RathenArts

Rath's art, crafts, upcycling, thrifting and vintage, plus pattern, how-to and inspiration reblogs.

[rathenarts]

Craft sideblog. Follows from @kitrathenar, general blog @navigatorsghost.

[paintedstitches]

It's strawberry season!

[megacarapa]

ok so this is another long shot but a few years ago there was a twitter post (in japanese i think?) that had measurememts for how to make this book stand thing out of cardboard that you could use to double up books and use up more space on shelves

back then i made a bunch of these but by now i lost the pic and dont know how to find the original post anymore

if it comes down to it i can just take one apart and get the measurements from there but i would be very grateful if anyone happens to have the original post or something similar??

[megacarapa]

don't mind how long it's been since i made this post, anyway i realized that i don't even need to take one apart to get the measurements when i can literally just unfold it and refold it /FACEPALM

so anyway here is the diagram for anyone else who is interested!!

this requires pretty big carboard pieces, if you have a really big box or something you can make it from one piece, but if you don't, you can also just make each of the pieces individually and then tape them together

and then in the end you put it together like this!!

and then when you make a bunch you can put them all next to each other and stack your books like crazy

EVERYONE START GETTING MORE USE OUT OF YOUR SPACE NOW!!!!

[rathenarts]

Oh thank you OP this would be an excellent use for the huge amount of spare cardboard currently cluttering my house. Brb making twenty.

[rathenarts]

Quick project made up from an old Framecraft kit I got in one of my eBay bundle hauls. Rainbow Celtic cross design pocket mirror!

[rathenarts]

I got hold of another of these Framecraft mirrors on eBay and made a second iteration of this design using the scrap threads and aida from the first one, but inverting the colours:

Not sure which version I like better, both are pretty; but now I can keep one at home and one in my bag, so, win regardless!

[scrixels]

I'm Freeing my cross stitch patterns!

I still get emails asking for patterns since I broke up with etsy a few years ago, and while I don't really want to get back into making patterns, I still like the ones I've made. So, I've put them all (16 of them) up on my ko-fi, for free.

This set of patterns includes some ~rare~ ones!

This wasn't on etsy for long - but it's one of my very favs.

and not just the return of the Avatar map (designed in 2012), but finally the updated version.

If it is fanart - Absolutely free (in the hopes they get to stay up). If not, it's free/pay what you want.

Happy stitching!

[rathenarts]

Bought one of those build-it-yourself book nook kits and added some vintage Little Guys from my stash to make it look lived in. ❤️ (Kit: Rolife "Silent Corner Study", if anyone wants their own. I've fallen completely in love with these tbh, they're like jigsaw puzzles only better.)

[stickthisbig]

The absolutely superlative cross stitch designer Sage Spirit passed away in October 2025. Her designs were always clever (she did the original "Please don't summon demons in the bathroom" sampler) and her unique, precise style elevated her designs far above other designers.

I've done several of her patterns, but these are my favorites:

In her memory, 13 other stitchers have gotten together to create a bundle of patterns inspired by her style. You can only buy it bundled until midnight MDT tonight (4/20/26), but the patterns will be released individually afterwards:

Legacy | Night Spirit Studio

You can also still buy her work from the Night Spirit Studio website, which I cannot recommend highly enough:

Digital Cross Stitch Patterns | Night Spirit Studo

Rest in peace, Sage. I hope death is the next great adventure.

[rathenarts]

Funny how tiny things really do make a difference. I put these two vintage cross stitch pieces (not my work, I picked them up in an eBay job lot last year) on the wall in my entranceway and now every time I come home, I feel like I'm walking into an actual home instead of Yet Another White Rental Box. I'm glad to give them a second chance to be loved.

[ID: three images showing two small cross stitch pieces - one depicting a rural English bridge, cottages, trees and moorland, the other depicting a mountain lake, both in blue-green and gilded fancy frames - hanging on a white wall in a narrow hallway.]

[allhailthe70shousewife]

[randomitemdrop]

Item: idol to the God of Yarn and Sticks

[rathenarts]

Cross stitch winter scene, from the free kit in Cross Stitcher magazine #416. As usual, I end up finishing leftover Christmas projects well into spring but that's fine, I can add it to the decoration box for next year...

[rathenarts]

Made this cross stitch piece years ago. Finally decided I wanted to display it so it's now on the parlour door in our new house.

[yayxstitch]

Look at this!

[rathenarts]

Whoa wait they do 310 black in that size as well?! I'm so tempted...

[sometiktoksarevalid]

[saritasoyyo]

Thousand Layer Apple Cake (Invisible Apple Cake) A custardy, soft, apple-packed loaf cake with a crisp exterior, almost like a sweet apple terrine. Ingredients Apples 6–8 x Apples (sweet, crisp, slightly tart varieties such as Pink Lady or Granny Smith) 1 x Orange (zest and juice Batter 2 x Eggs 70g x Caster Sugar 30g x Melted Butter 120ml x Milk 1tsp x Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste ½tsp x Ground Cinnamon ¼tsp x Ground Nutmeg 75g x Plain/All-Purpose Flour Finish Warm Apricot Jam (for glazing) Icing Sugar (for dusting) Method Prepare the Apples Peel 6–8 apples. Cut each apple in half and remove the cores. Thinly slice the apples about 1–2 mm thick. Use a mandolin for best results and be very careful, it is very sharp. If slicing with a knife, ensure the slices are as thin and even as possible. Place all sliced apples into a large mixing bowl. Add Orange Zest and Juice Add the zest of one orange to the apples. Squeeze the juice from the orange into the bowl. The zest adds most of the flavour. The juice marinates the apples and prevents discolouration. Use your hands to mix thoroughly until every slice is completely coated. Set the apples aside. Make the Batter In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and caster sugar until pale and the sugar is fully dissolved. Add the melted butter, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and whisk until smooth. Add the plain flour and whisk until just combined. The batter will be thin, this is correct. Combine Apples and Batter Pour the batter over the bowl of sliced apples. Mix thoroughly so all slices are evenly coated in the batter. Prepare the Tin Line a loaf tin using two strips of parchment: One strip across the width. One long strip lengthwise. Leave overhang on the sides for easy lifting later. Assemble the Cake Transfer the coated apple slices into the tin. You can simply tip them in and press down randomly, or Arrange slice by slice for the best visual and structural result. Pack the apples in tightly and compactly. If any batter remains in the bowl, pour it over the top of the apples. Bake Preheat oven to 170°C (338°F). Bake the loaf for about 1 hour. After 40–45 minutes, check the colour: If browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil to prevent over-browning. Cool and Glaze Once baked, the top should be caramelised, puffed, and slightly risen. It will sink back down as it cools, this is normal. Let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Brush the top with warm apricot jam for a shiny finish. Allow the cake to cool completely before lifting out and slicing.

[crochethub]

Crochet Cherry Blossoms by shrewshru

[rathenarts]

For the record, reknit darning is simple in principle but amazingly fiddly in practice.

[rathenarts]

Aaaand I'm done!

[rathenarts]

For the record, reknit darning is simple in principle but amazingly fiddly in practice.

[alitonembroidery]