Homemade Ornaments: Pinecone Gnomes

I love making ornaments from found, natural materials. Cat-sitting for my crafty neighbor Jane last week, I spotted these little gnome ornaments she had made from the pinecones that fall on our neighborhood sidewalks, and asked if I could share them on The Tangled Nest. Jane’s gnomes were inspired by …

Friday Links: Holiday Craft Projects

I’ve written before on this blog about simple gifts and “The Sanctity of Giving.”  I love gifts, and I don’t believe opting out of holiday commercialism has to mean a moratorium on giving.  This week I’m sharing a few suggestions from the Tangled Nest archives: craft projects that can bring …

How to Make a Giant Magical Paper Flower Poppy Garden

A Giant Magical Paper Poppy Garden?  I know–what a strange Tangled Nest post.  But somehow I volunteered to make the poppies for the set of Claire’s school production of The Magical Land of Oz.  Remember the poppies in service to the Wicked Witch (played by my daughter!) that lulled Dorothy …

Travel Knitting: Tiny Projects to Take Along

We spent last week in New York City, and had a fabulous time.  While packing for the trip, I knew I wanted to take a little knitting project to keep my mind and hands busy during the in-betweens of airports and cafes–it had to be something I could carry easily, …

Create an Inspiring, Low-Budget Craft Room

Ever since we moved into this house SEVEN years ago, I have intended to make a corner of the basement into a craft room, where I could keep all my supplies, spread out projects, and find inspiration.  But instead it turned into–well, if you have a basement you know exactly …

A Mending Morning: Set up Your Sewing Basket

I love hand-sewing, and I always have–ever since I was a little girl.  I also love mending.  It makes such good sense, imparts calm, gives you a pleasant sense of accomplishment, and is something nice to do for your family.  That said, it’s been a mystery why, these past few …

Knit Graffiti, Yarn Bombing, And Other Dangerous Hobbies

And now, surprise surprise, a guest post from Tom about knitting! What is it about yarn bombing that’s so compelling? “Knit graffiti” — it brings a smile to my face just to think about it! Guerrilla crafters wrapping yarn creations around objects in the streetscape under the cover of darkness, …

Pretty Patching: Giving Old Clothes New Life

Even though I found them on the deep discount rack at REI, my Prana cargo pants were quite a splurge.  But in the spring of 2008 I was on my way to East Africa for two months, and the pants were so light weight, had a touch of spandex that …

Cardboard Box Gingerbread House Gift Box: A Super-fun Upcycle

Last night I was wrapping a present for Claire, and I don’t know what came over me.  The ugly old box ended up as a cardboard gingerbread house.  When Claire woke up this morning, she thought the box itself was her present.  Now we are plotting a whole upcycled cardboard …

Homemade Knitting Needles, Knitting Evangelism, and a Pretty Scarf Pattern

For my seventh birthday, my mom gave me a pair of light blue knitting needles and a ball of white yarn.  She didn’t know how to knit, but sent me across the backyard to our neighbor’s house, where the retired librarian Marion Milligan took me under her wing.  Marion taught …