Falling for Crafts

Create unique i-cord words and shapes with this modern guide to French knitting!

French knitting, also sometimes called spool knitting or i-cord knitting, has been around for centuries. The technique traditionally involves knitting with a handheld 'dolly' or spool with four pins around the edge, to produce a narrow tube of knitting known as an i-cord. The technique involves wrapping the yarn around the pins and then lifting loops over to create the stitches. It's a simple craft that children can do but is a little slow to create the fabric, and many kids lose interest before a decent length of i-cord is produced. 

Luckily, technology has moved forward and now there is a hand-held mechanical mini knitting mill available that makes light work of knitting i-cords. Once the machine is threaded (with a grown-up's help) all you need to do is turn the handle and watch the magic happen as the i-cord emerges in seconds from the bottom of the mill! 

This fresh and modern book gives you all the tips you need to get your mechanical mini knitting mill up and running and then 40 fabulous ideas for projects – from gifts to clothing, accessories to home decor and more. No knitting mill? No problem! All the projects can be knitted in the traditional method too.

Children and adults alike will love the unique designs included, with step-by-step instructions and full-size templates. 

• Create cute wired shapes, from flowers and hearts to names and words. 
• Sew i-cords without wires onto clothing and bags for a unique, personalized look. 
• Make gorgeous décor for kids' bedrooms with wall hangings and dreamcatchers. 
• Give handmade gifts in the form of i-cord jewellery and hair accessories. 
• Have fun with pompoms, charms, beads, feathers and sequins to add some bling!

This beautiful book will get kids (and adults!) excited to try out a traditional craft in a brand new way and enjoy the making process – the perfect bonding activity to do with your kids! The 40 project ideas will spark further creativity – the possibilities for this craft are limited only by your imagination – and will foster a lifelong love of making. Mini knitting mill not included.

Fancy a wardrobe full of luxurious leather accessories without the painful price tag?

This collection of 20 luxe leather projects is perfect if you're looking for original, high quality projects made from leather, all of which can be made on a domestic sewing machine or with hand stitching. Starting with the simpler projects in this book you’ll be able to learn and practice your leather work skills as you go. 

Sew Luxe Leather will help you gradually build up your skills and confidence: 

• Choose from small projects to get started such as a keyring, card case, small purse and super-useful earphone holder, right up to the ultimate leather laptop case and a really chic foldover clutch for instant style credentials. 
• Learn all the skills you'll need to make these projects and be surprised at how little equipment is necessary to create these stunning leather makes. 
• Impress friends and family with your hand crafted leather accessories--

You'll never be short of ideas for what to make as the perfect gift for everyone in your life!

Forget everything you thought you knew about dried flowers! 

If the thought of dried flower arrangements is conjuring up images of stuffy décor that hasn't seen the light of day in decades – think again. Preserved floral arrangements are cool again, and not only are they beautiful, they'll also last infinitely longer than fresh flowers.

This gorgeous book offers a new approach to flower arranging with dried botanicals, exploring ways to preserve flowers’ beauty forever through drying and pressing, and then presents a catalogue of 30 flowers that are interesting for colour, texture and sculptural appeal in arrangements.

15 step-by-step projects then give you creative ideas for displaying dried flowers including:

• Bouquets
• Wreaths
• Wall hangings
• Wall art
• Flower crowns and buttonholes for weddings 
• Terrariums
• Candles and more 

This is the ultimate cat lover's collection of knitting patterns for garments and accessories. 

Knitters and cats lovers will love this collection of 16 quirky designs, all based around the theme of cats. It includes four garments graded for 16 different sizes, as well as cat-themed accessories including a wrap, shawl, scarf, cowl, capelet, mittens and hats. Knitters can choose from more advanced patterns throughout the book or more beginner patterns using lighter weight yarn. The patterns are divided up into four chapters, each with a different style of cat-themed design similar to Marna's Sinister Catdigan pattern.

Learn to weave your own stories and make personalised woven wall art with this guide to tapestry weaving. 

A collection of wonderful woven hangings for you to build your tapestry weaving skills. Learn all the techniques you'll need to create your own woven tapestries with a unique, personalised element. Author, Kristin Carter, explains all the skills required to make heirloom woven wall art with a very personal theme and how to recreate images of people, pets and places to create your own ‘paintings with thread’.

Learn all the basic techniques for tapestry weaving including a quick and easy way to make your own loom using an old photo frame, how to choose the right yarn, working with a template and how to start off a weave. Kristin then explores all the tapestry weaving techniques you will need to make your own stunning wall hangings. All of these techniques are accompanied by step-by-step photography so the instructions are super clear and suitable for absolute beginners. Learn how to do rya loops, weft facing weaving, soumak, pile weaving, diamond twill, overweaving, boubles, and an inverted rya fringe.

There are 17 incredible projects for you to experiment and try out your new skills. Each of these can be adapted in order to create your own personalised wall hangings so you can make special heirloom woven art for friends and family. Kristin explains how to set up the loom, gives guidance for yarn amounts and what other tools and equipment are needed for each project. All of the projects are suitable for a an A3 sized loom so you only need one size to try out all of the variations.

There are projects for abstract patterns, gradient weaving, blending compatible yarns, pet and people portraits with special techniques for recreating the texture of fur and hair, how to play with transparency in a weaving and creating texture using different yarns. Other techniques covered include cartooning (how to make a cartoon template from photographs); creating templates from your own sketches, how to create a marble effect and advice about colour theory and weaving.