Extracted from an Afghan mine, the blue “ultramarine” paint used by Michelangelo was so expensive he couldn’t afford to buy it himself. Since ancient times, carmine red—still found in lipsticks and Cherry Coke today—has come from the blood of insects.

    Author Sato Watanabe has published many books that are favorites among Japanese sewing fans. In this book, she shows you how to make genuinely professional-quality pieces quickly and inexpensively at home. DIY Sewing designs include:Lace Shirred BlouseTiered Sleeveless DressZip-up Vest with High NeckFrilled Shirt in CharcoalFlannel Short CoatAnd much more…All of the styles and fashion are easily customized to create your personal style, and there is something for everyone and every occasion in this book—from a bright two-texture combo dress to a relaxed, bohemian tunic—and everything in-between. All the styles are thoroughly modern and practical, ranging from softly feminine or straight-line simple to smartly-tailored or loosely-deconstructed.Simple lines make these garments perfect for women of all ages and all sizes. This book includes a complete western-sized sewing pattern for each design that is easily adjusted to fit your body form. The understated, graceful designs in this book are ones that you'll come back to again and again.

    But if it's hip to make squares, imagine the excitement of making circles, stars, triangles, and hexagons. Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs introduces crocheters to more than 150 designs of every size and shape. Full-color photographs capture the intricate details and color work of each motif, and clear step-by-step instructions are presented in both text and visual formats. With its unexpected range of shapes, designs, and color ideas, Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs will keep enthusiasts happy for a very long time!

    . . What is remarkable about this book is that a history of knitting can function so well as a survey of the changes in women's roles over time."--The New York Times Book ReviewAn historian and lifelong knitter, Anne Macdonald expertly guides readers on a revealing tour of the history of knitting in America. In No Idle Hands, Macdonald considers how the necessity--and the pleasure--of knitting has shaped women's lives.Here is the Colonial woman for whom idleness was a sin, and her Victorian counterpart, who enjoyed the pleasure of knitting while visiting with friends; the war wife eager to provide her man with warmth and comfort, and the modern woman busy creating fashionable handknits for herself and her family. Macdonald examines each phase of American history and gives us a clear and compelling look at life, then and now. And through it all, we see how knitting has played an important part in the way society has viewed women--and how women have viewed themselves.Assembled from articles in magazines, knitting brochures, newspaper clippings and other primary sources, and featuring reproductions of advertisements, illustrations, and photographs from each period, No Idle Hands capture the texture of women's domestic lives throughout history with great wit and insight."Colorful and revealing . . . vivid . . . This book will intrigue needlewomen and students of domestic history alike."--The Washington Post Book World

    All the techniques and stitches needed are clearly explained, and the projects can all be made on a basic sewing machine. Projects are included for all areas of the home, and include a storage cube, drawstring toy bag, garment cover, iron caddy, jewellery pouch, tablet cover, knitting needle roll, drawer liner, laundry bag, sewing machine bag, gift wrap storage and even a heat-proof pouch for hair straighteners.

    And it's now in paperback! Walk step-by-step from basic to advanced methods Learn the easy way with more than 1000 close-up photographs featuring real hands holding real yarn Fix mistakes, shape garments, and find the answers to almost any crochet questionAvailable to customers in the U.S. and Canada only.

    Each seasonal project, specially designed to promote health, creativity, relationships and more, provides gentle inspiration to live your best life. When Ishida was diagnosed with a chronic illness and lost her corporate job, she thought her life was over. But these challenges ended up being the best thing that ever happened to her because they forced her to take stock of her life and focus on the important things, and enabled her to rediscover sewing--her true passion.   Inspired to succeed at just one thing, Ishida vowed to sew all of her daughter's clothes (and most of her own) for one year. Sewing Happiness includes 20 projects plus variations (including Japanese-inspired home goods and children’s and women’s clothing) organized by season, and stitched together with Ishida’s charming personal story.

    Under the singular and brilliant lens that Ulrich brings to this study, ordinary household goods--Indian baskets, spinning wheels, a chimneypiece, a cupboard, a niddy-noddy, bed coverings, silk embroidery, a pocketbook, a linen tablecloth, a coverlet and a rose blanket, and an unfinished stocking--provide the key to a transformed understanding of cultural encounter, frontier war, Revolutionary politics, international commerce, and early industrialization in America. We discover how ideas about cloth and clothing affected relations between English settlers and their Algonkian neighbors. We see how an English production system based on a clear division of labor—men doing the weaving and women the spinning--broke down in the colonial setting, becoming first marginalized, then feminized, then politicized, and how the new system both prepared the way for and was sustained by machine-powered spinning.Pulling these divergent threads together into a rich and revealing tapestry of --the age of homespun,--Ulrich demonstrates how ordinary objects reveal larger economic and social structures, and, in particular, how early Americans and their descendants made, used, sold, and saved textiles in order to assert identities, shape relationships, and create history.

    If you’re looking for a deeper connection with your journal, author and artist Kristal Norton sheds light on a more rewarding form of journaling with a brief introduction to art journaling and 20 bonus art prompts. She also shares pages of her creative journal that were inspired by the prompts in the book, showing how each prompt can be used and interpreted in many ways.This book is overflowing with inspiration:• 101 creative writing prompts that encourage introspection, great for traditional journaling as well as art journaling• Visual examples of prompts interpreted by the author• 20 quick and easy art prompts to get you started adding color and imagery to your journal• Bonus video of author and artist Kristal Norton creating an art journal page from start to finish using this book for inspiration• A PDF version of all the prompts in this book so that you can print, cut out, and put them in a jar for easy access when you’re feeling stuck

    This book is packed with 24 delightful projects, all of which can be made using basic sewing, patchwork, applique and embroidery techniques."

    Each chapter offers 10 colorful quilt blocks, instructions for a full-size quilt and a smaller project, plus all the necessary templates. Both a trusted guide and an inspirational workshop, this is a perfect resource for all quilters, especially members of traditional and online quilting bees.

    There is a certain joy in the basics of life and going back to simpler times. Today we live in a fast-paced world of machines and premade everything. Crocheting gives you a way of slowing down in this hectic life. From just a hook and a ball of yarn you can create items with more value than what you find in any store. Are you ready to start something different? This book will take you through the basics of how to crochet and give you twenty basic patterns to follow for crafts that range from whimsical to practical. From headbands to caterpillar’s this book has a little of everything. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to get started. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can get started with some of the most basic patterns. Want to create something that’s one of a kind? Pick your favorite colors. Represent your team. Match your décor. You have the power to make the pattern your own just by simply changing the colors. This is a great craft for everyone, regardless of your age or gender. Studies have proven that crafts like crocheting can help reduce stress, improve motor function, and increase mental clarity and retention. It’s more than just a hobby! Complete with full directions, material lists, and color photos of each project, this book is a great how-to guide if you’re just getting started. There’s more advanced projects too! Download this book today and get started on one of the best little crafts out there! Comments From Other Readers “Being new to crocheting, I was looking for something that would be easy to follow and keep up with. I’ve been learning how to crochet with my daughter and I thought this was the perfect book! We were both able to follow along with the patterns and made some cute scarfs and matching mittens. We each picked our own colors but it was great getting to work on the project together!” - Tobi (Manitoba, Canada) “There’s so much that can be done with these books! I’m not a novice, I’ve been working with yarn for years and I even spin my own, but it’s nice to get back to the basics sometimes to keep my skills sharp. That’s why I love books like this that help me to keep steady with my skills. The instructions were clear and the patterns came out wonderful. This is a great book for beginners or even more advanced crafters!” - Erika (Los Angeles, US) Tags: crochet, crochet 101, beginners, easy patterns, novice crochet, crocheting, one day crochet, learn to crochet, crochet patterns, afghan projects, crochet stitch gallery, easy to crochet, knitting, crochet for beginners, cross-stitching, needlework, one day crochet afghan, crochet scarf, craft, crocheting for dummies, crochet craft, crochet book

    In Weekend Sewing, designer Heather Ross presents creative projects for clothing, accessories, and home items that can be made in a weekend or less. Some, like the Quick Garden Gloves and Ruby’s Bloomers, take a few hours; others, like the Weekend-Away Travel Bag and Trapeze Sundress, require a day or two—but all of them capture that weekend feeling.  And because weekends are often the most fun when they’re social, Ross features ideas that encourage us to share our stitching and our time, such as a recipe for soup to simmer while sewing, then serve to guests later in the day, and tips for transporting a sewing machine to a friend’s house for an afternoon of social stitching.The sewing instructions are beautifully illustrated, and patterns for the projects are included on pullout sheets.

    Brimming with lavish photographs of bold, graphic fabrics, The Liberty Book of Home Sewing offers 25 irresistible and easy-to-make projects that allow readers to incorporate a touch of Liberty elegance into their home. Simple enough for beginners, the projects range from feminine totes and aprons to handy pincushions and book covers, full-sized quilts, chic throws, plush cushions, and more. With color step-by-step illustrations, detailed instructions, and plenty of inspiration, plus an exquisite fabric cover, this enchantingly beautiful book will be treasured by longtime Liberty fans and young crafters alike.

    But guess what? For every one knitter in the world there are three crocheters—which translates into millions of hip, crafty, 18- to 35-year-olds ready to be happy hookers with Stitch ’n Bitch attitude, sexiness, ingenuity, and cool. Written in the author’s cheeky chick style, this heavily illustrated book—featuring four-color photographs and instructional illustrations throughout—is chock-full of instruction, inspiration, and to-die-for designs, from a Fishnet Skullcap to a lacy evening wrap. For knitters and new crafters exploring the hook comes the primer: the advantages of crochet and the ways in which knitters (and nonknitters) benefit by learning this sister craft; a discussion of tools; all the cool yarns available, and what the different gauges mean; plus basic techniques and stitch patterns—including the chain stitch, picot, flowers, filet crochet, changing yarns, and finishing. Then come 40 fabulous, funky projects—the kind that make Stitch ’n Bitch rule—for crocheters: Pom Pom Capelet, Retro Clutch Purse, Anarchy Irony Hat, Ms. Pac Man Change Purses, Doris Daymat, Va-Va-Va Voom Bikini, Animal I-Pod Cozies, Kid’s Sock Monkey Poncho. No, these aren’t your grandma’s doilies.