We have a few limited edition How.Do shirts left! They're perfect for pretty much every occasion and especially lazy days crafting in the sunshine.
All super comfy organic cotton and fairwear, we have a unisex cut in 'cornflower' 'moss' and 'raspberry' and we have a fitted scoop cut in 'coral' and 'mint'. They come sized from xs to xxl and sizing is a little on the smaller size if anything.
If you'd like to be a proud owner or think a friend would love one for future nostalgia - drop us a note with your address, shirt size and preferred style / colour to [email protected] and we'll do out best to pop one in the post for you.
*if you missed the news, How.Do is closing it's doors on June 30th 2014
POM POMS - THE KNITSTER a micro guide by Hardie Grant Books on How.Do
Having been a blogger and knitter for several years, Robbie's work brings with it a fresh perspective, combining his love of vintage with a quirky, contemporary flair. He hopes to inspire male crafters to get their own work out there and we couldn't be happier about the notion.
Check out the full Knitty Gritty collection for more yarn inspired DIYs.
DIY: WOOLLY-POM ROSETTE a micro guide by Jenna Templeton on How.Do
What is your blog, 'My Life As A Magazine', all about?
My blog My Life as a Magazine is a collection of daily loves that focuses on my latest crafty adventures and projects. Posts focus on DIY’s, snail mail, gift wrapping techniques, holiday craft, and creative trend reporting. I love having the freedom to be creative and turn my ideas into a reality and share it with others on a regular basis.
If you had to choose a favourite material to work with, what would it be?
I always love and enjoy experimenting with new and different materials – most recently yarn and felt as you can see in my April Knitty Gritty, Woolly-Pom Rosette DIY on How.Do. But if I had to say one it would be paper! Many of my craft-based designs are made using paper. Self-publishing zines, handmade stationery, gift wrapping presents, holiday themed party craft, 3D paper sculptures, collage and snail mail kits for friends and pen pals. These are just some of the things I love to make with paper. The possibilities are endless with this medium.
What is your most popular product?
I write, and self-publish zines, design handmade stationery which, I sell in my Etsy store. Titles have included: My Life in Biscuits an illustrated biscuit memoir, Little Book of Mt Masking Tape crafty DIY ideas and projects using my favourite craft tool - Japanese washi tape and Japan in a Collection a travel guide with a twist that reviews shops through mementos. Many of my works are inspired by childhood nostalgia and the kawaii (cute) Japan!
Are you a part time or full time crafter?
I work full time on various different jobs be it – craft-based design projects and commissions, freelancing at magazines (writing, still-life styling, product sourcing etc.), blogging, and I will be launching a new creative side-business and brand later this year – super excited!
Check out the full Knitty Gritty collection for more yarn inspired DIYs.
CROCHETING PHONE POUCH a micro guide by Upcycling Fashion Store on How.Do
You started in needlecraft and crochet when you were quite young. How did you get into crocheting with upcycled materials?
My mother and grandma taught me the DIY philosophy! We used to crochet everything possible to be crocheted or knitted and re-use/recycle with a little creative touch. DIY experiments like the mobile phone pouch I make just for fun. I'm always looking to discover new materials with different textures and I try to figure out how I can use it or crochet it! Living in Berlin got me in touch with the Upcycling movement: finally people like me, reasoning about how to re-use everything possible and how to give fabrics a second or third life. It felt like home! I started in 2011 with wool headgear and in 2012 I won a fashion contest (Bizarre-lab fashion contest) with my first upcycled-crochet-combined-dress. The idea to crochet old fabrics came just spontaneously...Just to try something new at first and then it worked well.
Image courtesy of Nina Cottrell 2013
What kind of products do you create and sell under the Carla Cixi label?
I started with crocheted headgear (tube scarfs and gloves using recycled knitwear), continued experimenting with crocheting upcycled fabrics, then launched an upcycling haute couture line which combines elegantly tailored garments with opulent sculptural crochet. With the same crochet technique, I'm now doing a line of collars you can wear over a common t-shirt to make it special! I also collaborate with a designer (not a "fashion" one), André Stache. Together we made lamps and necklaces out of climbing rope. He's also a really interesting upcycling maker!
Image courtesy of Nina Cottrell 2013
Where can people find your work to admire and purchase?
My headgear and necklaces are in Upcycling Fashion Store. Garments are made to measure and customers can contact me directly for more details. Collars and some blouses with crocheted details are in the Water To Wine project store in Berlin Mitte . Most of the time I find material for my creations at the Berliner Stadtmission which collects clothes donations for the poor and homeless. A recent on-going project of the Berliner Stadtmission, called Komm und Sieh (Come and See), is to give young upcycling designers the chance to purchase leftover clothes at a very low cost to use for their creations. And Water To Wine is the shop of this wonderful project!
Image courtesy of Sebastian Kreinau 2014
Check out the full Knitty Gritty collection for more yarn and weaving inspired DIYs!
ARM-KNIT INFINITY SCARF a micro guide by Alexa Klopfenstein on How.Do
How old were you when you started blogging and running an Etsy shop and how do you manage everything!?
I started running an Etsy shop, Lexalex, when I was 15 years old. Since I was under 18 when I started, my store had to be under the supervision of my parents. A few months later I decided to start a blog to share my creative ideas and promote the knitted accessories I sell on Etsy. Since then, my blog has expanded from just knitting to my other passions, cooking and photography. When I started my Etsy shop and blog, I had just begun homeschooling so I had more free time than other teenagers. As I've gotten older, it's definitely gotten harder to juggle everything! Probably one of the main things that helps me get through my day and stay organized is list-making. I always start off my day creating a check-list to help keep me on track! I'm also a major multi-tasker. I often knit and do my online classes at the same time.
Have you always been an entrepreneur and wanted to start your own business? Any tips for other teens looking to sell their products online?
I suppose I've always been into selling things. When I was 7 I remember selling lemonade on the side of the road with my friends. When I was 9 I sold bracelets and things to my friends and family. When I was 12 (and living on a small farm) I sold bunnies that I bred. When I learned to knit at the age of 13, I knew that it was what I wanted to do. In my early teen years, I began to dream of having my own business. I was absolutely thrilled when I discovered Etsy. To other teens wanting to sell their products, I would say: Get yourself and your products out there for the world to see! Take advantage of online social media and promote your stuff on popular websites. Also, make sure to do your research. Don't just wing it!
Do you create other crafts aside from knitting or does that take up most of your creative time?
Though knitting takes up a majority of my creative time, I am also really into oil painting, photography, and cooking. When I have a free day all to myself, I love to spend most of it oil painting landscapes. I also love to create delicious coffee drinks like lattes and mochas. I often post original recipes on my blog.
What are your plans for Lexalex now you've finished school?
I recently finished high school and I'm currently working on a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing online. I'm hoping to use this degree to expand my Etsy store. In the future I would love to offer a wider variety of products. If things go as I hope, I would also like to own my own 'brick and mortar' store. My dream would be to sell coffee and my knitted items in a little shop.
Check out the full Knitty Gritty collection for more amazing yarn and weaving DIYs .
UPCYCLED BRAID CROP TOP a micro guide by Upcycling Fashion Store on How.Do
YARN BRAID TUTORIAL a micro guide by Alexa Klopfenstein on How.Do
Now it’s your turn to post your own yarn or weaving inspired How.Do for the chance to be featured amongst today’s top DIYers! Check in at our Knitty Gritty collection online throughout April for daily inspiration.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @HowDo for the latest and greatest!
What are the benefits of people learning about mid-twentieth century graphic design?
You look at graphic design every day. Whether it's a website, a piece of junk mail in your mailbox, a menu at a restaurant, or that billboard along the side of the freeway, we all are surrounded by design as we go about our lives ... both good and bad. Most of the time we don't think about the designs we see, but once you begin to ponder questions about why the designer chose a particular typeface, color, or illustration you become more educated in the visual language of our culture.
Sometimes you pick up a well designed object without knowing who the artist or designer is. What awesome discoveries have you made this way?
Collecting and selling is a constant learning process for me, and just about every piece I pick up somehow fits into the grand puzzle and helps bring together the big picture. In my How.Do tutorial I talk a little bit about the designer Ronald Clyne.
Morris & Modernist Design a micro guide by Scott Lindberg on How.Do
When I bought my first Clyne piece, I had no idea who he was—the design just resonated with me. But as I slowly started finding more and more pieces he designed, I began to understand his importance to 20th century design history. He was a freelance designer mostly known for his Folkways covers, which tended to be big, bold, brash typographic designs. I'm most drawn to his relatively overlooked record covers for Columbia, though.
They have a great sensitivity, and his use of typographic dingbats to create pattern fields reminds me a little bit of one of my favorite designers, Alvin Lustig, whose early work employed typographic fragments to construct a design.
Another designer I stumbled on accidentally is M. Peter Piening. When I first saw his work, I was struck by the grand geometric abstraction. And as I learned that he was educated at the Bauhaus under Laszlo Moholo-Nagy, Mies van der Rohe, and Paul Klee, his importance became clear. Many people remember his work in trademark design, but I think the relatively large surface of the 12-inch square of a record sleeve gave him the opportunity to stretch his artistic wings. His work for The American Recording Society is some of my favorite.
Tell us more about your latest find.
I haven't been out picking much new stuff up lately, but I did go out "hunting" a couple weeks ago and came home with a few things. There was nothing earth shattering in the random assortment of books and records I brought home, but it is a nice survey across mid-twentieth century designers. This jumble includes record cover designs by the husband and wife team of Clare Romano and John Ross, Milton Glaser, M.Peter Piening, and the design studio of Robert Brownjohn, Ivan Chermayeff, and Tom Geismar. There were also a handful of books, designed by the likes of Seymour Chwast, Leo Lionni, Milton Glaser, and Roy Kuhlman.
My favorite piece found that day, however, is an anonymous musical pamphlet designed in 1958 for the Girl Scouts of the USA. The hand drawn typography employed on this cover is incredibly reminiscent of the great jazz illustrator Jim Flora.
And while it's not the latest piece I have purchased, the latest design I have bought specifically for my own collection is a rare Alvin Lustig record design for the opera Lulu. This design was only discovered by collectors as a Lustig design in the past 6 months or so, and is one of only a few LP sleeves he is known to have designed.
Check out more smile-inducing William Morris-inspired projects over at how.do/williamsbday!
A LIBRARY TOTE! a micro guide by The Knitster on How.Do
Your book, 'Totes Amaze' is based on a selection of pretty amazing DIY tote bags. Did it take years of collecting and creating to come up with the final curation? Your own collection must be spectacular.
Over the years, I’ve had many bags that have come and gone. The ones you love the most tend to be the first to go, mainly from overuse! The one feature that has been consistent in my favourite bags over the years, is woven detailing. Whether it be the handles or the whole bag, or smaller details – there’s something about woven materials that I just love, and that hasn’t changed with time. The bags in this book were made with specific uses in mind, especially for the book. In total I had 24 weeks to create 25 bag designs. It was both a creatively challenging and busy time, however also very satisfying. Having a deadline is always great for achieving what was previously thought impossible!
Which is your current favourite tote bag?
Lately I’ve been using the “Time-Saver Tote” from Totes Amaze, it has emerged as my new favourite. It’s very light and it easily rolls up to fit in my handbag when I’m not using it. I’ve always loved the combination of red and teal, and was drawn to this fabric.
Can you tell us about your first book 'Recycled Chic'?
Recycled Chic was made with the novice seamstress in mind. For those with a sense of adventure and for those prepared to give something a go and be a little experimental. Recycling fashion not only to ease the pressure on the purse-strings, but also with the environment in mind. Less waste, proceeds to charity, and an original wardrobe…what’s not to love?
What do you like most about writing your blog 'Kitty Collects'?
I love sharing personal projects or things that inspire me in my travels. Many bloggers out there are rehashing other’s material or curating their latest finds on the web, but I prefer to create my own content. Which is why you haven’t seen much happening there lately. The past few months have been a very busy time for me!
Find Amanda's 'Totes Amaze' and other crafty books on the Hardie Grant Books website. Check out more smile-inducing William Morris-inspired projects over at how.do/williamsbday!
Your blog The Desi Wonder Woman is hilarious and now we have your new blog to look forward to. How did the DIY section first come about?
DIY has slowly developed from a hobby to something I love to do now! My blog is aimed towards a combination of food, DIY and life in general. I would ideally be doing one DIY project every week, and have just started with this stamped wall :)
What is it about vintage book pages that inspires you to use them in new ways?
The illustrations used in the show cabinet makeover was inspired by my love for illustrations in general. I love black & white and wanted to add a statement piece to my entryway. Having a fascination for anatomical illustrations particularly, I decided to work with them.
DIY FURNITURE FACELIFT a micro guide by Shehzeen Rehman on How.Do
Check out more smile-inducing William Morris-inspired projects over at how.do/williamsbday!
I originally made a zine thinking of it as a little art portfolio and outlet for my creativity.Then, when I started to get into the zine community I noticed that there weren't many in the fashion/art space. That's when it hit me that I should make it! I also wanted to collaborate with other creators to inspire even more people.
HOW TO MAKE MINI ZINE a micro guide by Friedia on How.Do
I named the project Prism Cloud because we, the creators, go through this cloud (the zine) and a beautiful rainbow comes out. Hopefully, raining out creativity for others! Cheesy I know.... so maybe I will just say " I like triangles and rainbows" instead!
What did you learn along the way creating the "CAT" issue, from inspiration to making and distribution?
I learned that everyone has an endless amount of creativity. If you don't stop yourself it can feel like overload. It's important to edit and not just sandwich ALL of your ideas into one zine! Also, during creation or right BEFORE, you might see all these other zines and get intimidated. Just remind yourself that you are just doing you and that's what makes it different and special!
As for distribution, the zine community is getting bigger so the good part is that there are so many new zine stores, online shops and even libraries that you can be a part of now.
The downside is that there are so many new creators that it's more of a struggle to standout (although I don't think it's a competition since everyone's different). That's why selling your zine yourself on Etsy is such a great outlet. Self promote! And don't be afraid to go into stores to see if they will carry it. You will be surprised with the response you will get. I feel like everyone is always looking for new creators of all kinds. And you could be the next one!
You can find more work by Friedia on Facebook and be sure to check out more smile-inducing William Morris-inspired projects over at how.do/williamsbday!
