11 how-to books for crafting at home
Explore creative ways to get making at home through these craft books
Crafts magazine has put together a selection of books to help you pick up new skills independently.
Wood Craft: Master the Art of Green Woodworking
Working with wood doesn’t require a workshop. This how-to book by master spooncarver Barn the Spoon will have you whittling away in your back garden in no time, and all you need is a log, an axe and a hand knife.
Baskets
This introduction to basketry combines the origins of the craft with practical projects. Tabara N’Diaye explores the history of basket-making via her Senegalese background as well as offering 15 how-to guides for creating contemporary homeware.
Quick Crafts for Parents Who Think They Hate Craft
This suggestion is aimed at all the parents currently home-schooling their children. To make life easier, most projects only require everyday household items such as pegs, paper and dried pasta, and range from easy origami ideas to weaving crowns from leaves.
By Emma Scott-Child. Published by Ebury (Penguin), £12.99, hb
Contemporary Paper Marbling: Design and Technique
Paper marbling is an ‘endangered craft’ at risk of being forgotten. Author Lucy McGrath, founder of marbling brand Marmor Paperie, describes this beautifully illustrated guide as being part of her ‘mission’ to teach its techniques to a new generation.
Trash Origami: 25 Paper Folding Projects Reusing Everyday Materials
Turning one man’s trash into another man’s treasure, this guide explains how to transform everything from envelopes to calendar pages into flowers, butterflies and other folded designs, while an accompanying DVD gives further instruction.
By Michael G. LaFosse and Richard L. Alexander. Published by Tuttle, £5.99, pb
Modern Rainbow Patchwork Quilts
This colourful new title offers tutorials for 14 patchwork projects, which includes quilted blankets, cushions and mini projects, each with a rainbow palette. The easy-to-follow steps are designed for both complete beginners and those who have quilted before.
Dorodango: The Japanese Art of Making Mud Balls
In Japan, hikaru dorodango is a popular childhood pastime. Soil is mixed with water and, through a meditative, multi-stage process, shining spheres are conjured from the lowliest of materials. This how-to book introduces the practice and offers some wholesome family fun.
Mark-Making Through the Seasons: Textile Art Inspiration and Techniques
Quilter Helen Parrott encourages aspiring makers to observe their local environment in order to create artworks reflective of seasonal changes across the year. She covers hand- and machine-stitch techniques, appliqué, blackwork, dyeing and piecing.
Extraordinary Things to Cut Out and Collage
Collage artist Maria Rivans has put together this resource of over 1500 images – ranging from the beautiful to the surreal and silly – to be cut out and collaged. With an introduction to collage and tips on techniques, it should get you cutting and pasting in no time.
Mend & Patch
From sewing a button to patching a hole, this easy guide to mending will help give your clothes a new lease of life. Written by tailor Kerstin Neumüller, this easy guide is suitable for people of all abilities. The best part? It’s good for the planet – and for your pocket, too.
From Clay to Kiln: A beginner’s guide to the potter’s wheel
For those lucky enough to have clay at home, Stuart Carey, ceramist and founder of open-access studios The Kiln Rooms, offers this step-by-step guide to each part of the pottery process. From wedging and throwing to mixing glazes and firing, every stage is lavishly illustrated with photos and clear, concise captions.
