How can I stop my thread from bunching when using a sewing machine? I've recently started using a sewing machine to make simple cushion covers. But I've run into a consistent problem of bunching. Below is an example of what I'm experiencing:

I've checked that my feed dogs are up, that the tension is on, that my bobbin is in the correct way, and that the upper thread is correctly threaded. Is there any other issues I should investigate before getting my machine looked at?

Are you absolutely sure the upper thread is threaded correctly, especially through the tension control knob? (I would go ahead and re-thread the machine, since it's cheap to do.)

Other things to make sure of (most of which you've already done, but just for completeness' sake):

The presser foot is fully down (on many machines, the tension isn't engaged unless the foot is down)
The tension control knob is set correctly.
The bobbin is inserted correctly
The bobbin thread is wound in the correct direction
The bobbin thread is raised correctly (with the presser foot up, pull on the bobbin thread: it should unspool freely with very little resistance)
The needle is sharp and straight
The feed dogs are engaged/the bobbin winder is not turned on

Also, something that helped an old finicky machine I used to have was to clean out the bobbin area - the accumulated fuzz seemed to make it more prone to tension issues, somehow.

If none of that helps, I'm afraid it's time to visit the repair shop.


Can I use polycrylic over a fixative? I’ve made an acrylic painting on a wood slice, but added some detail with a chalk pencil. I normally seal my wood slice art with polycrylic, but I’m concerned about smudging the chalk when I seal. Should I spray a final fixative over the chalk detail and then polycrylic my piece as normal? I’d love any suggestions!

Yes, it should work, though I recommend testing the combination on another piece to be certain.

One of my hobbies involves "painting" resin pieces with chalk pastel; to both protect the surface and provide tooth, and to fix the pieces in place, spray finishes are typically used on the piece. These aren't necessarily sold as "fixative," but they behave in a very similar manner. Finishing touches are then added using a high-gloss varnish over the final matte spray layer, and there are no issues with doing this.

Since the materials you're using (ground, spray, and varnish) are slightly different from the ones I use, however, I would recommend a test run before committing to the final piece, but based on my own experiences, I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work.


What can I do to smooth and polish hand cut glass edges? I make small frames and boxes and I like to put in mirror and glass in those projects. In trying to avoid dealing with the question I usually frame in the mirror so that no one will see the clean cut but rough and sharp edges of the glass and mirror. That is not a great idea long term and there are some things where I want a floating top for where the edges will be seen.

I think the general approach is sand paper but I would like to get more information from someone that has done this before. I am more concerned about glass dust and how to deal with while working.

What are the tools and techniques I could employ to clean, smooth and/or polish glass and mirror edges to the point there are safe to touch?

I think I can help you.  To make a living, I carve glass. Tabletops, door fronts, serving platters, and almost anything else made of glass has seen my efforts.

By far the best tool to use would be a Dremel type rotary tool with either  a diamond burr or a stone grinding bit.  These come in quite a variety of shapes, compound materials and grit levels and are specially suited for this purpose.

A standard particle mask available at your local hardware store will protect your lungs when used properly.  Oiling the glass  with sewing machine or fresh motor oil will almost eliminate any lingering/ flying dust.

Exactly which tools are needed to accomplish your task is greatly dependent on exactly what you need to do.  Please visit Dremel.com for details and tutorials.  Great information is also available on YouTube as well.  If you do choose to purchase a rotary tool, you will find it is also very useful for a great many other things.

I use either a 150 grit, cylinder shaped (similar in diameter as a #2 pencil), diamond burr, a silicon carbide grinding stone (same shape/ size) or a chainsaw sharpening stone (the blue one). Information on these bits and others can be found at Dremel.com.

Be sure to wear your mask, oil your glass, and set the tool to a low speed prior to starting. Be gentle and WEAR YOUR EYE PROTECTION.

I can't say enough about the eye protection thing. Been through many pairs of glasses, but still have both eyes. Undamaged!


How to polish indentations in soapstone Recently I carved a little pig out of soapstone and made him look like he was hairy (pigs are covered in bristly hair, you know).

Now, I found a wonderful article about how to polish soapstone, and so I oiled the stone with linseed oil. The pig's nose polishes up really nicely, but all the indentations where I scratched in the hairs dried white.
How can I polish the scratches, too?

I'm beginning to wish it was a smooth pig instead of a hairy one.

Here are a few more images on my imgur.

I tried using a buffing wheel with my Dremel, but it removes material instead of polishing. I tried several different ones, too.

Personal opinion: it looks good as-is.  The hair gouges stand out, providing good contrast.  If you try to polish the scratches and are successful, it will become just a textured surface that won't have enough gouges to be good-looking hair texture.  Also, the polished snout contrasts with the hair, making it more realistic.  I think trying to polish the hair will degrade the appearance rather than improve it.  But that's just me; it's your pig.  :-)

The closeup pictures in the link show some of the detail in the gouges.

They look white because the surface of the gouges is very irregular and grainy.  That won't be fixed by buffing, it would require smoothing the surface of each gouge, which would be really difficult and very time consuming.

A more practical approach would be to fill the gouges to create a smooth outer surface on the pig.  If the filler is translucent or a color that contrasts with the stone, the hair lines will be visible, but the surface will look polished.  A material like a hard wax might be good (paraffin or even colored wax pencils used for filling wood scratches).  Apply it as you would if you were filling wood scratches.  You can warm the soapstone with a heat gun on a low setting to melt the wax and it will self-level in the gouges.  When the pig is cold (room temperature), you can buff the surface.


Removing glued on material from this subwoofer I recently bought a subwoofer tube for a DIY guitar amp project I'm working on and it is covered with a kind of "carpet" which seems to be glued on to a very dense cardboard.

It looks like the one from here...

How do I remove the flocking/carpet and glue underneath? Or should I remove the glue at all?

I intend to paint or cover the thing with a thick coat of a very shiny black as well as some modifications so would leaving the glue on make a better surface?

Very new to this so thanks for any help.

I got this picture from the same source as the one included in the question.  It shows more of the internal detail and gives a better look at the covering.  I left it at size large so the detail could more easily be seen.

The tube is definitely made of wood, my guess would be either bent plies or straight barrel staves.  In any event it looks durable.

The covering looks like it is a woven fabric that is skillfully cut and glued to the barrel.  See how it is folded into the opening and reveals some unevenness at the edges where it has been cut to fit the smaller diameter of the inside as compared to the outside of the tube.

My recommendation for removal of the fabric is to use a heat gun that will soften the glue and allow you to peel off the fabric. Easier said than done because the fabric will quite likely tear and require the use of some sort of scraper.

If the glue becomes solid after cooling from the heat treatment you can sand it off.  If it remains tacky, you can use some sort of solvent as @matt suggests.  You definitely want to remove the glue because if not, you will have a rough, irregular surface that will be telegraphed through your shiny black paint - even if it's a thick layer.


How I can design a skirt pattern without taking measurements? I am thinking of making a skirt as a birthday gift for my sister. Therefore taking measurements seems kinda impossible.
So is it recommended to use size charts in order to make the pattern instead, such as this one:
https://www.brandsgalaxy.gr/ProductCatalogue/SizeChart.aspx?chart=0c41fabb-d9b1-419a-b750-21d5a1c8c63e
Or even the US standard clothing size:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._standard_clothing_size

You cannot trust those chart sizes because of a phenomenon called "vanity sizing".
Once upon a time women's clothes where all tailored to fit the individual person or altered (if bought second hand). When industrial mass production set in, manufacturers wrote a measurement into the garment to make it easier to find one that fits. That number was usually the hip measurement for skirts or the bust measurement for jackets and dresses.
Over time women became conscious and self-conscious about their sizes. Small numbers were fashionable and big numbers meant you were chubby. So manufacturers started writing wrong numbers into their garments, because they actually sold more if their customers where happily surprised to still fit into a size S.
Even today those sizes are just a recommendation and different manufacturers use different measurements for the same size.

What you should do is:

Find a skirt or pair of trousers in your sisters wardrobe that fit her well.
Neither the fabric nor the waist seam must be stretchy, or you get wrong numbers.
If possible, make a friend wear this item while you measure around the waist (smallest part) and the hip (widest part) and the desired length (traditionally to the top of the knee).
If that's impossible, lay the item flat on a table and measure the waist seam. Then look at your table of common sizes and find the corresponding hip measurement.
If you cannot find any suitable garment to take measurements, try to find a belt that she usually wears. Measure from the tip of the needle to the hole that is most worn out. You need a little extra length (2 cm) because belts are usually worn very tight.


What hand sewing needles are best for beading? Is there a hand sewing needle that has the same diameter and eye size as a #10 Quilting Betweens needle but that is much longer?

For beading projects, the specific needles I have used are Size 10-13 Beading Needles. The longest one I have is 5.5 cm or just under 2 1/4 in. I had success  with these and used them to add extra beading into my wedding gown.

The specific brand I have is Sew-ology. On the back of the package it says, "Ideal for beadwork and sequins", so this is likely what you are looking for, although I am not familiar with the specific quilting needle you referenced.


Where can I find good crocheting patterns? I'm pretty new to crocheting and am trying to find interesting patterns online. I'm especially interested in crocheting rugs. Sadly, I haven't had too much luck finding patterns for them. Can somebody recommend a good site or a person to get crocheting patterns from?

The best resource for all crochet and knitting needs by far is Ravelry. Ravelry requires you to create an account and provides an astounding library of patterns, yarns (so it's easy to find a substitute), a community platform and your own project notebook. Some paterns are paid-for, but many are available free. As of me writing this reply there are over 1600 crochet rug patterns listed on Ravelry, some 600 of which are free

Youtube is full of crochet tutorials if you look around a little. For example Elena Rugal has a great library of crochet technique videos

If you want to dig into public domain resources, Antique Pattern Library has a section with hundreds of old magazines with patterns, though they may be hard to read for a modern, inexperienced crocheter because of the differences in writing style and extensive use of abbreviations

Yarn brands publish their own patterns, for crochet I particularly recommend Scheepjes. Similarly, many magazines exist and can be bought both online and in paper, check out titles such as 'Inside Crochet', 'Molly Makes' or 'Love Crochet'. Note that most of these will be included in Ravelry's library

Finally, there are countless crafty blogs, e.g. Moogly's, with tutorials and patterns


Water based ink durability on canvas I have been drawing on canvas using Posca, Molotow, Montana Cans and MTN markers. I like to draw using black markers and applying colors afterwards. For the background colors, I use Ecoline, both with brushes or with and airbrush to create gradients. The good thing about water-based Ecoline is that it will cover only the white/raw portion of the canvas, keeping black traces 'untouched'.

Well the issue with Ecoline seems to be that it won't last/sustain over time. In my case, after three months of keeping the canvas (picture below) in a bright varanda without direct sun light, colors are almost 100% gone. I knew this could happen, but didn't know the impact of light would be so quick and severe. It is worth mentioning that a thin layer of varnish had been applied, but apparently it wasn't effective as a means of protecting/safeguarding colors.

So my questions are: considering my style of drawing (tracing with markers first, applying colors afterwards), are there any types of inks that I could use that will be more sustainable over time than Ecoline with the same characteristics (covering white or light portions of the canvas only)? In case so, what is it and would it also work with airbrushes? Are there types of varnish or other products that could 'lock' the colors on canvas more effectively?

Or do I have to change my style and apply color first using durable ink (like acrylic), and then drawing on top of it?

Thank you very much!

Some pigments used in inks are UV sensitive and disappear rather quickly when exposed to sunlight, others remain unaffected. Having in mind the colours you need, make some research about which pigments are used to make your desired colours and which of them are UV sensitive and which are not.

Check what water-based products are available on the market and if you can figure out which pigments they use (they are likely to be written in their catalogue which are generally available online) go for the ones you have found out that are not UV sensitive.

Alternatively, you can buy ground non-UV sensitive pigments and learn how to make your own watercolours (follow the health and safety instructions of the tutorials, as some of the pigments are toxic).

Since your problem is the UV light, if you want to use varnish, etc to preserve the colours you should look for something that would acts as a UV filter (without affecting your drawing).

Also, you may want to consider using oil-based markers instead of alcohol-based ones. They may do a better job at keeping your outline drawing ink/watercolour-free.


How can I extend the life of clear nail polish? I use nail polish in several of my crafting endeavors. Example would be its use in converting my ties to clip-on or even to stop ribbons from fraying.

Recently I was making construction paper jewels for my kids and testing finishes. I pullout my clear nail polish that I use and it was tacky. It didn't make for a great finish and was hard to apply. I cleaned the brush with acetone to remove the gum from there but it didn't help.

Is there something I could add to the polish to thin it out or something I could do to give it more life? Yes, I could just buy some more but I am not a fan of waste.

Some people use acetone to thin down their nail polish to its original consistency, but this is not recommended since it will cause it to dry out more quickly after application and can cause cracking in the finished result.

There are a number of products available on the market; they are intended for extending the life of normal nail polish but I'm not aware of any reason they wouldn't work for clear nail polish also.

You need to search for 'nail polish thinner'

Also, be aware that shaking the bottle or pumping the brush in and out will cause it to thicken more quickly.  Ideally you should roll it between your palms before use instead.


Which paint and glue to use for a golden walnut? My goal is to craft a "golden" walnut by painting two empty shell halves and then glue them together.

So, my requirements on the paint are:

color will be golden if this matters
should not smear off
should not hide surface nuances
somewhat water proof, but not expected to be put into water

Then, I'm going to glue the shell's halves together. The glue must be reliable and yet allow though to easily open the shell (one time is enough, but if you could stick the halves again, that would be awesome).

For “medium- to large-scale production” (e.g. making golden walnuts as tree ornaments), we’ve successfully used both golden craft paint and spray paint. Especially the latter is a bit messy, but retains the surface structure very well.

Glue the halves together (wood glue or standard white craft glue will do), sandwiching a ribbon loop as hanger in between. For the spray option, protect the ribbon with masking tape, loop the hangers over a kind of rod, lining the ornaments up with a bit of distance in between. Spray, either outside or with a large cardboard box put on end to catch the excess paint. Let dry while still hanging on the holder. Remove tape, done.

For a hanger-less version, push a toothpick in the part of the shell where there’s a little natural gap, stick the other end in a piece of styrofoam or similar.


What kind of paper can I use in place of U.S. currency for origami? Using U.S. currency to fashion Origami models is wonderful due to the paper's thinness, tensile strength, pleasing texture, and ability to provide sharp creases.

However, the small size of the bills and the fact that you cannot order larger blank sheets (for fairly obvious reasons) prohibits folding larger/more intricate models.

Can someone suggest an alternative "paper" (that is to say, not foil) material that is reasonably priced, available to order in something smaller than a huge press roll, and shares the aforementioned qualities? (Yes, some kinds of parchment come close but, invariably, those I try are too thick and/or provide less-than-satisfactory creases. And I'm not too keen on the watermarks!)

I don't think any such thing exists; the two closest alternatives I can think of are both long out of manufacture (Eaton's Corrasable bond, and Crane's "Old Money"). Old Money would also have been too thick, but Crane took advantage of being the manufacturer of US currency paper by creating a 100% cotton bond paper that was 30% recycled currency. (Similarly, their "Denim Blues" recycled cotton scraps they got from Levi's, and is also discontinued).

Tracing paper is thin and strong enough, but holds creases too well and makes it very difficult to reverse them cleanly. Baking parchment (which you can find in food storage sections of stores, next to the aluminum foil and plastic wrap) has a similar issue, but is a little easier to work with, and in fact one youtube video demonstrates making a flasher with it.

The best alternatives I've found for ready-made papers to fold with that are thin and strong and take a crease well and of a size to allow for more complex models are the usual hard-to-source candidates, such as thin kraft paper. The origami-shop.com website has a good (expensive) selection of the papers folders prize in sizes larger than the usual 6"x6" kami that frustrates us so.

There is, of course, the option of DIY tissue foil (i.e., laminating foil with tissue paper and spray adhesive), and sizing paper with methyl cellulose but those never appealed to me, either.

See also: What should I look for in a paper for a complex origami model?


How can I strengthen my melted bead art? So I build pixel-esque bead arts for people for gifts and such. But when I need to send them places, they sometimes fall apart.

Charizard Pixel Bead Art

(Example above is not my work. Belongs to another artist.)
It is just a referential image.

And I am just wondering how to strengthen the bonds between the beads to make them more durable without changing how it looks since it is meant as an image.

Would really appreciate some help.

I was looking into the type of plastic these are (LPTE?) and found a comparison of different fuse beads:

http://houseofgeekiness.blogspot.com/p/not-all-beads-are-created-equal-when-it.html

This guide casually mentions one technique, also mentioned by Matt in comments: fuse both sides.

The other major factor here is trying out a different brand. The guide recommends Perler, or generally away from the overly cheap beads. Not all plastic is created equally.

If you can try out other brands, that's what I would test first. It's something artists tend to do with supplies, anyway. Different brands give different feels or effects, and some just stink.

Another tactic is to make sure you're melting consistently. If you use a plastic ironing sheet, instead of a paper one, you can eyeball the level of melt in any given section of the piece.

If you don't need both sides of the image to be on display, then I would simply adhere something stiff to the back. It might be possible to use thin, clear plastic sheets, if you can find an adhesive that works and dries clear / without streaks. If so, that would let you add external strength while still viewing both sides.


How can I improve my visual diary? I'm new to art.

When I am in bed with the lights out, I see a stream of beautiful imagery across my mind's eye.

I want to eventually develop the skills to reproduce this imagery as art.

I have a visual diary next to my bed, and I write down:

subject
colors
details about the composition

However, when it comes to visually reproducing what I see in my mind's eye onto paper, I can't seem to get it down onto paper in very good form.

I get the gist of what I see, but it's the finer details that I struggle with.

How can I improve on my visual diary, and what are some best practices for visual diaries?

If you are running into trouble turning words into pictures then add a "scribble" to your notes as well. Later, after waking up and the dream imagery has gone away, you can look for the imagery you describe from your text within the lines of the scribbles.

Think of the scribble as a thumbnail sketch of what you think your mind's eye had seen.  Not what you see with your eyes but what your mind had dreamt up moments before while asleep and dreaming.

The processes is called "Surrealist Automatism".

Surrealist Automatism, also known as automatic drawing, is a processes where the artist suppresses conscious control over the drawing process and allows the subconscious to freely take over. The arm is given free control over the drawing instrument. Normally this is extremely hard to do but seeing how you are looking to try this moments after waking it should make the processes easier for you.


Singer 7466 lost timing Does anyone know how to reset the timing on a Singer 7466?

It lost timing the other day while my wife was trying to sew fabric too thick for the machine. After that the needle was coming down at the wrong time and would impact the bottom of the spinning bobbin holder (sorry I don't know what it's called haha) instead of coming down into the groove. And of course it wouldn't thread a stitch either.

I figured the grub screws under the lower bobbin had come loose so I removed the plastic cover, loosened the grub screws under the lower bobbin, and turned that lower bobbin thingy so that the needle came down at the right time and would properly thread a stitch when turned by hand. Then I tightened it back up and put it back together.

However, the computer didn't like that. It would only make it to the point where it actuates the dog feed, act like it's bound up, then start beeping and flashing. I think it's actuating the dog feed at the wrong time. And it looks like that's actuated based on optical sensors on the top shaft.

Ok, I figured no problem. I could put the lower bobbin thingy back in exactly the same spot it was before and look for lost timing somewhere else. Maybe the timing belt running down to the bottom shaft had skipped a tooth or something. And I figured I could put the bobbin back in exactly the same wrong spot it was before by going off of the marks the needle had scraped into it. All I had to do was take it apart again, loosen those grub screws, turn the wheel with one hand while holding the bobbin with the other, and...

That's when I noticed that the entire lower shaft was slipping at the toothed pulley!

See how the grub screws on that end have chewed it up? Because of that the whole bottom shaft can rotate almost 180* out of sync. Now, if I had noticed this before I messed with the alignment on the other end then this would be an easy fix: I could just loosen this pulley a little, rotate things back into line, and tighten the screws on this pulley really tight (and maybe braze them so this doesn't happen again haha).

But I now have absolutely no reference for putting everything on the lower shaft back in line. I can't use the needle vs bobbin as a reference because I changed that, and I can't put the bobbin back because I need this as a reference. A catch 22.

I tried emailing Singer but they weren't very helpful. Here's what they said after I explained my situation to them:

  Unfortunately, I do not have any information where you can find technical or parts manuals.

  Service Manuals are not available, they are designated for the Singer Dealers and their Service Technicians that work on the machines.

  We are not able to provide timing information for your machine. You would need special tools and gauges that are required to repair timing. Settings vary from one machine to the other and in many cases the technician simply knows when everything has been timed just right.

It sounds like they don't want me joining their club. Magic tools, secret knowledge, exclusive access, way too complicated to bother explaining... give me a break!

I fixed it after studying it a bit longer. Here's how:

First, I noticed that the dog feed makes these four basic motions over and over:

Up
Back (away from you)
Down
Forward (toward you)

Second, my wife clued me in to the fact that the dog feed should not move the fabric while the needle is down.

Now, these two things are probably very obvious to everyone on this site, but not to someone like me with very little exposure to sewing!

I loosened the relevant parts so I could freely spin the bottom shaft independent of the top shaft. Then armed with the above two pieces of information, I put the needle at top dead center and the dog feed at the threshold between its motions #1 and #2. Then I tightened things down so that the top and bottom shafts were locked together again. I spun the hand wheel to confirm the needle was never down during the entire duration of the dog feed's motion #2. That put the needle in time with the dog feed.

Next I needed to put the spinning bobbin holder thingy (what is that called?) in time with the needle. I did that by loosening the grub screws that tie its rotation to the bottom shaft, then I rotated the hand wheel and turned the bobbin holder thing until the eye of the needle was just below the pointy hook bit of the spinning bobbin holder thing on its way up. Then I tightened those grub screws. That put the bobbin holder in time with the needle.

A quick test with power applied confirmed the machine was happy enough with my timing. I reassembled everything, got my wife to teach me how to thread things up, then impressed her with a working straight stitch! It sews a straight stitch forward and backward just fine.

The machine also needed the dog feed to be realigned a little bit because it was impacting the plate, but that's not really relevant to what we're talking about here.

Unfortunately I didn't see any timing marks anywhere. Had there been timing marks I would have tried to make sense of and use them. Also, while the gouge marks in my picture would have made it possible to tell exactly where the pulley had been before it slipped (thanks for that idea, @fixer1234!), that knowledge would not have helped because I had already taken off the timing belt between the top and bottom shafts--doh!

Disclaimer: neither my wife nor I have any idea if the machine is correctly doing any of the fancy stitches, because neither of us really know how what they're supposed to look like lol! All I can say is the machine didn't lock up or catch on fire when I tried a zig zag pattern. All it did was pull the fabric together which might be normal, or maybe the tension was wrong?


Grid for copying photos from laptop I want to use my photos to paint from. I would like to know how to find a grid for my screen to square off my photo. This would aid in transferring it to a canvas or paper.
I've tried to find a photo editor app, etc. but none offer grid overlays I guess you'd call them.  I'm an artist, not so smart about computers and what's available.

We don't really allow for product recommendations, but you can make your own grid overlays:

Buy a sheet of flexible plastic, and use a permanent marker and ruler to create a grid with your preferred scale, and simply put it up against your monitor.
Usually it can rest against the borders of the screen, but a little tape will definitely hold it in place.

In an image editor like Photoshop or the free open-source Gimp you can:

add guidelines;
(add a transparent layer and) add lines on top of the reference image (and save that layer to use it whenever you need it);
make use of the feature to show grids (the size can be adjusted);
find premade grids on transparent background images online.


How should I store my nibs for long periods? I'm looking to replace some nibs I ruined, and in the meantime I need to store what's left for a while.

How should I go about preparing them for storage? Is there a difference between storing cartridge pen and dip pen nibs I should know?

There are a couple of things you need to consider before we look at storage options.

Ensure your nibs are clean

When you are done using your nibs you should ensure that you medium is removed and clean before you store it. Most people suggest just using room temperature water or more specifically distilled water (that would have less mineral build up that would being stuck inside the workings of the pen). Ink is obviously easier to clean before it has set.

More on this from Levenger.com

Rust and corrosion

Remember that rust begets rust. You want to be sure that the nibs / cartridge nibs are free of rust before you go to store them. This is especially true if you intend to store your nibs together in close proximity. Enough rust will render the nib useless.

Baking Soda Paste

For simple surface rust you can make a paste from baking soda and water and use a toothbrush to gently work the surface to remove the rust. Again, using water to clean the surface one done.

There are more tactics to removing rust, like vinegar or a molasses bath, but given that there are hard to restore if the rust is bad you should only have to worry about simple surface rust.

Storage

One area where people seem a little divided is on storage of nibs. Particularity when it comes to storing nibs together where they can touch or completely segregated from each other.

Storage options are numerous. Some styles worth mentioning

Simple tins cans (think Altoids)
Small plastic containers. These are favoured as you can store the nibs vertically. This is done, in theory, to prevent ink build up on the split and tip.
Tackle box / craft box. Any partitioned storage box really. Multiple nibs that are related to each other are stored together. Since the partitions are configurable or at least different sizes your cartridges would fit in here as well as your pens.
Cardboard. If you like keeping the nibs separate then this would be a preferred method as each nib would get its own slot. As long as you can keep the board itself in a safe location this also prevents the nibs from moving around which could damage the tips.

Other storage considerations

Cut up small straw lengths that you can either feed down the split (If you have to force it don't do it.) or place on the tip for additional protection.
Silica gel packets: You save these right? If humidity is an issue for your storage then consider sticking in one or two of these in with your nibs. It will help keep a moisture, and therefore rust, free environment.
If your are fine with storing nibs together make sure at least they cannot come into contact with anything heavier or harder than themselves.


The Whisper of Glocken by John Worsley: which painting technique is it? I am trying to learn painting by mimicking the adaption of The Whisper of Glocken by John Worsley. I just love it!

I just need to know which techniques does he used there. The link above and the video Here (Episode 04, 02:19) describes the artwork as crayon, pen and gouache. But which parts are done with which techniques?

The simple answer is Worsley is using all of the techniques, in combination, for all of the parts!

To be able to analyze a work like this you need to know how each of the mediums are used, ie. the various ways they are applied, how they behave when applied and how they interact with each other.

Some examples:

Crayon makes a variety of marks; broader than a pen-stroke; sensitive
to pressure; shows texture of paper.
Pen uses ink and makes a hard edged stroke of different weights; ink is liquid so it will diffuse in wet areas, be sharp in others, can be brushed for washes, etc...
Gouache is opaque watercolor and is applied by brush; used to make areas of solid and blended colors as well and sharp details; will also diffuse in wet areas.

Experiment with the different mediums cited, both on their own and in combination, to understand what is going on in the artworks and then you can reproduce that style. All of the techniques here have extensive documentation in print and online to get you started.


Is it a good idea to hand sew a denim pencil skirt with false cuts instead of using sewing machine? I am thinking of making, as a gift, a custom pencil skirt with a false cut.  I make a rough sketch in order to figure out the appearance of the skirt  (the upper part of the image is how will look in front, and the bottom is how it will look on the side):

I was wondering whether it is feasible to hand-sew it instead of using a sewing machine (I assume doing so will take time). The skirt will have a side slit in both sides with some navy-style stripe fabric that covers it.
As for the fabric, I was thinking denim and a light one for the side slits.

Anything you can sew on a machine, you can also sew by hand.
But

It will take much longer.
If the seam is visible you must take special care to sew evenly or it will look ugly.
It's harder to sew a straight line if you don't mark it on the fabric. (There are special markers that disappear when heated for that reason).

Is it a good idea?
For the whole skirt: not really. That would make the whole process take much, much more time. If you like hand sewing as a meditative hobby, go for it. If you want to get things done on time, use a machine.
For details like button holes or the insert in the side seam: sure, why not. I've hand sewn a lot of gussets and pockets and complicated seams simply because I didn't know how to wrangle them under the machine.
For seams that have to withstand a lot of strain, a hand sewn back stitch is even better and sturdier than a straight machine stitch.


What is the cheap (copper color) metal underneath items plated to look like silver? I've noticed that many metallic items that look silver-ish in color, attain that effect because of a thin surface coating. Whenever those items get scratched, a copper-colored metal is revealed to be the bulk of the material. What is this cheaper metal? Copper is quite expensive so I doubt that's what it is...

It is indeed copper, but a cheap alloy instead of the chemically pure copper that's needed for high quality cables and circuit boards.

I cannot say exactly of which different metals it consists, but it usually includes lots of copper (as the base), nickel, pewter, sometimes zink or lead and sometimes traces of other elements like phosphor, beryllium or silicon.

The copper used for such alloys is usually low quality scrap metal from old copper water pipes or copper that was contaminated with other elements. Electric wiring for example contains mostly pure copper, but if you burn the insulation off instead of removing it mechanically, you contaminate the copper and it loses much of its value. The purification is too expensive, so it's used for cheap metal jewelry and other objects.

Relative to other metals copper is still expensive, but the combination of price and material properties makes this copper alloy the best option for cheap metal jewelry.

It doesn't rust (at least not as fast as cheap iron based alloys)
It's not toxic (although quite a lot of people are allergic to the nickle in it)
It's not so soft that the finished product bends out of shape at the slightest provocation
It's not so hard that you need lots of heat and energy to shape it during the production
Most people prefer jewelry in a silvery color. Alternatives like actual silver or white gold are much more expensive. Other metals like steel or platinum have a muted, grey color and are harder to process. Aluminum, which has the right color, is much too soft and requires very much energy to smelter and process.


How can I fully bleach a polyester shirt? I have a shirt that is 95% polyester and 5% spandex. I'd like to completely whiten this shirt. How can I accomplish this?

Related: Fade color in fabric

Bleaching works "as expected" for natural plant fibers (e.g. cotton). Polyester is actually a plastic, and bleaching will not have the same effect. I expect one (some?) of the following:

no change;
some fading, potentially not uniform;
(partial) destruction of the shirt, as a result of the bleach attacking the plastics. Even worse, if there is anything natural hidden somewhere (some stitching, logos...)

Bottom line, I would not even try. A new white shirt must be quite easy to find, and quite cheap.


How can I cut popsicle craft sticks without splitting them? We often use craft sticks in kids projects, but I have issues whenever I need to cut them. They'll often split down the grain, all the way through the stick, making it useless. This happens no matter which direction I'm cutting, but it's only useful if I'm trying to split them lengthwise.

Is there a way I can cut these sticks reliably, without tossing every other one out?

Craft sticks and Popsicle sticks are not known for their quality when it comes to grain and warping. So when you are cutting them, the stress is released in the easiest way possible which is along the grain. This is especially true because of how thin they are.
One of the following methods should work. They are both related in that I am suggesting multiple cuts.
Scoring
Instead of trying to do one cut you should try and score your sticks first. Scoring will help guide the break and prevent it from going through the rest of the stick. So, score it once then do the rest of the cut.
Multiple shallow cuts
Essentially scoring all the way though. The slower safer method is cut though the sticks in several successive cuts. Use a ruler to help cut straight so you can focus more on your depth of cut. Put more sticks under the ruler to help keep it flat.

Either way you need a thin and sharp blade. You want to cut the fibres of the sticks and not push them apart. So something like standard scissors would be a bad choice.


Advice for making wired jewelry charm I need to make the following symbol from crafting metal wire (5 mm) for a pendant. (It is a combination of zodiac symbols, for anyone who's curious.)
How can I join the wire in between the places where the lines are overlapping (the blue encircled part), as well as where the two horns of the Aries symbol are emerging from the branch (the green encircled part)?
Could you suggest a successful method other than soldering?

Any other advice would be appreciated too, as I'm new to this. Thanks!

so maybe something like that? I just used 2 pieces of bent and shaped 18 gauged wire, hammered out to make the pieces sit more flat, and then used 2 thin pieces of beading wire to anchor the 2 pieces together


Can I use inkjet waterslide transfers on glass bottles? I was wondering if there is anyone who has used the inkjet waterslide transfers on glass or bottles as part of a recycling art project?

I will be making some wine bottles as centerpieces for my wedding and I'm wondering if I spray the bottles with acrylic paint first, could I still put the bottle in the oven to set the waterslide decals, over the paint? Or would that be disastrous?

I don't want to get it wrong as I only have a limited supply of free bottles I've been given.

In scale model building, I apply waterslide decals over acrylic paint all the time.  Obviously, those models are plastic, so I don't cook them.  Instead, I put a light covering of clear coat over them after the paint has dried, then again after the decals are in-place and air-dried.

I've left uncovered decals exposed to the air without any trouble in situations where they won't be touched or handled, but whenever I want the application to be durable, a little matte clear coat does the trick.


Making foil numbered digipak CD cases at home What I want to do is have each CD digipak (basically a cardboard CD case) foil-stamped and slightly sunken (embossed? reverse-embossed?) into the cover.
I'm looking for suggestions on how to do this in an inexpensive way, at home. Something like this:

Can this be done by hand?
If not, is there any specific machine out there that I should be looking at?

If you do not require the thickness apparent in the provided image, you may be satisfied with laser foil, also called heat transfer foil. The laser aspect is somewhat misleading, as it uses a laser printer (or toner-based copier) to bond the foil to the paper.

The base concept in the above described process is that toner is printed in the normal manner on paper or card stock. The laser transfer foil is then attached to the surface to cover the printed area. The layers are then fed through the printer, printing nothing on the second pass. The fusing drum heats the pre-printed portion, causing the foil to merge with it. When cooled (seconds later), the foil is removed except for the melted segments.

Using the same foil, one can perform similar results with a laser engraver/cutter.

If you are not considering high production levels, an inexpensive monochrome laser printer and rolls of the foil may do as you require. The thickness of the cardboard has to be minimized to no more than the maximum capacity of the printer.

The debossing (opposite of embossing) portion would complicate matters, although manual stamping after the foil is applied may work. I don't believe that a laser printer will perform well in areas of paper that has become recessed due to debossing, which would prevent the laser foil from bonding.

As you can see in the above photo, the material can be applied to a wood surface. It's unlikely that the wood was run through a laser printer prior to the foil application!


Loose ferrules on my oil brushes A couple of my old bristle brushes have loose ferrules. I am a bit hesitant to tighten the metal with pliers in fear of crushing the wood and making them even looser.
Has anyone had any success tightening loose ferrules?

If the hairs go out of the ferrule

One idea which I plan to test (without destroying a good brush just for testing purposes) is to inject some kind of glue at the base of the bristles / hairs.

My plan is to use a medical syringe, fill it with some glue (even oil paint should do, I suppose), and fill the base of the hairs (inside the metal "clamp") with that glue. Upon hardening, everything should stay in place together.

Additionally, to prevent losing the hairs as a block, I would stick some small nails through the metal, so in the end these nails would be stuck with the glue.

If the ferrule goes out of the handle

Just screw a screw through the ferrule into the handle. Maybe even two screws, from opposite sides. If you worry that the handle will break due to the pressure of the screws, drill some "guiding" hole first. The diameter of the hole should match the diameter of the "core" of the screw.

Alternatively, use some thin nails.

Or just glue it - see notes below.

Notes:

Always keep the brush with the bristles upwards (or at least diagonally upwards) - to avoid the glue sticking them together.
Use a glue which does not become very rigid / breakable after curing.
If the glue is too "liquid", temporarily wrap the ferrule / handle area with adhesive tape. It will hold the glue until it cures. Remove the tape after the process finished.


Acidity of hands when binding books I was wondering if working bare hand when doing bookbinding could be detrimental for the paper, more specifically when binding a sketchbook or paper intended for watercolor painting or calligraphy.

Those papers are specifically acid free to preserve the pigments. I am wondering if touching, folding and or pressing it with bare hands will not make it more acidic or will leave some residue preventing the good adhesion of color to it? Has anyone experience with this?

I used to do bookbinding for several years and never had any problems  with using bare hands. I only used latex gloves when repairing fragile books and/or paper.

If you are using new, clean and strong paper, I would not hesitate to recommend using bare hands in your bookbinding process. You should not experience any detrimental effects on the paper you use, I never did. I have better grip without gloves and thus more confidence in folding paper by hand. That said it would be prudent to keep your hands free of excessive perspiration and very clean, especially from dirt, ink and glue.  Wash your hands as often as required and make sure your hands are definitely dry before recommencing your bookbinding.

Small hint: Do not slide your hands over any ink because it could smear. If you need to make a very crisp fold, I would suggest using a sheet of clear plastic to slide your hands over inked areas. Slide your hands over the plastic and not the ink marked spots.


Should you reuse your swatch? After swatching and blocking, is it common to unravel the swatch and use that yarn in your project? I'm assuming the blocking would change the yarn a bit but that once you blocked the whole finished piece it wouldn't matter?

You could, if running out of yarn and the small amount would save you.
But after unraveling you should steam (or wash if the yarn does not change by that) to relax the yarn, otherwise you may get a different look as the yarn is no longer straight. (Thanks fixer 1234, your remark is now included.)
Swatches store easily and will provide repair yarn later.


Making 50th Anniversary Invitations - Card Stock won't work in printer I'm trying to create my own 50th Anniversary invitations for my parents and I'm running into issues where my laser printer won't accept the card stock I got. It said it would, but I've tried and tried and it jam's every time.  SO....my option is to print out on regular paper then glue to the card stock. Question....how can I make the paper stick to the card stock without wrinkles? I read some of other posts and they said to use the spray adhesive glue.  Would that still be the ok and work great for this? I have 100 invitations I'm mailing out. The rest of invites are being done via Facebook, etc.

A good scrapbooking adhesive tape, like Elmer's CraftBond Permanent Tape (http://www.elmers.com/product/detail/E4006) will provide strong adhesion without the mess and wrinkles of glue. I recently used it to stick regular paper into a sketchbook (with thick art paper pages), and it was great. No wrinkles, no mess, and very sticky.


What's this art-style? Hiya, I was browsing google looking for what my art style is called, and I came across this image, which I think describes my art style perfectly. So, I have to ask, what is the name of this art style?

Modern Cartoon Art Style
These are simple drawings that are common these days in TV caricatures, like The Simpsons, Avatar (not the blue guys), and those other types.


Is hard water suitable for the usage of watercolor? I do not know whether hard water is suitable for watercolor usage or if it will cause any damage to the color when it comes to archival quality. If it does cause damage, are there suggestions for improving the use of hard water with watercolor?

Hard water will work fine.
However, as with all impurities, the minerals it contains will have an impact on both the purity of the colours and the texture of the paint.

Colour purity

Hard water contains relatively high levels of calcium and magnesium, known for causing buildups of limescale: as the carbonates are deposited, they leave an insoluble off-white residue. This residue can have an impact on the colours and transparency of watercolours (and water-soluble oil paints), with slight variations between different pigments, I presume.
In most cases, however, I presume the impact is indiscernible.

Granulation

Harder water will increase the granulation of pigments in water colour, which may or may not be a desired effect.
This blog post recounts the experience of using a paint described to be non-granulating which resolutely would not have behave this way, and it turned out this was caused by the use of hard water. The accompanying picture also clearly illustrates the difference between using hard water or distilled water:

(c) Lee Angold

Alternatives

Since hard water is hard to soften, using a different source of water is the easier option.
As fixer1234 mentioned in the comments, the best way to prevent any deterioriative effects from using hard tap water is to use distilled water, which is usually easy to come by, cheap enough not to risk your watercolours losing some of their vibrancy, and free of any contaminants.
As mentioned in this Wet Canvas thread, it can also prevent the watercolour from granulating altogether: if this is undesired behaviour, it is suggested to use filtered or purified water.


How can I seal cross-stitched keychains? I have small, square, plastic keychains that I've mounted tiny, cross-stitched pieces to. I want to seal them with something that will both keep the stitching from falling off and also keep it free from dirt etc.

I generally use something like Mod Podge for this, but it takes forever to dry, and this is how they currently turn out:

It's not very tidy, and it ends up bumpy and bubbly and doesn't always dry clear. Is there a better way to seal these, or a different method I should be using?

The keychains are actually meant to hold photos - so they have the square part in the picture and then another clear plastic square that is meant to be placed over a photo to hold it in (I assume with some glue). I take out those squares, and put the construction paper/cross stitch in. There's a little bit of a lip around the edge of the keychain, but the cross stitch ends up sitting higher than this lip.

If you are willing to experiment on my behalf my suggestion would be to use 2 part epoxy resin. It is self leveling, and dries hard, clear, and smooth (if done well).

Most people use resin for larger projects so instead of buying large containers of the stuff for small projects like this you might be able to get away with the smaller ones that you would find in dollar stores and hobby shops. The are advertised as a repairing glue. Small container with 2 tubes that keep the resin and hardener separate. A single plunger extrudes both at the same time. You would have to glue down the stitch to the frame separately in case it tried to escape as it dried (Most recommend 24-48 hours)

If you do try this make sure you mix the compound before you apply it to the final product i.e don't dispense right into the frame using the plunger.

The only potential issues I see here is from the height of the recess in the keychain:

  There's a little bit of a lip around the edge of the keychain, but the cross stitch ends up sitting higher than this lip.

This might not be an issue. If done well and if the height difference is not too large, the resin can raise over a little without going over the edge. (This is called surface tension. It is what liquids do when you fill a cup too high).

You could consider replacing the construction paper with something else like paint or marker. The paper likely does a better job of covering the back of the cross stitch, though. You might fare better with a lightweight card stock.

Not sure if this applies to the think Mod Podge as it is setting but you could try to remove bubbles with a little non-direct heat like that from a hair dryer or heat gun used at a distance. Another simple trick that would be easier is to exhale (Not blow) over. These work for removing bubble for curing resin. Would not be surprised if they apply here as well.


How can I unseal a bottle of glue that has been sealed shut? I've found an old bottle of PVA-based glue in one of my cabinets. The glue in the bottle appears to be useful, but I can't use any of it since the bottle seems to be sealed shut with the same glue.
How can I unseal the bottle of glue, and use the glue inside it? I don't want to damage the applicator, so cutting or removing the tip isn't an option.

PVA glue doesn't bond well with the plastic the bottle is made of; the dried glue peels off easily if you start at one spot.  It's harder to separate the glue and get the cap off when you're working against a lot of glue surface area at once.
If you grab the base of the cap with pliers, you can typically get enough leverage to break the glue bond and unscrew the cap without damaging anything.  Once it's open, you can peel the glue out of the dispenser tip and get any dried glue out of the bottle neck.
If brute force isn't enough to unscrew the cap, you can warm it to soften the glue a little, as Joachim suggests.  That will help it stretch and peel as you unscrew the cap.
Actually, depending on the glue, freezing it to make the dried glue harder can also sometimes help if the bottle is empty and you just want to save the bottle for reuse.  It makes the glue less flexible, so brute force can more easily break the bond.  But freezing can ruin any remaining good glue, which is your goal, so this wouldn't be applicable in this case.


How to interpret this gauge requirement? For a scarf/wrap, I am following a pattern that says "Gauge: 25 stitches = 4 inches".

Does this mean I am measuring the width, i.e. the number of stitches cast on, and not the number of rows? I always thought you count the number of rows..

Usually, the gauge is given in both stitches and rows, for example
"Gauge: 10 sts/15 rows = 4 inches in stockinette (regular knit) stitch."

You rightfully care about gauge - and typically should always check it - to insure that your final product will have the correct dimensions.

The three elements of how to adjust your gauge are:
(1) needle size
(2) yarn weight, and
(3) tension.

You can adust any of the above to get the correct gauge.  Usually, the variable you will modify is needle size, since how you knit is just how you knit (the tension of your knitting is characteristic of how you knit).

The weight of the yarn is not usually something you want to change since you have carefully picked out your yarn in advance (and are making your gauge swatch from it!).

Since your pattern does not stipulate the number of rows in the gauge, I recommend just checking the number of stitches in the row - the horizontal dimension, and adust to obtain the correct width. (note: As one commentator suggested, a scarf is one instance where the length may not matter as much as it would with a structured item like a sweater.)

Here is a more detailed, but simple, explanation and a good reference for checking gauge: follow:http://sheepandstitch.com/what-is-knitting-gauge/

Good luck and happy knitting!


Is the Pentel Aquash water brush pen worth it? I've seen a lot of artists use this water brush that you can refill and I was wondering if it really is worth it. I am still a novice when it comes to watercolours and I use normal watercolour brushes. What are the pros of using the Aquash water brush pen?

I am also a novice with watercolor. The brush pens are pleasant to work with, especially if you have more control over your application with pens over traditional watercolor brushes. You can determine how much water should be used with pressure, and also use pressure to quickly clean pigment off the brush tip. I personally use the Ohuhu water brush pens, myself, but even then some traditional brushes will be needed. For example, I did a quick cactus with only one brush pen. This particular brush did not have a fine enough tip to properly do the needles as  I would have liked. So, as a beginner you will likely want to mix and match brush pens and traditional brushes. Brush pens can be fairly cheap, and the ones that come with an end cap are quite nice for traveling with!


Are there any stitches that are specific to knitting/crocheting only? I wanted to know if there are any stitches that only be achieved through knitting as well as any stitches that can achieve through crocheting only?

Not completely.
You can get the same effects or the same journey of the thread/string while using other methods to construct the fabric.
Knot tyers often use the basic knitting stitches when making fenders out of rope, but constructed completely different.

And when working with string or rope you can copy almost all knitting and crochetting stitches. But in most cases it is not worth the work.
Specially crochetting is hard to copy and not worth the effort.

When doing both knitting and crochetting you will find that the stitches are unique to one or the other, and it is almost never possible to create the effect of stitches in one while doing the other.

There are a few stitches which need both knitting and crochetting. But you need both to make them, you can not make them with either one alone.

I am a creative knot tyer and do knit, crochet and other crafts. And I am good in seeing/recognizing patterns. Most people will not know about the patterns cropping up across other crafts.


Does boat polyester resin works well for insect/flower encapsulating? Around here, polyester resin for arts and crafts is usually sold under the name "Crystal Polyester Resin", because of its colorlessness. In automotive-paint/nautical shops there are other polyester resins available, usually for the purpose of boat and automotive repairs, which might be slightly colored.

I was wondering if anyone had experience working with them for encapsulating, for example, insects and flowers, and if despite the color they are transparent enough so that you can clearly see what's inside.

Disclaimer: I have no first-hand experience with industrial resins (like boat resin), but I used craft resin (like crystal epoxy resin) several times.

There are 2 aspects to keep in mind when choosing your resin:

The properties of the resin
Your own health

Material properties

For pouring and encasing objects in resin, you usually want a crystal clear resin with a low viscosity (very thin), to avoid air bubbles in the cast. To cover a big object like a boat in resin as a protective layer, the color is less important, but you want a thicker resin so it doesn't drip off.

The problem with pouring thick, viscous resins is that it's almost impossible to remove all the air bubbles without a vacuum or pressure chamber. This leaves you with a cloudy result (because of micro air bubbles) or with very annoying bubbles in tight spaces (like the petals of a flower). It can also displace light objects while being poured on them.

The yellowish color usually intensifies over time. You end up with something looking like amber. If that's what you're looking for, go for it, but it makes things harder to see inside.

Lastly, every kind of resin has a minimal and maximal pouring thickness. If you pour less, it takes forever to cure or doesn't cure at all. If you pour more, the material heats up to a boil and bubbles away (because of the chemical reaction). Many resins have a minimal thickness of 0, but some industrial resins need several millimeters thickness and your cast may be too small for it. Have a look at the packaging to get more information.

Health Considerations

Most polyester resins stink to hell and you really shouldn't inhale the fumes. The packages usually instruct you to only use it in very well ventilated areas and additionally wear a mask with a filter (not the simple dust mask but a real filter mask). Don't forget goggles and gloves*.

Epoxy resin doesn't stink much at all, but you shouldn't directly inhale the fumes either. An open window, goggles and gloves* are sufficient.

Don't forego the gloves, resins can cause allergic reactions that can manifest several hours after skin contact.

*: Depending on the resin you use, you need gloves of different materials. I use nitrile gloves for epoxy resin, but I don't know for sure if they're safe for polyester resin.

If gloves are categorized as "safe" for certain chemicals, they resist those chemicals for a minimum of 8 hours. You should always use fresh gloves because after those 8 hours chemicals permeate the gloves.


How to get a precise "top" of a cylinder? I'm working on a rocket model made of resin. There are two parts I need to adjust and then glue together: one part is a cylinder and the other a cone. (Actually, I've got to do this four times to get four boosters.)

I'd like to be as precise as possible here and wonder how I can make sure the sides I'm sanding are leveled. Are there any tricks when sanding a cylinder to ensure the "top" isn't going to incline?

The problem is that these parts don't have smooth sides so I can't for example stick them into some tube.

Here are the parts I need to adjust. I drilled holes into the side I need to sand to make sanding quicker (since they're going to be glued together you won't see the holes).

Click to enlarge image

Here's how they are going to be glued together.

Click to enlarge image

If you have access to a table saw, you can place the cylinder against the miter guide and carefully advance it into the blade.

For a non-power-tool related option, a hand saw miter box will provide similar, perhaps easier alignment. The typical hand saw will chew up the ends of the cylinder, but here's the good part. Use rubber cement to attach a sheet of sandpaper of desired grit to the side of the saw blade.

It may be necessary to shim the cylinder to place it higher than the saw blade teeth. As you press the cylinder against the front or back of the miter box, you'll also apply pressure toward the sandpaper coated blade. Rotate the cylinder as you sand to avoid irregularities caused by the fore and aft motion of the saw.

It helps if you have three hands and especially if you bolt or otherwise clamp the miter box to a solid surface.

Depending on your skill set, you can construct your miter box, buy a kit or purchase from retail.

I have a hobbyist grade milling machine. I can clamp the cylinder in the vise, true it up to a few thousandths of an inch and mill the end true. That's overkill, and also a power tool option.

A good disk sander will have a miter guide and will be true to the disk plane, but again, expensive power tools may not be your best selection.

If you have the ability to drill a hole to match your cylinder squarely in a piece of wood, you can insert the cylinder and shave away the off-true portion with a plane, or use a sanding block. This last option is the least-tech, least-equipment method one can use, I believe.

EDIT:

Another glance at your images shows that the protrusions on the cylinders may cause some out-of-true results. If you have a continuous line on the side of the cylinder to use as contact point for the miter box, the chance of success is higher. For a miter box to work, you'd have to have two lines clear, ninety degrees apart.

For the hole-in-the-board method, you could get away with slicing into the edge of the hole clearance slots for the protrusions. The remainder of the hole's edges would provide the support and alignment needed for a good result.


Making a platinum chain Thinking about making a platinum chain for myself, just for fun. I plan to do a simple cable chain design, without soldering/welding from a round platinum wire.
Can someone share steps/tools?
Thanks.

Why not start with a copper chain and see how much fun it is before the expense of platinum ? Copper wire is readily available in giant size range. Platinum wire sizes will be limited. They seem to be in about the same strength range depending on the amount of cold work. When our technicians wound custom heating equipment with platinum wire , there was no problem working it, no special handling (other than to lock up the spool of wire when finished). . I expect you will want annealed wire . If you need to soften it after working it needs only about 1400 F which you can get with a gas stove or propane torch.


How can I decorate on a mug or plate with paper? I remember when I was in school and the teacher gave us just newspaper. We cut words from it and decorated our mug or plate. I don't remember how we glued or adhered to the plate or mug so it was permanent.
Do  you know a way how to fix pieces of (news)paper to a white mug or plate, so it is

permanent
non-toxic
food-safe

It does not have to be newspaper specifically, any common household paper (or alternative materials) should work for this.

You can use mod podge (decoupage glue) to decoupage your paper designs onto the mugs and plates - there are many tutorials for decoupage all over the he internet.
Once your decoupaged mugs / plates are completely dry and cured (leave it for a few days to be sure) you can apply several thin coats of a water based polyurethane varnish (leaving plenty of time for each layer to dry) to seal it and make it food and dishwasher safe.


Gluing metal to glass What type of glue is ideal for gluing metal to glass? The metal piece is fairly heavy. The glass sheet will lay vertical such that the adhesive will have to contend with gravity (weight of the metal piece).

There is also the possibility of mild handling of the metal piece, which the adhesive would also have to deal with.

A suitable adhesive for metal to glass can be found at the auto parts store. It is common to have inside rear view mirrors to fall from windshields.

The adhesive is a small tube similar to that in which toothpaste is sold and an activator swab or wipe.

One must be absolutely certain both surfaces are clean and perfectly flat. Follow the instructions on the packaging and you may get a solid bond.

I have, in the past, had great success with replacing fallen mirrors. The strength of this type of bond is quite impressive. I've also had a failure in two instances, possibly due to poor cleaning and/or poor retention while the adhesive cures.

If you can place the glass horizontal while the bond cures, all the better. Expect to use some form of tape for temporary security during the curing process.


Correcting mold damage to paper I have a book which acquired mold damage / coloration after a storage mishap.

Under high magnification, it looks like the printed lettering is more raised (has structure / dimension) than the mold coloration.  Based on this I do not think that abrasion can reliably remove the color.

Is there a bleaching process that I can try?
Is there a specific kind of bleach that may work better here?
can I tell if the paper has been coated in any way, which may alter my choice of treatment?

Images

A rather superficial blog article on removing mold from books suggests a light bleach/water wipe, but a book conservator in the comments threads wrote:

Some notes from a book conservator, just hoping to avert any disasters.
Bleach, while it kills mold, contains chlorine which forms an acid and will damage the paper. It will remain in the paper and continue to damage it over time. Conservators never use chlorine bleach on books. Sunlight is the best thing, even though it may cause some bleaching. If the paper turns dark in the sun, it’s probably because it contains acidic materials, stains, lignin … many times the paper or printing will fade. Test a relatively unimportant page to see before doing the whole book. Alcohol and water are very dangerous for leather and may cause it to blacken, so test in an inconspicuous place. And while some people have had success with microwaving books to kill mold, other have totally destroyed the books and even started fires. Depends on what the book is made of. I would only nuke a book if I was willing to throw it out otherwise.

Other hints you can glean across the interwebz include HEPA vacuuming, and wiping with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. But the overall objective is first to isolate the moldy books from uncontaminated ones, then to dry them out and kill and remove the mold, or at least find some way to store the books hermetically so they don't contaminate the others.  Staining seems to be the least of anyone's concerns when it comes to moldy books.
Given that the gold lettering looks to have some form of metallic ink in it, I wouldn't recommend microwaving.


Does a flex shaft need to be on a stand? I am thinking of getting a flex shaft for jewelry and stone setting. I have seen most installs require a stand but every once in a while I'll see a video/pic where someone has forgone the stand and just placed it on their desk. Is it possible to have a flex shaft without a stand? Are there any reasons why I wouldn't just want it on my desk?

No, a stand is not required but it does give you some more options. A stand that you can clamp the flex shaft tool into can give you hands free access to it, like a mini buffer/grinder. Even without that possibility, it gives the tool a secure place to rest when between uses.

Keep in mind that it is a relatively heavy tool with a spinning chuck on the end of it and connected a long thick and somewhat springy wire/tube anchored somewhere else. Without the stand it could (will) flop around from momentum and is going to want to find its own resting position that may not be the one you want. With the stand you know where it is when you need it and its a lot less likely to go off in its own direction.


Is there a way to cast solid ceramics? I am familiar with slip casting. However, I've never seen it done with something that was completely solid before. I've only seen it done with varying wall thicknesses for things like vases. Could it be done with slip casting? Or could it be done by smashing clay with plaster molds and removing the flash? I need the piece to be solid, because I want to put a hole in the bottom of it to mount it on a sculpture base.

What you want to do is to make paper clay. Basically, you shred toilet paper (cheaper the better) in warm water and use a paint mixer on your drill to make it into pulp. Then add the slip and beat again. Let sump for 24 hours, then place piles of it on slabs to dry. Wedge as usual, and get to work.

This material will change the way you work with clay. It can be solid, because the airpockets that would otherwise explode are used up in the combustion of the fibers. Mounting bone-dry to wet pieces is now possible. Casting works too.


Trying to find specific embossed grid paper I had a notebook a long time ago that was a dotted grid on each page, but the individual dots were embossed, so I could feel the texture of the dots. I used it for a lot of sketches, and I have a few more projects in mind, but I have no idea where to buy one. Has anyone else seen a notebook like this or used one before / does this type of paper have an official name / where can I buy it?

I've tried looking at local crafts stores and online, but I'm having trouble finding it. Everything I've seen is just simple dotted grid paper, but none of the dots are embossed.

I haven't seen paper with such an embossed grid, but you can use regular paper over a plastic grid that does that.  They're typically called something like a "freehand drawing grid".  There are several brands, like "FreeHand Designer" and "Accu-Line Grid".  You put it under the paper.  The surface has tiny pyramid-shaped bumps that keep your pencil going in a straight line.  This is what the surface looks like magnified:

You can find them on Amazon, as well as other places.  Here are a couple of links to get you started: FreeHand Designer and AccuLine Grid.  They're available in various sizes.


How to frame a cross-stitch? I recently finished a cross-stitch for a gift, and would like to frame it in a way that will preserve it reasonably well. I was under time constraints to present it to the recipient and there was only one frame the right size, so it's currently sandwiched between two panes of glass. However, I have a cross stitch from my grandmother in a matted frame with no glass which seems to have held up well.

Is glass or no glass preferred for framing cross-stitches? What else should I consider for preservation?

I don't recommend leaving your cross stitched projects sandwiched between glass. This compresses/flattens the stitches which can make them look odd.

Taking the piece to a reputable framing shop is probably the best idea unless you make a lot of projects and want to learn how to do it yourself or if the project is relatively small. A good shop should know how to properly block the cloth to keep it square but check with them to be certain they have experience with this.

The steps for framing yourself are generally laid out in an article here and a similar one here. The basic process is:

Prepare the piece

Wash the piece to remove oils - be careful of running colors, particularly if you didn't prewash the thread.
Iron to remove wrinkles - from the back, on soft cloth to prevent flattening stitches.

Mount the piece.

Block it onto an acid-free foam core board using straight pins, keeping some tension as you go around to keep the piece flat - use the lines of the fabric to help keep things straight.
Fold the edges around the back of the foam and secure with pins or stitching.

At this point, they simply recommend putting it in a frame either with or without glass... but I strongly encourage you to go a couple of steps further.

I highly recommend glass as it will prevent incidental dust and oils from getting on the piece. You just spent hours making it - protect it! The glass (if you get UV glass), can prevent the piece from fading, which is very important as the dyes used may not all fade at the same rates. Reds are well known to fade more quickly than other colors.

I also recommend adding at least one matting layer to put some space between the work and the glass, again, to prevent the stitches from being flattened.


Help on trying to achieve a specific type of shading I want to more or less figure out the mechanism behind a specific type of shading, as seen in the following image (the artist is moderndayjames):

Attempt #1:

Attempt #2:

Linework:

(Originals can be found here.)
Things I noticed:

Scarce to zero cross-hatching; there is clear dichotomy between what is meant to be taken as areas of light and shadow, very little in between.
The reference image is digital, although the work seems to indicate an emulation of pen and ink with a black marker.

Note: this is meant to be a top lighting scenario.
At the very least could someone I.D. the style of shading being used?

It looks like a style in-between line drawing illustrations and (a lighter version of) a typical comic book inking style.
It is a high-contrast style. Only deep shadows are filled in, so the rest can still be coloured in (by another artist). In this case, though, it is likely used as a stand-alone style.
Characteristics:

Deep shadows are exaggerated, and drawn as flat areas.
Shadows are added sparingly and economically.
Reflective surfaces like hair and metal often have additional shaded areas to emphasize their glossiness.
The darkness and/or pattern of a material is sometimes lightly indicated by additional hatching, like the pants of the person on the left and the scarf of the person on the right.
A subtle use of line weight (e.g. the contours of the clothing).

Try seeing your model as if lit from above by a very bright light source, like the sun, and find out what areas will be completely covered in shadow, like folds in clothing, and areas obscured by cast shadows, and only ink those areas.


How to properly mark a linocut prints series Bearing in mind the fact that the linocut printing process by default is handmade and could involve slight variations (due to the amount of ink rolled, color texture in the printed result, roller pressure on the press, the paper texture, the presence of marks that could provide an unique effect, and so on), and also the fact the the artist is the only one who will decide if the result meets the standards, should we consider a series of prints made using the same lino source, the same ink, and the same paper a Variable Edition if there are slight variations in color consistency on the paper?
I've found an article here but I'm not 100% sure where this fits into the Printer's marks section.
LE: I also have found a great example here. The author accept the differences considering these unique forms adding a remark:
Please note that [...] due to the handmade process and characteristics of ink, natural differences and irregularities will occur between prints.

As far as I'm aware (I'm not a professional artist) the artist should strive to make each print of a series as equal to all other prints as possible. However, if the artist intentionally introduces non-reproduceable variations in how the paper is printed or alters the print by hand, it can be considered a "Varied Edition", "Variable Edition" or "Edition Variable".
You as the artist decide which prints meet your own quality standards. If you want to eliminate as much variation between prints as possible, destroy the prints with too much variation. If you apply several colors at the same time and random color variations (due to leftover color from the previous print) are part of your artwork and you like the way they came out, keep the print and sign it. You could also decide to print an entire series with a different paper or different colors for each print. It's your freedom as artist do decide how you define a series.
Artists who decide to categorize their series as a Variable Edition usually label prints with something like "VE 1/10" or "1/10 VE". That doesn't mean that prints without that addition cannot be varied, it just means that the artist consciously labeled the series as variable. As always, there are no hard rules.
Some short and informative sources are:

What is a Variable Edition Print?
Variable Editions


How can one leave internal void cavity in fused glass piece I am trying to make a solid fused piece that would have a shape in the center. I suppose you could make the shape in the glass with a fuse step and then tact fuse a top and bottom on to it. I am worried about losing some features and having the glass collapse.

Is there any way to do something like this in a single step?
tube running through it

I've never tried this, so this answer will be largely speculation based on the physical properties.

You can leave a void, but I don't think you would be able to make the void a complex or delicate shape.  There are a few ways to start with a well-defined void: engrave it into one or both mating faces of two pieces; start with three pieces and cut the shape out of the middle piece like a stencil; make the shape using a glass tube and seal the ends to trap the air, then embed the tube in a bed of glass dust and fuse the bed (this wouldn't be applicable for a 2 mm final thickness).

With all of these approaches, glass fuses by becoming a liquid and flowing.  The molten glass will flow in a way to minimize the surface area of the void.  It will fill thin areas first, forcing any trapped air into bubbles, so you will lose the shape.

You could embed a specific shape in fused glass by making the shape out of a material that melts at a higher temperature.  However, that wouldn't be a void.

The only way I can think of to have a void of a specific, desired shape is to not fuse the glass.  Use one of the methods, like mentioned above (e.g., engraving or stencil), to create the void, then bond the pieces together with clear adhesive that bonds glass.

If the goal is the appearance of fused glass, another approach would be to fuse the glass.  Then engrave the shape in the back side.

Another idea that might come close to your objective.  Create the void as in the gluing approach.  Fill the void with fine dust of colored glass.  Then fuse the glass.  Colored glass dust would melt, and it might hold the shape, and at least be a contrasting, embedded shape.


Is there a name for embroidery that is only an outline? When I think of embroidery I think of something detailed like this:

I am wondering if there is a particular name for embroidery that is only a bare outline of the shape of something (color is irrelevant), like this:

Does this second type have a particular name or do I have to just describe it, such as "a bird shaped stitch outline"?

Redwork Embroidery - also known as blackwork or Baltimore redwork/blackwork. Color relates to the thread. Simple backstitch outline work.
Back in the early 2000’s it re-emerged becoming a popular and fun craft. I met the folks from Sublime Stitching at the ArtStar Craft Festival and got the sexy librarian kit seen in the pic below. You can still buy iron-on pattern kits with lots of interesting outline patterns.
Here is a link to a website that explains the history with citations:
http://www.womenfolk.com/quilting_history/redwork.htm
I do not have any direct association, I just knew to look up Baltimore Redwork from reading American Quilter magazine.


How should I clean these plastic items? The items in the pictures below happen to be plastic beach beds, but the same requirements could apply to upcycling old plastic items and needing to clean them first, or other crafting needs.

I left these outside during winter and they put on a layer of something. They are plastic and and I was wondering if anyone knows what can be used to clean them easier?

That looks like lichen.  On plastic, you can probably remove it with just soapy water and a bristle brush or nylon scrubbing pad (but don't use something abrasive enough to scratch up the plastic or it will provide more surface for the next round of it to adhere to).

It may help to first spray the lichen with vinegar, full strength with a little added soap as a wetting agent.  Wet the lichen well and let it dry.  Give it a few days for the lichen to die, then clean it as above.  I've also had good luck spraying it with household (sudsing) ammonia at the concentration recommended for cleaning, then giving it a few days before washing.  For really stubborn cases, do either treatment regimen and if some remains, repeat with the other (but don't mix vinegar and ammonia to try to combine both in one treatment; they will neutralize each other).

If you have a pressure washer, that should remove it with no special treatment, but start with a lower pressure (wider angle) nozzle and some distance to use the minimum pressure needed for cleaning without damaging the plastic.


What's the best way to blacken metal jewellery to this quality? I've been researching different ways to blacken brass and steel such as with blackening agent, electroplating, etc. I don't know which one I should try to achieve a finish like ones given in the picture, I also want it to get a matte appearance without having to add matte varnish.

A reverse image search suggests that the item of jewellery in that picture is plated in black gold; an alloy made of cobalt and gold. This might be ...difficult to do at home. Let's look at some alternatives.

Painting

This is probably not what you're looking for, but good quality matt black spray paint, sprayed over a decent metal primer coat, will be reasonably durable and very simple at achieve

Oxidating (Bluing)

You can either apply a coating of an oxidating substance, or oxidate the metal itself - a process known as bluing. This will give a relatively matt finish, but probably not as matt as you're looking for.

Anodising

If you go for aluminium instead of steel/brass, then you can try anodising it. Anodising at home is tricky, and the cost of tools is probably more than it's worth if you only want to blacken one or two items, but it is possible.

It seems to be possible to get a matt finish when anodising at home

Powder Coating

Powder coating is very durable, and can be done in many colours, and is doable at home. Like anodising, it requires some relatively specialised (and expensive) gear.

Outsourcing

This is the boring option, but if you need something doing well and don't know how to do it, or don't have the necessary equipment, it's often possible to pay someone else to do it for you.


Moldable/Printable wood-like material? I like the look and feel of wood, and it is structurally strong, suitable for architecture and furniture-making.

However, to make odd shapes, different from typical woodshop cuts, it either involves more specialized tools, such as lathes and routers, or carving, which involves a lot of skill and waste.

Suppose my projects is a piece of furniture where part of it looks like tree roots, but it is a set of roots that I designed, rather than one I found. It would be very hard to make in a traditional wood shop.

If I wanted to have a wood-like object, either from a 3-D printed master or a mold, are there materials that I could use in that way, that look and act like wood?

A quick search of the grand ol' internet shows that most people are recommending a wood fiber filler to be added to traditional casting material such as epoxy or polyester resin. There is a PDF available showing how to combine pecan shell flour(!) with resin and post-processing in order to generate a wood grain surface.

My search results provided a link to an Instructables comment/query with a link to the PDF noted above. I've provided the link to that page rather than the PDF, as some of the comments may also be helpful to you. The first link provided in the Instructables article is 404, dead and gone but the second one is still operational.

The document in PDF form is now a direct link and references a specific product, Smooth-on 320 resin, likely a product sold by the site hosting the document.

The results of my search which were the most promising also referenced pecal shell flour or powder.

I suspect you will get wood-like appearance, but not necessarily wood-grain like appearance.


Coloring Pencils (no prismacolor, only Crayola) I don't personally own any Prismacolor pencils, so, besides those, which coloring pencil is best to use when doing a project?

I have Crayola pencils (twistable and regular) and I don't know how to aproach this piece.

It's a post apocalyptic drawing of a guy in a gas mask

Personally I prefer Tombow (Irojiten) and Faber Castell (Polychromos) pencils. Both have a great texture on any surface and the colors are really nice. They don't break easily which is a huge plus for me.

Especially if working with different tones I like to combine these two brands as they go really well together.

In the end which brand you use depends a lot on your personal preferences and experiences. I guess you can get similar results with a lot of brands (cheaper or more expensive ones). You should go with whatever you can get your hands on and practice with those. If you find that the pencils you are using are missing some "feature" or quality that you need, then go ahead and try to find pencils which cover that gap. ;-)

The crayola ones are really good pencils, too. I do also own some and especially like to take them with me when doing quick outdoor sketches.

Have fun and good luck on your project!


How can I make my own grass tufts for miniatures? When painting miniatures, I like to base them to look like they're standing in a grassy field. To do this, I normally use a combination of loose static grass and commercially available grass tufts.

The tufts often look much better than the static grass, but have a couple of issues:

They're significantly more expensive.
The glue used doesn't stick securely to the base, which means I have to glue it anyway
Because of the glue disc, the tuft often doesn't sit flat on the base, especially when the base isn't flat

Given the above, it seems like making my own tufts in situ would solve all of these problems, so how can I make my own grass tufts?

I have plenty of static grass, but when I glue it directly to the bases it doesn't 'clump' in the same way as real tufts do.

You can use a cheap paint brush.

Preparation

Use a flat, broad brush used for home decorations or an old brush you no longer use for crafting. Stiff bristles with a light color are preferable.

Seperate a small amount of bristles to one side. You can permanently bend them by applying some force or you can cover the remaining bristles with masking tape. Apply paint to the selected bristles and let it dry completely if desired.

Application

Put a drop of glue onto a flat surface (not your terrain). Grab your seperated bristles with your non-dominant hand and don't let go until they are glued to the terrain. Cut the bristles to the desired length with a pair of scisors. You should end up with a staight cut. Dab the cut edge of the bristles into your prepared glue and place it onto your terrain. Hold it a few seconds to allow the glue to set. As long as the glue is somewhat wet, you can change the shape of the tuft using a toothpick.


What features should I look for in circular knitting needles to make them easier to use with my arthritis? I have arthritis in my hands and the smaller length needles are a little hard to hold onto. Would longer needles help, if they exist? Is there anything else to consider, such as needle material (wood vs. metal vs. plastic) that would make gripping the needles easier?

Longer needs can be helpful for this.

Addi makes a set of interchangeables with 5.5" (approx 14cm) tips (most interchangeables have 5"/12.5cm tips). They are called Rocket Lace Long Tips.
http://www.addineedleshop.com/click_system/lace_click_long.htm

I found the same set on Amazon by searching for "Addi long lace tip circular knitting needles." Amazon also has these needles in fixed circulars. I would suggest starting with just one fixed circular or one set of tips and a cord before buying the full set to see if half an inch is enough extra length to make a difference.


What is the conversion for UK and US crochet hooks to mm? The UK and US use numbered or lettered hook sizes in their patterns rather than a standardized measurement. What are the conversions between the hook sizes depending on whether I'm using US or UK patterns?

For hook sizes, it's always best to refer to the size of the hook in mm, if possible. This should be standard across all countries. Metric sizes are used in many countries including Australia and New Zealand. UK sizes are generally used in the UK and Canada. US sizes are generally used only in the US.

The equivalents (when applicable) are below. Note that some sites give different size conversions for the same hook and not all mm sizes are available in every system, which is why some sizes are listed under more than one mm size.

Crochet Hook Conversions:

mm size ----- US -------- UK

2.00 mm ---- 0 ------ 14
2.25 mm --- 1/B ----- 13
2.50 mm ---- 2 ------ 12
2.75 mm --- 2/C ----- 11/12
3.00 mm ---- 3 ------ 11
3.25 mm --- 3/D ----- 10
3.50 mm --- 4/E ----- 9
3.75 mm --- 5/F ----- 9
4.00 mm --- 6/G ----- 8
4.50 mm ---- 7 ------ 7
5.00 mm --- 8/H ----- 6
5.50 mm --- 9/I ----- 5
6.00 mm --- 10/J ---- 4
6.50 mm -- 10½/K ---- 3
7.00 mm --- n/a ----- 2
7.50 mm --- n/a ----- 1
8.00 mm --- 11/L ---- 0
9.00 mm -- 13/M/N --- 00
10.0 mm -- 15/N/P --- 000
15.0 mm --- P/Q ----- n/a
16.0 mm ---- Q ------ n/a
19.0 mm ---- S ------ n/a


How can we cut mirror or glass in a desired shape? How can we transform the glass in the desired shape or size. If we want to cut a glass which instrument should we use on domestic level.

It depends on what sort of shape you're thinking of.

A convex polygon can be done with the scribe and snap method used for rectangles. This uses a wheel glass cutter or diamond scriber You should be all right up to an octagon at least, before the angles between the sides are too small.

Circles and large holes require a special tool

Small holes can be drilled and notches etc. can be cut using abrasive (diamond/silicon carbide/aluminium oxide) tools, usually wet, and usually slowly. These can be motorised (e.g. a Dremel or a drill) but hand tools are also available.  I've used a precision diamond saw to cut internal corners; this could probably be done using a cutoff wheel on a rotary tool.  Abrasives are also useful for rounding off corners and removing sharp edges (normal wet/dry SiC paper, a tile file, or a knife-sharpening stone)

Grozing pliers combined with scoring are used for tricky shapes, but I'm told there's an art to using them.

Note: links are to examples so you know what I'm talking about.  I'm not recommending specific products or suppliers. In fact a local hardware shop should have the wheel glass cutter and abrasive drill bits/Dremel accessories.


Evenly spaced increase I have a knitting project in which I have 94 stitches on my needle, and I’m supposed to do an evenly spaced increase of 50 to get 144 stitches. I know how to increase, but I do not know if I need to start with the first stitch and how I should knit this way! Please help!
Edit-I learned that I can do it as
knit 22, m1, [k1, m1] until last 23 sts, k23
but mine says evenly spaced, is that evenly spaced?

Evenly spaced stitches means that the number of stitches between increases is approximately the same. Since you are increase 50 sts over 94 current stitches, and 94/50=1.88 you should put (on average) 1.88 sts between increases. That means your increases will be done in some combination of (m1,k1) and (m1,k2) repeats.
There are helpful calculators available online that will tell you how to space your increases based on the current number of stitches and the number of stitches to increase. I found many such calculators by googling "knitting evenly spaced increase calculator." This calculator says to work your increases (50 increases over 94 current stitches) as follows:

K1, (M1, k1) 3 times, (M1, k2) 43 times, (M1, k1) 3 times, M1, k1

If you prefer a kfb increase, you could work your increases this way:

K1, (kfb) 3 times, (kfb, k1) 43 times, (kfb) 4 times

If the pattern doesn't specify what increase stitch to use, it's up to you. Generally with evenly spaced increase you want to use whichever method will be most inconspicuous. M1 is the usual choice. Kfb creates a bar on the front of the work that looks like a purl, so it looks fine on garter stitch but it looks a bit strange on stockinette.


What is the difference between linen and cotton canvas? I am painting in oils, and I normally paint on cotton canvas. I've often wondered what the difference is between cotton and linen canvases - linen canvases appear to have a slightly different texture, but is there anything else that differentiates them?

From Understanding the difference canvas and linen:

  Canvas can mean different things to different people. In the context of painting, the word ‘canvas’ means a fabric used as a painting surface. The difference is that sometimes the canvas is made from cotton fibres and other times from linen fibres. Each material is worth looking at in more detail.

  Cotton

  Cotton is a soft, fluffy fibers that grows in a boll or protective capsule around the seeds of cotton plants. The plant is native to the Americas, Africa and India and is most often spun into yarn or thread to create a soft, breathable textile - the chances are you are wearing some cotton right now.

  The advantage of cotton to you as an artist is that it is affordable and it stretches very easily. A properly prepared cotton canvas will last a long time and is the most popular surface for oil and acrylic painting, especially for students, although it is considered too flexible for very large paintings. It is classified according to its weight and surface texture.

  When it comes to tightness, cotton comes out on top. It is possible to stretch cotton tighter than linen without straining the wooden support around the canvas, and a heavy-grade cotton can make up for its lack of strength and weight.

  Linen

  Linen is strong and durable, and remains the preferred surface for many artists but it is expensive. It is made from the fibers of the flax plant and top quality flax is harvested mainly in Western Europe. If you want your painting to last then a linen canvas is a sound investment. The threads that make up linen, known as the warp and weft threads, weigh the same, which means they are less prone to expansion or contraction due to moisture.

  Linen retains its natural oils, which helps to preserve the fibre’s flexibility and stops the canvas from going brittle. It is also regarded as having a more ‘natural’ weaved finish than cotton – a variety of textures and weights are available in both rough and smooth finishes.

  Because of its strength linen holds up to a heavy painting hand and does not become slack as easily as cotton canvas."