News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

This month’s splendid selection of books offers inspiring knits, stunning jewellery projects, guidelines on designing and printing gorgeous fabrics, as well as ideas and tips for crafters and artists how to create a customized studio in their own home.

And, if you love red and you are passionate about supporting a great cause, take a look at the ‘Knit Red’ campaign, a community project to raise awareness of heart disease among women. Enjoy the challenge!

Inside the creative studio : inspiration and ideas for your art and craft space / Cate Prato.
“Embrace your space The professional organizers and editors of Studios magazine give you the tools to create your own one-of-a-kind artistic environment. Learn how to find space in your home, whittle down your stash, and get tips on maximizing your storage and organization. Experts will also show you how to repurpose furniture, recyclables, and vintage items to establish a space with function and personality. Spend less time making your studio work and more time actually creating. Inside the Creative Studio offers imaginative and unique solutions for every lifestyle, regardless of money, time, or space. Artists and crafters of all types-quilters, fiber artists, mixed-media artists, jewelry makers, sewists, painters, and more-share their stories, tips, and images of putting together their customized creative spaces. From spacious oases to cute and compact retreats, each studio offers countless inspirational ideas.” – (Provided by publisher)

Bohemian-inspired jewelry : 50 designs using leather, ribbon, and cords / Lorelei Eurto & Erin Siegel.
“Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry showcases 50 beautiful designs that explore the rapidly growing trend of using cords and ribbon in jewelry. Inside this colorful instruction book are clear steps for incorporating these trendy materials into designs as well as troubleshooting tips for finishing the ends using the right findings and how to care for materials such as 100% silk ribbon. Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry is perfect for all levels of jewelry makers interested in creating beautiful, hip designs. Beginner jewelry artists will learn basic skills including, stringing, wire-wrapping, knotting, and braiding. Advanced designers are provided with a vast range of material and design ideas. Regardless of your skill level, you’ll also learn how to feel confident with more complicated knotting. This is the perfect instructional book for jewelry designers interested in exploring the world of alternative materials in beaded jewelry.” – (Provided by publisher)

Wild jewellery : material, techniques, inspirations / Sarah Drew.
“Create your own Stunning pieces of contemporary jewellery from materials found in the wild. Expert advice on how to identify and select different raw materials and where to find them is accompanied by Full Colour step by step instructions on all the tools and techniques you need to transform your finds into wearable art.” – (adapted from Book Cover)

101 tees : restyle + refashion + revamp / Cathie Filian.
“The best way to find a t-shirt that suits you to a T is to make one!Popular craft personality Cathie Filian has dreamed up more than 101 ways to embellish, customize, and transform the everyday t-shirt into something truly fashionable. Beginners will find Cathie’s projects wonderfully easy and creative–and the 10 technique-themed chapters give crafters plenty to choose from. Just take a shirt of any type–from crew neck to long-sleeved–and cut and stitch, embroider, paint, dye, image transfer, or add rhinestones, ribbons, and other trim. The result will be gorgeous!” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Mastering the art of fabric printing and design : techniques, tutorials, and inspiration / Laurie Wisbrun.
“This definitive guide outlines everything you need to know to design and print gorgeous fabrics. Inside, you’ll find step-by-step tutorials for designing patterns (both digitally and by hand); a comprehensive section on printing techniques, including screen printing, stenciling, block printing, resist dyeing, and digital printing; hundreds of gorgeous photos; and insider tips for developing your collection and bringing it to the marketplace… Features interviews with established designers such as Skinny laMinx, Ink & Spindle, and Julia Rothman.” – (adapted from Book Cover)

“Stash happy : appliqué : 25 fresh projects for fabric lovers / Cynthia Shaffer.
“Provides instruction for twenty-five appliqué projects, including “pillow houses”, aprons, and zipper pouches.” – (adapted from Book Cover)

The complete calligrapher : packed with essential projects and techniques / Maryanne Grebenstein, consulting editor.
“This complete guide contains everything you need to know to develop your calligraphic skills. It is an essential reference guide for enthusiasts, covering everything you need to know from selecting pens and mastering alphabets, letterforms, applied and experimental calligraphy to advanced letter illumination and design. The exercises provide full coverage of the range of calligraphic techniques, with beautifully illustrated examples to inspire readers in creating their own designs.” – (adapted from Amazon.com summary)

Granny square love : a new twist on a crochet classic for your home / Sarah London.
“Granny Square Love includes many elements of Sarah’s signature style – vibrant colours, fun photography, and, of course, grannies! The book is organized into chapters and the introduction includes directions to crocheting and granny squares with pages of step-by-step photos of the process of making a granny square. Other sections feature projects focused on different rooms in the house e.g. the Living Room includes cushions in two sizes, an ottoman slipcover, a sofa blanket, the holiday stockings, and the lampshade cover, which is one of the favourite projects in the book. The Kitchen includes patterns for the stool cover, the dishcloth, potholders, a grocer’s tote, and an apron pocket. Sarah is known for her use of vibrant colours, and shares some insight into her pairings of different colours. The photographs are great “eye candy” and Granny Square Love is a fun book to look through. It will definitely get your creative juices flowing.” – (adapted from Amazon.com summary)

Cuddly knits for wee ones / Catherine Bouquerel.
“This book offers very basic patterns for sweaters, hats, booties, including variations in design and colour patterns. If you are looking for cute animal patterns like rabbit, cow, griffle, ducks, etc or trains and boats there are simple designs, directions and charts, clear and accurate to follow.” – (adapted from Book Cover)

Knitted dolls / Arne [Nerjordet] & Carlos [Zachrison].
“Arne and Carlos, the fun and quirky knitters, have turned their attention to dolls, all with character, colour and charm and with a wardrobe of clothes most dolls can only dream about.. They are easy to knit and with tips for giving them distinct features, these dolls will ignite your imagination and take you on a journey into their universe.” – (adapted from Book Cover)

Knit red : stitching for women’s heart health / Laura Zander ; foreword by Deborah Norville.
“Gorgeous knitwear–that does good, too! The knitting community has always come together to support a great cause, and Knit Red once again attests to knitters’ generous, giving spirit. These 30 beautiful red-themed projects help raise awareness of the number-one killer of women today: heart disease. The patterns are all donated by top designers, including Debbie Stoller, Debbie Bliss, Iris Schreier, and Deborah Newton. In addition, the book offers important medical information, a Heart Healthy Resources and Action Plan, and powerful stories from survivors of this deadly ailment.” – (Provided by publisher)