Hobbies, Games & Quizzes Books

Book SynopsisKeiko Okamoto's Japanese Knitting Stitches presents 150 exquisite knitting and crochet stitches from one of Japan's most prolific and innovative designers. Her designs range from classic to ethnic to quirky in colours ranging from earthy to vivid. Keiko Okamoto is recognized around the world for her colourful and textural stitches, and this book features beautiful colour photos showing the full potential of these stitch patterns. An introduction by veteran Japanese knitting expert Gayle Roehm translator of Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible and 250 Japanese Knitting Stitches explains the ins and outs of using the Japanese-style knitting charts and executing the stitches in a way that is simple and easy for all knitters to understand. Full instructions and diagrams for crochet and knitting projects offer a chance to put these stitches to use. These projects include: A cardigan with charming crocheted strawberry garland A multi-coloured, fringed neck wrap A pair of funky, sculptural arm-warmers toasty and multi-textured A charming Fair Isle knitted basket bag A pair of fluffy, cuffed mittens An elegant A-line textured wool sweater suitable for any body type A chic Nordic-patterned short coat. This book will be a prized addition to every knitter's library, and a favourite reference for years to come!Trade Review"150 exquisite knitting and crochet stitches from one of Japan's most prolific and innovative designers. Her designs range from classic to ethnic to quirky--in colors ranging from earthy to vivid." -- Library Journal"I think intermediate and advanced knitters will get the best value from this book because many of these stitches and patterns will require you to either have preexisting skills, or to develop the skills as you go…If you put your mind to knitting these stitches, you can absolutely do it…I have fallen in love with Keiko Okamoto's Japanese Knitting Stitches--and I think you're going to love it, too."-- KnittingandCrochet.net"…a valued addition to your craft book collection and a go-to reference and resource book for future projects." -- Pausitive Living blog

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Book SynopsisCute cats, fat and fluffy cats, crabby cats, funny cats. Cats to decorate your home, your cat-loving self, or your cat-loving friends. Whatever your craft of choice is, this book has something for you. Here are just some of the delightful items you can make for yourself or a fellow cat lover: Turn your umbrella handle into a furry cat's tail Sew and embroider a personalized cat book cover Make a lovely embroidered or shrink art brooch or earrings Make a cute cat door stop using a bottle and fabric Make cuddly cat pouches, purses and bags Knit, crochet or sew a charming cat-shaped pillow Sew a chic cat badge or button cover using cross-stitched fabric Sew an adorable cat doll and dress her up And more! It's all fun and simple, and it's all CATS! Simple instructions, diagrams and templates make these projects inviting and doable even for novice crafters, and the high-quality results make delightful handmade gifts with lots of purr-sonality.Trade Review"Cuteness abounds! Any crafter with even a minimal appreciation of cats will seize these 17 designs, which are customizable in almost infinite ways." --Booklist"Cuteness abounds in this compendium of feline-themed pillows, purses, and pins with a distinctive Japanese pop culture sensibility." --Publishers Weekly"These 'purr-fect' needlework crafts will delight cat lovers of all ages, and provide many hours of fun, making it an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal and community library do-it-yourself needlecraft collections!" --Midwest Book Review

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Book SynopsisLearn how to bring a Japanese aesthetic into your life with these elegant works of floral art. Japanese kirigami (cut paper) flowers are delicate and beautiful examples of paper craft, but are surprisingly easy to make. This inspirational how-to guide shows you how to make 31 gorgeous designs that can virtually pass for the real thing except they will never wilt! The sculptural quality of these flowers is an amazing and creative way to add a touch of beauty to your home, or to create low-cost decorations for a wedding, a baby shower, or any other special event. All of the most popular blossoms are represented here, including: 5 different roses these romantic flowers can be mixed and matched to create a natural looking bouquet Frilly carnations full of intricate folds and textures, these popular flowers are just as much fun in paper form Colourful tulips carry a piece of spring with you throughout the entire year Delicate cherry blossoms enjoy the wonders of cherry blossom season in your own home 3 bold sunflowers in slightly different shapes and sizes, these cheerful flowers create a sunny bouquet when grouped together Festive poinsettias blooms that will look fresh throughout the entire holiday season And many more!. Simple instructions, templates and colourful step-by-step photos show even novice paper crafters how to create each project, and how to gather them into incredible paper flower bouquets. There are instructions showing how the designs can be used in 18 amazing ways for decorating, selling, gift giving and entertaining including: Spectacular wreaths Decorative ornaments Customized photo frames Individualized bookmarks. Perhaps best of all, there are instructions for exquisite wearable pieces, sure to draw appreciative comments and perfect as gifts for loved ones: A fashionable floral crown Cheerful brooches A statement corsage. Japanese Paper Flowers has all the information and all of the necessary patterns you need! With just some scissors, a few sheets of colourful tant origami paper, and a few drops of crafts glue all of which can be found online and in paper stores you can create breath-taking paper flowers in no time at all!Trade Review"Whether or not they're already familiar with the Japanese art of origami, crafters can follow Yamazaki's instructions for fashioning exquisite and realistic-looking flowers from paper…Tips are nestled into almost every page, like how to curl petals or cut out challenging pieces. Paper-crafters will delight in growing a garden without all that mess of potting, watering, and cultivating." --Booklist Starred Review"Learn how to bring a Japanese aesthetic into your life with these elegant works of floral art. Japanese Paper Flowers has all the information and all of the necessary patterns you need! With just some scissors, a few sheets of colorful tant origami paper, and a few drops of crafts glue--all of which can be found online and in paper stores--you can create breathtaking paper flowers in no time at all!" -- Library Journal"Japanese Paper Flowers will walk you through the steps to make graceful blooms, blossoms and buds." -- Pausitive Living blog

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Book SynopsisThis workbook provides a revolutionary new 3-step tracing technique that beginning artists can use to quickly learn to draw manga characters just like a pro!Popular manga artists Junka Morozumi and Tomomi Mizuna guide you through a series of carefully graded lessons to build up your skills gradually. Each pose and scene has a star skill level, so you can build your way up from 1 to 5! Learn character poses ranging from standing, walking and running, to signature manga poses with expressive movements, 2-person poses, and so many more! Practice drawing from various perspectives and viewpoints Trace and draw directly into your workbook and learn to master the basics of manga character poses faster than you could imagine! Each page presents a classic manga pose, from walking and running to jumping for joy, in three different steps: A simple outline of the body, to practice drawing features and basic anatomy The defining elements of the character (like clothes, hair and facial expression) highlighted for easy tracing so you can practice placing them onto the basic body outline. The finished drawing (for inspiration). The six chapters of poses are supplemented by expert tips and easy exercises for capturing the right facial expressions, drawing the clothes and getting the perspective and body proportions right.Beginning manga artists are in good hands with Morozumi, who lectures at art academies in Tokyo, and Mizuna, whose work has been exhibited in the U.S., Europe and beyond. If you've been looking for an easy-to-use guide to drawing manga, The Manga Artist's Handbook: Drawing Basic Manga Characters is the perfect place to start!

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Book SynopsisFingerless gloves have burst onto the fashion scene in recent years—with designers from Gucci to Kate Spade embracing this popular style. Now home knitters can create personalized fingerless gloves using original Japanese knitting patterns.From the editors of Nihon Vogue—the Japanese publisher of worldwide knitting bestsellers by Hitomi Shida, Yoko Hatta, Keiko Okamoto and other top knitting designers—Easy Knitted Fingerless Gloves presents an updated take on a favorite cool weather accessory with classic patterns like Fair Isle, Aran, cables and knit-and-purl, all knitted using Japanese charts and techniques. Among the 21 patterns in this book you'll find: Fair Isle-patterned gloves with lacy cuffs A pair of slouchy, lightweight arm warmers Cozy picot-finished gloves with loop-stitched cuffs Elegant beaded mohair cuffs And more! The colorful patterns and classy neutrals offer something for every personal style and level of coziness. A few basic lessons—aimed at those who already have some knitting experience—and a step-by-step guide to the Japanese knitting symbols help simplify the process.Easy Knitted Fingerless Gloves brings knitters everywhere a step closer to Japan's much-loved styles and techniques. Once you get started, making these beauties will be as addicting as wearing them!Trade Review"Profusely illustrated, ably translated into English by Cassandra Harada, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, Easy Knitted Fingerless Gloves is a unique and extraordinary addition to any personal, professional, or community library needlecraft instructional reference collection."-- Midwest Book Review"…Each pattern has a clear and colorful photo that can be used as a reference along with pattern notes, size and instruction diagrams, and a stitch chart. The patterns are current and will inspire you to come up with your own color schemes." -- Pausitive Living blog"This book is jam packed full of knitting patterns that are just challenging enough to keep things interesting, but small enough to use up left over yarn ends. Perfect for crafting from your stash. If you enjoy knitting you are going to love the patterns in this book." --My Poppet Makes blog

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Book SynopsisTomoko Fuse has been one of the world's premier origami artists for more than 35 years. This beautifully photographed book examines the three-dimensional geometric designs she is famous for.Fuse, often referred to as "the queen of origami," discovered the art of folding paper at just seven years old. She has come a long way since then, having had her work highlighted in exhibitions around the world, including Paris Origami (Carrousel du Louvre, 1998), On Paper (Crafts Council London, 2002) and her solo show Yorokobi (Bauhaus Dessau, 2004).In addition to teaching, folding and writing, she also collaborated with designer Denis Guidone for Milan Design Week 2018 and was a featured artist in Nova's episode "The Origami Revolution" (February, 2017).An artistic anthology of her most impressive work, Tomoko Fuse's Origami Art can serve multiple purposes: as inspiration for an experienced origami folder; as a truly impressive coffee table book for the artistically-minded; or as a push for intermediate folders to try their hand at modular origami models.Trade Review"…Tomoko Fuse's Origami Art is an extraordinary showcase of the three-dimensional geometric designs that have made Fuse world-famous…a treasure for artbook collections and origami enthusiasts, highly recommended." -- Midwest Book Review"Few origami artists have been as accomplished in as wide a range of styles, constantly pushing the boundaries on uncharted approaches. Fuse's style is so rich, her geometric forms have an organic feel. This book also showcases her incredible execution of her works, clearly demonstrating her worthiness of the title of Origami Master." -- Marc Kirschenbaum, American origami artist and author of Origami in an Instant"More than any other origami creator, the work of Tomoko Fuse has successfully made the elusive transition from pure technique to pure art. This is a must-have book." -- Paul Jackson, British origami artist and author of The Art and Craft of Paper Sculpture

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Book SynopsisCreate your own elegant greeting cards with the beauty of lifelike paper flowers!Paper Flower Note Cards provides all the information you need. With just scissors, craft glue and a few sheets of colorful heavyweight paper, anyone can create stunning floral gift cards, gift toppers and place cards in no time at all!Emiko Yamamoto's simple step-by-step instructions explain how to cut and assemble each card for flawless results every time. Templates provided in the back of the book are reusable and allow you to reproduce the designs many times.This collection includes more than 30 dazzling designs for creative notes and floral decorations: Pop-up cards with petals that gently splay when the card is opened Decorative cards with three-dimensional flowers across the surface Elegant & subtle floral silhouette cards Cards for specific occasions like birthdays, weddings, baby showers, Father's Day, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, Halloween or Christmas Seasonal cards that can be customized for any occasion year round At the heart of each design is a beautiful flower, and there are many to choose from Rose Peony Carnation Hydrangea Cosmos Morning glory Sunflower Poinsettia And more! You'll dazzle your friends and family with these handmade works of art!Trade Review"…[the] patterns are elegant, simple, and, in the case of the 3D designs, fairly close to the bloom of inspiration, such as rose, water lily, carnation, and gerberas." -- Booklist

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Book SynopsisLovable Felted Animals is—dare we say—the cutest felting book EVER!This book shows you how to make graceful models of a lifelike sleeping lion, a mom and baby koala, a regal deer, a polar bear with cub, a fluffy alpaca, the world's most adorable hedgehog and so much more!Illustrated step-by-step instructions walk you through how to make 43 different projects, and a lesson on basics helps you get started. The animals featured in this book include: A curious panda or a sleepy fox with a flower pot A catch-all tray featuring "swimmy" creatures like a dolphin, seal or otter Friendly bears and a perky hedgehog Bright-eyed, bushy-tailed pen and pencil covers (a dog, a cat, and a few woodland friends) Simple faces to make into brooches or fridge magnets (a cat, a chipmunk and a menagerie of bears) And more! Different projects show how to add details such as clawed feet, antlers, markings and tail feathers. With the variety presented in this book, you can start with something easy and move on to animal figures that let you capture delicate expressions and add a little attitude, making this book an excellent guide to both learning and developing needle felting skills.Trade Review"These felted figurines are so darling--super cute yet so realistic, all at once…[The book is] really high quality, with lavish photos throughout." -- CraftsR.US blog"Learn to create adorable critters out of felt with this step-by-step guide. The 43 felting projects include a fluffy alpaca, a wee hedgehog, and pencil topper woodland creatures. Master the basics first before moving onto delicate details of feathers, markings, and antlers." --Book Riot

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Book SynopsisAn easy-to-follow, yet comprehensive beginner's guide to drawing.In The Complete Guide to Drawing for Beginners, experienced art instructor Yoshiko Ogura explains the basics of pencil drawing through a series of lessons that provide insights on artistic composition, simulating highlights and shadows, depicting realistic forms, rendering texture and creating a sense of depth in your artwork. At the beginning of the book, she provides you with all the information you need to get started—what materials to buy, how to prepare your work surface, pencils and erasers—even how to sit correctly when drawing.Once you know these, Ogura provides a series of easy and clear step-by-step lessons showing you how to draw simple objects while gaining an understanding of the essential concepts of perspective, how to convey hard and soft surfaces and textures, composition and balance. From here, you progress to more complex shapes and objects including landscapes and portraits of people and animals, as she explains all the additional concepts needed to draw these realistically.This book teaches you how to draw the following interesting subjects: Simple forms (an apple, a milk carton, an egg, a mug) Hard & soft surfaces (fabric, a loaf of bread, a stone, a book) Transparent objects (water droplets, a glass) Complex objects (a piece of squash with seeds and pulp, a sunflower) Human anatomical features (hands, faces) Landscape elements (trees, buildings) Animals (a cat, a parakeet) Still life (fruit, flowers) Plus, many other inspirational examples and ideas! By the end, all your drawings will begin to look impressively polished and realistic! As you work through the lessons, you'll master all the skills and knowledge that seasoned artists demonstrate in their work.Trade Review"The Complete Guide to Drawing for Beginners lives up to its title as a user-friendly guide to learning the basics of drawing…[It] is enthusiastically recommended for anyone with an interest in drawing, whether as a hobby or as the first step toward an art-related profession." -- Midwest Book Review"With a dramatically different approach than many drawing how-to books, Japanese illustrator Ogura thinks of all the questions and issues a novice might face, then addresses them simply and head on…It's difficult to see how an in-person class could teach much more. Appended with Ogura's inspirational works." -- Booklist, Starred Review"…the right balance of text and visual aids in this guide to drawing that encourages readers to embrace every step of the process, including the struggle…highly recommended for aspiring artists of all types, especially those looking for encouragement to give drawing a go." -- Library Journal

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Book SynopsisTwo superstars of anime and manga open their studio doors and spill their secrets in this private master class.Join Hisashi Kagawa, an animation director for Sailor Moon, and Yoshihiko Umakoshi, a character developer for My Hero Academia, as they show you how to bring your battle heroines boldly to life.Helpful sidebars and tips appear in dialogue bubbles throughout this book, as the artists guide aspiring illustrators from initial idea to finished artworks, pointing out common missteps and pitfalls that can easily frustrate beginning artists along the way.The essential techniques and design elements needed to create engaging female-led battle scenes are first reviewed in detail. Then each author walks the reader through their entire creative process of developing an original story from beginning to end. Along the way the authors give you hundreds of helpful tips on how to create compelling characters and render realistic expressions and poses, showing you how practiced professionals work. Starting from a storyboard sequence of simple sketches you'll progress to a polished finished drawing.By learning from two artists with different styles at the same time, readers get twice the advice and emerge doubly prepared to create scenes, stories and battle heroines of their own.Trade Review"Drawing Fantastic Female Fighters lives up to its title as an art guide to bringing female characters in the style of Japanese anime and manga to life on the page. The text offers in-depth instructions and advice on everything from expressions and poses to issues specific to women's clothing…[It] is a treasure for anyone interested in creating manga-style art or comics. Highly recommended!" -- Midwest Book Review"…richly designed books that SHOW you how to refine and perfect your drawings so you actually improve…if you're (or someone you know is) looking to up your game and improve your art, they've made it super easy to assemble a super helpful library." --The Roarbots

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Book SynopsisIn Sketching Men, veteran art instructor Koichi Hagawa, PhD explains how to quickly capture the dynamic male form through two distinct styles of sketching: Very rapid (1-3 minute) line drawings that capture the essence of the subject's posture and movement—perfect for recording athletic action poses in the moment More finished tonal drawings, which take a bit longer to render (7-10 minutes), but fill in lots of interesting texture and wonderfully realistic details and nuances, including the play of light and shadow, three-dimensional form and a sense of mass and balance Learn to sketch the following: Individual body parts and their bones and muscles Objects held in the hands and with both arms Standing and sitting poses Transitions from prone and sitting poses to a standing pose Bending, reaching and leaning poses Pushing, throwing and dancing poses Folds, gathers and drape of clothing This book contains hundreds of detailed studies and helpful examples. Your sketches will improve rapidly as you learn all about how human anatomy—the skeleton, muscles and posture—all come together to express the uniquely male form. When you hone your line and tonal drawing skills with this book, all of your artwork will improve as a result, no matter the application: storyboarding, cartooning and graphic novels, illustration, formal drawings, painting and more!

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Book SynopsisIn Sketching Women, three professional studio artists (Kozo Ueda, PhD, Takahiro Okada, PhD and Minoru Hirota, PhD) join forces to show you how to sketch the female figure through 55 step-by-step drawing lessons.Each instructor walks you through their philosophy for croquis sketching. Croquis sketches are quickly-rendered drawings that capture the essentials of a subject's form and pose with relatively few expressive lines.There are four levels of sketching described in the book: 1-minute croquis: very rapid gesture drawings that capture only the artist's impressions of the form, and where the pencil stays in contact with the paper for practically the entire session 2-minute croquis: another quick sketch, but with more attention paid to the character and rhythm of the lines and how they help to express the essence of the form 5-minute croquis: a more finished drawing where added tonal variations suggest volume and anatomical details 10-minute croquis: more of a finished drawing than true croquis, the longer session allows the luxury of adding fine details such as the facial expression, the character of the hands and clothing texture Learn to sketch the following: Individual body parts (including faces) and their bone structure and muscles Standing and sitting poses Nudes and clothed figures Light and dark tonal variations Dynamic poses Color drawings You'll quickly hone your sketching skills with this life-drawing classroom-in-a-book. The expert advice and observations, dozens of poses to study, as well as easy-to-understand notes and tips make it easy to understand how the skeleton, muscles and posture all come together to express the uniquely female form.

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Book SynopsisEnchanting Embroidery Designs invites you to create your own world using bright thread colors and imaginative stitches.Full of motifs that are both simple and playful, from zany crocodiles, and cuddly cats to big-eared bats and stealthy ravens. This book invites you to be creative with its whimsical designs and step-by-step instructions—whether you use these projects as visible mending techniques or simply to add interest to a piece. The sweet scenes and cute characters are full of life and texture, making them at home on your favorite clothing, home accessories or wall hangings.The unusual and versatile designs in this book include: Cheery flowers on a broach Pretty pine trees on hanging ornaments A colorful curly sheep Fluffy and stormy clouds Bushy-tailed foxes Moss on stone and microorganisms in Petri dishes And more! Simple how-tos take you through every recommended stitch, while a section on combining colors will inspire you to try mixing and matching to create something new. There's also a section on turning your stitchery into embellishments you can use, wear and share. Put your imagination and hands to work with the help of this inspiring embroidery book.Trade Review"…[Morita] combines poetry and instruction in this gracious embroidery guide…Her diagrams and instructions are tidy, with helpful arrows and outlines. [She] set out to make designs 'that are fun to do,' and any crafter who picks this up will agree she hit the mark." --Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisDiscover the intricate world of modular Kusudama paper folding! Kusudama are elaborate geodesic spheres assembled from many small folded pieces of paper. They were originally used to hold incense in Japanese Buddhist temples. Modern Kusudama consist of dozens of colorful papers folded and fitted together to form ornate spherical sculptures. In this exciting new book, master paper folder Byriah Loper presents 30 of his own original and spectacular Kusudama creations, including:Capstone: a spiky sphere resembling a sea urchinOrtygia: an unusual cube-shaped KusudamaShakespeare: an elaborate model resembling a ball of flowersTrallia: a ball with petal-like projections that looks like a huge chrysanthemumPlus many other incredible models!Assembling Kusudama is an exciting challenge, however Loper's clear diagrams and detailed, step-by-step photos and instructions make the art accessible to anyone even if you have no prior origami paper folding experience. And the astonishing finished piec

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Book SynopsisThe complete guide to amazing digital illustration techniques!Are you an animator, an illustrator, a designer? Or an artist working in multiple digital fields at once? If so, this is the book for you! Manga & Anime Digital Illustration Guide takes you inside the studios of 12 professional Japanese artists and animators. In this book, you will learn the techniques used by the pros to draw and design characters for a variety of commercial and creative platforms. Follow the step-by-step lessons to learn how to create amazing characters and illustrations, and forge your own pathway in the world of creative careersLearn the pro techniques for a wide variety of modern applications, such as: Smartphone apps, anime films and video games Posters, covers, advertisements and special effects Fan art and fantasy fiction illustrations Illustrated books, manga and graphic novels Pull up a chair for this collection of private tutorials and let the experts show you how they work. Learn the tips and techniques that lead to unforgettable illustrations!

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Book SynopsisLearn to create amazing kemonomimi with realistic animal features and matching accessories!Long, swishing tails and pointy animal ears or maybe antlers, horns, wings and feathers if you preferthis is the ultimate furry handbook for manga and anime artists as well as cosplay enthusiasts. Choose your favorite animal then fuse its salient features with a fabulous human form and animal-specific clothing. Shugao shows you how! She teaches you to combine authentic animal details with original fashions to create new and exciting characters. And she provides hundreds of amazing examples, including:A hip-hop horse hybrid with a puffy coat, tousled mane and horseshoe sneakersA goth dobermann girl draped in black satin with a punk hairdo and dog muzzleA not-so-cowardly lion showing off his wild mane and tufted tailA cool cowgirl with a lasso tail and ten-gallon hat that sits atop her hornsA long-legged lamb with an eared caphis fuzzy fleece tied with a bellAnd hundreds of other fabulous charact

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Book SynopsisOur short life together was fun, fascinating and happy. I accompanied my husband to chess tournaments. We traveled a lot, saw a lot, met the most interesting people. Meeting Alekhine, Euwe, Flohr, Capablanca, Keres was unforgettable. We became friends with many of them. Now, when I turn the pages of my life and remember my family, which was obliterated so ruthlessly, the old wounds open again and start bleeding.This book tells the story of one of the most enigmatic and tragic figures in chess history the Latvian grandmaster Vladimirs Petrovs (1908 1943). His name was struck out of chess literature for decades. His games and biography are largely unknown to the public even though Petrovs defeated Alekhine, Fine, Reshevsky, Boleslavsky and many other great players of the past, gained prizes at supertournaments including joint first at the famous Kemeri 1937 tournament, and performed strongly for Latvia at chess Olympiads. According to the Chessmetrics website, Petrovs was ranked no. 14 in the world in November 1938, and his performance at Kemeri 1937 was 2709. He had a 2.5-2.5 lifetime score against Alekhine.In the first part of this book, grandmaster and chess historian Dmitry Kryakvin instructively analyzes Petrovs' career through 52 games and fragments. As well as the above players, opponents include Smyslov, Euwe, Bogoljubov, Keres, Stahlberg, Flohr, Spielmann, and many other global stars of pre-war chess. In the second part, Petrovs' widow Galina Petrova-Matisa recounts the tragic fate of her husband and family members and her search for the truth of what happened to Petrovs. She further provides biographical details of their short, blissful family life for four-and-a-half years, including unforgettable meetings with the world's strongest chess players and their families. The work contains a large number of rare family and tournament photos.

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Book SynopsisEach title in the Easy Cross Stitch series provides a beautiful collection of designs to inspire and challenge beginning stitchers. These thematic resource books offer an easy-to-follow, full-colour chart and a colour key on every page. Full of vibrant floral cross-stitch designs, this crafting companion uses a variety of colours and endless shapes to capture the wonder of the natural world. Organised by colour and by flower type, including popular varieties such as roses and lavender, this portable craft book is an ideal guide for anyone who wants to create decorative table cloths, cushions, or other household linens. Smaller designs that serve well on a greeting card or combine to make up a lovely sampler are also included. AUTHOR: Maria Diaz is a freelance needlecraft designer who has been published regularly in magazines and books worldwide.

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Book SynopsisIn this stunning book by Mei Li Lee (amiguruMEI), you will get to meet the cutest crochet characters, each designed with a secret crochet tip to share. Make Austin the Astronaut for the little one who dreams of reaching the stars. Or the inseparable Grandma and Grandpa, in honour of your own two favourite people. From a ballerina to a firefighter and childhood friends dressed in kawaii animal-themed playsuits, the amigurumi people in this book might just bring you fond memories of someone you've met, and would like to meet again in the near future. To make your amigurumi journey that much more enjoyable, we've packed the pages with useful techniques on how to crochet hair that curls a certain way and whip up colorful crochet clothes and accessories to match. Each pattern comes with complete step-by-step instructions so you can sit back and focus on the fun parts. AUTHOR: Mei Li Lee is an amigurumi artist based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She is best known as the author of Hello Kitty Crochet, and a mom to twin boys, whom she enjoys telling far-fetched stories to. The former journalist is now often busy planning for playtime and thinking of ways on how best to occupy the kids. Thankfully, she still gets some time off to sit down and design cute crochet characters through hopeful rose-tinted glasses.

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Book SynopsisWhat means summer in the village for you? Let's back to the childhood and remember You're a little girl. You wake up from the first sun rays, hear the birds' songs You feel the smell of your breakfast Fresh pancakes with berries from your own garden? Or homemade pie with self-grown vegetables? Or maybe a warm glass of milk from your own cow? Let's put on your lovely summer dress and look, what did your grandma cook for you? This book includes cross-stitch designs about summer, little cosy cottage, vegetables, field flowers, garden tools and herbs etc. Every page will give you the inspiration and show the beauty of the slow and country life. The book includes charts of different sizes and difficulty levels. So, every stitcher from the beginners to advanced could find lovely designs and enjoy the process and result! The knitting patterns all in colours are easy to follow in the book.

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Book SynopsisEncouraging crafters of all skill levels on their creative journey, this book contains felt and patchwork sewing projects with step-by-step illustrations and easy to follow instructions. The designs are quick and fun to make and with such a wide range of well-designed projects and techniques, there is something for everyone. From patchwork, quilting, and hand embroidery to English paper piecing and sewing with felt, readers can learn new skills or be challenged to try different techniques to create something very special. These pretty projects will inspire creativity and warm the heart.

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Book SynopsisThis book is packed with a selection of beautifully designed cross stitch patterns to suit all skill levels. The themes include flowers, cupcakes, summer days, wedding and baby samplers, afternoon tea, butterflies, and floral garlands. Many of the designs can be easily personalised by adding names and dates using the alphabet charts available. The author's love of nature and her sense of colour have been lovingly captured within its pages. Inspired by her home and garden, the pretty cross stitch projects within this book are designed to fill a home with delightful stitching. AUTHOR: Jayne Schofield has designed cross stitch ranges for some of the top craft companies, and her work is regularly published in books and magazines around the world. She is the author of Home & Heart Cross Stitch. She lives in London.

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Book SynopsisThe Renault R35, an abbreviation of Char léger Modèle 1935 R or R35, was a French light infantry tank of the Second World War.Designed from 1933 and produced from 1936, the tank was intended as an infantry support light tank. To this end it was relatively well-armored but slow and lacking a good antitank-capacity, fitted with a short 37 mm gun. At the outbreak of the war, the antitank-role was more emphasized leading to the development and eventual production from April 1940 of a subtype with a more powerful longer gun, the Renault R40. Due to the defeat of France the R35/40 remained the most numerous French tank of the war. About 1680 vehicles having been produced by June 1940.In this volume the author provides a detailed impression of these vehicles through original photographs, taken both during by the normal German

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Book SynopsisThe two volumes describe Spitfire Vs used by Polish pilots in Britain during 1941-1945. This vol. 1 covers Polish 302-308 Squadrons, while vol. 2 will cover 315-318 Squadrons plus allied units. The books include listings of losses and of officially credited victories. Each volume has about 200 photographs (many of which have not been published before) and 36 color profiles (plus top and bottom views of representative aircraft).

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Book SynopsisThis book compiles the 4-view color profiles, scale plans, and photo details of the single variant of the Messerschmitt Bf 108B-2. Scale plans in 1/72 and 1/48 scales plus drawings from wartime technical manuals. Also included are photos of the details in B&W and color.

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Book SynopsisThis new photo album is number 30 in the MMPBooks/Stratus "Camera On" series and is the first to cover in such photographic detail the usage of the Henschel Hs 126 aircraft.This book contains 140+ photographs mostly taken by the average German soldier and is an invaluable reference for military historians and modellers alike. A4 size, 80 pages.

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Book SynopsisThe book describes service of famous Avro Lancaster I/III bombers used by Polish pilots in Britain during 1941-1945.The book has includes 200 photographs (many of which have not been published before) and 30 color profiles (plus top and bottom views of representative aircraft).

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Book SynopsisThe supersonic fighter in the Polish Air Force of the MiG-21MF is described in unparalleled detail. Includes many unpublished photos from the private collections. Color schemes and markings are described and illustrated in a series of specially commissioned color profiles.

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Book SynopsisColouring, an apparently simple and mechanical activity, has long been known as an effective and also very pleasant way to sharpen our minds and boost our thought processes. On top of that, it's also extremely unwinding, amusing and, beware, highly addictive! Throughout 100 pages full of imaginative illustrations and lavish patterns inspired by natural motives, "Hidden Nature" will open the door to exploring our artistic side and re-awake that child inside us that still holds our creative imagination. With its square format and excellent paper quality, the book allows for the use of a wide variety of materials, from simple crayons to water-colourable pencils or felt-tips that won't show on the reverse. "Hidden Nature" has been crafted to provide hours of fun and relaxation for everyone, including the most amateur artist. The special binding of the book remedies one of the common complaints about coloring books: "Hidden Nature" opens flat and moreover the pages can be teared out without destroying the book.

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Book SynopsisThe art of folding is traditionally seen purely in terms of ori- gami and structures in paper, today it is used in many creative fields: design, architecture, industry, furniture, clothes, jew- els... These new domains are accompanied by a wide range of media and materials: cardboard, textile, metal, plastic... They all finally give in to the infinite resources of folding. This widely illustrated book, built around portraits and inter- views with creators which present their vision of the art of folding and its applications in their various productions, is an overview of these new and promising formal investigations. In this volume architect and origami expert Jean-Charles Trebbi cooperates with the architecture partners Guillaume Bounoure and Chloé Genevaux, who specialized in experi- mental applications of folding techniques with new materials. The book includes ten folding templates.

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Book SynopsisTired of wearing the same clothes? How about revamping your wardrobe with new custom made clothes? This is a practical sewing manual that shows all the steps for making skirts and trousers, from the basics, like different hand stitches and using a sewing machine, to taking measurements and understanding patterns, all explained with detailed illustrations and photographs for each step. The results are bespoke garments, handmade by you. The book includes everything you need to know to get started; no previous sewing experience is needed, but you will be amazed at what you can achieve: a wealth of different types of skirts –straight, curled at the waist, classic, mini, flared, balloon, mermaid, asymmetric and more – and trousers – with or without pockets, classic, skinny-fit, low-waist, and many more.

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Book SynopsisThe ABC of Collage includes exercises with images to cut out! Become a collage artist with this clear, creative and conceptual book… Inside you will find three chapters: . The A of collage: brief introduction with a review of the precursors of this technique and their different styles . The B of collage: explanation of the necessary tools to create this wonderful art. . And the C of collage: where what has been learned will be put into practice with the proposed exercises. You can use the cut-out material from the last few pages and have no excuse to start today. Collaging is a wonderful way to practice mindfulness, relieve stress, exercise engagement, promote creativity and build hand-eye coordination. This makes the perfect gift for all, including for yourself!

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Book SynopsisNow in paperback, this visually detailed book by renowned illustrator Victor Escandell is devoted exclusively to the infinite creative possibilities of drawing and painting in black and white. Traditional and modern materials, techniques and applications (Indian ink, pencil, pen, bamboo, water-soluble graphite, coloured pencils, gouache, different types of felt-tip pens for various supports, grattage, etc.) are described clearly so that beginners and advanced artists alike can experiment with what they have learned and explore their creativity. Each chapter covers a specific technique and contains useful information such as the methods and materials used, illustrated examples and interesting anecdotes about the origin of each technique, tricks of the trade, many variations and references to other classic and contemporary authors. Each technique is demonstrated in additional detail by a short film the reader can access via QR code.

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