Split (1)

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How (much) can I minimise the cooking time of red split lentils? As I can't go camping or bike touring at the moment, I'm taking the chance to experiment with some home-made dehydrated meals - doing everything at home but as if I was on the road. One idea is based on red lentils, with a separate sachet of dehydrated v...	But you could always adjust the time when you start the lentils to fit stricter food safety guidelines or your personal risk tolerance, e.g. boiling the water at your lunch break.
Why does pistachio ice cream not taste like pistachio nuts? I have eaten pistachio nuts (roasted, salted) many times and I like it. I also like pistachio flavoured ice cream, but I don't find it much similar. If it wasn't named like that, I would probably not make the connection at all. Why is the flavour so different...	Most pistachio ice creams are made with some, if not most or even all, almond and almond flavoring in addition to pistachio flavoring. Salt is a flavour enhancer, after all.
What is the Best Way to Keep Digestive Biscuits Fresh I bought a bunch of biscuit packets (ginger nut, digestives, bourbon biscuits) and couldn't resist opening a pack or two to try them. Now I'm afraid they'll go stale if I just leave them half opened. I have Tupperware but not super airtight or high quality. Nor do I...	I agree with ChrisH for the most part - air-tight If you don't have any container at all, they keep for a few days with the end of the wrapper twisted round and clipped shut; that's enough of a seal.
What does resting mean I'm a little confused with what resting actually means. I've typically seen this term being used where you move food (typically meat) from the oven/grill/heat and then keep it warm for "some time" (maybe 10's of minutes depending on the size). What has confused me is Gordon Ramsay's burger vide...	Resting commonly means to remove the meat from the cooking surface and allowing it to sit, untouched, for some time.
Rising dough with closed/airtight lid? We have, because of Corona, started to make our own bread daily. This means we have dough in a round bowl in the fridge all the time, taking up a lot of space we can't use (on top of it, but also around it, because of the corners).I was wondering if it's possible to buy a square c...	Any food-safe, appropriately sized box should do, active dough will be creating gas, but except for the most tight lid types, the lid will simply pop up at one edge or corner, even with some weight on top. Alternatively, just poke a few holes in the lid.
Overheating a pizza stone? I bought a pizza stone without realizing that the max temperature it would withstand is 450 F (according to the instructions). My oven goes up to 550 F, which is the temperature I'd rather bake my pizzas at–is it OK to overheat the stone for the sake of the pizza? <Q> As always, it comes to t...	If it is a natural stone and nothing more, then it should easily survive whatever heat your oven can throw at it. If you want to avoid with certainty the stone breaking after 4-5 uses, don't use it outside of the parameters determined by the manufacturer.
Dough failed to rise To bloom the active dry yeast as part of my recipe, I had to substitute 1 cup whole milk (which needs to reach 110F) with organic evaporated milk (0.5 cup) mixed with 0.5 cup distilled water - this mixture was mixed and then brought to 110F. After trying to bloom (no noticeable blooming) occured an...	Could be that your yeast was simply not alive.
What's the trick to seal sous vide foil if liquid contained I experience problems with sealing sous vide dishes if they contain liquid. Think of marinade for example. While sealing, the liquid is flowing up and prevents proper sealing. Current workaround is to take more foil for example or seal without proper vacuum. ...	One trick that works very well for sealing liquids with any vacuum sealer: Freeze your liquid before sealing (in whatever container) then transfer to the bag to be sealed.
How to clean up after kneading dough? I've been making my first steps in baking recently. I usually knead the dough in the same large bowl I mix the dough in to minimize the mess but it's still a pain to wash the bowl and any sponge I use for it gets ruined afterwards.Any advice on how to make washing off dough? <Q> Kn...	If you are clearing up wet, very wet is the way to go, and a brush clogs less than a sponge.
What could this utensil pair be used for? The photo is of a utensil found in a European (French) kitchen. What is its use? The knife is 7 inches (18 centimeter) long. <Q> The handle of the round plastic object feels really distinctive to me. <S> It would clearly work with a normal hammer-like grip, but it also has the...	After a minute's thought, I'm comfortable guessing that this is a child's pumpkin-carving kit.
Butter chicken too tomatoey I recently made Sanjeev Kapoor's butter chicken and found the taste too acidic/tomatoey. It was tasty but it lacked the authentic butter chicken flavor. This was surprising to me considering the amount of spices called for. I followed the recipe nearly to a tee. My leading theories are: ...	If you want to make the dish lower in fatty ingredients like butter, oil, yogurt and cream, you need to reduce the quantity of tomatoes to avoid it tasting too acidic.
How do I keep eggs from sticking to a pan while cooking? I like to cook eggs in my toaster oven, but the one thing that I don't like about it is how the eggs will stick to my pan after cooling and its just so difficult to clean off afterwards. I end up having to take a very stiff brush to the pan and even then it takes...	So, if you leave the pan in the oven for a few minutes to preheat, you might be able to reduce sticking.
Adding a smoky flavour without adding spiciness I rather like a strong smoky flavour in some of my food - I've tasted some rather lovely smokey vegetarian Mexican bean wraps for instance. However, I've struggled to replicate this in my own cooking without making things rather hot! I've tried smoked paprika, which is l...	I think some of the smokiness comes from the drying process, which may include smoking, so substituting fresh poblano will not work A (much) hotter smokey flavour is provided by Chipotle , which is dried and smoked jalapeno and is also commonly used in Adobo sauce. - I add a few teabags of a chinese tea (Lapsang Soucho...
What if I microwave Beyond Meat? I have a bag of Beyond Meat crumbles. Before reading the bag, I microwaved the crumbles in a bowl until they were thoroughly heated. ...Then I noticed that the bag says " DO NOT MICROWAVE ". Is there a health concern with microwaving the product, or are the directions intended to ensur...	Microwave heating causes undesirable texture changes in the food.
Sticky, messy sourdough: overfermented, or ambient factors? I've made the same sourdough bread a dozen times before, with small variations in parameters: 360g white flour 240g whole wheat flour 390g water That's a 65% dough with 60% white and 40% whole wheat flour. I've been using the sponge method wherein the ni...	The problem is that the gluten that developed in the first few hours has been broken down in the long fermentation. After a few rounds of experimenting, I think I have narrowed it down to overfermentation of the sponge .
Can I know if lemons are safe to eat whole (peel and all)? Is there any way to tell if lemons contain a residue of something that is harmful to humans? The last two winters we have been buying oranges in bulk through a website , directly from the farm and i really like it. I would like to buy lemons in bulk too.They ...	Again, the conclusion is - if you can't trust someone who should know (either the farmer themselves, or a government agency which takes random samples of fruit available on the public market to ensure its regulations are followed) you have no way to know. There is no way that you can, personally, in your kitchen, test ...
Is there a way to quantify smoke in meat while cooking? I've observed across multiple meats and cuts of meats that the other impact of smoking varies greatly. Additionally, while actually smoking my perception of the flavor is overloaded and doesn't return to normal until probably the next day. The three variables I c...	There are analytic chemistry techniques used to measure the concentration of phenols, which are the primary contributors to a "smoky" flavor.
What are these white spots in my bread dough? I'm making hot cross buns following this recipe: https://domesticgothess.com/blog/2020/03/09/vegan-hot-cross-buns/ About an hour into the first rise, I'm seeing these alarmingly mold-like dots in the dough. I didn't see these when I was kneading it. The only things I mi...	If they are clumpy when you press down on them, it might be a case of flour clumping together when mixing.
Firming up Neapolitan Pizza Crust We cooked some pizza last night and had a good time. However, the crust was limp. I was expecting to tap the bottom and hear the tap tap tap sound but it was too soft. We have an Alphaforni 5 Minuti Wood fire oven running at 500°F. The temperature was measured using the built in the...	Preheating a pizza stone or cooking your pizza in a cast iron pan could help transfer the heat from your oven to the base of your pizza.
What are some effective tips for cooking bacon in the microwave? I typically cook my bacon in the oven or stove top. A relative of mine saw me do this and recommended using the microwave instead. I have two questions on this: Is this food safe--does using a microwave kill the bacteria/pathogens in pork? What are som...	You can cook bacon that is safe-to-eat using a microwave.
How do I get better at tasting? I think this question might be borderline off-topic. I am open to suggestions for making it fit the SA format better Many drinks (coffee, whisk(e)y, wine) are more enjoyable once one can discern the different flavours in those drinks. I.e., once one moves beyond 'tastes like wine' to 't...	It helps to have common examples of that descriptors or even the "pure thing" at hand to learn flavour descriptors.
Where does the green part of the scallion start and the white part end? I've been using Hello Fresh for a while now and many of their recipes include the step: "Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens." Looking at a typical scallion, I see a clearly green part, a clearly white part, and a relati...	The classic "high dining" answer is as you propose: the tender light green part gets kept with the white, while the mature part of the leaf gets removed and thrown away, or used for something different than the white part. It depends somewhat on the recipe.
Oven semi-baked semi-fried potatoes starting from raw (for the lazy cook) The objective of this question is to avoid spending time in front of the stove, moving a stove-top method to the oven to enable, in particular, quadrupling the amount that can fit in a skillet, without also quadrupling the cooking time. My batch...	I would just parboil the potato wedges, then coat with oil and put in oven until golden brown (or just brown-ish).
Is there a quintessential Italian hot sauce? Fill in the blank: Franks is to America what Cholula is to Mexico what Sriracha is to Vietnam what ______ is to Italy. One of my recipes which is a spin on Orichiette with Rapini, calls for hot sauce. I usually use Sriracha since it tastes good but I do find it's a clash of...	The only one I know of is the Calabrese Spread/Sauce.
How to predict and adjust the spice level of dal? I have made countless recipes from popular Indian books and when I taste the end result, I always feel like the dish needs more spice. For example, I tried a recipe for Sri Lankan Dal with coconut found below and thought it could use more spice and it's usually too late...	Where you are in the world and where you shop can make a difference Freshness of spices: If you have spices that have been sitting for awhile you may have to use more to get the same flavor Personal taste: the recipe may be underspiced according to your taste, but fine to other people's taste.
How does one glue together fried onions with an edible, savory adhesive? I'd like to make a bar that consists of fried, crispy onions (also known as “Bawang Goreng”) that are glued together. The glue should be edible and savory. I wonder what the best recipe would be for this kind of glue. With some quick googling, I f...	An Indian style fried onion cookie could have curry type spices (cumin, black pepper, cardamom, coriander, ginger, slivered toasted almond etc) and it would be good and highlight the onion star of the show.
How to unclog the stove After cleaning the stove holes with some liquid detergent, one of them is clogged now. I used a sewing needle, without any effect. Did anybody run into this problem before? <Q> The jets can be unscrewed, using a properly sized wrench, and cleaned with an appropriately sized cleaner. <S> Once cle...	More importantly the orifice in the jet can be unintentionally enlarged or damaged easily. To clean them I select the largest cleaner which easily fits into the orifice. I do not turn off my gas supply, just insure the burner is off and stays that way until you are done. It’s probably clogged with water.
Dried basil leaves instead of bay leaves I have to make an Indian curry which requires bay leaves. Apparently I don't have them at home. I read on google here that dried Basil leaves can be a good substitute for bay leaves.Now dried bay leaves, which we use in curries and soups have a strong flavor totally different ...	As another alternative, whole allspice berries have some of the savoury, earthy flavours of bay leaves (especially dry bay leaves).
How to de-seed a watermelon? It’s summer and watermelon time. I know how to pick a good one (pro tip: a good greengrocer who has preselected the best batch on wholesale market). Then I cut myself a nice fat slice - and the problem starts. I am not a fan of watermelon seeds. I grew up with watermelon served in wedges...	The way to make it efficient is to slice it thinly, remove the seeds you can see on one side, flip and remove from the other side, then cut it up into smaller chunks after you de-seed it.
What's a good substitute for basil in pesto sauce? I'm making some pasta at home with a pesto sauce. The recipe I'm referring to asks for some basil leaves to go along with the pine nuts in the food processor. Unfortunately, I can't find basil where I live, and I'm looking for a something else to put instead. What's a ...	Good news for you: you can make pesto out of just about anything .
How can I render bacon fat without frying it? I wanted to render the fat from some bacon to produce bacon grease.The usual advice that you see on the internet is to simply fry whole strips of bacon at a low heat, for a longer period, and the fat will melt away from the meat proper. That normally works for me. The othe...	You don't want frying, just low, gentle heat.
Experimenting with garlic, does cooking kill the flavour? I have been experimenting by adding extra cloves of garlic into my pasta sauce every time I cook it. I make a quick pasta sauce by caramelizing onions in a pan, adding very finely chopped fresh garlic (its practically a paste), and whatever other vegetables is m...	Raw garlic is certainly more "harsh" than cooked.
Is there any substitute for butter (or oil) on puff pastry? I tried to create puff pastry. For medical reasons I should minimize the fat on my recipe. Puff pastry is mainly made by 3 important ingredients, flour, water, and fat (butter or oil). Unfortunately, I learned that butter and oil, consist of 100% fat. I've s...	Bottom line: there are no straightforward non-nutritive substitutes for fats and oils which do not cause diarrhea or loose stools.
How to harvest peppers and tomatoes for later use in sauces without harming taste Is there anyway I can pick my peppers and tomatoes now and freeze them immediately for later use to make hot sauces and tomato sauces? I am trying to find the most efficient way to process my pepper and tomato harvest. The pepper stems a...	Freezing your peppers and tomatoes after harvest as you describe should work just fine!
Making tomato mix thicker without surge in calories I got on trying to eating more healthy and as a part of that, I take a few tomatoes, cucumber and garlic and blend that into a sort of a drink. It's far more convenient and quick to smash a bunch of veggies into a blender and mix the crap out of them, rather than sli...	(You can even buy dried mashed potato powder, which thickens stews nicely but has usually had most of the nutrition processed out of it.) A classic, no-cook, but still time-consuming option would be to pour the stuff into a food dehydrator, using the liner sheets that are used for making fruit leather from fruit purée....
How do you safely defrost a whole lamb? Some supermarkets sell a whole lamb. The food safety rules for meat dictate defrosting in the fridge, never at room temperature. The next-size down, a turkey, doesn't even take 24 hours to defrost. It takes either 48 or, if very large, 72 hours to defrost. How do you reconcil...	Yes, the lamb is also meant to be defrosted in the fridge.
Can I just rinse a shaker, solely used for immediate consumption of whey with milk? ...and wash it properly every 3rd or so day. Keeping the shaker inside of the freezer, to slow(/perhaps prevent?) the bacteria growth? • By rinse, I mean to just shake it up with some water until all remnants are whisked away • And by...	More frequent cleaning will also serve as extra safety net in case some cleaning cycle was not perfect. So let’s be clear - rinsing with just water won’t remove all of the fats and proteins in your container. Also, because it runs counter to best practices, guests who encounter it might judge you negatively.
How to make ice cream base using evaporated milk easier to work with? I sometimes try to make “chewy” ice cream using evaporated milk or dulce de leche made using the “boil a can of sweetened condensed milk” method in the base. For the batch I’m wrangling now, I used a 14oz can of dulce de leche, 3 cups of heavy cream...	If you want the mixture to be easier to manipulate for the churn, I think your best options are to either introduce more liquid (and thus dilute the other solid ingredients) or to reduce the quantity of solid ingredients that you are using in the first place.
What are the advantages of watercolour paper over sketch paper? I've been looking around for some paper for watercolour painting. Watercolour paper can be over double the price of sketch paper. What makes watercolour paper better? Should I invest the money, and buy the watercolour paper, or save my money and take a ch...	Traditional paper, made from wood fibers, is much thinner and absorbs the pigment faster, will generally buckle and warp rapidly and is much more likely to rip and tear when wet.
How do you choose a stitch length when straight stitching an arbitrary fabric? When looking to sew a piece of fabric, what factors are looked at to determine the correct stitch length? <Q> Stitching lengths: <S> 2mm is the short stitch length that should be used for lightweight fabrics, for satin stitching, and dec...	The shorter the stitches, the more will be packed into each inch of stitching, creating a tighter seam. 2.5 - 3mm is the average stitch length range that should be used for medium weight fabrics.
How to protect & preserve water color paintings Is there a particular coating that I should be using to protect a watercolor painting? And what is the best storage option for preserving paintings? <Q> There are a couple of things that will definitely work to help preserve displayed paintings: <S> Paint quality. <S>...	You can also get UV archival fixative sprays that are suitable for watercolor work.
What are food safe finishes for woodworking projects, ie. turned bowls There are many different products to finish your projects with. What types are food safe and what should one look out for when finishing a project that needs to be food safe? <Q> There are many different kinds of finishes that are food safe. <S> It...	Most waxes and oils are, in themselves, food safe in indeed may of them are in fact food ingredients.
What are good options in colored pencil blending, especially for a traveller? I generally use the Faber-Castell Colored Pencils, which are vegetable oil based, but I also use PrismaColor Premier from time to time. I normally use Odorless Mineral Spirits to blend, but it is a toxic substance and so not something I norma...	Further, you could layer colours (start with the darkest) and use a (near) white pencil to burnish the colours.
How to cut a tiny circle in paper? When papercutting, one often has to cut very small circles, like below. When I do that, I often break my blade. How should I cut small circles or other small holes? Think about ... Should I apply pressure or not? Should I only turn the knife on its place or really move it? Should ...	To cut very small holes the paper would be folded over the center of the hole and only that little bit pinched. As with all cutting make sure you are using tools that are sharp! I am in favour of moving both the work and your hand at the same time.
How can paper be glued to cardboard without creating wrinkles? In my projects, I often wish to affix a piece of paper to a more rigid material, like cardboard, and to do so using relatively large sheets of paper (say, around a square foot or two). However, I find that it is very difficult to get the paper to lay flat a...	If you do need to use glue, what I would do is use an ice cream stick to evenly spread a layer of glue over the paper, and when sticking it to the cardboard, use another ice cream stick to make sure that it is nice and flat.
Is there a way to cleanly cut styrofoam? My roommate is a bit of a pack rat and has several old TV and computer monitor boxes with styrofoam supports. I am thinking of cutting the styrofoam into little "bricks" and building a small house out of it. Is there a trick or special tool to make clean cuts without making a...	An X-Acto knife is probably going to be your best bet for the least cleanup of loose Styrofoam. Yes, it's called " hot-wire (foam) cutter " and can look like this: You can even make one yourself out of an old flash light ( YouTube ).
For how long can oil paint be worked into? I paint with Winton oil paints, and I usually 'work back' into a layer of paint after a couple of days, using a bit of white spirit to do so. How long do I have before the oil paint dries to the point that this is no longer possible? <Q> Obviously, the more you wait the harder...	There is no simple answer, it depends on many factors like the temperature of where you live, sun and wind exposure, the amount and type of oil, the thickness of the paint, the color pigment itself.
What is the difference between cheaper oil paints and more expensive ones? I use Winton oil paint that I get for £8 for a 200ml tube (for any colour). Some tubes from other ranges (from the same shop) cost up to £160 for a tube the same size - and there is different pricing for different colours. There are several diff...	More expensive brands have a broader palette because they use some pigments that are more expensive to produce and some natural pigments that are more costly to acquire.
What should I use to draw under oil paint? I was drawing onto my primed canvas in pencil, in preparation to paint over the top in oils, but a friend told me that I shouldn't do that, since over time the graphite will rise to the surface of the painting. What should I use instead? <Q> If using graphite make sure to spr...	You can paint the drawing and underpaint with any water based medium, acrylic offers a good base paint for oils if you are using a gesso primed canvas.
How do you fade one color to another with oil paint without getting the mixed color? I have a deep blue sky and a bright yellow sunset setting over a nature scene, but when painting in the yellow sunset and fading it to the blue sky I end up with a lot of bold greens that are noticeably out of place. How do you fade ...	Another way is to use ochres and earth tones (transitioning with a Venetian or yellow ochre, or muting the green color with green-earth or another greenish brown paint), and yet another way is to use opposite colors to mute the intermediary color (i.e. mute the green with a glaze of red).
What is the paper cutting art called which does not involve folding? The paper cutting craft shown here - How to cut a tiny circle in paper? does not seem to be done by folding paper (there are no wrinkles). Doesn't seem to come under origami. Since I wish to learn that kind of paper cutting art, I wish to know what...	Papercutting or paper cutting is the art of cutting paper designs.
What is a good technique for drilling holes in glass bottles? How do you drill holes in glass bottles (safely)? Do you need special drill bits, or tools? High speed drill or extra slow? I tried once on my drill press and I shattered the bottle. I've seen really cool things done with empty wine bottles that I want...	There are specialty bits made for drilling through glass that can be found at most hardware stores . Keep your drill speed low (if it is variable) especially if you wind up using a diamond bit. There are specialty oils sold as a glass drilling lubricant, but WD-40 works just fine and is easy to apply (with the included...
What circular knitting needles can I use if I am allergic to nickel? I'm a knitter who's allergic to nickel. Are there any circular knitting needles made without nickel, chrome, or stainless steel? <Q> This is an example of bamboo needles with a plastic cord connecting them: <A> There are a number of non-nickel optio...	Non-metal circular knitting needles (wood or bamboo) are also available. Addi, famous for their exquisitely smooth nickel needles, also makes two other styles involving brass instead of nickel : Addi Turbo Lace Knitting needles: the entire needle is made of brass (top needle in below photo):
What fiber crafts can I do when I am allergic to wool? I'm allergic to wool. Is it still possible for me to knit/crochet/spin/weave? <Q> Alpaca is the most common - but there are also other, more exotic ones - which may be tolerable. <S> Plant Fibers Cotton, linen, hemp. <S> Should be completely tolerable even to th...	Yes, while you may lose some techniques that depend on wool's specific properties (like felting), there are a variety of fibers still available to the wool-allergic: Other Animal Fibers
What is a stretchy cast-on for top down socks? I just finished my first sock but the top is too tight to go over my heel. I used the long-tail cast-on, should I have used a different one? <Q> Better choices, in turns of stretch, include: cabled cast-on (super easy) <S> tubular cast-on (to go with 1-1 ribbing) ro...	The long-tail cast-on is a sturdy one, excellent for when you need structure, but not so much when you need stretchy.
How can you preserve oil paints on your palette between sessions? Sometimes you mix a great color using your palette but then you have to put your work aside for the evening or even longer. So, how can you preserve the colors on your palette until you're ready to use them again? <Q> Light, Air, AND Temperature. <S> Aft...	For longer storage, you can seal the paint inside of an empty paint tube if the amount is fairly large.
How can I cover books with contact paper without bubbles? I have to cover some books with adhesive contact paper. Although I try to do it slowly and with the help of a ruler, I systematically get some bubbles between the book and the cover. Is there a good trick to do that properly? <Q> Try removing the paper off the ...	Working from top to bottom might cause the book pages to slide as you progress. You can try to remove bubbles with the help of a pin pressing them slightly and then smoothing them out. Dust in the air as well won't be helping this so need to pick a good location
What type of thin or light wood is suitable for making box joints? I want to make a wooden box using box joints. The box should be cube-shaped with sides of around 10cm and one side open. This is my first time to make box joints. I need the box to be as light as possible, so thin wood would be better - however, I can ...	As Matt said, plywood is likely the simplest and most stable wood material to use to make this box.
What kind of stitch makes up t-shirt seams on commercial grade clothing? I recently decided to take up sewing, but the stitches I use to hold two pieces of fabric together (like the side seams of a shirt for example) is a simple lock stitch. My machine (like most I've seen) has several different styles of stitches but ...	The key to sewing seams on a t-shirt (or on anything made in a stretchy knit fabric for that matter) is that the stitch needs to be able to stretch just like the fabric stretches.
How can I improve my binding process to get a better result? Haven't done it in a while but I used to bind my own books so that I didn't have to pay extra for really cool ones. Mostly printed computer paper from 150 for 300 pages for the contents. This is what I did as far as the spine is concerned: Get the pages tog...	You want to "ruffle up the fibres," adding surface area for the glue to stick to, but most importantly, you want to sand the edges enough so that they are all affected evenly--to the point that all of the signature edges are part of the same plane. An option might be to fold the pages once and place all pages on top of...
Is it possible to frequently change colours while crocheting? I am a huge gamer and love pixel art in general. My friend turned me onto crocheting a while ago and one of the first things I asked about was pixel art. Her response and my own limited experience tells me that it is not realistic to do. At least not ones th...	For crochet it would be a bit trickier but still feasible, depending upon the stitch to mimic.
How to paint the background of a portrait painting? Assumption: I have painted a bird with water colours. Now I want to colour the background green. I will start painting from the edges of the bird's body and take my strokes outwards. My problem with this approach is that the brush stroke directions will be visible....	Carefully outline the dry subject with a wet brush and once the paper is wet, carefully apply your color.
How can I cut popsicle craft sticks without splitting them? We often use craft sticks in kids projects, but I have issues whenever I need to cut them. They'll often split down the grain, all the way through the stick, making it useless. This happens no matter which direction I'm cutting, but it's only useful if I'm try...	Using a sharp blade to score it works well.
What are the different methods of knitting with two needles? In an answer to a question about knitting faster , there is a reference to knitting methods: I have a couple suggestions. If you knit in the French Method, try the German Method. If you knit in the German Method, try the French Method. What is the Germa...	In combo knitting, you wrap your purls the "other way", such that watching yourself purl in the mirror would be identical to the process of a knit stitch.
How can I smoothly flatten select parts of a wire design? I have seen some simple jewelry designs made out of wire, which I'd like to replicate. These designs are made from a single piece of wire bent into a variety of shapes. For portions of the design, the wire is still perfectly round. However, some parts are smoot...	The goal is to have a heavy and very smooth surface that's harder than the wire or metal being hammered so the surface doesn't get marked up opposite the side being hammered.
Can I microwave polymer clay to harden it? Boiling washes the color down, and baking polymer clay in a classic oven is troublesome in my situation. Can I use a microwave though? If so, what settings? Any precautions needed? (say, a glass of water to create a "load" for the microwave)? <Q> Maybe, but it's probably not a...	Microwave ovens heat the inside of clay just as much as the outside, so as the cooking continues, parts of the mass will begin to superheat, melt, and actually bubble and boil while other parts of the polymer clay mass will merely begin to harden.
What kind of glue to make a magnet adhere to wood? I've had these two small wooden heart magnets given to me a year ago, but over time, both hearts have fallen off their magnets. They seem to be attached by a thing sheet of some kind of clear glue that obviously can't hold in the long run (it's taken them both several ...	You could try two-ingredient epoxy for other magnets; it tends to stick really well to pretty much everything and if it won't, you can practically encase anything with it.
What type of paint should I use to decorate a kitchen appliance? I got a blender for a present, and its body is black plastic. Because of a family joke, we'd like to paint some purple decorations on it. This is inspired by very artistic hand painted stand mixers have seen, such as: I'm not sure what type of paint to ...	If there is nothing in the colour you want, you may use plastic paint as primer/undercoat and use acrylic paint on top of that.
How to achieve a smooth finish in oils? I admire the glass-like smoothness of some classical paints. I know to polish the gesso until it's smooth like eggshells, not to leave brush marks by mixing stroke directions, and using thin paint and glazes extensively. Are there other ways to achieve that glass effect? <Q> T...	Painting with a soft brush and then lightly flicking over that with a fan brush to blend is a classic technique.
What kind of glue works for stones and shells? I have a collection of many small stones and shells of different shapes and sizes picked up from various beaches, and it'd be nice to glue some of them together to make some sort of arty model. But these are unusual materials and I'm not sure what type of glue would work b...	I am gluing small stones on substrate with cyanoacrylate (Superglue).
How can I artificially age paper without staining or dyeing? For several applications, I don’t like the cool look of modern bright white paper. For some valuable prints, I prefer natural white paper without optical brightening agents. In some cases, however, I also want the paper to look old. Therefore, I am looking fo...	An old paper could get its look from being folded repeatedly, or having the edges of it rubbed on a rough surface.
What paint works for "mock" stained glass? I am pondering a project to make candle holders from wine bottles. I'd like to paint a "stained glass" style pattern on the outside, so it looks like a much more complex project than it actually is. What paint will provide color for the "panes", but still be translucent? What...	You could use glass paint, it is meant especially for glass.
What material can I use to dye paper to look older? My son wants to have a treasure hunt themed birthday party (we'll be geocaching at a local park). For the invitations, he wants pirate treasure maps to tell guests where to go. I'm going to be typing up the directions and information and map and printing multiple cop...	Dye (coffee, tea), acid (vinegar or lemon juice), and heat (oven baking) are the typical methods for 'aging' paper, but they're also much more liable to make the paper more brittle, so if you are going to go the DIY route, you may want to start with a lighter hand on a few trial sheets and see if you can still run them...
Is there an easy way to get my computer/printer to do booklet imposition? I'm getting into bookbinding, and I'd like to make my own sewn signatures, but I'm having problems with finding a good way to use my computer and printer to print out pages so that I can simply fold them in half and sew them into book signatures....	Assuming you have (or can export) pdf format, pdftk (server) is designed for generic pdf page manipulation.
What does it mean to "push your values"? When I used to frequent art-critique forums, I would often hear senior artists advise people to "push values", generally with little to no explanation beyond that. I gathered that in many cases it meant to make darks darker, but that's as far as I got. What does this phrase mea...	Someone saying, you need to "push the values", means they think you need to add more separation in the value levels you used to define your shapes and areas in the image as a way to help build greater depth, contrast and image intensity.
Determining a station point for a perspective drawing For simple perspective drawings, you don't really need to get into having a station point (or vantage point, not vanishing point) at all. As I'm looking at more complex methods, a station point becomes necessary to map your plan to to perspective layout. Are there ...	The horizon line is where your eyes are, (i.e. if are you looking the object from below, above or the front). For 2 point perspective our station point is essentially chosen once we choose the two vanishing points and a vision center line.
Cut even circles out of felt We recently created a kid's activity out of felt . It's pretty neat... except for the circles. They're pretty uneven, with a lot of jagged edges or straight parts. Is there a technique or tool that will help us create "perfect" circles out of the felt? A swivel blade with a plastic stenci...	You can buy collections of shape cutters like this: Image courtesy Amazon You can get inexpensive sets of hollow punches sold as gasket punches.
How do you bond clear acrylic to wood? I am trying to glue a piece of clear acrylic 2mm thick to a piece of plywood that is 5mm thick. They are both 76mm by 50mm and rectangular in shape. They have some cutouts in the middle. It's supposed to be a keychain. Both are laser cut pieces, if that is important. They are cu...	I also used some commercial grade cyanoacrylate glue (a.k.a. Super Glue).
What can I do to store and segregate my embroidery thread? Was thinking about starting some simple cross stitching projects. I can usually pick up some cheap embroidery skeins in a large pack. The problem I have had in the past, and from what I have seen of other thread collections, is that once you take the paper of...	The thread bobbins is a great way though, you can buy them super cheap but I recommend customising. You can build a custom box to hold them all in neat little rows.
What type of glue will work well on wood and metal? As per this question I'm needing to glue a wood veneer inlay into a metal bracelet, but don't know what type of glue to use. I have a tube of Gorilla Glue, which I know is suitable for wood - should I source something else that can cope with wood and metal? <Q> Tha...	2-part epoxy is my usual recommendation when it comes to mating different kinds of materials together. E-6000 is also a good choice.
How to prevent the paper from getting damaged due to a steel compass? I intend to draw nested circles for a Mandala drawing. When the compass point is placed on the paper, it creates a tiny hole. How do I keep the point from damaging the paper? <Q> Some sort of disc <S> A felt or rubber disc comes to mind. <S> Some...	What works for me is to use a plastic cover, the transparent one that you commonly used to cover your books. You could also just take a cut of eraser and jab it on the point as well. You will need to rest the point of the compass onto some other object first i.e. one that won't damage the paper. There is a product call...
How can I clean a tortillon/blending stump and still keep its point intact? What is the "correct", or most effective way of cleaning a paper tortillon? Up the now, I have been using sand paper to clean the tip, however this often makes the tortillon rugged and lose its point, and in some cases causes it to unravel co...	I start with a 100 grit sandpaper to get rid of the graphite\charcoal staining, then use a craft knife to clean up the really rough bits and shape.
Is there a kid-safe carving material? I would like my oldest (about 3 1/2 years old right now) to carve something, because of the fun I had with my plaster carving . However, most carving requires sharp knives and firm materials that are difficult to cut through. I would like an alternative that is soft enough to wo...	Plasticine or molding clay would be a great material for something like this.
Will putting an oil painting under glass cause damage? I inherited a painting from a relative. It has some cracks so I assume it's oil, not acrylic or watercolor. I also do not know the age, but it is not new. When I bought a frame to fit it (since it didn't have one), the frame came with a pane of glass. Will I dama...	As long as the painted surface is not in contact with the glass you should be OK. One of the biggest threats to your oil painting is the environment: dust, air pollution, UV rays, smoke, pet hair, kids with crayons, red wine splashes.
What material to use for a prop sword? This was posted after a discussion of whether assassins' questions about deadly weapons would be on-topic here. If I wanted to make a sword, say as a prop for a theatrical production, what would be the best material to use that satisfies the following criteria? It must be relat...	Here is one Youtube video that demonstrates making the entire sword from PVC pipe. The crossguard could be wooden with rather large bolts providing a strong core; when we made them the handle was a continuation of the blade with wooden grips wound with string. You might get away with aluminium which would be much easie...
How can I stop my thread from bunching when using a sewing machine? I've recently started using a sewing machine to make simple cushion covers. But I've run into a consistent problem of bunching. Below is an example of what I'm experiencing: I've checked that my feed dogs are up, that the tension is on, that my bobbi...	Another thing you might check is for knotted threads jamming the bobbin area. Needle point is important, be sure when sewing wovens you are using a needle with a sharp point (knits use ball point). Too much thread tension. The presser foot is fully down (on many machines, the tension isn't engaged unless the foot is do...
Strengthen or preserve a soap carving? After carving some soap per the suggestion here: Is there a kid-safe carving material? I made a small, but fragile design that I'd like to keep relatively safe. I'm concerned about moisture and physical strength, but also that handling the soap actually affects the shape (for in...	If you wish, you can preserve your carving with a coat of transparent lacquer or tempera paint.
What art style does this black and white work represent? My cousin makes this kind of black and white art. He doesn't have any education in art or doing paintings or drawings. He once told me he just sits and draws whatever that comes from within. So, all he makes is really original without any copying. There are some ...	Matt correctly identifies the style as High Contrast Art .
How do I keep ribbon ends from fraying? My teenage daughter dances ballet, and on a fairly regular basis we need to get her new pointe shoes. After so many pairs, I've gotten surprisingly good at sewing in the elastic and ribbons that need to go on the new shoes. One thing I would like to improve on is the ends of the...	What you could do is to use some clear nail polish, not a lot, to stiffen the ends of the ribbon.
What type of paint works well on plaster? So, the color of my dyed plaster died . After I finish up the details and smoothing of this piece, I'd like to restore the color with some paint. What type of paint will work well for this? I need something that will: Hold fast Work easily on the semi-porous plaster Not ...	You can also use polyurethane varnish, this will cure OK on slightly damp materials and will take most paints and finishes but is more prone to streaks, drips and filling in surface texture.
What can I do to smooth and polish hand cut glass edges? I make small frames and boxes and I like to put in mirror and glass in those projects. In trying to avoid dealing with the question I usually frame in the mirror so that no one will see the clean cut but rough and sharp edges of the glass and mirror. That is not ...	If you have a lot of glass to smooth, you could buy a glass grinder.
Which glue works best for paper sculptures I have tried several types of glue but, have yet to find the perfect glue for my needs. For instance, I'm creating a miniature tree and need to glue multiple small leaves onto a branch. I don't want runny or slow drying glue that the leaves slip off before the glue dries or ...	Given your criteria the glue I would think should be tried to see if it fits your needs is cyanoacrylate glue , or CA glue .
How can I get that translucent effect on Jack O' Lanterns? I've tried to mimic to translucent technique that people use on really detailed Jack O' Lanterns, such as this: However, whenever I try I either can't get the husk thin enough, or I go too thin and bust through. Are there certain tools that help with this? I...	I have used MSPaint with awesome circles to draw attention to the holes.
How can I make yarn from an old t-shirt and does the material matter? So my wife tells me that I have too many t-shirts (she is not wrong) as I don't wear them all fast enough before they get washed. Since I wear my favorites more often some just never see action. Naturally I will give some away but I have been fasci...	The thinner your strips, the stretchier they will be, and the more loose yarn and fiber that will "shed." You can increase strength somewhat by washing and drying before you cut.
Decorate the inside of a tube? We tend to save the cardboard tubes from toilet paper and paper towels for crafts, like play binoculars and telescopes. The outsides are easy to decorate, the insides not so much. Painting is maybe doable, but a brush would hit at the wrong angle. Instead, I've thought about decorating...	You could just apply glue or even tape at the ends, and it'll hold fine. There is a simpler solution likely already in your possession or at least cheap to acquire for this. Cut it up so it's flat, and once you're done, seal it back up.
How can I repair broken glass inside a stained glass project? My wife has this small stained glass decoration she made in high school that has been around forever. For almost that same amount of time there are a couple of break in one of the pieces. The pictures below are the same except the second one has arrows to gi...	Place copper foil patches in the cracks
What's a flexible, strong string or yarn I can use in this toy? I made this flexible geometry toy based on one I saw in a learning store. You can bend it into different shapes, and it's fun. Unfortunately, all I had on hand was some yarn to make the inside support. I'm concerned that the yarn is eventually going to ...	Look for knots specifically used for fishing, and you should find some good knots for securing fishing line. Some rubber is of poor quality, becoming brittle after a few years and breaking easily.
What materials can I use for faux stained glass? I found this old colouring book that made pseudo stained glass. You colour it in however you want and then tear the page out and place it on the window. Certainly faster and cheaper then actual stained glass. I had already finished most of the book so there was nothing...	One idea is to buy some clear plastic form any arts and crafts store or fabric store.
How can I make this necklace longer? (See related question here .) I was given a necklace with a cute geode pendant. Love the color, but it doesn't fit me well -- I don't like the length it hangs at, and I don't like that the stone is horizontal instead of vertical. It's a fairly thin silver chain, connected to a co...	If you have some chain identical to the chain on your necklace, extending the chain is not too hard to do. If you want it to hang vertically you will need to do a fair amount of reworking of the setting, this is complicated by any soldering runs the risk of damaging the stone.
How can I make this pendant vertical? (See related question here .) I was given a necklace with a cute geode pendant. Love the color, but I don't like that the stone is horizontal instead of vertical. The chain connects to two embedded rings in the rock itself. Is it possible to to re-ring the stone even though it...	You could create a bezel in the traditional manner, with silver plate, bezel wire and a ring, and solder all of the pieces together, then insert the stone and old bezel into the new bezel.

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