An inside look at kokeshi dolls: from the skilled woodworkers behind their design to their important cultural significance. Kokeshi are the simple and charming traditional Japanese dolls characterized by their cylindrical shape and lack of arms and legs. Historically made as children's toys in Japan's northern region of Tohoku, they have now become a popular collector's item and have even inspired famous architects and artists. In this visual guide, readers will find: An overview of the different types of dolls How kokeshi dolls are crafted, including information on tools and woods used Interviews with leading kokeshi craftspeople worldwide Detailed information about both traditional dolls and the modern ones being crafted today An exploration of the cultural significance of kokeshi dolls--both historically and for the areas of northern Japan that rebuilt themselves after their region was decimated by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011 A guide to visiting Japan's kokeshi regions Information on how to buy the dolls--either directly from Japanese artisans or stockists worldwide Filled with artist interviews, gorgeous photos and firsthand travel experience, author Manami Okazaki has created a book to be enjoyed by all--from serious collectors to woodcrafters, interior designers, architects, armchair travelers and anyone with an interest in Japanese culture and travel.

"Susa's approach to needle felting will give beginners the know-how to get started, but experienced felters will also appreciate her whimsical designs." --Library Journal Cute Needle Felted Animal Friends shows you how to create lifelike felted figures that remind you of the pets you love--using a little wool roving, a felting needle, and a few basic tools and techniques. Even more than this, it shows you how to capture their adorable expressions when they're playing hard, napping, or just happy to see you. A sweetly cocked head, perky ears, and a tail that makes you think it's actually wagging--the charm of these miniature figures is all in the details! Easy step-by-step instructions and photos show you how to make the basic shapes and components, then how to add details like long or curly hair, spines, and stripes, as well as little faces that are utterly irresistible. With a bit of practice, you'll be able to portray the unique poses and expressions of beloved pets from your own life. And just like your pets, this needle felting book is so friendly that even novice felters will have no trouble making these miniature animal figures, including: A perky Yorkshire Terrier An elegant Russian Blue Cat A playful Tabby A sleepy Mottled Cat A Holland Lop Rabbit A curly Toy Poodle A fluffy Pomeranian A dapper French Bulldog Matching mom-and-pup Chihuahuas A sweet Pygmy Hedgehog And many more!

Whip out your crochet hook and summon your coziest chair: the crochet spells in this brand-new collection will work their magic to bring 14 fantastical amigurumi to life! The cute creatures in this magical world will charm you all. Go for a swim with the mermaids and nymphs, go Nessie-spotting and dragon hunting and follow the fairies and unicorns on a walk through the forest. And there's much more waiting for you at the end of the rainbow! Beginners as well as advanced crocheters can conjure up these adorable fantasy creatures with a flick of their hooks. All patterns are accompanied by easy-to-follow instructions as well as explanations of all stitches used, and are easily customizable, so it's a small step to imagine your very own fantasy amigurumi!

Just a bit of winding, tying, trimming and fluffing! Pom poms are suddenly showing up everywhere--as fashion accessories, home decor items, and toys. Adorable Pom Pom Animals shows you how to use materials including yarn, mohair, and alpaca wool to sculpt cuddly pom pom animals in different shapes and sizes. In this charming little book, you will learn how to: Select the right yarns to create the correct texture for each animal Use stitching and trimming to sculpt and define the designs Hone your needle felting skills to give each creation its own personality This adorable book features lessons, diagrams, sewing tips, and step-by-step instructions on how to make 30 different cute creations, including: Miniature Schnauzer Dachshund Lion Brown Tiger Cat Bear Ice Cream Holiday decorations Puffer Fish Parakeet Flowers Hearts Plus, once you've mastered the basics, you can create your own original animal friends!

Get hooked on crocheting with this crochet book for beginners! Filled with step-by-step illustrations for an easy-to-follow and fully visual experience, this fool proof guide will have you starting your first crochet project right away! Inside the pages of this illustrative crochet reference guide from DK Books, you'll find: - Over 100 key techniques and 20 easy projects to get you started - Clear step-by-step photography and easy-to-follow instructions - Advice on what materials you need and how to use them - An introduction to colour theory and how to combine colours for optimum effect If you've always wanted to learn how to crochet but thought it would be too tough, this is the ultimate book for you! From choosing the right hooks and crochet yarn to basic stitches and patterns, Crochet Step By Step explains all the tools, materials, and techniques you'll need to get started. You'll be making scarfs, blankets, baby hats, and cushions in no time! This basic crochet book includes a concise explanation of stitch symbols and abbreviations together with clear guidelines on how to read crochet patterns. There are 20 projects to practice what you've learned about stitches, techniques, and tools, so you can go from a novice to an expert! There's also helpful advice on which colour combinations to use for beautiful results. On Your Marks. Get Set. Stitch! This newly updated edition includes a fresh design and brand-new photography that shows the stitches with gorgeous clarity. Gorgeous photos of finished projects will inspire you to pick up your crochet hook and get creative! It's the perfect gift for anyone who wants to learn how to crochet. Complete the Series: Fully illustrated and easy to use, the DK Step by Step series covers all the essential skills and techniques you need to succeed in a specific activity. Once you've mastered the art of crocheting, learn to perfect your embroidery skills with Sew Step by Step.

Salley Mavor's book Felt Wee Folk inspired tens of thousands to handcraft dolls from simple materials. Now, she invites you to return to the wee world with Felt Wee Folk-New Adventures, starring 120 dolls to spark smiles and creativity. As requested by fans, this long-awaited follow-up shares more challenging projects. Explore fresh scenes and an array of new outfits, hairstyles, and accessories, with full-sized patterns. Make bendable dolls that resemble you, your family, or your favorite fairy-tale characters with wool felt, chenille stems, and decorative stitching. Display the figures in a dollhouse, atop a wedding cake, or in a holiday scene to be cherished year after year. From the pages of Mavor's awardwinning children's books to your home, the enchanting wee folk dolls appeal to crafters of all ages and skill levels.

This practical book is a guide to making five kinetic, mechanical marvels. It combines basic mechanical principles with shaping and fitting components crafted from timbers and manufactured boards. An introduction to basic motion and mechanisms such as cams, cranks, levers and linkages to generate motion and movement in a wheeled toy is given. Useful construction and workshop techniques such as production aids for wheel-making are covered. Step-by-step instructions explain each project so that a simple push or pull action will magically bring the design to life.

Susan B. Anderson's fifth book--her most enchanting yet--turns the spotlight on "reversibles": knitted projects that are two toys in one. This collection of a dozen delightful toys features a dog in a doghouse, a chrysalis with a fluttery surprise inside, a tiny hidden fairy, a vintage toy with a fabled theme to boot, pigs in a blanket, and much more.

The adorable photographic sequences and the playful and energetic line drawings show how each finished reversible can be turned inside out to reveal its companion toy. Projects are arranged in order from simplest (fine for a beginner) to the most challenging. Finally, the book features tutorials from the author (a great knitting teacher), explaining special techniques: how to apply any applique, how to do the stem stitch, how to embroider "eyes" on the Bunny and Lamb, and 14 more. It all adds up to the best knitting book of the season.

Wooden puzzles are fun to solve, but with this guide to the almost perfectly square sticks, rings, disks, and other shapes that they require, they are even more fun to make. Twelve puzzles of four different, basic types are described in this guide, along with the tools and techniques needed to make them. There is also expert advice on the woods, glues, and finishes that will give the best results. These puzzles are beautiful and intriguing objects in their own right, and they offer woodworkers a delightful means of sharpening their skills and entertaining their friends.

Invite friends and family over and head outside for a backyard game night! Perfect for barbecues, stay-cations, family reunions, block parties, and more, DIY Backyard Games offers 12 step-by-step easy woodworking and DIY projects to make your own lawn games! Approachable for anyone to accomplish, no matter your experience or skill level, make everything from DIY cornhole, giant Jenga and Dominoes to Yahtzee, Memory, Twister, and more! Use affordable materials and follow simple, step-by-step instructions with coordinating photography to create handmade, board-inspired games that will provide guests with hours of outdoor fun! Author Colleen Pastoor is the popular DIY blogger behind Lemon Thistle, where she offers creative tutorials for a fun home life in a modern style.

Join Megs on a tour through the wide-ranging world of LEGO building in the second volume of The LEGO Adventure Book . As she battles the evil villain Destructor, you'll travel through time and space to meet some of the world's best builders. Learn to build sleek spaceships, fearsome pirate galleys, fire-breathing dragons, fast cars, and much more. Full of bright visuals, step-by-step breakdowns of more than 25 models, and nearly 200 example models, 'The LEGO Adventure Book' will inspire you to new heights of LEGO building.

Explore amigurumi , the Japanese art of crochet design, with 30 unique patterns. Whether a novice or an experienced crocheter, anyone can pick up a needle and complete these cuddly creations. Author and amigurumi guru Lauren Espy inspires crocheters with her easy-to-follow patterns, pictures, and helpful instructions. Lauren always takes the patterns one step at a time to ensure that your finished product is as cute as the creation on the page!. The book features fanciful patterns in a variety of themes, including: In the Garden; At the Aquarium; Down on the Farm; At the Bakery.

Aren't these the cutest?

- Sixteen meltingly adorable animals

- All the favorites, including cats, dogs, birds, bunnies, more

- Easy to make, great as gifts, toys, decorations

All together now: Awwwww! In Little Felted Animals, author Marie-Noelle Horvath shows how to make the cutest little miniature animals, using just a few simple tools and some wool roving. Birds, bears, cats, dogs, mice, a fox, a sheep, a seal, and a bunny--sixteen little bundles of fluff in all. Picture all those little eyes looking up at you as if to say, "Thank you for making me!" Then give these critters as gifts, use them as decorations, or arrange them on tabletops. Beautifully photographed in their natural habitats, these sweet dumplings will melt the heart of every crafter.

"Why do white women shoppers more often refuse to check their bags at the counter than African American or Latina women shoppers do? Why do male shoppers act more annoyed at having to be in the store than their female counterparts? Based on her experiences working in two toy stores, Christine Williams offers a cornucopia of illuminating observations. By focusing on the various ways gender, race and class influence how we shop and sell, she exposes the concept and ideal of consumer citizenship. In this, Williams give us an important idea and an original angle of vision."--Arlie Russell Hochschild, author of "The Commercialization of Intimate Life," and editor (with Barbara Ehrenreich) of "Global Woman: Nannies, Maids and Sex Workers in the New Economy"
"In this brilliant book Williams lays bare the social complexities of shopping for toys in America. She describes how shopping and working in toy stores are shaped by race, class and gender, and how children are taught how to consume. This is sociology at its best-laying bare the intricate nature of everyday life, showing us how the world can be different and better, all the while documenting the human drama that swirls around us. This book will change the way you shop, and the way you think about consumerism, inequality and the nature of 21st century American life."--Mary C. Waters, author of "Ethnic Options: Choosing Ethnic Identities in America"
"Williams doesn't just talk about consumption. She goes out and gets herself tough jobs selling toys, and comes back to tell the rest of us what selling and buying for kids are all about. Readers who care little about social scientific treatments of consumption will nevertheless learnfrom her lively account. Specialists will rapidly adopt her stories, observations, and arguments."--Viviana Zelizer, author of "The Purchase of Intimacy"
"Christine Williams has really gotten inside the big box selling machines of our day to reveal for all of us the strange, perverse logic of work, authority and sales in a retail industry driven by ethnic, gender, and class hierarchies. Read this book and you'll never buy another toy without thinking about the men and women who put it on the shelf!"--Nelson Lichtenstein, editor of "Wal-Mart: the Face of 21st Century Capitalism"

In his latest book, Joachim (Joe) Klang presents the reader with a fascinating choice of exclusively designed LEGO (R) models, featuring cool, classic objects that everyone will recognise. All these iconic objects are presented through exploded views, giving LEGO (R) fans an impression of how they are put together, so they too can create iconic objects such as the Polaroid (R) camera, the Nintendo (R) Gameboy or the Rubik's cube using their own collection of bricks. More LEGO (R) model books are also available from the author including: Bricks and Tricks ISBN 9783958437623 Tips and Tricks ISBN 9783958434790

Containing 6 wonderful step-by-step projects and ideas for many more, this highly practical guide is aimed at those who are new to doll making, as well as more experienced needlecrafters. It contains the best of Jan Horrox's previous titles: Introduction to Making Cloth Dolls and Making Fantasy Cloth Dolls. Jan's beautiful dolls are exquisitely made, yet by breaking the process down into easy-to-follow steps, they become surprisingly easy to achieve. Full of character and life, Jan's dolls are made using a wide range of colourful fabrics, trims, ribbons and buttons and are ideal for using up scraps and oddments of materials. There are clear, step-by-step instructions for making hands and feet, making hair, and needlesculpting and painting the exquisite faces to really bring the dolls to life. There are also instructions for making webbed fingers and delicate fairy wings as well as a mermaid's tail. Full-size templates for all the body pieces are supplied at the back of the book. With 6 projects to choose from, including fairies, wood nymphs, mermaids, witches and a steampunk doll, this book provides all the means and inspiration you need to make your own gorgeous dolls.

This cosmic kit is bursting with exciting models inspired by stars, planets, and space exploration. These easy origami projects will transform young folders into intergalactic travelers as they pilot their starship through the Solar System and beyond! Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11's lunar landing in a hands-on way with this kit. Kids can learn about the moon and what it takes to get there, as each model comes with information on astronomy and cosmology. Blend an interest in our Universe with the fun of origami paper folding! The breathtaking night sky fascinates children everywhere, inspiring an appreciation of science and astronomy, as well as science fiction stories, comics, cartoons and films. Many kids even dream of becoming an astronomer or astronaut when they grow up, which makes this unique kit a perfect gift. The included large wall poster is packed with colorful graphics that relate interesting information about the Solar System, the Milky Way galaxy, and the Universe--the perfect way for kids to decorate their room or classroom while they deepen their knowledge of the cosmos. This origami kit includes everything you need: A full-color instruction book containing easy, step-by-step instructions for 12 models 48 sheets of folding paper A 21" x 24" fun and educational wall poster Online video tutorials Kids will have a blast folding the unique models, including: A Rocket--with its classic red fin styling, the model is ready to soar into the unknown on a voyage of discovery. A Dwarf Star--one of 4 types of star models in the kit, this one has 4 points and can be folded up in just 10 steps! A Flying Saucer--a ring-like enigma from another galaxy. Do they come in peace? Planet One--a crater-pocked rocky planet, ripe for imaginary exploration A Space Hero Picture Frame--intrepid explorers are eligible for induction into the "Hall of Heroes" gallery by way of this cleverly folded frame And many more!

Now you can indulge in your love for pizza, cake, burgers and ice cream without putting on any weight! With these sumptuous miniature polymer clay food projects you can enjoy all your favourite treats without any guilt at all. Divided into three levels, each project has clear step-by-step instructions and is beautifully photographed to whet your appetite. The book also includes an extensive techniques section telling you everything you need to know to embark on these intricate projects.

If you love crochet and dolls, this is your book. Here you can find 15 projects made with the Japanese technique of amigurumi. There are four collections: The Four Seasons, a Costume Party, Successful Professionals and Dolls that you can dress with different clothes. You do not need to be a virtuoso in crochet. If you know how to do double crochet, increase and decrease, you can already make your first amigurumi project. Choose your favourite doll and get to work. The book offers some colour suggestions.