Best Leathercrafting
Aetheric ray deflector solid brass goggles Calibrated indicator gauges Ferromagnetic self-scribing automated encyclopedia (or, the Steampunk book drive) High voltage electro-static cannon (or, the lamp gun) Tesla-pod chrono-static insulating field generator (or, the mobile device enclosure) Altitude mask with integrated respiratory augmentation Armoured pith helmet Mark I superior replacement arm with integrated Gatling gun attachment. Thomas Willeford has degrees in physics, history, and art.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The pages hidden between the lovely covers are full of fun and amazingly well layed out projects created, innovated and presented in a wonderfully easy to follow and incredibly well written and thought out style."
"Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, and Gizmos: A Maker's Guide to Creating Modern Artifacts. I've bought lots of DIY books, and read many steampunk books."
"Willeford's step-by-step, cautions and how-to hints are a treasure and we are all the better for his opening the doors of Grimmelore Manor to show us what's inside that genius brain of his."
"It's really remarkable how some of those concepts eventually materialized (portable wireless communication devices, flying machines, trips into outer space, etc.). This book - Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, And Gizmos - is a great look at the designs, and means to create and build your own, Steampunk styled stuff."
"This book contains 12 step-by-step projects for building your own steampunk artefacts from the essential goggles right up to a steam powered artificial arm with gatling gun."
"I started getting into steampunk and wanted a book with some info to make steampunk accessories."
"Really nice to organize my make up and personal items in a small space."
"Also, the cannon on the helmet decoration can be substituted with a different item, or you can find a how-to video on YouTube of Mr. W showing how to make a mini cannon out of a brass rod!"
The ultimate collision of creative imagination and practical maker skills, making props and costume armor involves sculpting, molding, casting, 3D printing, CNC fabrication, painting, and countless other techniques and technologies. Basic fabrication methods using inexpensive, commonly-available tools and materials Simple, low-cost methods to make foam armor out of easy-to-find foam mats How to use the popular Pepakura software to build 3D models with paper Multiple molding and casting techniques How to build a "vacuforming" machine to make armor from plastic sheet stock Painting and weathering techniques that will bring your props to life Just enough safety advice to keep you from losing body parts along the way Whether you're just a beginner or a seasoned builder with countless projects behind you, this book is sure to be an invaluable addition to your workshop library. A hopeless Halloween addict and fan of all things science fiction and fantasy, Shawn's hobby of building prop and costume pieces for his own collection has long since gotten out of control.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A good reference for someone trying to get into costume making."
"Need costume ideas for a play?"
"My Son is using this to get started in cosplay."
"This book is helping high school students making sculptures and costumes for play costumes in a charter school and has helped a lot."
"Bought for my son for Christmas."
"this is a fun book you need it in your referances for realy great tips and new ideas enjoy it I did."
"This is a fantastic resource for any cosplayer."
"THIS BOOK IS FULL OF THRILLING AND WONDERFUL TIPS, TRICKS, HOW TO INSTRUCTIONS AND MOST OF ALL HUMOR."
Step-by-step instructions and photos illustrate basic leathercrafting techniques: choosing leather, stamping and decorating, stitching and lacing, and finishing. He is also an award-winning photographer and lives in central Pennsylvania.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For new un-dyed leather, neatsfoot oil is not the best leather conditioner or preservative. Today there are much better leather conditioners and preservatives that will allow un-dyed leather to stay much firmer than with neatsfoot oil and protect it from moisture and drying. Search on Amazon for "leather conditioner" or "leather preservative" and read the reviews. To read all about leather conditioners and preservatives you can see many info pages with a Net search on-. leather + "neatsfoot oil" + beeswax + preservative + soften + conditioner. So in summary, a very qood leathercraft book with the one disagreement on using neatsfoot oil on your work."
"Book was short and to the point,will be using for reference over time."
"I thought it was a pretty good read."
"This book really suprised me I was expecting it to have so many pictures sure to some $20 might be to much when you can look most of these things up on Google but nothing beats having a book to be able to quickly refrence and see pictures on it."
"She had decided to take up a hobby that she had put aside while raising children, gardens and flowers."
"Very good basic book to get you started."
Best Stagecraft
How to Get Dressed: A Costume Designer's Secrets for Making Your Clothes Look, Fit, and Feel Amazing
In How to Get Dressed , Alison distills her secrets into a fun, comprehensive style guide focused on rethinking your wardrobe like a fashion expert and making what’s in your closet work for you. A New York Times Best Seller "Professional costume designer Freer spills all her secrets for transforming your closet into a truly functional wardrobe. "[Freer is] refreshingly down-to-earth in her first book, which is packed full of helpful tips for building and maintaining a stylish wardrobe . Most of all, her writing constantly reminds me of what fashion is really supposed to be: fun for everyone.” --Jane Pratt, founder of xoJane.com "Years in the trenches of Hollywood have made Alison Freer an authority on every single clothing problem that could befall a person. With more than 150 TV shows, films, commercials, and music videos under her belt, she has reams of hard-won, practical wardrobe expertise at her fingertips. Alison is also the clothes editor at xoJane.com, where her unique take on how to solve common fashion and style conundrums has won her a dedicated following.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It's not a book about fashion, but about style. As a person with far too many clothes and clutter in my life, I long for organization, and Alison's tips for organizing one's clothes and closets are actually useful and doable, and make me think that even *I* could be organized (that remains to be seen, but that's because of me, not Alison's awesome tips)! If there's a problem with your clothes that you can think of, Alison likely has a quick fix in her book. Unlike those fashion magazines I mentioned before, Alison doesn't try to say "this style is better for this body type" or "this is unflattering for this body type," but instead she tells you how to make your clothes fit your body. As she says in her book, the fashion "rules" we've heard all our lives are really just to make us all dress and look the same, and that is so boring I could scream! Alison makes no judgment on different styles, and is supportive of everyone's unique style. It's the only book or magazine I've read that emphasizes the fact that every style and every body can look and feel great."
"Too much fashion advice focuses on one body type, narrow gender expression, what's "flattering" rather than what you love. The author doesn't just use feminine pronouns, but uses "people who..." as well, and talks directly to the reader frequently through the book. I haven't put this into action yet, but I can't wait to go into a shop and not have to wonder "Yeah but will I really ever wear it?" There are tons of TV behind-the-scenes stories, personal anecdotes and examples so you don't ever feel like it's a text book. I absolutely love this book, and plan on buying copies for a friend's daughter who's graduating high school, my sister for her birthday, and a new mom for mother's day."
"If was so refreshing to read a book written by someone who isn't afraid to actually share valuable knowledge!"
Best Papercrafts
Join thousands who have rediscovered their creative talent, using Jonni's revolutionary techniques and recipes. The sculpting techniques shown in this book have been used by middle school kids, university art students, theater prop-makers, and adults of all ages who have rediscovered their love for sculpting, using methods and materials that are affordable for everyone.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"this book is about a new type of papermache recipe making it easy to. create any thing you have ever wanted to copy and make yourself in an. easy to follow description,with easy to obtain ingredients."
"She gives clear, precise directions, lots of pictures, and really walks you through everything thoroughly."
"When I became interested in paper mache."
"My 7-year-old made the MOST AMAZING penguin sculpture for a class project based on the information in this book."
"Extremely good value for the money."
"Just received my book over a week early!"
"The author is a talented artist who generously shares her talent in a very user-friendly style."
"She is good about telling you which brand she uses for the ingredients--for the brand of toilet paper, for example, can make a difference."
Best Wreathmaking
Focusing on technique, authors Kasey Rogers and Mark Wood cover the basics of creating a character wreath, from making the face to adding the sleeves to complete the perfect outfit. Rogers played "Louise Tate" on the popular TV show Bewitched.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I remember seeing Mark Wood on an episode of the Carol Duval show many years ago and made his Scarecrow Wreath back then."
Best Lace & Tatting
Learn how to work from a knitting chart; instructions for 15 striking shawls are charted and written out Get tips for choosing the right yarn--from fiber content to color--plus tips on using stitch markers, making shawls bigger, and more Make great gifts; find a variety of knitted-shawl patterns to suit yourself and your friends. Find lovely knitted-shawl patterns designed specifically for today's popular sock-weight yarns.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I also love the fact that Jen Lucas had the forethought to add in to each pattern a section on how to make your shawl bigger."
"I particularly like that there are both charts and written instructions for all of them.I have completed several and have found no errors in the patterns -- which is common in patterns I've gotten online."
"The kindle version charts lose all contrast and are difficult to follow."
"Great variety of patterns well written and detailed pics!"
"Great photos, nice projects, and clear directions."
"Did not realize these patterns were for intermediate knitters."
"The pattern instructions are a little confusing since she gives you the lace pattern before the instructions for starting the shawl and carrying on."
"The two color shawl is my favorite one, but I have sat here for 10 minutes and I can’t make heads or tails of that written pattern portion as far as how to order the sections, and I have done plenty of pieces that are as complex as those here."
Best Craft Framing
Kistler, a leading framing expert and author of numerous books and articles on the subject, teaches the do-it-yourselfer to frame like a pro. Vivian is the author of numerous books and videos, including the seven-volume Library of Professional Picture Framing. Her monthly articles appear in Art World News, Picture Framing Magazine and Profile magazine.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"While the author of this work sadly passed away a few years ago, the book is not in the least outdated and is as clear and as comprehensive as one could possibly wish."
"I don't know if you could call this the definitive framing publication, but it's a pretty good starter for beginners, such as myself, and should enthuse you to delve deeper into the creation of your own frames."
"Good, easy to read and use guide on framing."
"I joined a local art gallery recently and found that if I sent my photos to be framed I might as well just give the products away."
"A lot of info with great pictures to help you see what is going on."
"If you have framing experience, this book won't tell you much you don't already know."
"A great overview of framing."
"I absolutely love this Guide."
Best Crocheting
With bright, modern, full color illustrations, anyone can quickly learn to crochet, master new stitches and make a selection of cute and easy first crochet projects, including beautiful scented hanging hearts, baby hats, granny squares, scarves and mittens and lots more !. Alison McNicol is an expert in teaching crochet, knitting and sewing, and has written a series of best-selling craft books for adults and children.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I’m a complete crochet novice so I loved the clear and easy to follow illustrations which were so easy to follow."
"Working on Christmas gifts. Thank you for such a easy to understand book!"
"sorry I did not buy 2 or 3 to give as gifts great book for learning how to crochet."
"I like this book because it is simple and it shows step by step how to do the stiches."
"Great book to learn how to crochet."
"Love how easy it sounds to crochet."
"I have been using this as a reference book and because this is the Kindle version it is easy to reference and bookmark."
Best Home Decorating
Your Modern Guide for Planning a Wedding that’s Perfectly You. Wedding planning can be a bit overwhelming, but with the helpful how-tos and insider advice in this handy wedding book, you can forget the stress and focus on creating a day that truly reflects you as a couple. Get a head start on being the best MOH ever and give her this essential guide to bridal everything from the creators of inspirational site Lover.ly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My fiancé jokingly says that this book, the Loverly Wedding Planner, may have been written as a “wedding planning guide for the guy”."
"My sister in law is also planning her wedding and so this book will get a lot of use out of it."
"This is all along with recommendation on how far in advance you need to get it done ( for example while the wedding is 12 months away, 9 months, etc)."
"I thought this book will help a couple decide where to begin with wedding planning and to really express what is important to them including budget , where to hold the wedding and who are you inviting."
"This book will walk you through all of the planning processes for having a wedding. Planning a wedding can be a very stressful time, but this book will help you out a lot."
"It was also really nice that this book had places to write down your thoughts or worksheets that helped to guide you through the wedding planning process."
"It has photos, checklists, ideas, tips for choosing venues, tips for pitcures and anouncments, setting the date and much more information which is useful for those about to get married. Lots of great info a must read if your planning to get married."
"In addition to being a great guide, it can also become something of a keepsake, as you can write notes at the end of each chapter."
Best Knitting
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! "You will be stunned by the complexity and beauty of these unique motifs — and the intensity does not diminish as you page through the book. "Roehm translates the imaginative work of Shida, one of Japan's best-known hand-knitting designers, into English for the first time. Shida gained an international following with the Japanese publication of a book of couture knitting patterns a decade ago, and here presents hundreds of other patterns, adding scallops, yokes, and edgings to her offerings … For intrepid knitters looking for a challenge, the pages of stunning stitches will prove well worth the effort." "…experienced knitters will be tempted to give it a go after paging through the handsomely photographed knit swatches, each of which is accompanied by unlabeled charts. She has been teaching, designing and writing books for over 20 years, and her work already enjoys a worldwide following among Japanese knitting fans. Gayle Roehm now devotes herself to fiber arts and happily spends her days with yarn and needles.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book is divided into chapters, each with its own small project: Lacy Patterns, Overall Patterns and Crossing Stitches, Pattern Panels, Pattern Arrangements, Round Yokes and Edgings. This is a must have book for anyone who enjoys designing their own knits, loves texture and is a stitch pattern enthusiast."
"I could spend the rest of my life knitting patterns from this lovely book. It takes a bit of time for the eye and mind to decipher the symbols."
"It is a book I go to so often, Sometimes for a pattern idea but often just to browse as the work is so exquisite."
"An entirely new way of thinking about knitting."
"Waited for publication."
"Exquisite is accurate."
"Fabulous designs, can't wait to use them in projects!"
"Just when you thought you couldn't be dazzled any more, "Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible" comes along to blow you away!"
Best Puppets & Puppetry Crafting
Crochet is also an art for more experienced crocheters to allow their skills to flourish by mastering some new stitches. With “Crochet Books: 30 Crochet Patterns In 30 Days With The Ultimate Crochet Guide”, you'll be able to whip up fun new gifts, surprises, accessories, and everything in between in practically no time at all. ~"Anna really put together some great crochet patterns. ~"I'm so happy I made this my first of many crochet books". < tags: crochet patterns on kindle free, crochet patterns, crochet books, crochet for beginners, crocheting, crochet magazine, crochet afghans, free crochet pattern books for kindle, crochet stitches, crochet free kindle books, crochet baby, knitting, sewing, Crochet baby blanket patterns, Crochet baby patterns, Crochet baby booties, Crochet baby blankets, Crochet baby clothes, Crochet baby afghans, Crochet baby beanies, Crochet baby dress patterns, Crochet baby booties patterns, Crochet baby bibs. First, I'd like to say my mother taught me so many of the skills I have today and every book I publish is in memory of her. Throughout the year you may find us traveling along the east coast due in large part to my children being home schooled.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Easy to follow directions with pictures when needed."
"Great variety of projects.Basic, simple format and instructions."
"Nice patterns and not too difficul to read."
"Looks like an awesome book so far."
"I chose to give this book a 5 star rating because it's a great book."
"Easy read and cute ideas what more could you want for any beginner."
"It is not always easy to find the right crochet pattern book ."
Best Weaving
Explore warp-face patterning, weft-pile weaving, weaving with fine threads, woven shibori, shadow weave, and the textural effects you can create with different yarns and with wire and conductive thread. "An inspiring and comprehensive resource that holds the hands of beginners and challenges advanced rigid-heddle weavers with a broad range of techniques." Crafters will be thrilled by the possibilities: satisfying tapestry and transparency projects, bead weaving and e-textiles, and dramatic effects using simple finger-manipulated techniques. Syne Mitchell's essential guide explores the full capabilities of these tabletop looms, covering all the basics and offering an amazing array of projects.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you want clear direction direction on how to warp, common weaving problems, explanation of terms, how to calculate what you will need for a project and how to make your weaving look professional and interesting this is a great place to start."
"Concise, cohesive, and packed full of knowledge, this book will get you to not only find your rigid heddle loom but also to explore and use it to its fullest."
"I think this book appears to be the perfect first weaving book for anyone with a rigid heddle loom."
"Such a helpful and informative book with tons of step by step instructions for dozens of great projects!"
"This is the best weaving book!"
"An in-depth treasury of easy to follow techniques."
Best Sewing
Hammocks are one of the most comfortable ways to enjoy the indoors, and make great companions for a long-distance thru-hike, relaxing at a park, a weekend backpacking trip, or an overnight in the woods! Derek Hansen is a lightweight backpacker, Scoutmaster, and "hammock enthusiast" who enjoyed his first hammock hang at age 14 at a Boy Scout high adventure base.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Derek breaks things down to the basics with just enough technical expertise to keep a seasoned hanger intrigued but not too much to lose the novice."
"Great intro to hammock camping, with lots of food for thought and tips to make things easier."
"Derek proves a wealth of information in an easy to read and understand format with excellent illustrations."
"I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is thinking about hanging for the first time or even someone with limited experience with Hammocks."
"I am just exploring the world of hammock camping before I make my first purchase."
"I read it on Kindle and had some issues enlarging the graphics enough but that's probably on me."
"Easy, breezy and fun describes this informative guide to the world of hammock camping."
"I bought this book after I got a new hammock and quick went out to hang it in the backyard , my tree's where to far apart so I grabbed a ratchet strap it snapped hitting me in the hand nearly breaking it."
Best Basket Making
"The Ultimate Crocheting Guide for Beginners!” contains proven steps and strategies regarding everything that you need to know on how to begin crocheting. This book will teach you the basic stitches that you need to know first including the proper way to wind the yarn to your fingers and the way you should hold your hook.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book started from very beginning with the diagrams which make it easy to understand and learn. She learned it from this book so anyone can learn from it."
"I bought this book for my mother, she loves to make crafts and all that kind of stuff, so I wanted to give her a new way to have fun making crafts."
"What I like about this book are the colored pictures. The book provides a step by step procedure with colorful pictures for each step."
"By the time my mom finishes reading this book, I believe she will have a full idea about crocheting and the different projects she can create during leisure time."
"This is really a magnificent and well detailed guidebook not only for beginners in crochet but also to those who are skilled in this kind of art!"
"She didn't become a crocheting master with this guide, but it is a beginners book, and it is good enough for that."
"What I like with this book is that it contains drawings, illustrations and pictures of the patterns for knitting."
"It has explained everything from the terms, yarn and other things to use in crochet."
Best Jewelry Craft
Masterfully weaving together pop science and history, Stoned breaks history into three categories—Want, Take, and Have—and explains what the diamond on your finger has to do with the GI Bill, why green-tinted jewelry has been exalted by so many cultures, why the glass beads that bought Manhattan for the Dutch were initially considered a fair trade, and how the French Revolution started over a coveted necklace. “Raden’s commentary on the often ugly side of human desire through the ages is consistently captivating, and her witty delivery makes the material shine.” (Publishers Weekly). What makes a stone a jewel? In this brilliant account of how eight jewels shaped the course of history, jeweler and scientist Aja Raden tells an original and often startling story about our unshakeable addiction to beauty and the darker side of human desire. With sharp wit and a light touch, Raden weaves together history, science, and economics to explore our enduring love affair with beautiful things, and shows us that just like their glittering surfaces, jewels have a singular power to reflect our desires back to us and show us who we really are.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I picked up Aja Raden's Stoned expecting a history of jewelry and was pleasantly surprised to find an in-depth social history of how human perceptions of value, desire and innovation have shaped the modern world. She starts with the beads that bought Manhattan (and in doing so makes a compelling case that it might not have been quite the con we think of it today) and ends with the wristwatch and its role in making modern warfare, aviation, navigation and personal private time possible."
"Personally, I rarely read non fiction books for the simple fact that they aren’t usually very captivating."
"This book started off snarky but interesting and ended up being educational and funny and I enjoyed it a lot."
"I am still reading the book."
"Many of the stories Ms. Arden tells were familiar to me but to read them from from her perspective and with her research gave the stories new meaning and proved to be a delightful read."
"This book has a lot more general world history than I expected."
"Not as informative as I had hoped."
"In depth research on several popular stones."
Best Craft Dye
Create mixed-media art quilts starting from your digital photographs. ( Down Under Textiles, Issue 25 ). Wen Redmond has been experimenting with different styles and techniques for many years, and this book distils her work with digital images and various materials. The book is helpfully divided up into sections such as using fabric or paper as substrates, using Pre-Coats (such as InkAid) and basic Digital Photography printing before moving onto more experimental chapter, using acrylic mediums, overlays, creating textured surfaces for blending or printing over and using nonporous substrates. Inkjet printers can be used to print on a variety of substrates, and mixed-media artist Redmond shares how best to combine printed fabric or paper with paint, photographs, and art supplies such as gel medium to create one-of-a-kind works of art. This stimulating guide to combining digitally altered photos and surface materials to create mixed-media designs centres around artist Wen Redmond's passion for photographs and fabric. With stunningly illustrated ideas for digitally printing/layering images onto fabric, paper and other surfaces suing a variety of techniques, it is jam-packed full of information covering computer software and scanner/copier techniques, layering and blending images, printing processes and paint methods. Whether you're interested in photo quilting, fabric and paper art, digital and mixed-media art, photography or art and design, you can't fail to be inspired by the transformational approaches in this book. Wen Redmond, a distinguished quilter and mixed media artiest, experiments with manipulating and printing digital images on a multitude of substrates including fabrics and paper. Showing complete familiarity with the tools, techniques and products she describes, Wen's inspirational combination of textiles and digital images will surely motivate the adventurous-spirited reader to compose, create and print innovative textile art too. Wen Redmond is a mixed-media artist whose work embraces digital printing, surface design, fiber art, and collage.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"gets into detail about using the computer to make digital fabric art."
"Wonderful instructional material."
"Easy to follow and the photos are wonderful."
"This book is filled with wonderful images from this talented artist."
"Great guide for working with digital photos to create art quilts - many great pictures for creative motivation."
"I own a few of Wen Redmond's pieces and love her book too."
"Lots of digital collage techniques to work with."
Best Seasonal Crafts
100 Easy Recipes In Jars is a collection of easy to make, delicious jar recipes that will make a big dent in your holiday gift giving list.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Useful, depending on if you want to give gifts in a jar, and if you want to make all those things."
"Wish I had gotten this book to print out.Really don't want to save it for long Was OK some interesting ideas."
"I wish there were more pictures of the finished product."
"Its good, just need more than just the normal sweets everyone always gets."
"It looks good for Christmas, but I have not yet read it."
"This book was okay but the ideas just were not for me."
Best Craft & Hobby Painting
This beautifully illustrated and inspiring guided watercolor-a-day book is perfect for beginning watercolor artists, artists who want to improve their watercolor skills, and visual creatives. “To the outside observer, Jenna Rainey’s work seems completely effortless, but it is in fact built on an extremely solid foundation of techniques, materials, and color theory.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In EVERYDAY WATERCOLOR: LEARN TO PAINT WATERCOLOR IN 30 DAYS, author Jenna Rainey gives us a step-by-step approach to learning how to paint. By Day Thirty, we are finalizing our “Jungle Piece.”. So all in all, I found EVERYDAY WATERCOLOR to be an outstanding book. All it takes is practice, a lot of passion, dedication, and most importantly, patience.”. The author concludes the book with this encouragement: “Keep painting and dedicating this practice to yourself as an artist and creative individual.” I appreciate the author’s helpfulness, and warm encouragement."
"In this technique, you paint in the darkest part, then use clean water to wet the lighter areas, and a final stroke joins the two to create a bleed of the dark into the wet areas. In the lessons, you learn how to paint various leaves, flowers (roses, paradise flower), plants (trees, cacti), fruit (papaya, dragon fruit), animals (chickens, hummingbird, toucan, elephant, macaw), and several landscape or collage-like paintings using these objects. She frequently urged "add lots of water," leaving it mostly up to the reader to figure out how to keep the paint from escaping the desired bounds."
"However, what I found more important is that it doesn’t only teach but also entices you to start practicing: – It gives a defined time frame “30 days of watercolors”, so you can see the goal. – The example images are not intimidating and portrait only what you are supposed to learn (not astonishing pieces that obviously required more knowledge than what they teach and you go “no way I can do something like that” and give up). It doesn’t focus on making you achieve a specific stylized design, but if you want to build solid foundations in watercolor and go beyond the examples provided, then go for it!."
Best Candle Making
Choose the right soapmaking equipment Blend colors and aromatic scents Create all kinds of soap, from bath soap to facial cleanser Make soaps for holidays and special occasions. Alicia Grosso has been creating handmade soap and toiletries for more than a decade.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book taught me how to make soap."
"This is a decent book for anyone interested in soapmaking."
"It is very comprehensive in explaining any information a new soapmaker might need, including safety information, and I believe has enough info included that even someone who's been making soap for awhile might learn something new."
"Excellent book with lots of good information and recipes."
"The book was very informative, easy to understand, told me exactly what I would need to make soap."
"This is an excellent book for beginners in soap making like me."
"So much information.. great for a beginner in CP soap making."
"I like the book very much , It has the basic information + many recipes 👌👌."
Best Lapidary
Simple Guide to Over-the-Air Free TV sets itself apart by providing non-techs with over 110 pages of useful cord cutting information and a step-by-step guide to successful cord cutting. Simple Guide to Over-the-Air Free TV explains how supplementing OTA TV with streaming media players like the Roku 4, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast, in combination with streaming media services like Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, HBO Now, Amazon Video and Sling TV, can create personalized, inexpensive options to bundled cable or satellite programming packages. If you are looking for a straightforward how-to manual to help you cut the cord, read Simple Guide to Over-the-Air Free TV and to learn how to save money and start enjoying TV on your terms today!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I've already ordered a Mohu antenna which will have a trial run next week in my son's apartment."
"Roku 3 love the free "Crackle" channel; 3. Subscription to SlingTV (may upgrade to add HBO when that becomes available) and took advantage of their free Roku Stick offer (for MIL's TV)."
"I was thinking I wished someone had written something like this as I was crawling through the options one by one - and lucky for me, someone did."
"Applying the ideas in this book and purchasing some of the suggested products for two different homes has ended up saving a total of $2640 per year in Cable TV cost."
"Great, short overview of one way to simplify your life and still get what you need."
"Well written and informative in a language that makes it easy to understand."
"An excellent book for anyone who is considering going to a over the air antenna or who is interested in lowering the cost of TV."
"For the total newcomer to OTA use it provides many insights and links to more information."
Best Flower Arranging
From Erin Benzakein, a leader in the locaflor farm-to-centerpiece movement and owner of internationally renowned Floret Flower Farm, Cut Flower Garden is equal parts instruction and inspiration—a book overflowing with lush photography of magnificent flowers and breathtaking arrangements organized by season. - Stephen Orr, editor in chief, Better Homes and Gardens. "One of the leading voices in the farmer-florist movement, Erin is a tireless advocate for locally-grown flowers. "I met Erin Benzakein more than ten years ago when she was a young mom growing sweet peas and dreaming of making her living from flowers. And now she's sharing that dream with the world - everyone from fellow flower enthusiasts to emerging farmer-florists to veteran designers yearning for a new, seasonal and sustainable model of floristry. In her debut book she not only introduces us to the basics of growing our own flowers, she shares her deep love and understanding of gardening in a way that will leave even the most doubtful grower feeling inspired to get their hands in the dirt." Her first book is deliciously gorgeous and incredibly comprehensive- combining practical advice alongside a huge overdose of seasonal inspiration. Erin Benzakein's gorgeous new book, Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden, is equal parts inspiration and education. The layout is simultaneously appealing and practical; Floret's signature lush photographs beautifully illustrate all stages of cut flower production and design through the seasons. Filled with clear growing techniques, detailed harvesting instructions and other tips of the trade, this book is a true gift to anyone wanting to generate good income from the craft of flower farming on a small-scale.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"broken down into flowers of the season... author gives several varieties of her favorite flowers."
"What a book, just about everything you need to know, and her years of experience have been put into this book."
"Beautiful, inspiring, complete, thorough, full of heart and current guide, that can be adapted to farms of all sizes."
"I was so inspired after reading this book that I took a leap and bought my first dahlia, now that I know how to take care of it."
"I don't even have a yard/garden right now as I'm renting but this book has been so fun to read and to dream!"
"If you love flowers, you will love this book."
"I wish I bought this as a digital copy so that I could carry everywhere to read."
"Love this book!"
Best Toymaking
With just two weeks to go before baby Edward's due date, yarn enthusiast Kerry Lord picked up a crochet hook for the first time and a new obsession began. Kerry Lord is the designer and founder of the TOFT Alpaca Shop, a modern British knitwear company offering exclusive knitting and crochet patterns, alpaca yarns and workshops.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"However, there are several negatives that kept this from being one of my favorite books. The author happens to be fortunate enough to have grown up on an Alpaca farm and be an owner of a luxury yarn co. All the animals derive their wooly huggable appearance from the texture of alpaca yarn, which is not available to everyone and is not especially practical for children's toys. I thought I might use the patterns to create my own versions, but it is simply too much frustration and there are many other books and patterns available that are much easier to use."
"Great directions that are clear and concise."
"The patterns online are great but inconsistent in size."
"Fantastic book and patterns."
"My girlfriend loves this book and has made several of the designs that are included in the book."
"ABSOLUTELY LOVE and will be ordering Kerry Lord's other book so I can crochet some wonderful looking birds for my grandbabies!"
"I have found a couple pattern errors and agree with other posts that there could be more pictures for direction and details."
"I wasn't crazy about having to flip back and forth for the directions, but the book would be a million pages long if they hadn't written this way."
Best Craft Patchwork
Grab this easy. beginner quilting guide. and get 3 fun. quilt patterns. with complete step-by-step instructions that anybody can use to. make a quilt. , even if you have never sewn before! Three complete quilt patterns: Quilt-as-you-go table runner, Rail fence lap quilt, and Double four-patch baby quilt. She is always looking for and writing about simpler and faster ways to quilt.Felicity is currently working on her second quilting book, and contributes to the quilting blog Quilter's Diary.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Overall it is an excellent book to start quilting!"
"I like the size of the book, and I knew as soon as I opened it, I had really gotten the quilting book that I had been looking for all along."
"I like the book for beginning quilting & want to give a 5 rating but it needed editing/updating on pages here/there (one was on the instructions #3, where is the mention of the yellow fabric)."
"great book for Beginners,"
"this as a gift & she likes it & picked a pattern fir her 1st quilt."
"Since I know nothing about quilting, this book was extremely informative...."
Best Quilts & Quilting
With an illustrated index, 70 free-motion quilting designs, crystal-clear instructions, and gorgeous full-page photographs, this is the go-to resource you'll want handy before starting any quilting project. Noted long arm quilter Walters is here to help with her engaging new book, detailing quilting designs to fit specifically into squares, triangles, circles, hexagons, and borders. Angela Walters is a prolific writer on free-motion embroidery and her books are always worth a mention being well explained, illustrated and executed. Here there are squares, triangles, circles, diamonds, hexagons, negative space and borders and they are all great designs, ready to combat ‘quilter's amnesia' for those times where you look at a shape and cannot think of the best way to quilt it.The author provides clear and simple instructions which are useful in enabling some complex patterns to be broken down into lines and stages. Angela Waters has quilted for fabric designers, authors, and pattern makers and has been published in numerous books and magazines.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"At Last a how to book that tells you, how to...I have so many other quilting idea books and none of them come close to this one."
"Beginner quilter here, so i bought to use for practice free motin quilting."
"I have enjoyed the book "Shape by Shape Free Motion Quilting" very much."
"Modern free motion quilting guide."
"Fair book I wish I could figure out where to start, stop and how to travel."
"Love Angela Walters ideas for quilting, These give me lots of designs to practice on my quilts."
"received on time and in new condition...Angela makes things seem very easy and has very practical and easy to understand instructions."
"A must have book for quilters .Angela has it well. organized according to the shape of the block and even included design ideas for borders."
Best Woodworking
One Man's Wilderness, written by Sam Keith from the journals of Proenneke, is a re-released classic that first captivated readers twenty-six years ago. Though few will follow Proenneke's lead, his story can be quite inspiring.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Read how Richard Proenneke built his cabin by hand and thrived (mostly alone) in the bush. What This Book Is: - An important introduction to Richard Proenneke's story. - Heavily edited (I would even say rewritten). - A pleasant, easy read (goes great with the 2-part documentary that airs on PBS). - Easy to get your hands on very quickly. What This Book Is Not: - Richard Proenneke's authentic journals, in his OWN words. - Proenneke's story told in his own voice. I was captivated after watching the 2-part PBS documentary, "Alone in the Wilderness". Bottom Line: - I would rate this book ("One Man's Wilderness") 3.5 stars if I could. - I would rate "The Early Years" 5 stars, hands down. - I recommend this book as an easier, quicker read."
"I have been to Alaska and my family made memories we will tell for the rest of our lives, the desire to go back and explore more is a fire that's been fully ignited."
"I was telling my husband about this book as I started reading it. There is nothing dull about this book and I suspect the people who find it dull haven't any interest in living in the wilderness without Blackberries, i-pods, automobiles and restaurants."
"I've read it a couple of times."
"Not because it has a sad ending, I was just sad to no longer share in the adventure."
"Dick could fabricate or make virtually everything he needed...pots and pans out of gas can tins, forks and spoons out of stump wood, tables, chairs, bunk beds, even wooden hinges!"
"If you have never traveled to remote Alaska, you will want to after reading his book."
"A very special book by a very special author."
Best Fashion
Is your closet jam-packed and yet you have absolutely nothing to wear? "it never hurts to take inventory of what's in your closet already in order to make good decisions when you're staring at a pile of "yeses" in the dressing room. [she] is dedicated to helping women curate their perfect wardrobes using all kinds of handy charts, infographics, and lists that make the process less emotional and more data-oriented." – Glamour.com "Fans of the author's blog, Marie Kondo devotees, and anyone who's tired of having a full closet but 'nothing to wear' will treasure this superb resource." "Lifestyle blogger Rees’s first book, based on the blog Into Mind , is a fun and practical guide to discovering one’s personal style. The goal is for women to easily choose an outfit that they like every single morning, to wear a large portion of clothes from their closet, and to be able to dress for their own lifestyles. “In a world inundated with fast fashion and rapidly changing trends, it’s easy for our closets to become graveyards of misguided purchases. Anuschka Rees’s The Curated Closet is a smart, straightforward manual that encourages readers to discover what they like and to develop a wardrobe that makes getting dressed easier. She has a master's in social psychology from the London School of Economics and has spent years studying the intricacies of human decision making, which she's used to develop her unique system of personal style-defining techniques.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'd be a bit lost on color, personalized style words, and garment basics without the prior read of Bobbie Thomas, The Power of Style (similar approach with clearer guidance on personal style & color palettes), Nancy Nix-Rice, Looking Good Every Day (required text for FIT NY Image Consultants), and Jennifer Scott, Lessons From Madame Chic (light-hearted stories underscoring and explaining personal style, quality, upkeep, yep, no quizzes her either). Having read those books, Anuschka is exceptional at the final mechanics of building and updating a wardrobe that meets YOUR needs and style personality. Madame Chic -- put me in the proper mindset. Looking Good Everyday -- provided the nuts and bolts. The Power of Style -- prompted detail work on my style personality, color palette, and clothing details. The Curated Closet -- solidified my rules, set my outfit formula, and established an on-going "curating" approach."
"For years I did the whole “buy whatever I like on clearance” routine – only to wind up with a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear, because nothing matches or it turns out a shirt I loved for 30 seconds in a dressing room (that was on sale of course) just doesn’t fit quite right at home. Less focused on having a minimalist wardrobe (although that’s part of it), this book teaches the reader how to develop a personal style that works with your budget and how to be a smarter shopper. One of the biggest mistakes I was making was just having a general idea of a piece I needed –say a blue shirt- and then going shopping and finding something (on sale) that more or less fit the bill. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that finds themselves with a closet full of close and nothing to wear, or who is ready to develop a personal style and become a smarter, better shopper."
"She asks you to take pictures of your outfits for two weeks and then looks at your FAVORITE outfits, that you felt the best in, and helps you analyze them to figure out WHY you love them and then build your whole wardrobe around those elements. This is different from every other challenge I've looked at, which have you look at all the clothes you WORE and build your wardrobe around the pieces you wore, which is NOT the same as building it around your favorite outfits."
Best Crafts for Children
Want to ignite your creativity, boost your gratitude, and skyrocket your happiness in ten minutes a day? This creative and motivational book invites you along as I discovered the Happy Journal method. A happy journal's premise is you drawing images to describe what brings you joy, so you end up illustrating your life. - Notice the little things that make up your beautiful life. - Combat negative mindsets that will kill your happy journal before it starts. - Start your own happy journal with a couple of supplies. - Pass on the gift of a happy journal to your children and friends.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm not much of a writer but found myself excited to sit down and draw out my day; events that made me smile throughout the day."
":). I struggle with perfectionism, so I love the author's emphasis on releasing the need for your happy journal to be perfect and instead embracing whatever it is that brings you joy."
"What a nice thing to do to relax... brainstorm or not even think of anything at all...you can use the extra bonuses she gives you to come up with prompts, you can’t help but smile doing this journal."
"I am in no way an artist, but the encouragement that Jennie gives - i find myself doing little stick figures in the margins of my happy journal."
"I'm no artist, i have always been afraid to incorporate drawing into my journals."
"I loved this book and how it reminds you to find the happy in your every day life and to keep a record of it."
"I have fine tip pens, gelatos, colored pencils and watercolors that are languishing in their cases."
Best Craft & Hobby Stenciling
With illustrated step-by-step instructions, The Big Awesome Book of Hand & Chalk Lettering shows the complete beginner how to master the art of hand lettering, the composition/design of phrases on the page, and flourishes to embellish the design. The Big Awesome Book of Hand & Chalk Lettering covers 15 lettering styles-from Black Letter and "melting" to circus and Victorian, as well as serifs and scripts-along with numerous borders, corners, banners, bursts, frames and other accents. Dina Rodriguez is a freelance hand lettering artist.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have purchased several hand lettering guides and this one is definitely a great addition to my collection."
"and that's it - there are tons of tips and guides to go through each alphabet step by step."
"I found this book so inspirational!"
"Nice, big book perfectly full of beautiful examples and how-to's."
"Simple and direct instructions, A+."
"I'm enjoying the book very much!"
"The book !"
Best Pottery & Ceramic Craft
"Millefiori" means, one thousand flowers", this technique is used in Venetian glass work, and can be applied to polymer clay. In this book you will learn how to use your cane slices and designed clay sheets to make beautiful beaded jewelry, cover glass objects, and create a variety of home decorations.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I liked that this book gave clear instructions on the basic cane designs and that each cane built upon the previous one (s)."
"This is a small book with compact, with very clear and basic information."
"This is a great instructional book."
"this is exactly what i was looking for--straight, simple easy to follow instructions with many photos."
"Nicely written, very good instructions & photo's."
"I wish there were more stars to give this book."
"This book teaches you how to make a *cane* with a flower inside. it's a good reference book, and it has some good ideas, but I wished I had in paperback edition."
"Excellent reference & great instructions for the intermediate polymer clay artist."
Best Textile Arts
Paracord Project Inspirations, a book that combines knots and ties of the past with knots and ties of the present, so you can launch your paracording skills into the future! Lenzen is the creator of the highly acclaimed YouTube channel '''Tying It All Together'' and the producer of over 300 instructional videos.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great addition to the ever expanding paracord world."
"Good for beginners."
"Good book."
"I found the them in the decorative fusion knots book to be correct and easy to follow and the knot tied very easy for me."
"Excellent book and illustrations."
"Good book."
Best Potpourri
By learning about your brain’s natural wiring, what makes you tick, and other successful anger management techniques, you’ll ultimately learn to rein in your emotions and be able to handle anything life throws at you. How your mind works—how and why you get angry in the first place Finding your emotional/anger triggers Proven techniques to manage anger Dealing with anger versus bottling it up Mastering your emotions in an effective way. It works because the methods used in this book are the same ones used by the professionals—although modified based on real-life, personal experiences with anger and emotional control.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book is what I need."
"Anger is a big enemy of your happiness and this is a dangerous situation when you are out of control of your self."
"Good exercises that help you to evaluate the extent of your issues."
"Now at least I can think of the things I learned from this book every time the anger kicks in."
"a hoot."
"A perfect book for anger management, this is one of the best book which is well written and easy to understand tips and techniques are proven helpful ."
"Small 37 page book, or short essay rather for 10.00, should have been no more than .50¢. Waste of money."
"This book is the thinnest book I’ve ever seen."