Arts & Crafts Books and Resources

Try out knitting with the Knitting Kit from the Library of things. The kit comes with a book for beginners, interchangeable circular needles and a 50 yard skein of yarn. The yarn is yours to keep!

It's the best course in knitting ever--a complete instructional manual on every aspect of the craft. Now, complete beginners can learn everything they need to know to knit beautiful and cozy garments, blankets, and accessories. Begin by selecting needles and yarn and then start practicing the basic knitting and purling stitches and their variations, including the loop stitch, slip stitch, and crossed stitch. When you're ready, move on to tubular stitches, and learn to increase and decrease your rows of stitches and bind off to finish your work. Instructions are given for a wide range of garment pieces and styles, including various necklines, collars, sleeves, buttonholes, and pockets. Find out how to correct mistakes and mend holes. Add interest to your projects with decorations such as pearls, sequins, and jewels; jacquard and smock stitches, embroidery, braids, fringes and pompoms. Make baby booties, mittens, gloves, socks, sweaters and more.

The ultimate knitting reference, from the world's most recognized knitting magazine, gets a thorough update--including 1,600 color images and brand-new sections with techniques and designs! First published in 1989, Vogue Knitting The Ultimate Knitting Book instantly became a beloved resource for knitters. The second edition, released in 2002, further cemented its place as the most trusted knitting resource. The past 15 years have seen many exciting advances in knitting, and this update encompasses them all. It features an expanded library of cast-ons, increases, decreases, and bind-offs; in-depth sections on newly favorite techniques such as brioche, entrelac, double knitting, and mosaic knitting; and design and construction chapters that go beyond just sweaters to encompass dozens of options for hats, mittens, socks, gloves, and more than 25 shawl shapes. Comprehensive chapters cover lace and cabling, and provide even more Information than before on knitters' tools, correcting errors, finishing, embellishing, and garment care to give you a masterly understanding of every stage of knitting. With updated, revised, and fresh material throughout, 65 additional pages, and more than 1,600 photos and hand-drawn step-by-step illustrations, Vogue Knitting The Ultimate Knitting Book is surprisingly easy to navigate with thorough indexing and footnote cross-referencing. From beginners needing to learn the very basics to seasoned knitters wanting a refresher on a complex technique, every knitter will cherish this guide for years to come.

This excellent learn-to-knit book is ideal for new and intermediate knitters. Following instructions for basic casting on and stitch structure, a logical progression of patterns will lead you through: knit-purl, mosaic, slip stitch, twist-stitch patterns, cables, increase/decrease, and lace. When the 63rd square is finished, there will be very little yo do not know about stitch-pattern techniques, and you will have a snug and beautiful afghan as a bonus.

In theJapanese Knitting Stitch Bible knitting guru Hitomi Shida shares some of her favorite needlework patterns. Shida's strikingly original designs and variations on every imaginable classic stitch result in intricate patterns that form the basis for beautiful and unique knitted fashions. This is the perfect book for the experienced knitter who is looking for new stitches that yield spectacular results! This Japanese knitting book features a wide range of rewarding and intricate stitches including: cables popcorn stitches twisted stitches edgings and many more... A set of detailed, step-by-step diagrams show you how to execute all the basic stitches. Instructions and diagrams for a series of small projects offer practice working with large patterns, lacy patterns, pattern arrangement and round yokes among other things. The knitting projects include: A classic hat made using large patterns An elegant scarf in lacy patterns The ever-popular fingerless mittens Thick socks that can be made using various patterns A feminine collar using round stitching And much more! This Japanese stitch dictionary represents a whole new adventure for knitters and is sure to become a valued reference for experienced knitters.

Try out crocheting with the Crocheting Kit from the Library of things. The kit comes with a book for beginners, a crochet hook and a 50 yard skein of yarn. The yarn is yours to keep!

500 Crochet Stitchesis both a stitch guide and a how-to-crochet primer, all in one volume. You get all the information needed to get started, including how to choose yarn and needles, read patterns, work basic stitches, how to check gauge, increase and decrease, join pieces and finish projects and care for your crochet items. The comprehensive pattern library includes 500 crochet stitches, including basic stitches using single and double crochet, trebles, and some new techniques to get the fabric you want for that special sweater or hat. Lace and openwork stitches are a starting point for exploring the airy shawls, and afghans crochet is famous for. Use one of the many motifs to create an heirloom blanket, or mix and match motifs to create a truly unique piece. There are also edgings and trims you can use on yourcrochet and other projects, including sewn items and knitted ones. Each is fully explained with instructions and accompanied by a full-color photo of a sample crocheted swatch. All swatches are worked in updated yarns, beautifully photographed and accompanied by easy-to-follow instructions. Based onThe Harmony Guides, which have been a longstanding and valued reference for handcrafters for more than thirty years, with over half a million worldwide sales, this edition is updated with eye-catching photography and innovative new stitches, but also never forgetting the heritage of the guides.

A first-of-its-kind Japanese crochet stitch dictionary! For the first time in English, popular knitwear designer Yoko Hatta shows you creative ways to use a little leftover yarn and your own sense of design. You'll find round, square, triangle, polygon and Irish crochet motifs--from really simple to deliciously intricate--all waiting to be incorporated into your latest needlework projects. Make scarves and blankets using the all-time favorite granny squares, or shawls using polygons. Join circles (or throw in some squares) to make fun wall hangings, room dividers and more. Use beautiful Irish crochet motifs to embellish garments, form the outside of a bag, or make into a brooch. Find plenty of ideas for using color, from offbeat mono-and-duo-chromatic arrangements to splashy, multicolored pieces. Mastering even just a few of these motifs will open you to endless possibilities. Separate sections explain all the crochet symbols used and show you how to assemble the arrangements. Published in the same format as the bestselling Tuttle Publishing knitting dictionaries (Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible,250 Japanese Knitting Stitches, Yoko Hatta'sJapanese Knitting Stitches from Tokyo's Kazekobo Studio ), this book finally brings the same access and knowledge to crocheters.