Welcome to Mamma Bear's
Handicrafts page
* Introduction * Cross-Stitch * Quilting & Patchwork * Knitting * Crochet * Dressmaking * Miscellaneous *
I am a new homemaker starting totally from scratch! I have no handed-down wisdom (what a shame that the teaching of cooking and crafts was left to school - which failed to see the value of the subjects - when I could have learnt so much from my parents and grandparents).
I recently went to our local library to look for books on home- making. There was indeed a "Home-making" section, but it was virtually empty. Books about some of the following homemaking crafts could be found: in sections on "hobbies"; some of the best books I have picked up have been from charity shops, which I hope to list here. I am also trawling the net for useful handicrafts sites.
This page is intended (eventually) to be a resource for new homemakers, especially in England, who are struggling just like I am, to do a job (or follow a career, if you like) that we haven't been trained for.
I used to buy "Quick & Easy Cross-Stitch Magazine". Here is the link, but I've never been able to connect to it, so I'm not sure it works:
http://www.futurenet.com/mags/queasy/ so I'll be looking for more links to cross-stitch sites.
I have done some experimental "quilting" without knowing what I was doing, and it wasn't too disastrous, (I made a Peter Rabbit cot bumber and quilt-cover) but I'd really love to learn how to do it properly!
I have found a fantastic site with literally hundreds of quilting & patchwork links: http://www.nmt.edu/~breynold/quilts.htm
The extent of my knowledge about hand-knitting begins and ends with garter stitch (normal knitting stitch), and I always have to check how to cast-on and cast-off... I can just about manage a plain square of knitting, (so I guess that, in theory, I could probably knit a scarf if I put my mind to it) but I would just love to be able to knit cute little matinee jackets and booties for babies...
A great resource for hand-knitting is www.woolworks.org
I seem to remember my Nan being quite good at crocheting, and we used to have several prettily coloured crocheted blankets.
The Crochet Association of America has an on-line how-to lesson in simple steps:- *
We would like to design and make our own clothes... but I know nothing about how to do it properly! I can't read a pattern to save my life (let alone follow it!). The things I've made in the past are simple jersey skirts which (hopefully) nobody can notice the mistakes in! I thought I might learn by teaching myself as I go along, and I was thinking of starting off by making Tommy some boxer-short-style pants (if I make a mistake, nobody should notice!) I'll let you know how I get on!
Take a look at "Threads Magazine". They do have a list of sources for material for children's clothes as well as all sorts of wonderful information: www.taunton.com
Another great page is Sheila's Sewing Page: http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ac940/sheila/sewing.html
I'm still looking for sources of material, and links to some sites that tell you how to do it properly, offer patterns & advice & so on. Watch this space!
I'm still looking for links on the following handicrafts:-
Embroidery
Broderie Anglaise
Lace-making
Basketry (basket-making)
Weaving
If you would like to see anything else featured here, or have any recommendations for books or sites, I'd love to hear from you! littlebears@tesco.net
Come back again soon - I hope to add some more!
This
Page is under construction
Suggestions for good links, together with constructive
comments and suggestions, please, to:-
littlebears@tesco.net
©
Sharon Mortemore
Update: 01 July, 1999