Finish up by following Amanda's suggestions for filling in background space with free-motion quilting.

    Containing 300 entries, this informative collection covers everything from knitting’s appearances in history, literature, folklore, and pop culture to little-known facts about wool, sheep, and fiber producers. Helpful tips and techniques are included, as well as tidbits on crochet, spinning, and weaving. With illuminating illustrations throughout, Knitting Ephemera will entertain knitters and needlecrafters everywhere.

    They come in many colorways and fiber contents--and they're everywhere. Best of all, they're versatile; you can use these fabulous fibers for a lot more than socks. You can make shawls!Learn how to work from a knitting chart; instructions for 15 striking shawls are charted "and "written outGet tips for choosing the right yarn--from fiber content to color--plus tips on using stitch markers, making shawls bigger, and moreMake great gifts; find a variety of knitted-shawl patterns to suit yourself and your friends

    You’ll also discover beautiful bibs, blankets, and sleep sacks, plus adorable stuffed toys, blanket buddies, and more. These beautiful projects were contributed by designers and crafters around the world, and each comes with complete step-by-step instructions and a photograph of the finished piece.

    There are even patterns for the family dog and cat.

    This art form has been developed by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. What I love most about this art form is that all the patterns are based on simple lines, circles and shapes. Anyone can do it. The beauty of Zentangle lies in the way these patterns evolve from their simple building blocks. Different patterns are put together to create small ‘tiles’ or square drawings. Zentangle art has been used by artists from all over the globe and from all art fields. They have incorporated Zentangle art into everything from mixed media, paper crafting, scrap booking to home décor projects. A simple search on Google images will reveal the vast world of Zentangle art! Zentangle art has also been used by kids all over the world to have fun and make paper toys. With this book Zentangle art can now be used by you to rest, relax, create and make art! This book is perfect for the beginner as well as the experienced tangler. We will go through the list of tools needed, basic tangles created by Rick and Maria, Zentangle Inspired Projects, creating new tangles and lots of worksheets for you to play with and have fun. So left brained or right brained, artist or scientist, child or adult join us in this wonderful journey as we discover and create awesome doodles and tangles. This book will take you from the tools needed to start your Zentangle art experience to creating some beautiful Zentangle Inspired Art pieces that will range from mixed media to home décor crafts. Let’s take a brief look at all we will cover in this book. We will discuss paper, pencils, tiles and log books to store patterns. Once we have all the basics in place we will move on to basic tangle patterns. These tangle patterns have either all been developed by the founders of Zentangle, Rick and Maria or are part of the list of official tangles. They are a great place to start your tangling adventure. Tangles can also be enhanced in several different ways. We will talk about four of these methods and share some examples. Next up we will add some color to the black and white world of Zentangle Art and stir things up a bit. We will go through several different ways in which color can be incorporated in your tangled art. Then we come to the art creation section of the book! In Chapter 5 I will share lots of worksheets for exercises and projects you can do yourself whenever you want. The worksheets come as an easy download and you can print as many as you want to use for yourself or share with family and friends when you introduce them to tangling. These worksheets come as a separate pdf which is available for FREE download for all readers. In Chapter 6 I will outline and give instructions for several applications of Zentangle art in the popular art and craft forms today. We will talk about mixed media art dolls, home décor items, book making, art journaling, card making, paper quilts, Artist Trading Cards and paper crafting. To finish up I will share with you a few of the tangles I have come up with and will show you how to create your own!

    This e-book contains 16 patterns written from 2009 to 2013. Included are a piggy hat, a Cheshire cat headband for the kids, flower balls to decorate the house, winter hats, scarfs and many other beautiful patterns. Sayjai is best known for her Amigurumi: the pink lady doll, monster rabbit, plus a little witch, nurse and mermaid. The patterns in this book are mostly easy, but you have to know the basic crochet stitches to read them.

    By using long looms, crafters can simplify two-color work, master larger projects, and make double-knit fabrics with more options for surface texture. From simple scarves to detailed felted slippers, the designs in this resource will allure seasoned experts looking for new ways to knit, as well as beginner-level stitchers who are still trying to master using needles. Projects are accompanied by instructional photographs and include a baby blanket, an afghan, a tasseled scarf, a shawl, and a garden party table setting.

    With a refreshingly new approach to free-motion stitching, First Steps to Free-Motion Quilting encourages you to make something beautiful while improving your free-motion quilting skills. You'll find 24 projects and quilts that are light on assembly so you can spend most of your time stitching. A handy troubleshooting guide ensures success every step of the way.

    Featuring 250 texture-friendly designs for knitters of all skill levels, this handbook gives techniques for cable, ripple, knot, and twist stitches. The reference provides a multitude of new knitting patterns both for the home and to wear--such as a honeycomb afghan, medallion-rippled sweater, and twisted-arches scarf. Beautifully photographed swatches are displayed with the latest yarns and include easy-to-follow instructions and design tips. An all-in-one guide to creating textures and cables, this crafting resource is the perfect knitting companion.

    Now this self-described “mitten and glove aficionado” shares her enthusiasm for these ordinary items by presenting 28 extraordinary ways to make them for year-round style.Featuring gloves, mittens, arm warmers, mitts, and fingerless gloves, this is the second book in a new SCT Craft series that introduces innovative approaches to creating popular knitted items. Knitting New Mittens and Gloves combines traditional and untraditional techniques—as well as influences as far-flung as Gothic architecture, Estonian lace, and Wagnerian opera—in a winning collection of patterns for adults and children. From wool mittens filled with unspun fleece and arm warmers with leather laces, to cotton-mesh fingerless gloves and silk-beaded mitts to be worn as adornments, each design has an unexpected twist.Because they are small, quick to make, and don’t require a lot of yarn, mittens and gloves are perfect projects for knitting throughout the year, and they also offer an ideal opportunity for beginning and more seasoned knitters to experiment with new techniques, yarns, and styles. With its fresh, original sensibility, Knitting New Mittens and Gloves will captivate knitters of every level.

    

    In this stunning volume of all-new projects, many of today’s top knitwear designers come together to create an irresistible collection of hats, scarves, and mittens—all in Cascade 220. There’s something for everyone, from an adorable monkey-face hat and a dazzling mosaic pattern scarf to a classic muffler and Fair Isle flower mittens. Knitters will find plenty of inspiration and beauty here!

    Many crocheters make mandalas as a meditative activity, while others love them simply for the wonderful opportunities they offer for mixing colors and stitch textures. A new take on traditional shapes, like granny squares or hexagons, these attractive crocheted circles are causing a real buzz in the crochet community.Included are complete written and charted directions for a variety of types of circular designs, plus a range of creative techniques and ideas to make yours stand out from the crowd. With full patterns and inspiring photos, a review of crochet techniques, a discussion of materials, colors, finishing techniques, and lots of project ideas including bags, shawls, blankets, and pillows, this book guarantees many hours of happy mandala-making.

    Seeking to address the various challenges of off-camera lighting, professional photographers and advanced amateurs alike will find a range of confidence-building instruction, beginning with basic how’s and why’s of lighting for creative effect, the types of equipment available and instruction about their proper use, clear definitions of various technical concepts such as managing shutter speed and controlling flash exposure, using ambient light as well as natural sunlight during a shoot, and incorporating off-camera flash into a portrait session. Concluding this lesson plan is a look at five different real-life photo sessions, each employing a different flash technique. Here, photographers get a deeper understanding of each concept put into practice, marrying the elements of lighting with the natural elements presented by the shoot.