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Sticky Fingers

Sophie Maletsky

Sticky Fingers is a vibrant, easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to creating amazing projects with the hottest crafting material on the market today - duct tape! The book includes tons of photographs alongside directions designed to make creating a wallet and making a bag even easier, while also providing a steady stream of ideas for personalizing and embellishing your duct tape creations. Each project includes icons showing difficulty level and project time, as well as helpful hints, such as how to keep your scissors clean and what to do with end pieces. So grab a roll of duct tape, pick a project, and get started!

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Learning 3D CAD with Autodesk 123D

Jesse Au

Design and create real-world objects with 3D printers, laser cutters, or common materials that you assemble yourself. It’s easy with Autodesk’s free 123D tools. In this full-color book, Jesse Harrington Au—Autodesk’s Maker Advocate—shows you how to design objects from scratch, work with existing models, or scan real-world objects.

You’ll learn how to use tools in the entire Autodesk 123D suite—including the 123D CAD program, 123D Catch, 123D Sculpt, and 123D Make—to design, sculpt, scan, and print 3D objects with an easy-to-learn CAD interface. It’s ideal for makers, hobbyists, students, artists, and designers, including beginners.

  • Jump right into the world personal fabrication without costly or complicated software tools
  • Create amazing 3D objects out of common materials, even if you don't have a laser cutter or 3D printer
  • Make 3D scans of objects using an iPad or a camera
  • Get clear, full-color images of the 123D suite’s user interface, as well as views of 3D models
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Beautiful Wire Jewelry for Beaders

Irina Miech

Beautiful Wire Jewelry for Beaders features projects that combine wireworking skills with beaded jewelry design. The book is technique-driven, with chapters on wire fundamentals, terminology, materials, and basic wireworking techniques, and projects that develop the reader’s skills. The projects incorporate gemstones, crystal, glass, and pearls and are designed for both beaders and wireworkers of all skill levels. Beautiful Wire Jewelry for Beaders includes appealing designs — all tested — for necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, pins, and jewelry components.

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Wood Shop

Margaret Larson

Come on, kids: grab a hammer, step up to the workbench, and get ready to measure, saw, drill, and make cool things! Wood Shop is an exciting introduction for today’s kids to an age-old tradition: building with wood.

With step-by-step photographs and clear instructions, aspiring woodworkers learn essential skills such as how to drive a nail, use a power drill, “measure twice, cut once,” and saw correctly. Then the fun begins, with 17 cool and creative projects kids can build to furnish the wood shop, decorate their bedrooms and homes, and create their own play equipment. Favorite projects include Tic-Tac-Toe-To Go!, One-Board Birdhouse, a Tool Tote, and a hanging Twinkle Light. Wood Shop is the perfect gift for tinkerers, young makers, fans of LEGO toys, and aspiring carpenters and engineers.

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The Repurposed Library

Lisa Occhipinti

We all love to read and learn from books, but The Repurposed Library takes our passion even further, presenting us with 33 projects to make--quite literally--out of books. For these projects, Lisa Occhipinti rescues and repurposes orphaned and outdated books from flea markets and library sales and turns them into new art objects and practical items for the home. Her creations range from artfully constructed mobiles, wreaths, and vases, to functional items like shelves, storage boxes, and even a Kindle "keeper" for those who want to replicate the sensation of holding a "real" book while reading from an e-reader. Projects utilize every imaginable part of a book--from hardback cover to individual pages--and are a DIY celebration of a new way to view a book's potential.

Praise for The Repurposed Library

"In an age when the bound book is an endangered species, Occhipinti's] artwork is nicely topical. She now has a book of her own, The Repurposed Library, out this week from Stewart, Tabori & Chang. In it, she offers readers a how-to guide to making household objects from, well, books, like a mirror, a lamp and a fire screen, as well as the winsome mobile shown on the cover."
- The New York Times

 

"Book hoarders rejoice: all those random children's books, encyclopedias, and unread paperbacks are about to find their purpose . . . Furnished with cheery photographs and numerous hand-drawn diagrams, this endearing book will appeal to veteran crafters and literati alike."
-BUST magazine

"The book is really well-made, fittingly. The photography by Thayer Allyson Gowdy is wonderful and really shows off the projects--and everything in the background is as tastefully arranged as a Crate & Barrel catalog. . . . if you love books as objects, The Repurposed Library is a fun collection of project ideas."

 


--Wired.com

"We love how everyday objects like a colorful collection of vintage books can double as d cor. . . . Th e] cute wall-hung book ledge is easy to make and provides a perfect perch for treasured keepsakes. --Natural Home & Garden

 

 

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Inner Workings

Peter Hinckley

Budding young inventors, engineers, and sciences will love this one-of-a-kind STEM book for curious young minds!

"The creative approach to showcasing technology and nature, however, will get kids thinking and asking questions about the world around them. Pair this title with David Macaulay's The Way Things Work Now and Stephen Biesty's "Incredible Cross-Sections" series for an in-depth dive into how our world works. VERDICT A good introduction to STEM topics that will increase critical thinking skills and vocabulary."--School Library Journal

What would you find if you cut a pocket watch, fireworks, a golf ball, a beehive, or even a merry-go-round in half? Something extraordinary, of course! In Inner Workings: The Extraordinary Insides of Ordinary Things, curious minds will get an inside look--literally--at the remarkable structures and mechanisms inside everyday objects with bold, cross-section illustrations of toilets, ice cream machines, Rubiks cubes, calculators, pool tables, bowling alleys, food, vending machines, and so much more!

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Crafting Cute

Dani Banani

Let Dani Banani of the popular Etsy shop FunUsual Suspects show you how to make 50 kawaii creations out of inexpensive and easy-to-find polymer clay. Kawaii—the culture of cuteness, originating in Japan—is everywhere, and it’s time to join the cuteness revolution with these amazingly fun projects.
Just follow the simple step-by-step photos and instructions to create darling characters, ranging from small trinkets to larger home accessories, including:

  • 25 itty-bitty and ridiculously cute charms, earrings, brooches, and figurines of Popsicles, macarons, French toast, waffles, bacon and eggs, donuts, tacos, sloths, unicorns, and more.
  • 15 adorable midsize pieces, such as plant holders, desk accessories, and ring holders in the shapes of llamas, hedgehogs, whales, jellyfish, and more.
  • 10 large “showstopper” pieces, such as a rainbow soap dish, fairy garden, penguin tic-tac-toe game, and robot paper clip holder.

 
With information to get you started, including techniques on softening the clay, color mixing, and baking, Crafting Cute will have you delightfully sculpting in no time.  
 

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The Crocheter's Companion

Nancy Brown

Explore a guidebook with over 65,000 copies sold! Get more stitches, over 70 new illustrations, and step-by-step techniques in this new edition of The Crocheter's Companion.

This indispensable resource includes all of the essentials, plus a few exciting extras you've been longing for: more tools, stitches, and techniques, as well as updated yarn information, complete abbreviations and symbols, and additional information on reading stitch diagrams. Also, due to popular demand, the section on Tunisian crochet has been expanded.

Still in its handy pocket-sized, spiral-bound format, the updated edition covers all the basics (and then some!). Thread and hook charts, stitch instructions with clear illustrations, and lots of helpful hints from one of crochet's most experienced authors will inspire beginners and serious crocheters alike. With impeccable illustrations, an easy-to-understand format, and the most updated information available, The Crocheter's Companion will soon become the only crochet resource you'll need.

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Prototyping

Eric Cook

Learn how to improve your projects by building and revising prototypes. Readers will learn how to start making a new idea a reality without putting their effort or resources to waste. Photos, sidebars, and callouts help readers draw connections between new concepts in this book and other makers-related concepts they may already know. Additional text features and search tools, including a glossary and an index, help students locate information and learn new words.

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The Crochet Stitch Bible

Betty Barnden

The Crochet Stitch Bible contains over 200 stitches, explained in full, and is a perfect starter guide for beginners, with advanced projects and details for experts. The handy spiral bound design allows this book to be laid open on a work surface for easy reference, and makes a wonderful addition to the library of any crafter, crocheter, or knitter.

This comprehensive guide includes step-by-step instructions for basic stitches, textured stitches, fans and shells stitches, mesh and filet stitches, openwork and lace stitches, trims and edgings, clusters, puffs, bobbles, spike, relief, tunisian, multi-color, squares, and special stitches. Each crochet stitch is accompanied by a photograph sample, row-by-row instructions, and easy-to-follow symbol charts.

Crochet is the technique of making a looped fabric from a continuous length of yarn, using a single hook. The word "crochet" itself derives from the French "croc," meaning a hook (or crook); an old scottish name for crochet is "shepherd's knitting." It is one of the most portable and flexible of crafts, requiring only a hook and some yarn. Once you have mastered the basic techniques, you can create a fascinating variety of effects.

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Vampire Knits

Genevieve Miller

Surrender to the allure of knits inspired by the immortals we all love to fear. If you adore "Twilight, True Blood, " or "The Vampire Diaries," this collection of 28 imaginative and beautiful projects is sure to captivate.
- Black capes are so 1897, instead get stylish with the dead sexy Sidhe Shrug.
- Unleash your inner shapeshifter with the Werewolf Hat.
- Keep warm while holding hands with your vampire by wearing these Bellisima Mittens.
- Around humans? Use the Blood Bottle Cozies to disguise your beverage.
Whether you are wandering the Carpathian Mountains or the bayous of Louisiana, these smoldering projects--for knitters of all levels--will keep you well protected, no matter what you attract.

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Crafting Change

Jessica Vitkus

An informative and inspiring exploration of craftivism — the intersection of handicraft and activism — designed to encourage young creators while providing meaningful historical context.

You don’t have to be old enough to vote to drive political change.

In Crafting Change, author, TV producer, and craftivist Jessica Vitkus explores the rich lineage of craftivism, with profiles of craftivisit icons, many of whom are women and people of color. This YA non-fiction book shines a light on artist-driven projects like This Is Not a Gun – workshops where people sculpt objects the police have mistaken for a gun in fatal shootings -- alongside creative movements that mobilized entire communities, like the AIDS Memorial Quilt and the Pussyhat project for the 2017 Women’s March. This engaging narrative combines compelling artist interviews with full-color photos of creators and crafts alike.

A perfect book for teens who want to channel their creativity into political action, with ideas for simple projects sure to appeal to budding craftivists.

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Maker Comics: Grow a Garden!

Alexis Frederick-Frost

Maker Comics is the ultimate DIY guide. Inside Grow a Garden, you'll find illustrated instructions for six gardening projects!

Will, Violet, and Basil must be the unluckiest students at the Garden Gnome Academy. They've been stuck with Mr. Butternut, the school's most unpopular (and unusual) teacher. Will and his friends have to learn about soil and compost while their classmates get to study exotic plants and butterflies. Although things get a little messy (and stinky) in his class, Mr. Butternut does know a thing or two about growing delicious veggies.

Follow the easy step-by-step instructions in this book and you can make:

A compost bin
Seed pots
Potting mix
A growlight shelf
A cold frame
A container garden

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Cardboard Box Engineering

Jonathan Adolph

Cardboard is everywhere! For creative kids aged 9 to 14, it’s the perfect eco-friendly building material, and Cardboard Box Engineering is the perfect guide to get them started on inventive tinkering. A working kaleidoscope, a marble roller coaster, a robotic hand, and a wind-powered tractor with cardboard gears are just some of the ingenious projects developed by Jonathan Adolph, author of the best-selling Mason Jar Science. Working with simple household tools, kids can follow the step-by-step photographic instructions to exercise their design smarts, expand their 3-D thinking, and learn the basics of physics and engineering with activities that have real-life applications.

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The Perfect Loaf

Maurizio Leo

JAMES BEARD AWARD NOMINEE • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A dynamic, authoritative sourdough baking bible for those looking to build confidence in the craft with a wide range of foolproof recipes, from pan loaves to pizza to doughnuts, by the beloved blogger and resident bread baker at Food52

“Maurizio Leo has given all bread-heads, whether newbies or experienced bakers, the ideal gift.”—Peter Reinhart, author of The Bread Baker’s Apprentice and host of Pizza Quest

ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: Saveur

Maurizio Leo’s blog The Perfect Loaf is the go-to destination on the internet for beginner sourdough bakers. He now brings his impeccably detailed techniques, foolproof recipes, and generous teaching style to a groundbreaking debut cookbook that delves into the absolute fundamentals of sourdough—plus the tools and confidence to explore beyond.
 
Recipes cover flavorful, crowd-pleasing favorites:

 

  • Essential freeform loaves: Simple Sourdough, Rosemary & Olive Oil, Extra-Sour Sourdough, Cranberry & Walnut, Demi Baguettes
  • Pan loaves: Everyday Sandwich Bread, Naturally Leavened Brioche, German Whole Rye, Honey Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
  • Pizza and flatbread: Roman-Style Pan Pizza, Focaccia, Naan, Flour Tortillas, Pita
  • Buns, rolls, and more: Soft Dinner Rolls, Potato Buns, Ciabatta Rolls, English Muffins, Bagels
  • Sweets: Weekend Cinnamon Rolls, Italian Doughnuts, Summer Fruit Sourdough Crostata, Banana Bread, Cinnamon Babka 
  •  
    Beginner bakers will have their hands held the entire way, with troubleshooting sections and numerous sidebars answering almost every question they may have—like how to store a sourdough starter long-term, how bakers’ percentages actually work, and a visual guide to common “bread fails” and how to remedy them. Seasoned bakers will relish deep dives into the science behind baking processes and expert information on how to build their “baker’s intuition” and level up by experimenting with hydration, ingredient ratios, freshly milled grains, and specialty flours. Whether you're new to bread baking or a pro, The Perfect Loaf will be your indispensable guide in the kitchen.

 

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The LEGO Architect

Tom Alphin

Travel through the history of architecture in The LEGO Architect. You’ll learn about styles like Art Deco, Modernism, and High-Tech, and find inspiration in galleries of LEGO models. Then take your turn building 12 models in a variety of styles. Snap together some bricks and learn architecture the fun way!

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Rock Art!

Denise Scicluna

Great uses for rocks: throwing, skipping, kicking...how about painting? Rock painting is one of the oldest forms of artistic expression known to man. The varied surfaces, shapes, and sizes of rocks also make them perfect for crafts. From brooches to bookends, paperweights to place cards, miniature owls to patterned pebbles, you can create just about anything with the right rock and a bit of imagination. In Rock Art!, visual artist Denise Scicluna provides inspiration and advice for rocking our artsy side with:

  • Tips for finding and identifying rocks and preparing them for paint
  • Techniques for creating the perfect rock from polymer clay
  • A guide to gathering tools, from paint, pencils, and brushes to wood filler and varnish
  • Dozens of projects for bringing pebbles to life with personality and style
    Simple, step-by-step instructions, and more than 250 full-color illustrations that practically pop off the page make this fun and unusual book perfect for crafters of all ages.
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Stitch Camp

Nicole Blum

In today’s thriving maker culture, kids are hungry for hands-on guidance in creating stylish wearables and practical objects, or hacking and customizing existing ones. Authors Nicole Blum and Catherine Newman get them started with complete instructions for mastering six favorite fiber crafts. Step-by-step photos teach kids ages 9–14 the basics of how to sew, knit, crochet, felt, embroider, and weave, plus how to make three projects for each craft. From woven patches and a knitted backpack to embroidered merit badges and a crocheted bracelet, the fresh, kid-approved projects encourage creative variations and build confidence along with valuable life skills.

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