i don’t seem to know anyone who does cross stitch. its because the tecnology these days, people find the computer more interesting than crafts. please could you write perhaps a short paragraph on why you like cross stitching, so i can tell my friends that it can be enjoyable. thankyou!

I found a site where you can turn any image into a cross-stitch chart: http://www.microrevolt.org/knitPro so I’m doing a portrait of my favorite musician. It’s fun and I find it very calming. I call it my occupational therapy.

I get lots of inspiration from the Craftster embroidery boards: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php#19

And if your friends think that cross-stitch is just for grandmothers, show them this: http://www.subversivecrossstitch.com **Edited to add that these patterns use strong language that some people may find offensive.**

Are there any ladies that would like to get together to do craft things such as cross stitch or emborarying knitting or crocheting quilting for fellowship in the Omaha, ne area?

Chances of other Omaha folks seeing this post are slim and it might get deleted because Yahoo Answers doesn’t allow requests for personal communication, but if you go to your local craft stores, there is a chance there are already clubs formed. If not, don’t be afraid to start one yourself! My mother and I started a sewing club and it’s a lot of fun. Your local craft store will be enthusiastic about it and may even provide the space for you to meet.
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as seen in fall crafting projects like cross stitch samplers and today I saw some feathered replicas in Michaels craft store featured near foam pumpkins.. What do these black birds historically symbolize?

It’s the whole scarecrow/blackbird-crow thing: symbolizing the scarecrow scaring off the blackbirds so that the crop can flourish and be harvested in the Autumn!

I’m ready once and for all to downsize my stash of craft books (mostly knitting, crocheting, cross stitch), magazines, and supplies. I’d like to know how others have succeeded and what they recommend. I’ve had limited success with Amazon, and am now considering Yahoo groups, eBay, blujay, and such. Ideas will be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

There are also some great websites that allow you to trade books, CD’s, DVD’s etc. See my profile for link to titletrader and paperbackswap. This allows you to get rid of an item you no longer want and get something you do want in return. Titletrader is awesome because you can trade books, dvd’s, cd’s, games and vhs tapes. So if you get rid of a book you may be able to get a dvd in exchange. Paperbackswap is only for books. I have found that doing ebay or amazon is pricey cause you don’t really get your money’s worth for these items and you have to pay fees etc.

http://www.cyberstitchers.com/Resources/Links.asp?_filterField=Category&_category=Shops

sculpture dolls, stuffed animals and some cross stitch work. Without having to resort to the expense of renting space at a flee market or consignment at a shop, what would be the best option to advertise my work and at what leval of earnings would I need to file income tax on any profit I acquire?

Lois, the best low-cost ways to advertise your work would be to do it online, which is where many artists are spending their time these days. And since you’ve come to Yahoo! Answers for advice, I’m guessing that would feel comfortable to you.

{Have a look at this article I wrote for the New York Times about artists exploring new markets for their work: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/business/smallbusiness/27shift.html?_r=1}

eBay and Etsy are two sites that are very popular with artists. There’s no middleman between the artist and the consumer; you can set your price and terms and go from there.

eBay has a huge community of crafters and offers a guide to getting started. http://pages.ebay.com/buy/guides/crafts-selling-guide/ If you’ve already sold other things on eBay and are familiar with the process, that would be a natural place to try. Some artists prefer to sell their work in an online community that is focused solely on artists.

That’s where Etsy comes in. Etsy is basically an online shopping mall where all the stores sell hand-made items. While Etsy isn’t free, it comes pretty darn close. Signing up for Esty and opening your online shop is free. Once you list items for sale in your Etsy shop, you pay 20 cents for each item you list. When you make a sale, you pay a commission of 3.5 percent. Full details on how to start selling on Esty are here: http://www.etsy.com/faq_selling.php

As for taxes, what you’re selling doesn’t matter. Income is income to the state and federal tax collectors. The short answer is that you after you’ve reached $400 in self-employment income, you’ll have to file federal taxes. But your tax situation will depend on a variety of things, including what other kinds of income you have. In addition to federal income tax, there is also state income tax and sales tax, which both vary by state. The Small Business Administration website has a useful section on tax planning for small business. {http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/manage/paytaxes/index.html} Make sure to also talk to your regular accountant.

I have finally decided to quit smoking cold turkey.I know im going to be stressed and feeling horrible.So i was wondering what crafts i could do to keep me busy.I have tried cross stitching but it just seems to get to hard.Im looking for something easy that i can stick with.I am 25 weeks along,i figured maybe learning how to make booties or a blanket might be easy.Any ideas please let me know,thanks!

How about felting? Very easy, great fun as well!

after you cross stitch something and you want to use that spray craft bond stuff to attach the material to the cardboard do you spray it on the cardboard or the material, or both?

Spray it only on the backing cardboard. You don’t want the adhesive to bleed through your hard work.

i cross stitched words on a piece of felt in order to apply it to a denim fabric which is a carpenters belt with pockets. if this belt is actually used can it be washed with the cross stitched felt sewn to it

You will have to hand wash the belt and lay flat to dry. I would play with a bit of the felt and make sure the colors don’t run.

Next time, try using waste fabric (at least I think that’s what it is called). It is a loosely woven, though stiff fabric you can tack down onto your denim fabric and cross stitch on directly. When you are done, the threads of the waste fabric can be pulled out, and your cross stitch is directly on the denim.

I am looking for patterns for Gaurdian Angels watching over kids and any kind of western theme (cowboys, horses, boots, etc.)

I’ve looked on all the free sites with no luck and cant find any at the craft stores.

They have to be free because I can’t afford to pay much or at least really cheap.

Thanks in advance

here are a few sites i found while researching try dmc.com or anchor.com also ceciliassamplers.com and holyneedle.com have angels watchin over infants and crosstitch.com and crosstitch.ca or lbkits have western designs hope this helps