In Venetian glassmaking, slender rods of molten glass are shaped, then cut to reveal amazingly detailed patterns: flowers, geometric shapes, dancing colors. These slices are called millefiori, “thousand flowers,” because they form a carpet of flowers when placed side by side. Now celebrity author Donna Kato shows crafters exactly how to re-create these intricate, fascinating designs in polymer clay. The Art of Polymer Clay Millefiori Techniques reveals the entire process: how to work with the polymer clay, the basics of planning and creating a cane, and using color effectively. Dozens of canes, from simple to simply stunning, are included, and everything is clearly explained and illustrated with full-color photos, the Donna Kato way. Throughout the book, examples of stunning work by such millefiori artists as Kathy Amt, Pier Voulkos, and Kathleen Dustin provide inspiration. There must be a thousand ways to make beautiful millefiori . . . explore them all in The Art of Polymer Clay Millefiori Techniques.

    There is a certain joy in the basics of life and going back to simpler times. Today we live in a fast-paced world of machines and premade everything. Crocheting gives you a way of slowing down in this hectic life. From just a hook and a ball of yarn you can create items with more value than what you find in any store. Are you ready to start something different? This book will take you through the basics of how to crochet and give you twenty basic patterns to follow for crafts that range from whimsical to practical. From headbands to caterpillar’s this book has a little of everything. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to get started. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can get started with some of the most basic patterns. Want to create something that’s one of a kind? Pick your favorite colors. Represent your team. Match your décor. You have the power to make the pattern your own just by simply changing the colors. This is a great craft for everyone, regardless of your age or gender. Studies have proven that crafts like crocheting can help reduce stress, improve motor function, and increase mental clarity and retention. It’s more than just a hobby! Complete with full directions, material lists, and color photos of each project, this book is a great how-to guide if you’re just getting started. There’s more advanced projects too! Download this book today and get started on one of the best little crafts out there! Comments From Other Readers “Being new to crocheting, I was looking for something that would be easy to follow and keep up with. I’ve been learning how to crochet with my daughter and I thought this was the perfect book! We were both able to follow along with the patterns and made some cute scarfs and matching mittens. We each picked our own colors but it was great getting to work on the project together!” - Tobi (Manitoba, Canada) “There’s so much that can be done with these books! I’m not a novice, I’ve been working with yarn for years and I even spin my own, but it’s nice to get back to the basics sometimes to keep my skills sharp. That’s why I love books like this that help me to keep steady with my skills. The instructions were clear and the patterns came out wonderful. This is a great book for beginners or even more advanced crafters!” - Erika (Los Angeles, US) Tags: crochet, crochet 101, beginners, easy patterns, novice crochet, crocheting, one day crochet, learn to crochet, crochet patterns, afghan projects, crochet stitch gallery, easy to crochet, knitting, crochet for beginners, cross-stitching, needlework, one day crochet afghan, crochet scarf, craft, crocheting for dummies, crochet craft, crochet book

    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!

    Try your hand at 9 projects, including an elegant sampler with 51 mix-and-match blocks. For quilt as-you-go enthusiasts, Jera shares 3 optional joining methods, including her new technique that makes your quilt reversible! No matter how busy your schedule, you can set attainable goals and practice quilting patchwork blocks in small, manageable pieces.

    Everyone has heard the mantra 'Knitting is the new yoga' but not everyone is lucky enough to have someone to show them the ropes and get them started on their very first row. Unless they have a friend or relative to teach them how to start, often would-be knitters turn to the so-called 'beginners patterns' but these can be confusing, difficult to follow, and more often than not written in 'knit' rather than English. This book will be a tried and tested guide for people at the very beginning of their knitting lives, looking for guidance and patterns for projects that they can use to make that first all-important step to 'Beyond the Scarf'.Contents include: Knitting Basics: Getting Started; Knitter's First Project: The Scarf; Workshops: Decreasing; Creating a Rib; Changing Colour; Increasing; Finishing; Knitting a Flower; Cable: Making a Cable; Making a Cable Bag; Eyelets and so on...

    Each project uses just one skein of yarn, many take just a few hours to complete, and plenty are suitable for beginners. Hats and caps, bootees and socks, mitts, dresses, tops and bottoms — plus blankets, bibs, soft toys, bottle cozies, diaper bags, and more — there’s something here for every baby! These original patterns were contributed by 54 designers around the world, and each one comes with complete instructions, charts, schematics, and beautiful photographs.

    In Macramé, Fanny Zedenius offers a refreshing twist on the addictive craft. Beginning with the basics, she takes us through all the essentials: what you need to get started, a glossary covering 30 of the most popular knots, tips on how to create different patterns through various knot combinations, and advice on how to hang and display your makes. The book also takes readers through ombre-dyeing, fraying, and customizing with beads, and includes fully illustrated step-by-step instructions for 22 homeware projects such as impressive wall hangings, a beautiful table runner and napkins, whimsical dream catchers, and pretty plant hangers.

    The stitch patterns and clear instructions make it easy for even procrastinators and the less-than-diligent to create a ruffled cravat, a drawstring bag, a tank top, cozy scarves, arm and leg warmers, lace wristlets, fingerless gloves, a mohair pillow, and even a sweater for a baby. Several projects do not require any new yarn at all—instead projects such as the Felted Striped Tote or the Labyrinth Circle Rug are designed using up a skein's worth of leftovers from other projects. A guide to terms and techniques, a resource directory, and a bibliography are also included.

    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.

    She explores creating artistic effects with:ColorFound objectsTextureCastingCollageAnd, more!It doesn't stop there! Learn how to incorporate stories, words, meaningful images, and more in the layers of your resin jewelry. Susan shares her wealth of tips for collecting great found objects and for layering and encasing stories-in short, how to bring both great technique and great imagination to bear on jewelry making. Throughout the book, you'll enjoy easy step-by-step projects and finished pieces.

    Under Erika Knight's guidance even those who have never picked up a crochet hook before will soon be making gorgeous projects and all the while learning new techniques and adding to their skills. Each of the 20 projects in the book will teach you a new stitch, technique, or trick, and will build on and consolidate crochet techniques already learned in the preceding projects, until you have mastered a wide repertoire of skills and completed and enviable collection of crocheted items.Simple Crocheting showcases the incredible variety of finishes that different crochet techniques can produce. Erika begins with simple scarves and hats that are chic accessories as well as being the perfet items to practice basic stitches. She then takes you through the dense textures of double and treble crochet---which make excellent bags, purses, and even a laptop case---and then moves on to the more intricate, deilcate lace and cluster stitches---perfect for heirloom shawls and antique-style cushions. Freeform or random crochet takes the craft to a more demanding level and projects like the edge-to-edge cardigan will provide a new chlalenge for all creative crocheters. With exquisite photography by Yuki Sugiura that perfectly shows each of the beautiful designs, and supported with clear diagrams and illustrations, Erika Knight has created the ultimate book for all enthusiasts of this remarkable craft.

    A mother hen and her chicks (and their adorable knitted eggshells), three little piglets, and a black lamb full of good intentions are just some of the appealing projects in Spud and Chloë at the Farm, the latest innovative work from author and world-class knitter Susan B.Anderson. The projects in this book follow Spud, a feisty pet sheep, and Chloë, his perky owner, as they travel to a farm and meet the inhabitants of the barnyard, including a brown cow, some mice, a dog, and a barn cat. To continue the theme, and set the stage for loads of interactive play, the book also offers instructions for making an assortment of farm props, such as a picket fence, bales of hay, dainty baskets, and even a three-sided foldable barn.Meanwhile, witty full-color cartoons (presented one per spread throughout the text of the book) tell the story of Spud and Chloë’s visit to the farm, which starts with an invitation from Spud’s cousin Little Lamb. Featuring charming full-color photographs of the knitted toys, this book is a must-have for knitters and their loved ones.

    Thanks to the 100 ideas in this volume, the craft is now available to everyone. In as little as an afternoon, beginners will be on their way to folding, gluing, and sewing handmade books in a variety of shapes and styles, from rolled scrolls to Jacobs ladders, folded flexagons to case bindings. Complete with photographs of the authors own master books and statements by more than 40 established book artists, this collection is sure to inspire. Culled from the authors best-selling books Creating Handmade Books, Unique Handmade Books, and Expressive Handmade Books, these projects will fuel bookbinding adventures for years to come.

    Concrete Countertops is an essential book for architects, homeowners and contractors who want to learn how to design, form, mix, pour, color, trowel, inlay and finish decorative concrete countertops. Homeowners will be inspired by the 350 color photographs that bring this exciting medium to life.

    There are soft and lacy patterns; some that mimic knitting, weaving, or patchwork; and others that use large openwork and popcorn stitches. And every stitch design features a photo, reader-friendly instructions, and a diagram showing each stitch and its placement—so it’s easy to understand the entire design at a glance. The guide also includes a pictorial index, which displays the complete pattern, and directions for all basic crochet stitches. Both beginners and experienced crocheters alike will turn to this invaluable reference for years to come.A Main Selection of the Crafter's Choice Book Club.