Search results for ""Search Press""

Just as macramé homeware has been given a contemporary, stylish makeover in recent years, here, Isabella Strambio does the same with jewellery. Ideal for beginners, this book contains 20 contemporary jewellery and accessory projects, including necklaces, earrings, bracelets and headbands. Isabella is committed to working with sustainable materials, to ensure that these items can make you feel good, as well as look good. She gives advice on sizing and resizing the pieces to suit, and attaching jewellery findings, fastenings, beads and so on. As well as providing 20 wonderful designs, the book also covers the knots that are needed, making it ideal for beginners or people who are keen to give the craft a try and create some truly unique, truly sustainable jewellery pieces.

Read more less

The Royal School of Needlework teaches hand embroidery to the highest standard, developing techniques in new and innovative ways. This series of Essential Stitch Guides provides expert tuition on a variety of techniques. In this guide to blackwork, Graduate Apprentice and tutor, Becky Hogg, shows how to develop many different patterns from the basic blackwork stitches, using detailed instructions and beautiful examples of traditional and contemporary embroideries. There is a fascinating look at the history of blackwork, a guide to the materials needed, and then a detailed look at the stitches used. These are then developed into a huge variety of beautiful patterns, and finally there is a guide to varying the look of these patterns through the use of different shading techniques. There are inspiring embroideries throughout the book, both historical pieces and contemporary works by the author and other RSN apprentices.

Read more less

If you love to crochet and decorate your home with lovely projects, this is the book for you! Make 15 different crocheted succulents that can decorate your windowsill, table, shelf or anywhere else in your home. These delightful amigurumi plants are inspired by real succulent species, and there are both small and large projects. The projects are quick and easy to make so suitable for crocheters of all abilities. All you need is some yarn, a hook and some pots! With a short techniques section to get you started, you can make a whole display in no time.

Read more less

This charming book is full of wonderfully cute tiny animals, such as a dog, cat, camel, monkey and rabbit, that can be crocheted with small amounts of yarn in your stash - all you need is a crochet hook and some yarn. The animals can be used to hang on keyrings, baby buggies, watches, bag pendants, as little toy figures for a doll's house, or whatever you like. There are 26 cute little amigurumi animals to choose from, so there is plenty of choice!

Read more less

Create stunning 'embroidered' designs with yarns, threads, fabric and more without needing to learn dozens of stitches! Punch needle embroidery is similar to rug hooking, and involves punching threads into fabric using a tool to form raised, decorative loops. It is a technique that is easy to grasp in very little time. A traditional technique that came out of the US in the 19th century, punch needle has been revitalized and is appealing to many textile enthusiasts as it's not only simple to pick up but incredibly fun! With internationally renowned, expert embroiderer Marie Suarez, learn and discover the delights of punch needle embroidery in this gorgeous practical book. Starting with the key materials and equipment you'll need, as well as the basic punch-needle stitches and techniques, go straight into making 20 creative and original projects – including flower-adorned pillows, pretty wall hangings and stylish bags! All the projects are accompanied by beautiful photographs, diagrams to help you work out what to stitch first, and templates for you to trace off for quick-and-easy needle punching.

Read more less

Blackwork is a traditional type of counted-stitch embroidery. Monochromatic, with superb shadow effects, it has been revisited here in a magnificently graphic, contemporary style highlighted with occasional splashes of colour. The 13 patterns designed by Bernadette Baldelli modernize the technique by adding a touch of red to the traditional black and white, and by including both geometric and more figurative styles. You’ll discover a lush, graphic world with embroidery that is simple to do and gives stunning results. You can make a basket, a pouch, wall hangings, place mats, an embroidered shirt, throw blanket and more. Simple diagrams make them easy to do, and there is a wealth of tempting patterns to choose from. Bernadette’s creations are known for their excellent finishing touches and these are no exception.

Read more less

This accessible and inspiring introduction to drop-spindle spinning is ideal for fibre artists, knitters, crocheters, felters and weavers. Vanessa Kroening explains how to clean and prepare fleece for spinning, giving valuable tips to beginners and more experienced spinners alike. There are sections on choosing a fleece, carding, blending colours, making rolags (rolls of fibre), batts (flat carded fibres) and a step-by-step explanation of how to use a drop spindle – a great way to spin your own yarn without needing to invest in an expensive spinning wheel. Vanessa also shows you to how to ply and dye your yarn and how to add beads, sequins and other decorative elements for a modern and wonderfully artistic finish.

Read more less

In this reissue of his popular book, Vic Bearcroft shares his love of drawing and painting wild animals, showing how to capture the personality and distinctive features of a variety of creatures. Using simple steps and plenty of detail, this guide shows you how to create beautiful artworks, from drawing the basic shapes through to realising your favourite animals in your preferred medium.

Read more less

Choose from 15 lovely, contemporary Fair Isle crochet projects to make for the home in this beautiful pattern book. Author and designer Natasja Vreeswijk has created 15 contemporary Fair Isle projects for crochet enthusiasts who want to go one step further. Also known as tapestry crochet, the techniques are easy to learn, and all the projects are made in Natasja’s unique vintage style with black and white as their base colours. From blankets and pillows, to a baby blanket and hip plant baskets, there are lots of gorgeous projects to make. The crochet patterns are accompanied by clear colour charts and beautiful photographs of the finished projects.

Read more less

*** WINNER *** Won BEST CRAFT BOOK in The Craft Business Awards 2021! Learn from experienced crafters Roz Dace and Judy Balchin how to master the art of needle felting. Perfect for beginners, this fun, felty book teaches a different technique in each project. The authors take you on a journey, building up your skills from basic needle felting to confidently using armatures. They share their secrets with you and teach you how to capture expression and character in faces, as well as how to create realistic figures or more exaggerated caricatures. You can sculpt miniature teacup worlds, endangered and garden animals and even your friends and family! It’s all covered in this fun and accessible book. With twelve varied projects to get stuck into, you just need to choose where to start. Beginners will love this much-needed guide to a fascinating craft.

Read more less

Explore the deserts, mountains and souks of the Middle East, with best-selling author and artist David Bellamy. Following on from David’s highly acclaimed Arctic Light, this book provides an intriguing and often entertaining insight into South Arabia and the Swahili Coast, Jordan, Lebanon and Oman. It describes the history, culture, customs and geography of the region and the daily life of its inhabitants, as viewed through the eyes of a world-renowned watercolour artist and life-long adventurer. Filled with personal anecdotes and humour, David Bellamy’s unique account shines a light on the Middle East and highlights the incredible beauty and fascinating culture of this much-neglected region. David’s stunning artwork, that he painted during his various expeditions, features throughout the book and captures perfectly the diverse and majestic nature of the region. Watercolourists will be inspired by the author’s awe-inspiring ability to depict sweeping vistas and create a sense of space in his paintings, and to capture the very essence of a place through his art.

Read more less

'There’s no grandstanding or showmanship, just solid, honest instructions and demonstrations that produce solid, worthwhile results.' Artbookreview.net Paint convincing watercolour mountain scenes using just 3 colours, 3 brushes, a palette and a pad of paper. From only 3 affordable watercolour paints in red, blue and yellow you can mix a huge range of colours and paint beautiful landscapes you’ll be proud to hang on your wall. Starting from the simplest of mountain scenes, Matthew builds your skills as you progress through the 9 easy projects in the book, and by the end you’ll be amazed at what you have achieved. Clear instructions and step-by-step photographs show you how to add detail, shadow and distance to a scene, and there are numerous handy tips and helpful ‘jargon busters’ to help you learn the basic watercolour techniques. Before you know it, you’ll have acquired all the skills you need to paint your own wonderful mountain scenes in watercolour. Matthew uses French ultramarine, cadmium yellow and alizarin crimson and sizes 12, 6 and 2 round brushes.

Read more less

Be inspired by watercolour master David Bellamy and learn how to paint glorious landscapes, capturing the natural countryside in all its moods.

Read more less

Ideal for patchworkers, quilters and sewists looking for ideas and inspiration, this book contains designs for 20 mini blocks, all measuring just 12.5cm (5 inches) square, and all constructed from basic shapes including squares, triangles and rectangles. Mini quilt blocks are ideal for making small patchwork projects such as bags, pincushions, coasters and placemats, for incorporating into larger blocks, or for forming motifs within a larger quilt design. Each of the 20 projects are shown four ways, to inspire the reader with different fabrics and colourways. Each project is accompanied by the number and size of each shape in the block and instructions on the order in which to put the shapes together. Includes techniques on how to cut the shapes using a rotary cutter and ruler, design ideas and instructions for a simple coaster.

Read more less

Our homes are full of treasured items from the past. Hidden away from view but never thrown away, they are our links to the special people and events that tell our story. In this beautiful and inspiring book, Tilly Rose encourages you to seek out your precious stash of pre-loved items and transform them into beautiful and practical textile artworks that celebrate the lives of your loved ones and preserve your memories for generations to come. Tilly shows you how to make 15 gorgeous projects, including cloth journals, lavender hearts, framed collages, wall hangings and miniature quilts. All of the designs have a story to tell and are made using a plethora of vintage fabrics, threads, lace, ribbon, buttons, beads, photographs and other found items. If you don’t have a collection of suitable materials at home, you can have fun sourcing them from online marketplaces, thrift/charity stores and flea markets, and try mixing them with modern fabrics and embellishments for a more contemporary look. The projects incorporate a range of exciting techniques, all explained through clear instructions and step-by-step photographs, including layering and collage, hand embroidery, transferring your own designs to cloth, stamping, appliqué, embellishing, patchwork, free motion embroidery and photo transfer. This book will take you on a truly inspirational journey, encouraging you to be creative, to source and re-use materials of special significance, and to incorporate them into textile artworks that become treasured keepsakes.

Read more less

The lavish new book from bestselling author and renowned textile artist Moy Mackay. From concentrating mainly on the felting techniques described in detail in her previous books (Art in Felt & Stitch and Flowers in Felt & Stitch), this latest title by the prolific and popular felt artist now shows you how to find inspiration for your own felt painting creations. Delve into the catalogue of Moy’s beautiful, colourful sketchbooks and photographs and learn about her own design process and influences, through which your own artistic abilities can be explored. Moy takes you through every step of the felt-making process then shows you how to put together four fabulous felt paintings of various subjects. There is also guidance on stitching – both hand- and machine-stitching – as well as how to use colour and introduce texture in the form of different fibres and threads. There are numerous examples of Moy’s work throughout the book, inspired by the dramatic scenery of the Scottish Borders where she lives and works, providing further inspiration for your own gorgeous felt paintings. From inspiration and design to the finished vibrant picture, Moy’s third book explores the development from initial thoughts through to the essential embellishments that add life and character to her work.

Read more less

'This is an extraordinary book.' Review of Jean Haines' Atmospheric Watercolours in The Artist Magazine 'It simply dazzles on the page and makes you want to grab your brushes and get going straight away.' Review of Jean Haines' Atmospheric Watercolours in The Leisure Painter Jean Haines is arguably one of the world’s most accomplished and inspirational artists, and in this, her fifth book, she explores one of her most beloved subjects - flowers. Taking inspiration from her own beautiful garden in the English countryside where she lives, Jean takes you on an artistic journey that not only teaches you how to create gorgeous paintings, but also shares with you the joy to be gained from the simple act of painting flowers. In this beautiful book, Jean explains with passion and enthusiasm how to loosen up your painting style and include just enough detail in your paintings to portray the essence of flowers, bringing them to life on the paper and infusing them with vibrancy and energy. She shares unreservedly the materials and techniques she uses, provides a wealth of expert tips and advice, and guides you step-by-step through numerous studies and projects. Throughout the book there are many glorious examples of Jean’s paintings of a dazzling variety of flowers, providing an abundance of inspiration for artists of all abilities. Jean uses Daniel Smith materials in this book but other materials can be used to achieve similar results.

Read more less

An indispensable guide for anyone keen to learn coloured pencil techniques, or for the experienced artist who would like to build on their existing skills. Filled with information on the basic characteristics and colour ranges of the main kinds of coloured pencil, and step-by-step visual demonstrations of key techniques from blending, blocking in and burning to sgraffito, stippling and impressing. The reader will not only discover how professional artists use imaginative and dynamic styles to interpret a wide range of subjects, but they will also be inspired by the 150-plus full-colour illustrations to create brilliant artworks of their own.

Read more less

If you have always wanted to learn to draw but lack the confidence to start, Drawing for the Absolute Beginner is the book for you. The author, Carole Massey, is an accomplished artist with many years' experience of teaching and demonstrating, and even the most hesitant of beginners will soon pick up the skills and techniques needed to start drawing. The book is a complete drawing course, designed to help you progress from simple techniques such as lines, circles, squares and ellipses through to capturing landscapes, figures and buildings. There are numerous simple step-by-step demonstrations as well as larger projects, and outline tracings are provided of the more complex drawings that you can transfer straight onto your paper, if you wish to use them. Most of the artworks in the book are created using pencil, but the author also uses ink, ballpoint pen, pastel pencil and watersoluble pencils to encourage you to experiment with other media too. By the end of the book, you will have learnt all you need to know to take your drawing skills further and become an accomplished artist in your own right.

Read more less

Looking for a unique baby gift? Here are twenty gorgeous shoes, booties and pumps to crochet in a range of colours and styles, for both boys and girls. Choose from red strawberry-style shoes with flowery toes, smiley car shoes, Christmas booties and even shoes shaped like frogs! Each pair of shoes requires relatively small quantities of yarn and can be crocheted quickly, easily, and on the go using the clear instructions provided. Each project is accompanied by lists of the materials and equipment required and inspiring photographs. As all babies are different, sizes and age suggestions are given for each project, from birth to twelve months, but general advice is also given at the beginning of the book on how to increase or decrease the size of the projects.

Read more less

Claire Waite Brown provides all the key techniques such as mixing, blending, scumbling, sgraffito, hatching, and feathering in over 100 visual sequences. There is advice on composing your painting, using colour, adding highlights and shadows and creating textured effects. The step-by-step demonstrations range from landscapes and flowers to portraits and still life. You'll find plenty to inspire you with this captivating medium with beautiful examples in full-colour photography.

Read more less

This extensive guide to figure drawing brings together seven books from the successful Art of Drawing series: Drawing Techniques, Heads and Faces, Sketching People, Understanding Human Form and Structure, The Nude, Drawing Hands and Feet and Clothing on Figures. This is an essential guide for anyone particularly interested in figure drawing, and includes in-depth studies of human anatomy by master artist Civardi. Civardi's technical advice and practical tips, accompanied by his own outstanding drawings, make this an invaluable resource for any portrait artist.

Read more less

With its beginnings in seventeenth century England, stumpwork is today making a revival. Come join us for an exciting journey into the world of raised embroidery. There are over 400 clear step-by-step photographs and instructions presented in five easy to use sections and 20 stunning designs from around the world. Each design is beautifully presented with colour photography, easy to follow instructions and full size pattern. There is expert advice on the materials and tools you need to ensure success and enjoyment, and tips and hints to help you perfect your stitches and techniques.

Read more less

The act of writing can be creative, meditative and very enjoyable. Whether you want to personalise your wedding stationary, create unique greetings cards, or add a special touch to display your poetry, decorated lettering transforms even the mundane into something personal and beautiful. A comprehensive course in all aspects of decorated lettering; this book is suitable for beginners, experienced calligraphers and all those interested in the magical world of lettering. In fact, it is for everyone who loves letters.

Read more less

In this beautiful book, Naomi Okamoto passes on her experience and knowledge of Sumi-e – traditional Japanese ink painting that uses only ink, white space and simple brushstrokes to capture the essence of an object, person, animal or scene. With her deep understanding of both the technical and spiritual aspects of this ancient art, she guides the reader expertly through the materials required and the techniques involved, successfully conveying as she does so the cultural and historical background to this exquisite artform. There are numerous ink paintings and simple exercises throughout, making this book ideal for anyone wishing to acquire the skills associated with Sumi-e, as well as an understanding of the philosophy behind it.

Read more less

Best-selling knitting author Sue Stratford has designed twelve fantastic Christmas sweaters - six for adults and six for children - in this fun and festive book.

Read more less

Twenty to Knit: Easy Knitted Tea Cosies contains twenty fun, colourful and easy-to-knit tea cosies. This book contains a wide range of designs, from funky fruit and friendly owls to contemporary stripes, along with Autumn, Christmas and Valentine’s Day designs. These cute and quirky tea cosies are quick to make and great for brightening up your home or giving as gifts.

Read more less

This book is a comprehensive course in watercolour landscape painting by expert SAA tutor, Matthew Palmer. Matthew is renowned for his beautiful, detailed paintings and his ability to teach effective painting using simple techniques. The book begins with excellent advice for the beginner, including, easy drawing for painting, composition, easy perspective, light and shade, colour, and how to paint skies, tree, water and figures in watercolour. There are then six simple step by step painting exercises, and each exercise leads into a more developed step by step painting project, including a windmill, seascape, snow scene, mountains and lakes, bluebell stream and an all-rounder featuring a landscape with buildings and figures. The exercises are ideal for beginners and the main projects will also build skills for improving artists. A pull-out outline drawing is provided for every exercise and main project, and Matthew shows step by step how to transfer these onto watercolour paper. Matthew teaches over 150 pupils per week and also appears regularly on TV. He has an accessible style, plenty of tips and tricks for beginners and his own range of brushes and colours to make things easier (though readers can use alternatives).

Read more less

This is an essential book for anyone learning to draw, or wishing to improve their drawing. Starting with the basics of drawing techniques, Civardi gives expert advice on drawing portraits, the clothed figure, hands and feet and scenery, finishing with a section on the importance of light and shade. Civardi's technical advice and practical tips, accompanied by his own outstanding drawings, make this an invaluable resource for any artist. Previously published as Giovanni Civardi's Complete Guide to Drawing (9781844482061) and now includes The Nude (9781844482443).

Read more less

Discover 100 wonderful and majestic creatures to draw! Whether you have your favourites already, or are looking for inspiration from a range of diverse habitats including rainforests, mountains, polar regions or the African savannah, you're bound to discover an animal in this book that you will find irresistible – and you will just want to pick up your pencil and start drawing! Each animal is broken down into three or four simple stages that lead you effortlessly through to the finished drawing. There are no written instructions to follow – just basic shapes and pencil strokes. Even if you’ve never drawn anything before, you will be amazed at how quickly you will achieve incredibly impressive drawings. Every project also shows two finished examples of the animal – one shaded with pencil and the other with colour. This is the perfect book for budding artists yearning to draw their favourite animals. The material in this book is taken from the following books in Search Press's successful How to Draw series: Mountain Animals, Polar Animals, Rainforest Animals, African Animals.

Read more less

In this latest book in in the highly successful 20 to Make series, best-selling author Sachiyo Ishii has ventured into the world of crochet and created 20 adorable, amigurumi-style toys and animals. The patterns are both easy and fun to make, and suitable for crocheters of all skill levels. All the patterns are no more than around 10cm (4in) tall, and are made with just one size crochet hook (3mm/UK 11 US C2).

Read more less

Award-winning artist Hashim Akib's striking portraits are at the heart of this inspirational book. The subject of portraiture is seen by many as the zenith of art, and Hash's easygoing, unpretentious style puts fantastic results within the reach of hobby artists and aspiring professionals alike. Assuming nothing and starting from the basics – making it suitable even for the enthusiastic beginner – this book includes six step-by-step projects to follow; along with friendly but in-depth advice on colour palettes; skintone; composition; working from photographs and models; markmaking; lighting; atmosphere and much more. The book covers many types of portraiture – from the self-portrait to full-length portraits – all presented in Hash's striking, free and contemporary style.

Read more less

Take your first steps with pastels and learn how to produce modern, lively and colourful artwork with this exciting medium. 'This thorough guide to the rewarding medium of pastel will teach you much more than just the basics and may be the only pastel book you'll ever need!' - The SAA Artist and teacher Rebecca de Mendonça offers the beginner a complete course in using pastels. Easy-to-follow techniques for soft and hard pastels. 8 projects broken down into simple steps. Includes a wealth of finished paintings to provide ideas and inspiration. Step-by-step exercises and longer projects help you to build essential skills and allow you to produce a range of pictures, including landscapes, still life, portraits and animals. Vital drawing skills are explained and demonstrated, along with an easy-to-follow guide to colour theory, and a huge wealth of finished paintings provide ideas and inspiration for your own future pastel work.

Read more less

A comprehensive course in landscape painting with acrylics by popular author and tutor Charles Evans. Charles' no-nonsense techniques and engaging writing style bring acrylic painting within the grasp of anyone keen to get started in this versatile and popular medium. The book begins with excellent advice for the beginner, including easy drawing for painting, composition, easy perspective, light and shade, colour, and how to use acrylics with different painting styles. There are six full step-by-step painting projects ranging from simple skies to snowy landscapes with horses, each of which is supported by additional exercises and techniques. The step-by-step projects allow aspiring artists to put into practice their new-found skills, and produce six stunning paintings of their own, in a range of styles. A pull-out outline drawing is provided for every project, and Charles shows how to transfer these onto the painting surface. Charles' accessible and irreverent style makes learning to paint with acrylics easy and fun.

Read more less

A brand new edition of the bestselling book, endorsed by the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, by renowned watercolour artist Adelene Fletcher. From azalea to zantedeschia, this unique watercolour artist's guide offers easy-to-follow, plant-specific information on how to paint over 50 of the most popular species of flower in a crisp and natural style. Adelene teaches you the essential skills of creating a realistic structure and form of a flower by close observation of the pattern of light and shade on petals and foliage. Included are step-by-step photographs, details, and instructions on capturing the individual essence of the flower, together with comprehensive information on the appropriate techniques and colour mixes to use. Glorious full-colour photographs of the finished watercolour show the depth and variety of the plant portraits, from the exquisitely executed passion flower to the bold luminosity of the oriental poppy. Finally, a handy colour key is included for every flower, helping you prepare your palette before delving into your floral portait. If you have never painted flowers before, or have always wanted to capture that specific species on canvas that you've never managed to grow in your own garden, this is the book for you.

Read more less

Bedtime bookworms will love snuggling up and listening to their favourite story in a cosy hooded blanket. Bring storytime to life as they act out the characters – will they be a goodie or a baddie, Little Red Riding Hood or the wolf? Lynne Rowe’s latest new book has ten fun, fairytale projects to crochet, including a deer, a dragon, a lion and a unicorn. Each blanket can be made in two sizes: for toddlers (age 2 to 4) and for young children (age 5 to 7). Along with crochet techniques, there are suggestions for varying the yarn colour to create a different character (changing a polar bear into a brown bear, for example) and you can choose between a rounded or a pointed hood. Lynne has also designed a strip of matching bunting to accompany each project. Every blanket tells a story, with pockets on the sides for snuggly paws and different tails. Perfect for unwinding for a bedtime story and animating the oral tradition of storytelling – little listeners, as well as their parents, will find themselves enchanted.

Read more less

In 2007 Search Press launched the innovative Twenty to Make series. Ten years and over 2 million sales later, we’re celebrating its success with a relaunch, series design and 6 new mini-series – Twenty to Knit, Twenty to Crochet, Twenty to Stitch, Twenty to Craft, Twenty to Papercraft and Twenty to Sugarcraft. Still superb value at just £4.99, and in the same pocket-sized format with full colour throughout, these books will continue to delight you and will fly off bookshelves the world over. Novelty crocheters will love this collection of beautiful and realistic flowers to crochet. Jan Ollis has designed twenty different flowers, and each one is accompanied by an alternative in a different colour scheme. Full crochet instructions are given for each flower, together with lists of the materials and equipment needed. Each design is simply photographed so that you can see the design clearly, and is also shown in a sumptuous styled photograph, showing the beautiful possibilities of the finished pieces, including brooches, and embellishments on hats, bags, sweaters, place mats, cushions, scarves and even shoes.

Read more less

Christmas is a wonderful time of year for crafting! From imaginative handmade gifts to stunning, reusable decorations, this book contains 100 fabulous quick and easy makes for the festive season. All the projects have been carefully selected from Search Press's best-selling 20 to Make series and are simple enough for beginners as well as seasoned crafters. There's something for everyone in this book, including knitting, crochet, papercraft, sewing, sugarcraft, felt, jewellery making, cross stitch, mosaic making, decoupage, polymer clay and needlepoint. Each craft has a handy techniques section to get you started, followed by a range of quick projects that include a knitted star, a pompom Santa Claus, a polymer clay teddy bear, a felt winter owl, a crocheted Christmas tree heart and a pretty bangle. All the projects are made using tools and materials that are easy to source, and provide all the inspiration you need to make Christmas extra special.

Read more less

Celebrate the beauty of botanical embroidery with this collection of 30 stunning projects designed by renowned Japanese embroidery artist, Alice Makabe. As embroidery continues to grow as a contemporary craft of choice, discover the beauty of botanical embroidery with this collection of 30 exquisite motifs and projects inspired by flowers, fruit, foliage and other natural forms. Stitch your way through an assortment of elegant designs organized by colour, from pinks and subtle yellows to lush greens and moody blues. Learn how to use specific embroidery stitches to replicate the textures and shapes of flowers, leaves and stems. The book includes full-size, easy-to-follow templates and a useful embroidery stitch guide. As well as the beautiful embroidery motifs, there are also project instructions for creating gorgeous bags, aprons, pillow covers, pincushions, pouches and more.

Read more less

Tips and techniques to get that perfect crochet finish - from reading a pattern to weaving in ends, and everything in between.

Read more less

This book builds on the success of Terry Harrison's Sea & Sky in Watercolour, adding six new projects and plenty of new paintings. Terry's clear, no-nonsense advice takes the mystery out of painting clouds, clear skies, sunsets, foam bursts, breaking waves, rippled water, reflections, boats, cliffs, rocks, beaches and much more. There are plenty of tips and techniques to show how to use Terry's specially made brushes to paint watercolour seascapes the easy way. There are then nine beautiful step-by-step projects that show the techniques in action.

Read more less

An indispensable compendium of technical know-how and troubleshooting tips Just like having a mosaic tutor on call 24 hours a day-this book is packed with handy, time-saving tips and technical knowledge to improve your skills, speed up the learning process, and give your unique mosaics a professional finish. Easy-to-follow step-by-step techniques, photography, and illustrations. Handy, professional quick fixes and solutions for commonly encountered problems. Advice on what to buy and how to use the tools and materials-from ceramic tiles to pebbles, shells, and beads. Tips on design: finding ideas, drawing outlines, order of work, and adding eye-catching details.

Read more less

Previously published as The Beginner’s Guide to Knitting (978-1-90397-583-1), this popular book has been given a completely new and updated look. Now in a handy small format that fits comfortably in a bag and wire-bound so that it lies open while you are working, it also has a useful fold-out flap at the back that provides a quick and easy reference to all the abbreviations used in the patterns. All the essential techniques are covered, including basic garter and stocking stitch, casting on and casting off, and increasing and decreasing, all clearly explained using step-by-step photographs and simple instructions. Alison's designs have a timeless appeal that will delight knitters of all ages, and there are projects for children as well as adults. Within a few pages you will be knitting a fabulous stripy scarf, and by the end of the book you will be able to knit yourself a gorgeous cable-knit cardigan! Packed full of helpful tips and simple projects, this is a 'must-have' book for anyone who would love to knit but doesn't know how to.

Read more less

Over 200 crochet stitches are explained in full, each accompanied by a photographed sample, row-by-row instructions, and easy-to-follow symbol charts. Additional chapters on basic techniques and materials, a stitch selector and a how-to-use section provide clear guidance for beginners and experts alike.

Read more less

Billy Showell is a well-respected contemporary artist whose watercolour flower portraits have earned her the respect of watercolour artists all over the world. Worked to the same degree of accuracy as traditional botanical paintings, Billy's compositions are given a more contemporary twist, combining her unique eye for design with her love of flowers. In this book, 40 flower portraits are presented, arranged in alphabetical order, each one accompanied by small studies, details, step-by-step instructions and the colour mixes used to accomplish the finished work. At the start of the book there are useful sections on the materials and equipment needed and the main techniques used, including wet-into-wet, colour blending, lifting out, layering glazes, dry brushing and colour mixing, and at the end of the book Billy gives her own unique slant on composition and discusses the importance of creating a sketchbook. Whether you love to paint, or simply love flowers, this book will delight and inspire you.

Read more less