Do you know any good websites where beginners could learn a certain craft? Tell us about them, and we'll let other crafters know!

I thought KnittingHelp.com was very useful. It uses video to teach so you can actually see someone doing the stitch rather than follow along with pictures. It helped me greatly when learning how to knit a sock. Please no socks for me, though. I'm a proud elf.

Also, I liked diynetwork.com. They have a show called Knitty Gritty which I rather enjoy. Here's there episode guide here:

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/episode_arch...180_445,00.html

There you can click on which show from Getting Started to Cross Colors (The other shows below that haven't aired so they haven't posted the patterns yet) you want to see. It doesn't show the entire show just how to do the stitch, depending on which episode you go in and every episode doesn't have a video clip.

I found a great tutorial on book binding here. I'll let you know how it goes- I'm making a HP themed swap journal this week!

If it goes well Melissa, I think I'll actuatlly consider e-mailing that person to ask her if I can post it on The Leaky Cauldron. It looks really well made and there are infinite possibilities of Harry Potter Books you can make. I can only imagine what it would look like if someone made parchment paper (that's a tutorial that should be up soon on Leaky!) with all the pages, and then bounded a book in Hogwarts style!

I love the book binding idea. I've redone tons of blank books/address books etc. I've been trying to ignore the whole topic because I DO NOT need another project... but I looked at the tutorial and have everything on hand. Guess I have to make a book now!

I like to use crumpled brown paper (lunch bags work well) as book covers... then I paint on top and it gives a nice old effect. I've done black, gold, brown, etc, and it always looks different and "old book" like. My swap partner from the Back to School swap on HPCrafts should receive today or tomorrow then I can post pics of the last two I made that way.

I'm thinking about trying out polymer clay masks for Phoenix Rising. I saw this on DIY and it looks like it would be easy to adapt to a very HP-oriented craft. I've never worked with any kind of polymer clay. Any suggestions out there where to find something like the papier mache mask form? Should I start smaller before moving to the masks?

You see. I'm in a bit of a fix. I would like to make some wizarding robes for the movie and the book opening parties. But, I need help finding a pattern. Any suggestions?

lajewelcat - try Madam Malkin's for all kinds of fantastic HP costuming info.

If you want to go very simple, you can look for graduation robes and simply add a patch (try whimsicalley.com for patches). Both of my kids have something like that and you've be surprised how many people have asked me where to get them!

There are also some commercially available patterns, though they may be hard to find this time of year. Simplicity has something very close to HP, though I do know the number.

Hope that helps!

Are they any suggestions for learning cross stitching? I may've asked this in past. I only don't remember since I haven't visited this area in ages. But cross stitching is something I've wanted to learn for a long time. But I don't anything about it. I still sometimes have trouble just threading a needle and knotting it off. But I'm still willing!

Here's a link to a video that may help you figure it out, Aphrodites Lady!

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/785979/cross...h_in_5_minutes/

It's for counted cross-stitch, which is the easiest to start with, IMO. Hope it helps, and be sure to let us know how it goes!!

About.com has great resources on most major crafts and some more obscure things as well. In fact, it can tell you how to do just about anything under the sun.

Good luck with the learning to cross-stitch! It's definetly a fun craft, though it requires a good eyesight (especially if you go for the highest count aida or evenweave cloth!) and some patience, but it's a relatively easy craft (and for once, one that you can pretty much learn online just by reading stuff)... and finished pieces are always gorgeous!

Keep us updated on your progress!!

If you're a beginner and you would like to learn how to make polymer clay beads then a great resource is my Polymer Clay Bead Making Blog. I have daily tips and pics that will help avoid the problems most beginners have when working with polymer clay.

I am a big Harry Potter fan and although I only have one picture of some Luna Lovegood Raddish Earrings posted right now. I have made a Altered Art 'Secret Compartment Herbology Book' that I will be posting pictures of soon. As well will create many Potter Crafts in the future. (Always open to suggestions!)

I found www.videojug.com to be a useful resource for knitting(Just type knitting into the search box from the homepage). I've only looked at a few basic things on it, such as buying materials and casting-on but I found it great. The videos come with text instructions too so you can examine the theory and practice, the best part being you can replay the video over-and-over-and-over-and-over again if necessary. I've been working mostly from books recently but it was a great start-up.