Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals: A Mixed-Media Workshop with Carla Sonheim


Carla Sonheim - 2012
    Improve your drawing skills, expand your creativity, and learn new art techniques—and have loads of fun doing it!—with Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals.

Made by Hand: A Collection of Projects to Print, Sew, Weave, Dye, Knit or Otherwise Create


Lena Corwin - 2013
    In Lena Corwin’s Made by Hand, she re-creates and builds upon her popular workshop series in order to reach crafters in Brooklyn and beyond. For this “best of” collection, she has chosen expert teachers and her favorite projects: Jenny Gordy introduces us to knitted socks and elegantly sewn tops and dresses; Cal Patch teaches how to make a modern embroidery sampler as well as a braided rag rug; and Corwin herself presents her favorite screen-printing and stamping techniques. In total, there are 26 lessons/projects, all presented with step-by-step photos and illustrations.Praise for Lena Corwin's Made By Hand:“Decorate with coffee table books. A few Glamour picks: Lena Corwin’s Made by Hand . . .” —Glamour Magazine“A must-have for anyone who wants to create unique décor.” —Decorating Shortcuts magazine“Made By Hand offers the perfect range of usable textile handiwork, presented by fourteen teachers who obviously enjoy their craft —ForeWord Reviews“The 385 detailed illustrations, along with excellent step-by-step photographs and clear instructions, make each project tempting and approachable.” —Studios magazine “Those messy hands alone are inspiring me to get creative.” —Modern Eve “I got a sneak peek at a mostly lovely book. I can’t contain my excitement over this book. The projects are varied and so much fun.” —The Stylish Nest “The photography and layout of the book is gorgeous: wide open with lots of white space, reminiscent of Japanese craft books. And there are people, whole people, sitting and doing crafts, not just disembodied hands. Isn’t that part of the reason we craft—for the human contact?” —Knitty.com “Made By Hand offers the perfect range of usable textile handiwork, presented by fourteen teachers who obviously enjoy their craft.” —ForeWord Reviews“Made By Hand is gorgeous . . . filled to the brim with beautifully executed diy tutorials from a host of talented artisans.” —Michelle S Blog

Hip Knit Hats: 40 Fabulous Designs


Cathy Carron - 2005
    Most of the projects involve knitting in the round, so a thorough overview explains the technique, as well as basic hat forms, choosing a yarn, and accessible techniques such as felting. Try a shaped ribbon yarn hat with equally decorative and functional earflaps. A simple brimmed felted wool hat becomes a fashion statement with a brightly colored decorative edging. Whip up a chunky seed stitch cap in just a matter of hours. Even the simplest designs are stylish, using great color combinations and yarns with irresistible textures. And, because the patterns come with both medium and large sizes, you can knit to fit.

Holiday Knits: 25 Great Gifts from Stockings to Sweaters


Sara Lucas - 2005
    Yarn-shop owners Sara Lucas and Allison Isaacs know firsthand what the holiday knitter needs. Unique patterns, clear instructions, how-to illustrations, and beautiful photographs are sure to get those needles clicking. The 25 projects are organized by the length of time required to complete them (from quick and easy weekend projects to rewarding long-term luxuries) to make for stress-free holiday knitting. From stylish scarves and hats, and exciting updates on holiday favorites, to chic and contemporary wearables, and beautifully designed home accents, Holiday Knits is the knitter's answer to Santa's workshop.

The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections


Amanda Blake Soule - 2008
    With just the simple tools around you—your imagination, basic art supplies, household objects, and natural materials—you can transform your family life, and have so much more fun! Amanda Soule has charmed many with her tales of creativity and parenting on her blog, SouleMama. Here she shares ideas and projects with the same warm tone and down-to-earth voice. Perfect for all families, the wide range of projects presented here offers ideas for imaginative play, art and crafts, nature explorations, and family celebrations. This book embraces a whole new way of living that will engage your children’s imagination, celebrate their achievements, and help you to express love and gratitude for each other as a family.

Domiknitrix: Whip Your Knitting Into Shape


Jennifer Stafford - 2006
    of dominatrix, re: knitting] (2005): a woman who dominates her knitting; broadly: a badass knitterYou have knitted your last bad piece. Let the DomiKNITrix show you the ropes. Yes, it may be painful to take the time to knit a gauge swatch, count stitches and fix mistakes. But just think of the pleasure you'll get when you knit a gorgeous, perfect sweater with no holes and no uneven stitches.Learn the rules or else. Inside you'll find a no-nonsense, comprehensive guide to essential knitting operations and finishing techniques, including step-by-step instructions for all the basic stitches used in the patterns in the book.Get your hands dirty. The book features over 20 spicy projects to satisfy any knitting appetite. For a Knitting Quickie, choose from one of the smaller projects, such as the Mohawk hat or the popular Snow Devil cap. If you want more of a challenge, try the L'il Red Riding Hoodie or the Big Bad Wolf icon sweater, The Slink or City Coat.

Warm Fuzzies: 30 Sweet Felted Projects


Betz White - 2007
    There's something to make for everybody, including all the beloved "little creatures" in your life. Your pup will look adorable in the Haute Dawg Doggie Sweater, and your favorite princess will adore the Teacup Jumper with the playful mouse finger puppet tucked in the pocket. There are plenty of projects for grown-ups, too, like the Rainbow Bag with rows of colorful waves and the Rustic Throw with reverse applique leaves.The best thing about these projects is how easy they are to make and there's no knitting involved! Simply throw old wool sweaters into the wash, then cut them apart to sew into felted goodies.Start with the sweet Cupcake Pincushions–they're so easy, and so very cute!"

The Quilters Ultimate Visual Guide: From A to Z-- Hundreds of Tips and Techniques for Successful Quiltmaking


Ellen Pahl - 1904
    From A to Z you'll find combined wisdom from a star-studded cast of 60 expert quilters. Lavishly illustrated, this fun "look-and-learn" reference book covers every aspect of quiltmaking:* Basic quiltmaking techniques* Hard-to-find information on specialized techniques* Reviews of tolls and supplies* Basic quilt types explained and illustrated* Definitions of terms every quiltmaker should know* Creativity and inspiration

Sweater Surgery: How to Make New Things with Old Sweaters


Stefanie Girard - 2008
    Sweaters get damaged or go out of style but we still love the prints, colors, and textures. You don't have time to knit it from scratch. It's ecologically correct. And most of all--it's fun!Sweater Surgery shows you how to upcycle all your slightly worn, slightly damaged, or plain old out-of-style sweaters into fabulous new items for your wardrobe and your home. Readers learn how to choose, cut, restitch, felt, and embellish old sweater fabric, transforming it into beautiful handbags, mittens, scarves, hats, hoodies, skirts, jewelry, soft toys, pillows, and more!Complete instructions for 27 projects, plus a huge gallery of exciting ideas for further inspiration.

Ultimate Crochet Bible: A Complete Reference with Step-by-Step Techniques


Jane Crowfoot - 2010
    Ultimate Crochet Bible is the ideal guide for anyone casting the first time, but is also the definitive reference for more experienced practitioners who just need to brush up on a technique. Filled with more than 400 images, it explains exactly how to create garments, jewelry, accessories, and more, from the basic chain stitch to finishing touches like a picot trim. Additional topics include creating texture, structure and shaping, color work, and embellishments.

Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting: 50+ Visual Tutorials to Get You Started Professional-Quality Results on Your Home Machine


Natalia Bonner - 2012
    Learn how to quilt all-over, as filler, on borders, and on individual blocks…using loops and swirls, feathers and flames, flowers and vines, pebbles and more! Includes tips for choosing batting and thread, layering and basting, starting and stopping, and prepping your machine are included. After you've practiced, show off your new skills with six geometric quilt projects.

Mending Life: A Handbook for Repairing Clothes and Hearts


Nina Montenegro - 2020
    It is also an exploration of how mending can be a gently healing practice in our daily lives and a small act of rebellion in a world where many things are discarded without thought.Mending Life encourages us to cherish our things by repairing them rather than discarding them. It also encourages us to change our consumption habits so that with small mends here and there, we extend the life of our garments and other household items. This handbook is for beginners but also offers more advanced techniques to those with some experience in mending. You'll learn basic techniques such as patching, but will have options to take it a step further with decorative sashiko stitching; you'll also learn how to darn socks and mend sweaters, as well as things like a tear in a bedsheet or down jacket. And along the way, the authors share heartfelt stories about the powerful act of mending, which strengthens not only the object we are repairing, but ourselves as well. Vibrant, full-color illustrations are woven throughout the handbook. Mending Life is a timeless, practical guide to cherishing and caring for our belongings.

Sew U: The Built by Wendy Guide to Making Your Own Wardrobe


Wendy Mullin - 2006
    Stitch N' Bitch for sewers complete with 3 full Simplicity patterns from downtown fashion darling Wendy Mullin.

The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos: The Best Techniques for Showcasing Your Handmade Creations


Heidi Adnum - 2011
    With The Crafter’s Guide to Taking Great Photos you’ll learn that you don’t need expensive, professional equipment to get quality results. Get simple, practical advice presented with the crafter in mind. Learn to make a lightbox, how to use natural lighting, and how to capture the detail in your work. Broken down into specific craft areas, you’ll find tips on how to best generate eye-catching images that will help sell your items.Boost your online crafting business with The Crafter’s Guide to Taking Great Photos.

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.