Animal Hats: 15 patterns to knit and show off


Vanessa Mooncie - 2012
    The book features detailed knitting patterns, schematics, and basic animal hat-making techniques—plus how-to instruction for adding a fleecy hat-lining for extra coziness. There are patterns for every animal-lover. Animals included are cat, dog, chicken, rabbit, pig, frog, penguin, cow, elephant, fox, koala, monkey, panda, lion, and mouse. Patterns offer both child and adult sizes, so family members can each have their own hat.

Heirloom Wood: A Modern Guide to Carving Spoons, Bowls, Boards, and other Homewares


Max Bainbridge - 2017
    Combining traditional techniques with contemporary design, Max Bainbridge teaches you how to identify wood types, source timber, and set up a basic toolbox, then offers step-by-step carving and cutting techniques for making your own pieces. With little experience and very few tools, you’ll learn to create hand-carved bowls, cutting boards, spoons, knives, and spatulas, perfect for adding a touch of the handmade to your home. With further advice on finishing your projects—how to sand, ebonize, scorch, and texture the surfaces, as well as wax and oil your new, beloved kitchen creations—each of your handcrafted projects will be imbued with a tangible history visible through the maker’s mark. With beautiful photography and clear how-to instruction, Heirloom Wood gives you everything you need to create timeless kitchen keepsakes to be passed down from generation to generation.

Scandinavian Needlecraft: 35 step-by-step projects to create the Scandinavian home


Clare Youngs - 2010
    Incorporating the finest elements of Scandinavian crafting traditions, inspiration is taken from a range of backgrounds including classic folk art, as well as more contemporary sources. These delightful designs, each with clear step-by-step instructions and beautiful photography, will have you itching to get stitching. Arranged into five chapters, the projects work with a wide variety of fabrics: there are adorable fleece and felt baby bootees finished with French knots, classic embroidered gingham napkins, and a striped machine-embroidered apron. A wide range of techniques are employed, including appliqué, cut work, patchwork, decorative machine stitching, shadow work, and ribbon work. Basic stitches such as herringbone, cross stitch, Danish knots, blanket stitch, and satin stitch are also used to great effect. Simplicity is always at the heart of Clare’s designs, and with step-by-step artworks and such clear instructions, anyone can have a go and will be surprised how quickly beautiful pieces can be made.

Uniquely Felt


Christine White - 2007
    Learn how to transform loose piles of wool fibers into a durable, nonwoven fabric that can be shaped into stylish bags, hats, pillow covers, and more. A little soap and water are all you need to start turning your wool scraps into an imaginative variety of fun and creative projects.

The Knitter's Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn


Clara Parkes - 2007
    Some make our hearts and hands sing, some get the job done without much fanfare, and some cause nothing but frustration and disappointment. The gorgeous pair of socks that emerged from their first bath twice as long as when they went in. The delicate baby sweater that started pilling before it even came off the needles. The stunning colorwork scarf that you can't wear because the yarn feels like sandpaper against your neck. If only there were a way to read a skein and know how it would behave and what it wanted to become before you invested your time, energy, and money in it. Now there is! With The Knitter's Book of Yarn, you'll learn how to unleash your inner yarn whisperer.In these pages, Clara Parkes provides in-depth insight into a vast selection of yarns, giving you the inside stories behind the most common fiber types, preparations, spins, and ply combinations used by large-scale manufacturers and importers, medium-sized companies, boutique dye shops, community spinneries, and old-fashioned sheep farms. And, because we learn best by doing, Parkes went to some of the most creative and inquisitive design minds of the knitting world to provide a wide assortment of patterns created to highlight the qualities (and minimize the drawbacks) of specific types of yarns.The Knitter's Book of Yarn will teach you everything you need to know about yarn: How it's made, who makes it, how it gets to you, and what it longs to become. The next time you pick up a skein, you won't have to wonder what to do with it. You'll just know-the way any yarn whisperer would.

Rock Art Handbook: Techniques and Projects for Painting, Coloring, and Transforming Stones


Samantha Sarles - 2018
    Almost anything you do on paper or canvas, you can do on a rock. Rock Art Handbook will show you how, with more than 30 step-by-step tutorials featuring dot painting, marbling, embellishments, and much more. It's the perfect opportunity to use your favorite craft supplies, from nail polish to puff paint to gelly roll pens, or to try something new. There are plenty of kid-friendly options--like chalk, washi tape, and glitter glue--too. And what do you do with the rocks when they're finished? Author Samantha Sarles, who blogs at ColorMadeHappy.com, has plenty of ideas!

The Sketchbook Challenge: Techniques, Prompts, and Inspiration for Achieving Your Creative Goals


Sue Bleiweiss - 2012
    Imagine a supportive community of artists sharing the innermost pages of their sketchbooks and offering you tips and techniques for overcoming creative blocks. That's what The Sketchbook Challenge is all about, and the popular blog of the same name has already inspired thousands. Inside this book, you'll find:   · Themes that will motivate you to start your sketchbook—and, more important, keep at it · Tutorials spotlighting such mixed-media techniques as thread sketching, painted papers for collage, digital printing, and much more · Strategies to get off the sketchbook page and start creating inspired art—whether you're into painting, collage, fiber art, or beyond. · In-depth profiles of artists who have taken the Sketchbook Challenge and used it as a launching pad for their own meaningful artwork

Quilt with Tula and Angela: A Start-To-Finish Guide to Piecing and Quilting Using Color and Shape


Tula Pink - 2016
    Angela Walters creates the complementary finish and surface texture for each design, resulting in the perfect marriage of color and style for each of the featured 17 quilt projects.Pairing one shape with one color family in each chapter, you'll step through quilts of varying sizes, at the same time enjoying a front row seat to the creative collaboration between these mavens of style.In addition to the 17 signature Tula Pink quilt designs and 42 quilt design motifs from Angela Walters, you will also be treated to useful tips on choosing fabrics and mixing up prints and approaching the quilt process.Featuring bold illustrations and gorgeous photographs, Quilt with Tula & Angela is the comprehensive approach to intuitive color choices you've been waiting for.

Sharing Your Story: Recording Life's Moments in Mini Albums


Ali Edwards - 2008
    You'll also discover: Cool ways to show off memorabilia; Great gift books for kids; Dozens of practical and meaningful mini-book ideas for every occasion; Hundreds of ideas for tracking the special details of your life. Discover the fun, fast and easy way to capture and document the everyday moments of your life.

52 Scrapbooking Challenges (Elsie Flannigan)


Elsie Flannigan - 2006
    Includes 52 Scrapbooking challenges that help you think outside of your creative box and expand your individual style.

Sew Wild: Creating With Stitch and Mixed Media


Alisa Burke - 2011
    Get wild with printing, painting, drawing, stenciling, and other surface design methods and unique materials such as plastic bags, photographs, and cardboard. Dive into 12 simple sewing projects to make colorful, wearable, and hip designs, including a stunning wall quilt, adorable hats for kids or adults, a pretty wreath, cuff bracelets, and a modern ruffled apron.Artist Alisa Burke demonstrates many of the techniques and essentials of surface design and sewing on an included DVD. In addition to the in-depth video instruction, you’ll get a bonus project exclusively on the DVD.Whether you’re already a rule-breaker or you’re looking to improvise, Sew Wild shows you how to create fabric and designs that explode with color, pattern, and soul.

Gentle Art of Quiltmaking


Jane Brocket - 2010
    There's a Russian Shawl Quilt, inspired by traditional motifs of Russian folk art, a Floral Frocks Quilt inspired by summer dresses, flower gardens and herbaceous borders and a Suits and Ties Quilt reusing sober woollen suiting contrasting with extravagant silk ties designed in an Irish Chain.Finally, a practical section covers all the knowledge you’ll need – from chainpiecing, hand-quilting and sandwiching to binding, storage and caring for your quilt. Armed with the design tools, you can embark on your quilting journey and begin creating your own personal masterpiece.

The Art of Stone Painting: 30 Designs to Spark Your Creativity


F. Sehnaz Bac - 2017
    Popular stone artist F. Sehnaz Bac, a seasoned archaeologist who markets her painted Sassi dell’Adriatico (Stones of the Adriatic) on Etsy, presents step-by-step instructions for creating 30 fantastic designs. Full-color photographs accompany directions for painting themes that range from trees, flowers, and animals to mandalas, geometric patterns, holiday motifs, and more.Starting with the basics — including finding and choosing stones as well as tools and materials — the guide offers a variety of techniques, including painting stones with colors or inks, painting on natural stone, and sealing the finished work. Projects range from simple to advanced and include suggestions for indoor and outdoor display, as well as instructions on how to style wearable objects such as pendants. A complete selection of templates provides motifs for every project as well as ample inspiration for developing your own designs."The instructions are clear and engaging, while the photos are lovely and inspiring. Rock painting has become a really fun family activity for us all." — Sharing Craft Ideas"This is brilliant, fun, and truly inspirational! Highly recommend it." — splashesintobooks

2-at-a-Time Socks: Revealed Inside. . . The Secret of Knitting Two at Once on One Circular Needle; Works for any Sock Pattern!


Melissa Morgan-Oakes - 2006
    Step-by-step photographs illustrate how to cast on and knit two socks together on one long circular needle, whatever the pattern or shape. Lonely, abandoned single socks are now a thing of the past!

Hip Knit Hats: 40 Fabulous Designs


Cathy Carron - 2005
    Most of the projects involve knitting in the round, so a thorough overview explains the technique, as well as basic hat forms, choosing a yarn, and accessible techniques such as felting. Try a shaped ribbon yarn hat with equally decorative and functional earflaps. A simple brimmed felted wool hat becomes a fashion statement with a brightly colored decorative edging. Whip up a chunky seed stitch cap in just a matter of hours. Even the simplest designs are stylish, using great color combinations and yarns with irresistible textures. And, because the patterns come with both medium and large sizes, you can knit to fit.