Learn how sashiko stitching can give your well-loved clothes a new lease on life.

Sashiko stitching, also known as sashiko mending, is a Japanese technique that extends a garment's life. This time-honored tradition uses the running stitch to reinforce and decorate an item of clothing or piece of fabric.

 Like kintsugi, it celebrates the history of a garment by not hiding its imperfections but emphasizing how much the piece has been loved. Sashiko has existed for centuries and remains a popular choice for visible mending on woven fabrics (cotton, linen, etc). And it has another benefit: sustainability. 

Given the clothing industry’s environmental impact, repairing the things we own is another way to honor the Earth. We're exercising circular fashion and keeping something out of landfills. 

 Let’s take a deeper look at the history of sashiko mending, the tools needed, and the basic technique to create.

How To Draw Incredibly Realistic Portraits

Brazilian artist Matheus Macedo is known for his incredibly realistic portraits. Using pencils and charcoal, he's able to infuse his drawing with an uncanny sense of realism. Luckily, Macedo is just as passionate about sharing his knowledge as he is about focusing on his own art.

 In his online course, Realistic Portrait Drawing Made Easy, Macedo takes students through his entire creative process, step by step. 

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How to worry less about the things we can’t control – by the people who know.

Illustration: Thomas Burden/The Observer 

 

 We live in worrying times. From the climate crisis to the culture wars, there is always something to keep us fretting. But sometimes the facts tell a different story – a more hopeful one.

 

Process of mass producing pencils.

Japan-based project Process X (previously) goes behind the scenes of major manufacturing companies and specialty production studios to discover how simple materials are transformed into ubiquitous objects we rely on all of the time, from pencils to billiard cues to galvanized pails to manhole covers. 

The team also introduces practices with deep roots in Japanese culture, like the meticulous process of carving Noh masks. 

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How to Make the Perfect Snowball

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Some clever tips for easy pumpkin carving.

Babs Costello, known in TikTok as @brunchwithbabs, has shared some clever tips for easy pumpkin carving. Check out all her tips on how to carve a pumpkin in the video here.

 

How to make a Molotov cocktail

The Ukrainian interior ministry is posting instructions how to make a Molotov cocktail pic.twitter.com/UppDyrfGMV

— Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) February 25, 2022

Easy and Fun

my works 😊

 DAS Air Drying Modelling Clay will help you create a huge range of clay model designs easily – without the need for an oven or kiln. 

This amazing list of things to make with air dry clay will get you going.

 You’ll find tutorials and air dry clay tips.

 

Want to make an impact on the environment?

Here are 20 small changes you can make to do your part.

 

How to Watch Virgin Galactic Launch Billionaire Richard Branson to Space on Sunday

As billionaire Richard Branson prepares to launch into the stratosphere on Sunday, Virgin Galactic is pulling out all the stops to make its founder’s first flight a spectacle worth tuning into. 

 The Late Show’s Stephen Colbert is hosting a livestream of the event, and singer-songwriter Khalid announced he’ll be debuting a new single live on stage after the spaceplane’s landing.

 Branson has also teased plans to “announce something very exciting to give more people the chance to become astronauts” once he comes back down to Earth. 

 The livestream will begin at 9 a.m. ET on Sunday on Virgin Galactic’s Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. The company’s website is also running a countdown to launch.

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Caroline Södergren’s Eggshells

Formally trained in glassblowing, Stockholm-based artist Caroline Södergren transfers her experience working with a delicate, fragile material to an ornately illustrated collection of eggshells.

 

Tips and Tricks That Will Help You Creatively Organize Your Craft Supplies

Have you been trying out a ton of new craft ideas? If so, you might find that you suddenly have a lot of new tools and supplies that could use a home (in your home).

 Before things get out of hand, it’s time to consider some craft storage solutions.

 

How Used Chopsticks Are Turned Into Tables, Tiles, And Other Furniture

On a global scale, we collectively consume a staggering number of chopsticks each year—80 billion pairs to be exact—many of which end up discarded in landfills and other waste sites. Since 2016, though, a Vancouver-based company has been upcycling the disposable utensils into a modern, minimal line of furniture and home goods.

 A new video from Business Insider goes behind-the-scenes with ChopValue to chronicle the entire production process, which starts with collecting the free, raw material from about 300 restaurants around the British Columbian city.

 

Try Weaving for Yourself

It's easier than you think to give weaving a try; this meditative activity has a low barrier to entry. 

With just a few tools, you can begin your journey to creating your own textiles.

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How to Make Origami With Free Online Tutorials

The great thing about origami is that it is something anyone can try.

 

The Etymology Nerd

Harvard student and linguist Adam Aleksic runs the website The Etymology Nerd, where he creates fascinating infographics describing the origin of common words.

 Check out The Etymology Nerd to explore even more about the hidden history of human speech.

 

DIY Felt Christmas Tree Ornament

This adorable felt Christmas tree ornament will look so festive up on your tree.

 It’s easy to make. 

 

Die Harder (How to make your own)

Here are some instructions on what you’ll need to do to make your own. 

 

How your heating warms the planet

Credit: Javier Hirschfeld/Getty Images 

The human body gives off heat and even a pet can add a small amount of extra body heat that can contribute to the warmth of a building. 

The energy used to heat the spaces we live and work in is one of the highest contributors to our individual carbon footprints. Globally, heat accounts for nearly half of all energy consumption and 40% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Of course, exactly how much of your own emissions come from heating your home will depend on where you live.
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Don't stand so close to me

Restaurants and bars around the world are starting to reopen, often at just 50% capacity.
 But how do you make a half-empty bar look buzzing?
 And how can owners ensure that diners stay a safe distance from one another?
 Here are five creative answers to the problem of socialising while social distancing.