Arts & Crafts

Activities involving manual dexterity or skilled artistry.

Sub-headings:

Graffiti

Knitting

Resources on knitting, a way of constructing fabric by intertwining thread or yarn in a series of loops using a pair of long, thin eyeless needles or rods.

Quilting

Resources in this category:

About.com: Beadwork
http://beadwork.about.com/

Covers all aspects of making beaded jewelry and crafts. Includes articles on beading techniques and fashions, how-to information, patterns for beaded projects, links to beading societies, and more.

Antiques and Collectibles Appraisal
http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48439

So, you've inherited a wonderful whats-it from your great aunt Verbena. Or perhaps you bought a terrific thing-a-ma-jig at a garage sale. But what is it, and more importantly, what is it worth? Read on, and find the way to begin your research in the following IPL pathfinder.

Aunt Annie's Craft Page
http://www.auntannie.com/

"The emphasis of this page is on learning, creativity, and problem-solving while doing craft projects. Each project includes a variety of designs to choose from, patterns to print, and easy to follow instructions. Every project provides hours of enjoyment for both children and adults." A new project is available every week.

Basketry Information
http://www.beebes.net/basket/

A collection of basketry information - including magazines & newsletters, sources of materials, Associations & Guilds, conventions & meetings, exhibits, collections, and related web links.

Circlemakers
http://www.circlemakers.org

This visually stimulating site is dedicated to the art of crop circlemaking. Crop circles, or elaborately patterned flattened areas appearing overnight in crop fields, have been found all over the world. Many explanations have been set forth to explain the phenomenon. This site belongs to a group of artists who claim circlemaking as their own nocturnal pastime. The site include a beginner's guide to creating your very own crop cirle.

Counted Cross Stitch, Needlework, and Stitchery Page
http://www.dnai.com/~kdyer/

Includes FAQs from rec.arts.textiles.needlework and a guide to related Internet resources.

Crafts and Artisans of India
http://www.craftandartisans.com/

A huge database of the different crafts and artisans of India. The crafts are broken down by category (e.g., floor covering) and state (e.g., Punjab).

Craftsite Directory
http://craftsitedirectory.com/

Your comprehensive guide to arts and crafts. This directory contains a variety of websites focusing on all crafting subjects including cross-stitch, embroidery, origami, sewing, and stenciling.

Craftster.org
http://craftster.org/forum/

"No tea cozies without irony! Craftster is a forum for people who love to make things but who are not inspired by scrapbooking with die-cut teddy bears, cross-stitched home sweet home plaques, wooden boxes with ducks in bonnets painted on...Check out the tutorials for information, or share your amazing work with your own post. If you've been known to run with scissors, cavort with your fellow rebel DIY'ers here!"

The Embroidery Directory
http://www.digifax.com/list.html

"Directory listing of embroiderers, digitizers and suppliers to the commercial embroidery industry."

Fabric Origami Workshop
http://www.fabricorigami.com/

This site "features detailed instructions, photos, and diagrams to make origami boxes and items just by folding fabric." Other site inclusions are a FAQ and a list of recommended books for those at any level of skill.

Glossary for the Modern Soap Maker
http://www.ccnphawaii.com/glossary-alpha.htm

Cited by the US FDA's Library of Chemical Information webpage, this is a unique collection of terms, definitions, and acronyms related to the art of modern soap making.

Guide to Oil Painting
http://www.guidetooilpainting.com/default.html

Offers a variety of information on oil paintings including necessary materials, basic knowledge and steps, and some exercises.

Joseph Wu's Origami Page
http://www.origami.vancouver.bc.ca/home.html

In addition to a wealth of information on origami (history & instruction, finding people, organizations and supplies) there's a guide to files & diagrams of origami on the net and a guide to origami photo galleries.

Lapidary Journal Step-by-Step Jewelry Making Instructions
http://www.lapidaryjournal.com/stepbystep/

This webpage provides an alphabetical list of jewelry-making projects that users can click on to receive detailed step-by-step instructions.

Needlecrafts
http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48509

This IPL pathfinder is designed to help you find information about various needlecrafts including cross-stitch, needlepoint or tapestry, knitting, crocheting and sewing. Both print and Internet sources are provided.

The Puppetry Home Page
http://www.sagecraft.com/puppetry/

Covers all aspects of puppetry, from creating puppets to performing with them, from an international perspective.

Ropers Knots Page
http://www.realknots.com/

A huge site dedicated to the art of knotting, consisting of detailed instruction pages, an alphabetical index to locate and learn the many different types of knots, links to other knotting sites, connection to a knotting newsgroup, and a list of books on this subject.

Sewing - Sewing Patterns & Sewing Machines
http://sewing.patternreview.com/

Find a wide selection of reviews of sewing machines, crafts, patterns and other sewing paraphernalia. If interested in further resources such as online sewing classes, you will find options for registering as a user or as a subscriber.

Stitchopedia
http://www.stitchopedia.com/

Stitchopedia is an informational site about needlepoint, and provides diagrams, patterns, and instructions on a variety of stitches.

Stitchopedia
http://stitchopedia.com/

"Diagrams and directions for every stitch you can think of (and some you've probably never heard of)." From the basics to composite stitches, this site aims to educate learners at all levels. Find stitches, design patterns, and an archive of articles.

Tiles on the Web
http://www.tiles.org/

"Tiles On The Web provides a focus for Web resources to further appreciation of ceramic tiles as artistic media, historical artifacts, and architectural elements. My goal is to rapidly develop the Gallery and Tile Studios sections because I believe that's where the site can offer the most to the world of tiles. It's very difficult for individual tile artists and small tileries to gain broad exposure for their work, and the Web is an ideal medium to help overcome this barrier."

Vintage Pattern Lending Library
http://www.vpll.org/

The Vintage Pattern Lending Library is home to a growing collection of over 3,000 antique sewing and needlework patterns, vintage fashion publications, and other related historic print materials from the 1840s through the 1950s, from the United States and abroad. They offer high quality, user-friendly, historically accurate one-to-one digital reproductions of the patterns for purchase or loan.

Wonderful Stitches
http://www.needlework.com/

Resources for "stitchery enthusiasts" including patterns for quilting, needlepoint, cross-stitching and sample stitchers. Site provides pattern charts in a series so that the stitcher can easily imitate the design.