| How to Do Ombre Nails Posted: 02 Apr 2020 05:00 PM PDT Ombré nails (just like ombré hair) are a type of manicure in which a color gradient is created. A light color on the top of the nail gradually blends into a darker color toward the tip. Getting the perfect ombré effect can take time and practice, but there's a lot of room for originality to make your ombré effect unique. [Edit]Creating The Sponge Ombré - Clean up your nails. Use a cotton ball lightly soaked in nail polish remover to remove any nail polish currently on your nails. Gently trim your nails with nail clippers until your nails are at your desired length.[1] Then use a nail file to smooth out rough edges and shape your nails.
- You can also push back your cuticles using a rounded manicure stick.[2] This will help elongate your nail beds, so your nails look longer.
- Alternatively, you can push back your cuticles using your thumbnail on your opposite hand.
- Apply a clear base coat. Paint on a thin, clear, base coat to all of your nails. A clear base coat protects your nails from getting stained by colored polishes and helps extend your manicure by decreasing the prevalence of chips in your nail polish.[3]
- Apply your base color coat. With ombré nails, your base color is usually a white polish or the lightest color you plan to use for the ombré effect. A white polish will help colors seem more vibrant, but using the lightest of your planned ombré polishes will give a softer, more subtle ombré effect.[4][5] Paint this background color on all of your nails.
- For an opaque base, paint two coats of your base color. Allow the first coat to dry completely before adding the second coat.
- To help your nails dry faster, it's better to paint two thin coats of polish rather than one, thick and heavy coat of polish.
- Paint your ombré colors onto a makeup sponge. Paint your ombré colors in straight, horizontal lines side-by-side across a small makeup sponge.[6] The area of the sponge you paint should relatively be the same width as your nail. Start by painting a line across the width of the sponge with the lightest color of nail polish. Then paint with the next darkest color underneath the first color. Finally, paint the darkest color of polish underneath the second line of polish. Be sure that all the colors are painted right next to each other with no exposed sponge between the colors.[7] Paint a couple coats of polish onto the sponge for each color so the polish is wet enough to stamp onto your nail.
- Normally, two or three colors are used to create the ombré effect, but you can experiment with different colors and combinations to see what you like best.
- It may help to dip the makeup sponge in water first before painting on the colors. Dip the makeup sponge into water. Wring out the sponge until approximately 80% of the water is removed.[8] Then paint on the nail polish colors.
- Dipping the sponge in water will prevent the sponge from absorbing too much polish and having the polish dry up too quickly on the sponge.[9]
- Stamp the polish onto your nails. Stamp the polish onto your nail by pressing the sponge (with the polish side down) on top of you nail repeatedly, lifting the sponge away every couple of stamps to check and see if the ombré is dark enough and to your liking.[10]
- Roll the polish onto your nails. Roll the polish onto your nails by placing the side edge of the sponge next to the side of your nail. Slowly roll the sponge (with the polish side down) over your nail to the other side of your nail.[11] Do this repeatedly to darken the polish colors and increase the ombré effect.
- This process will transfer some nail polish onto your skin surrounding your nails. To prevent this you can edge the skin around your nails with a thin layer of petroleum jelly or place tape on the skin surrounding your nails.[12][13] Otherwise; you can use nail polish remover to clean the sides of your nails later.
- There is a lot of freedom with how you transfer the paint to your nail. You can adjust the placement of the sponge (stamping vertically on the length of your nail, tilting the sponge to specifically stamp on a certain color) to make your ombré effect unique and original.[14]
- Reload the sponge. When you have finished the ombré effect on one nail, reload the polish onto the sponge, so the ombré colors remain wet and vibrant. Paint the nail polish colors in the same fashion as before, lining the sponge with the lightest color and moving down to the darkest. Make sure all the polish colors are side-by-side touching each other.[15]
- Keep in mind, if you try to ombré you nails with a sponge that isn't damp enough with polish, the dry sponge can actually pull off your base color coat and ruin your polish.[16]
- If you stamp or roll your nails quickly, you most likely only need to add polish to the sponge for every other nail.[17]
- Apply a topcoat. Once you have given all of your nails adequate time to dry (about 10-15 minutes), add a top coat of clear polish to your nails. You might want to consider doing two coats of a top coat to smooth out your nails, since the sponging makes the surface of your nail a little stippled and bumpy.[18]
- Clean up the skin around your nails. Use a small paintbrush or Q-Tip dipped in nail polish remover to swipe along the edges and cuticles of your nails.[19]
- The cotton on the Q-Tip will help rub off polish on the skin, whereas the paintbrush can be more exact in removing excess nail polish.
[Edit]Creating The Glitter Ombré - Clean up your nails. Whenever you paint your nails, you want to have a nice, clean canvas. Remove any remaining nail polish currently on your nails with a cotton ball lightly soaked in nail polish remover. Cut your nails down to your desired length using nail clippers.[20] File down your nails even more if you want them shorter, and smooth out the sharp corners of your nail.
- Consider pushing back your cuticles with a manicure stick to expose a bit more of your nail bed.[21] You can also use your thumbnail from your other hand to push back your cuticles if you don't have a manicure stick.
- Apply a clear base coat. Paint on a clear base coat to protect your nails from being stained by the color in colored nail polishes.[22] A clear base helps to extend your manicure by making chips in the polish less prevalent.
- Allow your clear base coat to dry about 5-10 minutes before applying any more nail polish.
- Apply your base color coat. Paint all of your nails with your base color. Your base color can be whatever color you want; it's really up to you. To get a solid base, consider painting on two lighter coats of polish as opposed to one, thick and heavy coat.[23] Wait a few minutes in between coats (about 5-10 minutes), so the polish has a chance to dry completely.
- Two light coats of polish will increase the opacity of the color without making the layers of polish gooey.
- Add your first coat of glitter. Unscrew the brush from the bottle, and wipe the sides of the brush on the inside neck of the bottle to remove most of the glitter polish. You want tiny glitter on the brush for your first coat of glitter.[24] Paint over your entire nail, making sure that the top portion of your nail near your cuticle is barely speckled with glitter. The bottom portion of your nail can have a bit more glitter since it will be layered with glitter anyhow.[25]
- Allow this first layer of glitter to dry for at least five minutes.
- Paint your second coat of glitter. Wipe off the brush a little less this time, so there is a little more glitter on the brush. Paint the lower half of your nail, focusing on applying more glitter toward the end tip of your nail.[26] Allow your nails at least ten minutes to dry completely.
- Obviously, you can make the bottom half of your nail as glittery as you would like. Just be sure the ombré glitter gradient transitions from thin to thick, smoothly.
- You can always add another coat of glitter to the bottom 1/3 or 1/4 of your nail, but then you run the risk of having a very wet nail (full of layers of polish). A wet nail heavy with polish will take a long time to dry.
- Experiment to see what you think looks best and works well regarding drying time.
- Add a clear topcoat. Paint on a clear topcoat to seal your nails and smooth out your nail surface.[27]
- You may consider adding two thin coats of your top coat, only because the glitter can make the surface of your nail quite bumpy. You want all the glitter to be covered, so the glitter doesn't get caught on any clothing or scratches your skin.
- Paint your thumb nails last. By painting your thumbnails at the end, you can use them to clean up any mistakes around your cuticles on the opposite hand. Remove any excess nail polish on your thumbs with polish remover before painting them.
- If you use petroleum jelly around your nails to keep the polish off your skin, be careful not to get any on your nail because the polish won't stick.
[Edit]References
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| How to Fold Long Sleeve Shirts Posted: 02 Apr 2020 09:00 AM PDT A long sleeve shirt can be one of the trickiest clothing items to fold. Use the KonMari method to fold all of your long sleeve clothing items, like long sleeve T-shirts, dress shirts, and sweaters. This technique will save space, reduce wrinkles, and help keep your long-sleeved shirts in good shape! [Edit]Folding T-shirts - Lay out the T-shirt facedown in front of you and smooth it out. Straighten up the body and sleeves, brushing out any wrinkles or folds. You can use any clean, flat surface for folding, such as a table, bed, or the floor.[1]
- Fold the shirt in half so the sleeves line up perfectly. Bring 1 side over to meet up with the other, so the 2 sides mirror each other. You can fold either from the left or right—just go with whatever side is more instinctive.[2]
- Fold both sleeves together to create a triangle shape. Keep the sleeves pressed together as you fold them once backwards. Make a second fold above the elbows going the opposite direction to create a triangle shape. Make sure both sleeves fit on top of the body of the long sleeve t-shirt to create 1 long rectangle shape.[3]
- Tuck the rectangle into halves or thirds to fit in your drawers or shelves. Start at the bottom of the shirt and fold it up into a smaller rectangle. If you want to store your shirts standing up in your drawers for easier access, use the thirds technique. If you stack your shirts on a shelf, use the halves technique.
[Edit]Folding Dress Shirts - Button up and smooth out the dress shirt. Button up the majority of the buttons so the shirt will hold its shape and stay together while you fold it. Run your hands over the fabric to straighten out any wrinkles or creases, then adjust the collar until it lays flat and neat.
- Lay the shirt out facedown on a flat surface. Use a clean, flat surface such as a table, dresser, or bed as your workspace for folding. Lay the shirt facedown carefully, smoothing it out and adjusting the collar if it has folded or collapsed.
- Fold the left sleeve in toward the center of the shirt. Start the fold at the shoulder and bring the left arm across the back of the shirt. This will make the left side of the shirt one long line. The goal is to turn the shirt into a long rectangle shape, so make sure that the cuff on the left arm doesn't extend past the right side of the shirt![4]
- If the arms are extra long and extend past the edge of the shirt, fold the cuff backwards so it stays within the rectangle.
- Bring the right sleeve across the left sleeve to complete the rectangle shape. Now that you've mastered the left sleeve, do the same move with the right sleeve! Fold the right arm in at the shoulder and bring it across the left arm so they cross in the center of the shirt. Once again, make sure the right sleeve doesn't extend past the edge of the shirt.[5]
- You can always fold the cuffs back in if they extend past the sides of the shirt.
- Start at the bottom and fold the shirt up in thirds. Fold the bottom third of the shirt up, then fold the next third up so it meets the shoulders of the shirt. This creates the perfect size for placing the shirt in a suitcase, drawer, or shelf.
- Flip the shirt back over and adjust the collar. Straighten out any wrinkles and make sure the collar is neat before packing or storing your shirt. This technique will help protect the collar from being crushed and the fabric from wrinkling too much.[6]
- Although this technique protects your shirt from excessive wrinkling, you may still notice a little wrinkling from the folds. Just keep in mind that the next time you wear your shirt, you may have to do a bit of steaming first!
[Edit]Folding Sweaters - Lay the sweater out in front of you, faceup, with the sleeves spread out. Choose a flat surface, such as a table, bed, or floor, and lay the sweater out with the front facing up. Smooth out the surface of the sweater and spread the sleeves out to the sides.
- Fold the right side of the sweater over with the sleeve straight out. This first fold brings the outer right edge of the sweater to the middle of the sweater. Keep the right sleeve extended straight out and lay it across the left arm so it's almost perpendicular.
- Fold the right sleeve back and down so it lines up with the first fold. Fold the sleeve back inwardly just above the elbow, forming a triangle shape. Line the cuff up at the bottom of the sweater with the initial right-side fold.
- Repeat the process on the left side to form a rectangle. Fold in the left side and the left arm just like you did with the right, forming another triangle with the sleeve and a straight line along the left side. Once you're finished, the whole sweater will look like 1 long rectangle.[7]
- Bring the bottom to the top to fold the sweater in half, then in half again. This creates a thick rectangle shape that can stand up on its own. Using this method will help keep your long-sleeved sweaters neat and perfectly folded.[8]
- Once you're finished, store your folded sweaters in drawers standing up. Line them up in a row so you can easily see each piece of clothing.
[Edit]Packing Your Shirts into a Suitcase - Lay out your shirt so it's facing down on a flat surface. Smooth out any bumps and wrinkles in the fabric. Spread the arms straight out before you start folding.[9]
- Fold the shirt in half lengthwise so the sleeves line up. Bring the right sleeve over to match up with the left. Fold along the center of the shirt so the 2 sides mirror each other. Smooth out the shirt to get a clean fold and line up the sleeves as perfectly as you can.[10]
- Fold both sleeves inward so they lay along the center of the folded shirt. Fold the shoulder inwards, creating a slanted line. The cuffs of the sleeves will probably hang past the hem a little bit. Run your hands over the shirt, smoothing out any creases, wrinkles, or bunched-up fabric.[11]
- Tuck the cuffs upward so they line up with the hem of the shirt. Keeping the sleeves together, fold in the cuffs so the bottom of the shirt and the cuffs are aligned. This will keep your cuffs from being crinkled when you fold the shirt in increments.[12]
- Fold in sections until you reach the top. Instead of rolling your shirt, fold it flat in small sections, starting at the bottom, until the whole shirt is folded up. Try to match the folds up so the collar lines up with an edge. However, if the collar hangs out a little past the rest of the folded shirt, that's okay.[13]
- Lay the folded shirt in your suitcase. Pack your shirts, especially long-sleeve dress shirts, at the top of your suitcase. This technique will probably require some extra ironing or steaming when you unpack, but the section-by-section folding will save you lots of space in your suitcase![14]
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Crochet a Granny Square Posted: 02 Apr 2020 01:00 AM PDT Here is how "Granny" made a quick and simple crocheted blanket. It is something most beginners can learn quickly, as the technique is the same for each row. Using Granny squares, you can crochet a blanket without having to carry the blanket-in-progress with you. You make the squares individually, then stitch them together. [Edit]Getting the Best Supplies - Choose a color scheme. Yarn, of course, comes in a wide variety of colors. Which colors you choose vastly changes how your final blanket, pillow, or other creation will look. Carefully choose your colors to get the effect you want.
- Get the "gypsy" look by pairing red, dark purple, pink, yellow, bright blue and spring green.
- Get the "old country" look by making bright squares but putting them together with a black border.
- Get a classic American look by combining, white, red, blue, and pale yellow.
- If you don't want the granny square look but you want to still use the method to get a fast blanket, use only two colors (white and blue, for example) to create a more subtle look.
- Obtain yarn of your choice. Once you know your colors, you'll want to pick out a good yarn in the best material for you. If you're making a blanket for a baby, use the softest yarn possible. If making something more durable, such as a pet-bed cover, use acrylic.
- Obtain an appropriately sized crochet hook to use. The size of the hook should always be stated in the pattern you want to use or listed for the weight of yarn you purchased.
- If you're worried about the hook size, do a test patch with a few rows of double crochet.
- If you have thicker yarn, use a thicker hook, and if you have thinner yarn use a thinner hook.
[Edit]Making the Center Circle - Chain six. Form a slip knot around the hook, wrap yarn around the hook, and pull it through the loop in the knot--this is one chain stitch. After the yarn you pulled is wrapped around the hook, pull another loop through that, making a second chain stitch. Be sure to leave at least of yarn at the beginning in case you need it later.[1]
- Slip stitch into the first chain. This forms a ring. Pull a new loop through the loop already on the hook, as well as through the chain stitch.
- Chain three. This is the same as if you were doing rows of double crochet stitch.[2]
- Double crochet. Make two double crochet[3] into the center of the ring.
- Chain and double again. Chain two then make three double crochet into the center of the ring. Do this 3 times, for a total of 4 groups of 3 dc (double crochet).
- Slip stitch to finish. Slip stitch into the top of the three chain to finish the round.
[Edit]Making the Middle Row - Start with a new color. Add a new color for the next row if you like. Simply start crocheting with the new color from any ch-sp (chain space, the gaps left by the chain stitches between the bunches of double crochet).[4]
- Chain three again. Again, this is the same as if you were doing rows of double crochet stitch.
- Double crochet in the corners. In the chain space described above, do 3 double crochet stitches (but don't forget that in your first set, the first dc is really the chain three that you did already).
- Move to the next chain space. Chain two over the double crochet bunch and then make three more double crochet stitches into the next chain space. This begins to create the square.
- Form the corner. Make 3 chain stitches to form the corner of the square and then double crochet 3 more into the same chain space.
- Change to 1 chain stitch between if you want a rounder, tighter square as shown in the pictures.
- Continue until the row is complete. Do all 4 corners, and then slip stitch to the top of the ch-3 in the first corner to finish the round. Each corner should have two sets of three dc, each separated by three chain stitches.
[Edit]Completing the Square - Start the next row. Change colors again if you like.
- Continue similarly to the previous row. Double crochet 2 bunches of three stitches (separated by three chain stitches) into each corner. Do only ONE bunch of three dc into each "flat side" chain space, with two chain stitches between the corner bunches and the middle bunches.
- Make as many rows as you want. The number of side spaces will continue to increase.
- You can make a potholder by backing your square with sturdy cloth, make an ornamental doily by using a thinner yarn, or even a baby blanket by using soft yarn in baby-friendly colors. You can make an afghan by either making one huge square or by attaching a number of small squares together.
- Squares can be attached by sewing or by crocheting together using slip stitch or single crochet.
- Finished.
- If you are making a potholder, be sure to use cotton or wool yarn, not acrylic. Acrylic will melt with heat.
- When starting and ending alternating colors, always make sure that your ends are secure, tucked in, and hidden. You can do this by crocheting your ends into the square, or by weaving them in later with a tapestry needle. Do it carefully and be sure to leave long enough ends, as there is nothing worse than finishing a blanket and having it come apart, due to not securing ends and centers. But do not use knots, which feel hard and bumpy in your work and are not as secure as these other methods.
- Darker yarns often make it harder to count your stitches. Try a lighter-colored yarn for your first try.
- Using a bigger needle/hook and thicker wool make a bigger project quicker.
- Granny squares can also make great scarves when sewn in a row - a project that requires fewer squares than a blanket.
- Go slowly, so that you can prevent mistakes, and every few stitches check to make sure that's it's lined up properly.
- Try alternating yarn colors, switching off after completing a row or two.
- You can weave in ends later, but it is easier to lay them on the last row and crochet over them doing the next row, which seals them in... You can also weave them in when you are finished, but make sure to weave them in in two directions so they don't work themselves loose...
- When making a granny square blanket, make sure that the tightness of the yarn is the same throughout the blanket.
[Edit]Warnings - British stitches and American stitches have different names for the same stitch, so be sure to keep an eye out for where a pattern comes from.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Crochet hook-- any size, but size H is typically used for worsted weight yarn.
- Use a larger hook for bulky weight yarn (use the suggestion on the yarn label).
- Yarn-- Red Heart is a good name brand for beginners as it is cheap, great quality, and readily available.
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