You can gather materials from just about anywhere, glue them down on a surface and magically create a work of art. There are no mistakes, only discoveries. What could be more exciting?In Collage Discovery Workshop, acclaimed collage artist Claudine Hellmuth shares 15 of her favorite collage techniques and invites you to play with basic collage materials in new and imaginative ways. Along the way, Claudine guides you with friendly advice on how to develop your artistic voice and turn an ordinary collage into something special.Learn how to:Overcome "blank canvas" syndrome with recipes for four luscious backgroundsCombine words and images to capture a mood or tell a story in your collageIncorporate buttons, old photos, game pieces and other found objects in your artExplore the magical appeal of collaging with beeswaxLayer patterns and images in your collages with amazing transfer techniquesHonor a special friend with a personal keepsake collageUse a written journal to grow as an artistDon't wait another day to express yourself with collage. You never know what surprising discoveries await!

    A Basic Stitch Guide and clear, easy-to-follow instructions are included.

    Pretty cool! The popularity of these resins for jewelry making has soared with the introduction of easy-to-mix, low-odor products, ideal for crafters. Now best-selling author Sherri Haab shows how to put the miracle of modern technology to work making necklaces, bangles, bracelets, pins, earrings, and rings. Projects range from simple to sophisticated, from Bakelite-style heart pins to faux amber earrings to glitter gem bracelets, from scrimshaw bracelets to cloisonné pins to transparent resin necklaces backed with gold leaf. Packed with tips on tools, supplies, finishing, and creating special effects, including ideas on combining resins with polymer clay, The Art of Resin Jewelry is a beautiful and practical introduction to an exciting craft.

    Their book features 16 bold and scrappy projects as well as expert hints and tips for adapting patterns to your own style, and effectively cutting, storing, and organizing your scraps.

    You won’t find “home sweet home” here, but you will find “Can U Not” or “Don’t Be A Prick.” Renee Rominger, founder of Moonrise Whims, designs projects for a new generation. And whether you just started and need a solid foundation, or you’re an expert looking to enhance your art, Edgy Embroidery will teach you something new, fun and easy.Renee not only shows you how to conquer basic techniques, but also how to create more complex stitches like her unique Moonrise Roses. With pattern templates, detailed stitch tutorials and instructions on how to complete each design, every one of these 25 projects will be wall-worthy.This is definitely not your grandmother’s embroidery.

    Now that we've cleared that up, let's investigate how and why you're making your stitches the way you do so that you can follow standard patterns and get the most out of your knitting! DON'T change the way you knit - learn to make the way you knit more efficient, and more comprehensible!

    This collection of patterns and traditions features shawls from around the world. From the Himalayas to Spain, from Iceland to Japan, and from Mexico to Norway, many of the shawls featured here have been taken from examples of historic knitted shawls. Other designs have been translated into knitwear from patterns for woven or lace shawls. Included are 25 patterns as well as historical and cultural information about shawls that have been used for prayer and mourning, as bridal veils, and as christening garments. Each design is presented with a full-page color photo, written instructions, and charts.

    Now, the influential needlecraft guru has become a “two-timer,” bringing the same ingenuity, innovative eye, and solid fashion sense that she’s always exhibited in her knitting design to the world of crochet. In Loop-d-Loop Crochet, Durham presents more than 25 designs that are as up-to-the-minute, style-wise, as they are thoroughly steeped in crochet stitchwork tradition. Each of the projects, which range from purses, skirts, shawls, and sweaters for the whole family to a hammock and a pair of brocade boots, epitomizes Durham’s signature design sensibility, which she describes as “a tension of opposites—rough-hewn yet delicate, stark yet feminine, organic yet structured.” Decked out in evocative color photographs (by Adrian Buckmaster), a diverse cast of models show off the finished garments. Beginner and advanced crocheters will find Durham’s novel approach refreshing and inspiring. And for newcomers just making the switch from knitting, Loop-d-Loop Crochet provides the perfect introduction to what Durham terms the “flip side” of needlecraft’s heritage. Crochet is a freeing experience, Durham says—a sentiment with which her many fans are certain to agree.

    As a finishing touch for all your handmade garments or a great pick-me-up for a vintage find, these lovely blooms are the perfect way to use up scraps of yarn or try out interesting new yarns.Breeze through this gorgeous collection featuring a colorful palette of simple spiraling roses, saucer-sized poppies, delicate lilacs, an assortment of vegetables, and more. All are shown full-size and in scale and is complete with stitched leaves and embroidered stems. Each flower pattern has full instructions, yarn requirements, and a suggested skill level. An additional section serves as a refresher course with basic techniques and provides inspiration for embellishing your finished flowers with beads, buttons, and sequins. You can also learn how to use the flowers in a range of fun projects, from customizing clothing and accessories, to decorating gift-wrapped packages.This book will inspire all knitters and crocheters to pick up their needles and start creating their own beautiful blooms.

    Styled as a cookbook for the beginning miniaturist "chef," the introductory chapters discuss the "basic ingredients" and techniques used for polymer clay and jewelry-making. The remainder of the book offers 20 "recipes" grouped by category: fruits, breakfast, lunch and dinner, sweets and snacks, and holiday foods. Each recipe has a list of "ingredients," step-by-step directions with photographs, and suggested variations. Each piece is presented as a particular finished jewelry item, such as a necklace, but readers are encouraged to adapt the piece into any type of jewelry they choose. Each chapter also includes one of the authors' own cherished recipes for real food, including Sunday Morning Cinnamon Rolls, Grandma's Pasta Sauce, Decadent Raspberry Chocolate Cupcakes, and Mom's Holiday Sugar Cookies. Throughout, the authors--who are sisters--share their enthusiasm for family, sisterhood, and the tradition and feelings surrounding our favorite foods.

    Lafosse's complex and beautiful origami projects are well known around the world. Focusing on models from nature, Advanced Origami provides unparalleled instruction on how to create master-class level 3D origami paper folding projects. The origami designs are challenging—they require some folding experience—but the results are more origami art than craft. Paper folders will create projects that can be displayed or given as gifts.Sophisticated origami or paper crafts fans will appreciate the unique origami designs along with complete detailed instructions and easy-to-follow color photos and diagrams. Advanced Origami also features information on paper selection and preparation, advance techniques such as "wet folding," and making your own paper.This origami book contains:136 page, full-color book15 original and challenging projectsStep-by-step instructionsColorful diagrams and photographsAdvanced techniques and tipsIn recent years origami has evolved beyond simple folding and creasing into a true art form akin to sculpture. For those seeking to learn origami at such a level, Advanced Origami provides all the essential information and techniques. Soon you will be able to design and fold your own origami sculptures!Origami projects include:North American CardinalKoi FishOrigamido ButterflyPond FrogAnd many more…

    In BiblioCraft, Pigza hones her literary hunting-and-gathering skills to help creatives of all types, from DIY hobbyists to fine artists, develop projects based on library resources. In Part I, she explains how to take advantage of the riches libraries have to offer—both in person and online. In Part II, she presents 20+ projects inspired by library resources from a stellar designer cast, including STC Craft authors Natalie Chanin, Heather Ross, Liesl Gibson, and Gretchen Hirsch, and Design*Sponge founder Grace Bonney. Whatever the quest—historic watermarks transformed into pillows, Japanese family crests turned into coasters, or historic millinery instructions worked into floral fascinators—anyone can utilize library resources to bring their creative visions to life.

    Inside this spiral-bound guide, with colour-coded pages for easy reference, are hints, tips, and dos and don'ts for each individual craft. There are craft categories so that individual problems are addressed (Mosaic and stained glass, knitting and crocheting, needlepoint and embroidery, scrapbooking and papercrafts, painting, beading, stencilling and rubber stamping, and sewing and fabric crafts). Plus, professional artists invite you into their studios to see how they keep things orderly, from smart storage to functional surfaces.

    The book features 28 mesmerizing projects, ranging from baby blankets and lace shawls to sweaters and stuffed toys, and also includes tutorials for the minimal skills required for center-out knitting, such as special cast-ons, increases, and decreases. Throughout the book are enlightening explanations of the underlying math and the architecture of the flat and dimensional shapes. Clear instructions and beautiful photography and illustrations assure that knitters of all levels and inclinations—whether they are technique junkies or not—will want to have this book. Praise for Knitting From the Center Out: “Though he delivers almost thirty projects in this premiere volume, Yuhas is just warming up. We'll be hearing more from him: Someday we'll look back and say, this is the book that launched a thousand cone hats.” —Vogue Knitting “It’s not often I find myself wanting to knit a whole bunch of projects from the same book, but there are plenty of things here that would be fun to explore in the knitting and that I’d enjoy wearing and using as well. I’d knit all the toys for my daughter.” —About.com “Odd. Even geeky. Yet there’s no question that Portland-based revolutionary knitter Yuhas is onto something. His premise is simple: start knitting at the middle/center of the item, which he categorizes into five shapes: tubes, cones, circles, domes, and ruffles. What’s so odd? His mathematical sidebars (on Fibonacci, for instance) and a few titles in his recommended reading: Michael S. Schneider’s A Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe (1994), for one.” —Booklist Starred Review “His passion for the topic is apparent, and adventurous knitters will appreciate the opportunity to learn something new here.” —Library Journal “Clear instructions and beautiful photography ensure that knitters of all levels and inclinations—technique junkies or not—will want this book.” —Modern Day Moms “We love the sorting hat . . . You can be the Gryffindor of your dreams. . . . He has figured out the science . . . and we can all benefit from that.” —Knitcircus podcast “So I commend Yuhas for writing a ‘revolutionary,’ original book with lots of good new ideas that will give new and experienced knitters alike lots of challenges and pleasure. The book retails for about $28, which comes out to $1 per pattern; well worth the price. This is a Melanie Falick Book from STC Craft. I have to say, Melanie picked another winner with this one.” —MyCentralJersey.com “The best part about this book was the section ‘Tutorials.’ Hey, if you are like me and get stuck on a pattern for days, it is nice to have step by step instructions + pictures.” —Sweetly Made (Just for You) “I would everyone to check it out. I like this guy [author Daniel Yuhas]. I like his voice. I felt a kinship.” —Knit Knit Cafe “The patterns are killer, lovely and unusual all in one. The Half-Moon Mittens, Heel-Up Socks and Tree of Life Afghan are must knits for me. The Leaf-Yoke Sweater is so spectacular that I show the pattern to every knitter that comes to my house saying, ‘Let’s knit this!’” —Knitty.com “I was sent an advanced copy of the book Knitting from the Center Out by Daniel Yuhas and can I just say Holy Wowza! (Yeah, sometimes being a craft blogger has its perks!) This book is pretty awesome.” —Smashed Peas and Carrots blog “This book should be required reading, just to expand your own knitting repertoire. The more you know and understand knitting, the e

    With easy-to-make patterns for adorable characters and accessories, Hello Kitty Crochet allows you to make all your favorites, new and old, from Badtz-Maru and My Melody to Pekkle, Purin, and Little Twin Stars. Whether you’re a seasoned crocheter or have never picked up a hook, you’ll find helpful tips and how-tos for creating kawaii crafts. It’s the perfect way for crafters and cuteness lovers alike to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Japan’s most famous kitty.