Hi, Make + Doers! This is Tina speaking. Austen’s on vacation today, so I’m filling in as guest poster. You might remember me as the slightly obsessive craft-room organizer from a few months ago. I’m delighted to be back and to share a little about the crafty trip I took recently.

Remember the excitement of Grade 5 field trips, when you got to get out of the classroom and see something REAL? That was how I felt last week at The Green Mountain Spinnery in Putney, Vermont.

I grew up in New England, so I go back often. This time, my mom and dad decided to spoil me and hit all the yarn shops within a 50-mile radius. They were all filled with lovely yarn, but the Spinnery really stood out.

It’s a cooperative of like-minded wool lovers who work really hard to sustain sheep farmers in the area. They produce a range of gorgeous yarns using environmentally friendly techniques, and the results are inspiring.

Of course, the part my dad was most excited about was the mill behind the shop. The folks who work there are extraordinarily proud of their setup, and you never have to ask twice for a tour.

The Spinnery uses vintage machinery to card, spin and skein their wool. I was amazed at the ingenuity of the people who work there – including one particularly resourceful ex-Navy man who minds the inner workings of these behemoth devices. It’s kind-of like having a ’57 Chevy with a ’92 Toyota engine and ’87 Ford bearings. These folks hunt for parts on the Internet, raid yard sales for old bobbins (New Englanders often use them as candleholders!) and machine whatever they can’t seem to find. It’s a testament to New England frugality and inventiveness.

First, we checked out the chilly barn, where bags and bags of fleeces reside in various states. Some were fresh off the sheep, some were washed and some were just back from the dye house. Each colour is done independently, then a number of colours are blended together to create a specific shade of yarn.

Then, it’s to the carding machine, which stands about 8 feet tall at one end. Fleece goes into the hopper and gets dragged through successively finer-toothed rollers. The carder takes out burrs, twigs and other stuff sheep get into and tease the fibres apart to make them workable.

Here’s my dad’s finger, pointing at the crazy-sharp teeth on the rollers.

Here you can see wool fibres on the rollers on the right, with the smooth, carded batt at the bottom left.

The batt then rolls up over a conveyer into the machine that separates it into individual pieces of roving.

Roving may look like yarn, but it’s not twisted into its final shape yet.  Here you can see a whole row of roving being wound onto a big spindle to preparing it for spinning.

The spindles go into the top of the spinning machine, where the rovings are twisted to form yarn. It could be a single ply for a finer finish, or a bunch of plies together for a yarn with more heft.  At the bottom, you can see the bobbins the spun yarn winds around.

The yarn gets a good steaming to help it stay in its new form. I loved these huge bins of freshly steamed wool on their bobbins. They look so fresh and inviting, almost ready to pick up and knit.

The bobbins then go on a skeiner, which winds the yarn around a huge wooden contraption that looks a little like an old-fashioned clothes dryer. These big circles are then twisted into the skeins you see at the front of the store.  Apparently, this machine takes a steady, patient hand. There’s no rushing a persnickety old skeiner like this.

Before you leave the shop, you run into (literally almost) the pattern wall. The Spinnery designs a huge number of their own patterns – basically, if you can knit it, they have a pattern for it using their beautiful yarn.

I was a little overwhelmed by the variety of wools the Spinnery offered, so I ended up with just a couple: Maine Organic in a smoky brown and Sylvan Spirit in Amethyst. Rest assured, I’ll be back.

I hope you enjoyed this virtual day trip to New England.  Tell us about the special places you find wool – we always love to hear about the champions of handmade!

Good morning friends,

I just had to share a photo of these stitch markers with you. I'm the first to admit that when it comes to knitting equipment, I'm a bit of a cheapskate. For the longest time, I refused to buy stitch markers – why pay for some ugly plastic ring when safety pins and scraps of yarn are free?

Of course, stitch markers have come a long way from the cheap pink and blue hoops that were available when I started knitting 20 years ago. When I visited my sister, Whitney, in Halifax, I saw some of the work that her housemate, Tamara, was doing with felted wool, and that's when the penny dropped. Felted wool stitch markers – how cool would that be? I pitched the idea to Tamara and she graciously accepted the challenge.

Whitney brought the finished markers to me a week ago (that's them up there) and I'm really pleased. I can't wait to start a new project so that I can put them to good use. Thanks, Tamara!

(See some of Tamara's other work in her Etsy shop, GreyLeaf Fibre Arts.)

Hi there!

I'm glad you folks enjoyed the Lisa Hannigan post. It's been a long time since I went to the record store to buy a CD, but I made an exception for Sea Sew – I just couldn't resist that handstitched cover!

Of course, sometimes you want to get the handmade effect without actually, you know, making it (whatever it is) by hand. If that's the case, check out this round-up of crafty fonts over at How About Orange. Or check out these crafty-doodle dingbats (seen above), passed along to me by fellow crafty copy editor Lisa Fielding. Lots of fun!

PS There's still time to enter this week’s giveaway for your chance to win a copy of Stitch ‘n Bitch, a knitting book with attitude, AND six balls of beautiful angora/bamboo yarn from Patons. Leave a comment on Monday’s post telling me what your favourite craft resource is. Comment by 5 p.m. today; I’ll post a winner next Monday, June 8. Good luck!

Hi friends!

Phew, it's busy-busy here today, but I couldn't wait any longer to share this little DIY project I put together last week. I've been hard at work on my latest quilt, and it is hard work: each block is made of 39(!) different pieces. This is the first quilt I've made using templates instead of rotary-cut shapes, and I quickly found myself challenged by the prospect of all that tracing. The fabric moved around under the template, the marker bled, ugh.

Tracing a template onto fabric can be frustrating.

I was telling my tale of woe to Tina (you'll remember her as the quilter/organizer extraordinaire from last week's organization Q+A post) and she suggested a solution that I liked the sounds of. With a little bit of foam core, some spray adhesive, a sheet of sandpaper and a bit of non-slip drawer liner, she said, I could solve all my tracing woes. She was right!

I stopped to pick up my supplies on my way home from work. A quick search for foam core was fruitless, so I decided to use a clipboard instead. I subbed heavy-duty glue for spray adhesive (it was raining; I couldn't do the spraying outside and didn't want to have a sticky kitchen table). The total cost of my supplies: less than $10.

Clipboard with garnet sandpaper.

First, trimmed the sides of the sandpaper to fit the width of the clipboard. Then I spread a thin layer of glue on both the clipboard and the paper, making sure that the glue went right to the edges. (Obviously, I was working over newsprint, not quilt blocks as above!) I used clothespins to hold the edges of the sandpaper down while the glue dried.

Non-slip drawer liner keeps the board from skating away while I work.

Next, I cut two bands of non-slip drawer liner roughly the length of the clipboard, and attached them to the back of the clipboard with more of glue. It was a challenge to make sure that not too much glue seeped through the liner, and I made sure to leave it to dry upside down, lest I come back and find it securely stuck to the table!

Let's get to work.

Ta da! Once the glue was dry, I was ready to get to work. The non-slip liner keeps the clipboard from moving while I'm tracing; the garnet sandpaper is rough enough to grip the fabric but not so rough as to pick or tear at it. I use a sharp HB pencil to mark lines and dots for cutting lines and seam allowances - the pencil will wash out and I don't have to put up with a stinky marker. (Always test a scrap of fabric before you mark it, though, just to be safe.)

And look at that – quilt ring #1, done and done. Thanks, Tina, for the great advice!

Do you have and tracing hints and tips for me?

PS Don't forget to enter this week's giveaway for your chance to win a copy of Stitch ‘n Bitch, a knitting book with attitude, AND six balls of beautiful angora/bamboo yarn from Patons. Leave a comment on Monday's post telling me what your favourite craft resource is. Comment by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 5; I’ll post a winner next Monday, June 8. Good luck!

Hello folks,

It's crafty Q+A time again!

Nicole V. wrote: I have very little space, and I do not have the money to buy an expensive craft organizing bag/system. Do you have any ideas for organizing that are inexpensive and that I can put into as little space as possible?

And Cathy asked: I don’t like clutter. How can I keep all my craft contained in one area, when I don’t have one area?

This is a big topic. Because I know that Make+Do readers are interested in a variety of crafts, I was looking for a variety of organizational solutions, so I turned to my co-workers and fellow crafters and asked them to share the ways they organize their crafting spaces. They came through in spades, offering tons of advice for those of us who are looking for affordable craft storage solutions for small spaces.

Beverly Renahan is our Senior Food Editor and an accomplished crafter with lots of different projects on the go, from stained glass to needlework to sewing. Here's how she organizes her materials:

• "Stained glass (usually bought in 1-foot squares) are stored upright with colours separated by newspaper in an old sideboard. Larger pieces are stored flat between newspapers in upper silverware drawer. Equipment and smaller pieces of leftover glass go in small cardboard boxes in lower drawer.
• Wool and leftover fabric is stored in old trunk (which is a “bench” at the front door). Needles and hooks are in zippered cases with all sizes marked.
• Sewing supplies (thread, needles, pins, scissors, patterns, etc.) go in a small 1-drawer-and-cupboard unit (now with a TV standing on top). Pins are kept in small plastic boxes and on magnetic pincushion; needles in original plastic containers with array of sizes; bobbins in curved bobbin storage trays; thread spools in single layer in topless gift boxes (shirt size) piled on each another."

Tina Anson Mine is our Managing Editor and quilting maven, with a newly awakened passion for all things knitting-related. She's also an organizational queen, with lots of good advice to share.

• "I use hanging canvas shoe bags to store fabric. I took the doors off the closet in the craft room/office and have three of them hanging on one side. I sort roughly by colour, though sometimes I just group stuff together that needs to stay together (‘30s feedsack prints, batiks, my extensive collection of vegetable and fruit fabrics fat quarters that I was once obsessed with).
• I keep small scraps separate from larger cut-able scraps in clear Rubbermaid totes on the overhead shelf in the closet. Then if I need a scrap of a certain colour or size, I can root through and find one. If I need just a tiny piece, I take a look in the small scraps bin; if I need a larger piece, I don’t bother getting distracted by the too-tiny bits I can’t use.
• Over my cutting/sewing table, I attached two floating shelves. I pile up pin cushions and jam jars full of pins and other notions on them. I also have a bunch of tea cups from my grandmother’s china set with other notions in them. (The cups were too grubby or chipped to drink from, so they’re perfect for this.) Then, below that, I installed one of those IKEA metal kitchen rods. On it, I hung three of their plastic hanging cups (I keep more pins/tape measures/marking pencils in them) and a bunch of hooks, on which I hang my rotary cutters and scissors. This keeps them up off the table and safely away from my fingers when not in use. This is my favourite organization trick ever.
• I hang my rotary cutting rulers on little cup hooks attached to the wall next to the craft table.
• My craft table is my grandmother’s old kitchen table, and it has a couple of drawers (and a fabulous enamelled tin top — perfect for pinning a quilt top). In one of them, I tossed a cutlery organizer (an ugly one that didn’t fit my kitchen drawers and was destined for the garbage). I keep spare presser feet, bobbins and other sewing machine tools (e.g., the tiny screwdriver for changing the foot) in there. That way they’re always accessible when I’m in the middle of sewing. I don’t have to go hunt for them, and the organizer keeps them from getting too jumbled. It also prevents them from rattling around and possible getting damaged.
• I also have some of those wooden IKEA mini-drawer things I keep other craft supplies in. The small stuff is perfect in those drawers – scrapbooking scissors, beading supplies, paints, cross-stitiching thread, etc....
• For my cross-stitiching thread, I use those baggies on a metal ring devices. Each colour is in its own bag marked with the DMC number. I can keep whole skeins or small scraps in the bags, which I like much better than those bobbin things some people use to organize embroidery thread."

Lisa Fielding, one of my fellow copy editors, likes to sew and crochet – and does a mighty fine job of it. (I can't wait to show you the crocheted bow-tie she's making for her dachshund, Douglas!) Her organizational tips are short but sweet.

• "I’ve appropriated one corner of my unfinished basement as my craft nook. I bought a cheap work table, lamp and bookshelf from Ikea, put down a rug that would have otherwise sat rolled up in a corner, and arranged things as pleasantly as I could. Since it’s out of the way of our everyday living, I can leave things a mess when I feel like it.
• I use Gutterman thread, and I keep it in a clear plastic case (in colour sequence) hanging above my sewing machine. Means I don’t waste thread by having to cut apart a jumble of spools tangled in a drawer, and I can easily and quickly find the right colour."

Annette Waurick is the art director of Homemakers magazine, our sister publication, and is known for her beautiful handmade jewelry and handknit sweaters and accessories. She writes:

• "For the knitting projects I am working on, I use these beautiful fabric storage containers by Jenna Rose.
• The jewelry supplies I keep in Semikolon boxes, which don’t have any compartments in them, but look pretty and come in all different sizes and shapes."

As for me? I keep my pins and needles in recycled jam jars and my other sewing notions in old biscuit tins. My scissors and rotary cutter hang on a bulletin board over my desk. And as far as my ever-growing fabric stash is concerned... Well, that's why I love my ottoman-with-hidden-compartment so much!

Phew! Nicole, Cathy, I hope this helps. As you can see, we're big into recycling, repurposing and rearranging around here, proving that you can organize it all - without spending a big chunk of change. (Of course, if you're looking for something a bit more elaborate, Martha's got your number - and a label-maker, of course. Check it out.)

How do you organize your craft supplies?

PS Don’t forget to leave a comment on Monday’s post for your chance to win The Unibind PhotoBook Creator Starter Kit and coupon for two free products (with free shipping) from RocketLife. This week, I’m interested in hearing about your favourite craft to take on a road trip.

Hello, friends.

Thanks to everyone who has been entering Weekly Giveaway #3. There are some great craft questions coming up in the contest entries – it looks like I'm going to be learning some new things, too! I chose an easy question to start off with. This one's from Emily, who writes:

"I would like to try making a baby quilt, but I don’t really know how to go about it. I have a sort of pattern from a book (the Bend The Rules sewing book by Amy Karol). My question: is it worth investing in a rotary cutter and mat set? I have a decent pair of fabric scissors but it seems like it might be easier to do piecing using the mat and rotary blade. Then again I’m a novice so it seems like a hefty investment."

Easy question, easy answer: Emily, it's worth it.

When I started quilting, about five years ago, it didn't take me long to discover that I'm useless at cutting a straight line with a pair of fabric shears. After a single very frustrating afternoon of cutting crooked squares and uneven seam allowances, a rotary cutter, acrylic ruler and mat set made its way to the top of my shopping list.

My well-loved (and much used) rotary cutter, rulers and mats.

Using a rotary cutter enables you to make quick, straight cuts with reliable results every time. The super-sharp blade is capable of cutting through multiple layers of fabric at once, which is a godsend when you're working on a quilt with dozens (or even hundreds) of pieces. The self-healing mats and acrylic rulers come in many shapes and sizes, so you can find one that works for your workspace (I like the larger mat now, but the small one was ideal when I was living in a tiny apartment without a dedicated worktable.)

I bought my original Fiskars set for about $25-$30, and over the years I've added new cutting mats and rulers as I've needed them.  OLFA is the other source for excellent cutting tools, rulers and mats for sewers/quilters, and though their prices seem slightly higher, I think it's worth it. (Consider how long you're likely to be using the tools – and how much trouble they'll save you. I use them for all my sewing now, not just quilting, and I've been doing so since 2004. That works out to only $5 a year – not bad!)

If you're worried about the expense, it is worth checking the sales at stores like Fabricland/Fabricville, which often have big seasonal discounts, even on notions. And don't discount your local quilting shop – many of them offer packages for beginning quilters.

One caveat: be careful. A rotary cutter is as sharp as a scalpel. Never, ever leave the blade open when you're not using it. Keep your rotary cutter out of reach of curious kids. And if you drop it – jump lively!

Just a few other notes...

• Have something to add to the discussion about rotary cutters and cutting mats? Please leave a comment!
• If you're looking for a good resource book, I'd recommend The Better Homes and Gardens Complete Guide to Quilting. It's an excellent resource for beginning and more experienced quilters alike.
• Don't forget to add your crafty question for the chance to win one of two copies of Sew What! Bags by Lexie Barnes.
• It's only a few more days until my e-newsletter launches. Don't forget to sign up!

See you again soon!