Crafts & Hobbies

This tiny old house takes you back to a bygone era. The Big Book of a Miniature House is a superb guide to crafting an exquisite miniature French country home from the ground up. With a fixed front and open back, this little gem of a home takes you back in time to enjoy old-fashioned elegance and vintage grandeur.

Everything and the kitchen sink. There are also instructions to make French-style furniture – chairs, folding screen, ornate light sconces, and dressing tables – even flowers, fireplaces, window treatments and the kitchen sink! 

Construction made simple. A practical guide to tools, techniques and materials is included along with detailed step-by-step instructions.

• Includes 400 drawings and over 200 photographs, includes details on:
• Basic house construction
• Electrification
• Building the hallway
• Kitchen
• Stairwell
• Bathroom
• Living room
• Bedroom
• Nursery

Details, details, details - because they make all the difference. Easy-to-follow instructions will help you build up the wall panels to create the deep recesses, fancy paneling, and wall niches that make this miniature home so special.
 

The Woodland Craft Handbook is an inspirational yet practical guide to traditional crafts, woodland coppice products and forest permaculture.  

Step into the shoes of woodsman Ben Law as he explores this diverse collection of crafts made from materials sourced directly from the woods. Brooms, rakes, pegs, spoons, chairs, baskets, fencing and walking sticks – the items are one-off and unique ­– hewn and shaped by hand, infused with a simple, rustic beauty.

 With fascinating information on the history and traditions of the crafts, coppice management, tree species and the tools and devices used, we learn about all aspects of the low-impact woodland way of life. Much as the traditional techniques associated with the woods were passed down through families, this book aims to help secure their relevance and adapt them for future generations.

Woodlander is a complete and comprehensive guide to managing a small woodland, incorporating nearly 30 years of knowledge and experience from woodsman Ben Law and his unique home in Prickly Nut Wood. 

Woodlander contains everything you need to know if you are managing, or intend to manage, a small woodland. Ben’s inspiring, forest-dwelling life has allowed him to put together a complete package of detailed information and practical examples based on his personal experience, giving this beautiful book an entirely authentic voice. Every page is infused with a deep respect for the traditions of the past while also embracing new ideas, methods and creative thinking.  

This is a holistic approach to woodland management, which looks at the entire place – the wildlife it supports, the natural cycles of growth and life, the precious products it creates and the communities that inhabit and surround it. All the while, understanding and emphasising that it is a balance of all these things that makes a healthy, biodiverse, resilient ecosystem. 

Detailed sections cover different types of woodland, the rich history behind them, how to assess what you’ve got, practical maintenance, planning for the future, promoting wildlife and biodiversity, harvesting and extracting timber, the tools you will need, crafts, social forestry and an in-depth resources section. Dotted throughout are personal snippets, observations and insights from Ben’s life at Prickly Nut Wood.

Traditionally used for doyleys and edging handkerchiefs or collars, there is much more that can be done with tatting with a bit of imagination. Tatting is basically a handmade lace, with each stitch composed of two half-hitch knots. The single thread is looped and knotted with the aid of a small shuttle, and people are often amazed that so simple a technique can produce such intricate results. The appeal of the craft is that it is simple and portable, you can take your tatting equipment anywhere, and now that Tatting Collage is republished as a concealed spiral bound book it will be easy to use ‘on-the-go’. Tatting Collage creates attractive designs by combining small motifs and gluing them down to card, paper or fabric. As well as offering great fun and flexibility, it also avoids the need to handle large and complicated pieces of tatting - a bonus if you are pressed for time or are new to the craft and looking for encouragement. Whatever your level of experience, Tatting Collage offers the chance to create something satisfying and unique in a short space of time.

* It is NOT a book to teach how to tat. It assumes that readers will already be familiar with the basic techniques, and includes a Further Reading list of books for beginners to learn basic stitches. * It does include lots of useful tips throughout and a Tools and Techniques section and the How to Use this Book section explains how to follow the patterns and designs. * Includes some of the easiest tatting patterns possible through to more complex ones. * There is instruction to make 65 patterns or motifs and 60 designs for everything from gift tags to bookmarks and cards to paperweights and door finger plates. * It encourages the reader to give free rein to the imagination and develop skills to create distinctive gifts and decorative pieces.

What better way to while away your time than to whittle? Peter Benson, author of Whittling Handbook, gives the first-timer the perfect introduction to the simple, yet pleasurable woodcarving pastime.

Colorful photographs show each step in the process of making a host of items with nothing more than a knife and a piece of timber. The handbook guides the user through the basics for simple projects then progresses to more intricate items. The first seven chapters explain the tools, knives, and wood needed as well as how to start and what to have in your toolbox.

Clearly presented, easy instructions show the whittler how to complete 20 fun projects, including:

• forks
• whistles
• spoons
• back scratchers
• perching birds
• dog head stick handles

Whittling is an art form and the handbook explores the time-honored craft of creating attractive objects at little cost. Peter Benson iterates that basic premise in the introduction: The big advantage of this hobby is there is no great initial expense. You can get under way with just a sharp knife, a safety glove, perhaps an apron, and a piece of wood. Even the wood can be found in the garden or countryside for no cost at all.

For debonair gentlemen who eschew denim if favor of tweed, and feel that grooming and gallantry should not be consigned to history, this book will suit your needs. The Gentleman's Wardrobe features a cornucopia of elegant garments and accessories to sew, this beautifully illustrated book is full of inspiration and charm. 

Including beautiful garments such as pajamas, vest, trousers and jacket, plus indispensable accessories such as a cravat tie, flat cap and wallet, there's something for every fellow who's looking to be urbane than urban. Whether you make these smart projects for yourself of a loved one, this selection of vintage-style projects will put a spring in anyone's step.

Full-size, hardcover edition describes over 200 timber species in detail. Learn more about common and exotic wood from around the world in this lavishly illustrated, hardcover edition of Terry Porter’s bestseller, WOOD Identification & Use. This indispensable guide features handsome color photographs of each species and reliable data on working properties, seasoning requirements, typical uses, and safety considerations, along with inspiring examples of woodworking projects.

Plus another 200 species are listed in brief. Designed for the individual or small-scale user, either professional or amateur, this must-have guide covers woods used in cabinetmaking, joinery, carpentry, turning, carving and a host of specialized applications. It includes most species in widespread use, and many less familiar ones that deserve to be better known. A comprehensive index is a handy extra you’ll appreciate.

As beautiful as it is practical! This expanded version of WOOD Identification & Use includes 20 important species that did not appear in the original. You’ll rely on this guide for important information and love browsing through its beautiful pages. Specially commissioned drawings of living trees show details of their leaves, fruit and flowers, enhancing our appreciation of wood in its many forms.

When the stresses of modern life get too much, what could be better than gathering a few simple tools, heading into the woods and literally whittling away a few hours? The gentle art of whittling is a relaxing and absorbing hobby that can be enjoyed almost anywhere from round the campfire to in a cozy armchair at home. All you need is a good pocket knife, a piece of wood and your imagination.

Projects can range from the delightfully simple to impressively intricate—it's up to you.

Woodland Whittling guides you through the basics explaining what equipment you need, how to hold the knife, and what timber to use. The projects are then all described in detail with clear step-by-step photographs.

Projects include: letter opener, thumb stick, ring tree and egg cup.

Celebrate the splendor of wood with these wood-crafting projects. From simple woven panels to making a functional yurt, Woodland Craft features an array of easy-to-follow projects that include crafts for the farm, garden, wood fuel, building and domestic use.  Green wood – wood that has been recently cut and is therefore still moisture-rich – is the predominant material used in the projects featured in this essential guide for craftsman of all levels.

With Woodland Craft:

• you'll learn all you need to know about tools and devices, both old and new.
• you’ll browse through the directory of tree species and identify the best uses for each.
• you’ll gain the insight you need to make practically anything out of this clean, crisp, beautiful element.
• Includes 700 illustrations and photographs

A woodland  craftsman’s workshop should bring immense pleasure and the tools and devices that furnish it are unique to woodland work and have formed the heritage of woodland crafts that we have today. Following on from his successful book Woodland Craft, woodsman Ben Law explains what makes a good workshop, outlines the key tools needed, gives information on how to sharpen them and shows us how to make an array of fascinating devices from scratch.

• Projects include: peeling jig, pole lathe, woodsman's grip, cleaving brake
• 16 step-by-step woodland device projects
• Beautiful photography and illustrations
• A foundation book for every green woodworker to use as reference

Coupled with interesting titbits of historical and practical information, this is an invaluable guide for every green woodworker.

A form of handmade lace, tatting is a traditional skill with origins dating back centuries and spanning continents. Each stitch is composed of two half-hitch knots. The single thread is looped and knotted with the aid of a small shuttle — a simple technique that produces amazingly intricate results.

This book shows how a simple piece of tatting can be developed into something striking and complex. The reader is guided through the process with easy-to-follow  diagrams and descriptions. The 15 stunning designs, including many variants to experiment with, allow the tatting disciple to explore the craft further. Ideas for how the basic patterns can be developed are included, as well as suggestions such as creating very different looks by varying the thread used. Whatever your level of experience, Mastering Tatting offers the chance to create something satisfying and unique to cherish or give as a gift.

In this visually stunning book, Gail Marsh has delved into the archives to research the personalities, varied and unusual techniques and tools that hand-embroiders used in the period 1900–1939, before the outbreak of World War II.  A unique and fascinating feature is the concentration on the embroiderers and their involvement in the teaching, promotion, writing and practice of stitching in this period. These include the unknown but intriguing experts in the craft, as well as the famous and well-known, including such luminaries as Jessie Newbury, Ann Macbeth, Margaret Swanson, Mrs. Foster, Louisa Peel, Grace Christie, Lewis F. Day, Rebecca Crompton, Kathleen Mann, Rachel Kay Shuttleworth, Prof. Letharby and Joan Drew. Each chapter follows the format of a short biography, design influences, materials and working practice and then the actual embroidery and how it was worked.

Gail’s in-depth research is presented in a highly readable manner, with contemporary quotes and social comment and the final chapter, ‘Connecting the threads’, connects all of the embroiderers together. Early 20th Century Embroidery Techniques is the essential reference for any student studying embroidery, fashion and textiles; craftspersons interested in historical embroidery techniques; collectors of textiles and indeed any needlework enthusiast wanting to extend their knowledge.

Wood Identification & Use is a gift book for wood lovers - an indispensable and informative guide to over a hundred different kinds of wood.  

This compact directory explores the world’s most valuable natural resource in detail. This new gift edition gives helpful details about the most popular and useful woods with illustrations and photographs to help with identification. There is also valuable information on the typical uses, durability, wood defects and potential health hazards for each species. Based on a best-selling reference work, this revised and updated abridged version includes drawings and descriptions of the living trees to enhance appreciation of the raw material of woodwork. In-depth yet accessible this handy pocket guide will be the perfect gift for all woodworkers and wood lovers.

If you think of dolls houses as usually being period houses, it's time to think again! In this amazing compendium of miniature buildings, author Sarah Walkley looks at the many other styles of construction created by miniatures enthusiasts including

• cozy cottages
• modern loft apartments
• churches
• garden sheds
• lighthouses
  
• windmills

Each of the 12 chapters will be accompanied by tips on the key techniques needed to recreate a particular style of property. This will include, for example, how to lay wooden floors or work with molding to create a grand country estate, or how to install lighting in a lighthouse.

It aims to provide inspiration to those that are new to the hobby, or want to take their model-making a stage further, as well as being a delightful read for those who are simply fascinated by all things miniature.

Up in Flames is the first comprehensive study of the traditional Chinese craft of paper sculpture: the construction in bamboo and paper of human figures, figures of gods, buildings, and other objects—all intended to be ritually burned. The book documents this ancient craft as it exists today in Taiwan. The fascinating fundamentals of the craft, the tools and materials, as well as the techniques used to construct houses and human figures, never investigated before, are described and illustrated in detail. The written material is augmented by many color photographs showing the objects and the men and women who make them.

Although the tradition of burning objects as a part of religious ceremonies is still strong, the traditional paper and bamboo objects are being more and more often replaced by plastic components and whole preprinted cardboard counterparts. The resulting changes in the personal, business, and especially the creative and artistic side of the craft are therefore also addressed.

For more than 10,000 years, people have been shaping clay into brick for use in creating permanent shelter. With increased skill, they used brick to form arches and gateways in complex buildings of different sizes and shapes. Eventually bricks were used to decorate walls and floors, and what had once been a strictly utilitarian item began to take on an aesthetic role.

Current attention to architectural ceramics, the interest in installations, and the advance of public art have transformed brick into an increasingly popular medium. Artists now collaborate with brick factories to produce a wide range of work utilizing the unique properties of brick. Some of them carve the clay while it is green and then fire it; others use already fired bricks to produce their art.

In Brickworks, Gwen Heeney shows the amazing creations of an international group of artists who work with brick and also gives practical information about getting commissions, working with brick factories and designing with bricks. In addition she offers insight into the technicalities involved in producing brick artworks. She covers the process from the initial pile of raw bricks, through design, the making of the piece, dismantling, firing, and reconstructing in situ.

Illustrated with images that will both enlighten and engage artists, architects, and those involved in public art, Brickworks is the complete guide for anyone wanting to work creatively with this medium.

This richly illustrated book tells the story of the successful collaboration of Jacques and Juliana Royster Busbee in the creation of a remarkable folkcraft enterprise called Jugtown. This improbable venture, founded in a most unlikely setting, has left its indelible mark on a remote Southern community.

Fully illustrated with numerous black-and-white and color photographs of the place, the people who made pottery there, and the pottery produced by them, the book tells how the Busbees convinced a few of rural Moore County’s old-time utilitarian potters to make new-fangled wares for them to sell in Juliana’s Greenwich Village tea room and shop. Following New Yorkers’ wild acceptance of their primitive-looking and alluring pottery offerings, the Busbees built their own workshop in rural Moore County and called it Jugtown. Today, nearly one hundred potters make and sell their wares within a few miles of Jugtown—all because a hundred years ago, the Busbees and their Jugtown potters found a new way to make old jugs.

Stephen C. Compton is an independent scholar and an avid collector of historic, traditional North Carolina pottery. Steve has written numerous articles and books about the state’s pottery. Widely recognized for his North Carolina pottery expertise, the author is frequently called upon as a lecturer and exhibit consultant and curator. He has served as president of the North Carolina Pottery Center, a museum and educational center located in Seagrove, North Carolina, and is a founding organizer, and former president, of the North Carolina Pottery Collectors’ Guild.

Take up your scrapbooking in a whole new state of mind—and spirit.

When I scrapbook, I feel empowered and connected and hopeful. I feel grateful and content and stimulated. In the process of scrapbooking, I feel the closest to my essential self, and to God.
—from the Introduction

In this imaginative, creative resource, award-winning scrapbook designer Cory Richardson-Lauve leads you on a celebration of the divine connection you can experience through scrapbooking. Weaving her own insights, techniques and artwork with the reflections and layouts of other professional scrapbookers and the wisdom of spiritual thinkers, Richardson-Lauve reveals how this innovative and dynamic craft can become a practice used to deepen and shape your life.

Each chapter includes an original scrapbooking project with dozens of variations—for both cut-and-paste and digital artists, beginning scrapbookers and published designers alike—that helps you explore a theme essential to both your designs and your spirituality.

Quilting is the miracle of giving new life and purpose to fabric scraps. It can rejuvenate your spiritual life too.

We affirm that life is here and now in our quilting and its ability to enable our journey. It is the vehicle for our continuing movement along our lifetime of efforts. Our quilts allow both the goal and the process in one magnificent creation after another. Our quilting generates the perfect combination of faith with action, hope with realism, and the universal with the particular, so that we are blissful and grateful in our co-creation experiences.
—from the Conclusion

What can you learn about yourself through quilt making? What deeper symbolism can you find in the act of cutting and piecing? How can this simple activity help you make your way down a spiritual path?

Delve into these questions and more in this imaginative book that will become your spiritual friend, your teacher and your sanctuary. Contemporary quilter Louise Silk takes you through her own quilting journey to discover how the process of making a quilt can be used to explore and strengthen your own spirituality. Each chapter introduces a universal human attribute organized according to the mystical tradition of Kabbalah, relates it to a personal life practice and then applies the attribute and the practice to an original quilt project.

Anyone from the novice to the needlework expert—and from any faith tradition—will be nourished and gratified by the patchwork and appliqué experiences offered in this creative, engaging book. These ten projects, carefully designed for you, include:

• One-Patch Utility Quilt
• Log Cabin Quilt
• String Pieced Pillows
• Straight Furrows Baby Blanket
• Quilting Carry-all Bag
• Patchwork Prayer Shawl
• Folk Art Appliqué Quilt
• Remembrance Crazy Quilt
• T-shirt Quilt
• Rail Fence Signature Tablecloth
• Plus dozens of variations …

Discover the creativity that lies hidden within you—and express it!

"Painting—because it is such a flexible and adaptable form of art—gives us unparalleled freedom to express what we are feeling. Through colors, forms, lines, even fabrics, we can tap into our deepest emotions and thoughts; we can access our very source. Given this opportunity, we unburden our spirits and are freed to express ourselves."
—from the Introduction

What can you learn about yourself through painting? How can a piece of artwork reflect your own personality, beliefs and values? How can touching brush to canvas help you portray something about yourself that is otherwise inexpressible?

Delve into these questions and more in this imaginative, creative resource. Professional artist and beloved teacher Linda Novick leads you on an exploration of the divine connection you can experience through art. Each chapter includes a simple yoga-inspired breathing and stretching exercise to focus your mind and refresh your body, along with an original art project that helps you explore a theme essential to both your creativity and your spirituality. Whether you're a painting novice or an accomplished artist, no matter your faith and background, this engaging book has a place for you. Experience the joy of unbridled creativity!

Knitting is the miracle of creating new dimensions from a strand of yarn. Let it bring that miraculous transformation to your spiritual life too.

"This book is about seeing and listening. It's about becoming aware that through knitting you can hear and give attention to what’s in your heart and soul—that knitting can be a place of rest and thought and a place for the Divine. It’s about connection—to yourself, to the world, to others and to the Holy."
—from the Preface

What can you learn about yourself through your knitting? What deeper symbolism lies behind the loops and patterns that you create? How can this simple activity help you make your way down a spiritual path? Delve into these questions and more in this imaginative book that will become your spiritual friend, your teacher and your sanctuary. Follow the knitting journeys of the authors and other knitters to discover how they have used their knitting to explore and strengthen their spiritual selves, and how you can do the same. In this joyful and engaging look at a time-honored craft you are invited to:

• Find time and space that was previously hidden in plain sight
• Try creative, thought-provoking original knitting patterns
• Recognize and deepen spiritual connections through knitting
• Meet other knitters on the journey to spiritual and self- discovery
• Explore new ways to expand and savor your knitting community
• Recognize your own power to pass along the knitting wisdom

Let go of your pretensions—squeeze, shape, knead & play your way to spiritual growth.

"I am being formed by the clay. I am reconnecting with the earth, and with the other basic elements, too—air, water, fire—and life itself. Every gesture leaves its trail in the clay. Every fingerprint, a message. My breath fills the cavity. My touch curves the wall of a bowl. And inwardly, I am being formed by the outward practice. I am learning to trust the process, to lean into the possibilities rather than striving for some predetermined goal. I am being hollowed out, stretched and constricted, trimmed and sometimes reworked entirely."
—from the Prologue

Drawing from her first-hand experience of working with clay, Marjory Zoet Bankson takes you through the seven-step process of making clay into a pot, drawing parallels at each stage to the process of spiritual growth:

• Grounding—Connecting with our core elements
• Kneading—Awakening to the inner realm Centering—Gathering everything together
• Shaping—Focusing inner and outer pressures Finishing—Trimming away the excess
• Decorating—Adding a playful touch Firing—Committing to transformation

This simple connection with the earth has the potential to put you in touch with the whole of creation and, at the same time, your soul's longing to participate as an artist, creating something new and unique.

Through reflective questions in each chapter—along with a wealth of unique clay projects that even beginners can do—Bankson invites you on a journey of spiritual discovery, a path of reconnecting with your body and spirit, and with the earth itself.

Learn how to make your own Jewish fabric crafts with spiritual intention—venture into a world of creativity, imagination & inspiration.

Journey along with talented Jewish fabric craft artists from throughout the United States and Israel as they retrace their steps in the creative process used to make thirty evocative projects. Then tap into your inner creativity by following step-by-step instructions to fashion family heirlooms with your own personal flair. Inspirational and motivational, these projects and stories will resonate with your artistic soul and awaken a desire to hand-craft Jewish fabric keepsakes to pass down from generation to generation. Projects and techniques include:

Quilting • Appliqué • Embroidery • Needlepoint • Cross-stitch • Knitting • Crochet • Felting • Needle felting • Tallitot • Tallit bags • Torah mantles • Challah covers • Seder plate • Afikomen envelopes • Torah table (shulchan) covers • Tree of Life & shalom wall hangings • Purim puppets • And more!

With Hook in Hand, Enrich Your Spiritual Practice and Renew Your Awareness of the Connections of Creativity to Spirit

What can you learn about yourself through your crocheting? What deeper symbolism lies behind the loops and patterns that you create? How can this simple activity help you make your way down a spiritual path? Delve into these questions and more in this imaginative book that will become your spiritual friend, your teacher and your sanctuary. Follow the crochet journeys of the author and other crocheters to discover how they have used their crocheting to explore and strengthen their spiritual selves, and how you can do the same. In this joyful and engaging look at a time-honored craft, you will discover ways to:

• Find a Sense of Fullness and Gratitude
• Have More Within a Structure of Less
• Combine the Spiritual Practices of Meditation and Prayer
• Create Tools for Intensifying Spiritual Practice
• Find Your Spiritual Path with Crochet
• Connect with Community Through Crochet
• Make Crochet Uniquely Yours
• And Much More

Find Your Creative Self in the Kaleidoscope of Beads & Color

"Beading and my spiritual path are intricately interwoven. It would be difficult for me to separate the two because they are so completely intertwined with one another. As I sit and weave with my beads, I allow the Creative Spirit to flow through me, and though my hands are doing the work, another force is actively participating in the process. This force is a transmission of Spirit that fills me with deep inner peace and joy as I bead. As a result, the practice of my art form has become a creative path to my sacred center."
—from the Introduction

Believing that beading is a form of meditation through which we can access the Creative Spirit that is always present in us, master bead artist Rev. Wendy Ellsworth offers multiple ways to explore beading as a spiritual journey of self-discovery. Each of the seven chapters is rich with personal stories, exercises, and beading projects, and each project has a meditative experience to encourage a contemplative spirit and creative play. The project results are beautiful, meaningful symbols designed by a master bead artist for both novice and experienced beaders alike.

Original projects include:

• Geometric Mandala
• Personal Mandala
• Personal Prayer Beads
• Beaded Prayer Pouch
• Goddess Archetype Necklace
• Beaded Stick Figure Goddess
• Chakra Necklace
• Chakra Flower Sculpture
• Free-form Gourd Stitch Bracelet
• Ruffled Cabochon Brooch
• Dutch Spiral Necklace
• Spiral Vessel
• Song Beads
• Herringbone Stitch Cuff with Freshwater Pearls

As a generation of mostly self-taught, creative women takes to the world of fabric, quilting and sewing are joining forces in a way that they never have before. Long-time quilters, committed to their craft for decades, are starting to experiment with a bit of home sewing or simple sewing for their grandchildren. The younger side of the sewing community is embracing the world of patchwork and quilting, a world that once seemed inaccessible or even undesirable to younger seamstresses. With Fabric & Thread seamlessly bridges the language and intimidation gap between these two crafts and delivers a unique collection of projects that appeal to sewers and quilters alike.

Featuring 20 new projects, With Fabric & Thread marries the nomenclature of both sewing and quilting to create an effortless set of instructions that anyone can follow. Plus, a special section features six patterns that can be accomplished two different ways: one using sewing techniques and one using quilting techniques. The result is two unique looks from a single pattern.

• Provides an excellent stepping-off point for sewers learning to quilt, and quilters learning to sew
• Chic projects, well-styled photos, and modern illustrations speak to this increasingly unified audience
• Good, basic, understandable instructions

If you're a quilter experimenting with sewing, or vice versa, the beautiful designs in With Fabric & Thread give you everything you need to bring these two crafts together to make unique and inspired projects.

24 sewing projects that celebrate the joy of a new baby

Come stitch alongside celebrated fabric designer Anna Maria Horner as she prepares for her own new baby. This stunning collection of nursery d?cor, keepsakes, maternity wear, baby?s clothing, and more is all breathtakingly photographed as Anna Maria progresses through her pregnancy.

Mothers-to-be, grandparents, family, and friends will treasure this collection of sewing projects to welcome home a new baby. Stylish prints and colors combine in unique designs to give you 24 projects ranging from booties and a quilt to an embroidered family tree and a thank you note organizer?and everything in between.

• Includes seven bonus loose-leaf paper patterns neatly tucked inside
• Includes a brief primer on sewing for babies, including fabric selection and safety considerations
• Other titles by Horner: Seams to Me

Saturated with gorgeous full-color photography, Handmade Beginnings gives new and veteran sewers colorful, contemporary, yet classic, patterns to mark one of life's biggest milestones.

25 sewing projects for boys, ages newborn to 8-years-old

From sporty to dapper to whimsical, Sewing For Boys: 24 Sewing Projects to Create a Handmade Wardrobe shows you how to create an entire handmade wardrobe for all types of boys, ages newborn to 8-years-old. The patterns span all seasons and include a selection of specialty items for playtime, art, and ""on the go"" accessories. You'll get instruction and guidance on numerous techniques to add longevity to each pattern; not just for the boy who grows too quickly but also for his little brother or cousin to wear and cherish later.

In Sewing For Boys, moms, grandmothers, and other eager sewers will find a full collection of mix-and-match patterns to fully clothe their little men in style, all packaged with gorgeous photography and presented in the style of coveted Japanese pattern books. The garments and accessories you'll sew are comfortable, durable, and completely unique. From a short sleeve raglan tee and suspender shorts to a just-like-dad flannel robe and slippers, you'll find 24 sewing projects to keep your little guy dressed with style year-round.

• Unique focus on sewing for boys
• A variety of projects; something for all levels of sewing experience
• Tested, verified patterns, with relevant illustrated instructions created by the authors

Perfect for beginning to advanced seamstresses with a young boy in their lives, Sewing For Boys is a pattern collection you'll to turn to time and again.

23 seasonal sewing and craft projects

Sandi Henderson's readers love her look, her patterns, and her descriptions of home, family life, and holidays. Her fans respond equally enthusiastically to her anecdotes of picking cherries with her family as they do to her new fabric collections or her recipe for Creme Brulee French toast. This brand-new offering gives readers the best of what they crave from Sandi—and builds on the excitement of both her first book and her work as a fabric designer.

Sewing the Seasons is a collection of 23 sewing patterns for adult and children's wear, home decor, and accessories, all beautifully paired with the ideal season for use. From a vintage cloche to a scallop scarf, from a farmers' market tote to a poinsettia stocking, the sewing and craft projects presented here celebrate the best of nature's seasons and the holidays. In addition to gorgeous project to sew, Sandi offers up her favorite recipes for each season and beautiful photography that captures the essence of each passing season.

• Complemented with full-color photos and a beautiful interior design
• Full patterns are conveniently located online, where they can be printed as needed and will never be lost
• Sandi offers up the best of the season around her with gorgeous lifestyle photos of her and her family as they celebrate the seasons, seasonally appropriate favorite recipes, and anecdotes
• Includes low-sew/no-sew crafts that add a special sparkle to each season

Beginning to intermediate seamstresses and fans of Sandi's fabric and pattern lines will be drawn to this year-round collection of patterns, recipes, and inspiration.

In 40 Ways to Fold a Napkin you will discover 40 ways to turn your meal into a tablescaped event, worthy of an Instagram post. From simple folds that can hold cutlery to elegant knots, quirky envelopes and more, your event will instantly become more refined and classy. There are even some special folds for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and more.

From birthdays to DIY weddings, dinner parties or just a Friday night at home for two, this stylish guide is for anyone who loves to entertain. Make every meal an event by folding your napkins.

Whittling is more than just a way of busying idle hands - it is a pastime for those who love the texture of wood and a way of life for those who feel a special connection between people and trees. 

This beautiful and practical guide to the art of whittling offers the perfect antidote to the stresses of modern life and a means of getting back to basics and creating unique items from scratch. Inside you will learn about the ancient art of whittling as one of the earliest forms of artistic expression; the different types of wood to use in your work; the simple tools you need to get started; and the various cutting techniques. 

The Art of Whittling also preaches the idea of Danish hygge - translating to coziness and being with friends and family in a warm atmosphere. Here, author Niklas Karlsson gives us an insight into why the Danes are considered the happiest people in the world - and how you can bring some hygge into your own lives.

More than just a manual, this book offers a contemplative view on a skill that is more popular than ever.

Britain is one of a triumvirate of nations - the others being France and Italy - that is revered globally for its fine craftsmanship and heritage skills. However, while France is wedded to the continuation of 17th- and18th-century master craftsmanship and Italy is focused on particular materials, notably leather working and stone working, Britain is uniquely able to both look back and move forward where craft is concerned. Nowhere else will you find true excellence and mastery of a craft coupled with such innovation and eye for design. Craftsmanship in Britain is neither dying nor dead, but is a continuing and exciting exploration of process, materials and ideas spanning architecture, interiors, fashion and art.

Cool, Calm and Collected introduces the vast array of British craft, from the craftspeople who keep the heritage alive, such as Savile Row tailors and stained-glass makers, to crafts on the edge of extinction - clog makers, damask weavers - and urban craft, artists and more.

Illustrated throughout with stunning shots of the finished products, to behind-the-scenes images in studios and workshops or craftspeople at work, this timely publication celebrates the bespoke craft skills of Britain as a global force, and will hopefully inspire a new generation to seriously consider a professional life in craft.

Feather your nest with this avian collection of easy sewing patterns for beautiful bird designs, all made using simple hand-sewing techniques.

Featuring the most popular and distinctive species – including garden birds, exotic birds, birds of prey, water birds, flightless birds and more – each pattern wings its way to you with step-by-step instructions and full-size templates, making them perfect for all abilities. 

The finished little birdies would make cute brooches, bag charms and home accessories, or can even be scaled up to make bigger plushes, all of which will make your friends into avid twitchers!

Author Alison J Reid has spent months brooding away in her studio, researching all different kinds of birds, both common and rare. She has checked out their shapes, plumage and markings, and spent so much time trying to perfect their colourful, beautiful wings. It became an obsession! It was only by researching the various details that make each breed so distinctive, that Alison has been able to capture each of their unique qualities and differences. 

Pattern, colour and shape are key, so capturing these details in felt was important. Luckily, there are so many different colours of felt available! Felt's non-fraying, double sided, robust qualities make it easy to create all the little details that make each bird design so unique and instantly recognisable.

Each bird pattern can be traced straight from the page (or enlarged if you want to sew a larger plush), and simple instructions mean that even beginners can get started. And because all the birds are sewn by hand, you don't need a sewing machine and can sit out in the garden with the birds while you sew. 

Whether you choose to sew just your own favourites, or make gifts for the other bird-lovers in your life, this book will provide hours of fun and inspiration.

Slow down and embroider your way through the changing seasons with the beautiful debut book from embroidery artist and rising star Emillie Ferris. 

Needlepainting, also known as thread painting or silk shading, is a form of embroidery that creates a realistic, lifelike effect using a single strand of thread and one simple stitch – the 'long and short' stitch. You can create gorgeous colour gradients, magical details and flowing stitch directions that are perfect if you want to embroider flora and fauna. 

In this richly illustrated step-by-step guide, self-taught embroidery artist Emillie Ferris shows you how to pick up a needle and thread in the same way as a paintbrush to create strokes of colour and bring images to life on fabric.

Inspired by nature and the changing seasons, Emillie has created five new and exclusive patterns for the book, four that reflect each season in turn and one special design that brings the natural year together into one showstopper embroidery. 

This book is the culmination of all of Emillie’s skills and years of experience in this wonderful, meditative art form. Each design has around 60 detailed step-by-step photos, showing every stage of the process, so that even complete beginners can follow along and create beautiful embroideries. If you have been considering learning the art of needlepainting but are unsure where to start, then this book is for you!

Not only are the embroideries sublime, but the book itself is a thing of beauty, with incredible attention to detail – from the exquisite photography to the lavish hardback binding, making it a real treasure for the book lover. Plus, high quality iron-on transfers at the back of the book allow you to transfer the designs directly onto fabric to get started straight away.

In this book Emillie generously shares her tried and tested tips and techniques, including advice on materials, transferring designs onto fabric, and fully illustrated explanations of the stitches and skills needed. The five in-depth projects draw on Emillie’s love of nature, including motifs that she is best known for such as flowers, foliage, bees and fungi. 

This beautiful book will become an indispensable and treasured guide allowing you to paint with thread the Emillie Ferris way.

Perfect for budding designers and newcomers to flowers, this book demystifies the art of floral arrangements with 10 simple techniques plus over 20 stunning bouquet ideas, all presented in lush photographs with clear step-by-step instructions.

Filled with useful tips and easy-to-follow tutorials, Just Add Water reveals the secret to transforming beautiful blooms and greens into gorgeous designs for everyday enjoyment—and with just a few materials. With creative spirit and a friendly voice, author Cynthia Gaylin Bigony shows you how to use what you have on hand already and then elevate it. Learn to combine different colors, textures, and sizes of flowers into a design, repurpose everyday containers into unexpected ways, use rubber bands and tape to invisible but noticeable effect, lengthen the life span of wilting flowers, and much more. Once you discover how amazingly simple and easy it can be, you too can create uniquely styled designs with this beautiful nature-inspired guide.