Greenfield Cardigan

 Day 15 ::  2010 Craft Books

New England Knits: Timeless Knitwear with a Modern Twist by Cecily Glowik MacDonald & Melissa LaBarre

 what you need to know...
:: watch a video on New England Knits
:: view the 25 knitting patterns on ravelry
:: join the New England Knits ravelry group
:: free pattern from the book: Chelsea Skirt
:: 3 sections in the book: Around the Town, Fall on the Farm, and Along the Coast
:: fresh take on classic knitting

 some of my favorites from the book... Hampton Cardigan

 Augusta Cardigan

 Derry Raglan and Cowl

 Greenfield Cardigan

from this book i attacked the Greenfield Cardigan which has pretty leaf detailing (the buttons i used can be found here)

it was designed by Melissa LaBarre, she is also the designer of the Tiny Tea Leaves Cardi that i knit for my daughter (so i guess you could say i've become a fan of Melissa LaBarre's knitwear)

that ends 2010 Craft Book month ~ thanks for stopping by, see you around this time next year for 2011 Craft Book month

Paper Doll Family Portrait

 Day 14 ::  2010 Craft Books

The Black Apple's Paper Doll Primer: Activities and Amusements for the Curious Paper Artist by Emily Martin

 what you need to know...
:: 21 sweet & mysterious characters with clothes & accessories
:: plus 16 paper dolls ready to be designed by you
:: clever craft projects include: armoire for doll-sized clothes, paper toy theater
:: use your imagination & go on an adventure
:: visit Emily's etsy shop
:: watch Emily make stuffed dolls

the project that i made from the book was our family portrait in paper dolls (first photo way up on top)
let me introduce you to our family, there's Papa, Mumma, junior, son 2, & daughter ~ it was super fun to pick out everything & it took forever for my daughter to pick out her hair :)

PS there has been a delay of posts due to technical difficulties, so 2010 craft book month posts will be fewer than anticipated

Pillowcase Dress

 Day 13 ::  2010 Craft Books

Craft Hope: Handmade Crafts for a Cause by Jade Sims

 what you need to know...
:: help the need in the world with positive action
:: 32 mostly sewing projects, each project is matched with a specific charity, with alternative suggestions for local places to contribute the item
:: free patterns from the book: I Spy Quilt & Red Fleece Mittens
:: helpful tips on how to give locally and globally, how to give thoughtfully and appropriately, and how to empower those you are helping
:: visit the Craft Hope website 
:: add photos of your finished projects from this book to the Craft Hope Flickr group 

this was my absolute favorite crafty type book from 2010

my oldest son & i made the thank-you cards & stamp

from my lovely vintage pillowcase stash, i sewed the pillowcase dress, 9 actually, i added 5 more handmade dresses, so i sent a total of 14 dresses to Dress A Girl Around the World ~ their goal was to have 10,000 dresses by the end of October 2010 & i do believe they did reach that goal :)

(note to self ~ from this book make: soft cloth doll, simple-knot newborn cap, patchwork pillow, bandana pants, flowered purse)

PS speaking of giving for a cause, giving food to the hungry has never been easier...  i discovered the hunger site over a decade ago & have been going there everyday since ~ click daily to give free food

see you tomorrow of day 14 !

Money Bag Pillow

 Day 12 ::  2010 Craft Books

Fabric Remix: Repurpose & Redecorate with Simple Sewing & Easy Upholstery by Sandy Stone

 what you need to know...
:: 35 home decor projects made from great scavenged finds
:: see old things in a new light... vintage scarves become luxurious pillows, vintage dress belts become charming tote handles, lace-trim vintage linens become an elegant chair slipcover
:: Sandy shares where to gather inspiration & raw materials
:: "Why buy something when you can make it yourself for less!"
:: Sandy sells her work & vintage goods at Hunt & Gather

on a vintage shopping trip i came home with a cotton money bag, i wasn't quite sure what to make out of it until i came across the money bag pillow project in this book. i added some blue trim & a white linen envelope back ~ a rather quick & easy pillow to make

speaking of pillows be sure to check out Pillow Month over at Sew, Mama, Sew!

see you tomorrow for day 13 !

Perfect Party Dress

 Day 11 ::  2010 Craft Books

Little Girls, Big Style: Sew a Boutique Wardrobe from 4 Easy Patterns by Mary Abreu

 what you need to know...
:: for girls sizes 2-6
:: 23 projects all from 4 basic patterns: basic bodice, peasant top/dress, pants, & skirt
:: the full-size patterns are at the back of the book on perforated sheets you can tear out
:: add photos of completed projects from the book to the Little Girls, Big Style Flickr group

 this was a new color combination for me ~ yellow/black/cream

 voila the perfect party dress

without the overskirt

 and with the overskirt

 done in size 4 which is a tiny bit big, hopefully by the time we have summer weather she'll have grown into it more

 i did a couple of things differently... putting the buttons in the front & placing the ribbon on top of the overskirt... which is the whole point of the book: make it your own

see you tomorrow for day 12 !

Pattern and Texture Cards

 Day 10 ::  2010 Craft Books

Delight in the Details: 40+ Techniques for Charming Embellishments and Accents by Lisa M. Pace

 what you need to know...
:: a book full of eye candy
:: 100 project ideas for cards, scrapbook layouts, mini albums & home decor
:: 4 main sections include: sparkle and shine, paint and ink, pattern and texture, & vintage finds and dimension
:: take a peek inside & be inspired !

i made a couple of cards after being inspired from the pattern and texture section of the book, both cards have quilting batting, machine sewing & buttons (giving them a cozy, homemade feel) ~ it was a fun project that was made with little effort & no mess

this marks the half way point of 2010 craft book month

see you tomorrow for day 11 !

Cowl-Neck Vest

 Day 9 ::  2010 Craft Books

P.S.-- I Made This . . . I See It. I Like It. I Make It by Erica Domesek

 what you need to know...

:: there are more than 25 quick, instant gratification fashion projects which are divided into 3 sections: jewerly, accessories, & apparel

:: for each project there is an inspiration collage, then clear, easy-to-follow step-by-step directions on how to make the project

:: free projects from the book: striped shirt, necklace, & t-shirt into a scarf

:: great book for the beginner crafter

 can you believe these ruffles are made from coffee filters !?!

i chose to create the cowl-neck vest project which said to use hand sewing, but i decided to use the sewing machine, it's made from knit fabric, has raw edges ~ it's never been so quick & easy to make a fashion statement

bon weekend mes amis, see you on Monday for day 10 !