My new book + kit, Feminist Stitches, is out! To celebrate, I’m giving away a free video cross-stitch lesson to one lucky stitcher. Enter here! Read more

Friends! I wrote a new book, and I think you’re going to be pretty excited about it! The Cross Stitch The Golden Girls book +… Read more

Holy cats, friends! My very first book—Improper Cross-Stitch—has, on this day, been released upon an unsuspecting world! Read more

Hello, friends! I made you a video tutorial all about organizing embroidery floss (because I’m a giant geek). Hooray! Read more

For the past two weeks, I have been drowning in cucumbers from my local CSA. So, think of this quick pickles recipe as equal parts… Read more

Remember when I made that crocheted cat bed, and my cats absolutely fell in love? I revisited the project. But, with the most ridiculous yarn… Read more

Know what the world probably doesn’t need? Another pussyhat knitting pattern. And, yet, here we are. Worked in the round, grafted top, about 4 hrs… Read more

Having an “Oh @#$%, it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow!” moment? Love a geek? I’ve got you covered with these Doctor Who-inspired cross-stitch valentines. Read more

As a pro crafter and cross-stitch pattern designer, I was pretty much required to design a “Nevertheless, she persisted.” cross-stitch sampler, right? Read more

Have a skirt that’s just a little too short? English paper piecing can help! (Really!) Lengthen a hemline in true stitcher style with 60-degree diamond… Read more

Going on a weekend trip? Want to prevent wilting during hot summer weather? Keep thirsty plants happy with a quick and easy DIY beer bottle… Read more

Thread Heaven: A magical thread and embroidery floss conditioner that is solely responsible for saving both my hands and my sanity. (With a how-to video!) Read more

Thread snips–also called thread nippers, thread clippers, and thread cutters–are-handy little scissors to have in your craft room. Here’s how to use them! Read more

Looking for a last-minute handmade holiday gift? Give your loved ones warm hands and warm hearts with a cozy set of quilting-inspired half square triangle… Read more

Turn mini wooden thread spools into a custom resin bangle bracelet with this detailed tutorial! Read more

The unvarnished truth about how to save your stuff when a clothes moth infestation is definitely already happening. Read more

Fabric armrest covers: the dirty little secret of confirmed cat ladies everywhere! Okay, okay. They’re not really just for cat ladies. Whether it’s pets, kids,… Read more

Can’t bring yourself to throw away beautiful thread ends/floss scraps? Turn those lovely leftovers into resin sewing thread and embroidery floss pendants! Read more

I’d like to introduce you to my new favorite thing to make: the giant hexie flower lap quilt! (Also affectionately known as the big-ass hexie… Read more

Love your English Paper Piecing Travel Kit? Enhance your on-the-go quilting experience with a handy little pincushion designed specifically to snap onto the pocket of… Read more

Love a skirt with pockets? Sew a custom summer skirt of your very own with this beginner-friendly elastic-waist skirt sewing tutorial! Read more

When you’re knitting or crocheting in the real world (read: with all manor of kids, pets, co-workers, friends, and spouses underfoot), there are tons of… Read more

What do huge hunks of metal need more than anything else in the world? Cozies. (Obviously.) Solution: My crocheted metal washer pattern weights tutorial! Read more

When it comes to cross-stitch and embroidery, I’ve always been drawn to geometric and repeating patterns, especially those found in styles like laid work and… Read more

I’ve always loved the look of DIY-related illustrations, especially the ones in yarn crafting and embroidery books. So, last week, on the heels of a… Read more

How long has it been since you’ve cleaned and oiled your scissors? (Hint: If you can’t remember, it’s been way too long!) Read more

Fact: I am a grown woman, and I wear an adorable hand-knitted pixie hat in public. (I mean, why should kids have all the fun?)… Read more

Attention quilting geeks: You need an adorable mini hexie necklace, right? Stitch your own fabric EPP jewelry! Read more

Just in time for the weather to turn cooler, all three parts of my English paper piecing tutorial series are live and ready for budding… Read more

Hexie obsessed? Get your quilting fix on the go with part 3 of my English Paper Piecing tutorial series: the English paper piecing travel kit!… Read more

Welcome to part 2 of my English paper piecing series! In this tutorial, we’ll be joining seven of the hexagon pieces that you made in… Read more

Got fabric scraps? Get quilting! Jumpstart your hexie obsession with my free 1" hexagon template and part one in my English paper piecing tutorial series!… Read more

Looking for last-minute gift ideas for Father’s Day? Give a little handmade goodness to the awesome men in your life with my roundup of four… Read more

Start the long weekend out right with four of my favorite fabric printing projects from right here on Red-Handled Scissors! Read more

Crocheted buttons are a pretty finishing touch to any knitting or crochet project, but they can also be flimsy and hard to use. Luckily, you… Read more

Turn pocket change and yarn scraps into colorful, easy to make sewing pattern weights with this quick and simple crochet pattern! Read more

Geek crafts get a little more grown up with my new Doctor Who-inspired [not quite] Tessellating TARDIS iPhone Case Cross-Stitch Pattern with printable PDF template!… Read more

Keep your embroidery projects clean, organized, and portable with this roundup of six travel-ready stitching tutorials! Read more

I don’t generally post about food, but after receiving tons of requests on Facebook and Twitter, I’ve finally decided to share my recipe for vegan… Read more

Crafts and booze? What could be better?! Imbibe, then get your make on with this quick and easy wine cork button stamp tutorial. Supplies: *… Read more

Looking for a quirky, modern cat bed for your four-legged favorites? Make a super bulky crocheted cat bed! Read more

Hello once again, geeky valentines! Need a last-minute card for your favorite companion? Skip the sappy stuff and get straight to the point with my… Read more

Show of your DIY cred—and put some of those extra notions to good use—with my measuring tape bracelet tutorial! Read more

Handy with a steel crochet hook? Add some teeny tiny holiday cheer to your wardrobe with this mini crocheted snowflake necklace pattern and tutorial! They’re… Read more

Attention last-minute crafters: Christmas may only be 5 days away, but you still have time to give handmade! Here are four DIY holiday gift ideas… Read more

Christmas is only two weeks away, but don’t you worry your crafty little head! Here are four DIY holiday gift ideas that you can whip… Read more

Add eye-catching embroidered embellishments to your knit and crochet projects with this simple crochet embroidery tutorial! Read more

With just under a month to go before Christmas, we’re already up to our eyebrows in holiday making. If you’re still looking for a few… Read more

As you may have noticed from this week’s photo retouch tutorial, I’m participating in a week-long blog hop of craft photography tips featuring Sister Diane… Read more

☆ Happy Election Day, fellow crafty Americans! Now, get thee to the polls! ☆ Bonus Election Day craft: Just in case you’re in need of… Read more

This is the first post in a week-long craft photography blog hop featuring Sister Diane from CraftyPod, Megan from RadMegan, Stacey from FreshStitches, Michele from… Read more

Every crafter needs a good notebook on hand for jotting down ideas and planning projects, but did you know that it’s really easy to make… Read more

Make a set of quirky cloth napkins with a modern spoon, fork, and knife pattern with my new block printed napkin tutorial and free downloadable… Read more

I stitched this piece of embroidered typography wall art for my graphic designer husband as a gift for our third anniversary. (It was yesterday! Hooray!)… Read more

I’m not usually a scrapbooker, but when I saw Scrapbooking Attitude printable film, I knew it had huge creative potential—even for non-paper crafters! I wanted… Read more

Just in time to celebrate National Sewing Month, I’ve got a new Sewing 101 tutorial up on CRAFT: Sewing 101: French Seams! If you haven’t… Read more

Painting glass just got a whole lot easier with Plaid’s new Martha Stewart Crafts Glass Paint! In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make… Read more

Dreaming of a pincushion that’s both useful and pretty? My 2-in-1 flower pincushion tutorial will show you how to make an appliqued pincushion that attaches… Read more

It’s always nice to have a handmade card or two tucked away, ready to pull out for special events or handwritten hellos. So, inspired by… Read more

Did you know that you can dye your own custom yarn with Sharpie markers and a little bit of water? If the answer is no,… Read more

Love washi tape? Turn your collection into fun, colorful barrettes with this washi tape barrette tutorial! Paper tape barrettes easy to make, and they’re the… Read more

Try your hand at bold, modern block printing with my block printed cat pattern t-shirt tutorial! This simple DIY method is fun and easy! Read more

My air plant brooch tutorial is now on CRAFT: Project: Living Air Plant Brooch. Hooray for wearable air plants! Project: Living Air Plant Brooch From… Read more

In addition to paper crafting, did you know that you can use your mini cross-stitch stamp to print on fabric too? In this post, I’ll… Read more

You’ve carved your cross-stitch stamp, so now it’s time to learn how to position those stamped stitches. My method for perfect cross-stitch stamp placement for… Read more

The second stitch in my embroidery stitch stamp series is chain stitch! Carve your own mini chain stitch stamp to add pretty borders and textures… Read more

Like to get stitchy? Carve your own mini cross-stitch stamp, and add a touch of cross-stitch inspired design to your favorite paper and fabric crafts!… Read more

Give your tie dye skills a modern makeover with Tulip Tie Dye and my new striped summer scarf tie dye tutorial! In this project, you’ll… Read more

Sewing geeks, represent: Enhance your crafty fashion cred with a pair of wooden thread spool earrings made with real mini spools! Wooden spool earrings are… Read more

Love the turquoise trend? Bake up some big, bold faux turquoise polymer clay beads and create your own stylish summer statement necklace! Supplies: * Polymer… Read more

Turn your house keys into a geeky work of art with this Doctor Who-inspired painted TARDIS key tutorial! Painted keys are way more fun than… Read more

Need a last minute Mother’s Day gift? Here’s a roundup of quick crafts that you can make in an afternoon! Tutorial: Scissor Holder Necklace with… Read more

Store-bought vanilla can get pretty fancy, but absolutely nothing compares to the real thing. Homemade vanilla extract makes for a perfect handmade gift, and with… Read more

Create your own custom embroidered pendants with shrink plastic! This tutorial below will show you how to make one embroidered shrink plastic pendant necklace. The… Read more

Make your own recycled wine bottle planter with my special Earth Day tutorial! Supplies: * Empty glass wine bottle, cleaned and dried * Thick rubber… Read more

Turn your empty spice jars into mini moss terrariums with this fun, simple Earth Week project. Tiny terrariums are the perfect way to green up… Read more

Welcome to Earth Week on TZoM! To celebrate, I’m kicking things off with my five favorite upcycling tutorials. Take a look around and share the… Read more

Last Wednesday, I was crossing the street and didn’t notice that a misshapen piece of metal was lying in the crosswalk ahead of me. Of… Read more

Keep your scissors within reach with this super-easy scissor holder necklace with removable pincushion! This scissor holder necklace tutorial uses common craft room supplies, and… Read more

Terrariums are hot these days, and human hair is one of the best growing mediums around for mosses and certain varieties of carnivorous plants. So,… Read more

When it comes to Downton Abbey, I stand firmly on Team Dowager. From the very first episode, I have been utterly smitten with Dame Maggie… Read more

When my friend Becky from Sternlab.org sent me samples of her awesome LED sewing kits to try out, I did what any girl in my… Read more

You know how former US Secretary of State Madeline Albright used to use her brooch collection to express her moods and positions while she was… Read more

My first Geek Crafts column is live on FaveCrafts! Starting today, I’ll be making your Wednesdays a little bit more awesome with a weekly dose… Read more

Today is my birthday! (Hurrah!) And, in honor of turning the big two-nine, I’m sharing a gift with all of you! (For those of you… Read more

Hello, geeky valentines! Need a last-minute card for that special someone? Surprise your favorite, er, companion by stitching a quick Doctor Who-inspired valentine with my… Read more

Organized embroidery floss. On the go. No knots, no tangles—even if it’s bouncing around all day in your bag. (No, seriously.) Inspired by a conversation… Read more

For a recent project, I needed a whole pile of fairly uniform felted wool balls. I thought it would be easy enough to make my… Read more

Were you excited about my crocheted snowflake ornaments or double sided dish scrubbers, but totally intimidated by the idea of learning how to crochet? Well,… Read more

Did you know that you can make your own custom plastic buttons for just about any project, any time you need them, and for super… Read more

It’s almost the New Year, and I’m hard at work tidying up my studio and getting everything in order for a fresh, organized start in… Read more

In the middle of holiday crafting madness, my fellow CRAFT writers and I decided to take on one more crazy last-minute project: a CRAFT holiday… Read more

My Snowman Stocking Tutorial with Printable Pattern is now available for download on CRAFT!Project: Snowman Stocking With Pattern There are many ways to DIY your… Read more

When I was a kid, I spent countless crisp afternoons rescuing wooly bear caterpillars from sunny dirt roads and blowing on dandelions in the fields… Read more

I’ve been on a huge Doctor Who kick lately. So, when I ordered my new iPhone a few weeks ago, I knew that I needed… Read more

My cats were particularly well-behaved yesterday, so I made them a new batch of their favorite catnip mousie toys. Each mouse takes only a few… Read more

To wrap up National Sewing Month, I wrote a fabric crafting-specific review of the Spellbinders Grand Calibur die cutting machine on Craft Test Dummies! So,… Read more

Attention knitters and crocheters: Sick of having epic yarn knots all up in your project bag? My modular yarn holders tutorial—inspired by my colorwork genius… Read more

This year, when Jeremy got nominated, I got crafty. I considered it the ultimate handmade challenge to bring DIY to the red carpet in a… Read more

My cat rocket tutorial, How-To: Build a Cardboard Cat Rocket, is now up on CRAFT! How-To: Build a Cardboard Cat RocketNo matter how many fancy… Read more

My tap pants tutorial, How-To: Make a Custom Pair of Tap Pants, is now up on CRAFT! How-To: Make a Custom Pair of Tap PantsFor… Read more

For Father’s Day, I dispensed with the usual tie-and-card routine, and made monogrammed glasses cases for my dad and step-dad instead. Supplies:* 7½” x 7½”… Read more

Squeee! My first tutorial for Craftzine.com went live today, and I am beyond excited!How-To: Make Vegan Serving Dish and Utensil TagsIt’s a rule. At some… Read more

Check it out, ladies: a pillowcase that you can totally wear to the office! Read more

I came up with this design at the request of my BFF, who needed a knitting project bag that would be large enough for a… Read more

Celebrate Earth Day by upcycling 2 pillowcases into a cute, simple sundress!Supplies:* 2 pillowcases with fun patterns (They don’t have to match, but they should… Read more

I’ve been making and using crocheted dish scrubbers for a while, and I’m totally loving them as an alternative to the gross bacteria-filled sponges and… Read more

I don’t know if I can really call this a recipe—it’s so easy to prepare, you won’t actually feel like you’re cooking. I threw this… Read more

Jeremy and I are jetting off to Mexico at the end of next week, where much lounging on the beach and exploring awaits us (excited!).… Read more

Autumn in the CSA can only mean two things: sweet potatoes and apples. I always end up with more of each than I can ever… Read more

Since my vegan gal pals and I went to Natural Gourmet’s Friday Night Dinner, I’ve been dreaming about pumpkin soup. I have no pumpkin soup-making… Read more

Since everyone I know is suddenly having babies, I had to come up with a good shower gift fast. So, the night before I flew… Read more

A pocket square was the very last accessory that Jeremy needed to complete his tux before the Creative Emmys this coming weekend, but somehow one… Read more

My pal Amanda is a sweater designer, which means that there is never a shortage of cute sweaters in my closet. (I know, you’re totally… Read more

Jeremy and I have been trying to cook together more often, so we’ve been focusing on building a collection of fast, simple meals that we… Read more

For Memorial Day, Jeremy, Melissa, and I had our second annual picnic. The goal was to keep it simple (But, seriously, when do I ever… Read more

If you’ve been following my blog over the past couple of weeks, you are already well aware of my love for air plants. The moment… Read more

Contrary to popular opinion, hemming pants can be spectacularly easy, and doesn’t need to involve cutting of any kind. This tutorial started out as a… Read more

As part of the Teese Vegan Cheese Challenge, the awesome folks at Chicago Soy Dairy sent me not one, but two kinds of Teese vegan… Read more

For me, vegan chicken noodle soup is one of those recipes that seems like such a good idea in theory, but always ends up being… Read more

It’s bitterly cold and windy in Brooklyn tonight. A little while ago, I ventured out into the snow and wind to pick up dinner from… Read more

The kitchen was a mess. Red and green spatters were on the walls and our faces, edible glitter and sprinkles were underfoot, and every surface… Read more

My best friend Melanie refers to this recipe simply as “the soup.” For as long as I’ve been cooking for my pals, it has been… Read more

Until a month or so ago, I was a Brussels sprout virgin. Though there are few vegetables that aren’t great friends of mine, I’d somehow… Read more

I cook a lot from scratch, and always prefer to use fresh produce rather than canned or frozen. With our CSA share and at least… Read more

When preparing for my September wedding, I got mighty crafty. One of my larger projects was making the tablecloths for our reception. This turned out… Read more

I am not a fan of Tuesdays. For me, Tuesday means no yoga, no gym, and having to rush out of work to pick up… Read more

Every vegan gal has a longed-for favorite food from her pre-vegan days. You remember how it smelled, how it tasted, how your mother used to… Read more