Absolute Beginner Craft

Learn hand and machine sewing techniques and helpful advice to help you create twenty-five fun projects in this amazing guidebook for beginners. This clear and easy-to-follow guide is the ideal tool for the complete beginner to machine sewing. It is packed with sewing expert Caroline Smith's helpful advice and twenty-five exciting projects, ranging from pillows and curtains to an apron, children's playtime tepee and tote bag. It covers all the equipment, tools, terminology and techniques a beginner needs to know, guiding readers from the basic hand stitches right through to more complex techniques. This is a new edition of a bestselling and much-loved title.

Discover the limitless possibilities of pastels with this beginner's guide to creating modern, lively, and colorful pastel artwork. Artist and teacher Rebecca de Mendoça offers beginners a complete course in using pastels. Step-by-step exercises and longer projects help you to build the essential skills you need to paint a range of subjects, including landscapes, still life, portraits, and animals. Vital drawing techniques are explained and demonstrated, along with easy-to-follow explanations of color theory, composition, and the pastels themselves. This volume includes techniques for using both hard and soft pastels, eight skill-building projects, and a wealth of finished artwork to provide ideas and inspiration.

Discover how to use traditional embroidery techniques from simple cross stitch to pulled thread embroidery-even if you've never embroidered before. The book introduces the reader to many different stitchery techniques from simple cross stitch to intricate pulled threadwork. Some of the techniques are useful for making decorative borders, while others are good for adding spot designs, monograms and lettering, and applying beads and sequins. There are twenty designs to choose from including motifs for attractive home accessories and a wide range of fashionable garments. Readers will also find out how the simplest of sewing machines can create embroidered pieces in a fraction of the time it takes to do it by hand. Everything is explained with clear, step-by-step photography and no-nonsense, easy-to-follow text.

Techniques, step-by-step photos, and simple projects for new knitters-both adults and kids! Covering all the essential techniques, including basic garter and stocking stitch, casting on and casting off, and increasing and decreasing-all clearly explained using step-by-step photographs and simple instructions-this book is a treasure trove for beginning knitters. Alison Dupernex's designs have a timeless appeal that will delight knitters of all ages, and there are projects for children as well as adults. Within a few pages, you can be knitting a fabulous stripy scarf, and by the end of the book you can get started on knitting yourself a gorgeous cable-knit cardigan! Packed full of helpful tips and simple projects, this is a must-have book for anyone who wants to knit. Previously published as The Beginner's Guide to Knitting