March is National Craft Month

National Craft Month.  What a GREAT idea!  A whole month dedicated to crafts of all kinds.

On the 2nd floor there Craft Month display with books on all sorts of crafts:  ceramics, jewelry making, felting, embroidery, stained glass making, metalwork, glass blowing, quilling, miniature making, tatting, photography, and weaving, in addition to the more common knitting, crocheting and quilting books.

Another place to check for crafting books is the New Book Shelves on the 2nd floor.   Here are a few of the new books I found on the shelf today:

The Crafter's Book of Clever Ideas (pictured above) by Andrea Currie and Cliff Currie. If I'd been the editor, I'd have called this book "He Did/She Did."  It's hard to describe this book.  There are 25 crafts, but 50 projects.  Each craft has a "her" version and a "his" version. The same supplies and concepts are used to make two similar yet different projects.  None are really high tech. You might not even need to buy any supplies.  Some projects are kitschy, others are cute.  With simple instructions illustrated by color photos, none of the projects looks overly complicated.  As I flipped through this book I found myself thinking that it would be a great book for a crafty evening with friends or kids.

Precut Patchwork Party by Elaine Schmidt.  All of the projects in this book involve some form of patchwork or quilting, but none of them are actually quilts.   Schmidt has created 18 fun projects that take advantage of precuts.*  Fabric baskets, purses, aprons, and potholders, there's something here for anyone.

Schmidt knows her stuff.  The book begins with 18 pages of "Basics" will lead you through everything you'll need to know about precuts, supplies, tools and basic techniques.  She's broken the projects down into two sections:  Home Decor Projects and Accessories, Wear-ables, and Gifts.   Well written, easy to follow, step by step instructions are provided for each project along with bright color photographs.  None of the projects are very complicated, and a beginner could probably tackle most of them with no problem.  That's not to say advanced sewists or quilters wouldn't find something fun to make here too.     *Precuts are packets of coordinating fabric that are available in specific sizes, from 5.5" squares to rolls of 2.5" strips.  One of the best things about precuts is because the fabrics are all from one line they automatically all go together.

Instacraft: fun & simple pojects for adorable gifts, deco & more by Allison Caporimo with photographs by Meera Lee Patel.    The title of this book is perfect.  Each of the 50+ projects included are fun, quick and mostly use things you already have around the house.  The book is fun to flip through.  Each 2-page spread is one project, with a great closeup of the finished project, a list of supplies you'll need and simple step by step instructions.  The author also includes an "extra" in each project.. be it a tip, listening suggestion, a recipe to try while waiting for something to dry, or other entertaining tidbit.  It gives the book a fun twist not found in most craft books.   Most of the crafts would be great to do with younger kids, or for older kids to do with supervision (spray paint and glue ...) and many of them use recycled items. Definitely a great new choice for the ICPL craft collection.