written by marieann

I participated in my first real swap on craftster. I was really nervous because I really wanted my partner to like what I made her so I went a bit overboard. These days I have a LOT of crafting time (or rather, I make crafting time like right now when I am skipping class) and I love to give away the crafts I make. SO, if you want to personal swap, contact me I’d love to make a package for you too.

Here’s what I sent in this swap:

• Half apron: featured here
• Baby girl dress: featured here
• Squirrel print (I bought this fabric from Japan) travel tissue holder: tutorial here
• Squirrel print fabric covered journal: tutorial here
• Crochet mushroom case: to be featured
• Fabric bookmark with buttons: to be featured
• Cute envelope with forest animal stickers
• Paper decorated shoebox (I mailed everything in this and she can store her craft supplies in it)

written by marieann

I have a mad desire to make my own pop up books. I adored the stack of zoology ones my grandmother had in her home growing up and decided it was time that I made my own. I looked on Amazon and each of the pop up how to books was over $20 and I had no idea which to purchase. And then, I remembered, books are free at the library! Libraries have a very small town feel to me and I hadn’t even considered visiting the public library in NYC before. The local library branch didn’t have any of the books I particularly wanted on the shelves but they do share books via request. I found some other inspiring craft books and mixed up a cup of tea. It was a great afternoon!

written by admin

Linda used our tutorial to make her own reversible sewing machine cover. She prequilted the fabric and made her own binding tape. We think it looks great!

If you’d like to see your project inspired by our tutorials, email us at diynamite AT gmail DOT com.

written by marieann

I had admired handbound journals I’ve seen around the internet for ages but I’ve always thought it was too difficult a craft to pick up. Thanks to this amazing tutorial, I learned I was wrong. I whipped up ten of these little books in a couple of days (one is not photographed). I paired plain papers with every cool paper I had been hoarding without a purpose in mind (like pages from old children’s books, maps, watercolor reprints, etc.). The covers are made from fabric so you are limited only by your stash.

I also made matching pen/cil holders for these like these.

written by marieann

Last year, I discovered fatbook/chunkybook pages. They are art pieces (like a collage or scrapbook page), sized 6 x 6″ with lots of “chunky” things attached to them like fibers, stickers, or charms. There are groups of women, connected by the internet, that make multiple copies of their pages, and swap the copies so that they can be bound in a single book. I have participated in a few of these fatbook page swaps and they are really rewarding. There are so many skilled artists participating and the chunkiness makes the books so interesting.

These are the groups I joined to swap fatbook pages: Chubbyville; and Fatbooks. You join the yahoo group and then sign up for the particular books you’d like to work on whenever you want.

Here’s more pages that I made for these fatbook page swaps:

For the tarot card book:

For the “Hard Work Being a Woman” book:

The first photo was for the “Beachcomber’s Journal” book. Here’s the little book opened and the back:

And if you’re interested, here’s what I wrote in the little journal (after living in Hawai’i for two summers and falling in LOVE):

You never really leave Hawai’i.

After you leave, you will still feel the cold hibiscus petals resting across your throat. The memory of your feet walking across fine white stand will stick between your toes. The beat of the ipu will maintain steady in your pulse. When the cool breeze blows, you will miss the dancing palm trees. The Pacific will hold you captive and forever crush its way into your dreams. Once you have danced in a tropical rain, the shower elsewhere will lose their magic. The moon will never look the same to you because it’s not the low hula moon.

The islands will forever live in your heart.

written by threadslinger

I got this genius idea for a cat toy that has all my kitties entertained for hours. By putting a cat toy in a box and cutting some holes so they can paw at the toy it drives them mad while they try to get it out. It is super easy (and cheap) to make also, so everyone wins.

Materials needed

Cardboard box
Scissors
Paper
Elastic
Cat toy or something with a bell

Directions

1. Cut holes in sides of box that about big enough for your kitty to stick their paws through.

2. Cut a tiny hole in the top of box, thread elastic with toy attached to it and let it dangle.

3. Cover with paper and make it purrrr-dy (yes, I am lame.) And, now you are done, a cheap and fun cat toy!

written by marieann

I made this stencil for a girl in a personal swap. It’s on an American Apparel t-shirt, which made the stencilling very stressful since I would be wasting a shirt worth more than $2. I had to do some handpainting around the buttons due to a boo boo but you can’t tell unless you look at the original stencil. This is perfect for your gaming geek friends.

There are stenciling tutorials (that make it easy, here and here.

Click to download/print full pattern:

written by threadslinger

I recently spent 4 days on the mountain boarding and when I came back my face was nearly raw from windburns. I saw lots of people on the mountain with bandannas tied over their faces and thought to myself that I could make it a little better. I came up with this nifty and cozy bandanna. Make one to protect your face! Also, this can be used for skiing too. I am snowboard centric because it is what I do. Oh, and also cause it is the best.

Materials Needed

Fleece
Fabric
Velcro
Sewing Machine

Directions

1. Fold over fabric (think hamburger style, please someone get that reference) and cut out a triangle that will fit around your face. Repeat the same with fleece.

2. Sew them right sides together, leaving a space to turn inside out on either side of the bottom of the triangle. Set aside.

3. Cut 2 strips each of fabric and fleece, put right sides together and sew 3 sides, turn inside out. Place inbetween layers on triangle piece and sew together.

4. Sew velcro pieces on the end of the strips and VOILA you have a rockin’ bandanna.

Here is a sick nasty photo of it modeled by yours truly.

written by marieann

I love the idea of mug cozies but I’m not that big of a crocheter. When I saw this idea in a store, I had to make my own! It’s a quick project and sooo cute. Make one to fit all your favorite mugs.

Materials:
8 eyelets
ribbon
batting
fabric scraps

Tools:
hammer
sewing machine

Directions:
1. If you are using a curved cup (like from Starbucks; its when the cup tapers to smaller at the bottom) then you need a curved cozy. Use the brown paper cozy from a Starbucks cup for the pattern for a curved cozy (shortened it a bit though so you have room for the laces). If you use a straight mug, then you need a straight rectangle pattern. Just measure around the straight mug to get the circumference and make it as tall as your hand. Tape your pattern around your mug just to be sure it fits smoothly but is a bit short to go all the way around.

2. Using the pattern you made in step 1, cut two cozy pieces from your fabric and one from the batting.

3. Pin the three layers together as follows: fabric pieces should be right sides together, the batting should be on top, batting touching the wrong side of one of the fabrics.

4. Sew around three edges (leave a short end open) with a 1/4″ seam.

5. Trim excess fabric around seams and clip corners. Turn right side out; press.

6. Turn under the raw edges and sew that seam shut. Quilt randomly all around.

7. Mark four places for the eyelets to go on one end evenly spaced out and 1/2″ inside the edge. Put in the eyelets. Then fold the cozy in half and mark the eyelet placings on the other end (this ensure accuracy so that both ends match). Put in those eyelets.

8. Lace with ribbon, walaa!

written by marieann

I’ve been on a serious crafting binge. I graduate law school in May then it’s cramming for the bar exam then I start work at a law firm in the fall. That means that the next few months may be my last time to craft my heart out ever (grim, no?). I also have a four day weekend every week

This means I have been crafting constantly so I will be frequently adding content to DIYnamite! I am on a posting schedule of once every two days. I already have 18 tutorials/projects in the hopper to post over the next month … but of course, I will also be making more stuff so the posts will continue! So, check back frequently for all new content from me and Caro.

Also, Caro designed the new header. Woot!