Advent Calendars

It’s time to think about Advent calendars, therefore I compiled a list:

Older Advent calendars
I presented Advent calendars before.

Origami box Advent calendar
On the picture you can see my Advent calendar that I’m using for a couple of years now. I folded 24 Origami boxes (but I can’t remember where the instruction came from) that I’m filling every year anew.
Addendum: In the comments of the German entry Monika said, that you can get the instruction here.
unikatissima Advent Calendar

Boxes ‘Winter Village’ Advent calendar
In the same way as these picture boxes you can easily make a whole winter village with 24 houses ;-)
Art Attack Advent calendar.jpg

Octagonal Advent calendar
via: Projects gallery advent calendar
That’s no instruction, but I find it a beautiful inspiration.
Two Peas in a Bucket Advent calendar

Story Advent calendar
I don’t have a picture from this: quite a long time ago I selected a story where I knew that the addressee will like it, bought a pocket book with the story and cut the pages from the book.
I put the pages into 24 little packages, so that the addressee could read a part of the story every day.
Admittedly I found it very hard to destroy the book ;-)

Printable Advent calendar
There seem to be a lot of these, if I can believe the results of the Google search for ‘Printable Advent Calendar’ and the results of the Google image search for it ;-)

Another printable Advent calendar
This one simply looked a bit different ;-)
Petit Elefant Advent calendar

Initials Advent calendar
via: Creative Advent Calendars
I find the Advent calendar initials simply wonderful :)
Vincent Caplier Advent calendar

Easy graphic Advent calendar
via: Advent Round-up
Happy Mundane Advent calendar

Envelope Advent calendar
via: Advent Round-up
d Sharp Journal Advent calendar

Paper garland Advent calendar
via: Advent Round-up part deux
mer mag Advent calendar

Coloured window Advent calendar
via: Creative Advent Calendars
The Quince Tree Advent calendar

Photo Advent calendar
The Crafts Dept Advent calendar

Cookies Advent calendar
Of course you can always make a cookies Advent calendar with your favourite cookies receipe ;-)
FamilyFun Advent calendar

Gingerbread Advent calendar
They’re baking here a gingerbread tile and glue on beautifully decorated gingerbread cookies with sugar. Every day you’ll get a gingerbread cookie and on the last day the gingerbread tile.
Gingerbread Fun Advent calendar

Knitted Bag Advent calendar
via: Julkalender 2009 Christmas Calendar by Johanna Wallin
Knit every day a little piece and get a cute bag on Christmas :)
jdw blog-city Advent calendar

Knitted Hats and Mittens Advent calendar
Apron Strings Advent calendar

Knitted Little Hats Advent calendar
The last link on the page is the PDF file (~ 370 KB) with the (German!) instruction.
landlust Advent calendar

Jeans Pocket Advent calendar
via: fun advent calendars (round up)
The link to the original Advent calendar doesn’t work any more, but the photo is inspiration enough ;-)
roadside scholar Advent calendar

Socks Advent calendar
Once I bought 12 pairs of cotton socks that fitted the addressee’s feet ;-), attached them to a cord and filled them.
It looked funny ;-)

Cord Holder

recyclart Cord Holder

Do the cords lie around everywhere? Simply cram them into a toilet paper cardboard roll on the wall ;-)))
I find this idea simply amazing!
And as creative as we are we surely can embellish the tube ;-))

By the way, I have more things that can be done with cardboard tubes ;-))


Links:
Cord roll

Here at unikatissima:
Entries containing the word ‘cardboard tube’

Maze Pattern Generator

(The Maze Pattern Generator does not work anymore because Adobe discontinued the flash player.)

 


Frequently asked questions:

  • Question: What about property rights?
    Answer:
    I thought that I make it easy ;-)
    You may

    • let generate as many mazes as you like,
    • adapt and vary the patterns and
    • create from the original or your patterns what takes your fancy;
    • sell the produced items and
    • I don’t mind if you link to this site or
    • give credit to unikatissima ;)
    • not sell mazes created with my maze pattern generator!
    • not embed my maze pattern generator into your site and
    • not claim the patterns as your own.

     
     

  • Question: Why doesn’t the maze have neither entry nor exit?
    Answer:
    I didn’t put any because everybody can make as many entries and exits as he/she wants wherever he/she wants.
    You simply must ‘erase’ (for each one) one square (beside a white square).

     
  • Question: What can I do with these patterns apart from filet crochet and cross stitch?
    Answer:
    The answer has two parts:

     

  • Question: When I enter an even number of squares the maze pattern generator generates three more squares. Why?
    Answer:
    The answer has two parts:

    • The white edge doesn’t count for the width or height, resp., these are thus two more squares.
      By the way it is the same when entering an odd number as width or height, resp.
      I discovered that this edge is handy, even if I ignore it mostly.
    • The maze pattern can only be made with an odd number of squares (otherwise there is a wall missing), therefore I added a square when an even number is entered.

     

  • Question: The saving of the overview or the patterns takes sometimes a lot of time! Why?
    Answer:
    The answer has two parts:

    • On the one hand the time that the maze pattern generator needs to save a chart depends on the size of the graphic.
    • In case that you’re still using the Flash Player 9 everything works but the saving process takes longer than with the Flash Player 10.
      If you want to update your Flash Player you can do this directly at Adobe.
      If you don’t know which version you are using you can let display the version at Adobe, too.

     

  • Question: My friend can let generate larger mazes than I can. Why?
    Answer:
    This depends on your Flash Player version, version 9 oder 10. The Flash Player 10 can generate larger mazes.
    If you want to update your Flash Player you can do this directly at Adobe.
    If you don’t know which version you are using you can let display the version at Adobe, too.
     
     
  • Question: Why are the maze overview and the maze pattern generated?
    Answer:
    unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator The overview is the small picture, the pattern the larger one that you can use to work in different techniques.
    I like to let generate different mazes and found, that I can’t see from the actual patterns whether I like them. Therefore I always compare the overviews and print then the pattern with the same name identification code, e.g. is the overview called ‘unikatissima_maze_7kD.png’ and the pattern ‘unikatissima_maze_pattern_7kD.png’.
     
     
  • Question: The pictures I’m saving have strange names. Why?
    Answer:
    unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator The overview, that’s the smaller picture, is always called ‘unikatissima_maze_***.png’, where ‘***’ stands for a random letter number combination.
    The pattern, the larger picture that you can use to work in different techniques is always called ‘unikatissima_maze_pattern_***.png’, where ‘***’ stands for the same letter number combination as for the overview. E.g. is the overview called ‘unikatissima_maze_7kD.png’ and the pattern ‘unikatissima_maze_pattern_7kD.png’.
    This way a pattern can easily be assigned to the overview after you’re chosen a beautiful maze.
     
     
 


Credits:

  • On the one hand I want to thank John Lauro for his wonderful Maze Maker but especially for kindly publishing the algorithm.
    That made it much easier for me to let generate just as beautiful mazes as his :)
  • On the other hand I want to thank RIAmore.eu.
    It would have taken me foreeever to convert my original program to Flash alone.
    You can also read more about the maze pattern generator.
 


Completed patterns:
While working on my maze generator of course I generated looots of mazes – and most of them I found beautiful enough to save.
I give here some of them for your use. Simply click them with the right mouse button and select ‘Save image as…’ (or something like that).
I suggest strongly to save the overviews as well!
Please note that you accept my copyright terms by saving/downloading the pictures.

You find here mostly square mazes, but keep in mind that your items can look quite different if the unit represented by a square isn’t square!
A unit could be a stitch, a bead or a knot and so on. See also the entry ‘What Can You Do With Filet Crochet/Cross Stitch Embroidery Charts?’.

And here they are:

9 x 9 squares
unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator

 

17 x 17 squares
unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator

 

19 x 15 squares
unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator

 

From now on click to enlarge:
33 x 33 squares
unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator

 

33 x 33 squares
unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator

 

103 x 53 squares
unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator

 

103 x 53 squares
unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator

 

53 x 53 squares
unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator

 

53 x 53 squares
unikatissima Maze Generator unikatissima Maze Generator

 

313 x 313 squares
unikatissima Maze Generator

 

Click here to see the pattern, the chart is simply too large.

 

313 x 313 squares
unikatissima Maze Generator

 

Click here to see the pattern, the chart is simply too large.

 

crochet medaillon

Fabric Origami

unikatissima Fabric Origami

Recently a friend had the idea to make some Origami with fabric but the fabric didn’t fold properly.
Some research showed that there are more people who do this and that they simply stiffen the fabric with starch or fabric stiffener.
And then (it seems!) that you can simply start folding… :)
By the way there seem even to be two groups: those who incorporate their Origami fabric in their quilts and those who fold other things like wallets.
Unfortunately I don’t have much fabric (because of the design) that I could use for Origami folding and I won’t surely begin to build up a fabric stash here, but somehow…
;-)


Links:
At instructables: Fabric Origami Quilt Block

At Origami Resource Center: Fabric folding – scroll down to about the center until ‘Fabric Origami Quilts’ and ‘Fabric Origami’

Fabric Origami – under ‘Technique’ you can find more ideas about what to do with ‘solid fabric’: stamping, maschine embroidery, lamination etc.

Square ‘n’ Fair – Lacy Crochet Square Margarethe

Square 'n' Fair - Lacy Crochet Square Margarethe

I proudly present my first self designed
Square ‘n’ Fair – Lacy Crochet Square Margarethe (PDF ~705 KB)!

It is a PDF-File that contains the diagram for the crochet square Margarethe that I designed (it is my first! ;-)).
On the photo you see a big scarf I made with this pattern (but I haven’t blocked it yet – it will look much more beautiful then ;-))

I also included several matching diagrams in the PDF-file to this square (‘elements’): a rectangular half square, a triangular half square, a ‘squeezed square’ and two patterns for matching ‘ribbons’.
Additionally I have inserted several ideas on how to combine the different elements and project ideas about what to do with the elements.

Because different terms are used for the same stitches in British and American English, you can find photo and text descriptions of the used stitches in order to easily identify them (not meant as a tutorial).

Best try it yourself:
Use different materials, as e.g. thick wool yarns, middle acryl yarns ;-), fine cotton yarns, embroidery floss, raffia, package string, gift ribbon/gift curling ribbon, yarn made from plastic bags
Make different items, as e.g. sweaters, vests, tops, cardigans, scarves, shawls, headbands, hats, mittens, wristwarmers, skirts, purses, wallets, totes, scrunchies, collars, appliqués, insertions, book or journal covers, tablecloths, place mats, glass coasters, pillows, window or door decorations, bedthrows, ornaments for greeting cards …

If you want to make clothing, check again crochet patterns for/from square medaillons (you won’t need the medaillon patterns this time, but only the women clothing models ;-)) and the basic woman measurement charts for clothing patterns at the website of Jessica Tromp.


Links:
Square ‘n’ Fair – Lacy Crochet Square Margarethe (PDF ~705 KB)

Jessica Tromp:
Crochet patterns for/from square medaillons
Basic woman measurement charts for clothing patterns

At craftster: Curling Ribbon+Crochet Hook=Many Purses

At Marlo’s Crochet Corner: Cutting the plastic bag ‘yarn’

At Craft Chi: Doily Racerback

Here at unikatissima:
Plastic Bag Tote
Clothes From Crocheted Medaillons

Moroccan Purse

britishorigami Martin Wall Moroocon Purse

I always like looking for Origami tutorials and this time I’d like to present a tutorial for a little purse.
I know those purses from former times, they were made from leather. I had one, and soon I will make one from paper ;-)
Thinking about it, it must look great, if you use coloured magazine paper?! I have to try this.


Links:
Moroccan Purse

The link has been changed:
Moroccan Purse

Mosaic from Plaster

Mosaic from Plaster

Once I wanted to play a little bit with mosaic for a door board (see photo) but without having to buy all those materials. I didn’t know if I would use them ever more.
Therefore I figured out how to make my own mosaic stones from plaster and wrote a German tutorial.
I’m giving here a translation, see some photos at the German tutorial.

How to make your own mosaic stones:
You need:

  • Plaster
  • (Rectangular) plastic lid
  • Water
  • Brush
  • Paint as used in school
  • Vinegar
  • Finish

What to do:

  1. Make plaster following the instructions and cast a thin layer. The consistency should be yoghurt-like and the layer not thicker than 3mm / 0.07 inches.
    Note: Use the plastic lid of a margarine jar for casting.
  2. After hardening paint the plaster cakes with the paints.
    Note: The cakes must have become hard, but they don’t have to be dry when painting.
  3. After the cakes are dry (about one day) coat with the finish.
  4. Then break the cakes into mosaic stones.
    Note: This can be done in an irregular way, but you can also score the cakes and then break in square or rectangular pieces.
    Note: The scoring of the cakes can best be done when the cakes aren’t dry. Although you can score dry cakes they break more easily than the moist ones.
  5. Now make your mosaic by casting a form with plaster and setting your mosaic stones into the plaster.
    Note: To delay the hardening mix the plaster with some vinegar.
    Note: Only cast plaster in flexible forms because it expands slightly and you won’t be able to release it from a solid form.


Links:
Make your own mosaic stone (German)

Slow down drywall-plaster drying time with vinegar (English)
What to do to delay drying time of plaster? (German)
(Somebody here tried a drop of dish liquid in place of vinegar and said that it worked)

Papier Mache Recipes

Papier Mache Recipes

There are many recipes for making papier mache which I still want to try out.
On the photo you see one of my many UFO’s ;-)
It is a wall-vase-to-be, made with tore newspaper stripes and ready to use wall paste.


Links:
At ‘The Papier Mache Resource’ :
Some Advanced Papier Mache Recipes (English)
Take also a look at the other tutorials, the articles and the galleries

More recipes:
(Google search results)
Search for ‘paper mache paste recipe’
Search for ‘papier mache rezept’

Image search for ‘paper mache paste recipe’
Image search for ‘papier mache rezept’

Flower Pounding

Flower Pounding

One day I found a tutorial on flower pounding. It sounded strange to me and I was really surprised what people do to innocent flowers ;-) (we have already seen that people stitch flowers).
Anyhow, the results are stunning!
As you can see on the photo, mine aren’t: I pounded on tissue paper in place of fabric and did something wrong. But this experience showed me that I’m not the woman to wallop little flowers ;-))


Links:
Flower Pounding
Inspiration: Google image results for ‘Flower Pounding’

Here at unikatissima:
Stitched Flowers