Hobbies, Games & Quizzes Books

Book SynopsisOver the last forty years, Cousin Sal has made bets with doctors, lawyers, teachers, agents, bookies, writers, comedians, radio DJs, tv producers, baseball players, front office executives, bandleaders, movie stars, publicists, weed lab owners, hedge fund operators, and even professional wrestlers. From his early days growing up in Brooklyn and Long Island flipping baseball cards to now hosting podcasts and TV shows and managing several offshore accounts we don't talk about, Cousin Sal has truly become the average American sports fan's go to source for gambling tips.So here's how not to do it . . .With hilarious tales of love and loss, winning and (a lot) of losing, crazy family and fatherhood, and a life saga that inspired the Phil Collins' song, "Against All Odds," Cousin Sal has now written THE Vegas super-system, MIT-algorithmic, sharp-approved book for how to gamble like a pro -- or at least not how not to go broke and lose your kids to Child Protective Services.

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Book SynopsisA real life Queen's Gambit, this captivating memoir tells the story of one of the most renowned women in chess history, Susan Polgar, taking on a sexist establishment, standing up to an authoritarian empire and rewriting the rules of what women could achieve against the oppressive backdrop of Cold War Eastern Europe.

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Book SynopsisDIY tricks and tactics for knitters wishing to join the internation knit grafitti phenomenon.

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Book SynopsisA colourful and easy-to-use book filled with new and traditional origami toy projects that will delight, amuse and inspire paper folders of all ages and skill levels. Even a beginner or a child can fold them all, since every flying model is worked out meticulously, down to the smallest details. Each project is fully illustrated with step-by-step colour diagrams and instructions and a full size colour photograph of what the result will look like. 26 different designs of flying and wind-powered toys, including: delta wing, dart, glider, aerobatic, twirler, rotor, propellor, frisbee, silent spinner, windmill, chopper, stealth flyer.

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Book SynopsisThe genius and artistry behind Superbrothers and the making of an indie video game, from inception to its highly anticipated launch. Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery was released in 2011 at the forefront of an exciting era of “indie games” – with the aesthetic of punk rock and the edge of modernist fiction, indie games pushed gaming into the realm of the avant-garde. Superbrothers (Craig D. Adams) was hailed as a visionary in the video game world. Now, his long-awaited follow-up, JETT: The Far Shore, has been released for Sony PlayStation and Epic Games Store. In the decade from inception to launch, Adams brought author Adam Hammond along for the ride, allowing unprecedented insight into the complicated genesis of Jett. The Far Shore offers a portrait of the enigmatic Adams and his team, the genius and artistry, the successes and setbacks, that went into building the world of JETT, in which you’re tasked with scouting a new home for a humanoid people after they’ve decimated their planet. To provide context, Hammond recounts the history of indie games and how their trajectory has followed that of independent art and literature. A riveting insider’s look at one of our most popular art forms.

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Book SynopsisBeginner carvers are presented with jargon-free instructions for eight skill-building projects in this copiously illustrated guide to carving in the round without a bandsaw. An introductory section acquaints novices with the art of carving and includes information on tool selection and sewing a carving tool kit and apron while shaded patterns help identify which areas of the wood block need to be cut. Since terms are clearly defined, no previous carving knowledge is needed to complete the introductory candlestick-making project and the basic carving skills learned while crafting the candlestick are built upon in the remaining seven tasks, making the projects a rewarding experience.Trade ReviewCyndi Joslyn's Easy Woodcarving: Simple Techniques for Carving & Painting Wood, comes from a woodcarving teacher and offers beginners important steps to learning the easy art of woodcarving. Such an audience will learn from patterns incorportated into the instruction book, and will receive step-by-step, photo-enhanced coverage for all simple shapes. Woodworking libraries - especially those strong on wood crafts for novices - need this approach.Table of ContentsIntroduction vii Part 1 : Getting Started 1 Setting Up Your Work Space 2 Understanding Basic Carving Tools 3 Choosing Your First Tools 8 Sharpening Tools 10 Safety Equipment 12 Selecting Wood 14 Painting and Finishing Supplies 17 Other Supplies 18 How to Make a Tool Roll 20 How to Make a Carving Apron 26 Part 2: Basic Techniques 33 Transferring Patterns 34 Making the Basic Cuts 38 Painting and Finishing Techniques 42 Doweling 47 Part 3: Skill-Building Exercises 49 Block 1: Round Shapes 50 Bloxk 2: Angles Sides 54 Block 3: Ball 58 Block 4: Low relief Carving 62 Block 5: Pillar 66 Block 6: Chip Carving 70 Block 8: Scallops 78 Block 1, Exercise 2-Incised Designs 82 Block2, Exercise 2- Quilted Designs 86 Using Your Practice Blocks 90 Part 4: Projects 95 Project 1: Aztec Angels 95 Project 2: Bunny Box 100 Project 3: Snowman 106 Project 4: Cypress Knee Santa 118 Project 5: Shell Paperweight 124 Project 6: Welcome Sign 130

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Book SynopsisFeaturing animals from around the world, these 30 attractive patterns will bring the beauty of nature into your home. In addition to the original designs, you'll discover helpful information on blade and wood selection, scroll saw techniques and finishing, framing and displaying your completed project. You'll also learn how to create patterns from your own photographs!

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Book SynopsisThis book features a wonderful collection of clock projects from the editors of "Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts" magazine. Learn how to make beautiful time pieces including grandfather clocks and pendulum clocks! It includes projects for all abilities and tastes, from learning to cut pieces and assemble parts to finishing and personalising. The editors of "Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts" magazine have selected a collection of the most beloved clock projects - from fancy fretwork grandfather clocks to classic pendulum clocks and whimsical desk clocks. This book offers something for everyone - no matter what their level of scrolling expertise. Beginners will learn how to cut their pieces like an expert and assemble clock parts. More advanced crafters will appreciate the section on finishing clocks and personalising special gifts. The articles, that represent the most popular clocks since the inception of "Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts" in 2000, have been fully updated to reflect current clock part sizes.Trade ReviewOn the cover of Wooden Clocks the book claims to have 31 different plans but a review of the contents reveals only 27 different projects. The discrepancy is due 10 the fact that some chapters have more than one plan based on a common theme. The cover photo is also a bit misleading. It shows a wooden gear clock which is detailed as one of the projects. However the remaining 30 plans are for wooden clocks wilh conventional battery-powered clock mechanisms. All of the projects in the book have previously appeared in Scrollsaw Woodworking & Crafts magazine and are therefore designed to be made with the scrollsaw. The projects are set out according to the level of skill involved - beginner, intermediate and 'master'. Many of the clocks are scrollsawn shapes with clock fit-ups inserted into a circular recess. Some patterns are simple while olhers are quite elaborate with a number of separate components to be cut and glued together. More traditional styles include a simple Shaker Clock (including clock case), Lang Clock (wall clock with pendulum movement) and a miniature Grandfather Clock. The Keepsake Trinket and Woven Boxes all have a clock in their lid. In each case the box is glued up in layers from scrollsawn components. The ultimate project in the book is of course the Wooden Gear Clock. In addilion to the scale plans, photographs and step-by-step instructions provided with all of the projects, for this clock there are also cross-sections and expoded diagrams of how the wooden mechanism is assembled. Wooden Clocks has a variety of clocks with a wide appeal, suitable for scrollers looking for patterns with fit-ups as well as clockmakers seeking new challenges.

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Book SynopsisThis title includes 35 amazingly detailed new projects that explore the craft of pyrography. It helps to learn the basics of pyrography systems, tools, supplies and practice boards. It includes complete instructions plus photographs of both the finished piece and the work in progress. Although it is often referred to as woodburning, the art of pyrography can be worked on just about any natural surface, including gourds, leather, or cotton rag paper. Now Lora Irish, the author of the bestselling "Great Book of Woodburning", offers thirty five amazingly detailed new projects that explore the craft of pyrography across the full range of inventive pyro media. Inside her new book, readers will learn the basics of pyrography systems, tools, supplies and practice boards. Each fascinating project includes complete instructions plus photographs of both the finished piece and the work in progress across pale, medium, dark and detailed stages.Table of ContentsPart One - Basic Supplies wood burning systems one temperature tools variable temperature tools wood burning tips general supplies sanding supplies tool tip cleaning tracing supplies Part Two - Practice Boards practice board creating a practice board testing your temperature settings simple fill patterns hand positions tool tips common textures and stroke patterns Part Three - Projects 35 projects and patterns wood Bengal Tiger Practice Board Christmas Lamb Eagle Box Steam punk Dragonfly step-by-step vegetable tanned leather Horse Practice Board American Indian Drum Gourd Duck Farm Blue Jay Mill Steam punk Key Fob Olson's Dairy Truck Griffin Artist Notebook Lee & Longstreet step-by-step dried gourds Southwest Bird House Practice Board American Indian Rattle African Bead Rattle Gourd Bird House step-by-step Posies Cache Pot Pine Cone Feeder Whimsical Farm Scene cotton fabric Five Veggie Bags Practice Board Pixie Make-Up Bag Vampire T-Shirt step-by-step artist paper Paper Dragon Practice Home Sweet Home step-by-step chipboard Three Santas Practice Board Steam punk Clock Frame step-by-step Daylily papier-mâché Grocery Bag Practice Sunflower Yarn Box

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Book SynopsisRelief Carving Projects and Techniques features tried-and-tested relief woodcarving projects and patterns to create an assortment of compelling carvings for the home and beyond.It is packed with 37 relief woodcarving projects and patterns from the archives of Woodcarving Illustrated, plus expert advice from favourite authors, including Lora S. Irish, Kathy Wise and Bob Duncan.Join them as they create an assortment of compelling carvings for the home and beyond. Follow step-by-step instructions to create everything, from trivets, clocks and signs to mantels in wood, or adapt some of the many patterns to create your own projects.Trade ReviewWow! Thirty-seven beautiful patterns and projects are packed into these 144 pages. Not only that, but there is expert advice and techniques to go along with it. The authors show you how to hand carve or power-carve all of these great projects. Carve a pin tail duck or a lighthouse, a majestic stag or even just a simple apple, you will love the details found here. How about an elaborately gilded address sign or a beautiful floral clock all carved in relief. This is an excellent book for the beginner and the expert.Table of ContentsTABLE OF CONTENTS Getting Started Power Carving in Relief Working with Relief Carving Patterns: Make a Mule Deer Head Portrait Gluing Up Relief Carving Panels: It's in the Camber Relief Carving Projects Trivet Designs Make Great Holiday Gifts The Grand Old Flag Egg Kolrosing: Norwegian Line Carving Carving a Snowman Collector's Plate Autumn Barn Scene Relief Carver's Depth Finder Relief Carve a Magical Fairy Door Bulldog Bulletin Board and Finishing the Bulldog Bulletin Board Country Charm Quilt Squares Hen Board Relief Carve a Winter Lighthouse Color Guard Decorative Floral Sled Relief Carved Sunflower Clock Creating a Deep relief Mantel Lettering, Signs, and Cards Heirloom Alphabet Blocks Carve a Sign Carving a House Sign Gilding a House Sign Custom Presentation Plaque Print Your Own Holiday Cards Patterns

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Book SynopsisThis book includes delightful decorations and gifts to make with your scroll saw. It features fretwork, compound-cuts, intarsia and inlay projects for ornaments, wreaths, Santas and more. It comes with step-by-step instructions and colour photos. Create holiday masterpieces for the home, family and friends with the tried-and-true scroll saw projects and patterns from the archives of "Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts". This collection of holiday favourites features fretwork, compound-cuts, intarsia and inlay projects for ornaments, wreaths, Santas, portraits, candleholders and more. It also features a stunning gallery of work. Readers will gain information and inspiration from some of scrolling's leading experts. There is a project inside for everyone, from beginners to advanced craftsmen. With step-by-step instructions and colour photos, readers are guaranteed a very merry scrolling experience.Table of ContentsORNAMENTS Classic Holiday Ornaments Delicate Christmas Ornaments Scrap Wood Snowflakes Fretwork Christmas Ornaments Classic Patterns for Holiday Ornaments European Fretwork Ornaments Angel in Prayer Ornament Ribbon Ornaments 12 Days of Christmas Ornaments Rose Window Ornaments 3-D Snowflake Ornaments Amazing 3-D Christmas Ornaments Compound Musical Instrument Ornaments 3D Puzzle Cubes Shining Bright Scroll-and-Paint Christmas Angel Inlay Christmas Bulbs Making Inlay Snowmen Ornaments Whimsical Christmas Ornaments Santa's Workshop Ornaments 12 Piece Intarsia Nativity Set DECORATIONS Festive Silhouettes Illuminate Your Home Holiday Tealight Candle Holder Building a Nativity Scene Candle Holder Winter Woodland Lighted Arch Vintage Fretwork Sleigh Scene Nostalgic Sleigh Centerpiece Peace Classic Santa 3-D Nativity Display Christmas Tree Display Doves and Cardinals Christmas Tree Christmas Countdown Christmas Card Tree Peace on Earth Plaque Season's Greetings Santa Poinsettia Wreath Crafting a Christmas Angel Wreath

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Book SynopsisMaster the old-fashioned craft of whittling with this easy-to-learn beginner's guide. Even if you've never carved a piece of wood before, Old Time Whittling will show you how to create iconic whittling classics like the wooden chain, ball-in-a-cage, arrow-through-the-heart and more. Woodcarving instructor and author Keith Randich takes you step-by-step through 10 projects, with concise instructions and more than 50 photographs and diagrams.Table of ContentsIntroduction Wood Knives and Keeping them Sharp Safety An Egg? The Brogan Ball in the Cage Wooden Chain Four More Whittler's Tricks Carving in Shallow Relief The Face Bibliography

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Book SynopsisStep into the workshop of award-winning and internationally recognised woodturning expert Bonnie Klein to learn the techniques that lead to woodturning success. Whether you are an enthusiastic beginner or an experienced turner, these practical and fun-to-make small projects are Bonnie Klein "classics" that will ultimately improve your woodturning expertise on any size lathe. Twelve step-by-step projects demonstrate a wide variety of techniques and decorative enhancements, accompanied by full-colour photographs and easy-to-follow instructions. As you complete Bonnie's skill-building designs - ranging from her famous Spin Top to the more challenging Acorn Box - this book will add to your toolbox of woodturning skills.

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Book SynopsisThis book offers 30 North American wildlife illustrations and 10 border designs to use in woodburning projects. Large ready-to-use designs are provided in both line and tonal patterns. The author includes tips on transferring patterns, plus advice on segmenting and manipulating the images to create your own custom designs.

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Book SynopsisLearn to carve beautiful wildlife themed walking sticks with this informative and easy-to-follow book. Hand Carving Your Own Walking Stick includes useful information on harvesting and curing wood, plus advice on getting the best finishing results with paints, stains, varnishes, acrylics, and woodburning. Award-winning woodcarver David Stehly walks the reader through the entire process of making artisan-quality sticks, staffs, and canes that are as functional as they are beautiful. Step-by-step projects and ready-to-use patterns make it easy to get started in this relaxing and rewarding hobby. An inspirational color photo gallery illustrates many of the author s spectacular projects, including sticks adorned with lifelike lizards, magnificent bighorn sheep, leaping trout, and many more. A special focus is on carving realistic snakes that wrap around the sticks, all carved from a single piece of wood. "

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Book SynopsisWire wrapping is a quick and easy technique that will take your jewellery craft to the next level. A little wire, a few simple tools and some brightly coloured beads are all you need to start creating your own intriguing fashion statements. By adding new wires to basic links, you can alter simple links into complex and fascinating focal designs. Wire-Wrapped Jewelry Techniques teaches 30 expert wire wrapping methods such as forming bent-wire links, working a wrapping pattern, wrapping sequential layers, embellishing decorative loops, adding coil elements and much more. This comprehensive guide to wire wrap jewellery includes 8 step-by-step projects for stunning necklaces, pendants, brooches, hairpins and earrings.

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Book SynopsisNow available in a handsome new hardcover gift edition, this friendly guidebook will encourage readers to whittle away the hours. Great for beginners looking for an easy way to get started and more advanced carvers looking for a relaxing way to spend their time, Little Book of Whittling Gift Edition provides 18 projects, including knives, forks, birds, animals, trees and flowers. Chapters detail the proper whittling tools and materials, including what woods are best to carve, and how to start projects by selecting and safely sharpening the best knife for each project.

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Book SynopsisLittle Book of Pyrography makes it easy to learn the creative craft of woodburning! All that aspiring beginners need is this book and an inexpensive wood burning tool to start adorning wood, gourds, leather, paper and more with beautiful images and patterns. Legendary pyrography artist Lora S. Irish expands on the techniques and projects from her bestselling book Pyrography Basics—all of which are included here—and explores new ways to achieve lovely varieties of tone and texture. In this handsome hardcover gift edition, Lora provides a thorough introduction to basic tools, materials and techniques. Readers will learn how to set up a practice board to experiment with strokes and settings before moving on to working projects with confidence. Seven skill-building projects provide step-by-step exercises in using temperature, time, layering and texturing to create artistic tonal values.

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Book SynopsisDon't just fold and look at your origami work - wear it! Includes designs, patterns and textures for making super-cute Japanese-style origami jewellery.

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Book SynopsisPotential for creating designs in textiles can be seen even in the physical properties of cloth. The simple fact that cloth tightly compressed into wrinkles or folds resists the penetration of dye is an opportunity-an opportunity to let the pliancy of textiles speak in making designs and patterns. People around the world have recognized this opportunity, producing resist designs in textiles by shaping and then securing cloth in various ways before dyeing. Yet in no other country has the creative potential of this basic principle been understood and applied as it has inTrade Review"This excellent book on all aspects of Japanese tie-dye has been so influential worldwide that ‘shibori’ has actually become the term for this field."—Jack Lenor Larsen"This beautiful book is a classic within the field of textile literature. The information it contains—with clearly written text and wonderful illustrations—has been so useful to artists, students and scholars since it was first published in 1983. It is wonderful that it will now be available as a paperback."—Gillian Moss, Curatorial Chair, Curator of Textiles Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum"This is the invaluable book that has launched a thousand contemporary shibori artists. Among all the texts in the field of surface design, this is the priceless jewel in the lotus!"—Jason Pollen, President, Surface Design Association, Chair, Fiber Department, Kansas City Art Institute"…Masterfully organized and rich in detail, Shibori is of great benefit to the student, fiber artist and researcher alike." —Glen Kaufman, Fiber artist, Professor, University of Georgia"Marvelous… This is the kind of book that every fibre artist would love to have on his library shelves… To my knowledge there is no other treatise in English which explicates this area of textile art. Shibori fills a gap in the literature of textiles."—Tec Hallman, Professor of Textiles, Ontario College of Art and Design

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Book SynopsisRise of the Dungeon Master tells, in graphic form, the story of Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, one of the most influential games ever made. Like the game itself, the narrative casts the reader into the adventure from a first person point of view, taking on the roles of the different characters in the story.Gygax was the son of immigrants who grew up in Lake Geneva, WI, in the 1950s. An imaginative misfit, he escaped into a virtual world based on science fiction novels, military history and strategic games like chess. In the mid-1970s, he co-created the wildly popular Dungeons & Dragons game, determining the rules and inventing the signature 20-sided dice. Starting out in the basement of his home, he was soon struggling to keep up with the demand. Gygax was a purist, in the sense that he was adamant that players use their imaginations and that the rules of the game remain flexible. A creative mind with no real knowledge of business, he made some strategic errors and had a falling out with the game's co-creator, his close friend and partner, David Arneson. By the late 1970s the game had become so popular among kids that parents started to worry -- so much so that a mom's group was formed to alert parents to the dangers of role play and fantasy. The backlash only fueled the fires of the young fans who continued to play the game, escaping into imaginary worlds. Before long, D&D conventions were set up around the country and the game inspired everything from movies to the first video games. With D&D, Gygax created the kind of role playing fantasy that would fuel the multibillion dollar video game industry, and become a foundation of contemporary geek culture.

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Book SynopsisThis delightful collection allows everyone to enjoy firsthand the provocative methods used by the artists and poets of the Surrealist school to break through conventional thought and behavior to a deeper truth. Invented and played by such artists as André Breton, Rene Magritte, and Max Ernst, these gems still produce results ranging from the hilarious to the mysterious and profound.

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Book SynopsisPopular quilting expert Ricky Tims presents an imaginative, new piecing technique that quilters will adore! Convergence quilts feature two or more fabrics cut into strips, sewn together, then cut and pieced again. Nothing could be simpler - or more magical! Ricky offers lots of creative guidelines but no hard-and-fast rules, so every Convergence quilt is a unique work of art.

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Book SynopsisWith a bachelor’s degree under your belt, it’s time to advance your quilting studies to the next level. Your favorite instructors, Carrie and Harriet Hargrave, are back in this fifth book of the best-selling Quilter’s Academy series. Embrace the beauty of medallion quilts as you study historic and award-winning examples. Learn advanced techniques and precision drafting and math that naturally build upon everything you’ve learned thus far. Working through the lessons at your own pace, you’ll be challenged and inspired to design your own medallion masterwork.Trade ReviewThe fifth volume of this ongoing series focuses on medallion quilts, a traditional quilt design that is experiencing a renaissance among modern quilters. The goal of the series is to provide quilters with comprehensive information about quilting techniques and history via a series of lessons that build upon one another. The coverage is broad, including tutorials, historical background, projects, and tips for better quilting, and the authors cover everything from types of medallion quilts to tips for piecing borders to techniques for designing medallion quilts that are balanced and attractive. Both Hargrave and Hargrave-Jones are experienced quilt designers and authors, and their mastery of the topic shines throughout. The projects are easy to customize based on personal taste—the authors purposely used traditional fabrics for a timeless effect—and by the end of the book, quilters will have a repertoire of skills that will allow them to create their own custom medallion quilts. VERDICT Quilters of all skill levels have much to gain from this thoughtfully presented, engaging, and educational book. * Library Journal USA *

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Book SynopsisThe Desire For Trading And Sharing Tokens Such As Friendship Bracelets Has Become More Popular Than Ever. Learn Over Two Dozen Braiding Techniques And How To Use The Popular Braiding Wheel In This Easy Book.

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Book SynopsisThis title features contemporary macrame projects that dramatically update a vintage art. There are a variety of designs to complete, from rugs and lampshades to necklaces and bangles. Macrame is easy to learn and requires no elaborate equipment or expensive materials. Say hello to today's fresh & fun craft of macrame! Inside this book you'll find contemporary projects that dramatically update a vintage art. With savvy designs for jewellery, wearables, accessories, and home decor, Hello! Macrame shows how to make fabulous knotted creations using colourful macrame craft chords. Macrame is easy to learn and requires no elaborate equipment or expensive materials. All you need are your fingers, some chord, and this book to get started making stylish rugs, plant hangers, lampshades, necklaces, bangles, cuffs, purses, and more. Step-by-step illustrations and instructions guide you through every stitch.

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Book SynopsisHappy Campers is a colouring book for adults that contains 30 amazing art activities, all designed to take you on a delightful camping adventure involving patterning, shading and colouring. Each vibrantly detailed illustration of fun on the open road offers an easy way to de-stress, while allowing you to unleash the artist within.Thaneeya McArdle's transcendental art explores a visual language of shape, form, line and colour, and can be easily personalised with felt- tips, coloured pencils, crayons, gel pens or watercolours.Beautifully coloured finished examples are provided, along with a handy guide to basic art techniques, from patterning and combinations to shading and colour theory.This therapeutic colouring book is printed on high-quality, extra-thick paper that won't bleed through, and all of the pages are perforated for easy removal and display.

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Book SynopsisThis title features 15 original craft projects inspired by the Minecraft video game sensation. Creepers, characters, tools and blocks are fun to create now and play with later. It is suitable for children aged eight and over. Bring your Minecraft adventure to life with easy-to-make craft projects! Use this imaginative book to create instantly recognisable toys, jewellery, wearables, and accessories, based on one of the most popular video games of all time. Author Choly Knight shows you how to quickly make real life versions of all your favourite Minecraft characters and game elements, using only a few basic craft supplies. The blocky pixilated graphics of Minecraft are perfect for so many different kinds of crafts. Inside you'll find 15 fun step-by-step projects for perler beads, duct tape, paper crafting, painting, sewing, and crocheting. So get in "creative mode" and celebrate the limitless possibilities of Minecraft!

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Book SynopsisSelection of the Crafters’ Choice Book ClubBeautiful natural dyes from plants found in the wild or grown in your own backyard.As more and more crafters are discovering, dyeing your own fabric can yield gorgeous colors. Now master dyer Rebecca Burgess identifies 36 plants that will yield beautiful natural shades and shows how easy it is to make the dyes. Pokeweed creates a vibrant magenta, while a range of soft lavender shades is created from elderberries; indigo yields a bright blue, and coyote brush creates stunning sunny yellows.Gathering Color explains where to find these plants in the wild (and for those that can be grown in your backyard, how to nurture them) and the best time and way to harvest them; maps show the range of each plant in the United States and Canada. For the dyeing itself, Burgess describes the simple equipment needed and provides a master dye recipe. The book is organized seasonally; as an added bonus, each section contains a knitting project using wools colored with dyes from plants harvested during that time of the year. With breathtaking color photographs by Paige Green throughout, Gathering Color is an essential guide to this growing field, for crafters and DIYers; for ecologists and botanists; and for artists, textile designers, and art students.

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Book SynopsisA Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2019Why do we make things by hand? And why do we make them beautiful? Led by the question of why working with our hands remains vital and valuable in the modern world, author and maker Melanie Falick went on a transformative, inspiring journey. Traveling across continents, she met quilters and potters, weavers and painters, metalsmiths, printmakers, woodworkers, and more, and uncovered truths that have been speaking to us for millennia yet feel urgently relevant today: We make in order to slow down. To connect with others. To express ideas and emotions, feel competent, create something tangible and long-lasting. And to feed the soul. In revealing stories and gorgeous original photographs, Making a Life captures all the joy of making and the power it has to give our lives authenticity and meaning.Trade Review“[This] book is filled with stories of weavers, ceramicists, welders, woodworkers, quilters and more, with photos of the art, the crafts, homes and workspaces. Falick examines how making by hand contributes to a good life.” —Associated Press “This book is a gem, and one that will inspire you to keep (or begin!) making and creating, a desire that’s inside each of us.”—The House that Lars Built, November 2019 Book Club Pick “A remarkable series of 30 vignettes that simultaneously comfort and stimulate. . . . Falick’s treasury, sumptuously photographed, will appeal to anyone who admires the people dedicated to making the world around them more beautiful.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review “Lovely and thoughtfully inspiring. . . . These very up-close-and-personal profiles, supplemented by elegant color photographs of people at work and their projects, capture the spirit of making and the dedication that’s behind the art. . . . In wholehearted agreement with the author: ‘When we get to the point where we aren’t able to make things with our hands and feel no mastery, we feel lost.’ ”—Booklist, starred review

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Book SynopsisNamed a Best Gift Book of the Year by InStyle, Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, and the Wall Street Journal “If coffee tables could make . . . wish lists, [this book] would certainly be on them.” —Better Homes & GardensA singular, personal celebration of the beauty and possibilities of nature Amy Merrick is a rare and special kind of artist who uses flowers to help us see the familiar in a completely new way. Her gift is to revel in the unexpected—like a sunny spring arrangement housed in a paper coffee cup—and to overturn preconceptions, whether she’s transforming a bouquet of supermarket carnations into a breathtaking centerpiece or elevating wild and weedy blooms foraged from city sidewalks. She uses the beauty that is waiting to be discovered all around us—in leaves, branches, seedpods, a fallen blossom—to tell a story of time and place. Merrick begins On Flowers with a primer containing all her hard-won secrets on the art of flower arranging, from selecting materials to mastering pleasing proportions. Then she brings readers along on her journey, with observations on flowers in New York City and at her family’s summer home in rural New Hampshire, working on a flower farm off the coast of Washington State, and studying ikebana in a jewel-box flower shop in Kyoto. We learn how to send flowers like a florist, and how to arrange them like a farm girl. We discover the poignancy in humble wildflowers, and also celebrate the luxury of fragrant blousy blooms. Collected here is an anthology of floral inspiration, a love letter to nature by an exceptional, accidental florist.Trade Review"This opulent, scrapbook-style gift book . . . will inspire creativity in some, and envy in others. . . . Seductive." --Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisLooking to smash the patriarchy and get your arts and crafts on?Want to have a laugh while taking down sexist stereotypes?Look no further than Gemma Correll's Feminist Activity Book , where your dress up doll can wear whatever she wants and the only thing limiting your sexuality is the size of your coloured pencil collection. Welcome to the games, colouring projects, and crafts of your egalitarian dreams! The Feminist Activity Book has everything you need to usher in an era of colourful and intersectional joy. Featuring such activities as Feminist All-Star Trading Cards, Destroy the Page-Triarchy, Sexist Social Media Bingo, and A Feminist ABC, The Feminist Activity Book will fuel your feminist rage, remind you to laugh once in awhile, and bring you one step closer to an egalitarian utopia, or whatever.

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Book SynopsisMake our own liquid soaps and body products right in your kitchen. Catherine Failor shows you how to use her simple double-boiler technique to create luxurious shower gels, revitalizing shampoos, energizing body scrubs, and much more. Step-by-step instructions teach you how to turn basic ingredients like cocoa butter, lanolin, and jojoba into sweet-smelling liquid soaps. You’ll soon be experimenting with your favorite oils and additives as you craft custom-made products that are kind to your nose and gentle on your skin.

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Book SynopsisThe tangled life of the knitter is the subject of inspired nuttiness in 300 tongue-in-cheek meditations from the Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. At Knit’s End captures the wickedly funny musings of someone who doesn’t believe it’s possible to knit too much and who willingly sacrifices sleep, family, work, and sanity in order to keep doing it. Covering everything from the deadly “second sock syndrome” to a pile of yarn so big it can hide a washing machine, this hilarious collection will have knitters in stitches!

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Book SynopsisMake exquisite papers right in your own kitchen. With a few pieces of basic equipment and a small harvest of backyard weeds, you can easily create stunningly original handcrafted papers. Helen Heibert’s illustrated step-by-step instructions show you how easy it is to blend and shape a variety of organic fibers into professional stationery, specialty books, and personalized gifts. You’ll soon be creatively integrating plant stalks, bark, flower petals, pine needles, and more to add unique colors and textures to your paper creations.

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Book SynopsisBright, welcoming, and suitable for all skill levels, this comprehensive guide includes a complete primer on feltmaking techniques, step-by-step instructions for 46 marvelous projects, and inspiring profiles of professional feltmakers. Learn how to transform loose piles of wool fibers into a durable, nonwoven fabric that can be shaped into stylish bags, hats, pillow covers, and more. A little soap and water are all you need to start turning your wool scraps into an imaginative variety of fun and creative projects.

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Book SynopsisAspiring artist Sara Zin turned 30 and hit a wall. She was hungry—starving—to find meaning in her art. And she really wanted one of her grandmother’s famous oatmeal cookies. Zin didn’t know how to make them; she never learned how to cook. She decided it was time. This stunning cookbook is the result of that year’s journey, with basic recipes.Trade Review"This cookbook is great for those who aren't confident in the kitchen." -- The Independent"Part memoir, part cookbook, lovers of art will appreciate its beauty as well as the simple recipes for comfort food favourites such as spaghetti carbonara and tomato soup." -- The Best Cookbooks for Hungry Students on a Budget - London Evening Standard

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisFind the perfect design for a pot holder for any time of the year or occasion to dress up your kitchen. Pot Holders for All Seasons includes 20 easy-to-make whimsical appliqued pot holders which will appeal to both quilters and sewists. Select one of the designs, pull out your scrap basket and you're ready to start stitching. Tutorial sidebars include raw-edge fusible appliqué, padded appliqué, mitered corner binding and cutting bias strips. Templates are also included. 'Jazz up your pot holders and bring life to the kitchen with these fun designs. Practical yet charming to look at. These quilted pot holders are in a variety of designs, quick to make and perfect for gifts.' www.yarnsandfabrics.co.ukTrade ReviewJazz up your pot holders and bring life to the kitchen with these fun designs. Practical yet charming to look at. These quilted pot holders are in a variety of designs, quick to make and perfect for gifts. Chris has created pot holders for occasions and more. There are traditional square pot holders but with adorable animals, round ones and there are also pear-shaped, apple-shaped or leaf-shaped, fish-shaped, heart-shaped pot holders and many are decorated with animals. The camper van and house are superb. There is even a microwave bowl cosy. Great for fetes and bazaars, these quilted pot holders will use up your scraps too. There are 20 in all to choose from, and you might wish to make them all. Some are based on traditional quilt block patterns, some are pieced and some appliqued. You'll find general instructions and also raw-edge fusible applique, padded applique, mitered corner binding, bias strip cutting instructions too. Each project comes with clear photos and step-by-step instructions. Pattens are graded for skill level. The templates are given full size. Recommended. * yarnsandfabrics.co.uk *

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Book SynopsisThis book includes instructions for 6 projects using twelve stitch patterns created with short, simple repeats using basic stitches that create textures that look more intricate than they are. Refer to the Project Box for each stitch where calculations are already done for you! The book also features a Did You Know section for information to improve your technique plus up-close colour photos throughout to make it easy to stay on track and turn simple stitches into beautiful textures.

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