Ellen Allan's
Quick Tip Co-op
Crafts - General
Getting beads on fishing wire
To string beads quickly on fishing wire, place the beads on a flat
surface, then using the tip of the fishing wire, feed it through the middle
of the beads lifting the tip after each bead.  This will be much faster
then trying to place the beads on the wire.

Working with raffia
Raffia is a natural fiber that can easily be dyed with fabric dyes.  

Using an overhead projector to make a mural
When using an overhead projector to transfer an image for a mural, be
sure to mark the position of the projector on the floor with masking
tape in case you need to move the projector before you've finished
transferring the design.

Painting a large mural with paint rollers?  
When painting murals, you can use a half-length paint roller to paint
base colors.  Keep the roller handle and replace the paint roller cover
with rounded foam insulation.  Carve into the foam with a craft knife to
create designs which when rolled will give texture to your painting.

Getting the best results when using bleach and a stamp to bleach an
image on fabric
For best results when bleaching an image on fabric, lay the fabric on a
paper towel on a plastic cutting board. The paper towel will absorb
excess bleach from the fabric and keep the bleach from spreading
outside of the design.

Using an anywhere hole punch
When using the anywhere hole punch, it is important to clean out any
pieces of paper that get stuck in the tool.  Every so often, clean out the
paper with a push pin.

Using fusible printer fabric in a craft project
When working with fusible printer fabric, keep the fabric sheets as flat
as possible and use one at a time.  Print your image on paper first in a
fast mode to check for placement.

Sewing in a straight line
Draw the straight line you would like to sew with tailor's chalk. Hold the
fabric at the top and bottom and slowly stitch the line.  

Rotary cutter with pinking edge
Use a rotary cutter with a pinking edge as you would a regular rotary
cutter.  Always have a special plastic mat underneath your project. For
a straight cut, run the rotary cutter along a metal ruler.  

Using iron-on vinyl
When ironing the iron-on vinyl to your fabric, lay the iron on separate
sections for 8 to 10 seconds.  Don't move the iron around.

Setting grommets
To set a grommet, first make a hole slightly smaller than the size of the
grommet hole.  A grommet is an eyelet set with a washer. The eyelet
goes on the right side of the fabric and the washer goes on the
underside.    When setting grommets, be sure to use a rubber or
rawhide mallet on a very hard surface. The soft hammer will mar the
surface of the grommet.

Stuff seat cushions
Rather than making seat cushions the conventional way with foam
wrapped in batting, use compressed polyester batting which comes in
2, 3 or 4 inch thickness. You can find it in the fabric store in the batting
section.

Painting dowel rods
Tie a foot long piece of fishing line to a tack and then stick the tack in
the end of the dowel rod.  Hang the rod while you are painting it so you
won't get any fingerprints in the paint.

Hollowing out eggs  
Use a pin to stab a hole in both ends of the egg.  Make one hole
slightly bigger.  Blow the egg's contents from the smaller hole into a
bowl.  

Dyeing eggs  
You can makes lines to create stripes, checks or plaids by putting
rubber bands around your eggs before you dye them.  
Use distilled water to help your colors be more vibrant as tap water has
trace amounts of chlorine that will lessen the intensity of the dye.
Ellen is shown here sculpting a
giant seahorse head from foam
for a film. Seated next to her is
Rory Cuningham, Costume
builder extraordinaire!
"Anyone can make the simple
complicated. Creativity is making
the complicated simple."
Charles Mingus