Cool Craft News

I can hear you already “I don’t have a Kindle” – well that shouldn’t stop you, Kindle has reading apps for all computers and devices. Click on any Kindle page and there will be a button to download a free kindle app to your computer. All of the Kindle books on my Deborah Carney Author’s page will be free for you to download Christmas day and the day after, except Poetry and Peonies, I had that free already so it only has one day left. (print books not included)

As part of being on Amazon exclusively for 90 days, I get to offer my Kindle books for free to Amazon Prime members for a total of 5 days. I figure a lot of folks will be looking for Kindle content when they open their Kindles that they get as gifts.

There are photo books as well as business books available.

Enjoy, be inspired, let me know how you like them!

Also: Kudos to Leslie Nazarian for designing the book covers!

Bookheader Ohioknitting

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The Ohio Knitting Mills Knitting Book by Steven Tatar with Denise Grollmus is available now! Tatar is the President and Creative Director of Ohio Knitting Mills, a company that offers unique virgin vintage knitwear from 1947-74 made at the historic Cleveland Ohio mill. (You can read more and see my photos from an Ohio Knitting Mills Trunk Show a few years ago.) Now with this new book, these vintage patterns can be knit by you! The book is filled with vintage-style fashions and accessories for women, with a few handsome men's patterns thrown in there too. I love The Outsider sweater and the Go-Go girl sweater dress below. Even as the patterns are vintage-inspired, flipping through the book you'll find that the patterns are really modern and in line with a lot of current trends for fall. The book also features archival illustrations of sweater sketches as well as amazing photos showcasing the history of this unique American mill.

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Book Giveaway Time!
One lucky CRAFT readers will win a copy of The Ohio Knitting Mills Knitting Book. Just tell us why you would like this book in the comments. All comments will be closed by 5pm PST on Thursday, September 9, 2010. The lucky winner will be chosen randomly and announced later on the site. Good luck!

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I saw these two craft kits, from 1971 and 1972, while doing a little thrifting this weekend. They're plain on the back and are filled with gently-used pieces inside. I love looking for fun kits like this whenever I'm at a seconhand shop, garage sale, etc. I like how these kits are designed for the "expressive generation," too! I picked up the applique kit for a review and to see what I can come up with.

How many of you out there pick up vintage craft supplies for a collection or to use with your projects?

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Matt @ Make: Online found this calendar that marks the days by unraveling a knit with printing on it. The piece is by Patrick Frey. Even from the video it's not quite clear how it operates: does a motor pull a certain amount of yarn down from the textile at the same time each day, or is it somehow unraveled slowly over the course of the day?

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Cathe Holden of Just Something I Made has proven her genius once again. She transformed an old cigar box into a highly functional tape dispenser. See what goodies she picked up at the hardware store to make the project work and how she put it all together over on her blog.

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I really dig the way the light interacts with this polycoated steel shelf, cut to mimic crocheted lace. [via Core77]

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CRAFT: Geek Crafts

I have a couple friends who are obsessed with Pokémon and while I've never played the game, I sometimes call my daughter Chloe "Pikachu" because she laughs when I say it. Pokemon and crafting seem to go hand in hand so I've rounded up here some fun Pokemon knitting and crochet patterns.

First up is this adorable Pikachu knitting chart by Barbara Breiter so you can recreate it for a sweater you are knitting.

Pokemon Knit Hat

Pokeball Hat pattern by Sasha Stavsky [via Everything Pokemon]
This pattern is a free download off Ravelry.com so you'll need to sign up for the site if you don't already have a login.

Pokemon Amigurumi

Amigurumi Pikachu and Torchic by Bizzy Crochet. [via Ami List]

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HootHoot Plushie by WolfDreamer


You can also download more Pokemon character charts from knitting-and.com.

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This driftwood spool-tidy is fresh. The crafter on Tastykaeru (Edinburgh, UK) came up with the idea while thinking of a way to display her thread spools in a more visual, accessible way. Her dad had a huge stash of driftwood that had been collected over the years, and she thought to use some of it to display her spools on the wall!

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Happy back to school! It's time to start sharpening your pencils and re-covering your books. Okay, I know, you're really charging your laptops and loading up your Kindle. Whatever it may be, some of you are heading off to college to live in ONE ROOM for the year. No worries! There are plenty of things you can do to personalize your space and make your dorm room reflect your individual style and taste.

Subscribe to the CRAFT Podcast in iTunes, download the m4v video directly, or watch it on YouTube.

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Lighting: This is the industrial pendant light we made. It is perfect to hang by your bed for reading, writing, or crafting at night while your roommate sleeps. Customize yours to be the size, shape, and color you want to represent your individual style in your new dorm room. As mentioned in the video, you can drape some cool fabric over your bed, and hang the pendant light inside, giving you some privacy and a fun, fort-like nook.


Download PDF Download the Pendant Lamp Wire Template PDF
Right click to save the PDF to your desktop. Directions on downloading PDFs.

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St. Petersburg-born, Midwest-raised Yelena Bryksenkova creates storybook-style illustrations full of a certain folklore nostalgia. Her sketchbooks reveal a lush inner landscape brimming with musings, portraits, meals, notable fashion, historic figures, and the view out the window. They remind me of Maira Kalman's illustrations, both in aesthetic and theme, as they remodel everyday subjects into curious delights. Thank you for letting us be a part of your world, Yelena.

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