According to the Craft and Hobby Association, over 56% of American households are making crafts. My household is one of those! I've been making different kinds of crafts for over 20 years; many of them, I have taught myself how to do. When I was in high school I started sewing, and kept up with that well into my 20s. While I was in college, I picked up counted cross stitch and crocheting. And then in my 30s, I started scrapbooking. Sewing and crocheting fall by the wayside much more often than the others, although I still enjoy doing them. Of them all, though, cross stitch is my favorite craft. Most of the items I have created, I have given away to friends and family. The most recent was a cross stitch done to commemorate the birth of my great niece. It took me longer than I had planned, but I was very happy with the outcome.
For those of us who enjoy doing crafts, we all have different reasons for doing them -- but I think that most of us do it because we find it relaxing. And for many of us, it's a way to be creative and make something out of nothing. Even if we are following someone else's pattern, we still have the power to make it into anything we want.
So in the spirit of National Craft Month, why not take up a new hobby or pick up one you used to do? Below are some websites and books to help you get started!
Here are just a few of the books available through the library for a variety of crafting interests:
Crocheting For Dummies by Karen Manthey
The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook by Nora Abousteit with Allison Kelly
Teach Yourself Visually Crochet by Cecily Keim and Kim B. Werker
Crocheting For Dummies by Karen Manthey
Knitting 101: Look, Learn, Create by Carri Hammett
100 Cross Stitch Patterns to Mix-and-Match by Jane Greenoff
Not Your Mamma's Stitching: The Cool and Creative Way to Stitch It To 'Em by Kate Shoup Welsh
Quilting Step by Step by Maggi Gordon
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Quilting Basics by Laura Ehrlich
Bead Jewelry 101: A Workshop In A Book by Karen Mitchell
Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts by the Editors of Martha Stewart Living
Just Duct Tape It by Patti Wallenfang
This is just a small sample of the books available throughout the Allegheny County Library System. If you don't see what interests you here, simply go to The Catalog and do a Subject search on your favorite craft.
General Websites for information and ideas:
Martha Stewart Crafts - The queen of just about everything craft-related, her site offers a lot of interesting project ideas.
DIY Network - Crafting - DIY Network is usually associated with DIY remodeling projects, but they also have shows about crafting. The site includes links to many projects.
Craftster - This is an online community where people share hip, off-beat, crafty do-it-yourself projects.
Sewing - Here you will find free projects for sewing and other crafts along with Learn to Sew articles.
Dollar Store Crafts - Like making something out of those great dollar store finds? Then this is the site for you. It's filled with projects of all different types and for all kinds of budgets.
All About Crochet - This site has links to a lot of patterns, videos, and instructions for beginners.
Crochet Pattern Central - An online directory with links to thousands of free crochet patterns and tutorials. There are also sister sites for Knitting, Cross Stitch, Tatting and Embroidery.
Knitting Help - Provides free videos to learn how to knit
Happy Crafting!
-- Post by Tracy
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