Advice On Creating Stylish Designs For Hand Made Items

by Intrepidty

posted on 09/22/2009

Step 1. Decide what you would like to make.
When creating little goodies for bazaars or holiday gifting you want to keep in mind when you need to be finished with any hand made items you hope to complete in time. Thinking small is often a good option. Smaller items can be done more quickly and will be less exhausting since some hand made items can be somewhat difficult to execute unless you are a super advanced artisan.

Choose items that you yourself love. Dolls, toys, centerpieces, baskets, kitchen or holiday decor and simple articles of clothing are super choices. You can use these items for arts and crafts displays at flea markets or ladies bazaars or you can give them for hostess gifts and presents to friends, co-workers and relatives. A lot of people who do this sort of thing love to do it and this pleasure will show through to your recipients.

Sometimes when shopping at retail markets or even when browsing catalogs and other things that arrive in the mail, something cute will catch your eye. If you are a person who has created hand made items in the past you could be tempted to find a pattern for something similar and create the item(s) for yourself by hand. Doing this by hand lets you add special finishing touches, choose you own colors or even save some dough.

Step 2. Arrange a color scheme.

There are many ways to create beautiful hand made crafts or fashions, and one of the secrets are great color combos. Looking over hand knit afghans is a way to zero in on great color schemes. Another way is by selecting colors in harmonious trios, and then adding an accent color if desired. Picking three colors from the color wheel, typically two on one section and one opposite this section is a basic guideline that creates comforting and eye appealing looks that you will find particularly enjoyable. You can find a color wheel at http://thm-a01.yimg.com/image/38a227df2e15529a. While you are looking at this wheel you can see the adjacent colors. These can be used in the trio mentioned before best by going over one or two shades to get your two beginning shades and then choosing the color directly across from the middle of these for the third color. Another great option is to choose all three colors across one another. Separate the colors into thirds, choose the colors at these points, this will bring you to this set of harmonious colors. The contrast color can always be either white, black or beige. Let your eye be the judge.

Step 3. Acquire the appropriate amount of supplies.

You may need a pattern, if you have one already that you can improvise with this is fine, too. It is important to replace worn patterns occasionally, although.

Selecting your pattern should include; your choice of item, special attention to the completed size of the project, whether the pattern is for beginner, intermediate or advanced ability and how much raw material you need, whether it is yarn, or, other things such as fiberfill, cloth or Velcro.

Once you have selected your pattern, read thoroughly all the instructions about supplies and make sure you have everything it says, as well as a little extra. You can substitute some of the items if you have to, but don't omit an item or you may be highly disappointed in the finished product. You should have decided on the colors earlier, so, now you can quickly just worry about the quantities on the pattern.

Step 4. Create a comfortable work environment.

Where you do you work is important, and what is important is the comfort factor. You need a comfortable seat, room that accommodates the supplies that you will be using, proper lighting and possibly a table of some size. The table may be replaced with simply sitting on the floor for the layout or finishing, sometimes this is the best anyway due to granting you plenty of room for spreading your item or items evenly while you perfect them.

Step 5. Set a sensible time limit up for your project.

How long it takes to complete your project will vary on your experience and how difficult the project you have chosen is to execute. Projects that need a month to finish should not be booked in for a weeks time in your journal or scratch pad. Be realistic about this. You can probably complete several small items, one or two mid sized items or part of a large item in one week. The large items can possibly take two or three weeks or even longer to complete. Things like hand knit ponchos, quilts and full sized sweaters could take one to three months to complete.

Small items could be things like little elves construed from felt, crocheted toys, ornaments, toe warmers, oven mitts, jewelry or ear covers. Medium items include dolls, shrugs, booties (slippers) and small kitchen appliance covers. Larger items are afghans, cardigans, shoulder bags and full sets such as for a bathroom or boudoir.

Step 6. Begin work.

You will want to have handy measuring devices such as a tape measure or ruler, magnifying glasses, scissors, tape, chalk or pins and maybe a flash light. Other handy items when you are working with hand made items are an extra light bulb for the main lighting source, wet wipes to freshen up your hands occasionally and a trash bin for disposing of your scraps. You might just use a small sack for the trash, and another small sack for large scraps that you want to save for another use. If you have a special tote bag you use for this, that would be great, too.

Another essential for working on hand made items is a pencil and pad to chart your progress, in particular if you are crocheting, knitting or say, putting fringe on something. Marking down each row on a piece of paper as you complete them is essential, for a beginner especially. Many crafts build the item you are making up in rows or parts, so you will be glad if you have written down how many you complete as you go. You won't get lost or caught in the middle and have to start over again.

Now, just do it! Watching TV is fine. So, is listening to the radio or your iPod. But, if you count spaces or rows, or work better with out these distractions, leave well enough alone.

Step 7. Give yourself breaks.

Be sure to take breaks as you progress. One or two hours of work like this deserves a coffee or soda break. Your break could consist of an alternate activity like a snack or fifteen minutes of a news cast. You could make the break a make-up break or a break to plan some more projects, write a shopping list or set out something for supper. A great idea is to do some calisthenics or walk your dog, if you have one. Wash your hands before and after your breaks, and don't constantly be on a "break" or you'll run later with your items than you had hoped.

Step 8. Check your finished design for flaws.

This is a little hard, but it needs to be done. After you have finished your design, you will need to check for flaws. Turn everything over in every direction in a good light and be sure there are no loose spots, no missing parts, no mistaken threads in the wrong color and no dirt on them anywhere. If you don't find anything, you are done. You have you completed hand made item and you can put it in a safe place until you present it at a bazaar or other occasion.

If you have found a mistake or something dirty, you need to take care of it. Tighten up loose spots by threading a needle with the matching color of thread and sewing over the spot. Use a darning needle and yarn if you were working with yarn. If you left something off attach it now. Sewing is also the best idea here, it is more secure than gluing. Color mistakes can be darned over with yarn and a darning needle, fingering weight yarn is good for this. If you don't have any, get some, if you can and fix the spot. Dirt can be sponged off with a cold water wash product or mild dish soap. Both items should be diluted with a little water and used with a sponge, if the dirt is stubborn use a spray on laundry spot remover that throws in the wash and wait about six hours before sponging it clean. Let it dry but not in the sunshine. The sun is notorious for fading things.

After you complete all of these steps you should have a great hand crafted item for keeps or for giving, in a great color, in a super design that you have chosen yourself and custom tailored that is uniquely your own.

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