Congratulations to Alice in Seattle, Wash., and Laurel in Boulder, Colo., for each winning a copy of Jane Austen's Sewing Box. (That's right, there are two winners; there were so many passionate responses one extra lucky person is getting my ever-so-gently-used review copy.) Thanks to everyone who commented! I loved reading each and every response, and there were an overwhelming number. It warmed the cockles of my heart to think of the impact Miss Austen has had on so many of us.

For those of you who would like your own copy, Jennifer Forest pointed me to the book's listing on Amazon UK, where it seems to be easier to get your hands on it.

And for those of you on the east coast, be sure to check out the Jane Austen exhibit at the Morgan Library in New York City. I wish I could go! A Woman's Wit: Jane Austen's Life and Legacy sounds like an incredible show for any Austen fan.

The Klutz Book of Balloon Twisting by Karen Phillips
Klutz.com
Ages 8 and up

I went through a serious balloon twisting phase as a kid, somewhere between my obsession with the steel drum and sewing purses. My parents got me a book and kit for making all sorts of things from these long, skinny balloons, but some of them were far too advanced for me. The Klutz Book of Balloon Twisting would have been perfect for me as a kid, since it has eleven kid-friendly projects that would be easy to make at a party or playdate. It comes with 40 balloons and a pump, which makes blowing up the balloons an absolute breeze. The book has hats, wands, swords, and fairy wings, which are perfect for girls and boys. If you're interested in getting your kids started on this fun craft or want to whip up some party toys but have never even made a balloon dog, this book is a perfect place to begin. For some more ideas of models to make, try Balloon Molecules.

Book Giveaway Time!

Three lucky CRAFT readers will each receive a copy of The Klutz Book of Balloon Twisting! Please make sure you include your email address in the comment form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed by Noon PST on Friday, November 13th. The lucky winners will be announced later on the site. Good luck!

Also this month, as a special to CRAFT readers, get 25% off all Klutz titles by entering in the promo code CRAFT at checkout!

Book Giveaway Time!
Three lucky CRAFT readers will each receive a copy of The Shrinky Dinks Book along with Shrinky Dinks - Extra Shrinkable Plastic refills! Please make sure you include your email address in the comment form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed by Noon PST on Friday, November 6th. The lucky winners will be announced later on the site. Good luck!

I probably reread at least one of Jane Austen's novels a year, picking the title to suit my mood: Persuasion when I'm feeling pensive on a frosty fall morning, Pride and Prejudice when I need a bit of a pick-me-up, Emma when I have a jones for some juicy gossip. So I was delighted to hear about Jennifer Forest's Jane Austen's Sewing Box, a book that manages to simultaneously be a craft history, literary analysis, and how-to.

It's a seriously nerdy book, in the best possible way. Hefty, with beautiful reproductions of period paintings, furniture and housewares, it starts off grounding the reader in Jane Austen's world, bringing a little background to her work. Forest explains the role of women's "work" in the 19th century (by which was meant needlework, sewing, knitting, painting, etc.) and sprinkles quotes from Austen's novels liberally throughout.

Then we get into the good stuff! There are 18 step-by-step projects for crafts mentioned in the novels. Some are perhaps a little too period (although it's cool to know how to make a gorgeous silk bonnet, I am unlikely to wear it), but most would look as well in a crafty hipster's apartment as in Fanny Price's hands. The beautiful linen pillowcases would add class to any bed, and who doesn't need an embroidered work bag or quilted huswife to hold projects in-progress? The netted purse is perfect for going out, and would look smashing with a faux-fur muff and tippet. And I think cravats should definitely make a comeback for women or men (there's even a handy illustration showing how to tie the most popular Regency styles).

I loved thumbing through this gorgeous book, and if you have even the faintest yearning for bygone days, you probably will, too.

NOTE: I just heard from the author, who pointed me to Amazon in the UK, which has a much better price than the one in the US. Apparently shipping takes about a week. Enjoy!

Book Giveaway Time!
We are giving away a copy of Jane Austen's Sewing Box. Just leave a comment in this post and tell us why you want this book. Please make sure you include your email address in the comment form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed by Noon PST on Wednesday, November 4th. The lucky winner will be announced on the site. Good luck!

Savory Baking: Warm and Inspiring Recipes for Crisp, Crumbly, Flaky Pastries by Mary Cech, photographs by Noel Barnhurst

As it gets colder this autumn, what could be lovelier than a leisurely weekend day in a warm kitchen? Baking at home is fun and rewarding, but there are only so many cookies and cakes you and your family can take. All that prep time and careful attention should yield a delicious and healthy meal with which to feed your family or guests, not just a guilty pleasure! I don't have a big sweet tooth, but I love to bake, which is why Savory Baking by Mary Cech is the perfect addition to my cookbook collection. The book starts out with an overview of ingredients, equipment, and techniques specific to baking, to ensure your success. More so than stove top dishes, it's important to know what to expect in a baking recipe, so the overview of crepe, souffle, and doughs techniques is empowering.

This book is full of inspiring dishes, broken down more by what type of pastry they use than what course they're for: quick breads, flaky pastry, rustic cobblers and betties, puff pastries, cookies, and, finally, sides and sauces. The gorgeous photos tend to draw focus to those particular recipes, but, really, every dish sounds delicious. Baking can be a time-intensive endeavor, so while I wish the book included time estimates for each recipe, I loved reading through the 75 delectable possibilities for this review.

The best part of reviewing a recipe book is the cooking (and subsequent eating), clearly. I decided to make the Cambozola Pear Cream Tart, and enlisted the help of a foodie friend. Read the full article for the free recipe! Baking is a great team-cooking activity, since there are usually different concurrent tasks to be done. It's a great time of year to make this recipe, since the pears at the market will be close to ripe enough already. We used Gorgonzola dolce instead of the suggested Camembert-Gorgonzola hybrid, Cambozola, since it looked really good at the Italian market, and both of us love the flavor. We used slightly more than the recipe called for, and the flavor came out delicate and subtle. I think next time I might try a little more cheese, even, to balance with the delicious walnut crust. The most challenging part of this recipe is working with the dough, which is crumbly and delicate, making it easy to overwork, and hard to get into the shell. Tarts are forgiving, though, so perfect placement in the pan isn't critical, as patching up cracks and holes is much easier than with a flaky pastry dough. Besides licking the filling-covered spatula afterward, my favorite part of this recipe was laying out the pear slice in the shell in a sunflower pattern. It's like a pretty little secret hidden under the cheesy filling.

This is great for the intermediately skilled home cook looking to expand his/her repertoire of favorites. The tart I made required that I know how to toast walnuts (dry in a pan is how we did it), separate eggs (crack the whole thing into a bowl and pick up the yolk with your fingers), handle fancy cheese (remove the foil but let the food processor handle the rind), and work with delicate dough (I used a big cake mover to transfer it to the tart pan). Many of the recipes in Savory Baking are sure to become family holiday favorites, and this book would make a fantastic gift for the foodie in your life who's looking for a new set of ideas to tackle. It's inspiring because of the clever ingredient combinations and "why didn't I think of that?" touches that really satisfy the itch to make something lovely and delicious. Check out my Flickr set with more pictures from the making of this recipe.

Book Giveaway Time!

Three lucky CRAFT winners will win a copy of this book, Savory Baking! Leave a comment on this post telling us why you want this book. Make sure to enter your email address in the form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed Wednesday, October 28th at noon PDT. The winners will be announced on the CRAFT Twitter feed later this week. Good luck!

AwareKnits: Knit & Crochet Projects for the Eco-Conscious Stitcher by Vickie Howell and Adrienne Armstrong

Our favorite knitter and crocheter Vickie Howell teams up with fellow knitter and environmentalist Adrienne Armstrong to create a unique book for us stitchers. (Adrienne also a sustainable living shop in Oakland, CA called The Atomic Garden and is wife of Green Day's Billie Joe.) AwareKnits: Knit & Crochet Projects for the Eco-Conscious Stitcher incorporates important facts and tidbits on sustainable living among a showcase of 31 eco-friendly patterns you can make. Their style is fun and conversational; it's not about pushing their ideas on you. It's a way for all of us busy crafters (and moms) to become more informed on the choices we make each day. I actually read this book cover to cover when I received it just to soak up all the informative tidbits! Learn everything about sustainable yarns to the carcinogenic dangers of dry cleaning. The two authors together bring a wonderful perspective on how we can become more green through our love of knitting and crochet.

I got a chance to talk to Vickie and Adrienne about AwareKnits and other fun stuff. Today is also Adrienne's birthday so Happy Birthday! Read on after the jump!

The dreamlike and the practical merge with objects modern and objects vintage in the new blog of San Francisco designer Teagan Tall. Teagan, who counts among her clients MAKE magazine and our own Craftzine, and has recently begun chronicling her art, her work, and things she loves. She includes diverse posts, ranging from high-end furniture and her collection of books, to papercut art and photography.

These pieces of bird-inspired art represent her ability to render the reality of nature using the softness of the ethereal. The story of her creative journey to arrive at them is modest and sweet:

Two years ago I decided to start finding uses for the stacks of old calendars and scrap paper I pack around with me like a greedy hermit crab. I began to sketch birds drawn from field guides onto the more undesirable side of my paraphernalia — the tree is made from the ghost prints of an old woodblock I did ages ago — and cut out the forms with an X-Acto. This project became one of the few art exercises I've done recently that didn't consume my mind with concept or execution — it was just scrap paper! I wasn't worried how they turned out, and this ended up being very liberating.

I love cupcakes, and I love baking, so I'm not quite sure why I had never actually tried to make cupcakes. My mini muffin tin holds tea lights. I didn't even own a regular-sized muffin tin. But my favorite cupcake place, Love at First Bite, is across the San Francisco Bay in Berkeley, and I just don't get there that often. That's probably a good thing for my waistline, but nonetheless, I jumped at the chance to try out the Cupcake Kit by Elinor Klivans from Chronicle Books.

The kit includes a few hundred adorable cupcake liners (half the reason to buy the kit!), a small cookbook with a bunch of really tasty-looking recipes, and a pastry bag with tips--pretty much everything you need except for the ingredients and the muffin tin.

And how are the recipes? They're great (and you can even peep a few for free on the Chronicle site): delicious, unusual (chocolate butterfly anyone?), and well-written. They're full of good tips about what to expect and how to get the best from your ingredients. The author warned that the batter would look curdled when I added lemon juice if the cream wasn't room temperature, and I'm glad she warned me so I didn't panic; the cupcakes I made turned out fine.

I tried out the Meyer Lemon Cupcake recipe with a friend, and I was thrilled with how easy it was and how delicious they were. (Case in point: there are only four cupcakes in my photo because a house guest ate two in the middle of the night without knowing they were waiting for a morning photo shoot in my kitchen!) I don't think I will ever make cream cheese frosting without lemon zest ever again; it's that delicious.

So here I am, still addicted to cupcakes, and now with the means to make them in my own house. Uh oh.

Believe me, you have no idea how excited I was to receive Amy Karol's second book, Bend the Rules with Fabric. Amy shows you how to personalize your fabric with stencils, stamps, dye, photo transfers, silk screening, and more. There are a great variety of projects for all different levels, including 9 no-sew projects for those that have yet to take the leap. A few of my favorites (pictured below) are the Painted Toile, the Lunch Bag where you print your own fabric, and the Aunt Sarah and Uncle Pete Dolls (how hilarious and fun!). Templates and patterns for the project are in the back of the book. In addition to projects, Amy also goes in depth on techniques. I love these as they are peppered in between projects. They are things that I've always wanted to try out such as printing images on fabric sheets, using Bubble Jet Set to make your own, or screen printing with Photoez, just to name a few. Amy includes a short bullet-list of benefits as well as drawbacks to each technique, so you can keep them in mind as you test them out. I could honestly stare at the pretty project photos all day. This is definitely a book for your craft collection!

Book Giveaway Time!
Three lucky CRAFT winners are going to win a copy of Bend the Rules with Fabric and a box of the Bend the Rules Gift Labels (pictured below). Wowza! Just leave a comment to this post and tell us why you want this book. Make sure you enter in your email address in the form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed on Friday, September 4th at Midnight PST. The winner will be announced next week on CRAFT. Good luck!

"Sister" Diane Gilleland's project guide to weaving without expensive equipment, Weaving Un-Loomed, comes to us as an e-book, elegantly situating itself somewhere between environmental consciousness and convenience. It starts up with an introduction to weaving's concepts and terms, then inspires you with pattern ideas and material choices.

The five projects inside really do have something for everyone, especially if you already have a bit of basic sewing experience. My favorite part about the projects is how easy it is to find the materials in your stash already. Twill tape and a bit of fabric become a funky woven tablecloth, old magazine pages become colorful woven jewelry, and don't even get me started on what I now want to do with my yarn stash! Not only are the actual weaving materials easy to find, but the tools are even easier. A stiff scrap of cardboard becomes a loom, and the tines of a fork are used to tighten up your work. This is the perfect introduction to weaving concepts if you're not sure you're into weaving yet.

If the idea of an e-book gives you pause, fear not. This 60-pager with big, bright photos is friendly to your shelf space and your printer because each project comes with a text-only instruction sheet designed to be printed by itself for crafting away from the warm glow of the screen.

Twill tape placemat:

Woven applique:

Throughout the e-book are links to resources for materials (bet your paper book can't do that), and at the end there's a resources section for more loom-less wonders. Check out Diane's page about the book, where you can download a free sample project! Happy weaving!

More:

• Checkin' In: PDX Crafter Sister Diane Gilleland
• Book Review: Kanzashi In Bloom by Diane Gilleland
  
• Pet Spotlight: Diane Gilleland's Cat Pushkin
  

Garth Johnson and Jeanée Ledoux have paired up to bring you an instructional DVD of eco-friendly craft projects called Re-Construct . The DVD format is really fresh, and watching Garth and Jeanée is captivating and quite relaxing at the same time. They are both talented artists whose unique personalities come through, complement one another, and keep things interesting. Their tone and format is so natural and casual it feels like they're hanging out in your living room teaching you how to make cool green crafts.

The DVD features 11 different projects made with second-hand materials, some built from scratch and others modding existing things you may have. The projects include High-Heel Hooks, a Cardboard Ottoman, the Starry Blender, Eggshell Planter, and Stenciled Pillow, to name a few. My favorite project, which I can't wait to make, is the Book Shelf, a floating shelf with hidden hardware fashioned from a vintage book (designed by Ezra Waltermaurer of Little Fish Furniture).

Garth and Jeanée make all the steps very clear and easy, while keeping it fun and quirky, all accented by the smooth, organ-infused lounge music in the background. And you can use the techniques they teach as inspiration and direction for other projects you dream up.

Crochet Adorned:Reinvent Your Wardrobe with Crocheted Accents, Embellishments, and Trims by Linda Permann
Web Site: LindaMade

We are so excited to be a part of Linda Perman's blog tour for her new book Crochet Adorned! I'd like to call myself a natural born knitter but in the last few years while working at CRAFT, I've been hit with the crochet bug. So when I got my copy of Crochet Adorned, let's just say I did my own happy dance in my head. As a fashion lover, I can't resist all the projects in the book because opening it is like reading the Anthropologie catalog. And here's the great part, you can use these patterns in the book to update your wardrobe at a budget! We all have old cardigans, shirts, and dresses that could use a bit more love, don't we? As a bonus, the Stitch Dictionary in the back is really like it's own little book. In there you'll find 100 stitches for trims, flowers, geometric shapes, as well as basic and popular crochet stitches. It's such a handy reference to have that I'll know I'll be able to refer to the pages in this book again and again.

(photo via CraftyPod)

My dream project from Crochet Adorned is this Breezy Tunic above. I love how the crochet trim that embellishes the sleeve is in perfect harmony with flowered print of the shirt.

Book Giveaway Time!
One lucky CRAFT winner will win a copy of Crochet Adorned! Just leave a comment to this post and tell us why you want this book. Make sure you enter in your email address in the form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed on Monday, August 17 at Noon PST. The winner will be announced next week on CRAFT. Good luck!

Read on for my interview with Linda Permann and find out more about Crochet Adorned and her tips for crochet and fashion.

I'm so excited that we are the first stop in Diane Gilleland's blog tour for her new book, Kanzashi In Bloom: 20 Simple Fold-and-Sew Projects to Wear and Give. Diane is well-known for her mulit-craft talents and for her podcast/blog, Crafty Pod. In true Diane form, this book does not disappoint! I didn't know much about Kanzashi before this book and Diane gives you the perfect 101 to this beautiful art form before you dive into specific projects. Learn the history of Kanzashi in Japan and then dive into the core techniques of how to make and design a flower. Once you have the essentials down, Diane gives you 20 projects you can make from hair ornaments, jewelry, brooches, embellishments to clothing, home decor, and more. A few of my favorite projects are pictured above: Fuzzy-Flower Scarf, Flower Garland, and Butterfly Jar toppers. The step-by-step photos (taken by Diane's mom, Pam) are fantastic and help showcase the intricate details of what to do. I'm looking forward to making projects from the book for friends and family. I'm even thinking I can get a jump start on the process of making holiday gifts with this book!

Book Giveaway
Guess what dear readers? Three lucky people will win a copy of this book! Just leave a comment to this post telling us why you want this book! (Make sure to include your email address in the form field so we can contact you. Won't be published.) Deadline for comments is Thursday, July 23rd at Noon PST. Good luck!

Read on for my interview with Diane and find out more about Kanzashi In Bloom and her tips for crafting.

Quick and easy baby projects have been on my mind lately and Lotta Jansdotter's new book, Simple Sewing for Baby: 24 Easy Projects for Newborns to Toddlers (published by Chronicle Books) is the perfect craft book for today's stylish babies and kids. In true Lotta "Simple Sewing" fashion, you'll be able to whip up some cute baby or toddler goods in no time. I see this fast becoming my "go-to" baby crafts book for inspiration, baby gifts, as well as things to make for my own daughter, Chloe. One project I know I'll make a lot of is the Simple Pants pattern. Chloe is tall for her age and she can grow out of pants so quickly! It's nice to know I can use up my fabric stash to make her some perfect fitting pants.

This spiral bound book also contains a pocket of patterns making it handy to keep everything organized. In addition to the fantastic photography by Meiko Takechi Arquillos, the book is also filled with Lotta's cute illustrations and fabric prints. I also love the personal touch Lotta brings to the book as a mom herself. It's wonderful to flip through the pages and see the beautiful photos of her son August throughout the book.

Pictured above are the Soft Letters which I want to make for Chloe's room and the cute Soft Rattle shaped like a giraffe.

Book Giveaway Time!
Three lucky CRAFT readers will get a chance to win this book! Just leave a comment to this post letting us know why you need this book. Please make sure you include your email address in the comment form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed by 10am Thursday, May 14th. The lucky winners will be announced later this week Good luck!

This Sunggler swaddle project pictured above will be featured in this Friday's CRAFT Pattern Podcast!

Book Launch Party Event
If you are in the SF/Bay Area, join Lotta Jansdotter at her book party at the Museum of Craft & Folk Art (51 Yerba Buena Lane in San Francisco) this Saturday, May 16th from 1pm-4pm.

As you may know, my craft of choice is embroidery. It's easy, inexpensive and feels a lot like coloring when I was a kid (which I loved to do, and still enjoy doing with my daughter). I love Lazy Daisys, French Knots and Feather Stitches. Any way to decorate fabric with needle and thread makes me happy. However, I've always avoided cross-stitch. It may go back to silly kits I tried to do as a kid, or even one I tried a few years ago that just led me to absolute frustration. I think my brain had a hard time looking at a blank canvas and understanding how to make the cross-stitched image somehow appear. So when I was given the opportunity to try out Miss Woolly's Mini Cross-Stitch book and kit, I was hesitant, but hopeful that this could be the key to finally breaking me in to this sister needlework.

Not only did Miss Woolly's kit break me in to cross-stitch, but it's left me more than a little obsessed with tiny, pixelated images. Miss Woolly (a.k.a. Eliza Edwards) gives clear instruction, and better yet, offers up a sampling of simple, fun projects that deliver the kind of opportunities for success that make newbies want to keep stitching.

The kit includes six skeins of embroidery floss, two tapestry needles, Aida cloth and a book full of instructions and 12 adorable patterns. The book also includes a blank chart for photocopying and alphabet and accent patterns so you can start designing your own cross-stitch projects.

I started stitching the cheeseburger pattern first, and was surprised by how easily and quickly it came together. It takes a little focus to keep up with where you are in the pattern, but because these projects are mini sized (each piece of Aida cloth for the projects is about the size of an index card) following the pattern wasn't overwhelming. Once I finished that project, I literally grabbed another rectangle and picked another pattern to try - it was that addictive. Over the last week, I've completed three of the cross-stitch patterns in the book, and that's just doing little bits here and there while I'm watching television.

As I was stitching one evening, my daughter came by and asked what I was going to do with the piece after I finished stitching. Fortunately, each pattern comes with a little sidebar project suggestion. And any of the cross-stitch patterns would work with any of the sidebar projects in the book, so there is a lot of possibility for fun here. (Although, right now, I'm having fun just looking at the little pieces I've completed so far)

This is a perfect kit for anyone starting out in cross-stitch. It has almost everything you need. All you have to add is a pair of small scissors. Because the kit comes packaged in a nice, sturdy box, I found myself just tossing the scissors in there with everything else and toted it around, waiting for any chance to stitch. (On a side note, Dear Moms of my son's tee ball team: I'm not anti-social, I just like to stitch ...)

The kit would also work for someone who has already tried cross-stitch and is looking for some cute patterns that can be worked up in a jiffy. And, at under $15, it would make a perfect gift. I highly recommend it! Enjoy!

I love jewelry-making but never realized that I could take my love further than just simple beading until I picked up this book, Chic Metal: Metal Jewelry to Make at Home by Victoria Tillotson (published by Potter Craft). I love the look of hammered silver and gold (I own a few pieces I've picked up at craft fairs) but I always thought it was way more complicated to make. As a jewelry-making professor at the School of Visual Arts in NY, Victoria Tillotson demystifies working with metal and gives you a great 101 to the craft. You really feel like you are one of her students with all her anecdotes and tips. Scared of working with all those tools? She starts you off easy in the first chapter with projects using the most basic tools such as wire cutters, pliers, hammer, and file. Then, Tillotson helps you build on these skills so that by the time you finish the book, you're soldering metal and using a dremel. The photography in the book is stunning and Tillotson's jewelry designs are just breathtaking. (See more of her designs on her web site.) You'll find yourself saying "wow" each time you flip the page to a new project. There are also illustrations of techniques for each project to help you along the way. I love the Scroll cuff (p.38) and the Starry Night Pendant (p.115) pictured below. Pick up this book for yourself or to make a gift for mom (Mother's Day is coming up!).

But there's more! Five lucky CRAFT readers are going to win a copy of Chic Metal! Just leave a comment in this post letting us know why you want this book. The deadline for entries is Thursday, April 23 at 10am PST. The winners will be announced later this week. Good luck!

I'm so excited that crafter Betz White is stopping by CRAFT today as a part of her blog tour for her new book, Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed & Organic Materials published by STC Craft | Melanie Falick Books. I've been a long time fan of her creative work and her new book just makes you want to spend all Spring and Summer crafting! All the projects in the book are beautiful and emphasize sustainability from the aprons constructed from men's dress shirts to the reusable sandwich wrap project. You'll love crafting these beauties and will feel great that you are doing your part by crafting green.

And guess what dear readers? We've got a book giveaway for you! Two lucky CRAFT readers are going to win a copy of Sewing Green! Just leave a comment in this post letting us know why you want this book. The deadline for entries is Thursday, April 9th at 11am (PST). The winners will be announced here on CRAFT on Friday. Good luck!

We also have a special treat for you to get crafting right away with a project from Sewing Green! Download the PDF for the Nature Produce Bags. Stop using those plastic produce bags in the grocery store and sew up these eco-friendly reusable bags to shop for your fruits and veggies. What a great idea!

But wait, there's more! Click for my Q&A with Betz White after the jump.

My new favorite book of the moment is Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A to Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration which debuts in bookstores tomorrow, March 31st. Not only is this book a concise craft compendium, it's eye candy and inspiration. Just flipping through the colorful pages makes me giddy with excitement to make something! The book is organized by craft techniques such as Beading, Etching Glass, or Silkscreening and within each section are a number of projects with illustrated how-to references or glossaries. For instance the Jewelry Making section has an illustrated guide on how to string beads and the Glittering section has a great visual glitter glossary so you can visually see the different types of glitter from shard glass to powder. I also love all the great tips filled throughout the book.

Here's the contents for the Techniques and Projects so you have an idea on the amazing breadth this book covers: Albums, Scrapbooks, and Memory Boxes, Beading, Block Printing, Botanical Pressing, Botanical Printing, Calligraphy, Candlemaking, Clay, Decoupage, Etching Glass, Fabric Flowers, Gilding, Glittering, Jewelry Making, Marbelizing, Mating and Framing, Mosaics, Nature Crafts, Origami and Paper Folding, Painting China and Glass, Paper Cutting and Punching, Paper Flowers and Birds, Photo Crafts, Pom-Pom Animals, Quilling, Rope Crafts, Rubber Stamping, Silkscreening, Soap Making, Tin Punching, Wirework, and Wreaths.

A few projects that look great to start with, especially for Mother's Day coming up are these vintage tea cup candles (p.99) and the beaded flower corsage (p.33). Heck, if your mom is a crafter herself, she'll love this book. I also love the entire section on glittering and the project to make the glittered birds pictured below (p.147). The back of the book contains all the project templates as well as a handy section listing craft tools and materials. From glues to scissors to ribbons, this section is great to let me know some of the items I'm missing in my craft supplies. (I totally need the circle cutter. Ok, I just really want one.) With over 400 pages of crafts, Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts is a must-have for any crafter because it's a book you'll find yourself going back to again and again for reference and inspiration.

To celebrate the release of Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts we have an huge giveaway for you!

• 1 lucky winner will receive a Martha Stewart Crafts prize package worth $100 plus a signed copy of Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts by Martha herself! (The prize package includes: a screw punch, doily lace edge punch, circle cutter, bone folder, tissue paper pompoms, butterfly holepunch, and bottles of glitter -- all from Martha Stewart Crafts.)
• 10 runners up will receive a copy of Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts

To enter the giveaway, email crownmarketing@randomhouse.com with the subject line: "Martha Stewart Crafts Prize Pack". Only one entry per person. Deadline for all entries are April 6th. Good luck!

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered!

When you're as fiber-obsessed as I am, you seek out all opportunities to expand your pallet and deplete your bank account. While visiting in-laws in the Baltimore area, crafty research directed me to Spinster Yarns & Fibers.

Living in the historical Lauraville neighborhood, Andrea Donato and her friends were having coffee one day and imagining what was missing from their community. Filling a niche and following her passion, Andrea decided to create an eco-friendly yarn haven for knit, crochet, and spin enthusiasts. Andrea is especially fond of their weekly Saturday Knit and Hook Night. "Everyone is welcomed," she said "and we get a little wild and crazy in here."

The reason I made my visit to Spinster was the custom batt station. I love needle-felting with batts, but I've never had the opportunity to create blends of my own. With well over a dozen glass candy jars full of fibers of all colors, textures, and origins to choose from, I could have stayed and made batts all day.

The orange and green batt, which I'm calling "Citrus Town" is made of merino, Romney, Border Leicester, and a tiny bit of sparkle. The rich pink and purple batt, which I named "Beyond Pepto" consists of Tencel, sparkle, Targhee, and Border Leicester.

Andrea took the fibers I chose, combed out the curlies, and with finesse and a whole lot of elbow grease, she conjured these beautiful batts for me. I can't wait to stab them.

January marked Spinster's 1st anniversary, and the yarn community is thriving. The store is packed full of beautiful yarn, fiber, and accessories, and there are a ton of classes to take, if you sign up early. Andrea's favorite part of teaching spinning class is the breakthrough moment when a student "...smiles and says 'I got it! I'm making yarn!'" She said, "That makes me so happy."

Spinster Yarn & Fiber
4337 Harford Rd # 1
Baltimore, MD‎, 21214
(410) 444-YARN

Website: spinsteryarnsandfibers.com
Blog: spinsteryarnsandfibers.blogspot.com

About the Author

Moxie is an artist and writer living in Seattle. She likes context, ice cream, and you.

I'm so excited about Alison Lewis' new book, Switch Craft: Battery-Powered Crafts to Make and Sew. Alison of Switch merges technology into fashion, home, and product design with 20 step-by-step projects. Each project in the book is easy to follow and has accompanying illustrated diagrams as well beautiful color photographs. I also love the spiral binding so the book can easily lay flat while you are working on a project. And, if you aren't technically savvy, no worries! Alison is an awesome teacher. She teaches fashion technology at Parsons and I've seen her teach first hand at the many workshops she's done at Maker Faire over the years. She walks you through the process -- teaching you about the materials, safety issues, and electronics. Just flipping through the colorful book is inspiring in itself.

Here are a few of my favorite projects from the book:

Pictured left is Pillow Talk, a pillow that lets you talk on your phone! Just hook it up your mobile phone and talk away. On the right, is the stylish Petal Shuffle newsboy hat. The hat hides your iPod shuffle and the beaded pedals allow you to control the volume and song choice. There's no soldering involved at all on this one so it's very easy to make.

This Firefly Bracelet merges sewing techniques along with electronic components to make it glimmer. Plus I'm in love with all the colors in the bracelet. This may have to be the first project I tackle.

Alison showed Maker Faire Austin attendees how to make this Shiny Clutch.

Catch up with Alison Lewis and updates on the book Switch Craft at the Switch Blog.

And if you are attending SXSW, don't miss Alison's panel:
The Convergence of High-End Design, Fashion and Technology
SXSW
Tuesday, March 17th
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Room 8

West Coast Crafty's Susan Beal has a new book out today, Button It Up: 80 Amazing Vintage Button Projects. If you are a lover of vintage buttons like me, this book is filled with projects to inspire you and keep you crafting. The variety of projects is fantastic -- learn how to turn your buttons into necklaces, earrings, rings and embellish napkins, curtains, bags, and more. I love the the photos in the book and the detailed illustrations that take you through the steps of making the projects. Many of the projects in the book would be fantastic and easy gifts to make for friends and loved ones.

Here are just a few of my favorites:

Triple Dip Feedsack Necklace

Button Embellished Handbag

Check back here on Friday at Noon when this Loop-D-Loops curtain project will be available for download in our CRAFT Pattern Podcast.

We are giving away 2 copies of Button It Up to 2 lucky CRAFT readers! Just leave a comment in this post and tell us why you need this book! Please make sure you include your email address in the comment form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed by 10am Wednesday, March 4th. The lucky winners will be announced on Thursday on the CRAFT blog. Good luck!

Join the Button It Up Flickr Group and share the projects you've made from this book!

Terrariums are getting a new life these days and I am loving this new book, The New Terrarium: Creating Beautiful Displays for Plants and Nature by Tovah Martin. For those of us who are city and apartment dwellers, this is a great way to bring in a mini-garden into your home. The project ideas are endless in this book and there are a lot for those of us who don't have a natural green thumb. I love the idea of collecting various ferns and plants and collecting them together into this decorative ecosystem. You'll love all the inspirational photos and the various jars or cases you can use to create the terrarium you want. Spring's coming soon and this is a perfect book to have in your gardening/craft collection.

Now, here's your chance to get a FREE copy of The New Terrarium! We are giving away this book to 5 lucky CRAFT readers! Just leave a comment in this post and tell us why you need this book! Please make sure you include your email address in the comment form field (won't be published). All comments will be closed by 10am Thursday, Feb 26. The lucky winners will be announced on Friday on the CRAFT blog. Good luck!

Pet Projects came into the office recently, and I have to admit a high degree of skepticism at first. Does the world really need another book of pet knits? Even if it does, is it really likely that someone who has a horse will also have a dog, a cat, a turtle, a hamster, and some goldfish??

After taking the book home, however, I began to see the light. Sure, you may not have all of those creatures in your life, but you probably know a few people who have one of them. And the projects are cute. Heck, some of them are cute enough to make even if you don't have a pet.



My favorite project is undoubtedly the recycled plastic bag water lilies. Sure, your goldfish might like them, but they'd also make a great centerpiece, floating in a bowl of water in the dead of winter. And what a great way to reuse plastic bags! (How many plastic bag totes and bathmats do you really need?)



This charming knit blue ribbon is another project that caught my eye; I do indeed know a bunch of horsey people, but I can also imagine giving this to a friend as congratulations for getting into grad school or running their first marathon or just because you think they're awesome.

Most of the projects are much more pet-centric, of course. There are a bunch of classy dog sweaters, some collars and chew toys (although I'm doubtful they'll last long), a really nice bean bag cushion, a wire knit bird feeder, and, perhaps most useful, an anti-firework balaclava for dogs (a really cute little hat with knit rosettes over the ears to muffle the scary sounds). I could go on, but if your interest is piqued, you should probably just check out the book yourself!

I also noticed that the authors have a long pedigree themselves: they made the totally hot sheep sweater Princess Diana wore in the early 80s (scroll down the page for a glam shot) and have several pieces of knitwear in the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (if you ever have a chance to visit this museum, do it; it's heaven for anyone interested in fashion, the decorative arts, and design).

Enjoy, you crafty animal lovers!

Just to continue the accidental baby theme I notice we've got going on here, I thought I'd post up some baby mittens I'm working on from Kris Percival's Knitting to Go deck from Chronicle.

I've been looking for a good, quick knit project for all my friends who are having babies right now--booties are great, but they're always a little more time-consuming than I want them to be, and I've missed the size window more than once! These mittens are the perfect thing for winter babies. (Although a friend pointed out that they could protect even summer babies from scratching themselves if knit in a light cotton yarn.) An average speed knitter can easily finish them in a solid afternoon, or they'd be the perfect thing to knit in odd moments over a weekend.

The pattern is rated "Difficulty Level 3", but I found it really easy to do (if you know how to knit in the round, increase and decrease, you're set). Joining the first few rows is a little tricky just because the work is so darn small, so that may be why it rates for difficulty! (As you can see in the photo, with k1, p1 ribbing, the cuff is tiny!) I didn't make things any easier for myself by choosing a fuzzy, lace-weight yarn instead of the recommended fingering weight yarn, but I think they're really cute. I just moved up a size in the needles required to make the gauge. (Tip: if you're looking for small-sized double-pointed needles and you happen to have a set up Pick Up Sticks lying around, you might have just what you need! It turns out the sticks are just the right length, smoothness and sharpness to stand in for DPNs, and by checking them against a needle size card I have, I found a set of size 2s and size 3s just waiting to be repurposed!)

I love the card deck format of Knitting to Go, which came out a few years ago: each pattern is printed on a folded card with a difficulty rating and really clear instructions (there's a separate card that has all of the abbreviations). It's so nice to just toss your yarn, needles and the card in a bag without lugging the whole pattern book around, or squinting at a photocopy, and the card's much sturdier than a print-out. I'm looking forward to trying some of the other patterns in the book (there are a bunch of baby and toddler projects, which is great for me, but there's also a cute knit belt, a man's sweater that doesn't look too intimidating, some patterned shawls and throws, and even some adult-sized mittens). The infant mittens are definitely going to be a staple for me, though! They're adorable, and the perfect thing to use up odds and ends of yarn.

Cool Hunting has a book review up about Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces by Robert Shaw. From the review:

Hawaii's geographic isolation is a blessing and curse. Though often lacking the attention of their continental neighbors, the separation helps fosters a distillation and refinement of native style. In the late 19th century, western traders brought quilting techniques to the archipelago. And for the next hundred years, natives injected the art with their own regional distinctiveness, namely botanical imagery and vibrant, symmetrical patterns Print styles passed through generations like sacred heirlooms and often depict moments from personal or Hawaiian history.

It's not quite out yet, but you can pre-order on Amazon.

Decorating Pumpkins and Gourds by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell

This is a gorgeous and creative little book, chock-full of great things to do with gourds. If you're like me, you still have a few sitting around from Halloween and Thanksgiving, and now you can transform them into decorations for Christmas or New Year's Eve (although frankly, many of the ideas would be beautiful to have around the house year round). The author explains how to choose a gourd, demonstrates a bunch of carving techniques, and then has a plethora of great projects, from turning a Little Gem pumpkin into a tea light holder to packing a carved Kabocha squash full of fairy lights. My favorites are her Pierced Gourd Lanterns, which look like porcelain, and the pale green Bengali gourd lamps (both can be seen inset in the cover image). They can be cured and reused year after year. I had no idea what I'd been missing when I just assumed pumpkins were for All Hallows Eve!



Lye in Wait and Heaven Preserve Us but Cricket McRae

This pair of Home Crafting Mysteries would make a great present for the mystery-addicted crafter you know. I loved Lye in Wait (but haven't read Heaven Preserve Us yet); it had been years since my Agatha Christie days, but I dove right in. It's a light, quick read with fun characters and even a little romance thrown in for good measure. I'm not a soap maker myself, but Sophie Mae, the crafter who discovers a dead body in her workroom, makes soap for a living, so it was fun to learn about the process as she simultaneously unraveled the mystery.



Crafternoon by Maura Madden

This would be a fun gift to give to a bunch of people you want to lure into crafting and would like to spend more time with! While a touch too basic for people who are already pretty handy, it's a nice guide to a wide range of how-to projects, like quilting, quilling, jewelry-making and knitting. I like that Madden includes recipes to make for group crafting sessions, too!

Cushions, Quilts & Throws by Lucinda Ganderton and Lucy Berridge

This book is full of eye candy and thoughts on creating, well, cushions, quilts and throws. Some are a little more involved, like making your own chunky mattress cushions, but others just involve simple techniques, like elegant cut-out flower motifs bonded onto white net with an iron or attaching flea-market costume jewelry to an already-existing pillow. The book covers a ton of decorative styles and techniques to recognize at the flea market, like broderie anglaise, but also teaches techniques like ladder hem stitch.

Handmade Hellos by Eunice Moyle and Sabrina Moyle (Chronicle Books)
Buy the Book ($19.95)

I don't usually think of myself as a paper crafter--my comfort zone is definitely sewing--but the new book Handmade Hellos has me positively itching to break out the paper and glue. Created by Eunice and Sabrina Moyle (who run the Hello! Lucky Letterpress company), Handmade Hellos features a heap of clever card ideas from some of today's hottest crafters and designers, including The Small Object, Binth, Shim + Sons and more. There's a card idea for every occasion in here, and you can experiment with a bunch of different techniques from simple stamping and collage to creating pop-ups and screenprints. These cards are total works of art you can send off in the mail, and you've gotta love that.

This week's CRAFT Pattern Podcast features an excerpt from Handmade Hellos: Amy Karol's Photo Ornament Holiday Card. Download our free PDF to learn how to make this adorable holiday card that doubles as a reusable wooden ornament.

Download the Pattern PDF | Subscribe in iTunes

Also! One lucky Craftzine reader will win a copy Handmade Hellos! Just leave a comment on this post by 11am PST on Saturday, December 13 telling us why you need this book. Please make sure your e-mail address is included in your profile so we can contact you if you win.

Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines by Kay Gardiner & Ann Shayne

Buy the book ($19.77)

Mason-Dixon Knitting blog

This isn't your average book of knitting patterns. Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne have wit, insight, and "true confessions" about knitting that makes Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines read more like a sketchbook or journal than a pattern book, and it's a pleasure. Oh, and the projects are nice, too. Take the mystery out of Fair Isle, knit a sweater a kid would actually want to wear, make a lampshade or kitchen duster, and laugh a whole lot in between. A lot of patterns and collections try to ignore the awkwardness and disappointment that accompanies knitting projects, but Kay and Ann embrace those things and manage to worth through them with the reader to not only make the specific projects in the book, but to actually become a better knitter.

CRAFTERNOON: A Guide to Getting Artsy and Crafty With Your Friends All Year Long by Maura Madden
Buy the Book ($16.95)
CRAFTERNOON: The Web site
CRAFTERNOON: The Blog

CRAFTERNOON is a book that speaks directly to the heart and soul of what I love about crafting: connecting with other people while engaged in the creative process. Maura Madden's new book, CRAFTERNOON: A Guide to Getting Artsy and Crafty With Your Friends All Year Long, lays out the tools, projects, tips and even snack recipes so readers can easily put together their own Crafternoon groups and get to makin' stuff with friends and family in a relaxed, fun setting.

Initially, I just loved the idea of an actual guide that motivates people to craft together for the simple pleasure of having fun and connecting with one another. Creating community through crafting is one of my mantras. But as I started reading the book, I fell in love with Madden's wit, her glowing stories of crafting with her mom, and - mostly - with her preaching of pressure-free crafting and an embrace of imperfection.

Crafternoon is all about being around friends who support your work, who encourage your growing craftiness, and who inspire and get inspired by you. Crafternoon is about getting back to the roots of crafting. It's about getting pleasure out of the process as much as the product. It's about making room for the input of other crafter and allowing yourself to be open to new ideas. It's about the contentment you feel when you are surrounded by happily crafting friends, friends who can see the beauty in imperfection, the pleasure of happy mistakes.

A philosophy on crafting and community doesn't get much better than that.

Each month in the CRAFTERNOON book outlines everything from project supplies, tips and resources, to recipes for snacks and even provides a sample email you can send to friends to get them to come to your Crafternoon gathering. It's a great source of inspiration (not to mention humor - Madden's writing is easy to read and hilarious) and a nice departure from typical project-only craft books.

Another important presence in the book is Madden's mother - whose warm personality and gentle guidance is what brought heart to the initial Crafternoon gathering. Reading Madden's account of crafting with her mom, and the influence her mother had on Madden's work and perspective is sweet without being corny and leaves me wishing I could sit in on a Crafternoon with Madden and her mom.

So often, I hear friends saying they want to get together and get crafty, but never seem to pull it off. CRAFTERNOON is the perfect remedy to all that. It takes the guesswork out of planning the event and serves as a fantastic catalyst to get your craft on, community style. And for that, it's one of my all-time favorite craft books.

And Craftzine readers are in luck! We've got a copy of CRAFTERNOON to giveaway to one lucky winner. Just leave a comment to this post and tell us why you need this book. (Please make sure your email address is in your profile so we can contact you if you win.) All comments will be closed at 9PM PST on Friday, October 31. The lucky winner will be announced on the Craftzine blog on Monday, November 3. Good luck, have fun, and tell your friends!

Here's a little more background on author, Maura Madden, and why she wrote the book.

What made you decide to take your Crafternoons and translate them into a book?  
My dear friend Emilie thought that it would be a good idea for a book. It was really all her idea! But once I started thinking about it, I really got excited. The goal of the book is to inspire people everywhere to host their own Crafternoons. If I can do that, I will be so happy. 

How does hosting/attending Crafternoons make you feel?   
Crafternoons are mentally refreshing. But if you're the host, they take a lot of energy, too. Being a good host of a Crafternoon is the same as being a good host at any party - you run around a lot, you make sure that everyone has something to craft, someone to talk to and something to drink. And that can be a little bit tiring, but so very worth it, 'cause you get love and good times in return.  

What's the most common excuse you hear people make on why they can't come to a Crafternoon, and how do you overcome those excuses?  
It's usually some form of "I'm not really a crafty person" or "I'm just not creative." It can be really hard to convince certain people that everyone has the potential to be creative and crafty. I just try to be encouraging, and I explain that Crafternoon is not about competitive, perfectionist crafting - it's about having fun and letting your imagination take the spotlight for a few hours. I also let them know that Crafternoon is more about the process of communal crafting than about some perfectly crafted end product. If all else fails, I just tell them there will be lots of cool folks there. And if they're single, I like to remind them that there will be lots of cool single folks there. That often seals the deal.

 
How do guests usually respond to their time at Crafternoons?  
People have an overwhelmingly positive response to Crafternoon. They leave happy and inspired. The experience is really gratifying. And I know they're not just saying so, because they come back, and they bring friends.  

Describe your favorite Crafternoon experience you've had:  
It's impossible for me to pick just one experience, because each Crafternoon is so unique and cool, and there are so many great moments every time. But watching any self-described "uncreative" person try their hand at a craft project and really get into it - that's satisfying every time.  

What tips do you have for folks who are interested in starting a Crafternoon group, but aren't sure if they are quite ready to commit to it?
You certainly don't have to do a Crafternoon every month. You can start out by throwing one to see how it goes, and even then you can just throw them whenever you feel like throwing them. And if you do want to make it a monthly gathering, but you don't want to have all the responsibility of choosing the date, hosting the afternoon and being the point person, you can recruit a group of friends to be rotating Crafternoon hosts. And that way you get to experience new craft environments each time!  

How do you maintain playful crafting time in your busy work schedule? 
You just have to make time. It can be very hard, and believe me, there have been periods when I thought I would never have time to host another Crafternoon. But important things like crafting and spending time with those you love - you just have to set aside time for that.  

How would you describe your philosophy on living a creative, independent life vs. working for "The Man?"  
It's funny, because technically I work for "The Man." I have a full time job in an office, and it's a very creative company and a great place to work, but it definitely qualifies as working for "The Man". But I'd like to think that I can inspire other "Employees of The Man" that you can find time in your life to be creative, and, in fact, it's imperative to find that time. Because humans are creative creatures - isn't that what distinguishes us from the other animals that roam the earth? It's not just our creation of governments and currency - it's our creation of ritual, of art, of writing, of performance. It's our desire to express something. I firmly believe that we humans must express ourselves to feel whole and happy. So my philosophy is just lead an independent, creative life in your own independent way, which may include working for "The Man" to put food on the table, or may mean living off the grid, growing your own food. As long as you prioritize your creativity and community, you can live a creative life.  

How does your relationship with your mom affect how/why you craft?  My mom is the reason why I craft. She is an incredibly creative person, and, obviously, an incredibly crafty person. It's kind of astonishing how many types of crafts she is good at, but she is an especially phenomenal knitter and seamstress. And we really get along, so it's fun for us to hang out together and craft. I wouldn't have begun hosting these parties if it wasn't for my mom. She inspired them!  

As for how the relationship affects how I craft? Well, it's funny, because my mom is actually a very precise and patient crafter, the polar opposite of my crafting style. But maybe that's where the rebel in me comes out. I like to do things my way, and maybe I don't always want to do what my mom tells me. Besides, I know she'll love whatever I make, so I can't go wrong when I'm crafting with my mom. I also try to impart that feeling to my Crafternooners - nothing is wrong at Crafternoon.  

What's the one crafting supply you can't live without and why? 
My imagination. Oh, and glue sticks. I love a good glue stick. Liquid glue is great, but paper collages, which I love to make, require a glue stick. And every craft requires your imagination. I cannot live without that.