Play it sweet in a Fembot babydoll nightie or sex it up in Hootchie Kootchie pasties. When you're feeling frisky, knit up the Baby Blue-Ball Gag or play dress-up in the naughty nurse cap or the felted Red Riding Hood cape. New and experienced knitters alike will find inventive and easy-to-follow patterns. And since the garments aren't exactly full-coverage, they don't take much time to complete. With inspiration from retro icons like surfer Gidget, Mrs. Robinson, and cavegirl Raquel Welch, Nikol Lohr pushes the boundaries of the traditional "wifely" crafts into the age of Sex and the City and cuddle parties. Part how-to guide, part peep show, Naughty Needles is a brash, tongue-in-cheek take on an age-old art. From the demure to the bizarre, with a splash of fetish thrown in, these are the projects that will make you smile--and make your partner growwwwl.

    But it's near to impossible to find translated patterns. Or at least it used to be. With Amigurumi, we're proud to present the one of the first two books in our brand new Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts line. Amigurumi features small knit and crocheted creatures so cute you could cry. This book enjoyed huge success on its home shores. The pages burst with quirky color photographs, step-by-step directions, and helpful technical illustrations. At last, the appeal of authentic Japanese content with the ease of English instruction. Stay tuned for more in coming seasons!

    The Book A lively how to and why to sew tutorial that marries attitude and instruction while teaching everything you need to know:How to find the right machine, and become one with itEssential skills, from winding a bobbin to sewing a dart to customizing a patternPreparing a workspaceThe Ten Fabric CommandmentsLaying out and cutting patternsWith step-by-step instructions and full-color photographs and illustrations throughoutThe ProjectsCuddle-Up CardiganTender is the NightieFoxy BoxersCanine Couture CoatCape ModPower TieTokyo Tie BagLucky Scrap ScarfNaughty Secretary SkirtFouncy Tank TopKnockout KnickersAnd more!The Patterns Includes ten original patterns—an $80.00 retail value—rated from One Spool (easy) to Three Spools (advanced Beginner) and designed to build skills.

    From small closets to large studios, you'll see real examples of what makes an efficient, functional, and inviting quilting space. You'll identify what's causing the clutter, learn how to turn it into a more creative zone, and find more time to do what you love-quilt!"

    And with this one skill and some basic guidance, television host and crafty expert Brett Bara demonstrates how you can make custom home decor, stylish fashions, and one-of-a-kind gifts.Sewing in a Straight Line is a step-by-step guide to creating 28 deceptively simple projects that look like they came from a chic boutique—far more impressive than you would expect for such little effort! These easy-to-make items offer quick gratification that even the busiest among us will appreciate. From a flirty two-hour miniskirt to the cutest plush toys, many of the projects take only a spare afternoon.With Brett's eye for fresh, modern style and her encouraging advice, sewing couldn't be easier. So break out your needle and thread, fire up your machine, and get creative. A world of handmade possibilities is a few easy stitches away!

    Learn the basics of this simple and beautiful craft with valuable information on basic stitches, tools needed, and even how to make your own looms. Split by loom type—circular, rectangular, and even found objects—24 lush, bohemian, and uniquely modern projects for the home and to wear draw deeply on the nostalgic quality of vintage textiles. In addition to the how-to, this is the ultimate resource for finding your own creativity and style through this medium, from learning which materials to use for different effects to discovering how to use color to create vintage-inspired projects with a modern twist.

    The motifs and patterns are spare and graphic, yet softened with organic shapes and imagery drawn from nature. The result is embroidery that evokes a personal feel and conjures a sense of nostalgia. The task of picking just the right palette for an embroidery project can be overwhelming to beginners and experienced stitchers alike. But when you take away that challenge, a whole world of texture and style becomes available. Here Japanese designer Yumiko Higuchi presents embroidery motifs to be stitched using just one or two colors--creating patterns and designs that are more evocative for their form than for a play of colors. Each embroidery design is paired with a simple craft project, transforming the stitched fabric into a functional object, including pouches, pillows, aprons, and more. With beautiful photographs, clear step-by-step instructions, and detailed diagrams, Zakka Embroidery will be an inspiring guide for those new to embroidery and a delightful experience for those experienced with needle and thread.

    A chapter on understanding color principles offers novice spinners the skills needed to easily work with color while providing advanced spinning techniques for the expert dyer. A gallery of finished pieces as well as appendixes on dye workshops and metric conversions are included.

    From the lovely English Garden Quilt to the playful Road Transport Pillow, the projects collected in Whip Up Mini Quilts cover all sorts of themes and looks. With plenty of step-by-step instructions and helpful how-to illustrations, this book showcases an artful approach to design basics while outlining the fundamentals of quilting techniques. Best of all, it all comes in a user-friendly format with lay-flat binding and pattern sheets tucked into the front pocket.

     Featuring 22 crocheted dolls drawn from 16 beloved novels and plays, this easy-to-follow craft book is perfect for bibliophiles and crafters of all skill levels. Literature lovers can decorate bookshelves, proclaim a love of reading, and show off crafting skills with adorable amigurumi, sweet crocheted characters that are simple to make and impossible to resist! All that's needed are a few readily available materials and beginner crochet skills, and soon you'll be hanging out with your favorite characters from classic literature. Take tea with a charming Elizabeth Bennet. Decorate the Christmas tree with a grumpy Ebenezer Scrooge. Solve mysteries with the help of a pocket-sized Sherlock Holmes. Bring Prince Hamlet to a play. And just try to keep Huck Finn out of trouble!

    Author Cristin Morgan of Marigold + Mars outlines the basics of 10 classic embroidery stitches and then teaches you how to use them to create 20 beautiful and practical projects for hoops, for the home, and to wear. New and experienced embroiderers alike will be delighted by the fresh motifs and bold color palettes and empowered by the easy step-by-step instructions and templates, which show that with just a few simple stitches, some basic materials, and an idea or two, you can stitch just about anything. A glossary of more than 50 additional patterns and motifs will inspire you to personalize your projects and use your newfound embroidery skills in fresh and imaginative ways. As an added bonus, the book includes an envelope with 10 carbon transfer papers for quickly transferring patterns to fabric.   If you received a first printing of this book that includes transfer papers that do not work, please email us at abrams@abramsbooks.com or call (212) 206-7715 to receive replacement papers.

    The introduction gives the reader a candid look into the knitting world of the daughter of America’s first famous knitter and author, Elizabeth Zimmerman. Full of original designs, this book includes instructions and charts for 22 sweaters, three vests, four fitted-arch socks, and three convertible-top mittens, each rendered in four-color fashion photography taken on-site at Meg’s home. A section on techniques includes a glossary of relevant knitting terms, the famous EZ Percentage System, and various ways to cast on, bind off, increase, and decrease.

    Comprehensive step-by-step instructions cover everything from cutting out patterns to making sleeves and fitting zips, and are accompanied by thousands of colourful illustrations, diagrams and photographs. This encyclopaedia of sewing includes detailed directions, practical advice, time-saving tips, essential techniques and hundreds of creative touches to bring out the best in your needlework. There are 20 projects to help you put into practice what you have learned, with ideas for creating clothes and home accessories in classic styles which can be easily adapted to changing trends.

    NEW

    The traditions of the quintessential knitting cultures of Iceland, Shetland, Norway, and Sweden are examined, from descriptions of the wools and yarns to the history of the clothing traditionally made from them, including breathtaking photo montages of these classic vintage styles. Exploring a range of techniques and knitwear construction, the projects in this guide feature knitting in the round, steeking, lace, cables, Fair Isle, twined knitting, and embroidery and show how to create pieces such as cardigans, sweaters, blouses, scarves, and hats. Note: The paperback edition is now out of print, but the book is still available in epub ebook and kindle formats.