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Check out these recommended reads, hand-picked by library staff just for readers like you!

 

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My Crocheted Home

Salena Baca

Personalize your home with handmade crochet!

Crocheting items for the home provides a wonderful opportunity to display and enjoy your handmade items every day. Adorn your dining room with a beautiful wall hanging, plants in textured cozies, and the Elm Placemats and Runner. Snuggle into the cozy Arrowwood Throw with your head on a crocheted pillow and your feet propped up on the Wow Ottoman. Crochet baskets and caddies for every room--they can be made to match your decor and are both stylish and functional.

Salena Baca has a knack for creating crochet patterns with interesting texture and design elements while using only the basic crochet stitches. All patterns presented in this book are suitable for a beginner to intermediate crocheter, so grab your hook and yarn and get started. You'll love seeing and using your crochet all around your home!

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The Beginner's Guide to Knitting

Lynne Rowe

Unlock the art of knitting: Expert guidance, easy projects, and essential tips to begin your knitting journey with confidence!

Renowned knitting expert Lynne Rowe will be your trusted mentor, walking you through every step of the way. With Lynne's expert guidance, you'll effortlessly learn how to hold your needles, select the perfect yarn, decipher knitting patterns, execute various stitches, employ seamless sewing techniques, and conquer your very first knitting projects.

Lynne's friendly approach, easy-to-follow advice and clear tutorials will ease you into the welcoming world of knitting. By taking small steps and familiarizing yourself with the knitting terminology and techniques, you'll swiftly grasp the basics and become a confident knitter in no time at all.

There are 8 bright and contemporary projects, each clearly set out with easy-to-follow patterns. Choose from:

  • Tranquility spa set
  • Cozy scarf
  • Hygge headbands
  • Color block cushion
  • Baby blanket
  • Bunting
  • Ribbed beanie hat
  • Fingerless mittens

What makes this book truly exceptional is that each project progressively builds upon your knitting skills, so you'll soon be creating your own knitted wearable accessories and home décor items with all things bright and woolly!

Whether you aspire to knit heartfelt gifts for loved ones, express your creativity through handmade fashion, or simply find solace in the rhythmic motions of knitting, this book has everything you need to get started.

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Stitches and Seams

Valeria Carrandi Macias

Learn the essential skills you need to create garments and textile crafts from scratch!

Welcome to the wide and wonderful world of sewing! You have your sewing machine at the ready--now what? For those DIYers who are ready to dive into garment and textile craft creation, Stitches and Seams teaches you essential skills that every beginner needs to know. Author and acclaimed sewing teacher Valeria Carrandi Macias walks new sewists through everything they need to get started with sewing projects, from necessary tools and gear to essential skills, like inserting a zipper, making straight stitches and clean corners, and how to use patterns. Valeria also offers indispensable information about the vast sewing vocabulary, fabric selection, and making measurements for fitting.

Stitches and Seams is the book you'll need not only to immerse yourself in the nuts and bolts of sewing, but also to get you going on your machine with helpful preparation exercises, practical tips, and detailed instructions for five unisex sewing projects that put your new knowledge into action.

Learn to make:

-A coaster and table mat set

-An apron

-A zippered pouch

-Pajama set with top and shorts

-A tote bag to haul your fabric and sewing gear

The journey to making your own wardrobe begins here, with your very first stitches and seams.

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Get Messy Art

Caylee Grey

Getting messy is the best part of creating! Get Messy Art gives you the freedom, inspiration, and ideas to experiment and play with art techniques and projects to create perfectly imperfect art.

We’re always told that play and experimentation is the foundation of growing as an artist. But where do you start? Where to find new techniques to try? How do you bring them all together? Get Messy Art has all the guidance, instruction, and inspiration you need. Based on the popular online class and community website Get Messy Art, this book brings together tons of creative art techniques and projects, including painting with watercolor and acrylic, mark-making, drawing with markers and pen and ink, sketching faces, and much more.

The fun doesn’t stop there. You’ll also learn how to make your own art journals and trendy junk journals—easy handmade books to work in that are personalized and one of a kind.

In Get Messy Art you’ll discover:

  • A welcoming environment that encourages play and experimentation, to help you become the artist you always wanted to be.
  • How to use no-rules, no-stress art techniques as a creative outlet to express feelings.
  • Actionable inspiration that will keep you going, even when motivation is scarce.
  • Fresh techniques that will show you innovative ways to use low-cost supplies such as paint and mediums, stencils, pens, and paper.
  • Easy background techniques that will get you started and banish fear of the blank page.
  • The satisfaction of making your own unique journals using simple methods.

Ultimately, art is all about creating for the sake of creating. It’s powerful, it’s cathartic, it’s messy—and it’s all yours. It’s time to get messy!

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The Big Book of Happy Crafts

Lucia Mallea

It's time to get crafty! Join internationally renowned artist and content creator Lucia Mallea on a fun and colorful crafting journey through 24 stylish projects.

From stunning paper flowers and cheerful party decorations to DIY home décor and even stylish fashion accessories, readers will learn how to elevate inexpensive craft supplies into stunning works of art like cake stands, flower curtains, parrot earrings, statement stars, and more. Each project includes frustration-free step-by-step instructions and gorgeous photos of the finished results. Readers will discover how to choose the right tools, master basic techniques, and add fun embellishments to their creations. And the best part? This book includes handy ready-to-go templates and a bonus pullout project. It's time for readers to gather their friends, break out the glue guns, and craft themselves happy!

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Kawaii Doodle Café

Faith Varvara

Your table is ready . . . Learn to draw over 100 adorable doodles of your favorite snacks, desserts, drinks, and more!

Welcome to the Kawaii Doodle Café, where popular kawaii artist Faith Varvara shows you how to draw over 100 cute and tasty foods, both sweet and savory, with easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials, including breakfast, lunch, snacks, à la carte items, pastries, desserts, and drinks, along with tableware. This adorable book includes:
 

  • A simple drawing style perfect for beginner artists of all ages.
  • Delectable foods and drinks from around the world, including Tiramisu, Crème Brûlée, Strawberry Parfait, Avocado Toast, Breakfast Burrito, Japanese Omurice, Bubble Tea, and much more!
  • A cozy café aesthetic.
  • A fun introduction about the café and its cute, talented staff.
  • Tips for drawing and coloring your foods.
  • Endless options to customize the foods to create your own feasts. 
  • Coloring pages.


Soon enough, you’ll be a regular customer, filling your sketchbook with a delicious memory every time you visit.

Keep doodling away as you collect all the fun books in the Kawaii Doodle series, which include: Kawaii Doodle Class, Mini Kawaii Doodle Class, Kawaii Doodle Cuties, Mini Kawaii Doodle Cuties, Kawaii Doodle World, Kawaii Kitties, and Kawaii Doggies.

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A Year of Granny Squares

Kylie Moleta

Discover the versatility and timelessness of the granny square, with 52 granny squares to take you through every week of the year!

"This crochet book is a standout for its colorful seasonal designs that will bring out crafters' creativity all year. An adorable purchase". LIBRARY JOURNAL

Kylie Moleta has designed these colorful, creative, and diverse squares with the changing seasons in mind. From lacy, lightweight summer squares to heavier, textured designs for when it gets chilly. From charming florals to geometric patterns, each granny square is a mini-masterpiece waiting to be brought to life by your skilled hands.

4 seasonal projects are included, with the flexibility to use many of the 6 x 6in. (15 x 15cm) squares in them. Here, you'll find designs for all skill levels, written patterns, and corresponding charts to suit every kind of crocheter. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced crocheter, there's something for everyone in this captivating collection.

Featuring clear instructions, detailed stitch diagrams, and stunning photography, "A Year of Granny Squares" ensures that you have all the tools you need to embark on your crochet adventure with confidence. Expand your skills, learn new techniques, and watch your crochet expertise grow throughout the year.

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Water Paper Paint

Heather Jones

This book is not only for "painters" but for all types of creative individuals who want to experience and play with watercolor, whether their background is mixed-media, textile art, journaling, or paper craft. Unlike the typical watercolor text books, this unique, beautiful volume is a field book of inspiration, creative ideas, how to's, and projects, all from an artist's perspective. Each creative exercise features a technique, shows step-by-step photographs, and includes a clever idea for a gift or project that can be made from the painted samples.

 

 

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Papier Mache

Sarah Hand

Papier mache is back—and not just for kids! In this third book in the Art Makers series, artists of all skill levels, crafty families, and others will love learning to work with their hands to make and then create with papier mache. 

The perfect tactile and environmentally conscious art form, papier mache uses simple, affordable, and recyclable tools and can be made easily at home. This accessible guide covers the tools, materials, and techniques for making papier mache, followed by step-by-step projects for making quirky, whimsical, folk art–inspired:

  • Home decor
  • Gifts
  • Jewelry
  • Dolls
  • Animal figurines
  • And much more

Art Makers: Papier Mache is the perfect book for anyone wanting to get started with this fun, easy technique, or for those who want to revisit the joy of making papier mache from their childhood.

The Art Makers series is designed for beginning artists and arts-and-crafts enthusiasts who are interested in experiencing fun hands-on mediums, including polymer clay and embroidery.

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Knitted Wild Animal Friends

Louise Crowther

Go wild with this brand new collection of adorable knitted wild animal toys and their clothes and accessories by best-selling author Louise Crowther.

After the success of Knitted Animal Friends, Louise has created knitting patterns for 12 new, wild animals including a zebra, elephant, lion, tiger, chimpanzee, sloth, koala, bear, hippopotamus, panda, giraffe and even a rhinoceros - all with their own distinct personal style!

The animal dolls all have the same basic body shape and size so that all of the outfits are interchangeable (they also work for the dolls in Knitted Animal Friends too), so you can mix and match your favourites.

Whether you love Charlie the Chimpanzee's casual outfit of rainbow striped cardigan, shorts and sneakers, or Sophie the Tiger's more formal pink ruffle dress which is perfect for a birthday celebration, there is a something for everyone. Edward the Sloth likes to take it easy and relaxes in comfy pyjamas a fluffy robe and slippers when he's kicking back, whereas Hugo the Zebra is always up for an adventure and enjoys wearing his red and white dungarees so he's ready for anything.

Louise's attention to detail means that every outfit fits perfectly and you will enjoy creating all the details that make each one so distinctive. There are instructions for how to construct the animal dolls and outfits as well as step-by-step photography for any unusual techniques. Louise also explains how to follow charts for the colourwork details in the outifts, as well as step-by-step tutorials for any special stitches.

There are so many possibilities for animal and outfit changes so that you can make the perfect doll for the cheeky monkeys in your life.

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Friends: The One with the Crochet

Lee Sartori

Crochet your favorite characters, iconic outfits, delightful décor, and more from the beloved sitcom, Friends!

There’s nothing better than enjoying an activity with your friends! Gather yours and re-create iconic moments with this deluxe collection of over 25 official patterns for amigurumi, housewares, costume replicas, inspired apparel, and more both inspired by and pulled directly from the hit TV show, Friends. Featuring patterns for all skill levels, beautiful full-color photography, step-by-step instructions, and clearly presented charts and schematics, Friends: The One with the Crochet is the ultimate crocheter’s guide to the show that’s always been there for you.

PROJECTS FOR ALL SKILL LEVELS: This comprehensive, officially licensed guide includes fun projects for every skill level and a wide range of stitches and techniques.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: Includes meticulous step-by-step instructions and easy-to-understand charts and schematics.

25+ ORIGINAL PATTERNS: More than 25 unique Friends-inspired patterns including patterns for amigurumi, housewares, costume replicas, inspired apparel and more.

GORGEOUS PHOTOS: With beautiful full-color photography and iconic images from the show, this is the perfect way to celebrate Friends.

COMPLETE YOUR FRIENDS COLLECTION: Also available are Friends: The Official Cookbook, Friends: The Official Central Perk Cookbook, Friends: The Official Recipe Journal, Friends: The Official Advent Calendar, Friends: Yellow Frame Softcover Notebook, and more!

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Linocut

Sam Marshall

A step-by-step guide on how to create personal and contemporary linocut prints.

A linocut is a relief print created by carving a design into a printing block. It is the uncut surface, not the carved away areas, that gives you your image when you roll it with ink, lay paper on top then apply pressure to produce a print. 

With 18 easy-to-follow projects that can be adapted to suit your own ideas, experienced printmaker Sam Marshall guides you through the whole process – from the drawing to the carving to the inking to the printing – of creating your own beautiful prints and handmade cards whether you are working from your kitchen table or a more advanced studio set-up. 

By taking inspiration from everyday life, Sam helps you to build your confidence with observational drawing. Featuring step-by-step projects, the book demonstrates a range of skills with low-cost materials to produce simple linocuts, reduction linocuts and colourful multi-block prints. You will also learn more experimental techniques such as combining monoprint, chine collé, jigsaw linocuts and rainbow rolls and pick up handy tips on subjects such as 'noise' and editioning your prints. 

Beautifully illustrated with photographs of Sam's own drawings and linocuts, and featuring the work of 5 talented printmakers, Linocut is an essential guide to linocut printmaking. Packed with creative and practical advice to guide and encourage you, whether you're just starting out, returning to the craft or looking to expand your printmaking skills.

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Crepe Paper Blooms, Bugs and Butterflies

Eileen Lim

Step into the vibrant world of Crepe Paper Blooms, Bugs and Butterflies with Miss Petal & Bloom, a.k.a. Eileen Lim.

In this beautifully illustrated guidebook, internationally acclaimed artist Eileen reveals her secrets to crafting whimsical blooms and insects using 180gsm Italian crepe paper. To begin, the materials and basic techniques are broken down in detail, making this a perfect book for beginners.

In the Blooms chapter, you'll learn how to create a host of flowers that will never wilt, including a sunflower, a rose, two kinds of peonies, a dahlia, a ranunculus, oriental poppies, anemones, hydrangeas and a magnificent king protea. Eileen also demonstrates simple ways to transform your handmade flowers into lovely bouquets - perfect as gifts for your loved ones.

In the Bugs and Butterflies chapters, you'll be introduced to a collection of quirky crepe paper insects, such as two spectacular moths, two butterflies, colourful beetles, a dragonfly and a chubby little bumblebee, plus a fun range of display ideas.

Finally, in the Potted Plants chapter, Eileen shares techniques for making a variety of plants, as well as tips on how to pot them. These include daffodils, irises, orchids, delphiniums, tulips, foxgloves and gorgeous succulents that you'll never need to water.

With step-by-step photos for all projects, accompanied by full-size templates, you'll be inspired to give this addictive craft a go, and create beautiful paper blooms, bugs and butterflies for all occasions.

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Crafting with Digital Cutting Machines

Libby Ashcraft

Discover a new approach to crafting! Perfect for sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, and a variety of other arts and crafts, digital cutting machines are changing the way people enjoy their favorite hobbies. Whether you're in the market to buy one or are looking for guidance and inspiration, this complete how-to manual is here to help. With overviews on the top three brands - Cricut, Silhouette, and Brother - clear instructions for foolproof preparation and cutting different materials, technique tutorials, handy hacks, unique fabric-based step-by-step projects, and so much more, Crafting with Digital Cutting Machines will help you make the most of your machine! Author Libby Ashcraft has been teaching sewing, embroidery, and embroidery software for over 20 years. She has expanded her expertise to include electronic cutters, including the Silhouette Cameo and Brother ScanNCut. As a licensed instructor, Libby travels around the country to lead workshops and classes at various summits and events.

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Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square

Margherita Cole

Draw unique cartoon characters using simple geometric shapes!

In Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square, professional artist and My Modern Met contributor Margherita Cole offers easy-to-follow instruction for using basic shapes to draw cute cartoon characters.

Her approach is simple: All you need are basic drawing tools and shapes to cartoon! The book features dozens of drawing projects and step-by-step instruction perfect for beginning and aspiring artists, cartoonists, illustrators, pen and graphite artists, and many others.

Each project combines simple geometric shapes—including circles and triangles and squares but also ovals, rectangles, and more—to draw adorable, cartoon-inspired artwork, including cartoon:

  • Heads
  • Faces
  • Bodies
  • Unique characters
  • Animals, such as elephants
  • And more!


Cartooning can be easy—with the right instruction! Learn to draw cartoon characters and more using geometric shapes with Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square.

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