SURF'S
UP!
by Heather Lott

("temari" is Japanese for "thread ball") with intricately woven patterns. Actually, the patterns are stitched, and are much easier than they appear. This web site will give you everything you need to learn this ancient craft, from a tutorial, to lots of free patterns, to a gallery for inspiration. This site is better than the two books I have on the subject! 

www.sewdoll.com - The Embroidery, Quilting and Lacemaking site has a wealth of information, as well as quality crafting-related graphics free for personal use. The embroidery pages are mainly a gallery with a list of recommended books, but the lacemaking section is comprehensive. If what you need to know is not there, she probably has a link to it. There are even instructions for beginners! 

www.caron-net.com - The Caron Collection produces beautiful overdyed and hand-dyed threads and fibers for needlework, needlepoint and crafting. This site has free projects, articles about designers and stores across the country, a gallery of works, and a "kids' corner" with projects especially for, and sometimes by, children. The archives are extensive, but visit every month for new content! 

www.kreinik.com - Kreinik produces metallic threads for embroidery. There are many free patterns at the site for needlework, plastic canvas and even crafts for kids. What may be more exciting for the man in your life is that Kreinik produces thread collections devoted to the "art" of tying flys for fishing! They also have some recipes at the site. Hint: Click on "Uses" on the main page, then "Fly tying & rod building." 

about.com - If you can't find the information you're looking for in the site above, you can always try about.com. They have a site for just about everything, I think... crossstitch.about.com, needlepoint.about.com, scrapbooking.about.com, etc.! This even works for non-crafting sites! 

Heather is a graduate of Georgia Tech with a Bachellor's degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master's in Computer Science. She now programs by day and crafts by night! She lives in downtown Atlanta with her husband Michael in a converted 1890's brick warehouse loft.

Summertime is the perfect time to get a head-start on holiday crafts. Whether you need to make gifts for your friends and family or ornaments for your tree, or if you're gearing up for the holiday craft shows, new ideas are always welcome. This month I've asked my friend Heather Lott, an avid needle-worker and all-around crafting sort of gal to share some of her favorite crafting sites with you. 

www.hgtv.com - The Home and Garden TV Network Web site is full of crafting ideas. Once in the site, click on "Crafts & Collectibles" under "Our Categories" on the left navigation bar (the direct URL is too weird to use). There are lots of crafting articles. Some are just stories about collectibles, but there are some "how-to" articles for making things. There are also other categories on this site such as "Building and Remodeling," "Design and Decorating," "Gardening and Landscaping" as well as "Food and Lifestyle." All these categories have some crafting content. For example, "Design and Decorating" has a how-to article for turning old sweaters into pillows. Hint: You can't see every article from each category's "index." Click on an article that's interesting, then look on the right side of the page for related articles! 

www.beadandbutton.com - A friend recently introduced me to beading. My jewelry box thanks her, although my pocketbook does not! This site is maintained by "Bead & Button" magazine and includes articles on "basics" such as how to open and close a ring, how to finish a multi-strand necklace and how to execute each of the basic beading stitches. It also includes free sample projects that have been published in past issues of the magazine. Many are suitable for even the rank beginner. Hint: To navigate the site, click on "Projects, Patterns & More" on the front page. Look at the top of the page under the "title bar" for a blue navigation bar. This will give you more places to go than the navigation bar on the left of the page. 

www.dnai.com/~kdyer/ - This is the Counted Cross Stitch, Needlework and Stitchery Page. The site is maintained by an individual. It has FAQs on bunches of needlework subjects, covering everything from software for designing needlework patterns to national festival locations to how many beads are in those Mill Hill packets. There's even a counted cross stitch tutorial if you are a complete "newbie." Also, there's a link page pointing to lots of online, free patterns! 

www.geocities.com/jshorten_934/temari/temari.htm . This is Judy's Temari Site. Temari is an ancient Japanese art that used unraveled worn-out kimonos to create thread balls

READER'S RECOMMENDATIONS 

What's your favorite Web site? We'd love to hear about it! Here is a site one of our readers recommends. 

http://www.rightconnections.net/allatoona.htm - All about fishing on Allatoona. It has a discussion group, online boating certification, Georgia rules and Regulations, hot fishing spots on Allatoona, Knot Tying techniques, how to locate bait & lures... as a fisherman, this site has my attention. Submitted by Jim Alexander.

E-mail your comments and favorite web sites to Lorraine at editor@townelaker.com.