Crafts & Collections > craft

* The perfect gift for dog-lovers and knitters everywhere * Includes patterns for 25 dog breeds * Easy enough to make in a few evenings Best in Show offers the unique opportuity to knit yourself a dog. There are 25 different breeds included, from a perky Poodle to a burly Bulldog, a delightful Dalmation to a loyal Labrador. With Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne's designs you can now knit your precious pet, reproduce your favourite breed, or even knit the dog you have always desperately wanted. The dogs are surprisingly easy to make. I... read more

Get creative with this fabulous knitting book. Filled with inspiring projects from a gorgeous scarf and fingerless gloves to a cushion cover, this lovely book features easy-to-follow instructions and includes a pair of knitting needles.

Contains step-by-step instructions for over 200 different knots, bends, hitches, loops, plaits and whippings.

A great companion for householders and outdoor sports enthusiasts, this book features clear step-by-step instructions for the world's most useful and popular knots. A useful manual for beginners, it includes expert advice on choosing materials and the correct rope or twine for the job.

Aimed at those who get warm fuzzies just walking into a wool shop, simply have to stroke the fabric at the quilt store, and long to touch the textiles at museums, this round-up of New Zealand's craftiest places will go down a treat. It's essentially a guide to the many places in New Zealand where you can buy everything you need to make your own textile-based crafts. The book lists treasure troves for fabric lovers, embroiderers, patchworkers, knitters, spinners and other crafty types to find not only materials but inspiration on th... read more

An essential book for all spinners who want to get the best out of their craft. Spinning has changed hugely since its upsurge in popularity in the 1970s. These days spinners want to know more than just how to spin an adequate yarn: they want to extend the range of yarns they can produce, to understand what is happening as they spin, and about the raw materials they are working with. The first edition of this book gave spinners, for the first time, a fully illustrated manual that provided straightforward, authoritative advice and in... read more

35 beautiful step-by-step projects, from weaving, dyeing & soap-making to patchwork, candle-making & more. Inspired by a yearning to return to a simpler way of life, the projects in this book can be endlessly adapted & will equip you with lifelong skills that you too can pass on. Illustrated throughout with lavish photography.

From the cute Spring Bunnies quilt to the festive Christmas Baubles wall hanging, the classic Cadeaux de Provence quilt to the innovative Coffee and Cream throw, here you will find quilts to suit every home and all abilities. 20 original patterns for fast and simple quilts and great ideas for adapting designs to suit your space. Includes quilting basics and each technique is clearly explained with step-by-step illustrations.

Located in the Peruvian Andes, the Mallkini Ranch breeds alpaca herds. Seeking a way of supporting their employees long term, the Mirasol Project was established to invest in the establishment and running of a boarding house for local children. Jane Ellison has designed a collection of 25 glorious garments, all knitted in the sumptuous, soft yarns. Simple shapes, ranging in skill level, with creative stitch patterns and original designs come together to produce gorgeous knits. From a chunky turtleneck sweater and moss-stitched mi... read more

Packed with vibrant designs, there are 55 easy-to-make projects plus a host of exciting variations to stimulate creativity in children aged 2-6. Marking every kind of special occasion and celebration from Easter to Harvest Festival, Halloween and Christmas, you will find colourful and stylish stationery, scented candles, soaps, sweets, masks and lanterns. All projects come with a list of materials, time taken and age suitability.

This is a practical guide to combining Japanese fabrics and traditional Oriental style with fast, super-easy techniques. Each of the ten quilts is made up in two different colourways for maximum inspiration, and shown both as hand and machine quilted designs. As an added bonus, there are five simple-to-make homestyle projects for using up leftover quilt blocks. Japanese patchwork style is incredibly versatile, and the finished projects will be at home in the most modern interiors as well as rustic cottages.

Iris folding is a simple technique that involves folding papers to create beautiful, spiralling patterns that are similar in shape to the iris aperture of a camera. In this book, Maruscha Gaasenbeek shares with you her love of iris folding, providing templates and clear instructions for 130 beautiful greetings cards based on iris-folded designs. It combines three previously published books by the same author: Iris Folding With Love, Iris Folding For Fun and Iris Folding a Full Year, and represents a fantastic source of inspiration ... read more

Crochet 20 little bears and dress them up in a wonderful range of colourful outfits that will delight both adults and children alike. All the bears in the book are based on the same, simple crocheted bear, approximately 12cm (4A in) tall, instructions for which are provided at the beginning of the book. The bears have a firm texture and are made in a stable, seated position. There are 20 unique bears to choose from, each with its own crocheted outfit, and of course all of the characters can be adapted by simply changing the colours... read more

A guide to more than 200 breeds and the fibres they produce for knitting, spinning, and weaving. Suitable for crafters and animal raisers, it offers information on the characteristics of these fibre-producing breeds, as well as the qualities of the fibres, their history, and their potential uses.

Diana Springall is one of Britain's best-known textile artists. Her 40-year career in textiles includes appointments as a panel lecturer at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and chairman of both the Embroiderers' Guild and the Society of Designer Craftsmen. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and her work can be found in many private and public collections. This book is to be launched with an exhibition and a feature-stand at 2011 Knitting and Stitching Show (London, Dublin and Harrogate), this book explores the life,... read more

This new book by bestselling soapmaking author Melinda Coss focuses on natural ingredients and provides a wonderful range of recipes for bar and liquid soaps as well as creams, lotions and balms. The techniques section covers everything you need to know to create these wonderful soaps at home and all of the equipment needed is fully explained, so even a beginner could start making soap in no time. The recipes include fruit soaps, scrub bars, skin creams and flower waters, and there is even a section on special effects for a really ... read more

Man learned long ago that two sticks, rubbed together, can create a spark. It took a little longer to realise that if you attach a string, you can create a whole lot more. From practical advice to philosophical insights, The Little Book of Knitting Wisdoms is a collection of knitting truisms that will amuse, comfort and inspire - and have you reaching for those needles! A non-knitter is not ignorant. She is simply uneducated as yet...

"Be drawn into a world of creative passion with the vibrant designs featured in How Tea Cosies Changed the World, Loani Prior's follow-up to REALLY Wild Tea Cosies. Loani's outrageous imagination has produced 24 new designs that transform the conventional tea cosy into a knitted piece of art. It's not just about tea cosies though: use the easy-to-follow instructions and try your hand at Loani's knitted purse, or expand your skills with the double-knitted scarf. Full of humour, flair and creativity, How Tea Cosies Changed the World ... read more

This fabulous introduction to making modern dolls and creatures features a varied selection of original projects by contemporary designers and makers. Whether you are looking for an advanced project using traditional techniques, or a 'one-hour-make' doll to put together on a rainy day from bits and pieces found around your home, you will find inspiration here. Techniques for the construction of the dolls is explained in simple illustrated steps, and surface application such as hand sewing, applique, fabric painting and machine emb... read more