, when you mix colors across your splits, you're mixing pigments that end up absorbing more wavelengths, instead of just more of the same wavelengths. For instance:

Warm Red reflects back Red, which is Magenta + Yellow, meaning it absorbs Cyan.
Warm Blue reflects back something closer to Cyan, which means it absorbs Magenta + Yellow.

So, if you combine those two together you have a color that absorbs Cyan and Magenta and Yellow, which is why it leaves you with a muddy brown or black (depending on your paint). Here's a diagram I made that shows this a little more clearly by comparing it directly to CMYK:

Notice how the Cool Yellow and Cool Red mix to make something closer to Red? And then mixing that with the Cool Blue leads to brown (pretty dark here, but compare it to the black center in the CMY set).
The additional benefit to using this type of palette is that it helps train you to naturally understand how mixing RBY/CMY works as you practice, while helping you avoid those mixes that lead to dim, muddied colors. As a plus, it could also save you some money by avoiding wasted paint!


Easter crafts, any besides eggs? Are there any home crafts regarding Easter besides eggs? Easter will be coming fairly soon calendar-wise after all.

Making an Easter bonnet is a fairly common activity for young children round here (encouraged by schools, nurseries).

Decorated planters for spring bulbs (e.g. daffodils) are quite popular gifts, requiring both craft and gardening.

Closely related to eggs is baskets to put them in.


How can I affix a ball bearing to a metal shaft without welding? I am making a ball joint for a figure and have decided on ball bearings since they're easy to source in the correct size.

I need to attach the ball to a shaft of some sort, like a small steel rod.

The bearing will be small, approximately 1/4 inch in diameter. The shaft will be 1/8 inch or smaller.

The ball needs to be completely static and strong enough to support some weight, a pound maximum.

I have steel reinforced epoxy putty, but it's hard to work with and I can't imagine in sticking to the smooth surface of the ball.

I do not have tools to drill a hole in the bearing, and have not found pre-drilled balls of the right diameter for purchase.

What can I do? I'm looking to do this withing welding, soldering, brazing, or anything that requires high heat to accomplish.

As much as I like the brazing answer, it's unfortunate that it won't work for your purposes.

A search using the terms "drilled steel ball" resulted in many returns for of threaded and non-threaded balls of various materials. Most of the returns are for larger than 1/4" as you've requested.

If you can adjust your design, there is a source of 8 mm drilled (unthreaded) balls on Etsy. It should be possible to use an epoxy to secure this type of ball to a rod.

Etsy also has a listing for a drilled threaded version.


How to do iron-on transfers on a softshell jacket I recently learned about the existence of iron-on transfer papers, and how it allows someone to transfer a print onto cotton fabrics with any custom design a person can print from their inkjet printers.

However, I have not been that lucky when it comes to other kinds of fabric. In particular, I want to transfer a picture to a softshell jacket. I have found online shops that offer the service (unfortunately far from my location and the delivery is not possible or too expensive), but I am wondering if there is a way to do it at home without specialized equipment.

(Update replying to the comment: I myself am very new to the term as well, and it seems there is no clear consensus on what it is or not softshell. The best approach I have been able to find mentions polyester. But in general I am thinking of a light jacket that is slightly water resistant -not waterproof-, fit for sports like running or riding. I hope this is not too broad of an answer!)

(Update 2: Sorry for keep replying to the comments as updates. Unfortunately, merging the account is at the moment a bit impractical for me, and with the guest accounts I do not have yet enough reputation to comment.

I have not ordered a specific jacket yet, as I want to find out first what can be done and which material would be best for my purpose. However, as a reference, I have been looking for something in this direction: https://www.4imprint.com/tag/382/Soft-Shell)

Below is a pretty good definition of a soft shell jacket - imo I think of soft shell jackets as anything not waterproof like with a Goretex finish which could (1) be damaged by heat, and/or (2) resist application of the transfer. Most important for you, though, is that they are almost always made of synthetics which can melt from high heat (i.e., from ironing).

Your best bet would be a cotton/synthetic blend, no high-performance finishes, and be sure to test with an iron on a place inside the jacket that no one will see.  Good Luck!

Soft-shell Jackets are designed for use outdoors as part of the layering system, and can be used alone, ideal for aerobic activity in light weather conditions if they are water repellent and highly breathable, or as an insulating layer under a 'hard shell' outer jacket.
Guide To Soft-shell Jackets - GO Outdoors
www.gooutdoors.co.uk/expert-advice/softshell-jackets

from:
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=what+is+the+definition+of+a+shoft+shell+jacket&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Edit/Additional Information:
The 741 customer reviews & 202 answered questions in the product information link you provide in your question for Avery iron-on transfer papers have a wealth of information and tips for using (or not using) this product. I suggest reading all of them if you haven't already.

As mentioned in the first posting of my answer, ironing temperature is a critical element to success and requires some experimenting with the heat settings on your iron and the exact fabric/fiber type of the jacket.

My experience with these type of transfers is with kids'/teens' tee shirts, in 100% cotton or "cotton rich" blends which means mostly cotton with some low percent if polyester (under 50%), or stretch fibers (under 10%), like Lycra.

Kids' tee shirts are not a big initial investment and they usually only need to get through one party or school event, and the result doesn't need to be perfect.  This is not the case with a nice jacket, so the stakes are higher for you.

The potential issues I see with your project are:

You are not sure what the fiber and fabric type of the jacket will be
You won't have extra fabric to test the transfer papers on
The jacket will likely be an investment and it could be ruined

I know you like the idea of the transfer papers, and they are cool.  You might want to buy some fabric and play around with the papers and the process before working on a jacket.

If you aren't able to access or use a professional apparel printer who can upload your design and print the jacket for you, you could also look into professional embroidering businesses in your area.  Commercial embroiderers can also use your uploaded design file.  A complication with these options is that you usually need to print/embroider a certain number/lot of items to make this financially feasible.

One option for you that is less costly and will still let you use the transfer papers, is to purchase some fabric at a fabric store and print on that.  Then cut the printed image out and attach it to your jacket by sewing or gluing with fabric glue.  If you try this, it would be best to buy your background fabric in the same color as the jacket, and made of  approximately the same fiber content and fabric construction.

At a minimum, you could buy one package of the transfer papers and practice on clothing you already have that you can either live without, or live with if the printing isn't perfect.


What is the term for drawing wireframes which are drawn before drawing the actual object? Image of pitcher plant from drawbox.com

I wish to learn how to visualize and draw wireframes like that for any object.
I searched Google with term "drawing wireframes" but didn't get what I was looking for.

What term should I search in Google to learn how to visualize and draw the kind of wireframe shown in that link?

Those are your construction lines.

Be advised that this term is also used for 3D modeling, and you may need to filter CAD out of any web searches.

They can also be called guidelines.

When drawing figures, they're often called mannequins.

These terms can be a bit generic. What will help find tutorials or guides is a combination of construction drawing + your art type, such as figure or still life.

You may find success looking at contour lines, as another answer suggests, but contour lines typically have a different connotation in drawing. Contours describe the visible surface and outlines. They don't describe the wireframe/unseen surfaces as seen in the tutorial you mentioned. Just be wary in looking for contour drawings, as that will lead you to a different type of exercise/drawing technique.


What can I do to make my simple hooks more comfortable? When I started out I thought that the tools for crocheting were pretty cheap to acquire. Anytime I needed another hook ( or lost one ) I would just head over to the dollar store and get one for usually under 2 bucks. I also never understood why so many had grips or otherwise larger handles. They seemed uncomfortable and awkward. At the time I was doing just fine with the hooks I had...

Now that I am crocheting more, I am starting to pay more attention to my hands and how they are feeling while I am working. If it's a possibility, I would like larger grips on my hooks.

Ignoring the minimal investment thus far with my hooks I was curious about what I could do to add a cushion, cushion-like attachment or make them larger so that they would, in theory, be more comfortable.

I had considered something like a pencil grip but those were designed for pencils obviously. I had also considered Sugru (since it has come up a few times at Crafts.SE) but was shying against it because that would be a permanent addition to the hooks (So I could not put them back easily in my wicked case!).

What can I use on my hooks instead, that is preferably removable? My thinner hooks are steel but I have a couple size 6 plastics if it matters.

Pencil grips work! If they don't fit because your crochet hook is too thin, you can wrap your hook handle with tape (masking tape is easy to remove) or paper (but you have to use glue then) up to the thumb rest (the flat part in the middle of most hooks).
And if you want something permanent you can use polymer clay, I believe that is cheaper than sugru.


Is there a term to describe woven patterns as opposed to printed patterns? I like the look of patterns that are created using different colors of thread rather than printed on top of the fabric, but I've had some difficulty searching for such fabric online.

Here are some examples of what I'm looking for from my closet.

I've done some research and found several possible search terms

Jacquard fabric:  Describes weaving process. Is a little too specific as a jacquard loom wouldn't be used for plaids for example
Homespun fabric: "Homespun is a lightweight fabric of fine cotton yarns, produced by using traditional colornial techniques of hand dying, warping, weaving and washing" Def. from Miller Home Goods Is a little too general since it includes dyed fabric

Is there a general term to describe woven patterns? Or what more specific terms would apply to the fabric samples above?

Another term that is relevant is yarn dyed. A plaid can be "dyed in the wool" ie the yarn or thread is dyed before weaving or a plaid design can be printed.

There are lots of interesting patterns that can be created in the weaving process and many ethnic traditions. Ikat or tie dying the thread before weaving is another technique used to create pattern that has been used around the world. Weaving is pretty complicated, you might like checking out some books on different techniques and loom types or the history of weaving. "Hand weaving" might also be a good search term if you are interested in ethnic traditions.


Is Soda Ash used in Tie Dying septic safe? If I use soda ash when tie-dying, is it safe to dump the liquid down into my septic system or will it kill off?

Most of the resources that I reviewed agree that the amount of soda ash used for home dyeing is safe to pour down the drain. However, I agree that it is important to take extra precautions with a septic system. So I checked the Dharma Trading Co. website (a great resource with lots of detailed info about dyeing fabric and fiber),

  One environmental consideration is that if you have added Soda Ash to your dyebath, then it's alkaline (high pH) and can be neutralized by the addition of a little white vinegar (low pH). If you used vinegar or acidic acid in your dyebath, you can add some Soda Ash to neutralize the acid.

They go on,

  Highly acidic or alkaline waste water maybe could upset the balance in a septic tank. We have pH test paper you can use to test the pH before flushing it down the drain.

So, I would recommend testing the pH of the leftover liquid, and, if it is overly alkaline, treating it with some white vinegar before you pour it down your drain.


What knitting/weave style is this? Here it is used on a simple and light winter hat.

Also: is this doable by hand?

Front:

Back:

Is it doable by hand?
Yes, every knitting pattern is doable by hand. You might need some tutorials and experience to make it look good, but it's doable by hand. The main problem with such a light product is that it uses very light yarn, thereby needing a great number of stitches, increasing the time it takes to knit.

What is it?
To be honest, I'm not absolutely sure. There are several stitches that create a similar pattern. By looking at the transition from pattern to cuff you can count 4 stitches that form the repeating pattern.

The best match seems to be the seersucker pattern. This one is relatively easy to do because all the stitches you need to know are knit and purl. Here you can find a detailed picture of both sides of the pattern to compare it with your hat, as well as a written instruction. There are also instruction on Youtube.

A very similar look is produced by a mock honeycomb pattern. Have a look at a video tutorial here.

It could also be a bubble pattern, but with very small bubbles. The instructions here, as well as this video tutorial work with 4 stitches, just like in your hat.

Please note that all video tutorials demonstrate the english knitting style, where the yarn is "thrown" by the right hand. You can create the same pattern in continental knitting style, where the yarn is lead by the left hand.


How can I completely clean an old candle container? I buy lots of candles, which means I end up with lots of candle holders. I want to be able to reuse these containers, in some cases for food storage since some of the candles are in jars. This means I need to completely eliminate all of the wax.
How can I ensure that the container is free of any wax residue?

I've done similar things after using food containers for candles.  You may not actually need all these steps, but this is how to be very thorough.
What I'd do is put them in a cool oven, just hot enough to thoroughly melt the wax (100°C should be enough).
First, put them face down supported on wires over a drip tray.  The vast majority of the wax will run out.
Then, still hot, and holding using oven gloves, wipe the insides thoroughly with a dry rag.
In terms of food safety, while I doubt you could ever reuse the containers commercially within the rules, I'd probably be happy at that point to use containers from  unscented candles.  After all, paraffin wax and beeswax are both used in food.
I'd still go a step further though, and definitely if anything scented had been in there: Finally, put them through a dishwasher on a hot wash (70°C or above).  Paraffin wax and beeswax both melt a little below this, and once melted the dishwasher will remove the residue and any scent.  Shifting the scent may actually be the tricky bit.
Apparently container candles are best made with lower melting point waxes anyway, so they should easily melt in the dishwasher.  The earlier steps were more to protect your filters. If any scent lingers after dishwashing, either give up on that container, or wipe round with cooking oil, then fill to the brim with hot soapy water.  Dishwash again after soaking.
Of course, there's no guarantee that the containers can withstand a dishwasher.  Paint (or glitter etc.) on the outside would be particularly likely to be damaged.


Effective ways to practice drawing anatomy? What are some effective methods to practice drawing anatomy, preferably in 15-30 minute time increments? Looking for ways to structure a session of practice effectively.

The reason drawing the human form is such a challenge is how our brains work, we have a symbolic representation of what humans "look like" in our minds but that is not how bodies actually look in real life. So the struggle in life drawing is to draw as the eye sees the form, not as the mind records it. Understanding human anatomy and lots of practice (which includes lots of failure in the process) is the key.

Get a good book on anatomy and drawing technique. We used "Drawing the Human Form" by William A. Berry at my college. There are others. These will show you the relationship between the structures of the body and the forms they create. The skeleton, the musculature over it, and the skin that wraps it, they define the form a body takes. How these forms react to light, where highlights and shadows fall, that is what you want to put in your drawings. Studying these books will help you understand that connection.
Attend life drawing sessions. Nothing beats drawing a live human being for what you are after and few things are more challenging. Often there will be a teacher or other artists guiding these sessions that can work with you to correct your technique. Try to be loose, use soft drawing media like charcoal on cheap paper, don't be fussy. Also pay attention to where the light is coming from in relationship to the body and use that to model the form. You could try getting friends and family to pose for you, but that can increase the challenge as it becomes more personal.
If you can, take a course on drawing the human form at a local school or artists collective.


DVD/Bluray Plastic Cover I am trying to recreate the plastic cover which holds the art cover, of a DVD or Bluray case. I have suitable transparent plastic, but don't know how I should join/glue the edges to the case.

I have tried using super glue, however that leaves a visible gluey area behind the clear plastic cover.

How might I achieve a simmilarly clean join as a real DVD/Bluray case?

The case components are each molded as a single piece, not glued from flat sheets.  They're dirt cheap to purchase already made; you'll go through a lot of work to make one from scratch.  Consider just buying one (or a package of them when they're practically given away on sale).

If your goal is making one from scratch, solvent welding would be the way to do it without marring the plastic with excess glue.  The edges to be joined need to be very smooth and mate together well.  Typically, the edge of one piece is butted against the   face or edge of another piece.  A micro-pipette is used to allow capillary action to draw a tiny amount of solvent into the joint (which requires good mating for capillary action to work), which chemically welds the surfaces together.  Lucite objects are often assembled this way.

I've had good luck with this product available from Micro-Mark, I assume you can get the same or similar at hobby stores or from a retailer like Amazon:

The solvent needs to be appropriate for the type of plastic you're using.  The applicator is a glass capillary tube with an extremely fine metal capillary tube attached.  You dip the applicator in the solvent and the solvent is drawn into the tube.  Then you touch the tip to the joint and solvent is drawn between the mating surfaces (and nowhere else).


What kind of glue should I use to create a perfect bound paperback? I'm an amateur typographer. Until now, I've always printed various sizes of prints, flyers, saddle stitch, and so on.

I would like to move to small perfect bound paperbacks. However, I don't know where to start.

What kind of glue should I use to create these, and what tool can I use to apply it? Are there chemical risks associated with some kinds of products, or can they be used safely in a home environment?

Because most of my work is done using printers, the glue should be compatible with common kinds of inkjet and laser printers, common paper, coated paper for printing photos, and inks (toner, dye and pigmented inks).

Bonus:

Are there machines that would make this process quickly repeatable and with good results?

There are machines for doing perfect binding on a small scale.  They start in roughly the $50-$100 price range, and go up from there.  They're generally "thermal" (they heat a strip of hot melt glue in the binding).  If you search "thermal binder", you'll find a bunch of options.  Here's a random, low-cost example from Amazon just as an illustration:

Source

Most of the large companies that make binding equipment and supplies, like Fellowes and GBC, offer versions.

The general way they work is you use a cover that has a glue strip in it.  You wrap the cover around the pages and stick the assembly in an upright guide over a heating element.  The machine melts the adhesive, then you stick the book in a cooling stand.  The whole process takes a few minutes per book.

You can buy premade covers that have an opaque back and transparent front, so your own cover art shows through.  They also sell glue strips that you can stick in your own cover.

I've used similar machines that were more "commercial grade".  The process is simple, fast, and clean, and the results look very professional.  They work with any type of paper and don't affect the printing (the heat is applied only to the edge).

If you mess up, or need to remove or replace a page, you can usually just put the book back in the machine, remelt the glue, and swap out the page.


I want to glue shells onto a mirror frame which is very old, dark wood, varnished. What glue should I use? Gluing shells onto a frame made of wood covered in varnish.

For simplicity and easiest results I would suggest to use a hot glue gun. Works perfectly for both materials (shells and varnished wood).

Source: I have already produced a very similar mirror frame together with my daughter ;-)


How to cut out notches and holes in foam semi-precisely? I'm considering modifying a foam glider into an RC plane, but one of the problems I'm worried about is that all the electronics will be sitting rather exposed on top of the fuselage(I think that's the right term for the long skinny tube part). So I figured 'oh I'll just cut out some holes and set the stuff in there' but I don't know how I would cut the channels and holes for wires and hardware and leave a floor for it to sit on. If needed I can cut all the way through, chop off the top bit or so, and then duct tape the bottom part back into the plane to make an indent. But this method still needs a knife or something to go all the way through the foam, and I know that's not gonna happen without seriously mangling the plane and wasting foam. I looked into hot wire cutters, but for that I would have to cut from the outside of the plane and that would weaken the plane overall.
How can I cut through up to 4 inches of foam while minimizing the amount that turns into that annoying fluffy snow stuff that gets everywhere?

The "aircraft" you reference is made of expanded polystyrene foam, also known as Styrofoam™. It is sensitive to heat to the point that there are high-temperature-based tools to address your goal.
Rather than spend a bunch on specialized tools, you can use a soldering iron set just low enough to control the level of melt generated. If you have a single temperature tool, speed becomes the control.
Another approach that I've used is a bit more time consuming, but allows for much greater detail work. A butane lighter or steady heat source is used to bring a long sewing needle up to temperature. Obviously, pliers or similar must be used as a handle. You can drive the needle to the required depth at the corners of your recess, "draw" a cut-out outline and then use a soldering iron to eat away at the middle of the mass.
If you're handy with other tools, hammer the point of a nail to a flat blade and use that as your tool. You can hammer a spoon shape into the nail to get a smoothing tool.
The possibilities are limited only by your imagination and available resources in the tool department.


Looking for a springy thin wire to make earrings with I'm looking for a very thin wire (slightly thicker than fuse wire), that is flexible, but still able to be twisted together. These earrings are for figurines, that are held together and pushed into a hole, and slightly spring open so they do not fall out.

I have researched piano wire, guitar wire, wire wrapping wire and others - but I don't want to spend a lot of money just to find the right product. The full length of the earring in the picture is only about 3.5cm.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

The look of it strongly reminds me of christmas tree balls. They even work according to the same principle.

Maybe you have some old christmas tree balls you don't like anymore or one that's broken. Pull the cap out and remove the wire from the rest of the cap.


What is the best method of hanging canvas on a wall to work on? I've seen several videos and images of artists having their canvas stuck on the walls - paintings that they are currently working on.

I was wondering how they stick/place it on there?

These canvases are still unstretched and aren't framed, like those in the background of this picture:

I've tried using sticky putty but it isn't so effective when stuck on canvas.  Also duck tape isn't so effective.

Would appreciate any help, thanks!

Staple gun or hammering finishing nails to the wall. How will it be presented after completion?


Glue for sides of cross stitch work I would like, in order to prevent frays, to glue the sides and the thread stops of a finished work. The work should then be washable, since it is for a baby toy.
The sides of the work will be tucked inside and not accessible.
Which kind of glue should l use?

You could try fray check. These glues tend to be thinner, which would give you a less noticeable and stiff edge. They are usually clear, but may yellow over time.

If that isn't strong enough, you could try fabric glue, which as the name suggests, is specifically made for bonding fabrics.

You can also finish the back of your piece without glue! After mounting on a board or in a hoop, fold the raw edges under and stitch across from one side to another, keeping the fabric taut and in place. You can then cover up the back by sewing on another piece of fabric. This is often done with felt which does not fray, but you could use any fabric as long as you tuck the raw edges under.


Can you measure the amount of tooth that a piece of paper has? When shopping around for art paper there doesn't appear to be a measurement for amount of tooth. The paper does have a specified weight and whether it is rough or cold/hot pressed.

Can the amount of tooth be measured, allowing comparisons between different paper manufacturers?
If not, is it possible for some cold pressed paper to have less texture than some hot pressed paper (i.e. an overlap between the two)?

I'm imagining the paper analogue of grit for sandpaper.
Related:
Does paper have tooth levels?
How to identify the level of tooth a paper has?

Can you measure the amount of tooth that a piece of paper has?  I'm imagining the paper analogue of grit for sandpaper.

In the sense you're asking the question, the answer is no.  Sandpaper has a specific purpose that's directly related to the particle size of the grit.  It's produced in a huge range of incremental values that allow you to polish a surface by using progressively finer grits to erase the scratches left by the previous, coarser grits.  Theoretically, sandpaper could be made in any grit on a continuous scale if there was a need for it.
Paper tooth isn't graded in that way.  "Tooth" is more of a descriptive term, like "roughness".  Paper comes in a few ranges of roughness for different purposes.  Within those ranges, there is some variation between similar products.  But it's more the case that the paper is made optimized for the end use, rather than made to a specific "grit".

Can the amount of tooth be measured, allowing comparisons between different paper manufacturers?

The paper manufacturer has some form of measurement of the paper characteristics for quality control purposes, and you can see differences in the surface under a microscope.  But there isn't a universal standard measurement of tooth, where you could look up any paper and see its comparable measure.

If not, is it possible for some cold pressed paper to have less texture than some hot pressed paper (i.e. an overlap between the two)?

Texture is different from tooth.  Texture is a relatively large-scale pattern of irregularity in the surface.  Paper can have a texture but low tooth and vice versa.  Tooth is roughness at a near microscopic scale.  Paper for a particular purpose will have an appropriate combination of texture and tooth.

Different production methods are used for different objectives.  During paper manufacturing, different methods can be used to produce paper of different surface characteristics for different purposes.  Very pronounced "geometric" texture (like laid lines or a weave pattern), is often done by making the paper in a mold.  An unstructured irregular surface is often done using a felt blanket or belt with the desired surface texture.
If a smoother surface is needed, a subsequent step passes the paper through rollers or a press.  Whether that is done cold or hot, how much pressure is used, and the smoothness of the surface applying the pressure, affects how smooth the paper's texture will be.
The resulting characteristics of these methods are distinctly different, and the method is selected based on the type of paper (end purpose).  Hot pressed paper is smoother than cold-pressed, so this method is used when the smoothest surface is desired (there isn't overlap).

The level of tooth is affected by a number of things, such as the type of cellulose used, but it is largely determined by the characteristics of the sizing applied.  "Sizing" is a treatment typically applied in a bath to the almost finished paper.  It's primary purpose is to control the absorbency of the paper so that it doesn't simply act like a sponge.

Sources and further reading:

How is paper made? - Strathmore Artist Papers
Cold Press vs Hot Press watercolor paper - Here's how to choose !
Art Paper Surface Types
How to Choose the Right Surface Texture for Your Next Drawing - Carrie L. Lewis, Artist
Tooth and Texture...defined??? - WetCanvas: Online Living for Artists
What Does Tooth Mean In Art
Understanding Paper Tooth - What to Look for in an Artist Charcoal Paper - Nitram Charcoal
What's the difference between drawing paper and regular paper?


I'd like to create the textures of sand and water in this photo I took at the beach I'd like to find a way to paint/create the texture in this photo.

I have access to oil pint, acrylics, soft pastels, moulding paste (impasto) and more.

I was thinking to use several layers. Each layer could use a different approach, for example, one layer acrylic, another pencil, one impasto, another pastel.

I was also thinking of using different kinds of fabric or wire mesh as a 'wet stamp' -- perhaps in different tonal values and colours.

You have three distinct layers there. From bottom to top, layered like a painting:

The opaque sand layer;
the shadows of the waves;
the waves themselves.

If wanted, you can have an underpainting that shines through.
Now, going back reversely:

As for the layer of the waves, the most pleasing effect would be for it to be translucent, so I suggest glazing this last layer using oil paint.

I find that the shadows of the waves - the second layer - already resemble water colour, and, as this a perfectly fine (although outmoded) underground for an oil layer, it would be a practical choice, as well.
Since you might be working with oils, the medium you're working on should be properly prepared, using gesso or skin glue (with chalk).

The layer of sand can be achieved in a multitude of ways, but, if you want to have some texture, it could be nice to add real (very fine) sand to the preparation medium of your choice, to make it feel a bit more organic.

Something important to take into consideration (which you hinted at with your suggestion to use 'stamps'), is that the second and third layer are - naturally - quite similar.
If you'd print the photograph to scale, you could use carbon paper to trace the wave lines. This will give a much better and convincing idea of the interference than when you approximate these by hand. It will also give you a good blueprint for the second wave layer.


Do I need to hold the pencil in different ways for different kinds of shading methods? There are different types of shading techniques like criss cross, straight lines, circular shading, blending, scribbling, and dot shading (drawing dots close to each other).

I draw and shade everything by holding the pencil the same way I hold it for writing simply because I don't know better.

Does holding the pencil in a particular way for particular types of shading result in better outputs? If yes, then please guide how to hold the pencil for different kinds of shading methods.

Yes and no.
Standard Tripod
Assuming you're working on a horizontal plane, such as a flat desktop, you're probably using the standard grip (also known as the writing grip or tripod grip) for your pencil. This grip is good at doing fine detailed work and short strokes. That makes it very helpful for doing all the methods you mentioned, when the scale is small. That is to say, when the strokes you're making are small and detailed. You can do very fine crosshatching on a very large piece, or do large crosshatching on the same piece. When drawing at an incline, such as on an easel or drafting table, this grip is generally only used for detail work.
Paintbrush/brush Grip
This grip has you hold the pencil further up the shaft and along your index finger (see pictures). This grip makes it easier to apply lighter strokes to your piece. If your shading method requires you to apply strokes of different pressure, this grip may help you more. Building up your values one "layer" of shading at a time is a very common method, used with or without the aid of blending. The standard grip makes it easy to press too hard, often making the brush grip a better choice for building up value.
You can combine the pressure control with any of the methods you listed.

Underhand grip
I call this one underhand, but I've seen it called violin bow grip and also drumstick grip. Basically, you hold the pencil between the tips of your thumb and index finger, but your palm faces up (see picture).
The site I used for the picture already has a great explanation of what kinds of shading this is used for:

This grip is the preferable basic drawing grip. It does not need a propped arm, and the motion range is limited only by your arm span; it produces flowing, economical sweeping line and is ideal for rough sketching, hatching and tonal work with the side of lead. It works best on big page and a near-vertical plane (paper pinned to board), and is the preferred grip in academic drawing. It enables working with the lead’s side, for darker flowing lines and shading. It cannot be used with Wacom stylus.

This really is the best grip for using the side of the lead, especially when you're using a properly-sharpened pencil. Using the side of the lead allows you to lay down varying widths of solid tone. That makes this grip ideal for certain types of blending.
This grip also allows you to make fairly detailed hatch/crosshatch marks, although not as detailed as the standard grip. Generally, when you use this grip you keep your wrist stiff and move the pencil with your shoulder and elbow. However, you can flick your wrist to get some consistent, finely detailed lines.
The downside of this grip hinted at in the quote: you can't use it when drawing on a horizontal surface. You need an incline and room for your elbow to move.
You'd find it pretty hard to do detailed work with this grip, or do any sort of stippling/dotting.

Other grips
There are other grips out there, but the point here isn't to list the pros and cons of them all. These are the 3 basic grips, and the rest are essentially variations of them.


What are the different types of pencils used to make pencil drawing? Although I am not a trained artist, I have heard about different types of pencils for making a pencil drawing.I do not know much about it and also why it so( HB pencils).I like to know more about it as I want to make much better drawings.

There are H ( hard) grades ; H to 6H , HB, and B (soft) types; B to 4B (?). The B grades get about as soft as using charcoal; The hard types can cut some papers. I expect there is much more specific info on the internet.


Is there a way to determine the fiber content of a yarn if I've lost the label? I try to keep the label that comes with the yarn I buy but I do have a few balls of yarn where the label has disappeared and I don't have an additional, unused ball (that would still have the label).

Is there a way to tell what fiber(s) a yarn has if I've lost all the documentation for it?

According to Maggie Righetti in Knitting in Plain English1, there are a couple of methods you can use to narrow down the possibilities.

The Burn Test

Take a small length of the yarn and hold a flame to one end of it. Take safety precautions when doing this. Don't perform this test near anything else that's flammable and be prepared for the yarn to burn or melt.

Animal Fibers - These will burn slightly but will not sustain a fire once the source of the flame is removed. There will also be a smell.

Plant Fibers - These will sustain a fire once lit.

Man-made - These will melt when exposed to high heat or flame.

The Rub Test

Rub a few strands of the yarn between two fingers 8 - 10 times.

Cashmere and some acrylics - These fibers will start to pill or ball when rubbed together.

The Resistance Test

Hold 3 inches of a single strand of yarn between your hands. Pull the strand firmly, then quickly release the tension.

Good wool, some acrylics - Will "stretch and snap back"

Cotton, linen, and silk - These have poor elasticity and will not snap back.

Getting Mixed Results

If you seem to get results that imply the yarn is multiple things, it probably is. Many yarns are a mixture of different fibers.

1
Righetti, M. (2007). Chapter 3: Don't Get All Balled Up About Yarn. In Knitting in Plain English. New York City, NY: St. Martin's Press.


Can I use the same brush for oil and acrylic painting? I have a nice set of brushes that I frequently use for painting with acrylics. As I don't want to buy new brushes I would like to use these brushes also for oil. Is there any reason why I cannot use the same brushes for oils and acrylics? Or is it perfectly fine to do so?

The most important thing is to keep your brushes clean and dry between uses. Use a mild soap and lukewarm water (marseille soap is my favorite) to clean your brushes after you have used them, whether acrylic or oil. Rinse them in warm water, flick the water out and then dip them in acetone. The acetone will dry out the oils, turps and waters, leaving your brush nice and dry.

I should say however, that not all brushes are created equal and not all surfaces are forgiving. A good rule of thumb is that if the ends of the individual hairs are splitting, you can groom the ends, but sometimes it’s just time to get a new favorite brush.


Painting a flag without paint bleeding Background story: I bought a 3'x5' cotton flag and I painted it as seen in the photo. I made a mockup in photoshop and used a big T-square and pencil to sketch the shape of the numbers. They turned out super parallel, very straight, and very accurately sized.

I covered the edges with painters tape and filled in the tricky white areas with painters tape also. I taped down a trash bag on the larger white areas to save time and lots of tape. I then sprayed the flag with spray paint purposed for fabrics. After I peeled off the tape I was disappointed that there were spots I thought had been sealed but paint snuck underneath the tape leaving blue spots on the flag (which I couldn't get rid off). In other places, the tape apparently didn't stick too well to the fabric so paint bled past and ruined my straight lines.

In conclusion: I want to make another flag, but without making these same mistakes. What should I use as a better alternative to painters tape on the edges? Wax paper? I'm open to any ideas that may help me avoid this problem next time I paint.

Your best option for "precision" may be a craft known as batik. It involves applying melted wax onto the fabric in areas you wish to remain clear of the color currently being created. This effectively creates a stencil for the portion to be colored. Either paint or dye would then seep into the fabric.

The wax is then removed/washed out and new wax applied over the recently colored areas as well as any others to reject the latest color. As with many things organic and not particularly technological, you will get some less-than-perfect lines, but very likely much cleaner than with paint and tape.

I'd known of the process since my early years (so last century) but other than admiring others' work, never explored it. Your query and my resultant searches have me astonished at the development of the craft. Rather than drop a handful of links here in the forum, I suggest that you use your favorite or perhaps your second favorite search engine for "batik methods" and/or "batik supplies."

I'm going to pursue some of the links for my own entertainment. Another tool for the toolbox for me!


Rotary tool: How to insert bits into collet straight? I've got a rotary tool (aka Dremel) with a collet like this one (aka quick change collet):

You insert the shaft of an accessoir like a drill or diamond bit and tighten the collet nut to hold the accessoir in place. The accessoir is supposed to be centered automatically.

I want to use it to engrave a rather delicate ornament into glass. During my first tries with this tool I noticed that the diamond bit often isn't centered in the collet and creates a very wide line with chipped edges instead of the fine lines it should produce. When I start the tool I can actually see how the tip of the bit isn't centered (it looks like a double image):

When I notice this, I have to stop the tool, loosen the collet nut and wiggle the diamond bit around in the hopes of centering it by chance, then start the tool again and see if I was successfull.

How can I insert a bit into the collet straight on the first try?

I have bought high quality bits, so I assume they are straight. I always use the collet that is just big enough to insert the bits and always push the shaft all the way in. Since I get it right sometimes, I assume the machine itself is not to blame.

it seems that you are inserting the bit in correctly, it just seems like it's not going in straight some of the times. Besides being careful when inserting the bit, I'm not sure how else to guarantee the bit is set straight without some additional tests. If you want to make sure the bit is in correctly without damaging your ornament, after you insert the bit give it a quick test on a scrap piece of material to ensure that the bit is straight. Or, if you can see that double-image effect, before engraving into your ornament just run the Dremmel tool and examine the rotation of the bit to see if you get the double-image, at which point reset the bit.


Sharpener for Pastel and Charcoal Pencils I'm having a big issue sharpening pastel and charcoal pencils. I've tried using a traditional pencil sharpener on pastel pencils but the lead keeps breaking.

I've also tried using a razorblade and exactoknife on the charcoal pencil but this leads to really uneven lead.

Is there a pencil sharpener made for pencils with brittle leads like these?

Note: I'm using Conte a Paris pastel pencils and general's charcoal pencils if that helps.

You're on the right track using a craft knife or utility knife. They get you started, but you need to finish them off with another tool to make them smooth.

Make sure your blade is extra sharp. If you have to put too much pressure to cut down the point, you'll be stressing the insides of the pencil. It may not break charcoal this time, but stress fractures could make a future sharpening very frustrating.

Once you've got a suitable length of your charcoal/pastel/graphite, you finish it off with a lead pointer or sanding stone. The only difference between graphite and the more brittle materials, from what I found, is how lightly you need to sand them.

Here's a pointer that's almost identical to the one I have:

You can make one yourself very easily if you have fine sandpaper lying around. It's just several sheets of sanding paper layered, so that you can peel them away when they get worn out. (Don't toss them just because they get dark/colored, as that can be tapped or blown out. I toss mine when they loose their grain.)

You can also buy small sanding stones, which is what they use in this video about sharpening General's charcoal pencils.

By sanding it, you'll be able to develop the exact tip you want. You can make it very pointed and conical, or you can sand it to be a sharp wedge, or whatever you need for your strokes.


How to clean off spray adhesive? This probably comes up more often than people would like, but how does one clean spray adhesive (at least the 3M brand) from various materials? In particular fabric or self-healing cutting mats?

Always make sure to test any solvents on a piece that you don't mind ruining first

Man-made fibers and plastics can interact quite unexpectedly with solvents. Since most 3M spray adhesives aren't water soluable (per the MSDS), solvents are going to be the trick for removing overspray.

PerfectFit.com has some good suggestions:

  Removing overspray. Adhesive overspray is always better prevented than
  removed. But several common solvents can help clean it off, including
  mineral spirits, turpentine, citrus-based cleaners or 3M™ Adhesive
  Remover. Be sure to follow proper precautionary measures when using
  solvents!

  On hands, apply baby oil, cooking or vegetable oil, followed by soap and water.
  On furniture, use a furniture polish.
  On fabrics and carpet, first remove as much glue as possible with masking tape. Then dab the surface with a cloth dampened with one of
  the solvents listed above.
  Or spraythe surface directly with 3M™ Adhesive Remover or a citrus-based cleaner.

  Always test solvents and cleaners on inconspicuous areas of fabric or
  carpet first.


How can I make a faux gold finish less garish? I just purchased a cheap gold lamp. As expected, the gold is typically super shiny and yellow (see below).

How can I make it look more like weathered/antique gold?

I assume the look you're hoping for is a little like this, a dirty gold:

source, actually a 3d render

If you're not planning on rebending the stand a lot, I'd suggest taking some acrylic paint (maybe some raw umber and black or similar dark and muddy colour), mix it with a little chalk or plaster (gypsum) to make it more dirty and matte (but make sure it doesn't dry out too quickly - you can add a little water while you mix), take a piece of cloth, dip it into the mixture, and rub it unto the lamp.
This way, all crevices will take the paint, and all larger smooth surfaces will be wiped clean again by the cloth.

As a side note: I don't really see the 'gold' in the lamp, only a very subtle, almost green hue. Is it the lighting, the colour profile, or is it really that faint?

Depending on how clear the 'gold' is on the lamp, you can first coat it with some acrylic gold paint, using either spray paint, or acrylic, after you've sanded it with very fine sandpaper.

Regular acrylic gold paint is usually too cool or too warm,  and too shiny (or, rather, glittery). There are more professional paints available, but you can of course also create your own mixture (white, yellow, and if you're so inclined, maybe warm it up with a very little bit of red).

In both cases, parts of the coating might come off afterwards (especially with acrylics), but this could actually increase the faux antique look.


How to protect & preserve water color paintings Is there a particular coating that I should be using to protect a watercolor painting?

And what is the best storage option for preserving paintings?

There are a couple of things that will definitely work to help preserve displayed paintings:

Paint quality. If you want the paint to remain vibrant over time, then you get what you pay for. Artist/professional grade paints are substantially more lightfast than student or children's paints. So, if you want it to stick around better, get the good paint.
Ultraviolet light protection. If you're going to display your work, display under UV filtering glass. This helps to preserve the colors from damaging light and, as an added bonus, protects from the touch of errant fingers. :)

You can also get UV archival fixative sprays that are suitable for watercolor work. It's not terribly common to do that, but becoming more prevalent amongst those that don't want glass in front of their painting. My general take is that if the paper gets dusty over time, dulling the color, it's harder to clean than glass... Mind you, for storage long term, it makes a lot of sense to consider.


Where can I find super short pen refills? So I'm making a portable mini pen which will need short pen refills. But I can't really find short pen refills on the market, the shortest one I found has the length of 2.6in (66mm) which if you look at your ruler you'll notice 6cm is quite long for a mini pen that'll stay on a keychain.

So I want to ask if anyone of you know where to buy super short pen refills? The shorter the better (it should be at least shorter than 2in/50mm).

Thanks in advance.

You may be hard-pressed to be able to find a term or type of supplier than easily allows you to purchase the refills of the correct length. They're likely specialty pieces being manufactured directly by the companies making novelty products.

However, it's possible to cut disposable refills down to your desired length (as long as they aren't the metal-case refills) using a sharp utility knife.

This DIY Hacks and How-Tos video demonstrates cutting the disposable refills down to size. As you can see from the video, even cutting mid-ink doesn't cause the ink to spill out. There is a little spillage on the tip from the process, but that should be all.

The reason why this works, is because the ink is already prone to staying inside the refill tube. There are 3 main things keeping the ink in the tube:

The viscosity of the ink. It is thick and does not "like" to flow.
The surface tension of the ink. It has a high surface tension.
The adhesive force between the ink and the tube itself.

These all combine to make the ink not want to flow backwards out the tube, even when cut. The surface tension and adhesive force is strong enough to resist the flow of gravity (as seen by the fact that you can buy a pack of point-up pens that have been hanging for months, and there's no spillage). The adhesive force is actually strong enough to make the surface of the ink concave instead of convex (if you've even done the trick with filling a cup with water over the brim without spilling, you'll notice the result is a convex surface).

Since you're only adjusting the length of the refill tube, you are not changing any of the 3 properties listed.

So, you can buy standard refills and cut them to length. Just make sure to clean the ends of both pieces, and properly dispose of the end without the ballpoint. If you'd like, you can also extra the ink from the extra ends to play around with. The King of Random extracted ink from 1000 pens for this purpose. I link the video as extra evidence that the ink doesn't just leak out, even when they remove the ballpoint, but they had to physically push it out with a rod small enough to fit in the cartridge.


Staining vs transparent watercolor paints I was at a life drawing session and one of the artists mentioned that I should avoid using staining watercolors but instead use transparent watercolors because transparent watercolors could be cleanly lifted from the paper.

How do I tell the difference between staining and transparent watercolor paints by looking at the paint tube or pan packaging?

Usually you can't, as the packaging generally doesn't show this information.

What you can do, is

test the watercolour out in the store, which is often possible (if no direct means are given, you can ask an employee),
look up some reviews and see if they refer to the staining properties, or
look up or into the brand's colour charts:

Some brands or ranges offer colour charts which tell you the staining levels using triangular symbols similar to the square shapes of the transparency level, like in the lower right corner here:

source

Where △ = non-staining, ◭ = semi-staining, and ▲ = staining.

Others might use numbers to indicate the level, as is shown here:

The four symbols underneath every colour indicate

lightfastness (using Roman numerals I - IV),
the staining level (using Arabic numerals 1 - 4, going from no staining to the highest level, respectively),
granulation (Y/N), and
transparency level (⚪, ◑, ⚫).


How can I trace a pattern from a top with darts? I have a RTW (ready-to-wear, aka store-bought) dress which fits me well, and I'd like to sew a copy of it. I've done this before with loosely fitted tops, like t-shirts which only have minimal shaping, by doing a "rubbing" - lying the garment flat, tracing the seams on to tissue paper, and using that as a pattern base.

The bodice of this dress has darts on the side, so obviously lying it flat to trace will not work. I'm also concerned that the difference in stiffness between tissue paper and the dress fabric (a drapey knit) will cause inaccuracies if I try to e.g. make creases in the paper until it "looks right". I don't want to pick the seams of the dress and take it apart.

Is there a good technique to trace the piece with the dart? Or, how can I reverse-engineer how much of an angle was used for the dart? I do have a dress form, so answers which involve that are welcome!

If the dress is ready for replacement, you can remove the seams. You don't have to remove all of them, just the ones so the fabric can be layed down flat. I wouldn't recommend removing seams if you still want to wear the dress.

Another option is measuring: draw the pieces of your dress on paper as good as you can. Cut them out. Then put on your dress and see if the pieces you've cut out of paper, cover your dress. If you've done well, you'll also have the dart on the right place. When the doesn't fit correctly yet, cut off what's too large and add paper where your pattern is too smal. You can just attach a strip of paper with some tape, no need to redo the whole piece.

If all else fails, you could try to find a pre-made pattern that resembles your dress, and maybe adjust some parts (e.g. length, neckline).


Distressing purchased wall art I purchased some wall art and I'd like to darken it with a tea stain or synthetic stain but the canvas has a plastic coating. Any ideas?

Since it's a plastic surface mediums made for use with acrylic paints might be your answer.

There are varnishes and glazing mediums specifically made for acrylic painting.

Both mediums start out clear. By tinting the mediums you will have control over the hue and value of the covering layer.

The company Golden caries a line if varnish and glazing medium formulated for acrylic paints.

Example Polymer Varnish
http://www.goldenpaints.com/technicalinfo_polvar

Example Glazing Liquid
https://www.goldenpaints.com/technicalinfo_glazeliq

The varnish is removable. The glazing medium is not.

Whichever method you choose to pursue I would do a test coat in a small area before trying to cover the whole canvas.

Or combine this with Ji Ugug idea and apply the medium to the glass (or plexiglass) cover and you won't have to worry about harming your canvas at all.


What is the advantage of having an angled drawing desk? I grew up using normal desks in school and drawing in art class on tables. I have drawn on tables for most of my projects, but every artists desk has a lift to it.

What is the purpose of the varying angles of lift to the desk? Is this just a matter of ergonomics or is there some advantage to the artist to drawing on an angle?

If it were an ergonomic consideration you'd think a writer's desk would look the same, but almost all other desks are flat with the exception of drawing desks.

There are several advantages!
Ergonomics
We'll start with the one you mentioned. If you regularly draw on a horizontal surface, you'll spend a lot of time with your head down. This is terrible for your neck! It can lead to sore, tight muscles. Or, if you have neck problems (like I do), it can be downright painful to even try to draw like that for any length of time.
Perspective
Having the desk at an incline allows you to have a better vantage point of your work. You can more or less have your eyes even with the center of the work piece. This means you're less likely to distort your drawing with perspective problems. When you're head down on a flat surface, your visual focal point is generally aligned to a single spot.
To understand what I mean, take a look at this sidewalk chalk art.
This is how it actually looks:

This is how it looks from a specific vantage point:

In the case of drawing on a flat plane, you may end up drawing a distorted, stretched out image, but your mind perceives it as perfectly proportional.
You can avoid that by using measurements and taking breaks to look at the piece from different angles, but it's a little more work.
Drawing grip
To me, this can be the biggest advantage.
Having an inclined plane allows you to use an underhand or paint brush grip with ease. These grips allow you to control your pencil by using your shoulder and elbow, instead of your wrist. Long, even, consistent lines are possible when using your whole arm. These grips, and your lines, will have a more natural and relaxed feel.
However, these grips aren't necessarily a benefit for all types of drawing. Generally, I'll use them for life drawings and similar work, but not for small character sketches. I still use an inclined drafting desk or tabletop easel whenever I can, though.


How can I keep my yarn relatively stationary while working? So you are yarning away and your yarn starts to get away from you. Now you have to stop what you are doing, possibly forgetting my many runs or stitches you were doing, pick up your yarn, roll it back together and continue on your way. Worst case you could end up with something like this:

Image from velmaknits.blogspot.ca

What can I do to stop my yarn from rolling around while still keeping control to feed as needed?

Yarn Bowl

This is the easiest suggestion I can think of. You just need a bowl or bowl like object with a hole or path for the yarn to come out. The hole is large enough for the yarn but small enough to stop the ball from moving around. The weight of the bowl is important as well since you will be pulling on it. Having it close to yourself would help that anyway.

There are oodles of commercial options but avid crafters would make their own following the basic criteria above.