Those of you who are versed in the way of the felt and the art of felting will be interested to know that Lark Books are currently looking for contributions to their book, 500 Felt Objects.
The book will span the felt genre looking at garments, jewellery, furniture, bags, art pieces, headwear, functional items, home décor, floor and wall coverings amongst other areas. The scope of the projects that they are including also allows you to enter if you use felt along with other crafty bits, and they're accepting both handmade and innovative industrial projects too.
The deadline is February 13th. Worth ferrying your felt fabulousness over the Lark Books site to see guidelines and show them what your things are made of for a bit of fame for your felt.
Tea and crafting are inseparable concepts around here, so it only seems fitting that the next issue of fab indie-zine Fete Craftzine should be giving away a free cuppa to everyone who buys a copy this Christmas!
Run by the multi-talented Momtaz, who is known for her love of brightly-coloured, handmade fare, Fete Craftzine features the work of many familiar faces on the craft scene, and is jam-packed with art and illustration, short stories, advice and more. It's an inspiring and charming read that will be perfect for fireside browsing over the Christmas period - but make sure you order before Friday so your copy reaches you on time!
Want a copy and a cuppa? It's just £1 from Momtaz' Folksy store.
The new issue of Knitty is out today, appropriately themed for summer. Get patterns for summer clothes like the 'Elenka' girls dress. Also featured is a pattern for the adorable 'Deadliest Crab' who frankly doesn't look very deadly to me. Regular Knitty readers will know about their annual calender competition, and the fifth starts right here.
This issue is also Knitty's first ever Holiday Headstart issue, with patterns to get you started for winter. So if you're after a summer project that you don't have to rush, this issue is right up your street.
If 'craft lit' is an emerging genre, then this will surely become one of its classic titles. Waking up in the land of glitter has been penned by Kathy Cano-Murillo, aka Crafty Chica, best known for her Mexican pop art and love of all things sparkly. She's written many instructive craft titles, including her popular guide to artful sewing, but this is the first time the Chica has tried her hand at fiction.
So what happens in a craft-themed novel, you might wonder? The book tells of struggling Martha-Stewart-wannabe Ofelia, who is determined to take gold at this year's Craftolympics. She's a talented girl, but she's up against 'bottle-blonde Latina crafty Chloe', who has a craft column in the local news! Will it be crochet hooks at dawn? You can find out if you buy yourself a copy for $11.19 at Amazon
Related: Crafty Chica's crazy sewing machine up for grabs
It's surprising to see a new magazine launching in these credit-crunched times, but the 'make do and mend' mentality must really be en vougue, as today saw the launch of Future Publishing's new title: The Knitter.
A quick browse through the mag reveals plenty of unique patterns, with a focus on cable knit for this issue (sweaters, cushion covers and cardis). Comments from knitters who've already grabbed a copy would suggest that the patterns tend towards the fairly traditional, but with a definite awareness of current trends. UK readers can pick up a copy for £5.99 in Borders and other stores, while US customers can find it in Barnes & Noble.
No prizes for guessing why it's suddenly become so fashionable to make wedding dresses out of pieces of sackcloth and smart suits from old tat found in thrift stores: credit crunch chic is big news at the moment, and if you can wield a needle, your skills will be in high demand. If not, Subversive Seamster teaches you all need to know to be able to turn junk into exquisitely tailored threads that people will want to rip off your back that might even rival the work of Junky Styling et al.
£6.99 at Amazon
All the best cookery books come beautifully illustrated with images of mouth-watering dishes, but the Hungry Girls go a step further with their cookbooks, which are collectables in their own right. Each copy is handmade, and the covers are lined with cloth, making each one more like a work of art than a normal recipe book. Inside, you'll find such tasty treats as winter veggie pasties, spinach and anchovy pasta and healthy seed granolas. A great gift for the keen home cook with a taste for decorative style, you can buy copies online here for $35 (AUS).
[Via Le Cool London]
digg this |
del.icio.us this
| 
Stumble It!
