Choosing the right material for your project is made easy with plenty of helpful advice on the qualities of different yarns, including what feels best, what holds its shape, and what really lasts. You can also take advantage of fiber substitution charts and make your own creative variations on these timeless patterns. Slip your toes into one comfortable and cozy knit masterpiece after another.

    It is divided into three parts, each section crammed with essential information and valuable hints. Part One covers basic techniques such as reading a chart, the different threads and fabrics available, and how to get stitching with them. Part Two explores creative options including three-dimensional cross stitch, using metallic threads and space-dyed threads, and how best to use the different fabrics available. Part three explores the use of bead, button and charm embellishments, as well as combining other techniques such as Blackwork and Hardanger with cross stitch designs to create textural interest. It introduces designing a sampler by hand or computer, and adapting commercial kits and charts to create unique and personal designs. At the end of the book there is a comprehensive stitch library, an essential reference for those keen to develop their counted thread embroidery skills. This is followed by a design library comprising over 50 pages of original charts, allowing stitchers to explore all the effects described. Finally, finis

    Get familiar with the basics as you do the exercises; then use the samples you make as handy references. Learn to machine quilt with sixteen lessons in straight-line quilting with a walking foot, freehand quilting with a darning foot, quilting with decorative threads, and more Includes five comprehensive charts for selecting needles, thread, and batting Find guidelines for planning quilts and basic techniques for finishing quilts

    With its sleek design and edgy tone, Super Crafty is the ultimate hipster’s craft guide, with a wide array of accessible projects suitable for all skill levels. The book offers dozens of projects for the home (Easy Etched Glass), wardrobe (One-Afternoon Skirt), body (Flirty Floral Pasties), family pet (Greta’s Tail Warmer), and more. Organized by genre, each chapter uses a rating system to indicate difficulty, cost of materials, and age-appropriateness. "101" sections offer basic instruction in sewing, working with vinyl, jewelry making, and other crafts. A resource guide helps locate supplies, tools, and further inspiration. The authors also contribute thoughtful pieces on the underlying aspects of craft, from activism to therapy, as well as lighthearted vignettes on crafting disasters and favorite art supplies.

    Scarves, Shawls & Shrugs is the first in a new series by renowned designer Iris Schreier that showcases the many possibilities of working with just two skeins of yarn. Mixing yarn types, weights, and colors, she presents a dazzling array of stylish and sophisticated wraps. Schreier created about half the projects herself, while other prominent designers provided the rest.  The projects range from easy to unique and offer new ideas for blending yarns and creating pieces with high appeal, beautiful drape, and practical functionality.

    This comprehensive reference gives you the know-how you need to get gorgeous, polished results every time. More than 50 expert techniques cover increases, decreases, seams, blocking, decorative finishes, and more Master each method with step-by-step illustrations, easy-to-read text, and dozens of color photos Bring along this handy guide wherever you go--the spiral-bound design lies flat for trouble-free knitting

    The method is simple and magical — knit the project large and loose, wash it in hot water, and see it transformed into a soft and cozy garment or accessory. Kathleen Taylor encourages you to explore the possibilities of felted knitting with 25 spectacular projects that include mittens, slippers, hats, bags, stuffed animals, and more. Embellish your life with unique and stylishly comfortable creations.

    Through extraordinary, stylized photography and detailed close-ups of designs, the embroidery art in Stitchcraft is entirely achievable with basic stitches and easy-to-follow instructions, enchanting beginners and expert crafters alike. Stitchcraft features: - 30 intricate embroidery designs, using a combination of nine basic stitches- Insights from the author on how she created each piece - 30 basic patterns to get you started embroidering your own version of her designsFrom the anatomy of a snake to floral skulls, from palmistry hands to botanical hearts, readers will be inspired to recreate Partridge's spellbinding designs and to make them their own.

    -Over 20 projects are super hip and super quick to make— you need only basic crochet skills and small amounts of yarn-Funky designs include mommy and baby owls, hedgehogs, and penguins, plus silly crocheted treats like cupcakes and ice-cream cones-Find complete instructions for crocheting designs and adding facial features and other embellishments

     This comprehensive book outlines all the necessary equipment, how to select fibers and plant parts, choose the right methods for mordanting and dyeing, test color modifiers and the fastness of dyed colors, and obtain a range of gorgeous colors from every plant, from alter to woad, shown in more than 250 swatches.  Wild Color, Revised and Updated Edition, is the all-in-one resource for fiber enthusiasts, including knitters, sewers, and weavers; gardeners who are interested in new uses for traditional dye plants; and eco-conscious DIYers who want authoritative information about the natural dyeing process and the plants that are essential to it.

    - Easy-to-follow instructions for creating beautiful, elaborate designs with more than 90 Sashiko patterns- 33 projects incorporate different designs and techniques- Features a full-color inspirational gallery of Sashiko work from contemporary textile artists.

    Jessica Alexandrakis has traveled the world with her on-to-go sewing kit and small stash of fabric, creating strikingly modern patchwork along the way. Now she shares everything she's learned about this addictive, beginner-friendly technique. • Sewing kit essentials that you can slip in your bag so you'll always be ready to stitch • Color theory and stash organization tips for dramatic effects or scrap-happy results • Creative patterns to combine hexagons, half-hexagons, diamonds, stars, squares, and triangles • 10 step-by-step projects, including the hand-pieced Laptop Bag, Tanuki Stripe Throw, Falling Stars Baby Quilt, and Jessica's signature Travel Quilt • 10 customizable quilt patterns with 40 vibrant color palette suggestions Whether your style is classic or modern, Jessica offers a range of stunning projects, from small home accessories to full-size quilts, for all skill levels. So leave the sewing machine at home. Take your quilt to go.

    It’s easy, fun, and can be done right in your own kitchen! Self-taught dyer Gail Callahan shows you a variety of simple techniques to turn plain, outdated, or leftover yarn into vibrant “new” fibers using ovens, crockpots, frying pans, and other standard kitchen equipment. Detailed advice on color theory, self-striping, “grocery store” dyes, and handmade multicolor skeins make successful dyeing a cinch, even for complete beginners.

    No one understands this better than Liesl Gibson, who is both a mom and the founder of Oliver + S, a sewing pattern company known for its contemporary yet classically sensible kids’ designs, its precise, easy-to-follow instructions, and its charming paper doll–inspired packaging. In Oliver + S Little Things to Sew, you’ll find 20 acessories for children, such as a hat with bear ears, scarf, vest, tutu, art smock, backpack, and quilt—all impeccably photographed by Laurie Frankel. The book includes two full-size pattern sheets and, as an added bonus, two cardstock paper dolls that can be dressed with “clothing” cut from the book’s jacket—a little something extra to keep young ones occupied while grownups stitch new items for their wardrobes! Praise for Oliver + S Little Thigns to Sew:“Making a bucket hat probably isn’t on anyone’s bucket list, but maybe it should be. The reversible bucket hat in the book Oliver + S Little Things to Sew (STC Craft, 2011) is classic, cute and comfortable. And author Liesl Gibson maintains that making it is a treat for grown-ups as well as the young recipients.” —Holly Ramer, Associated Press

    In The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters, Sherri Lynn Wood presents a flexible approach to quilting that breaks free of old paradigms. Instead of traditional instructions, she presents 10 frameworks (or scores) that create a guiding, but not limiting, structure. To help quilters gain confidence, Wood also offers detailed lessons for stitching techniques key to improvisation, design and spontaneity exercises, and lessons on color. Every quilt made from one of Wood’s scores will have common threads, but each one will look different because it reflects the maker’s unique interpretation. Featured throughout the book are Wood’s own quilts and a gallery of contributor works chosen from among the hundreds submitted when she invited volunteers to test her scores during the making of this groundbreaking work.