Learn how to make and embellish six fabulous felt hats. 'A chic hat elevates any outfit and always draws compliments. I treasure my unique Bobbi Heath hat and now, thanks to her book, I can create my own from scratch at home. Bobbi is a natural teacher, she provides clear and easy-to-follow instructions and makes millinery fun.' - Susanna Brown - Curator, Victoria and Albert Museum A stunning felt hat is the perfect accessory for any occasion - from an everyday addition to your winter wardrobe to a head-turning statement piece for a special occasion. In this practical and informative guide, expert milliner Bobbi Heath shows you how to make felt hats in six different styles to perfectly complement any outfit, including a fabulous floppy hat, cloche, bucket, pill box, cap and button. Bobbi starts with the basics of how to measure your head, then talks you through the secrets of stiffening the felt, using steam to mould your fabric, and blocking. Learn invaluable stitching and edging techniques, then have fun experimenting with trimmings to make your hat unique. With a foreword by Dillion Wallwork, a London hat designer and prominent milliner for over 30 years, this practical book will appeal to all hat lovers and anyone looking for an easy introduction to the art of millinery.

Many people have a sewing machine tucked away in a corner, but little understanding of how to use it. With accessible and clear instructions, this book takes you on a journey, teaching and building upon basic skills to build up a repertoire of techniques and ideas, until you are a confident and creative sewer, able to design and adapt your own ideas and develop an individual sewing style. This new guide to understanding your sewing machine includes winding the bobbin; threading the machine up correctly and adjusting the settings. It also covers skills for making simple projects such as measuring, cutting, pinning, tacking and understanding fabrics. Common techniques for everyday use are given such as inserting a zip, taking up a hem and creating simple decorative applique designs.

Thousands of natural materials can produce glorious colour-the cochineal insect produces pink, maroon and purple, and more than 500 species of plants produce indigo blue. Now, in The Modern Natural Dyer, expert Kristine Vejar shares the most user-friendly techniques for dyeing at home with foraged and garden-raised dyestuffs as well as with natural dye extracts. Demystifying the "magic," Vejar explains in straightforward, easy-to-follow detail how to produce consistent, long-lasting colour. With stunning photography of the dyes themselves, the dyeing process, and 20 projects for home and wardrobe, The Modern Natural Dyer is a complete resource for aspiring and experienced dye artisans.

With thousands of patterns sold online in quilt and sewing shops, designer Michelle Golightly has demonstrated she has her creative finger on the pulse of the sewing market. Her bag patterns, in particular, are fresh and utilitarian, both feminine and fashioned with the latest hardware. This book will speak to the sewist and crafter and even the casual creator who loves fabric and better still is always looking for an excuse to talk about her sewing - what better than a truly adorable bag?

Why spend a small fortune to rent expensive period costumes when you can create them yourself for less than a day's rental price? Make them the easy way from cast-offs without sewing! Included in this book are over 65 ingenious costumes designs with photos and diagrams for many period characters from Egyptian, Greek and Roman all the way to Punk. These conversion costuming ideas will save you time, money and deadline disasters and give you precisely the costume you want. Sample section headings: Gothic, Renaissance, Elizabethan, Restoration, Old West, Bustle, Turn-of-the Century, WWI, '20s, '30s, '40s, '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s.

Mending Matters explores sewing on two levels: First, it includes more than 20 hands-on projects that showcase current trends in visible mending that are edgy, modern, and bold-but draw on traditional stitching. It does all this through just four very simple mending techniques: exterior patches, interior patches, slow stitches, darning, and weaving. In addition, the book addresses the way mending leads to a more mindful relationship to fashion and to overall well-being. In essays that accompany each how-to chapter, Katrina Rodabaugh explores mending as a metaphor for appreciating our own naturally flawed selves, and she examines the ways in which mending teaches us new skills, self-reliance, and confidence, all gained from making things with our own hands.

Sew Barbie this cute wardrobe of 24 stylish outfits. Sew clothes for every day: jeans and a tie-waist shirt for a picnic in the country, a fleecy jumper and trousers for skiing, a bikini, towel and sunhat for the beach or dungarees for DIY. Or create outfits for special occasions, such as a floral cocktail dress, A-line wedding dress or a formal lacy dress for the theatre. And why not dip into the dressing-up box with fairy, mermaid and superwoman costumes? The detailed explanations are accompanied by step-by-step diagrams and real-size patterns, which can be adapted for petite, curvy, tall or original Barbie. The techniques used are simple and the outfits can be sewn by hand or on the machine. These are ideal projects for upcycling old clothes or making use of scraps of fabric from your stash.

Complement your cosplay with incredible wigs - custom-designed and created by you! Regan Cerato of Cowbutt Crunchies shows you how to make dozens of extravagant wigs for cosplayer needs, from dyed spikes to dragon scales to fibre flowers and so much more!

Stay pain-free with this quilter's survival guide for a healthier mind, body, and spirit. This guide will make sure you have the right posture, techniques, and stretches when putting in those dedicated hours on your next project.

Whether you're a beginner crafter or experienced maker, this book will help you build on your sewing skills as you learn how to make a range of bags from a simple drawstring tote to a stylish colour-block rucksack.

As you work your way through the 18 projects, you'll learn how to create interesting shapes (such as a cubed bag or round bucket bag), work with different fabrics (cotton, canvas, linen and more) and discover how to work in zips, poppers, pockets, straps and other add-ons.

Step-by-step guidance, plus a wealth of tips and tricks, mean you'll always feel confident in developing your technique, while modern designs and design-focussed details will inspire you to get creative with your makes.

Bags is the ideal book for those looking to expand on their sewing skills, create beautiful, lasting additions to their wardrobe or make impressive and covetable gifts for friends and family.

The projects include: a simple tote, shopper bag, iPad case, basic big duffel, curved purse, pompom bucket bag, retro backpack, overnight bag, boxy hand-luggage, contract clutch, fold-over backpack, drawstring toiletries bag and many more.

Start with a basic T-shirt; finish with a fun and fashionable garment that a little girl will love This adorable collection of dresses and tops offers more than 25 amazingly easy projects to stitch and quilt, all using "sew-simple" techniques and affordable, machine-washable fabrics. The designs--all for girls ages 2 to 8--range from an empire-waist party dress with a tiered skirt to a drop-waist hoodie tunic with ruffle trim. There are also ideas for using remnants to embellish jeans and sew hats, purses, and other accessories.

Featuring exquisite examples from museums and private collections, including many rare items, this treasure trove explains and illustrates the history and beauty of American sewing tools. Exhaustively researched, it is the first publication to focus on the topic and shares the story of the American industries, innovations, and uses related to hand sewing and embroidery tools. Insights spring from well-documented primary sources like eighteenth-century American newspaper advertisements or a 20th-century thimble patent. The book offers historical background, detailed descriptions, and photographs of needles and threads, bodkins and awls, chatelaines, hoops, lucets, and more. The strong link between women's history and needlework tools is captured as well. Many one-of-a-kind handmade examples represent American subcultures and regional tastes. With more than 750 color photographs, this is an invaluable resource for historians, scholars, collectors, and embroidery and sewing enthusiasts.

Make sewing by hand your next creative accomplishment! Embrace the chance to unwind and enjoy the process of creating quilt blocks from scratch with Becky Goldsmith's step-by-step instructions.

Perfect your professional handmade style with garment-making sewist Barbara Emodi by learning methods to understand common sewing missteps and how to avoid frustrating mistakes. Each strategy is geared towards making every project a successful one!

Tilly and the Buttons: Stretch! offers perfect proof that easy-to-wear clothes can be seriously stylish with a collection of outfits that combine the comfort of stretch fabrics with Tilly Walnes' signature look. The book includes complete, full-size patterns. Even experienced stitchers are often wary of working with stretch knit fabrics, but in this book Tilly demystifies the techniques needed and shows how to sew stretchy makes on a regular sewing machine - no need for a fancy overlocker. However, if you are already an overlocker owner, the book offers a user-friendly introduction to threading and stitching with this machine too. Aimed at dressmakers who have grasped the basics and want to expand their sewing horizons, Tilly's tried-and-tested, learn-as-you-make approach is structured around five made-to-measure, speedy-to-sew garments. Tilly's friendly instructions and the clear step-by-step photographs are accompanied by lots of tips and tricks to make your sewing a breeze, and the multiple variations and ideas will help you customise your garment to suit your own style.

The world's foremost authority on the history of thimbles tells all, outlining the little tool's long history, from ancient Egypt to today. The thimbles' history is interwoven with that of women, giving glimpses of a private, domestic world that history books often overlook. Meet the poor little Victorian seamstresses with their everyday brass thimbles and the tiny children's thimbles worn by early straw workers. Glance at gold and gem-set thimbles worn by the courtesans of Paris and, on the other hand, learn why the thimble was the perfect romantic gift a proper gentleman could give to a lady. Romance aside, this book supplies practical tips on cataloging, maintenance, and display, along with price guides and a list of thimble collectors' organizations throughout the world. More than two thousand thimbles are illustrated in full color, some of which have never been seen before.

Everyone feels good and looks better in well-fitted clothes. This practical book explains how to make garments that really fit you and flatter your shape. It is a step-by-step guide to understanding fully what is included on a sewing pattern envelope and the contents within, so that you can make the clothes you want look amazing. Aimed at those home sewers who have no confidence in fitting, this book will be your best friend and will guide you through the process of sewing successful clothes with a professional fit and finish.

From flowers to animals, the wealth of cross stitch designs in this book are inspired by nature. The floral patterns include both individual flowers and larger floral scenes, such as a charming country cottage in a garden setting, a summer house by the sea, a garden scene which incorporates a pretty garden shed, and a decorative floral garland. Choose from small designs to make into greetings cards, coasters, purses, and embellishing clothes, along with larger designs which could be used to make framed pictures, cushions, tea towels, and notebook covers. Included are easy-to-follow color and symbol charts.

The finishing touches applied to a garment can take it from the realms of the ordinary to the heights of luxury. Creating Couture Embellishment offers a step-by-step guide to manipulating fabric and making and applying a rich variety of embellishments. Chapters cover fabric-manipulation techniques of pleating, quilting, tucking, ruffling, shirring and smocking, as well as the fabrication and application of feathers, beading, embroidery, flowers, decorative ribbons and bows, bias bindings and piping, fringe, braids and passementerie. The heirloom quality created by the insertion or application of lace is also explored. Featuring a visual index of every embellishment in the book that is designed to offer inspiration as well as showcasing the myriad of choice, Creating Couture Embellishment provides a comprehensive sourcebook of ideas for the student, professional and home sewer alike.

Put aside those preconceptions of dusty, medieval tapestries hanging on castle walls! Tapestry weaving has a whole new look, and fiber enthusiasts of all levels are eager to try their hand at creating images with yarn. Rebecca Mezoff, a renowned teacher of contemporary tapestry weaving, shares her techniques in this in-depth guide to every aspect of the process, from developing a color palette to selecting yarn, warping the loom, and weaving the image. Crafters can choose from inexpensive tabletop and hand-held looms to larger floor looms. Detailed step-by-step photos and inspiring examples from a range of weaver-artists make this a one-stop resource for tapestry weaving how-to.

A fresh and enticing introduction to the art of millinery, blending modern design and refined techniques with trusted traditional methods. Clear and concise, this book has been compiled with all budgets and a variety of skill levels in mind. Explore core millinery materials through a series of techniques based on a single wooden block and sculptural, hand-sewn, flat-patterned hats. Learn how to push the boundaries of your equipment through creative thinking and nurture your own design ability with milliner-specific design advice and exercises. You'll also learn ways of working sustainably. Over 200 photographs, sketches, and clear guidance from Sophie Beale combine to offer you over 20 activities, with instructions for 11 complete headpieces and hats, including straw hats, boaters, felt hats, veils, and more. The projects are carefully planned to make them easy to digest, each focusing on different, interchangeable materials and methods.

Lisa Lam of U-Handbag brings you a stunning collection of sewing patterns to make your own bags. The book features 12 brand new bag designs with full photographic instructions for how to make a bag with truly professional results. The book features full size patterns on three separate pull-out sheets so that you can get started right away no photocopying or enlarging required. If you're new to sewing and bag making there are simpler projects such as the Compact Groceries Tote, All-Sorted Laundry Bag and Access-All-Areas Pouch to get you started before progressing to the more fully featured bags such as the Geek-Chic iPad Case and Too-Cool-for-School Satchel. All techniques are fully explained with step by step photographs, so you'll be creating professional, practical and great-looking bags before you know it!