DIY Boston

Shop One Fund products by local makers

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:30:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci With the release of Converse's new Boston All-Star today, we're feeling a renewed sense of shopping to benefit our fair city. Here are some of the local makers donating proceeds from product sales to The One Fund....

5 minute DIY: Upcycled T-shirt necklaces

Fri, 10 May 2013 15:32:56 GMT

Photo: Melissa Massello/Shoestring Since 2008, around the time Necklush arrived on the Etsy scene, multi-strand necklaces made from upcycled T-shirts have been all the rage in hipster fashion. The big secret is: these grunge-chic accessories take all of 5-minutes (and...

No mess, 100 calorie breakfast in bed for Mother's Day

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:02:00 GMT

Photo: Melissa Massello Each year on Mother's Day, kids and spouses the world over decide to spoil Mom early in the morning with a good, old-fashioned, home-cooked breakfast in bed. And then, hearts full, those same moms get out of...

Free fonts for making Mom a stylish card

Thu, 09 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci Background & flourishes courtesy of Shutterstock. When you're a DIYer, sometimes Hallmark just doesn't cut it. If you're looking to remove the pre-made cards this Mother's Day, here are our 11 favorite free fonts available for sharing...

How to make friendship bracelets for your best bud: Mom

Tue, 07 May 2013 23:47:03 GMT

Photo: Melissa Massello If your mom is truly your best bud, then there's no better Mother's Day gift than a trendy friendship bracelet (or three), made by you — just for her. In about the same amount of time it...

No more macaroni art: 5 Pinterest projects for moms & kids

Mon, 06 May 2013 21:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci Urbanic via Pinterest You love it because they made it, but let's be honest: not all kiddo craft projects are destined for display. Though Mother's Day is often prime time for receiving masterpieces made of macaroni and...

When Pinterest fails: Cinco de Mayo pinata cookies

Sun, 05 May 2013 15:20:41 GMT

Photo: SheKnows Last year, the week before Cinco de Mayo, I decided it would be cool to try making a popular Pinterest project that had been circulating like wildfire, pinned and repinned by seemingly every user on the visual bookmarking...

Taking Cambridge by storm: Grab your knitting needles for yarnstorming

Fri, 03 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

In preparation for next weekend's Art of Craft, Cantabrigian crocheters and knitters are raising their needles to whip up flowers, leaves, and birds of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Their hope is that a garden of grandma graffiti will...

School your walls: MassArt Spring Sale starts Sunday

Fri, 03 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci Mom deserves more than a sad supermarket bouquet. Here's your chance to pick her up something original: students and alumni of Massachusetts College of Art and Design are displaying their craft for the school's annual Spring Sale,...

Crowd Supply: Your product, from proposals to purchases

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci When it comes to crowdfunding, there's no shortage of online options these days. But Crowd Supply, started by MIT alums, is about more than just raising capital. From proposal to purchase, this platform takes makers through the...

Maker Moment: An interview with jewelry designer Andrea Williams

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci Photo: Mark Craig As a hearty New Englander, Andrea Williams grew up learning the names of plants and animals native to the Maine shores. Her inlaid stone and metalwork jewelry is grounded and breathtaking, like that Atlantic...

Maker Moment: An interview with potter Hannah Niswonger

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Covered with bright colors, playful patterns, and images of fauna of all types, you can't help but feel happy when looking at Hannah Niswonger's pottery. Born into a family of printmakers, quilters, knitters, and painters, it's no wonder the...

Maker Moment: An interview with fashion designer Teresa Crowninshield

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci Teresa Crowninshield's collection of elegant coats and jackets are confections of cashmere and silk, just begging to be touched. A craft born from visiting China's silk markets, Teresa's pieces impress — even in presidential company. Before you...

Maker Moment: An interview with jewelry designer Lauren Passenti

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci Mass Art grad Lauren Passenti has a bit of a dark side. At least her jewelry does. Striking a balance between industrial decay and the natural world, Lauren's pieces are crafted of materials some might call strange,...

Maker Moment: An interview with lighting designer Chris Osborne

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci Chris Osborne of City Lights acquires and refurbishes beautiful antique and Art Deco lighting. Though he also spends some time channeling Dr. Frankenstein, using vintage fixtures from the early 20th century as a starting point for his...

Maker Moment: An interview with upcycled fashion designer Nicole Deponte

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:20:34 GMT

Photo: courtesy of Nicole Deponte Known by many a hip, young Boston fashion lover by her iconic upcycled silk neck tie creations, Massachusetts native and Mass Art alumna Nicole Deponte returns to Boston for her second spring to exhibit at...

Maker Moment: An interview with potter Nicole Aquillano

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci Raised in Pittsburgh, educated at RISD, and now residing in Fort Point, potter Nicole Aquillano is our first in a series of Maker Moments with artists and craftspeople exhibiting at this month's CraftBoston Spring show. A former...

Indulge your farm fantasies at the 26th Annual Sheepshearing Festival

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:30:00 GMT

Photo: courtesy of Gore Place Ever daydream about the days of yore and (what must have been, right?) the simplicity of life on an historic New England farm? Ah, the honest joys of waking at the break of dawn, gazing...

5 minute DIY: Wine cork stamps

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci Cork crafts are all over Pinterest (even on our DIY Boston board) but this easy 5-minute DIY is our favorite because it doesn't require hoarding wine corks for months and months (who has the time and room...

Sew cheap: Grab Vickie Howell's knitting e-book for $1.99

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci Chronicle Books If yesterdays's roundup of stitch-focused Saturday sessions has got your crafty fingers itching, here's a deal for you. DIY maven Vickie Howell's latest book, Step It Up Knits, is available on Kindle for only $1.99....

Six early April classes to get your stitch on

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 19:00:00 GMT

Shutterstock School vacation might be right around the corner, but this week it's time for the grownups to go back to class with six crafting events sure to help get your stitch on and shake the winter doldrums right...

No yard, no problem! Homesteading's latest trend: Bathtub chickens

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci Nancy Dobrinski via MyPetChicken As urban homesteading gains in popularity, more and more people are taking part and innovating. Not all of us urbanites have the luxury of outdoor space, but we can grow window and container...

Get an edge on spring crafts today at Gather Here in Cambridge

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:33:00 GMT

If this "Hey Girl" meme with Ryan Gosling makes you laugh, chances are you're a crafter who's encountered the dreaded pair of dull scissors at least once in your life. Luckily, Gather Here Stitch Lounge is hosting an event...

18 Modern & repurposed Easter egg designs

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:28:24 GMT

The jury is out over whether Pinterest has enhanced the holidays for hosts or just added to the seasonal stress of striving for perfection, but either way it's easier than ever to find inspiration (and a DIY tutorial) for...

5 minute DIY: Preserved Meyer lemons

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:00:00 GMT

By Tara Bellucci Right while the Northeast is in the grips of winter, little orbs of sunshine start arriving from California and Florida. Fragrant Meyer lemons, a hybrid of a lemon and a tangerine, are a welcome burst of Vitamin...