Art for Mental Health & Wellness

Record the beauty, emotions, and experiences of everyday life -- not in your journal but with your knitting needles! Author Lea Redmond offers 32 enchanting projects that will inspire you to create beautiful finished pieces full of personal meaning and memories. Stock up on shades of blue, gray, and white and knit one strip of a scarf each day for a year, using the color that matches the sky on that day. When you're done, you'll have a unique memento of your year better than anything you can keep in a scrapbook. Or when you're traveling, knit postcard-size swatches at each place you visit, using the colors you see around you. When the trip is over, piece the swatches together into a throw or scarf that will remind you of your journey every time you use it. Or knit a height-chart scarf for a beloved baby, starting with her length at birth and adding inches each year until you have the perfect gift for her 18th birthday. These are knitting projects like no other, resulting in one-of-a-kind heirlooms that tell a story only you can tell. Redmond provides instructions for all the stitches and techniques you need, as well as required patterns.

Anyone can pick up a pair of needles and a ball of yarn. And everyone can be mindful. The Mindfulness in Knitting casts fresh light on this renowned calming craft, and reveals how the act of "knit and purl" can be the epitome of conscious living. Ethical textile artist Rachael Matthews unpicks the threads of this popular pastime to explore how knitting connects us to each other and to the world around us. Through personal anecdote and expert insight, she unravels the true value of what it means to craft, its therapeutic benefits, and the joys of mindful making.

Discover the relaxing craft of crochet! Creative and calming, crafting is the perfect way to destress! In Crochet to Calm you'll learn how the repetitive motion of this popular craft can not only clear your mind but also result in beautiful projects you'll be proud to show off! Best yet? All you need is a hook and a bit of yarn to get started! From home accent projects such as the Zinia Pillow, Meditative Mandala coaster, and the Papillon Pouf to cozy wearables like the Pinecone Infinity Scarf, Slouchy Slipper Boots, or Peachy Arm Warmers, you'll find 18 fun, easy projects that can be completed in almost no time at all! And with easy-to-follow photography and clear illustrations, you'll be inspired to try every last one. Featuring a foreword by Mandy O'Sullivan, founder of CraftasTherapy, Crochet to Calm will take your stress away, one stitch at a time.

Making is mindfulness made practical, and quilting is a renowned and rewarding craft. In Mindful Makes: Quiltingmaker Elli Beaven reveals the meditative nature of the quilting process and its empowering skillset for creating, mending and mindfulness. Drawing on the traditions of hand quilting, Elli has created 20 modern makes, ranging from simple coasters, bags and cushions to quilts and curtains. She shares the basic techniques of quilting and shows how these can be adapted and developed for different projects, as well as mending and repurposing. Clean photography, contemporary illustration and heart-affirming text are neatly sewn together to celebrate handwork and the act of crafting for a sustainable future. Packed with inspiring ideas and practical guidance, Mindful Makes: Quilting gives you the skills to get started with this fulfilling craft, and shows how the quilting process and the satisfaction of creating our own unique makes can benefit our wellbeing.

Never thought that YOU could knit? Well, Che Lam's Learn How to Knit with 50 Squares is a gift for your creativity, offering you all the essential skills that you need, one stitch at a time. Learn a new stitch by knitting a square, following a clear step-by-step tutorial and chart. By the time you've finished the square, you've practiced the new stitch, and you're ready to move on to the next one-quick and easy! The squares are organized according to skill level, progressing from basic knit and purl stitches to more challenging techniques, such as cable and lace. And at the back of the book you'll find a handful of inspirational projects that show you how to combine your blocks for unique and stylish results.

"Novice knitters will appreciate the variety of projects, as well as the helpful tutorials." -- Library Journal 60 Quick Knits for Beginners is an essential volume for every novice knitter and anyone picking up needles for the first time! Offering a wide array of creative techniques and attractive beginner knitting patterns, this entry in the beloved 60 Quick Knits series is the perfect book for anyone learning to knit. Accessible, fun, illustrated with step-by-step instructions, and featuring insightful sidebars throughout, it demystifies complex skills and instills indispensable knitting wisdom. The projects themselves are everything new or experimenting knitters could ever want, from scarves, cowls, and mittens to shawls, socks, and easy baby knits. And even though several garments have instructions specifically written for beginners, they're also chic enough for those with more experience. Whether you're new to knitting and searching for the perfect beginners knitting book, or an experienced knitter looking for stylish knitting pattern books with fast and easy projects, 60 Quick Knits for Beginners is a valuable addition to any knitter's stash.

If you have struggled to knit with needles, loom knitting is an easy craft to master. Looms are easy and fun to use, even without any knitting experience. In just a few hours you can create fabulous accessories ion every color, texture, and style imaginable! From beautiful scarves for the whole family, to stylish cell hone holders,Loom Knitting Scarves, Hats, Bags & More can help you knit unique accessory designs for all occasions. A sequel to the popularLoom Knitting Socks by the same author, this comprehensive book reveals everything you need to know to loom knit stylish accessories. There are 40 quick-and-easy inspiring projects for no-needle knitting---from glamorous shawl patterns to cute and colorful baby mittens, shown in over 300 color photographs. Start your new loom knitting adventure today and you'll never look back!

Knitting looms are flying off the shelves in craft stores because loom-knitting is such an easy craft to take up--it can be learned by both children and adults alike in just a few hours. If you have fond memories of spool knitting (a round wooden spool with a central hole surrounded by four small nails) when you were a child then you know how easy it was to create yards and yards of knitted tubes. Today's loom are just as easy and fun to use! Widely available in craft stores, looms come in a variety of shapes and sizes, some are circular, others rectangular, some tiny and some large. The size of the loom dictates the size of the knitted piece although you can easily join smaller panels together to make larger items. This book is designed as a hands on project resource as well as an essential reference for the growing band of loom knitters. Clear step by step illustrations throughout show how to cast-on, bind-off and knit a wide range of stitches on both round looms and knitting boards. Practice projects are provided for each technique, and there are more then 30 attractive patterns to get the crafter started. - the first book to provide patterns for an increasingly popular tool - comprehensive techniques and information provide the essential back-up manual to supplement the minimal instructions that come with the looms - over 30 quick and easy patterns for sweaters and accessories - written by an expert in the field An Alternate Selection of the Crafter's Choice Book Club

Learning crochet has never been easier! You've seen gorgeous crochet items online and in boutique shops, and you'd love to learn to create them yourself. Now's your chance! Packed with hundreds of inspirational color photos and easy-to-follow instructions, this fun guide teaches you how to hook your way to a wonderful new skill. This revised edition includes: Expert advice on choosing your hook, yarn, and other helpful tools Stitch-by-stitch lessons for dozens of pretty and practical stitches Illustrated instructions for shaping your work with increases and decreases Guidance on reading crochet patterns and decoding crochet charts Troubleshooting tips for avoiding common crochet mistakes More than 15 stylish projects and patterns that build on what you've learned

Whether you want to learn how to crochet or you're looking for fresh, new projects to try, Creative Play with Crochet is for you! Featuring 12 projects that start easy and slowly introduce a new technique one design at a time, this exciting guide contains crochet patterns you won't be able to find anywhere else! Filled with personality, color, and original charm, follow step-by-step instructions and skill-building tutorials to create a collection of adorable crochet projects, from a beehive mobile and a kitchen play mat to toys, buntings, beanies, scarves, and more! Author Stephanie Pokorny is the designer and owner of Crochetverse.com that offers a one-of-a-kind original style to the crochet world. Her elaborate children's crochet costumes were even acknowledged in the 2019 edition of Ripley's Believe it Or Not.

Cheryl Owen's guide is the ideal tool for the complete beginner to quilting. Step-by-step instructions and the spiral, hands free format enable you to practice and master each technique more easily. The book covers all the quilting equipment and tools, terminology and techniques, and includes a selection of attractive simple projects specially designed for the beginner.

Quick, easy, and fun, the craft of hoop quilts combine simple quilting techniques with embroidery, patchwork, and other favorite fabric arts. A creative guide that's perfect for quilters and crafters, Hoop Quilts for Beginners features 15 hoop-framed block designs of all different sizes with step-by-step instructions and clear guidance for adding hand embroidery and other embellishments, resulting in stunning wall hangings and handmade gifts. A great way to use up some scrap fabric and make something beautiful without committing to an entire quilt, transform single blocks into impressive projects and practice a variety of sewing and embroidery techniques with this exciting, must-have source of inspiration!

Turn the corner to free-motion success with a meandering makeover! Best-selling author Angela Walters shows you that free-motion quilting doesn't have to be scary -- with a couple of designs in your pocket, you can finish almost any quilt on your home machine and enjoy the process. Practice eight meandering stitches for beginners, plus creative variations on each, with step-by-step visuals, and quilted samples. Start your free-motion journey on the right foot with proven techniques to help you disguise mistakes and transition between designs with ease.

With these beginner-friendly projects, turn one-line drawings--designs that capture the essence of an object--into embroidered art. Many stitchers and embroidery fans love the aesthetic of minimalism, and one-line designs appeal due to their perfect clarity and style. In the early 20th century, one-line drawings were made fashionable by no less a figure than Pablo Picasso. Here crafters learn why one-line stitched designs are so powerful and how they work. The projects range from easy to advanced, plus readers learn to make one-line designs from any interesting object they see. * Emphasizes clarity and minimalism. * Two types of projects: for decorating the home, and for wearing * Teaches how some one-line drawings can be combined with others, used in series, or extended * Includes machine-stitching options * Projects focus on people, animals, and plants. * Enables you to make one-line patterns from drawings you find anywhere, including your own. * A few of the projects: For the Home: --Velvet Eucalyptus Cushion  --Panda on Cork --Hummingbird Dish Towels --Naive Art Vase --Faces Coverlet Wearables: --Blossom Velvet Shoes --Modern Art Jeans --Selfie Sweater --Elephant Straw Bag --Beauty in Bloom Tank Top