In this comprehensive book, an expert textile arts instructor reveals everything readers need to know to make their own fabrics. This book explains where different fibers come from, how to grow and harvest your own vegetable fibers, and how to prepare them for spinning. The principles of spindle and spinning wheel spinning are covered, along with home dyeing using natural dyestuffs, and hand weaving with or without a loom. Finally, there are a number of simple projects, such as a rug, shoulder bag, bed cover, and jumper and mitts to put your newly learned skills to the test.

Unleash your creativity to design a home you love - a space that is distinctly yours and works in perfect harmony with your lifestyle. Author Lizzie McGraw, the founder of interiors boutique Tumbleweed & Dandelion, has had the honour of designing many different styles of home for all kinds of people. She understands that, when designing a space, one should thoroughly understand the lives of its inhabitants. The creative process is fun and adventurous, though it takes patience, imagination and self-awareness to transform your home into your sanctuary. In Creative Style, Lizzie begins with the basics - textiles, furniture and accessories - and then opens the doors to 12 of her inspiring interiors projects. They include her own 1920s cottage in California, which she has lovingly restored and furnished with flea-market finds and upcycled vintage pieces. This once-neglected building is now light, airy and full of character - a testament to the power of creativity.

In 2003 Ben Law captivated the nation by building his woodland house on Channel 4s Grand Designs programme, the home was later voted the most popular Grand Design ever by viewers. The presenter, Kevin McCloud, loved the project so much that he has written the foreword to this book! A Grand Designs Revisited programme was aired on British TV in October 2005. Full of stunning colour photographs, The Woodland House is a visual guide to how Ben built his outstandingly beautiful home in the woods. It is also a practical manual, and the story of a man realising a lifetimes dream to build one of the most sustainable and beautiful homes in Britain. The Woodland House gives details of the evolving design process, the identifying of materials, costings, project management and the actual building. It proves that low cost, low impact and high aesthetics can go hand in hand and that it is possible to build green and affordably. As the pre-eminent UK example of building with wood and renewable materials this will also appeal to the growing number of people with environmental and green interests, as well as to the building community

Create beautiful wooden animal portraits on the scroll saw with Woodworker's Pattern Book. Realistic ready-to-use patterns are provided for 75 fascinating creatures, from exotic predators to familiar backyard friends. Father and son scroll sawing team Wayne and Jacob Fowler have based every design on their own extensive photographic studies of live animals, taken on location in the wild, in zoos, and in nature preserves. Each animal can be cut as a single, freestanding piece of wood. The authors include advice for beginners on getting started, with expert scrolling tips and techniques plus advice on wood preparation, blade selection, cutting strategy, finishing, and display options. A full color photo gallery will inspire you with the range of impressive wildlife projects that you can complete with this book.7 5 realistic, ready-to-use patterns include: Big Cats Alert Siberian Tiger Mountain Lion Cheetah Prowling Jaguar Resting Watchful LeopardPredators Snarling Wolf Red Fox Polar Bear Black Bear with Cubs Florida AlligatorBirds of Prey Golden Eagle Barn Owl with Mouse Peregrine Falcon Sparrow Hawk Osprey with DinnerBackyard Animals Big Horn Sheep Black Tailed Deer Cottage Chipmunk Eastern Massauga Rattlesnake JackrabbitExotic Animals Cape Buffalo Giraffe Mother and Child Rhinoceros Savannah Elephant Peacock Resplendent"

Designed to make complicated woodworking techniques easier, faster, and safer, this collection is filled with 25 projects selected from the pages of "Woodworker's Journal," and includes tips to help woodworkers make the most of both their machinery and their time. Focusing on techniques applicable for table saws and routers, this book is filled with innovative projects, each including detailed plans, full-color photography, and the expert instruction needed to build with confidence. Projects include precision cross-cut jig for the table saw, circle cutting jig for the router, and adjustable box joint jig for the table saw, among others. In this essential reference guide are helpful shop tips and other practical woodworking information.

Whether you're a professional builder or a homeowner about to embark on building work, this handy-sized book contains everything you need to know to ensure the work runs smoothly. Thorough, clearly explained advice and information will guide you through the whole process and answer any questions you may have. This second edition includes up-to-date guidance and legislation.

Decorating your home for each season doesn't have to be stressful, overwhelming, or expensive--just ask The Nester! In Welcome Home, New York Times bestselling author Myquillyn Smith guides you through a minimalist process of creating and enjoying a seasonally decorated home with more style and less stuff. No matter what the world says, embracing the seasons doesn't require endless bins of factory-made decor or loads of time. In fact, your home can be festive, stylish, and cozy with minimal effort and a limited budget. With engaging how-tos and inspiring photos, Welcome Home will help you create a home that's fresh, meaningful, beautiful, and (bonus!) always ready for guests. Myquillyn guides you step by step through purposeful design decisions to cultivate a space where loved ones gather, meaningful connections are celebrated, and lasting memories are made. Myquillyn's realistic and down-to-earth design tips will teach you how to: Seasonalize your living spaces with simple, actionable steps Pay attention to the rhythm of your life in order to cultivate spaces that work for you and your family Incorporate the beauty of the natural world by paying attention to the five senses Feel confident in volunteering your house for gatherings, parties, and impromptu get-togethers Know what to focus on and what not to worry about as a relaxed and confident hostess Truly enjoy your home Welcome Home will help you rise above the trends, discover your unique style, and usher in each season with more style and even less stuff.

Discover the stories of some of the most breathaking and historic great houses of London, along with their secrets, in this lavishly illustrated compedium. London has a wealth of truly stunning great houses, seen by many as one of the marvels of English architecture, and yet to many their histories, their interiors and their occupants remain unknown. This book, illustrated throughout with sumptuous photography of these breathaking residences, reveals to us this secret world of riches and splendour. From the baroque and imposing magnificence of 10 Downing Street, perhaps London's most famous address, to the extraordinary Pre-Raphaelite mosaics of Debenham House to the confident, futuristic steel and glass of the Richard Rogers House in Chelsea, this book showcases these properties and details their origin as well as the many transformations they have undergone from their construction to the present day. There are many architectural wonders, among them Robert Adam's 20 St James's Square and William Burges's Tower House. Several - including Bridgewater House with its Raphaels and Titians - have held great art collections. These are houses that hold extraordinary stories: half the Cabinet resigned after breakfast at Stratford House; and on 4 August 1914, at 9 Carlton House Terrace - then the German Embassy - young duty clerk Harold Nicholson deftly substituted one declaration of war for another. With photography by the world-famous and multi-award winning Fritz von der Schulenburg, this title brings these houses to life in all their grandeur, and text from historian and author James Stourton delves into the many fascinating stories hidden behind the walls of these homes. Great Houses of London opens the door to some of the greatest and grandest houses in the world to tell the stories of their owners and occupants, artists and architects, their restoration, adaptation and change. Now available in a more compact format.

Turn that old, dilapidated chair that has been sitting in your garage or basement into a decorative piece of art for your children's bedroom or playroom. In this new DIY book, master painter Sammie Crawford takes you through seven step-by-step chair-painting projects: bear, bunny, Mother Goose, panda, puppy, Raggedy Ann and Andy, and Wild Animals. There's also a bonus Christmas Rocking Horse project. With color photographs and patterns, as well as lists of supplies and color palettes, this book gives you the details you need to replicate the designs in full or add your own creative ideas. This book is perfect for painters of all skill levels.

Germany has long been thought of as the Mecca of wood-carving. The wood-carving tradition goes back hundreds of years, and the carving schools continue to produce wonderful craftspeople. For those who can't make the trip to Germany, Georg Keilhofer is the next best thing. Trained in German carving techniques, he shares them with students in his studio, and now in this new book. Here are the basic skills of relief carving. Step-by-step he takes the reader through tool selection, under-standing wood, and carving techniques are presented in a clear and concise way. The result is a project of which the carver will be proud.

A modern approach to traditional Japanese floral design. Award-winning flower designer Shinichi Nagatsuka explains how anyone can create beautiful arrangements using his signature N Style method. Easy to follow, it is based on accent lines rather than the complex system of rules used for traditional Ikebana. Accent lines are the natural shapes of the flowers themselves--which means vertical arrangements require a different eye than horizontal or round ones, for example. By understanding how the shapes of flowers and plants affect your design, you'll learn to choose just the right ones to achieve your desired look and feel. With over 280 color photos and 42 projects, Modern Japanese Ikebana unlocks the mysteries of the art of Ikebana. By following the N Style method, you can bring a natural flow to your arrangements, achieving balance and an overall harmony of design.

Creative souls have always craved a space in which to bring forth their artistic ideas and develop their practice. Continuing the tradition of the contemporary arts practitioner working from a home studio, many creative folk will often prefer to carve out a space within their own residence. Artists' Homes examines the residences of a select group of professional artists who work across a broad range of artistic styles, from writing, photography, and painting through to music, sculpture, and pottery (and more). As well as presenting an exciting journey through the design, construction, and function of these spaces, this book provides a unique glimpse into these artists' beautiful home environs from around the world, and shares how each of these modern craftspeople and artists takes inspiration from the transformation of their home interiors and surroundings to live a creative life.

Classic, refined, and alluring are just some of the ways to describe Sarah Blank Design Studio's timeless kitchen designs. Sarah Blank's vast expertise in the classicist language spanning many decades and her creative vision for contemporary elegance form the basis of her understanding that a beautiful and functional kitchen is not only an integral part of the architecture of the house, but the very heart of the home. She incorporates a set of rules and principles in her work that are imperative to beautiful and functional design, mastering some of the finest kitchens ever developed for a new generation of happy homeowners. This beautifully photographed volume presents a stunning selection of award-winning projects, each showcasing exquisite beauty, attention to detail, and technical prowess.

A concise guide to managing your digital life. Today, we collect and store an ever-increasing volume of digital personal information on convenient portable devices and create substantial amounts of personal textual and visual digital information on their personal computers. We have become accustomed to using a variety of tools that involve interactive social activities. Because of social media, there is a large amount of user-generated content related to all aspects of our lives and there is no way for creators to save it all and invaluable content ranging from personal notes to photos to medical information may be lost. Because we may lose so much information, it is helpful to find out as much as we can about how we can manage our personal digital information. This book is a primer to preventing that loss. Here is an introduction to Personal Information Management (PIM) intended for a lay audience. The basic premise is that everyone needs to manage their digital information. This book introduces readers to the kinds of tools people most commonly use today. It will also consider the pros and cons of each of these tools. This book cover he concepts associated with preserving and managing personal digital information. Visual and textual examples illustrate how to use best practices to ensure the longevity of information, while considering current solutions to the problems associated with personal information loss. The book is a detailed guide to the steps involved in managing information and images of all kinds: Receiving Generating Keeping Using Organizing Re-finding Sharing. Most of us don't know how to prevent information loss; this book introduces tools that will ensure the longevity of our digital lives.

The ten extraordinary houses and castles featured in this book have all survived the vicissitudes of Scotland's history with almost all of their original families still in residence. Each house also represents a landmark in Scotland's architectural history, ranging from the early seventeenth to the early twentieth century. The architectural revelation is matched by sensational settings, which merge designed gardens and landscape with the unparalleled wildness and vistas of Scotland. All of these cherished houses are chockablock with memories of the past, from swagger portraits to sporrans, from vintage photographs to ancient weaponry, from curling stones to fading chintz. James Fennell's masterly photographs capture the distinctive atmosphere of each residence. As he guides the reader on an intimate tour of the houses, Knox recounts their histories and profiles the colourful lairds, clan chiefs and nobles who have called them home.

There are other manuals on how to build cabins, but W. Ben Hunt's is the only one that shows you how to build and furnish an authentic pioneer cabin the easy way, natural, using only hand tools and the woods around you. Our ancestors used logs and hand tools to build durable, dry, windproof, and protective dwellings; and they fashioned chairs, beds, and tables out of half logs, twigs branches, and bushes. In this day of power saws, lumberyards, and high prices, it's good to know that you can build in the same way.

Ever dreamed of having your very own garden retreat? Off-the-shelf sheds aren't always the answer - the cheap ones are badly made and freezing cold, and the better quality ones are really expensive. But what if you could build your own shed from scratch? How to Build a Shed is the ultimate practical guide. With its clear, easy-to-follow instructions, expert advice and specially commissioned illustrations, you'll be able to source the materials, choose the right tools and build your dream shed on a budget - even if you've never used a hammer.