Lena Corwin's Made by Hand Premieres Today!

We're thrilled to announce that Lena Corwin's Made by Hand is officially on sale today! From knitting, embroidery, and weaving to screen printing, tie dye, and jewelry-making, this book is a treasure trove of beautiful, inspiring projects for both the beginner and the creatively adventurous.

 

And, of course, Lena's lovely book trailer is not to be missed. For a big dose of creative inspiration, watch the whole thing above or take a peek at the images in our photo gallery (seriously, does it get more beautiful than that cover?). But be forewarned—once you do, you won't be able to fight the urge to go out and make something!

Lena Corwin's Made by Hand is available now, wherever books are sold.

Sun Young Park Prints & A Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing Giveaway

The first time I saw super-talented illustrator Sun Young Park's work in Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing, I thought "I need to wallpaper my office in these illustrations." And now, I can—and so can you! Sun is now offering prints of some of her favorite illustrations from the book in her new Etsy shop, and STC Craft blog readers are in for a treat—a Gertie giveaway! To enter to win a copy of the book along with an 8 x 10" print of the illustration above, leave a comment below telling us about a vintage or vintage-inspired piece you love by November 1 at 1 PM EST. One winner will be chosen at random.

See more of Sun's beautiful work on her website, and make sure to take advantage of free shipping from her shop exclusively for our readers through the end of October with offer code "STCCRAFT."

Good luck!

Click here for official rules.

Knitted Slipper Book Releases Tomorrow with Extra Bonus: Online Technique Videos and Live Planet Purl Interview!

It's finally time—The Knitted Slipper Book is officially on sale tomorrow, October 8! To celebrate the release, author Katie Startzman will be a guest on Planet Purl's video chat at 12 pm EST. Tune in to hear her talk all about the book as well as her amazing book trailer, ask her questions, and even have a chance to win a copy for yourself! 

To add to this week's excitement, Katie has also created companion videos to walk readers through some of the finer points of slipper construction included in the book. Want more guidance on hand felting? Can't quite figure out how to attach your cozy shearling lining? Then keep checking in—Katie will be updating this page over the next few days with additional video tutorials for your fall slipper-knitting sessions.

And of course, make sure to check out The Knitted Slipper Book, available wherever books are sold!

Knitted Slipper Book Sneak Peek Book Trailer

These last few crisp, fall evenings have really put us in the mood for warm beverages and cuddly knitwear. I know we're not the only ones ready to hole up with a few bundles of wool, which is why we're so thrilled to present this "knitted" trailer for The Knitted Slipper Book by Katie Startzman. We are sure that this short story of slipper-making and love will enchant you. (You've got to check out the sets, which Katie and her sister designed and built out of wool and cardboard--and then there's the amazing sound, including the click clack of needles, the chirp of a cuckoo clock, and the crackling of a fire).

This everything-you-need-to-know guide, which releases on October 8, is chock full of adorable slippers and house shoes for everyone you love. And stay tuned, because starting in October, author Katie Startzman will be releasing step-by-step videos to walk you through some of the techniques in the book! Take a peek at some of the sweet and cozy projects here, and make sure to pre-order your copy today!

The Yarn Whisperer

As anyone with a love of wool can attest, renowned knitter and author Clara Parkes is an unstoppable force in the fiber arts community, and her site Knitter's Review is an important resource for knitters everywhere. In her brand new book, The Yarn Whisperer, Clara shares personal, poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny stories from her travels, framed by her lifelong love of knitting. To celebrate the release of this un-put-downable essay collection, we're offering a special treat: you can listen to Clara read one of her essays here! The Yarn Whisperer is available in stores now—make sure to grab a copy today.

Get Ready for New Fall Releases!

With summer drawing to a close, we're thrilled to share our new fall releases with all of you! This fall, get ready to:

Knit sweet, cozy footwear with Katie Startzman:

Learn a new medium with Lena Corwin:

Knit a fashionable winter wardrobe from the top down with Kristina McGowan:

Inspire the tween in your life to get creative with her buddies, with doodle queen Dawn DeVries Sokol:

And read stories about a life in knitting from renowned knitter and author Clara Parkes:

Click on the book covers above to see additional inspiring photos from our new books, and make sure to keep an eye out for these titles, coming soon to bookstores near you!

 

Stock Up With A Summer E-Book Sale

From Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson

Whether your warm-weather plans consist of lounging in the sun or cozying up to your air conditioner, summer is a perfect time to load up your e-reader or smartphone with new reads for the season. And with the launch of Open Road Integrated Media's 150 Summer Steals promotion, it's easier than ever to while away your extra few hours of sunlight with your favorite patterns from STC Craft!

Don't miss up to 75% off on an assortment of e-book editions of STC Craft favorites, including: AlterKnits Felt, Kata Golda's Hand-Stitched Felt, Knit 2 Together, Knits Men Want, Knitspeak, Knitted Socks East and West, Knitting 24/7, Knitting for Baby, Knitting New Mittens and Gloves,  Viva Poncho, and Weekend Knitting. This sale will be running from July 9 to July 22, so download now and get to crafting!

Weekend Inspiration

One of the best things about working at STC Craft is that there's always an abundance of creative inspiration at our fingertips, whether with luscious photos, beautiful project ideas, or sage words from some of the greatest crafters out there. Once a week, we'll be sharing some of our favorites to get your creative juices flowing for a weekend of creating. Today's offering comes from Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook by Simon Leach with Bruce Dehnert.

 

Have a happy, crafty weekend!

Celebrating the Arrival of Briar Rose, Author Heather Ross's New Fabric Line!

Renowned illustrator, crafter, and blogger Heather Ross is beloved for her whimsical illustrations and quick and easy sewing patterns. With two STC Craft books under her belt: Weekend Sewing (now also in paperback!) and Heather Ross Prints, and a third on the way, it's obvious that we just can't get enough of her sweet and covetable designs either.

So we were delighted to hear that her new seasonal fabric collection, Briar Rose, is being celebrated this week at Purl Soho! A collaboration with Windham Fabrics, the lightweight quilting cottons were inspired by Heather's love of summer, the buzzing of bees and chirping of crickets, muddy puddles, and snuggly handmade quilts on chilly June nights.

Featuring fabric packs of different sizes and signed limited editions of her wild strawberry prints, the event will be chock-full of inspiration for your summertime projects. So if you're in the area, we hope you'll stop by on Thursday, June 20th at 6:30pm for a fun evening at Purl Soho with Windham Fabrics and Heather Ross!

 

How Does Your Garden Grow?

 Tea Towel Apron from Weekend Handmade by Kelly Wilkinson

As the days grow warmer and the trees and bushes begin to fill out, it's hard to think of a more promising season than Spring. Admittedly, I've always had a bit of a black thumb when it comes to nurturing my plants, but the excitement of watching tiny green knobs emerge from my own pots this year has inspired me to turn over a new leaf (pun intended). Whether you have a great expanse in which to plant or are working from a few little pots on a windowsill like I am, here are some of our favorite gardening essentials sure to get you in the mood to grow:

Decorated Markers from Weekend Handmade by Kelly Wilkinson

 Gardening Gloves from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross (Get the free tutorial here!)

 Cafe Apron from  Printing by Hand by Lena Corwin

An assortment of terrariums from Tiny World Terrariums by Michelle Inciarrano and Katy Maslow of Twig Terrariums

And if you're really serious about DIY for your garden, our upcoming book, Handmade for the Garden by Susan Guagliumi has the perfect collection of projects to add one-of-a-kind tools, pots, structures, and decorations to your gardening process. Although it's set to come out next Spring, we're thrilled to offer you a little sneak peek!:

 

Stenciled Pots

Diagonally Woven Willow Fencing

What are some of your favorite DIYs for the garden?

The Shape of Knitting Cover: Behind the Scenes

Choosing a cover from all of the lovely photographs taken for each book is often one of the hardest parts of the bookmaking process, and creating something to define Lynne Barr's third groundbreaking book, The Shape of Knitting, was no exception. With Thayer Allyson Gowdy's beautiful photography as a starting point, designer Mary Jane Callister got to work.

Featuring the My Tie Cardigan, the first cover she created was certainly pretty. But, although we were excited by the bright, eye-catching pop of pink, we didn't like that we couldn't see the front of the sweater.

The Big Button Cowl project is a definite crowd-pleaser, but we weren't as immediately drawn to the colors and overall look of this cover as much as the others.

Grid covers are a great option for when we can't pin down a single image that works. But grids are almost always less visually striking, so we prefer to go with a single image when we can (even when they're this pretty).

This cover was finally getting there. From the start, Melanie liked this image the most because it was so dramatic and the delicate shaping on the Tilda Hat is very prominent (this is The Shape of Knitting, after all!). But we wanted to make sure the text was clear, and the grey box around the title felt distracting.

And voila! Although it took a long time to put the pieces of this puzzle in place, we felt the final cover ultimately conveyed the the spirit of the book at a glance: creating knitwear that is glamourous, timeless, iconic, and memorable.

Which cover would you have chosen? Check out these and other photos from the book here.

Home Made

Story Time Clock designed by Jim Rosenau for The Repurposed Library by Lisa Occhipinti

Although spring's arrival in New York has been hesitant at best, there's just something about this time of year that incites a need for a refresh, especially at home. There's no quicker or more personal way to liven things up than with handmade decor, and STC Craft books are chock-full of luscious inspiration for making some changes around your place. Here are some of my favorite ways to perk things up for the new season:

Getting organized is an essential part of the process, but it doesn't have to be boring. These monogrammed plates and colorful hook organizer from Past & Present by Amy Azzarito are a great way to put some order to all of the little bits that clutter up an entryway:

 

From L to R: Empire-Inspired Plates designed by Julia Rothman; Hollywood Hang-It-All designed by Ashley Meaders

Sometimes, all you need to transform an uninspiring piece of furniture is a quick coat of fresh paint! Printing by Hand by Lena Corwin has so many inspiring projects to choose from:

 

From L to R: Linen Lampshade and Dressed-Up Dresser

New textiles instantly update a room, and even just one bright, graphic pillow or throw makes a big impact. I love these options from Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes by Kaffe Fassett and Liza Prior Lucy and More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.

 

From L to R: Zigzag Cushions from Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes ; Bright Stripes Blanket from More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts

Everything feels so much more homey with greenery around, and a small terrarium, like this one from Twig Terrarium's Tiny World Terrariums , and a handmade vase filled with fresh flowers, like this one from Crafting a Meaningful Home by Meg Mateo Ilasco, are a great way to bring the outside in:

 

From L to R: Adventurers Terrarium designed from Tiny World Terrariums; Rockite Bottle Vases designed by Anna Corpron & Sean Auyeung from Crafting a Meaningful Home

Make sure to follow us on Pinterest for more inspiration! What are your favorite ways to spruce up your home come spring? We'd love to hear in the comments!

How to Look and Feel Great in Your Clothes: A Guest Post by Knit to Flatter Author Amy Herzog

I’m so excited by the response Knit to Flatter has gotten, it’s hard to put into words. So many who have reviewed the book truly understood its core message: That your body is perfect just the way it is and nothing about you needs to be “fixed”, and that your clothing can make you feel phenomenal. This message is bigger than just knitting. Hand-knit garments are treasures, to be sure…

…but we can and should love all of our clothes, regardless of whether or not we made them.  To explore this implementation of my “Fit to Flatter” ideas in a broader context, I started a series on my own blog called “Fashion Fridays”. I thought you might like to share in an excerpt!

In this post, I wear the same clothes in two different ways, and briefly step through why they look so different. (For more, please see the original post.)

 Let’s start with the basics. The clothing, lighting, makeup, and conditions are the same. I’m smiling in both pictures. My underlying body shape is a proportional one, with a very straight waist and a long torso/short legs for my height.

I’m totally uncomfortable on the right, though, and it shows. Fashion point #1:

If you’re not comfortable in it, you won’t look good in it.

Your happy spot, clothing wise, is a very personal one. I’m not out to give you some crazy, restrictive rules you need follow slavishly. I’m here to help you figure out how clothing can make you happy. If something doesn’t feel good? Don’t wear it!

Clothing changes the way your inherent body shape looks in four main ways:

  • Horizontal lines or visual impressions broaden a region of the body
  • Vertical lines or visual impressions narrow a region of the body
  • A single piece of fabric/color/texture lengthens a region of the body
  • Many different pieces of fabric/color/texture shorten a region of the body

So what’s going on with these outfits?

On the right, there aren’t really any strong horizontal or vertical lines present in the way I’m wearing my outfit. So the eye travels elsewhere: You can see lots of details of my figure under this very plain clothing, and the eye is drawn to my hands and thighs, visually widening them. My torso looks quite long due to the solid block of gray, and my legs look very short thanks to the many different vertical sections

Contrast that with the visual impressions I’m giving in the left-hand picture: My contrast-colored tank, now visible in curvy strips and at my hips, shortens my torso and paints a curvier waist. My legs are lengthened by my long, plain pants. My deep V-neckline brings my bust visually up close to my head.

There are lots of reasons I’m more comfortable in the clothing on the left, and other people perceive me differently as a result. Again–I’m not saying one way is “right” and the other “wrong” for everyone–far from it!

But for me personally, one outfit makes me feel beautiful, and the other dumpy. And that shows!  

Amy Herzog is the author of Knit to Flatter: The only instructions you’ll ever need to knit sweaters that make you look good and feel great!. She teach classes around the US and online about creating sweaters that are tailored, clean, and fit perfectly into every wardrobe. You can find a full list of her designs on her designs page and in her Ravelry designer profile. For more information, visit her blog.

A Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes Giveaway!

In Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes, quilt master Kaffe Fassett and coauthor Liza Prior Lucy present 24 projects—small and large, beginner and advanced—made with iridescent solid-colored cotton fabrics (called shot cottons) and woven striped cotton fabrics. Inspired by worldwide travels and a plethora of ethnic textiles, including Amish quilts in America, Japanese indigo patched work clothes, and African weavings, the projects featured include full-size bed quilts as well as smaller pieces that can be completed more quickly, such as throws, wall hangings, table runners, and pillows.

To celebrate this thrilling new installment from the celebrated quilter (and the launch of their new quilting workshops), our friends over at Creativebug are giving three lucky winners fabulous prizes inspired by the book!

Two prize bundles include a copy of Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes: 24 New Projects Made with Shot Cottons and Striped Fabrics and a three-month subscription to Creativebug, and one lucky grand prize winner will receive all of the above PLUS a Kaffe Fassett fabric bundle courtesy of Westminster Fibers!

To enter the sweepstakes, click here and enter your email address. Entering also gives you access to a free video workshop taught by Kaffe Fassett himself. The sweepstakes ends April 25th with winners announced soon after, so hurry on over to Creativebug and enter today!