The Freeneedle Blog

Christmas Sewing and Crafting

What have you got planned for Festive sewing and crafting projects?

 I enjoy making cookie cutter ornaments. These are easy to make - simply use a cookie cutter as a template and cut two pieces from felt and stitch them together, adding a little wadding to give some dimension. I handstitch these and find them a great way to relax. I like the look of handstitching on felt as it gives a real handcrafted look.

We've got some festive sewing patterns and projects here - Christmas Sewing.

However - if you're looking for more Christmas and Festive projects then take a look at our sister site - Make For Christmas. You'll find hundreds of free festive projects!

Ms Stitch - 15 November, 2009

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Hats for For Autumn and Winter

Time to start thinking about winter hats? I have quite a collection that I have made over the years. I have two favorites, one is a fleece hat that took about two minutes to make, the other a velvet beret that seemed to take for ever! This is the great thing about making hats, they can be quick and easy, or intricate works of art. 

 We've found some interesting hat patterns - Free Hat Patterns, remember you can leave comments throughout the site!

Ms Stitch - 4 November, 2009

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Missing Links Update

Just a quick note to report that the automated missing pages feature is settled in and functioning properly, so you should never have to worry about clicking on link after link to missing or non-existent pages.

You may still encounter missing pages occasionally, but you will be prewarned which ones maybe missing as they'll be highlighted with a warning light graphic - this way our system doesn't immediately remove a page from Freeneedle's directory in case it may just be a temporary problem. More info is in our FAQs.

The Geek - 4 November, 2009

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Missing Links

We've discovered that we've had a few technical problems with the automated link checking system.

We had adapted the manual system from the old Freeneedle site, but it seems it wasn't functioning correctly. We've spent the last couple of days rewriting the code and apart from a few tweaks to make this morning, it appears to be working correctly now.

Over the next 36 hours, links should settle down and any that no longer exist will disappear from Freeneedle.

Also thanks to Sondray for pointing out that Geocities sites no longer exist.

The Geek - 1 November, 2009

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We Need Your Help

Freeneedle is all about offering you links to free sewing and needlecraft resources, however we know we can make mistakes when adding links and we want you to tell us when we get it wrong.

Yesterday we were excited to see Freeneedle had received it's first comment on a link since adding this feature to the new Freeneedle. When we looked, the comment simply said 'no pattern', so we then went back and reviewed the link. Sure enough, while the link contained a lot of information for making a specific apron, the actual pattern was only available from a paid for book. Including links that don't offer 100% free information is against the ethos of Freeneedle and we immediately removed the link in question.

We would like to say a BIG thank you to the Freeneedle member who brought this to our attention and apologise for including it in the first place. If you spot any links that aren't free or you think have a problem, please do let us know through the Contact Us page or leave a comment on the link. We will look into adding a 'Report This Link' type button to specifically deal with such problems in future, whether in the linked page or our own description of the link.

The Geek - 21 October, 2009

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Freeneedle Relaunched

 Welcome to the brand new version of Freeneedle.

Some of you may remember our old site, pictured below, but this new site should be a vast improvement.

The popularity of Freeneedle over the last few years has taken us completely by surprise and the original site had started to creak under the high level of use by Freeneedlers. For that reason we decided a few months ago to rebuild Freeneedle from a clean sheet and this is the result.

We've tried to add more features to make life easier for registered Freeneedlers, while being careful not to deviate from the site's original objective of offering good quality and interesting links in a clear and straightforward fashion.

What do you think about the new Freeneedle? We'd love to hear your thoughts and any suggestions on how we can make it even better.

The Geek - 17 October, 2009

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Duct Tape Flip Flops

How cool is that!  Duct tape and no-sew projects are perfect for those days when you are looking for something a little different.  See Free No Sew Projects for more ideas!

Ms Stitch - 27 August, 2009

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Free Owl Sewing Patterns

Owls are hot right now!  Their cute faces grace all sorts of crafty projects, from egg cozies to ornaments.  

Here are some of the great owl related sewing patterns that we've found recently:

Free Owl Sewing Patterns

Have Fun!

Ms Stitch - 2 November, 2008

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Free Sock Monkey Patterns and Projects

Sock monkeys are great fun to make and everyone is slightly different!  There is no need to keep to monkeys, however, with a little creative thought a pair of socks can become a dog or cat, or perhaps a monster of some description.  

One of the best things about sock toys is that there is no need to use a sewing machine - they are small enough to be a great hand-sewing project.  In fact, many people prefer to hand sew them as it gives a greater degree of control over the fiddly bits!

There are several great projects and tutorials available - here are a few for you to look at!  Free Sock Monkey Patterns and Projects

Ms Stitch - 30 October, 2008

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Making Things For Baby - Free Patterns and Projects

Making things for a new arrival can be very satisfying.   They are often quick to make and are the perfect way to try out new techniques or try new fabrics or stitches.  Another great thing about making baby items is that there is such a wide range!  There are hats that take just minutes to make through to heirloom items that can take months of intricate work!

There are lots of sewing projects featured here and these can be found in this category - Free Sewing Patterns and Projects for Baby  . 

Make For Baby - Lots of Different Crafts

In addition to this we have a sister website that you might not be aware of.  This is called MakeForBaby.com and is dedicated to finding all the great things that you can make for a baby!  There are currently links to nearly 500 baby related projects.  These cover many different crafts including sewing, knitting, crochet and even recipes! 

Do let us know about any links to great sewing or baby related crafts that you think people would be interested in!

Happy Stitching!

Ms Stitch - 28 October, 2008

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