The three twenty-something co-owners of Stitch Lounge, an urban sewing studio in San Francisco, teach you, in plain, fun language, how to do it, whether you're hand sewing, machine sewing, or, in a few cases, simply wielding a pair of scissors.The first three chapters lay the ground work: Hand Sewing Basics, You and Your Machine, and Gearing Up, which includes Fabric 101, how to set up a sewing space, and a run-through first project on the sewing machine. Then the fun begins with Embellishing and Customizing projects, including adorning your pant legs with ribboning, turning a computer-scanned image into an iron-on that you can apply to a t-shirt or skirt, taking in a skirt, or untapering a pair of pants (the authors believe tapered pants are the devil's work). Then move onto Refashioning: The Next Life of Your Old Clothes and turn a t-shirt into a skirt, a sweater into a halter top or legwarmers, or a pair of pants into a hip belt. There are 22 projects in all, some of which only require an iron and/or pair of scissors, while others can be sewn by hand, for those readers who haven't yet made the sewing machine plunge.

    It contains 22 projects to sew and give away, each made using less than half a yard of fabric. The book contains gifts for all your family and friends: the projects range from pincushions, bags and paperweights to aprons for budding chefs, kneeling pads for gardeners and tool belts for DIY-enthusiasts. The projects are made in a range of prints and styles and use a range of techniques: either follow each project closely, or adapt the size and fabric to suit the recipient. Debbie gives advice on how to customise the projects, so that you can create the perfect gift for your loved one.This book would be perfect if you are new to sewing and need some guidance with the basic techniques and key information, as Debbie’s friendly advice and clear step-by-step photography make it a doddle. But it’s also packed with fresh ideas and designs that will inspire you even if you’ve been a keen sewer for many years and are just looking for a new way to use up your stash and create meaningful gifts that your loved ones will treasure.

    Drawing on a survey of eighty families in Chicago who were interviewed on the subject of their feelings about common household objects, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Eugene Rochberg-Halton provide a unique perspective on materialism, American culture, and the self. They begin by reviewing what social scientists and philosophers have said about the transactions between people and things. In the model of 'personhood' that the authors develop, goal-directed action and the cultivation of meaning through signs assume central importance. They then relate theoretical issues to the results of their survey. An important finding is the distinction between objects valued for action and those valued for contemplation. The authors compare families who have warm emotional attachments to their homes with those in which a common set of positive meanings is lacking, and interpret the different patterns of involvement. They then trace the cultivation of meaning in case studies of four families. Finally, the authors address what they describe as the current crisis of environmental and material exploitation, and suggest that human capacities for the creation and redirection of meaning offer the only hope for survival. A wide range of scholars - urban and family sociologists, clinical, developmental and environmental psychologists, cultural anthropologists and philosophers, and many general readers - will find this book stimulating and compelling.

    Whether you are a beginner or have been sewing for years, this book is packed with all the information you need to get the most out of your sewing machine, simply by changing the feet.• Everything you need to know about feet attachments, from basic feet such as the zigzag foot to specialty fabric and technique feet that will help you invent new design ideas for your sewing projects.• Work effortlessly with a full range of fabrics, learn great time-saving tricks, and experiment with a range of decorative effects by following the authors' creative "ideas files."• Includes a guide to needle, thread, and fabric choices and buying advice for choosing basic, mid-range, and top-end sewing machines, embellishers, and sergers.

    Packed with eye-opening details on hair color, brows, lipstick, wrinkle-erasers, jeans, shapewear, jewelry, heels, and more, the book speaks to every woman: from low maintenance types who don't want to spend a fortune or tons of time on her looks to high maintenance women who believe in looking fabulous at any price. There's also too-old vs. just-right before and after photos, celebrity examples of good and bad style, shopping lists of Charla's brilliant buys in fashion and beauty products, coveted addresses of "Where the top beauty pros go," fun sidebars--and more. Known to national audiences from her ten years on NBC's Today show, style expert Charla Krupp dishes out her secrets in this "ultimate" to-do list for looking hip and fabulous -- no matter what your age.

    The book opens with an overview of the principles of fashion design, a survey of the industry's history and its key designers, and a description of today's markets and customers. The tutorials that follow instruct in designing sportswear, tailored garments for wear to business careers, denim/activewear, cocktail and evening wear, children's clothing, men's garments, and accessories. The author also advises on creating and presenting a fashion portfolio, and on "selling" oneself in a job interview. His several discussions with some of the industry's leading professionals give students valuable insights on how to create and develop one's own original collection. Fashion Design Course is a fine introduction for students, dressmakers, and all others aspiring to careers in this dynamic and rewarding industry. More than 450 how-to color illustrations.

    This beautifully organized treasury is ideal for all skill levels.•Find each technique presented with step-by-step written instructions, clear how-to illustrations, and a photo of the finished edge•Learn the advantages and disadvantages of each method, including suggestions for when to use it•Discover workhorse and specialty cast ons and bind offs for colorwork, cuffs, ruffles, fringe, lace buttonholes, and more

    With simple step-by-step instructions that are accompanied by templates and pattern pieces, each project is designed to be completed in just a few hours. Get inspired and turn a yard of your favorite fabric into a quilted lunch bag, bright sundress, or a cuddly plush turtle.

    But how do our physical brains actually give rise to this rich and varied experience of consciousness? In this ground-breaking book, internationally acclaimed neuroscientist Susan Greenfield brings together a series of astonishing new, empirically based insights into consciousness as she traces a single day in the life of your brain. From waking to walking the dog, working to dreaming, Greenfield explores how our daily experiences are translated into a tangle of cells, molecules and chemical blips, thereby probing the enduring mystery of how our brains create our individual selves.

    In a mountain village, we meet Morie Sawataishi, a fierce individualist who has chosen to break the law by keeping an Akita dog hidden in a shed on his property. During the war, the magnificent and intensely loyal Japanese hunting dogs are donated to help the war effort, eaten, or used to make fur vests for the military. By the time of the Japanese surrender in 1945, there are only sixteen Akitas left in the country. The survival of the breed becomes Morie's passion and life, almost a spiritual calling. Devoted to the dogs, Morie is forever changed. His life becomes radically unconventional-almost preposterous-in ultra-ambitious, conformist Japan. For the dogs, Morie passes up promotions, bigger houses, and prestigious engineering jobs in Tokyo. Instead, he raises a family with his young wife, Kitako-a sheltered urban sophisticate-in Japan's remote and forbidding snow country. Their village is isolated, but interesting characters are always dropping by-dog buddies, in-laws from Tokyo, and a barefoot hunter who lives in the wild. Due in part to Morie's perseverance and passion, the Akita breed strengthens and becomes wildly popular, sometimes selling for millions of yen. Yet Morie won't sell his spectacular dogs. He only likes to give them away. Morie and Kitako remain in the snow country today, living in the traditional Japanese cottage they designed together more than thirty years ago-with tatami mats, an overhanging roof, a deep bathtub, and no central heat. At ninety-four years old, Morie still raises and trains the Akita dogs that have come to symbolize his life. In beautiful prose that is a joy to read, Martha Sherrill opens up the world of the Dog Man and his wife, providing a profound look at what it is to be an individualist in a culture that reveres conformity-and what it means to live life in one's own way, while expertly revealing Japan and Japanese culture as we've never seen it before.

    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!"

    It does all this through just four very simple mending techniques: exterior patches, interior patches, slow stitches, darning, and weaving. In addition, the book addresses the way mending leads to a more mindful relationship to fashion and to overall well-being. In essays that accompany each how-to chapter, Katrina Rodabaugh explores mending as a metaphor for appreciating our own naturally flawed selves, and she examines the ways in which mending teaches us new skills, self-reliance, and confidence, all gained from making things with our own hands.

    And most of them only take an afternoon! Whether it’s a casual carryall or a ritzy, patent leather clutch, the envy of your friends is only a few hours away. Why break the bank for a designer bag when you can easily make your own unique fashion statement? In Simply Sublime Bags, you’ll find 30 do-it-yourself, clever and affordable handbag projects—all of which require little to no sewing. With inventive methods of construction (like duct-taped reinforced interiors and iron fusing), these hip handbags, totes, and clutches have all the looks that bag-lovers want—the shine of patent leather, Chanel-style chain straps, or even funky logos—and each can be personalized to your own taste. The materials are easy to find in hardware, home, office supply, and fabric stores—sometimes even in your own closet!Bags include:• Charmed, I’m Sure—brightly colored vinyl makeup bags with vintage plastic charm zipper pulls• Keyhole Clutch—pink-and-white houndstooth fabric lined with duct tape, with keyhole cutouts for handles• Shower Curtain Tote—you guessed it, a funky fabric tote made from a shower curtain• Nights in Black Satin—an elegant evening clutch made from satin ribbon stapled together and adorned with a rhinestone earring claspDay to evening, totes to clutches, and everything in between, Simply Sublime Bags has something for every occasion. The results? Simply sublime!

    Kennedy Jr.Now, for the first time, Michael Bergin reveals the truth behind a life lived in the limelight and a relationship shrouded in secrecy. From his early days growing up in a small blue–collar Connecticut town, to his meteoric rise as fashion icon and television star, to the passion he shared with the enigmatic and complex Carolyn Bessette, this is an inside look at the world of beauty, power, and celebrity.In 1992, Michael and Carolyn met in a bar in New York City. She was unlike any woman he had ever known–sophisticated, successful, with bewitching charm and grace. An intensely passionate relationship was born. Not long after, Michael landed the coveted Calvin Klein underwear campaign, and his career took off. The future looked bright, and Carolyn and Michael seemed destined for a long and happy life together.But it was not to be. Four years later Michael was an international fashion icon and Carolyn was Mrs. John F. Kennedy Jr.–however, the story doesn't end there. This is the truth about their lives, a tale full of warmth, humour, heartbreak, and tragedy.Above all, The Other Man is a testament to the enduring power of love and a story about the painful choices we make with our all–too–human hearts.

    Filled with gorgeous project photography and quirky vintage illustrations that bring the 1920s, 1940s, 1950s, and beyond to life, Sew Retro celebrates sewing yesterday and today.Learn more about Sew Retro and enjoy bonus projects and tutorials at www.sewretrothebook.com!