Arts & Crafts Books and Resources

For the embroiderer who appreciates the value of beautiful stitches but also likes to break a few rules along the way, Rebecca Ringquist's Embroidery Workshops is a refreshing new resource for both standard and out-of-the-box techniques. Based on the popular classes Ringquist leads across the country, Rebecca Ringquist's Embroidery Workshops teaches everything from the "proper" way to form a French knot and transfer a design to a canvas to new ways to stitch three-dimensionally, work with non-traditional threads and fabrics, draw with thread freeform and mix and match machine- and hand-stitching.Also featured are instructions for 20 innovative projects, including a cloth sampler designed especially for the book (and packaged in an envelope at the back), table linens, wall art and clothing embellishments.

The Complete Encyclopedia of Needlework contains over 250 alphabetical entries and 1,000 illustrations, with easy-to-follow diagrams showing how to complete the projects.

501 cross stitch designs to create one of a kind gifts, home accessories, and embellished items. Let your imagination run wild with the endless possibilities offered in ten popular categories.

Alabama Studio Sewing Patterns is the book Alabama Chanin fans are begging for! This exciting compendium takes the Alabama Chanin library to the next level, offering all the patterns from Chanin's first three books on a convenient CD, plus instructions and patterns for 12 new skirts, dresses, tops, and jackets, with illustrated guidelines for customizing the fit and style of each. Chanin teaches readers the ins and outs of refashioning shapes, raising and lowering necklines, taking in and letting out waistlines, and many more key forms of customization; she also provides guidelines for adapting patterns from other popular sewing companies to the Alabama Chanin style--stitched by hand in organic cotton jersey and embellished with stencils, embroidery, and beading.

Mending Mattersexplores sewing on two levels: First, it includes more than 20 hands-on projects that showcase current trends in visible mending that are edgy, modern, and bold--but draw on traditional stitching. It does all this through just four very simple mending techniques: exterior patches, interior patches, slow stitches, darning, and weaving. In addition, the book addresses the way mending leads to a more mindful relationship to fashion and to overall well-being. In essays that accompany each how-to chapter, Katrina Rodabaugh explores mending as a metaphor for appreciating our own naturally flawed selves, and she examines the ways in which mending teaches us new skills, self-reliance, and confidence, all gained from making things with our own hands.

Mending Life encourages us to cherish our things by repairing them rather than discarding them. It also encourages us to change our consumption habits so that with small mends here and there, we extend the life of our garments and other household items. This handbook is for beginners but also offers more advanced techniques to those with some experience in mending. You'll learn basic techniques such as patching, but will have options to take it a step further with decorative sashiko stitching; you'll also learn how to darn socks and mend sweaters, as well as things like a tear in a bedsheet or down jacket. And along the way, the authors share heartfelt stories about the powerful act of mending, which strengthens not only the object we are repairing, but ourselves as well. Vibrant, full-color illustrations are woven throughout the handbook. Mending Life is a timeless, practical guide to cherishing and caring for our belongings.

A practical tool kit for mending and upcycling your wardrobe. It's "sew" simple to give your wardrobe an eco-chic edge! With fast fixes and clever techniques, this accessible, fully illustrated sewing book has everything you need to mend, customize and care for your clothes. Parting with damaged, yet beloved, clothes can be one of the saddest things, but what if you were able to fix those holes, give them a fresher look, and extend their life? Luckily, with this guide to mending and patching, you don't have to say goodbye to your favorite clothing items ever again! Now you can cherish all your garments, even those in the furthest corner of your closet! This sewing book for beginners will help you master the skills to repair a seam and mend a hem, even if you've never touched a needle and thread before! Enjoy Your Clothes for Longer This sewing book arms you with the techniques you need to enjoy your clothes for longer and express your creativity. Detailed step-by-step illustrations and clear instructions explain how to sew, repurpose, and care for your clothes in a range of materials.  For anyone who cares about reducing fashion waste but doesn't want to sacrifice style, this is the book for you! It addresses the way mending is great for fashion sustainability and gives you the low down on "fast fashion". From polluting ecosystems and breeding unsafe work environments, discover the huge human and environmental impacts those irresistibly cheap t-shirts have. The Art of Mending and Sewing  Mend It. Wear It. Love It is for everyone! Packed full of simple fixes, as well as more advanced techniques, this book is perfect for sewers, crafters, and fashion lovers of all experience levels.