Book picks similar to
Artful Applique: The Easy Way by Jane Townswick


quilting
applique
quilting-applique
crafts-quilting

Knitting 24/7: 30 Projects to Knit, Wear, and Enjoy, On the Go and Around the Clock


Véronik Avery - 2010
    They knit while traveling or commuting, while waiting for their kids, while socializing. Times like these call for projects that are easily transportable and have stitch patterns that are simple to memorize. Véronik Avery has created 30 such projects for Knitting 24/7, a collection of stylish clothing and accessories that make use of those “in-between” times when we’re busy, yet our hands are free. Ranging from sweaters, scarves, and shrugs to hats and mitts, the projects represent both what women want to wear and what they actually have time to knit. The book’s gorgeous color photographs capture women in a range of settings—a morning at work, a dinner with friends, a relaxing weekend afternoon—evoking the time of day when each wardrobe item might be worn.

The Feisty Stitcher: Sewing Projects with Attitude


Susan Wasinger - 2010
     Along with the familiar fabrics and recycled garments, she gets into the spirit of exploration with unexpected materials, from paper and tire tubes to neoprene. And with the skill level set at beginning to intermediate, every crafter can join in!Projects include:Bags and Totes  Home décor and gift items Wearables, such as hats and other accessories

Sew Wild: Creating With Stitch and Mixed Media


Alisa Burke - 2011
    Get wild with printing, painting, drawing, stenciling, and other surface design methods and unique materials such as plastic bags, photographs, and cardboard. Dive into 12 simple sewing projects to make colorful, wearable, and hip designs, including a stunning wall quilt, adorable hats for kids or adults, a pretty wreath, cuff bracelets, and a modern ruffled apron.Artist Alisa Burke demonstrates many of the techniques and essentials of surface design and sewing on an included DVD. In addition to the in-depth video instruction, you’ll get a bonus project exclusively on the DVD.Whether you’re already a rule-breaker or you’re looking to improvise, Sew Wild shows you how to create fabric and designs that explode with color, pattern, and soul.

The Second Sister


Marie Bostwick - 2015
    . .Years of long workdays and little sleep as a political campaigner are about to pay off now that Lucy Toomey's boss is entering the White House. But when her estranged older sister, Alice, unexpectedly dies, Lucy is drawn back to Nilson's Bay, her small, close-knit, Wisconsin hometown. An accident in her teens left Alice mentally impaired, and she was content to stay in Nilson's Bay. Lucy, meanwhile, got out and never looked back. But now, to meet the terms of Alice's eccentric will, Lucy has taken up temporary residence in her sister's cottage--and begins to see the town, and Alice's life, anew. Alice's diverse group of friends appears to have little in common besides an interest in quilting. Yet deep affection for Alice united them and soon Lucy, too, is brought into the fold as they share problems and stories. And as she finds warmth and support in this new circle, Lucy begins to understand this will be her sister's enduring gift--a chance to move beyond her difficult past, and find what she has long been missing. . .

Okimono Kimono


CLAMP - 2007
    In fact, she designs kimono and kimono accessories herself and shares her love in Okimono Kimono, a fun and lavishly illustrated book full of drawings and illustrations, interviews (including an interview with Ami of the J-pop duo Puffy AmiYumi!), and even short manga stories from the CLAMP artists. Fans of CLAMP will love Okimono Kimono for the personal glimpse of Mokona's kimono obsession, and people who love the traditional Japanese arts will appreciate the love and detail Mokona puts into her work.

Mr. Funky's Super Crochet Wonderful


Narumi Ogawa - 2007
    Funky features 30 projects including stuffed animals (amirgurumi) and wearable accessories such as scarves, hats, crochet flowers, headbands, a water bottle carrier, fun kids stuff and more. If you love Hello Kitty, bohemian 70's inspired fashion, and Japanese style you will love these supercute projects. All of the projects are easy, super-hip and quick to make-perfect for teen knitters and beginners-and all feature inexpensive craft store yarns (i.e. Bernat and Lion Brand).

Around the World in Knitted Socks: 26 Inspired Designs


Stephanie van der Linden - 2008
    In "Around the World in Knitted Socks," you'll travel through world cultures by foot and try your hand at new patterns and techniques.Using stitch motifs and colors, knitting techniques and construction details, the socks blend regional knitting traditions with Stephanie's unique design flair. Drawing inspiration from signature local textiles such as Turkish kilim carpets, Japanese sashiko embroidery, Belgian lace, American quilts, and Scottish argyle tartan, each pattern is distinctly tied to both country and culture. You'll also learn traditional knitting techniques including Estonian and Latvian braids, Norwegian stranded knitting, and Austrian twisted-stitch designs.Though each pattern in "Around the World in Knitted Socks" draws on a different global inspiration, the thoughtful construction and attention to detail are signature elements of Stephanie's work and are showcased in both detailed photography and an illustrated glossary.

A Patchwork of Clues


Sally Goldenbaum - 2003
    . .   On her morning jog, Portia Paltrow comes upon the dead body of antiques store owner and college professor Owen Hill, sprawled across the back doorstep of Selma Parker's fabric and quilt shop on Elderberry Road. The site of their Saturday morning quilting bee just became a crime scene. Violent crime is rare in the charming village of Crestwood, Kansas, and rumors are soon circulating of a burglary gone wrong. But who would rob a quilt shop? No, Owen Hill has been murdered.   Selma and her assistant manager Susan are understandably at loose ends over the crime. So while the tightly knit covey of quilters—who range from a new mother to a wise octogenarian—work together on a Crystal Pattern quilt for Selma's store's anniversary, they also get busy stitching together a patchwork of clues. But they'd better work fast—before a crafty killer bolts . . .   Praise for Sally Goldenbaum’s Mysteries   “Goldenbaum’s Queen Bee quilters charm and delight. I hope these intriguing women will continue to quilt—and solve crimes!”—Carolyn Hart   “A perfect cozy mystery.” —Nancy Pickard

Coloring Mandalas 1


Susanne F. Fincher - 2000
    As a symbol of the Self, the mandala provides a connection to our innermost being. The forty-eight drawings presented here for coloring include designs inspired by forms of nature, Native American and Tibetan sand paintings, Hindu yantras, Turkish mosaics, the illuminations of Hildegarde of Bingen, and the art of M.C. Escher. These mandalas are organized according to the Great Round of Mandala, a scheme of twelve archetypal stages that represents a complete cycle of personal growth. Thus, to do the coloring book from start to finish will carry the reader through a balanced experience of change, guided by the accompanying text.

Knitting Circles Around Socks: Knit Two at a Time on Circular Needles


Antje Gillingham - 2007
    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

Quilt or Innocence


Elizabeth Spann Craig - 2012
    But with her recent move to Dapple Hills, North Carolina, she’s learning all sorts of new things—including how to solve a murder… As the newest member of the Village Quilters Guild, Beatrice has a lot of gossip to catch up on—especially with the Patchwork Cottage quilt shop about to close. It seems that Judith, the landlord everyone loves to hate, wants to raise the rent, despite being a quilter herself… But when Judith is found dead, the harmless gossip becomes an intricate patchwork of mischievous motives. And it’s up to Beatrice’s expert eye to decipher the pattern and catch the killer, before her life gets sewn up for good. Includes quilting tips!

The Last Runaway


Tracy Chevalier - 2013
    In New York Times bestselling author Tracy Chevalier’s newest historical saga, she introduces Honor Bright, a modest English Quaker who moves to Ohio in 1850, only to find herself alienated and alone in a strange land. Sick from the moment she leaves England, and fleeing personal disappointment, she is forced by family tragedy to rely on strangers in a harsh, unfamiliar landscape. Nineteenth-century America is practical, precarious, and unsentimental, and scarred by the continuing injustice of slavery. In her new home Honor discovers that principles count for little, even within a religious community meant to be committed to human equality. However, drawn into the clandestine activities of the Underground Railroad, a network helping runaway slaves escape to freedom, Honor befriends two surprising women who embody the remarkable power of defiance. Eventually she must decide if she too can act on what she believes in, whatever the personal costs. A powerful journey brimming with color and drama, The Last Runaway is Tracy Chevalier’s vivid engagement with an iconic part of American history.