According to Amy Sedaris, it's often been said that ugly people craft and attractive people have sex. In her new book, Simple Times, she sets the record straight. Demonstrating that crafting is one of life's more pleasurable and constructive leisure activities, Sedaris shows that anyone with a couple of hours to kill and access to pipe cleaners can join the elite society of crafters. You will discover how to make popular crafts, such as: crab-claw roach clips, tinfoil balls, and crepe-paper moccasins, and learn how to: get inspired (Spend time at a Renaissance Fair; Buy fruit, let it get old, and see what shapes it turns into); remember which kind of glue to use with which material (Tacky with Furry, Gummy with Gritty, Paste with Prickly, and always Gloppy with Sandy); create your own craft room and avoid the most common crafting accidents (sawdust fires, feather asphyxia, pine cone lodged in throat); and cook your own edible crafts, from a Crafty Candle Salad to Sugar Skulls, and many more recipes. PLUS whole chapters full of more crafting ideas (Pompom Ringworms! Seashell Toilet Seat Covers!) that will inspire you to create your own hastily constructed obscure d'arts; and much, much more!

    . . What is remarkable about this book is that a history of knitting can function so well as a survey of the changes in women's roles over time."--The New York Times Book ReviewAn historian and lifelong knitter, Anne Macdonald expertly guides readers on a revealing tour of the history of knitting in America. In No Idle Hands, Macdonald considers how the necessity--and the pleasure--of knitting has shaped women's lives.Here is the Colonial woman for whom idleness was a sin, and her Victorian counterpart, who enjoyed the pleasure of knitting while visiting with friends; the war wife eager to provide her man with warmth and comfort, and the modern woman busy creating fashionable handknits for herself and her family. Macdonald examines each phase of American history and gives us a clear and compelling look at life, then and now. And through it all, we see how knitting has played an important part in the way society has viewed women--and how women have viewed themselves.Assembled from articles in magazines, knitting brochures, newspaper clippings and other primary sources, and featuring reproductions of advertisements, illustrations, and photographs from each period, No Idle Hands capture the texture of women's domestic lives throughout history with great wit and insight."Colorful and revealing . . . vivid . . . This book will intrigue needlewomen and students of domestic history alike."--The Washington Post Book World

    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.

    Crochet Noro presents 30 vibrant designs from such top designers as Lily Chin, Yoko Hatta, and Doris Chan, ranging from an adorable swirly hat and trendy bias miniskirt to a mohair motif blanket. These beautiful items, and the yarns they showcase--such as Kureyon Silk Garden and Taiyo--are sure to excite crocheters.

    Using full-color photos, detailed drawings, and clear step-by-step instructions, Beemer shows you exactly how to build one small (12ʹ x 16ʹ) timber-frame structure — suitable for use as a cabin, workshop, or studio. He also explains how to modify the structure to suit your needs and location by adding a loft, moving doors or windows, changing the roof pitch, or making the frame larger or smaller. You’ll end up with a beautiful building as well as solid timber-framing skills that you can use for a lifetime.

    This book features 15 specially designed projects to practice skills, and stitch library, and 350 colour photographs and illustrations, and charts.

    

    This delightful book is entirely devoted to the creation of origami boxes-plain or fancy, playful or practical, and elaborate boxes topped with cranes, butterflies, lilies, stars, and more.FABULOUS ORIGAMI BOXES includes designs for nesting boxes, simple triangle and square boxes and more complex hexagonal and octagonal boxes. Detailed illustrations provide step-by-step instructions on the correct way to crease and fold origami paper. Many of the designs are made of one sheet of paper, but some combine individual units with intriguing results.Both practical and lovely, these boxes can be used for gift-giving, storing trinkets, or simply for display.

    In Steampunk circles, jewelry-makers are often master metalsmiths who combine found objects with fine metals to create elaborate pieces. In Steampunk-Style Jewelry, the projects focus on "no fire" techniques—like simple stringing, wirework, hammering, stamping, gluing, stitching, and off-loom beadwork—so that even a beginner can create pieces in the style. Each project provides a complete materials and tools list, step-by-step instructions, and clear illustrations. This book offers a broad overview of a growing design trend that is part of the literary, industrial design, fashion, and popular culture scene. Readers will learn about the art movement through the many photographic sidebars that explore the many aspects of the trend.

    . . oh no, a dropped stitch three rows back! Help! If only there was a 24-hour hotline to answer every question a knitter might encounter. Well, now there is, with The Knitting Answer Book . The expert authors, Margaret Radcliffe and Edie Eckman, leave no question unanswered, no quandry unaddressed. Each book contains detailed, illustrated answers to literally hundreds of questions, from the common to the more unusual: - Are certain needles better for certain yarns? - What if I dropped a stitch several rows back? - Why do my edges tend to curl up? - Can you use a different weight yarn than the pattern calls for? - What can I do to keep my yarns from tangling up? - Oops, I see my ribbing is way too tight. Now what? Covering the whole range of situations a beginner is likely to face, along with the problems that may arise for those working more advanced patterns, this Answer Book will help knitters and crocheters of all levels. Each book is packaged in a small, take-along trim size, in a friendly-to-use Q&A format, and belongs in the bag of every knitter. Available 24/7, The Knitting Answer Book is always open, ready for yarn lovers to browse and consult to their heart's content.

    I read all of the customer reviews on my books and appreciate everyone who takes the time to give their feedback; your comments have helped me to see where improvements and clarifications needed to be made, and I am very thankful for your input.This book shows you how to do all of the basic crochet stitches with detailed instructions and step-by-step illustrations. You will easily progress from complete beginner to being able to crochet any of the projects in this book, and beyond!This latest edition includes the instructions for four of my best-selling crochet patterns:- Boot Cuffs Slouchy Hat House Slippers Cloche Hat in addition to the quick and easy original patterns for a spa-style wash cloth, mesh scarf, Kindle cover, flower head band, and a basic granny square motif which can be used as a basis for many other projects such as afghans, cot covers, cushion covers........the possibilities are endless! This is the ONLY beginner's book you will need. Scroll up to the top and click on the link to "Buy Now" to deliver almost instantly to your Kindle or other reading device, and make a start on this wonderful craft TODAY.

    Whatever.If you would describe your favorite crafts as supercute" - no, let us rephrase: If the idea of handcrafting the most nauseatingly adorable plush bunny you've ever seen sets your heart atwitter - feel free to stop reading. We'll understand. Really.If you're still reading, you may be cynical and fed up with syrupy crafts as we are. (Huzzah!) For you and your likeminded AntiCraftspeople, we have hand-selected twenty-five projects from the most talented crafters you'll never find in the mainstream (whatever that even means). Behold:Creations your goody-goody little sister will roll her eyes at, including snake-motif thigh-highs and a duct-tape corset.Tips and sidebars to celebrate (with as much enthusiasm as any of us can muster) your delightfully dark nature, including suggested mood-enhancers (soundtracks, movies, etc.) for making each and every item.Basic techniques for knitting, crochet and jewelry-making virgins - complete with step-by-step photos to save you from the embarrassment of asking that annoyingly perky coworker for help.Join us in the AntiCraft movement - where self-expression, no matter how socially unacceptable, is given a scalpel and room to operate."

    The key to that is managing the upkeep without feeling flustered. Until now, there has never been a comprehensive resource that not only tells how to care for your home and everything in it, but that also simplifies the process by explaining just when. With secrets from Martha Stewart for accomplishing the most challenging homekeeping tasks with ease, this detailed and comprehensive book is the only one you will need to help you keep your home looking its best, floor to ceiling, room by room.In Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook, Martha shares her unparalleled expertise in home maintenance and care. Readable and practical–and graced with charts, sidebars, illustrated techniques, and personal anecdotes from Martha’s decades of experience caring for her homes–this is far more than just a compendium of ways to keep your house clean. It covers everything from properly executing a living room floor plan to setting a formal table; from choosing HEPA filters to sealing soapstone countertops; from organizing your home office to polishing your silver and caring for family heirlooms.Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook is organized for clarity and maximum practicality:Room by Room covers the upkeep of the appliances, tools, furnishings, and surfaces found in each room, from the entryway to the kitchen, from the attic to the laundry room.Throughout the House instructs the reader on the proper ways to routinely clean and periodically maintain everything in the home, including dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, polishing, scrubbing, waxing and much more.Comfort and Safety focuses on techniques to ensure your home is running properly and safely, such as recognizing when to clean vents, fixing a leaky faucet, and eradicating pests.A-to-Z Materials Guide provides an invaluable resource that explains the unusual materials that many favorite objects are made of–from abalone to zinc–and how to care for them so they last.Encyclopedic yet friendly, Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook is a seminal work–a must-have for everyone who wants a well-cared-for home that will endure for generations.

    The computer programmer, the doctor, the artist, and even the parent and citizen all engage in a craftsman’s work. In this thought-provoking book, Sennett explores the work of craftsmen past and present, identifies deep connections between material consciousness and ethical values, and challenges received ideas about what constitutes good work in today’s world. The Craftsman engages the many dimensions of skill—from the technical demands to the obsessive energy required to do good work. Craftsmanship leads Sennett across time and space, from ancient Roman brickmakers to Renaissance goldsmiths to the printing presses of Enlightenment Paris and the factories of industrial London; in the modern world he explores what experiences of good work are shared by computer programmers, nurses and doctors, musicians, glassblowers, and cooks. Unique in the scope of his thinking, Sennett expands previous notions of crafts and craftsmen and apprises us of the surprising extent to which we can learn about ourselves through the labor of making physical things.

    In this inspiring guide, Lexie Barnes shows you how to create handmade bags that provide customized functionality while showcasing your own personal style. With step-by-step instructions for 18 pattern-free projects that include drawstring sacks, handbags, and messenger bags, Barnes encourages you to experiment with bold fabrics, hand-picked materials, and purpose-tailored dimensions to create fashionably unique bags that are suitable for your individual needs.