Reddit mentions: The best gift decorating books

If she's just getting into it, does she have an electric bobbin winder? I happened to get mine second hand on the cheap, and it's a life-saver, really. They're sort of expensive, I mean I think a new one from schacht is nearish to $300, but there are a few on eBay for about $150. That aside, a warping mill is another item that I got off of craigslist for dumb-cheap that I'll never regret having, it's great for longer warps and like the bobbin winder is easier on my arms & wrists. I'm pathetic.

Other stuff that's neat is seeing what reeds she has for her loom-- they're again, something that people have and use but having a few more options doesn't hurt. There are generally numbers on the end of them marked 4/8/12, etc, and they have to do with the density of the yarn in your warp.

Aside from those types of gifts, books that are good and I enjoy for reference are:

The Big Book of Weaving - I like this one because it's very simple in it's pattern suggestions, haha.

The Weaver's Companion - This was actually my first weaving book. It's SO CUTE. It's legit a coil bound book that is probably 4x6 inches, and it has all these little numbers and reference guides to glance at. I keep it in my bench because it's just handy to have.

& just for fun: Woven Shibori - I like woven shibori a lot. It's really fun and is a sort of mix of weaving and tie-die. Shibori is a Japanese technique that involves a lot of intricate knots on already-woven fabric, woven shibori calls for a secondary shuttle. The yarn on that secondary shuttle is used for "pattern picks"; when the fabric is off the loom, you use those pattern strings to fold the fabric very tightly, then you essentially dip it into a dye bath. It's all very fussy but depending on where she is, she might be itching to explore a new technique, and what's nice is that she can play with it no matter what type of floor loom she has. B)

I live near-ish to Webs, which is the storefront for yarn.com; they have a TON of stuff available online and I recommend poking through their weaving section if you haven't already. :D

You can find books and videos on working with wire to make fancy links or simple jump rings to make a variety of different kinds of chains. There are also books on wire wrapping to make settings for stones and bands for rings, etc.

I don't have my jewelry books handy at the moment, but I recall this one being a good book for beginners - and you can get a used copy on Amazon right now for around three bucks plus shipping. This book is a really good one on chain making. It's apparently out of print but still available new through Amazon affiliates for less than half its original price. I don't own this book, but it looks like it has a few different interesting techniques for wire working.

I'd HIGHLY recommend practicing with plated or filled/layered wires to begin, because of the expense. I picked up a roll of bare aluminum wire at Home Depot really cheaply a few years ago, to try new techniques. If I remember correctly it was used for electrical fences, which is why it was uninsulated. I've also used heavy copper wire to make stuff, after stripping off the insulation.

When you buy wire, the smaller the gauge number the fatter the wire. Really thin wire is often too flimsy for jewelry - unless you're doing something special, and really heavy wire is usually too clunky - though if it's fat enough you can file and hammer it to get some interesting textures.

Ultimately it would be really good to learn to solder with a torch, to close up all of the links in your chains and join pieces together, etc., but leaving links unsoldered when you're first starting out is usually OK, as long as they don't snag on stuff.

Good luck.

Gift One:
These thread nippers. They are incredibly high quality and is a total BIFL (buy it for life) pair that would be a dream come true to own. The one I currently own lost its edge awhile ago and is incredibly frustrating to use. Not only would this save me precious time for my Stitch n Ditch project, I won't ever have to replace it.

Gift Two: Zakka style craft book

I've been reading a lot about zakka style crafting and would love to start getting into it. It places a high emphasis on respecting and understanding the significance of the material you work with and making sure its a natural source. It's also about creating functional pieces that carry a "this feels like home" feeling and I love that charm to it.

Thank you so much for such a wonderful contest. You guys are both incredibly inspirational and I hope I can be as giving as you two are.

1. This book could give you a lot of interesting ideas!
   
   
2. I love the turtles and the sheep. And even though it's not included, the dragon from the other day is also awesome! If I win, pick from those :p
   
   
3. That's turtley awesome!
   
   
4. I've got an awesome thing I made out of clay at home, I'll edit it in when I can!! (remind me if I forget :) )

If you can find some nice, thin leather (2mm thick at most), that might be a great gift!

I'm a hobbyist bookbinder and I just got given a really beautiful book of paper. It's one of the most thoughtful gifts I've had in a really long time! It's a book full of high quality gift paper that you can pull out that's perfect for making book covers or inlay sheets.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/BARCELONA-TILES-creative-Vol-36-Wrapping/dp/9460090486

Aw, thank you!!

I really like the look of crepe and tissue paper flowers. And the supplies are super cheap too. I actually made rose buds from the Lia Griffith site but used tissue paper instead (those are the hand drawn templates I made in picture four).


I've been using the exquisite book of paper flowers and Paper to Petal. The Exquisite book has really pretty flowers and good technique. I don't love most of the flowers in the Paper to Petal book but it has good info on technique. Based on these two books, I've also made up my own flowers too.

Crochet Gifs is great for the basics since the gifs replay each step over and over instead of trying to rewind a video.

Crochet Crowd Beginner Series is a great playlist that covers just about everything from how to hold the yarn to basic stitches and beyond.

I used to suggest New Stitch a Day for a wide range of more advanced stitches, but their website has been wonky for a week or so now.

For books, I love the Crochet Stitch Dictionary. It's a great stitch reference for down the road. A more beginner, all around guide, might be DK's Crochet which covers a lot of terms and basics as well as patterns in the back. I own both of those and reference them frequently, but check out my library all the time for ideas.

Yes! I bought a book that seems to be pretty amazing so far: http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00BO4GTG0 but there are plenty of awesome tutorials online:
http://www.marthastewart.com/266346/paper-roses
http://greenweddingshoes.com/diy-giant-paper-rose-flower/ - This uses the Martha Stewart pattern to create big roses. These are the ones I'm going to use as decorations for my wedding.

I recommend going on pinterest and entering in paper roses or paper flowers. You'll get tons of diy tutorials. Also I got crepe paper on ebay from the UK for $8 for 500 sheets in different colors. With shipping about $15 and then I also got a bunch of paper flower making tools on amazon for very cheap.

Have you ever looked at your local libraries? In my city, the main branch of our library has sewing machines you can rent and use. That way you can use one without having to buy it.

Or, look into quilting stores. Sometimes they may have sewing classes / sewing studios where you can use machines that the shop owns and have people answer your questions.

When I first learned to sew, I really liked working through the book Sewing in a Straight Line. It is a book of clothing projects that all result in very simple patterns and very simple. My favorite project was a cozy cardigan.

Personally, I like to pick a project, look over the fabric recommendations, and then buy that fabric. I like to buy my fabrics from Fabric.com. They have a lot of sales to make things affordable. It is also very easy to order swatches from them to test out and see what things feel like.

Even though I love real flowers so much I accept their fleeting nature, I think paper flowers can look gorgeous. I like the look of delicate crepe paper more so than stiffer, thicker paper. Making them can be finicky and time consuming, but there are some nice, inspiring books and tutorials that explain the process: https://www.amazon.com/Fine-Art-Paper-Flowers-Botanicals/dp/0399578374

I would consider going all in with some giant paper flowers for the venue. ;) http://www.designsponge.com/2012/02/diy-project-giant-paper-flowers-from-ruche.html

I recommend getting a book. I like a physical book a lot better for things like that. I checked one out from the library that's amazing. It's Crochet: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1465415912?pc_redir=1409148028&robot_redir=1

Pattern is by Louise Walker in her book Faux Taxidermy Knits. I'd really recommend it, it's full of beautiful fun projects, the patterns are really easy to read, and there are even some techniques tips for absolute beginners.

Faux Taxidermy Knits: 15 wild animal knitting patterns https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1446304531/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_IgPfzbHSJ99N7

Edit: yarn is Stylecraft Life DK, in copper, cream and black.

I didn’t want to spend a fortune on flowers so I decided to make a bunch of them myself! I’m so excited with how they’re turning out. For anyone who is interested, some details on how I made them:

For the tutorials:

Peony: I did a mashup of two tutorials: first this one for the center (I modified the tutorial so it would be half the size) and then blew up this picture to use as a template for the outside petals. I used 180g paper.

Ranunculus: Tutorial from the book Paper Craft. But Appetite Paper also has a good tutorial. I started by using 60g paper, but it’s SO light and time consuming. I switched over to 100g to make it easier.

Anemone: I modified a tutorial from Appetite Paper. I prefer the 100g paper for this one.

Where to purchase:

• I got some 180g paper from Carte Fini
  
• I really like the 100g and 180g paper from Paper Mart
  
• I also purchased 60g paper from Crepe Paper Store.
  
• Dried Ferns from Afloral.com
  
  [edited for formatting]

The shed regulator can be added later but isn't really necessary. If they don't have them you can be fairly sure they are the original Fanny/Mira and not the II. Having 4 treadles instead of 6 on a 4 harness loom is less common and will make weaving some patterns a little more confusing since 4-harness tie-ups are often written for 6 treadles. That doesn't mean you can't weave them just fine, but it's an extra mental step for a beginning weaver. I'm not positive if that's something that can be changed... you might email leclerc to check.

Regardless, tie-up on counterbalance looms (which both the Fanny & Mira are) is a little different than on jack looms (more common in the US) so I'd recommend getting her a copy of The Big Book of Weaving over some of the other instruction books.

It does look like it's got some good extras (reeds, shuttles, warping mill) and is in good shape though.

I'm going to be DIYing as many paper flowers as I can. Flowers are crazy expensive but I love them and want my wedding to look lush and whimsical.

So I got two books, The Exquisite Book of Paper Flowers and Paper to Petal.
Im also thinking of having one large flower for my bouquet, like this

For anyone still looking, I have a book with this pattern in it, though it doesn't say Grandma. There is one for each month of the year, and this one says February. Booksmarks Galore, by Leisure Arts.

https://www.amazon.com/Charts-Less-Bookmarks-Galore-Leisure/dp/1574868535/ref=sr_1_1

Nice job, OP! I'm sure your grandma will love it!

Thanks- I just asked a few people that do it on deviantart, looked up some tutorials and practiced first with paper. Oh, and this book helped too: http://www.amazon.com/Kanzashi-Bloom-Fold-Sew-Projects/dp/0823084817

Its actually very simple- you just need patience and an eye for it ;)

Also, I should give credit to my friend since it is similar to one of her pieces: http://hanatsukuri.deviantart.com/

She's much more experienced than me but I'm learning =)

I love the look of this blanket! I have the book that the original pattern comes from and attempted a few squares but soon realized that I just don't have the time required to deal with the ridiculous number of ends that would need sewing in after making a decent sized blanket. Maybe one day I will find the time...

Ninja edit: this is the book - Cute and Easy Crochet by Nicki Trench.

In a leap of faith, I made a baby blanket: http://imgur.com/8ujCb4t

I used to crochet in high school, but had forgotten how, so I got a little beginner's kit and re-learned the stitches. Then I found this ridiculously cute book of patterns for small throws: https://www.amazon.com/Corner-Corner-Throws-Family-Crochet/dp/1590127870. That's where I got the pattern for the blanket in the picture. I'm satisfied with my amateur efforts and I want to make some more stuff!

When we went to the hospital to deliver Solomon, we went empty-handed. Whatever the outcome, I won't do that again-- we will have this blanket. At the hospital with Solomon, we received a donated knitted blanket and hat, which we were extremely grateful for. All of the pictures we have of him, he is wearing his hat and wrapped in his blanket. I'm thinking about paying it forward and making some little preemie blankets and hats to bring with us this time, taking a page out of /u/PNWmonkeybaby 's book.

I pretty much followed the guide in this book. I just bought it few weeks ago and couldn't wait to skip ahead and make the roses. The Fine Art of Paper Flowers: A Guide to Making Beautiful and Lifelike Botanicals https://www.amazon.com/dp/0399578374/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SpFQDbQZ0YP04

I love paper flowers. Have you seen this book?

Paper to Petal: 75 Whimsical Paper Flowers to Craft by Hand by Rebecca Thuss

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385345054/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Fte8Cb8VH5H5K

Or this one

The Exquisite Book of Paper Flowers: A Guide to Making Unbelievably Realistic Paper Blooms by Lucia Cetti
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1617691003/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_lue8CbSBMRXBK

Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:


amazon.co.uk

amazon.ca

amazon.com.au

amazon.in

amazon.com.mx

amazon.de

amazon.it

amazon.es

amazon.com.br

amazon.nl

amazon.co.jp

amazon.fr

Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
I currently look here: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.in, amazon.com.mx, amazon.de, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.com.br, amazon.nl, amazon.co.jp, amazon.fr, if you would like your local version of Amazon adding please contact my creator.

The Century Handbook of Writing is a good first step. It's super cheap (I bought mine for $2.00), and helps explain basic principles of grammar that we always forget when writing.

Thanks!

The California poppies are based on this tutorial, but using double-sided crepe instead of tissue paper. The big fluffy white flowers are coffee filter flowers from this tutorial with a fringed center added. All the rest came from a lovely coffee-table paper flower crafting book, Paper to Petal.

I couldn't find it on your list, but when I searched for it, I found this. Awesome!

Your bag looks so beautiful! Hearts in my eyes.

I remember seeing this pattern (or one very very similar) in this book, I believe it was. I checked it out at my local library. This might help people who can't find it elsewhere :)

This book has the most beautiful paper flowers I've ever seen. Some are really complicated but all are stunning.

http://www.amazon.com/Paper-Petal-Whimsical-Flowers-Craft/dp/0385345054

Colored with some Reeves pencils - hopefully will break out my prismacolor set on next attempt, but I've never used them before. So afraid of breaking them with a bad sharpener o:


This is a colored page from my newly published coloring book, Mystical Journey

AND you can color this particular page and a few more if you download the free sample pdf off my website :)

I love faux taxidermy Knits http://www.amazon.co.uk/Faux-Taxidermy-Knits-knitting-patterns/dp/1446304531