Craft tips

Here we have brought together all the great craft tips and ideas that we have stumbled upon so far. Amazing how simple tips from one person to another can make life so much easier. If you have a great tip to share with us we would love to add it to our list. Email you tip to us here.

Craft tips:

• Turn an old metal tray into a notice or inspiration board. Super glue a picture hook onto the back of the tray and hang it on the wall. Then use fridge magnets to hold notes and messages.

• When cutting buttons from old clothing, thread them with cotton to keep the buttons together. That way you don’t have to search through all your buttons to find matching ones.

• Having trouble threading your needles? Spray hair spray on the end of the thread to stiffen it.

• When unravelling wool from an old sweater, wrap it around a filled hot water bottle to smooth out kinks and make it easier to work with.

• Make a pincushion out of a bar of soap. Wrap soap in fabric and tie the fabric in place. Then insert your pins. The pins will slide into heavy fabric more easily.

• To get the last bit of glue out of your bottle, place the bottle in warm water for a few minutes so it will flow easier.

• To curl fabric ribbon for wrapping gifts, wrap it around a length of dowelling, ensuring the ribbon doesn’t overlap. Tape the ends to stay in place. Spray ribbon all over with spray starch, stand the dowelling upright and leave to dry.

• Apply a strip of adhesive magnetic tape, available from craft shops, to your sewing machine to temporarily hold pins that are pulled out of items when sewing.