With The Crafter’s Guide to Taking Great Photos you’ll learn that you don’t need expensive, professional equipment to get quality results. Get simple, practical advice presented with the crafter in mind. Learn to make a lightbox, how to use natural lighting, and how to capture the detail in your work. Broken down into specific craft areas, you’ll find tips on how to best generate eye-catching images that will help sell your items.Boost your online crafting business with The Crafter’s Guide to Taking Great Photos.

    Among topics covered are gauge, wool selection (including techniques for washing and felting wool), casting on, plait edging, ribbed and unribbed cuffs, and a long section on the ever-elusive thumb. Also detailed are techniques for hand-knit mitten cords, finishing, and sizing.

    Men aren’t being intentionally cruel; they’re just not comfortable in knitwear made with bright colors, itchy yarn, or flashy designs. So what’s a knitter to do? Understand the male psyche, says knitting instructor Bruce Weinstein. In Knits Men Wan he presents ten hilarious essays, each based on a rule that helps women knit for men successfully. “Men Are Babies” explains why guys need to wear soft fabrics. “Men Hate Fittings” describes how to create a sweater based on one that’s in his wardrobe. Following each essay is a timeless master pattern, from socks, hats, and scarves to an array of sweaters, all in a range of sizes and most written for multiple gauges. With this book in hand, women finally have the secret to knitting garments that men will appreciate and actually wear.

    With 18 original designs, each a knitted interpretation of a traditional kimono style, this handbook makes knitting homemade kimonos deceptively easy. Projects are based on rectangular forms that require very little shaping, and are ideal first-garment projects for knitters wanting to venture beyond scarves. Clever details in stitch patterns and edgings, such as the use of silk, linen, and bamboo yarns, add sophistication and elegance to even the simplest designs. The flattering drape and luxurious style of the kimono will appeal to veteran and beginning knitters alike.

    It’s easy, fun, and can be done right in your own kitchen! Self-taught dyer Gail Callahan shows you a variety of simple techniques to turn plain, outdated, or leftover yarn into vibrant “new” fibers using ovens, crockpots, frying pans, and other standard kitchen equipment. Detailed advice on color theory, self-striping, “grocery store” dyes, and handmade multicolor skeins make successful dyeing a cinch, even for complete beginners.

    Basic twisted stitches, complex interpretations of cables, reversible cables, adding texture and color, turning stitches around, constructing cables with I-cord, and wrapping stitches to create the illusion of cables are some of the integrated techniques detailed in this guide. Contained within are more than 15 original cable patterns for pullovers, jackets, bags, socks, and accessories. Also included is information on a new charting system for predicting cable behavior as well as tips on cabling without a cable needle, choosing the best yarns for specific cable effects, and designing original cable patterns.

    Both functional and decorative, these wonderful projects for men’s and women’s vests are accompanied by folk stories and regional histories from the country of the design’s origin, including Tibet, Scandinavia, Guatemala, Japan, North America, and many others. More than a pattern book, readers will feel connected to the cultures behind the projects as they bring these native crafts to life.

    Typically they are kooky little animals but they can also be inanimate objects, like vegetables, that are given faces and limbs.This book will have 20 designs, including animals and inanimate objects. A knitting basics section will provide instructions for all the techniques needed to make the projects.

    They’ll also learn whether knitting swatches is really necessary and how big to knit a piece before felting. Twenty-four detailed projects include stylish bags, totes, hats, and mittens; warm and fuzzy vests and slippers; and decorative pillows, placemats, and coasters. With a section on embellishing felting and felting on felt (needle felting), knitters will be inspired to create these beautiful projects for friends and family, from the baby’s first felt hat to the furry slippers for cold winter nights.

    Thats true of the 30 delightful items in Crochet Boutique. Crocheters will love this fashion-forward collection, with such projects as hats, scarves, shawls, trendy bags, a laptop cover, a granny-square pillow, and a lovely shell afghan. With a short basics section, irresistible photography, and an informative stitch guide, Crochet Boutique is simply indispensable!

    

    Why knit one sock and then start all over again to make a match? Instead, knit two socks "at the same time" on two circular needles! With this creative approach, you can slip a sock on each foot as soon as you bind off.Get off to a great start with one basic sock pattern; then experiment with seven more designsMake cuffs, feet, and toes match exactly from sock to sock; no more measuring as you goDiscover how easy it is to convert any sock pattern for double-pointed needles to this ingenious method

    Within each section readers will find a variety of flattering, wearable sweaters and accessories (including hats, mittens, scarves, bags, and shawls). Projects by guest designers from Classic Elite, Berroco, and the Fiber Company provide round out the collection.

    General instructions at the beginning of the book outline the basics of sock construction, including measuring feet and making calculations based on gauge.

    Choosing the right material for your project is made easy with plenty of helpful advice on the qualities of different yarns, including what feels best, what holds its shape, and what really lasts. You can also take advantage of fiber substitution charts and make your own creative variations on these timeless patterns. Slip your toes into one comfortable and cozy knit masterpiece after another.