There are a seemingly endless amount of books being published to cash-in on the ongoing trend for all things homemade, upcycled and hand crafted, and sometimes I feel like I own most of them. Despite rarely having the time to actually make anything, when I'm browsing in a bookshop I always seem to feel the need for just one more craft book. But which books are really worth the money? Here are five of my favourites...
Subtitled, The Modern Girls' Guide to Knitting, Sewing, Quilting, Baking, Preserving & Kitchen Gardening, this is a great one-stop shop for beginners. The author is the daughter of tock royalty (Joe Strummer of The Clash) and she also founded the achingly hip Shoreditch Sisters branch of the WI, so this is very much a hip, rock & roll craft guide. Nevertheless I fell for the appealing layout and the fact it covers so many crafts. People with more experience may find it frustratingly basic, though.
Most inspiring make: How can you fail to fall for the donut and cake pin cushions, pictured above?
A fantastic and beautifully presented introduction to sewing. I love how the projects are divided into how much time they'll take to make, and the chats with crafty women, professional makers, and bloggers are inspiring. There are beautiful photographs of each project and I found the instructions really simple to follow (not always the case with sewing instructions, which I am easily baffled by).
Most inspiring make: Either the patchwork pouffe, pictured, or the simple pleated skirt. Now if I could only learn how to sew in zips...
American feminist mag Bust has been running DIY and craft features since its inception in 1993. The DIY Guide To Life is an enormous collection of every project plus hints and tips for living. From a DIY on how to make a floating bookshelf, to a guide to unblocking a sink; a beginners how-to skateboard, to how to travel alone (including a project to make your own luggage tags), this guide has it all.
Most inspiring project: So many, but my favourite is this awesome pants & vest set made from an old band tee.
Public Service Announcement: I've just found this for £4.99 on The Works website. Bargain!
I picked up a copy of this from my local Oxfam in the sale, setting me back a whole £1.49, and I'm so glad I did because it's a treasure trove of ideas. Centred around the idea of upcycling and, well, recrafting from everyday items you can pick up secondhand or for free, the book has tons of creative and simple projects, from making toys out of old jumpers to fashioning a satchel out of a tweed jacket.
Most inspiring make: The homewares, pictured above, are probably my favourite projects due to their simplicity.
Not a collection of craft projects, this one, but a series of interviews and essays with/by craftivists from around the world. Craftivism is the using of craft in activism, for example yarn bombing, AIDS quilts, or prison sewing projects. This is a truly inspirational book and will make you want to get your needles out and engage with craftivism locally. Greer also wrote the brilliant Knitting For Good, which I heartily recommend to any yarn fans out there.
Most inspiring make: All of them! But I particularly like these Suffragette banners.
Oh no, i've just broken my spending ban and ordered the Bust book as it was such a bargain (I didn't even know the Works had a website, and free postage too!) But I figure it'll inspire me make crafty and cheap Christmas presents and so save me money, right? These all look great though and I love that donut pin cushion as well! And that pouffe looks ace x
ReplyDeleteOh no! Sorry for leading you astray. But it really is a good book and FULL of fab ideas. Enjoy making!
DeleteOh man I love The Works, I got a book of sock knitting patterns in there for 99p a few weeks ago! (I mean they're mostly insane designs but with a couple of gems, plus the entertainment value was worth it ;))
ReplyDeleteThe Works is dangerous... I always swear to myself I'm not going to buy more craft books, but they always have such good stuff there that I can't resist.
DeleteGoodness me I love a craft book! I don't own any of these though, thanks for the recommendations! I really like the DK guides to different crafts (they usually sell them in The Works), vintage pattern making books, and my favourite cookbook is the Ms Cupcake baking book!
ReplyDeleteLulu
http://candyappledarling.blogspot.com
I LOVE the Ms Cupcake baking book! I was so relieved to find decent vegan baking recipes, as I love baking and hated the thought of having to give it up, or make do with not-so-good cakes.
DeleteThis is a great breakdown. I always flick through craft books when I'm rooting in charity shops/bookshops but hardly ever purchase, despite being seduced by pretty layouts and pictures, because I always find that there's only ever about 3 or 4 things I want to make in them...however, that Bust one looks ace!
ReplyDeleteThat is the thing that I find - in most books there are only a few projects that I'll realistically make. I quite often find good sewing books in my local library, which is great when all you need is one project from the book.
DeleteI am tempted by the variety of the DIY book. Free delivery as well!
ReplyDeletePurchased! Seems that I'm doing well spending the money you're not :)
DeleteMaybe for the duration of my spending ban I should just write about nice things to buy, so I can at least experience the thrill of purchasing second-hand!
DeleteAnd the warm glow of successfully recommending something that someone else has also enjoyed!
DeleteThese seem like ideas I might actually do! I think the first two could be good calls as I could really do with getting some sewing done (reminded recently due to a random text from a friend asking if I have a sewing machine)
ReplyDeleteOoh these look like some really great craft books! My shelf at the moment is chocka with sewing books but I think I need to add a few craft books too and love the sound of the Queen of Crafts one for its variety!
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