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Making Art/Crafting
20110127-fi6cws13q6i57727cmpyyqb9a9

As you read this, many members of the Questionland community are busy making beautiful, interesting things. We have your art and craft questions covered.

Answers
  • Knitting terminology - help!
    Davidclose2_small

    I don't think this is a problem. It describes the stitch for you right there.

    I try to stick to the methods in the pattern (I'm not expert enough to pick my own styles of decreasing/increasing). (I've used that stitch before myself too!) The knitter may have personal preferences, or thinks a particular method looks good. So I just trust the pattern and learn new stuff :)

    That all said! Check this out:

    http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/decreases

    My first answer said they're the same, but reading more carefully, the SKP entry says k1, not k2. Your decrease is for 2 stitches, not 1, yes?

  • How do you get an object in motion to be in focus when photographing it?
    Qlandav2ex_small

    This depends a great deal on what capabilities your camera has for defined operation, but use these guidelines. This is written assuming you are using a digital camera.

    Set your camera so that it is prefocused for the distance you are going to be from your cat. Sometimes a focusing range can be selected ahead of time or you may need to focus an automatically focusing camera and hold the setting by keeping the shutter button halfway pressed while waiting for the desired action to occur.

    Use a shutter speed that is 1/125 of a second or faster - the faster the shutter speed the less distance your cat will be moving in that slice of time.
    Faster shutter speeds will mean that you will need more light available for proper exposure. You may be able to set sensitivity of the camera by selecting a higher ISO setting but this can also make the image more grainy and possibly introduce more 'noise' in the results.

    Using the electronic flash will ensure the camera is using a fast shutter speed. However, your results will be affected by the possible reflections and shadows created by the bright light. Flash can also flatten the image into a more two dimensional appearance because other light sources are not as prominent to give depth to the objects in the field of view. Using the flash to stop action and having bright available light may give you the best results

    Lastly, practice. Take lots of photos and see what the effects are. This will also get your cat used to the presence and sound of the camera as well as the burst of light from the flash. Have someone else play with the cat using a wand with a feather on it or other point of attractive motion. Try to catch the cat in mid-air as it jumps and leaps.

  • Who can I pay to make me a shirt?
    N1462072360_2869_small

    I would go to Etsy.com and find a shop that makes clothing, and if you like what you see, just ask for a 'custom request' item. I have a shop and have gotten a lot of business through custom items. Hope that helps!

  • Posca Pens or equivalent?
    Photo_on_2012-01-03_at_17

    You might want to test out different kinds. Have you tried Prismacolor pens? They are great, although expensive. Sometimes getting a set is cheaper than buying them individually though. I also sometimes use Sharpies believe it or not. They have various size tips for sharpies from very tiny to super huge. It is kinda cool!

    Here is something I did with pens, crayons, paper, glue, etc.

    http://kristinbell.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/hansendogs.jpg

  • Where can I buy cigar boxes in Settle?
    0prr6_small

    Rain City Cigar in Georgetown is a wholesaler with a retail storefront. They have the best prices and selection in town on all thing cigar related. They give empty cigar boxes away for free and sell fancy wooden humidors.

  • What's a good adhesive that's photo-safe?
    Img_5852_small

    Hmmm...there is a wide variety of archival photo-safe glue sticks and other adhesives out there. Any decently-sized office supply, stationery, or scrapbooking store should be able to recommend some specific products/brands. (Personally, I'd try the main University Bookstore and ask them, as Stylus Paper & Pen (nee Sabtec) is out of business now). http://www.bookstore.washington.edu

    But I'm a bit confused by your description. Are you hoping that, some time in the future, you can un-peel/un-layer the collage and have those bits of photo that had bits of other photos glued on top of them to be undamaged? Because that I've not really heard of. I know of lots of items that will glue to a wall or backing well, but if you want to be able to remove them later, that might be harder. In that case you may want to look into a hard laminate over each photo first. *shrug*

    (You may already have thought of this, but rather than adhere them directly to the wall or board surface, I think it'll be easier if you get some sturdy posterboard in the same size as the photo display board. Then you can assemble the collage on the poster board on a flat surface. Once it's finished, you can transer the whole project to the wall). Good luck.

  • Where can I learn to make my own lingerie?
    Img_0355_small

    Pacific Fabrics has a lingerie class coming up in about a month at their store in Everett.

    http://www.pacificfabrics.com/shop/product/ooh-la-la-lingerie/

    I haven't taken a class from this instructor, but the classes that I've taken from Pacific Fabrics in the past have been informative and well-done.

    For this sort of sewing, you'll need to have solid garment-construction skills. If you've never sewn before, this is NOT the place to start. I would start with a few basic sewing classes - skirt, pajama pants, etc, and then doing some sewing on your own before you attempt lingerie sewing. The nice thing about doing it yourself is that you can pick nice fabrics - silk rather than the polyester crap they sell at Victoria's Secret, etc - and you can make sure that it fits the way you want it to rather than settling for ready-made stuff.

    In my experience, sewing my own clothing (and clothing for my daughter) is not cheaper than buying clothing in stores, especially when you consider the time you have to spend doing it. It might start to come close to parity or economy if you're sewing REALLY high-end, couture-level stuff that would be astronomically expensive to purchase. It takes time and effort to develop those skills, too, so my recommendation would be to pursue sewing only if the activity itself is something that you think you will enjoy and are interested in. If you're just trying to save money, this is probably not the best way to do it.

  • Your video on making a needle felting tool
    M_c3f4dfde8bc8775637192138b57b3e7d_small

    Hi Caroline!

    Can't wait to see your mushroom/toadstool delight!

    The tutorial you're talking about is down because it was eventually published in the print version of Craft, volume 4.

    Here's a link to the online copy of the magazine. You may have to register/subscribe or something, but here's where it can be found:
    http://www.make-digital.com/craft/vol04#pg1

    Felt on!

  • What is that kind of clay-like stuff called that you can use to make little jewelry charms, beads or whatever? It comes in all sorts of colors...
    Cateyes_small

    You're thinking of Fimo, or plastic/polymer modelling clay.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fimo

    And yes, it does get baked.

  • Best cast-on for a sweater?
    Cateyes_small

    This is the one you want -- Long-tail cast-on:

    http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/cast-on

    It's a nicely stretchy cast on, and is easy and quick. The trick with this cast on is that you need to leave a significant tail before you start -- I usually do a few test cast-ons before I start for real.

    If you're just getting into knitting, I recommend the Vogue Book of Knitting (or whatever it's called) -- it's an encycopedia of knitting stitches, and has fantastic diagrams. There are also TONS of great knitting websites out there that should help you. For this cast on method in particular, I recommend watching a video.

  • Overstock/discontinued paper store?
    Gold-head_small

    The Salvage Broker, 13760 Aurora Avenue North, (206) 365-7771, is what you want. No web page. You might want to bring some hand wipes for later; it is, shall we say, a little untidy.

Questions
Recent Comments
  • Comment on Bion Satir's answer…
    Avatar_default_user_small

    I just think paddles are supposed to work in water, and snow is just frozen water. So that is false advertising on their part.

    And no, I am not serious.

  • Comment on Ed B's answer…
    Larry_2_small

    There's a link to the artist's page near the top of the post. There's no sale information on her page, but there is an e-mail address.

  • Comment on ozchick's answer…
    Enso_circle_small

    I'm assuming you are honestly asking:
    etsy.com is an online market place intended for individuals to sell hand made craft and art, but it also stocks an enormous amount of crap, both handmade and mass produced.

    regretsy.com is April Winchell's piss take site, featuring the most craptastic cream of the etsy crop. And sometimes some truly excellent stuff. She is very funny and regretsy is one of my daily places to visit

    The regresty comment streams are the source of such phrases as "douche canoe" and "twat waffle"

  • Comment on ozchick's answer…
    Subcultureoftwo_small

    Etsy is a website for people to sell antiques or handcrafted items online. Knitted stuff, jewelry, ceramics, etc.

    Regretsy is a blog that highlights and mocks some of the terribly-executed items that pop up on Etsy.

    http://www.etsy.com/
    http://www.regretsy.com/

  • Comment on ozchick's answer…
    Wa_usa_small

    wait, what is etsy and regretsy?

  • Comment on Ed B's answer…
    Subcultureoftwo_small

    I wish I could find out if he's selling these, because I WANT.

  • Comment on ozchick's answer…
    Hawaii_3_luau_whales_ioa_014_small

    Go for it, if you think there's an actual market for this kind of thing.

  • Comment on Bion Satir's answer…
    Hawaii_3_luau_whales_ioa_014_small

    You're not serious. He freely admits that he abused the paddle, in a manner it was not designed for. And you think he should get a full refund credit for it?
    What, are these paddles certified indestructable?

  • Comment on Ed B's answer…
    Hawaii_3_luau_whales_ioa_014_small

    Beautiful project.

  • Comment on ozchick's answer…
    Bierce1_small

    I need to filter "shabby" out of every single craigslist furniture search I do.

  • Comment on ozchick's answer…
    Subcultureoftwo_small

    Vintage retro authentic timeless shabby-chic antiqued, artfully broken paddle. Lots of character, one of a kind!

  • Comment on Bion Satir's answer…
    Avatar_default_user_small

    If you used your membership then they should have a record of your purchase. Ask to talk to a manager. :)

  • Comment on Bion Satir's answer…
    Wa_usa_small

    Maybe 1996, actually

  • Comment on Bion Satir's answer…
    Wa_usa_small

    But I don't have a receipt and I bought it there in 1999...

  • Comment on O my captain's answer…
    Hawaii_3_luau_whales_ioa_014_small

    After answering honestly, I came back to revisit this question, and was immediately struck with a funny, sarcastic answer.... but I'm too nice to say it... just use a little imagination and you'll be laughing too....LOL!

  • Comment on Russ Campbell, NWEBS's answer…
    Qlandav2ex_small

    Craftwise, you could make some legs for the blade so it sat level and make a cribbage board out of it (liberal space for nautical drawings all around).

    I don't play at cards, but many do.

  • Comment on sublevelthree's answer…
    Ava_small

    Ack my phone entered that before I finished typing. You can rent them from buttonmakers in Georgetown to see if it's with the investment. They have lots of sizes and all the parts you need for them, they even have the super fancy ones like the oval ones ( those machines are around 1000 bucks). Their website also has the templates so you can down load them for free and design them ahead of time so it doesn't cut into your rental time

  • Comment on Russ Campbell, NWEBS's answer…
    Qlandav2ex_small

    My other suggestion was to use one of the very stable and heat capable coatings used for cement floors. However, they use a host of very toxic chemicals for delivery and curing requiring the use of gas filtering masks, etc. Not something that would be good for a living space being actively used. (POR-15 folks make some of these amazing preparations for concrete as well as a host of products to coat metals).

    After that I thought about the possibility of using polished rocks in the manufacture of the stoves, but you would have to have some gargantuan tumbling equipment and would be very labor intensive - still could be an interesting option for the high end installation if you were doing a job for someone with the funds.

  • Comment on sublevelthree's answer…
    Ava_small

    You could go with a solvent based urathane ( which you can get in a satin) you can get it from the hardware store, or a traditional damar varnish, maybe a bit lighter on the stand oil if you mix it yourself. Some stores sell a pre mixed damar so you don't have to do powdered crystals mixed with solvent and oil. This is from art supply store. These both will change the appearance of the work. I'll see if I can track down the person I know who works with leaf and see if there's a specific way to handle the leaf ( pouring vs brushing ) or you could give the artist an email asking what kind of coating to use and if there is a brand that she prefers. Then you can Just pick it up at the store. Ask questions about application at the store if you get someone who looks like they don't know what theyre talking about then ask if any one on staff is a traditional oil painter ( they're usually the most experienced with glazing paintings) and again steer clear of the acrylics and any waterbased synthetics

  • Comment on sublevelthree's answer…
    Subcultureoftwo_small

    Fortunately, I know the artist tangentially. We got to be friends at the auction and she (randomly) ended up buying the item I contributed. I mentioned the varnish idea to her and she said she would send me some, but she never did, and I don't want to harass her about it. She already made the art and she doesn't owe me anything...I'd rather do it on my own and not bug her. But I DO have her blessing to do it. It's not about making it shiny; it's about wanting to preserve her work.

  • Comment on Griffin's answer…
    Subcultureoftwo_small

    1. Cool, I'll wipe a little bit on a couple and see how it goes. Neat!

    2. Oof, I don't think they're really framable. I'll see what other options I have.

    Thanks!

  • Comment on sublevelthree's answer…
    Ava_small

    Forgot about this part- if you go to short run it's strychnine frosting press I'll be on l the left side of the show room ( where bands normally play at VERA). More info is at http://shortrun.org/

  • Comment on sublevelthree's answer…
    Avatar_default

    good ideas, thanks!

  • Comment on Russ Campbell, NWEBS's answer…
    Subcultureoftwo_small

    Oh, believe me, I'm not defending this guy at all. I dislike it when people use QL for hit-and-run answers, never engaging in a dialogue, responding to further questions, or responding or thanking anyone at all.

    Furthermore, if this is the way this person communicates, I find it highly unlikely that he'll ever have the ability to get an art gallery off the ground, especially if you need repeated help with the easiest part of the whole venture.

  • Comment on Russ Campbell, NWEBS's answer…
    Ava_small

    But why not take any of the feedback to get a more consise answer? If it is the same guy I want to know where his proposed gallery is so I can steer clear of it. Someone organizing art shows needs to be flexible and open to suggestions for the shows to be interesting. If he's just asking the same question and expecting a different answer on the name what is that gonna mean for th shows. As much as this city needs more art spaces it does not need backward thinking stodgy ones. If it's the same guy and he's discounting logical info to include in the process that's just stubborn

  • Comment on Russ Campbell, NWEBS's answer…
    Subcultureoftwo_small

    I'm positive that the guy asking this question (Greg Baharat) is the same guy that asked the question in your second link under "Pinchi.B." No way the same question using the words "suggest me" is a coincidence.

    I suspect he didn't like the answers on his first try, so he asked the whole question again.

  • Comment on Russ Campbell, NWEBS's answer…
    Ava_small

    It's weird to me that this question keeps coming up. You would think people wanting to show creative works would have some opinions. If ya can't come up with a name what's the curatorial vision gonna look like. And no one ebb writes back and says what kind of work they're gonna show and narrow it down. It's just throw out the question and never expand. It frustrates me as much as the people whose entire question is the heading. Just needed to rant a bit, it's not like we can read minds and people go in-depth if there's something to work with. An intelligent name for a gallery - give us qlanders information to work with. Someone running a smart gallery should be able to provide something, anything, to work with

  • Comment on O my captain's answer…
    Ava_small

    With so many window projects going on in the region right now days it be confusing

  • Comment on marymc's answer…
    Subcultureoftwo_small

    That is REALLY close.

    Thanks for the suggestion!

  • Comment on Finger Games's answer…
    Pigeondm2802_228x243_small

    Alright I admit I am way more familiar with the San Francisco Freecycle. I didn't realize it was so bad here! Sorry to lead you astray.