Reddit mentions: The best needlecrafts & textile crafts books

I can’t speak for every woman on the planet but I had a somewhat similar situation when I broke my back a few months before I was supposed to start my MBA. Major financial worries about delaying, GMAT, etc.

Initially I think you just need to be there to listen. Gently remind her it took you two attempts to pass the bar. My biggest comfort is the daily act of spooning with my husband every night where he rubs my back. Not like a massage but gently running his hands over my back with no expectation of sex.

If money is a concern, then look where you can be generous. Some of the best gifts are the ones we think are too expensive or we think are unnecessary for ourselves.

Somethings she would probably really appreciate: a day at a spa, like a Korean day spa where you can soak all day, get some treatments, journal etc. In the Seattle area there is one called The Olympus Day Spa that is amazing, in case you happen to randomly live there. Most major cities have places like that.

Lacking that, a long massage, at least 90 minutes where she can really relax. Bonus if she can get a facial. Reflexology and foot rubs are always winners for most women I know. Either pick her up and drop her off or pay for an Uber/Lyft so she doesn’t have to drive. Then, movies and chill.

If you can afford it, take a long weekend and go somewhere really chill. The opposite of Vegas. Her nervous system needs a reset. Think hot springs if you live any near those. Snow. Cabin. No wifi or cell service. Hot springs. That would be idea.

Other things: one of the things that sounds so ridiculous but really bites about financial issues is not being able to afford the makeup and things that make you feel beautiful. If your confidence is shot from something like failing the boards, then not having the money to replace your makeup stocks or get your hair done feels rotten. I hardly wear makeup, but what I do wear is not cheap. If she gets her makeup from Sephora or Nordstrom, a gift card there would be nice.


Also, it would be natural to jump into studying again, but see if you can encourage her to take a break. Let her brain rest. Let her nervous system reset.


I struggled with cognitive function and have experimented a bit with smart drugs. I really, really like nicotine. Not tobacco. I don’t smoke, but I use the lozenges sparingly when I really need to focus. More about it here. I got the lowest dose possible on Amazon.

Also, I’ve had great luck with GABA for anxiety.

I also really like Brain Power line from Bulletproof.

I know lots of people who love Qualia. Gave me awful headaches but I have friends that love it.

Experiment with these long before it’s test taking time. But they can really help with focus and calming.


It’s late and speaking of running out of brain power....I am. But one last thought. A good book with nothing to do with anything related to nursing wouldn’t go amiss if she likes to read.

Two suggestions. For something smart and witty but not dark or deep, every person I have ever recommend the Parasol Protectorate to has loved it.

And Outlander. The main female character is nurse and there are a lot of great medical story lines in there. It’s a huge series and easy to get lost in.

It’s lovely of you to think of how you can support her. Good work.

Fellow fan of series here! Let me see...

Young Adult
Percy Jackson series is fun (and finished, too, I think).
Artemis Fowl series isn't quite as good as Percy Jackson IMHO, but it's got a following.

Fantasy
Harry Dresden series This is one of my favorites. Harry is Chicago's only professional wizard. There are a ton of these books and they are still going strong.
Game of Thrones These are great...but unfinished. If you watch the show, reading the books does help you get even more out of the story, I think.
Wheel of Time Another good series. There is a LOT of this series and it's finished. (Thank you, Brandon Sanderson!)
Mistborn Speaking of Brandon Sanderson... This one is very good. I highly recommend reading the Mistborn books before trying the Stormlight Archive, but only because as good as Mistborn is, Stormlight Archive is even better.
Stormlight Archive Amazing. Man, these are good. The series isn't finished, but the two books that are available are some of my favorites ever.
Kingkiller Chronicles I loved the first book. I could not freakin' believe I enjoyed the second one even more. The third one is still pending.
Temeraire Dragons in Napoleonic times. Super cool premise! This one is not finished (I don't think, anyway).
Gentlemen Bastards Con men in a fantasy realm. It's pretty light on the fantasy elements. Very light, I'd say. I'd also say that it has some of the very best swearing that I've ever come across. :D

Scifi
Old Man's War I'm almost finished this one--it's amazing!

Horror/Thriller
Passage Trilogy I've heard these described as vampire books...maybe zombie books... It's apocalyptic for sure. Great books!

Mysteries
Amelia Peabody Egyptology + murder mysteries. Super fun, but trust me...go with the audiobooks for these. They are best when they are performed.
Stephanie Plum Total popcorn reads. If that's your thing, shut off your brain and just enjoy.
Walt Longmire These get particularly good as it goes along. The main character is a sheriff in modern day Wyoming. (Side note: The TV show is also great--just don't expect them to stick to the books.)

Graphic Novels (Everything recommended can be gotten in a "book" format instead of only in comic form, in case that matters. I've gotten most of these from my local library.)
Locke & Key Eerie as crap. Love the art! This one is on-going.
Y: The Last Man All the men on the planet drop dead in a day...except for Yorrick. REALLY good. This is the series that got me reading graphic novels. Plus, it's finished!
Walking Dead I am not a zombie fan...but I like these. They're not done, but I've read up through volume 22 and am still enjoying them.

Other
OutlanderI have no idea how to categorize these or even give a description that does them justice. I refused to pick it up for AGES because it sounded like a bodice-ripper romance and that's not my bag. But these are good!

I hope there's something in there that'll do for you. Have fun and read on!

Edit: Apparently, I need to practice formatting. :/
Edit 2: I forgot to add the Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentlemen Bastards #1).

There is a lot of crap erotica out there, for sure. Finding good ones are hit or miss.

I tried a regency romance once. Super cheesy and cliche. Not for me.

I like Literotica because there are lots of stories to browse. There good stories and there are a lot of bad stories. Sometimes I will open a story, read a paragraph or two, and go right back to searching for a new one.

I've been trying to find good erotica books and series. Every other book is a Shades of grey clone. There are times in most of them where I end up rolling my eyes at some of the dialogue and descriptions. Sometimes, I will skip over parts if I'm just not into it.

A lot of erotica on Amazon for the kindle is free. It will often be the first book in a series to try to convince you to continue reading the rest. I read lots of these free ones and if I like the author/style then I will consider reading more. I haven't found any I like enough yet but I keep trying. Sometimes I can read enough of a bad erotica to do the trick. There are definitely some that I just quit reading.

Not erotica but I will also /r/gonewildstories. Nothing like stories that can actually happen.

The best erotica I have read is the Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A. N. Roquelaure, which is a pseudonym for for Anne Rice. But be warned, this is very, very heavy BDSM. It might be too much for many and at times it was a little heavy for me and I consider myself to be relatively kinky.

The best romance novel I have read was Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. It is a time-travel, historical romance to be exact. From what I remember it was actually a pretty good read. If you are going to read a romance, I think this is a good one to start with.

Though not erotica, Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey is a fantasy novel with some romance/erotic elements. I read it several years ago before my libido bottomed out but I'm pretty sure it turned me on. Interesting read as well. Definitely has a theme of sado-masochism, but compared to the Sleeping Beauty Trilogy it is nothing. If you already enjoy fantasy novels you should give it a go.

Hope that helps. You really have to dig to find anything good. That being said, often the act of searching alone is enough to get my engines revving.

I have so, so many knitting books, but I have three favorite how-to/reference type books that are probably the most useful knitting books I've ever owned. The first is Teach Yourself Visually - Knitting. It's an excellent book to have because it has huge color photos, lots of techniques and stitch patterns, and basic pattern recipes for tons of projects like hats, mittens, and sweaters that can be adapted to various sizes and styles. It's definitely the best "learn to knit" book I've ever owned, and I still refer back to it.

The second is Cast On, Bind Off by Cap Sease. I prefer this version to the other one, which is by a different author. It's an incredibly useful book. I had no idea there were so many ways to start and end projects! I love being able to check the book for the perfect cast on or bind off, and I love choosing matching ones. The author describes each one perfectly, describes it's attributes, if it's stretchy or firm, best uses, etc, explains how to do it, and includes photos of each.

The third is The Knitting Answer Book by Margaret Radcliffe. It's a pretty small book, so it's perfect to keep in your knitting bag. It's set up in Q&A format, so if you encounter a problem it's easy to find the answer.

I have an addiction to pattern books. My favorites are those published by Interweave. Their pattern books are beautiful! They always have designs that are stylish yet classic. I love their themed books, like Jane Austen Knits, Knitting Wizardry (Harry Potter themed) and Highland Knits (Outlander series themed).

I've got a few suggestions actually! Some are exactly like you describe, non-fiction but presented as a novel. Others incorporate accurate history, but the main characters are fictional.

First,Follow the River. This one is a true story presented as a novel. Great read, it's one of the first books that inspired my interest in what's actually edible in the wild.

Centennial is another great read. Pretty much any Michner is. You do have to get past the first few chapters though. He likes to start his books with a history of the area, which he goes all the way back to the crust of the earth cooling. Once you get past that though, he takes you through the history through the eyes of multiple people through generations. The people are fictional, but the history he covers is the real deal. For instance, did you know that camelids originated in what we call Alaska now?

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I think they've made a T.V. show from this one. It has science fiction/fantasy tones to it as it involves time travel, but the coverage of the history is accurate and fascinating. And told from the perspective of someone who was born and raised in WWII era.

And finally, let's go WAY back. Clan of the Cave Bear. The first three books in this series are fantastic. I wouldn't bother going further though. The author traveled to all sorts of digs and painted caves and the picture she brings to life of pre-history is wonderful. Bit of a Mary Sue as a main character, but I happen to like Mary Sues. =) AVOID THE MOVIE! I like a lot of book to movies, understand that they need leeway. They ruined this book on screen.

I can probably come up with a few more if you're interested at all. Reading is a bit of my hobby.

For (currently) free Kindle books, David Weber's On Basilisk Station is the first book in the space-opera Honor Harrington series. The second book The Honor of the Queen, is one of my favorites in the entire series. Eric Flint's 1632 turned into a massive and awesome alternate-history series. If you'd like to delve into Alaskan-based murder mysteries, give Dana Stabenow's A Cold Day For Murder a try as the first in the some eighteen book Kate Shugak series.

For paid Kindle books, there's Hugh Howey's Wool Omnibus is the beginning of the dystopian Silo series; the followup Shift Omnibus is actually a prequel trilogy that I haven't gotten yet but is very readable. Naomi Novik's first novel in the alt-history Temeraire series, His Majesty's Dragon, is currently $.99.

In print, Elizabeth Moon's military fantasy The Deed of Paksenarrion is available used for a very affordable price and is an epic series. The Cage was my introduction to a fantasy universe written by SM Stirling, Shirley Meier, and Karen Wehrstein. Diana Gabaldon's Outlander is a sort of alternate history/light romance series set in Scotland that I've thoroughly enjoyed. Brent Weeks' assassin-based (excuse me, wetboy) fantasy Night Angel Trilogy was recently released as an omnibus edition. Empire from the Ashes collects Weber's Dahak sci-fi trilogy into an omnibus edition. Weber and John Ringo co-wrote March Upcountry and the other three novels in the sci-fi Prince Roger quadrilogy. If you haven't tried Harry Turtledove's alt-history sci-fi WW2 'Worldwar' series, In the Balance starts off a little slow plot-wise but picks up good speed. EE Knight's sci-fi/futuristic fantasy Vampire Earth starts off with Way of the Wolf. Mercedes Lackey wrote the modern-fantasy Born to Run with Larry Dixon, and the rest of the SERRAted Edge books with various other authors. Neal Stephenson's cyberpunk and slightly dystopian Snow Crash is hilarious and awesome. Maggie Furey's Aurian is the first of a fantasy quadrilogy that I enjoyed many years ago.

If you're at all familiar with the Warhammer 40k universe, the Eisenhorn Omnibus is Dan Abnett's wonderful look into the life of an Imperial Inquisitor. He's also written a popular series about the Tanith First-and-Only Imperial Guard regiment starting with The Founding Omnibus. He also wrote the first book in the Horus Heresy series, Horus Rising (I highly recommend reading the first three novels together as a trilogy and then cherry-picking the rest).

... and if you've read all that already, I'll be impressed.

Edit: Why yes, I do read a lot. Why do you ask?

There are a lot of amazing suggestions over at /r/fantasy. And more often than not the authors pop in to say hi.

As for my own suggestions:

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is probably my favorite book/series. It's light and romancy, but has time travel and historical fiction mixed in.

Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind is another great book. It is part of a series (which can get pretty heavy in the later books). But as a standalone book, its quite entertaining.

The Sword of Shannara Trilogy by Terry Brooks is a really fun read. Warlocks, druids, elves, magical trees... I thoroughly enjoyed the trilogy, as well as the author's other books. This one would probably be where I'd start if you're looking at getting in to true fantasy.

Hope you enjoy! Good luck :)

I don't have a workspace, I just use the floor, but I can give you some book ideas. I've recently been really into learning about Haute Couture and Claire Shaeffer's books have been very helpful. I find her books super informative and easy to read, and I can easily see myself applying many of her techniques to every day sewing. The books I've enjoyed so far are Couture Sewing Techniques and Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide. I really want a hard copy of the latter as it's a fantastic reference, I have the kindle edition right now. She also has another fabric guide book that is much less detailed that is handy too. Another good book is Vogue Sewing which was one of my first sewing books and is a very useful reference for anyone, especially if you're following a pattern with unfamiliar techniques.

Also, don't be intimidated by the word couture. I know people generally associate it with super fancy difficult sewing, but Claire Shaeffer breaks down the techniques really nicely and I feel like I have a better understanding of how sewing works on a general level now. It's not scary and I'll definitely be using many of the techniques on my next project!

> I love life, love love, love relationships, love the good things.

I love chocolate. I love a good book or movie. I love playing with my puppy.

Those things matter to me. And life, love, relationships, and good things matter to you (and me too).

I recommend the book "Unweaving The Rainbow" by Richard Dawkins.

"Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?"
— Douglas Adams

That can be argued as base motivation for most social behavior. Even in humans. Isn't that why children yearn for their parents? Isn't that why a spouse misses their spouse? It may be true that survival needs drive social behavior on some level, but it does not mean it is not social behavior. One can still desire affection for affection's sake, even if the "desire" for affection (and the behaviors to obtain it) originated as a survival technique.

An example of this that comes to mind is a baby's reflex smile. It elicits affection from parents towards that newborn. The parents then, presumably, are more likely to feed, take care of, and value that child. The baby cannot tell you are smiling at them back, nor does it care. It wants to be taken care of. It wants to be fed. It is like the dog wanting a treat. At some level, a lot of social behaviors have this kind of element to them. But they become more... not in an esoteric sense, but that receiving affection is, in and of itself, a reward and of value.

That social behavior may have a biological basis may make some cynical, but I do not think it should. But if it does, I suggest Unweaving the Rainbow to regain some of the magic that may be lost for you from the universe.

EDIT: Here is Dawkins reading the opening lines.

For recommendations I'm not sure I can help you, oddly enough the fics that get me off are usually (but not always) written terribly. the erotic equivalent of a Tijuana bible done by a mouth breathing 16 yr old virgin with a loose idea of what a tit looks like. I usually find them on literotica, fanfic.net or deviantART and then click away from them away in disgust afterwards. but I'm sure there are decently written ones for people who get off on grammar, punctuation and spelling on there too.

my grammar natzi friend who reads romance novels has recommended the Outlander series and although they didn't do much for me they were pretty well written, I did quite like the emphasis on brawny historical Scotsmen. DarthAmmonite is pretty good ( and writes in a manner suspiciously similarly to Ursulav's stories ) as is her far more prolific friend incandescens also I do enjoy r/ladyboners and occasionally the new tab on r/gonewild

I find it helps me to just be really, really, open about these things. constant "I'll be in my bunk" jokes and talking about sex all the damn time with my friends helps me not worry if anybody can hear me. besides that, considering how well I can hear the downstairs neighbors going at it, anybody who can hear me can just deal with it.

This is a fun challenge! And I can't stay away from this thread, apparently. I went back and looked for some more matches. I hope you make some of these and post pics! :)

Simplicity (also McCall's and Butterick) have great sales but I love the aesthetic and design of Colette patterns--you should check out her book if you haven't already; includes a bunch of dress patterns along with sewing guidance. A great deal. Colette Macaron might be a good starting point for Fury and Coulson (maybe better not to do strapless dresses for a work wardrobe but the contrast/sheer top could be acceptable?) Hazel would be perfect for Captain America--the seaming may not be obvious from the main pic, but click on the one with stripes and you'll see what I mean.

I think for Loki you could probably make a dress with a green top (maybe start from Colette Pastille from the Sewing Handbook, which has the little cap sleeves) and then sort of a belt/corset overlay out of strips of black fabric--sew three strips with finished edges (fold in half, sew along long end, turn inside out, press) then fold them into a V-shape, overlap them, and topstitch everything with matching thread to hold them in place in the desired shape. Trim the edges straight and finish with bias tape. After fitting the regular bodice, attach the corset dealy to the regular dress top with hand stitching or stitching in the ditch of the existing overlay seams.

I'm working on a dress using McCall's 5800 that would be perfect for Hulk--just sew some decorative buttons up the front. You could start with the same basic pattern for Hawkeye and draw in a square neckline instead of a V-neck, and just sew ribbon or something over the seams to make the contrast stripes.

It depends on what you mean by make your own sweater. Do you mean the knitting, or the sewing? Some sweaters involve no sewing whatsoever, as you can knit from one fabric to the other.

IMO it is substantially easier to sew than it is to knit. Not because knitting is difficult, but because it is time consuming. Purchasing knit material and sewing it together is not that difficult. You just need to find a good pattern that fits you. Or, if you're up for it, drafting a pattern from scratch based on your measurements.

I've been teaching myself how to sew for the last ~4 months, and it's definitely useful. Making something from scratch is intensely satisfying, as is self-tailoring items you already own. I definitely think everyone should at least understand the principles of clothing design and creation, if only so they have a better idea of what to ask for when they go to a tailor, and they can better understand how it works.

If you want to learn the basics of pattern drafting, this is a good book How to make Sewing Patterns. If you'd like to learn how to sew, look up some classes in your area, or scour the internet for tutorials. The most important thing is going to be practice.

Edit: To add on to this. Making clothes yourself is a huge investment of time, and money. You need the right machines, and you need knowledge, practice, and skill. If you want to take it up long term, you'll eventually be able to make button up shirts for ~$2-8, blazers for $10-20, and pants for ~$5-10, but in order to get there you'll be dropping a lot of money and enormous amounts of time.

Often times, just knowing how everything is made will help you determine the manufacturing quality, and will allow you to make frugal purchases of items that will last a very long time.

Definitely sounds like you would benefit from creating your own patterns. Yay! I'm wading through a couple pattern drafting books myself right now, and while developing your own basic patterns can be slow, meticulous, and immensely frustrating, it's also hugely rewarding.

There are a ton of textbooks out there, largely written to accompany pattern making classes. This is a bit hard on the person who's trying to learn this in isolation, since so many of the books assume you'll have the extra resource of a teacher. (Might be worth seeing if there's a local sewing studio or community college that teaches patternmaking-- in-person instruction would be nice.) Don't be discouraged, though-- it IS possible to get there alone!

The standard text seems to be Helen Joseph-Armstrong's 'Patternmaking for Fashion Design.'. Connie Crawford, Donald McCunn, and Winifred Aldrich also come highly recommended.

Since all of these books are textbooks, they can be pretty expensive. To try a book before you buy it, see if your public library (or local university library, if you have access) can use Interlibrary Loan to get you a copy of any of the above. Depending on their rules about renewing, you might be able to get your basic pattern made before you have to give the text back. :)

You could also go the draping route. Since I'm completely ignorant on this subject, I'll only leave a link to Kathleen Fasanella's Saran Wrap Patternmaking Method, which produces a sloper without having to do any measuring. (Everything in Fashion-Incubator's 'tutorials' section is brilliant. If you enjoy painfully/beautifully methodical sewing and patterning instruction, you can lose yourself there for days. But I lose my train of thought. Ahem.)

No matter how you produce your sloper, you'll still want a real textbook to help you manipulate your first pattern into real shirts you would want to wear. The sloper is very basic-- it doesn't have buttons, fastenings, interesting seams, or even much extra room for moving. All that comes later.

It's also useful to have a helper on hand for the first projects in the book. Getting accurate measurements of your body is crucial, so you'll need to recruit someone who can be trusted with a tape measure. It's also useful to have a friend help pin and fit the bodice sloper. Ideally you would team up with a sewing buddy who also wanted her own patterns-- I just bully my husband into helping. ;)

Good luck! It sounds like a ton of work, and it is, but I'm a complete novice and I already have the freedom to look at commercial patterns, shrug, and say, "no, I would rather make my own-- I KNOW it will fit better."

First I'll list what I bought and then I'll discuss what I have or what I'd have done differently.

Not listed are an xacto blade/utility knife, cork-backed ruler, and steel square. These were purchased at Harbor Freight.

Awl Haft

Diamond Awl Blade

The awl haft and diamond blade (E42) are great. I like the combo I bought. The handle has a chuck instead of some I saw which need the blade pressed in to the chuck.

Channel Groover

The channel groover I bought is nice. The chuck, similar to the awl haft, is very convenient for quick adjustments.

Overstitch Wheel

Doing it again, I probably would have bought some diamond chisels over the overstitch wheel, but so far it's worked alright. I will be buying the chisels eventually.

Edge Beveling Kit

I had no idea what edge beveler to buy with so many sizes and never having touched leather, so I'm really happy with the one I bought. It comes with 5 sizes.

Harness Needles

I bought 3 sizes of harness needles. Probably overkill but they were $3 a pack and I didn't know what size I needed. I've been using the medium ones and they are working well with the thread I got.

Cutting Mat

The cutting mat is nice. It's a bit thicker than the ones I found locally at Michaels.

Lacing Pony

The lacing pony is probably my biggest regret that I was forced to buy. I don't have access to any woodworking tools so I was stuck purchasing one. I should have had a coworker do it for me in his shop at 1/5 of the cost. It comes in two pieces and the holes in mine didn't line up at all. I ended up having to drill a hole for the screw.

Art of Hand Sewing

The book comes highly recommended from everyone. I've flipped through it but I learned my basic technique from youtube videos. As I try to do more I'm sure I'll reference it.

Thread

I bought .035" waxed cord from Maine Thread. I have nothing to compare it to but it seems to work okay.

Leather

And finally the leather. I'm still not sure if I made the right purchase, although buying a shoulder of leather seems to be a popular beginner suggestion. Already I'd like to have more variety, but I think I'm going to a Tandy Leather this weekend so maybe I'll pick up some other random stuff.

Things I didn't buy that I should have:

Contact Cement

Gum Trag

Burnishing Tool

Hammer/Maul

Leather finish


I actually made a decent stitch I was happy with on my second try. I didn't buy these items because I planned on doing lots of practice on scraps but because I feel good about my initial work I'd like to try to make something. Without those few items I'm kinda stuck for the moment.

I'm not familiar with the Lo book, so I can't say. Read the reviews. You will find that every pattern making book has similarities and differences. I'm taking a pattern making class now taught by a professional pattern maker and while some aspects are quite familiar I can't use a book as a reference because her method differs in certain respects and if I followed a book it would throw me off. I hope that after the end of the class I'll be able to use any book. But it is important to understand one method first, and there are lots of subtleties that I would have missed but for having taken a class. I showed the teacher a sloper book I own but never used and she said it was good. It has a companion book for developing patterns, but she liked the sloper book better.

Getting the sloper right is essential. It's the foundation for the patterns you develop from it. In my once-a-week basic class, we spent about five weeks measuring the form, drafting the back and front bodice and skirt slopers and the sleeve sloper, fitting, correcting, re-fitting, etc. It's a big class and first the teacher does a demonstration but my point is you shouldn't think that you should be able to bang out a perfectly fitting sloper in two hours.

We next did dart manipulation exercises using the pivot and slash and spread methods, then princess style line conversions, then facings. Now we're doing collars.

Most methods use letters to refer to points. They are completely arbitrary: Point "J" in one system is not going to be the same point in another.

If you're interested in pattern making, I recommend Kathleen Fasanella's Fashion-Incubator blog. She's a pattern maker who advises small sewing businesses and bought a small factory. Here's a post in which she explains how she reviews pattern making books.

For a high-level introduction, you might want to read How Patterns Work. It's more the general theory of pattern making, not the nitty-gritty of how to true lines.

I bought this book a while ago and have never used it. I've read it's not that good because the author does not have formal pattern making training.

If it were I and taking a class was impossible, I would try the University of Fashion videos on pattern making. There's a free trial video on drafting a straight sleeve sloper. The tools are listed, every step is shown, and there's a transcript on the site. I think the method shown is very clear and it's similar to others I've seen but it wasn't the method my teacher used. For one thing, we didn't use a chart with standard measurements: we took the measurements from the armscye (armhole) of the drafted bodice. Our elbow line measurement was taken from the waist of our bodice because the elbow of a well-proportioned person falls at the waist. We drew a center line with an L square as a starting point, not a fold. Just these three little things can result in a different sleeve, which is why it's important to use a consistent method at least until you have a lot of experience and understand which parts are transferrable.

Not really recent, but I really love sewing and I'm constantly drawing up other projects to sew and learning a lot about it. :) this book would be super great to learn more about sewing plush! I only have a basic understanding so far but I love practicing and making plush for other people as well as myself. :B

3.14

thanks for the contest!

1. Not a chart, but here's a great blog post about choosing and substituting yarn fibers and weights to suit your needs.
   
   
2. The Knitter's Book of Yarn is an amazing resource for exactly this topic -- check your library if you're not ready to shell out $23 for it yet.
   
   
3. Look for yarn suggestions in Ravelry's project pages. First look up the pattern you want to knit, then click on the projects tab to see pictures of what other people have worked up. The yarns they've used for their projects are visible right from that page, as long as they've included that information. Example: Cedar Leaf Shawlette project gallery. By browsing the project page, you can get an idea of what you want your FO to look like -- whether you'd like to use variegated, solid, or tonal yarns (or a combination), what colors you'd like the best, what fibers you think have the best drape for the pattern, all that kind of thing!

In my experience, Tandy tools tend to be higher priced than a lot of USA-made tools, and are of lower quality. While that kit covers everything you would likely need, I think you would be better off searching eBay/Amazon/Springfield Leather for better tools.

For $600 you could build a set of tools tailored to your needs, and they'll last forever. I've had good luck with CS Osborne tools, and all three of the above listed retailers carry them. There are also vintage tools to be had on eBay that are works of art in their own right, and have many years of use left in them.

This is my favorite leatherworking book on leatherworking. This is an incredible book that will teach you the ins and outs of the finer side of leatherworking (stitching/dyeing/glueing/tools/techniques/etc). You may also want a book on leather armor or tooling (I don't tool leather so I don't have a recommendation).

Based on Tandy's picture, I see a lot of tools you may never need, so you might as well get the right tools for the money you spend.

I would start with finding the following tools:

-Diamond awl

-Scratch awl (for marking)

-Wing dividers (for marking stitch lines)

-Square

-Ruler

-Soft mallet (weighted)

-Sharpening stone

-Strop and stropping compound (for keeping knives and awls razor sharp)

-Natural Vegetable-tanned leather (3-4 oz or 4-5 oz for small items, 8-9 for belts/straps).

-Waxed thread (research the sizes to match the number of stitches per inch you plan to do).

-Rotary cutter

-Exacto knife/blades

-Contact cement

-Stitching clam

-Pricking iron (goodsjapan sells very affordable irons for making your holes, and they are of good quality)

-Fiebings dye

-Fiebings Tankote (finisher/sealer)

-Needles

This is a basic list of items you will need, but to be honest, you could make just about anything with the above tools. As for actually tooling designs into the leather, the list of tools grows longer (stamps/finishes).

On a sidenote, I would not buy my leather from Tandy. While they do have sales every so often, the sale price is still right about what you pay at a place like Springfield Leather or Maverick Leather. I have not dealt with Maverick, but I buy my leather almost exclusively from Springfield. I keep bringing them up because they are extremely helpful and accommodating, and you can purchase USA Hermann Oak tooling leather for a good deal less than from Tandy (who tend to sell imported leather at high prices, anyways).

I don't mean to keep bashing Tandy, but I have spent a good deal of time and money replacing their tools with USA/European/Japanese tools at a lower cost.


As you get back into leathercraft, you will find that as you hone your skills,the need for more specialized tools will arise. For now, focus on building a set of tools to get you going, and then move forward from there.

Good luck!

Needle felting is pretty fun, it’s a good lap project. You can make little animals and plants or appliqué onto any number of things. The price of admission is relatively low if you start with a kit. Also, there’s a lot of stabbing involved, which feels really satisfying.

Has cross stitch burned you out in the needle and thread department? I don’t care for it myself but I really enjoy embroidery. The books age well and are easy to follow. You can continuously add new stitches to your repertoire with practice.

Last one: crochet. The Happy Hooker is a great book for beginners.

May your treatment be uneventful and your recovery swift.

I would be careful with hooks too. There are basically two types, and generally people like one or the other. I second the other ideas of following her lead in getting yarn. Stitch markers aren’t expensive and are helpful. Maybe a case for her hooks? I love having all of mine in one place.


Damero Crochet Hook Case, Travel Storage Bag for Swing Crochet Hooks, Lighted Hooks, Needles(Up to 8'') and Accessories, Large, Gray Dots (No Accessories Included) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QXVXP23/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TMcZDbCH7YWG6


50 Pieces Colorful Knitting Markers Crochet Clips Crochet Pins Bulk Stitch Markers Locking Stitch Knitting Place Markers DIY Craft Plastic Safety Pins Weave Stitch Needle Clip Counter(10 Colors) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VL4SNLJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ONcZDb356S77F

I also LOVE this book. It spells each stitch out step by step in great pictures.


A to Z of Crochet: The Ultimate Guide for the Beginner to Advanced Crocheter https://www.amazon.com/dp/156477998X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_COcZDb3G2D5P9

Whatever you get her, I’m sure she’ll love it!

I've looked at it before because I was thinking of doing it for shits and giggles (and then I could say I'm in a masters program) and the Crochet Guild is the main organization/authority of crochet, so it's reputable. It would be the closest you could get to a crochet certification; the only other worthwhile certifications would be the Instructor credentials from the Yarn Council, which would be useful if you plan on teaching. Going back to the masters program, I feel like the teaching itself would be overpriced, compared to the multitude of crochet stitch books available that I could get for $90 (the guild member price). I just looked at the curriculum overview now and I know how to do just about everything they listed specifically. It's disappointing because some of the crochet books I already own go over those techniques and have a lot more advanced/unique patterns to learn.

If you do want to go through a bunch of swatches and learn different techniques, there are some really good advanced crochet books out there that I either own or have looked at and will be purchasing soon. The current price for all these books from Amazon would be $62.64:

• New Encyclopedia of Crochet Techniques. I have this book and it goes over a ton of unique stitches with really good descriptions, like intarsia, loop stitches, or tubular. Plus it has a few patterns in the back that use the techniques in the book.
  
• The Finer Edge: Crocheted Trims, Motifs & Borders. Another book I looked at and want to buy. Tons of edging patterns, which is useful as I think a lot of stitch books are lacking in the borders department.
  
• A to Z of Crochet: The Ultimate Guide for the Beginner to Advanced Crocheter. Another book I looked at and plan on ordering. Tons of stitches of varying difficulty levels.
  
• Crochet Stitches Visual Encyclopedia. I'd only really recommend this book if you're good at reading graphs. There's a lot of written errata in the few patterns that I've tried and while this has not been my best purchase, there are a lot of stitches and motifs which come in handy as reference. But this would probably be a bottom priority purchase.
  
  I own a few pattern books and some on Tunisian crochet techniques, but for reference on a wide range of crochet techniques, this is my personal library and I think that these books could keep you pretty busy and be equally, if not more so, challenging than the masters program curriculum. I may still do it for fun, but really there's a lot of other resources that are better priced, not including all the free YouTube tutorials or blogs that are out there.

I like all of the answers so far- my only other recommendation would be a good fabric chalk set or marker. As far as thread, I've found for me that most of the thread I buy depends on the fabric I'm using, with the exception of white and black. I still have some pink and green thread I bought to start with but have never used since I haven't made anything with matching fabric.

If you're interested in any books, Sew Everything Workshop is super helpful.

Anyways, good luck and have fun!

(edited for grammar and formatting)

I started with the book Stitch n Bitch which is a great intro. I soon realized that I don't learn well from diagrams, so I would watch Youtube videos while reading. The first thing I knit was a garter stitch scarf from that book.

Then I joined Ravelry. Ravelry is like an entire Reddit just for knitting/crocheting, with every resource you could want. There are thousands of great free patterns. It was overwhelming to me at first, so I picked the most popular easy patterns, like the Honey Cowl and Barley Hat.

Happy knitting :)

I would definitely recommend getting some beginner sewing books to start too. It will set you up so much better, so you're making beautiful things from the beginning, and will help you build skills. A lot of times I think beginners get over ambitious, try to make a fancy dress with a difficult (or inappropriate - quilting cottons are for quilting not dressmaking) fabric, get frustrated with fit issues and complicated techniques, and then give up. I think the Colette Sewing Handbook is great, although I think a lot of people on this sub don't like it for whatever reason. Tilly & the Button is more popular and is also fine. Both have blogs and sell patterns which you can use in addition to what's in the books. There are also tons of how-to's online, fitting books, other blogs, and more advanced books once you get into it.

Edit to add: I'm sure you can find these books or similar at the library too, and estate and garage sales are an excellent place to find cheap sewing machines, patterns, fabric, and things like thread and zippers.

A belt is a great project for a beginner. In regards to your tool list I would swap out a few things.

Leather

If you are wanting a dress belt then I would go with a lighter weight of leather. I've got a belt on the bench right now using two layers of 4/5 oz leather. Personally I think that is a good for a casual belt.

What I do is cut the inside liner slightly wider than the actual belt. Then once it is glued I come back and trim it to match the outside.

Thread
That thread looks a little fine. It is recommend for 8 stitches per inch. I would suggest you start with 6 stitches per inch. Something like this would probably be more approiate.

Chisel
I personally don't use chisels for several reasons. First, good ones are expensive. I would rather spend my money on other tools. Secondly with a little practice a over stitch wheel and awl will give you great results. I also don't have to buy new chisels for different stitches per inch.

Awl
I have the awl set you linked to. I don't care for it at all. After a few projects I upgraded it. For a inexpensive awl I would reccomend this haft and this blade. The nice thing about that haft is that it has a flat sides. This allows you to always have the same angle when using the awl.

No matter what awl blade you get you will need to sharpen it. Nigel Armitage has a good video on how to do that.

Glue
Anything will work just fine. I worked in a saddle shop that used barges cement so that is what I use. That is mainly just habit. I've heard of people using wood glue before. As long as it holds while you do your sewing you are good.

The one thing you don't have on your list that I think every leatherworker should have is The Art of Hand Sewing Leather.

http://www.ehow.com/search.html?q=sewing&skin=corporate&t=all

These are not bad, however, in my learning experience, I have never really been able to find a good solid source for sewing videos. Most of the time, only some videos are good from a specific person or company. I usually end up just researching a certain topic until I find a video that is decent. If you are on YouTube, check the ratings so you don't waste your time with ones that others deem terrible. : )

That being said, here is a good list of a variety of people/companies and their videos.
http://sewing.about.com/od/publicationsandmedia/tp/sewingvideos.htm

Blog tutorials can be very helpful. This blog post was where I first learned to sew on a zipper. (And make a handy little coin purse / ID holder) :D
http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/2007/02/had_a_quiet_wee.html


I know you said videos, so this may not be very helpful to you, but I learned the most from this book.
http://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Revised-Updated-Knitting-Magazine/dp/1933027002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311004049&sr=8-1

It has very basic and advanced techniques. It includes tons of pictures and is written so that anyone can understand it even if you have never touched a sewing machine. I've yet to go through the whole thing and is always my go to place when I want to learn something new.


Good luck and congratulations! :)

As others have suggested you should definitely check out You-tube. I would also suggest the following books:

Beginner

• Sewing 101
  
• The Sewing Book
  
• One Yard Wonders (I don;'t have this exact book but I have one similar and I found it quite useful for getting used to sewing and learning basic skills, without the need for too much fabric)
  
  
  More Advanced
  
  
• The Great British Sewing Bee
  
• GBSB: Sew your Own Wardrobe
  
• May Martins Sewing Bible
  
  Other Resources / Blogs
  
  
• Did You Make That
  
• Tilly and the Buttons
  
• Madalyne.com Best Sewing Blogs List
  
• Blog For Better Sewing
  
• Coletterie - How to build sewing skills if you are an absolute beginner.
  
• Burda Style - Projects and tips for beginner sewers
  
  I hope this helps you get started.

I really really love crocheting. Knitting I could take or leave.

I'd say generally if you're more interested in things like dolls and toys, learn crochet and if you're more interested in clothes and scarves, learn knitting. You can do both with either but I think crochet has a strength in shaping things and knitting has a strength in a smooth look which makes clothing decorations like cables look better.

If you do decide on knitting, I highly recommend the book Stitch n Bitch to get you started. It's really clear and has some nice beginners patterns. https://www.amazon.com/Stitch-n-Bitch-Knitters-Handbook/dp/0761128182

I love the energy! Very ambitious, and they actually came out nicely. If I may suggest, there are two sewing books that made all the difference for me:

Sew Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp. Enthusiastic, gorgeous pictures, clear instructions and lots of included patterns perfect for beginning sewers. Seriously can't say enough good things, and I still refer to it all the time. http://www.amazon.com/Sew-Everything-Workshop-Step-Step/dp/0761139737

Colette's Sewing Handbook by Sarai Mitnick. This one is all about the little things that make a big difference. Not as good a resource for getting started, but shows how to really plan your project well and make it a success. And I LOVE the patterns she includes. https://www.colettepatterns.com/books/colette-sewing-handbook

What about this pattern? Took me about 4 month of trial an error to learn to sew. and the whole thing was handsewn. Ended up remaking it and it took 6 months of off and on sewing while I was working 50-60 hr weeks at a new job. Three may be a stretch but one by 2016 by hand sewing and not knowing up from down sounds perfectly doable. The Vogue Sewing book was a tremendous help in learning and and i like the old copy from the '70s that i have more than the modern one. There are some content differences but no egregious omissions.

Honestly, $335 seems more than reasonable for a tailored item. 2 years is a long time to save up. I would probably charge more if I did the commission (sorry, i don't take commissions right now). Looking at the other items on that etsy page, the sewing quality could be better but its not terrible. The fit of the Narnia dress is too baggy for a custom item and that's with the back completely cinched tight. You can see a bit of seam puckering along the back seams and front neck line. The last picture of the Girls Civil war dress are a it suspect . Quality of the top looks pretty bad but that could be due to it being way too big or not so great posture on the girl.

Find someone local for the commission if you can. Even the best seamstress in the world wouldn't be able to tailor the suit to your body from across the webs.

Yeah, it's pretty easy to alter. I have this book which is pretty good, but it's a little low on pictures. This is the Burda tutorial and it links to a bunch of ways to modify the block - this one on converting it to princess seams will probably be useful. I totally thought that they had a halter top tutorial but they apparently don't. I also have this Google book bookmarked because it's nicely laid out.

I'd also recommend making your base bodice block out of cardboard and then tracing it onto paper to alter your patterns - it'll save you time in the long run. Good luck! Sundresses were my first introduction to patternmaking too :)

New Complete Guide to Sewing for general sewing techniques.

For tailoring men's clothes, Classic Tailoring Techniques (and women's.)

For pattern drafting, Winnifred Aldrich has a great line of books.
There's also Fundamentals of Men's Fashion Design, casual and tailored. As well as Patternmaking for Fashion Design.

For corsets, Waisted Efforts and The Basics of Corset Building are good.

For making shirts, Shirtmaking.

For learning to sew stretch/knit fabrics, Sew U: Home Stretch is pretty good.

And for just having a bunch of fun with patterns, the Pattern Magic series is plain awesome. I think there's three of them out now.

Edit: thought of more!

The Art of Manipulating Fabric is great. And www.threadsmagazine.com as well as the corresponding print publication.

The title of this made me laugh out loud. I thought you might appreciate it too.

I would love love love a pair of these to keep cozy this winter.

Just for good measure...Oh yay another hang up!!

The best way to learn is to try :) I can highly recommend the Colette Sewing Handbook for lots of information and some great beginner patterns! And if there's anything you need a hand with, I'm happy to help out :)

My grandma taught me to do a sc, but I taught myself the rest from books and youtube videos. Two of my favorite books for learning was Debbie Stroller's The Happy Hooker & Get Hooked. The latter book is directed towards a younger audience, but it was perfect for learning ... everything was simplified! Basic patterns like "working in the round" or a basic Double-Crochet scarf; both have wonderful illustrations & great 'beginner' patterns.

Others suggested that you learn from others ... but that's so overrated! ;-) To this day, I don't know anyone else who crochets ... so it's all me!

I'm a lady, but I'm always looking for patterns and whatnot to knit for my boyfriend. It's hard. Knitting is incredibly skewed towards women. One of my friends got me the Knits for Nerds book, and it's awesome, except that every pattern is made for women. I don't want a ladylike browncoat. I want a knitted replica of the regular, Malcolm Reynold's browncoat. Maybe a version with optional darts for my boobs.

My LYS recommended that I pick up Knitting with Balls for patterns. I haven't done it yet (not a lot of expendable income), but she said it has great patterns.

As far as notions and whatnot... I also have had little success finding supplies that aren't extremely feminine. For needles, there's a brand called Karbonz in black/steel colors. I haven't had the opportunity to try them yet (again, not much expendable income), but have heard nothing but good things.

I hate to agree with WoollySocks, but it's true that some things are just gender-skewed. I've pretty much accepted that I'm going to be treated differently when I go shopping for tools, because I'm female. I'm going to have trouble finding work boots. It is, for me, about quality of product, rather than accessibility for my gender. I would advise not straying away from Knitpicks. I think that Knitpicks is the best inexpensive yarn store out there (that I've found so far, anyway), and it would be a shame for you to lose access to their products. They have a wide and reliable rainbow of wools, and their colors are fairly uniform across fibers (as much as they can be).

Don't be discouraged, we are all here for you!

Have you tried knitting? I taught myself with books and YouTube videos about ten years ago. I just finished this a couple days ago! (It looks like this, I made it to take with me to the movie theater in the summer when I'm always cold.) I know it seems like an old lady hobby, but I started when I was 22, and my goes and scarves and sweaters are nicer, warmer, and hold up much longer than the acrylic junk you buy at Target and Walmart.

This book is what finally made it click for me, as well as the site knittinghelp.com. Another excellent resource is [Ravelry] (http://www.ravelry.com) which is like your own online knitting notebook, pattern search, and forums in one. And it's free!

I have been sewing for what seems like forever. I mostly sew clothing, corsets and costumes and have done a lot of embellishments. Not sure what types of projects you’re interested in but the book Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire Shaeffer is a must have for anyone wanting to learn hand sewing techniques as it applies to sewing clothing. Its beautifully illustrated, has clear photos and easy to read instructions to learn and apply any and all of the sewing techniques you would want or need to create a couture garment. The book shows everything from the most basic stitches to advanced techniques.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Couture-Sewing-Techniques-Revised-Updated/dp/1600853358/ref=pd_sbs_14_1/259-1357415-7367116?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1600853358&pd_rd_r=4d9997ec-7940-11e9-a9b2-57670b156927&pd_rd_w=NWeji&pd_rd_wg=fgcr5&pf_rd_p=18edf98b-139a-41ee-bb40-d725dd59d1d3&pf_rd_r=397B75RS3KFC698DJWNG&psc=1&refRID=397B75RS3KFC698DJWNG

If you are trying to be frugal about it, sewing your clothes isn't the way to go. It may be good to learn a lot of mending techniques and how to alter clothing.

Answering the actual question:

I second Craftster.org, but also Burdastyle has a ton of free patterns that you can cut out. The two books I refer to most for information are teh vogue guide to sewing (which as an almost encyclopedic how to on every basic thing you would need to know) and the High fashion sewing, which helps you refine your skills by teaching how to correctly do different seams (also explains when and why you would use them.)

Vogue book:http://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Revised-Updated-Knitting-Magazine/dp/1933027002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269758900&sr=8-1

High fashion:http://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Sewing-Secrets-Worlds-Designers/dp/1579544150/ref=pd_sim_b_28

You can definitely get teh vogue one at teh library.

Another thing I would highly recommend is to purchase a serger. It cuts down on time and finishes all of your seams to keep things from raveling. It can cost a decent chunk up front, but if you are planning to make clothes, I've found that it keeps them neat on the inside and makes them last longer to fave nicely finished seams.

Yay! Knitting or crocheting?

Either way, most craft stores sell a beginner's kit sort of thing that's really helpful. Oh, and it's easiest to learn with solid colored yarn at first so you can see your stitches. All the fancy variegated ones are awesome, but not for starting.

I can't knit to save my life, I can only offer tips for crocheting. I'd suggest starting with a dishcloth (Ravelry has TONS of easy patterns), because you just do the same stitch back and forth...so it helps you to practice and get to an even tension. Oh, and this book seriously helped me. It has projects for super-easy beginning stuff up to more complicated things once you know what you're doing better.

I love to talk way too much about crocheting :)

If you want to do knitting, all I can say is that beginner kit. It helped me, I just don't like it as much as crocheting so I didn't move beyond that kit.

This book on Stuffed Animal construction is something that would help me greatly.

I've been working on a project for a few years that I've affectionately named Stitch n Ditch, which involves making and donating stuffed animals to poor urban areas. The actual concept is to eventually "craft bomb" a local innercity area that is run down and falling apart with cute stuffed animals tagged with positive messages. Anything that can improve my skill and speed, give me new pattern ideas, or just new tools/materials would be insanely helpful. I'd say 90% of wishlist is actually dedicated to this project now. So really, pretty much anything from my WL related to that would be super helpful.

May I make the radical suggestion of learning to sew yourself?

There are classes, and once you have a sewing machine, it's relatively easy to start to make things from patterns - maybe try somthing simple first, and then move onto editing or even making your own patterns from clothing scaled up or down in the right places (I'm currently doing this with a project, and it's relatively easy using deconstructed clothing [a footed sleeper in my case] as a good starting point.

If you need more information on this kind of subject, books such as the Readers Digest guide to Sewing ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Readers-Digest-Complete-Guide-Sewing/dp/0276446410/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325004944&sr=1-1 ) or the Vogue sewing guide ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vogue-Sewing-revised-updated/dp/1933027002/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325004950&sr=1-1 ) tend to be fantastic (I own older editions of both of these books, and they are well worth getting!).

Other than that, I'm sure that some of the shops like Privatina may well be able to help you if you send them an email...

Double sided belts are usually just 2 pieces of leather, 8-9oz sewn back to back. Adding a third layer would add bulk, but almost no strength, and it might cause unsightly buckling as the outside leathers aren't as thick. If all you need is a belt, single thickness belts of 12oz+ would be much easier, and you can still opt to sew up the working end for some practice. Generally, it's advised to start with smaller projects like card holders, so you can get the practice and it's not a big deal if you screw up. Backed belts are hundreds of stitches, so unless you're really determined, it's not a starter project.

When it comes to stitching, Al Stohlman's Art of Hand Sewing Leather has all you need to know about western saddle stitch. No chisels, just 2 needles and an awl. You'll get decent results just fine with a bit of practice.

Other things you'll need:

• Diamond awl
  
• Groover
  
• Oversticher/ spacemarker
  
• Harness Needles
  
• Thread
  
• Beeswax
  
• Contact cement
  
  SLC has a decent starter kit, but other recommendations are out there too. For thread, I use Barbours Linen 6 Cord and wax it myself. You'll need a pony or sewing clam, but I made mine, so I can't help you there. I only use a punch when I'm hand sewing very thin or flimsy leathers.
  

Fear cuts deeper than swords

1. on my WL, something grey.
   
   
2. NOT on WL, rain reminiscing
   
   
3. on my WL, yes i find this food unusual.
   
   
4. on my WL, my husband, he is deaf like no other and LOVES action movies.
   
   
5. this book is a fast read, and hillarious.
   
   
6. I have nothing for this...
   
   
7. on my WL, poopin litters fer kikat
   
   
8. SO thinks its useful, i do not, but it is pretty
   
   
9. UHF/not on WL because it has to be one of the best B rate movies of all time. And its just stupid funny.
   
   
10. Kukri for your zombie ass/not on WL
    
    
11. ONE TRILLION DOLLARS would prolly help me out/not on WL
    
    
12. I would have gotten away with it too, if it hadn't have been for those pesky add-ons/on WL
    
    
13. Monitor for moi/Obviously on my WL
    
    
14. definitely bigger than a breadbox/on my WL
    
    
15. Bouncy balls are smaller than a golf ball/not on WL
    
    
16. Best smells ever, imho/on my WL
    
    
17. SFW is relative i suppose./on my WL
    
    
18. Most helpful for going back to school/on my WL
    
    
19. Obsessed with crochet/on my WL
    
    
20. Unicorn meat/ on my WL Because really, who can say they own unicorn meat? And when its opened its even BETTER.
    
    Thanks for the contest!

My favorite book is Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet, there is a new edition out I'd like to get. The projects weren't the best, but the stitch encyclopedia is great.

If you're a super new beginner, there's A to Z of Crochet, it says it's for beginner to advanced, but it's really just for beginners. It does have lots of great photos, but if you've been crocheting for a while you'll already know most everything in there.

These are very basic suggestions:

Colette's Beginner Book
Very nice, focuses on sewing clothing, comes with patterns.

[Fabric Reference] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/089689536X/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00)
Tons of information on fabrics.

Reader's Digest Guide
Lots of sewing techniques and information. You can get the new edition but the old ones are cheap!

Gertie's suggestions
Most, if not all, of these books came from Gertie. Just Google "building a sewing library" or something along those lines and you will get great information. Don't neglect blogs! The internet is a vast sewing resource. Good luck. :)

I haven't had the chance to start my own project yet, but I purchased this book and think it's an AWESOME reference. The internet is a great resource, but I'm a really visual person and like to flip through a book instead of clicking on a screen when I'm working on a project. This one is very useful too, though it has more details on working with fur.

I don't thinks so, really! There are lots of great books for beginners, the one I learned from is Stitch 'n Bitch, along with help from my dad. The Yarn Harlot is another great resource - I really love everything she writes.

If you know somebody who knits, they're usually thrilled to help somebody learn. You can also see if you've got a yarn store nearby that does classes, or rec centers will do classes sometimes too.

Any good standard sewing book will give you the basics. The Reader's Digest Guide is a good one. This new pattern from a small independent designer named Sewaholic is intended for beginners. I would try making it.

After mastering a skirt like that I would move on to one with darts, a zipper, and a waistband.

As for websites, I like the newish University of Fashion because the teachers are professionals. There's a fee, but it's worth it. There are some free lessons you can watch to see if you like it.

If you click on my name, and then on the "Submitted" tab, at the very bottom are some posts I wrote on how to gain control on a sewing machine, how to press, and some advice for beginners.

*1) There are lots of websites that link different stitches. Most stitches start with the same foundation chain (unless it's a chainless foundation row which is a different ball game). In particular if you're just starting out this book The Happy Hooker was very helpful to me.

• 2. My favorite way to combine two yarns is the magic knot. There are lots of videos of it on youtube. Once I do the magic knot I like to dab on "Liquid stitch" all around the knot, it is a glue specifically meant for fabrics.
     *3) Reading patterns takes patience. My best suggestion for learning is find a chart of abbreviations (sc= single crochet, ect.). Then find a pattern that has a video that you can watch as you read the pattern. An easy one would be Bubble-gum Shawl which is free on ravelry, and here is the video.
     
• 4. Not sure what you mean by cornerning. Usually nice neat corners come from not dropping stitches (count count count). Also most blanket patterns will instruct you how to make the corners so they aren't wonky.
     5) Hooks are really preference. At least in my opinion.
     6) My favorite hooks that are a reasonable price are these. Once you become a faster hooker these wont rub your hands raw.
     7) I listed one book above, the other good one is The big book of stitches
     8) Brands of yarns or what hooks or what?
     9) I've been told cotton yarn works great for bags. Otherwise usually a pattern will indicate if it's necessary to use a specific type of yarn.
     10) I'm not sure what tools you got. I use plain old safety pins as stitch markers. Usually on long rows I'll mark off every 30 stitches. That way if I lose count I only have to count off a few stitches instead of 230+ or whatever the case may be.
     *11) Weaving in ends- usually they become less visible once you tighten up your crocheting a bit (tighten your tension). When I'm done weaving in my end I like to dab liquid stitch on it, then use a bobby pin to pinch it (hold it) into place. Take the bobby pin off before 30 minutes otherwise you end up with a wonky line. I usually leave it on to "pinch" for 15-25 minutes. I don't know why 30 minutes is the cut off but thats just what I've noticed.
     

If my husband got me the scarf I'd be thrilled. If she likes to cook the cookbook is a great choice. The other book you linked has good reviews, too.

If she has not read the series yet you could throw in the first book. If she likes to read she's going to love the series.

For outright erotica literotica is hard to beat. Everything is nicely categorized, rated, it's easy to find something you'll like. Some are short pieces, some long, some in between.

I'm a BDSM/kinkster and/or into pretty dark stuff, so I don't have any other good sexy book recommendations that seem like they'll suit you.

But Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series is so freaking good. There are lots of ways to describe the books, amazon will do a better job than I can right now.

Welcome to knitting!

I'm still fairly beginner too. I just bought this book - recommended on this sub -and I'm finding it super helpful for all of that knowledge on picking yarn/needles, basic stitches, how to fix mistakes, etc. I wish I'd had it when I first got started.

http://www.amazon.com/Stitch-Bitch-The-Knitters-Handbook/dp/0761128182

Good luck, and have fun!

Crochet is actually really easy. You can easily teach yourself, and there are plenty of internet resources to help you. /r/crochet is a really great community too.

I am self taught from this book: The Happy Hooker.

and if you want more help than that, here is the "beginner" page from my crochet blog

Actually I'm going to tell you NOT to start by altering your own clothes. It is actually easier to make something new than to alter clothing. I suggest you learn to sew from the following books: The Colette Sewing Handbook by Sarai Mitnik, the SEW Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp and Stitch by Stitch. All three of these books come with patterns for all sorts of projects. Once you graduate to some harder things, and especially if you are interested in sewing 1950s-inspired retro clothing, try Gerties New Book for Better Sewing By Gretchen Hirsch. This book has beautiful patterns and also helps with more couture techniques. Happy sewing!

For books I highly suggest the following books:
http://www.amazon.com/Couture-Sewing-Techniques-Revised-Updated/dp/1600853358/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372453039&sr=8-1&keywords=couture+sewing
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Photo-Guide-Perfect-Fitting/dp/1589236084/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

The first one is great if you ever have an interest in doing high end stuff properly, and the second one is just super useful. Great guide to altering existing patterns and making your own!

I'm personally a fan of McCunn's How to Make Sewing Patterns and Aldrich's Metric Pattern Cutting series, but as /u/JBJeeves said, everyone has their own way of doing things. It's really a matter of experimenting to find out what you like best; personally I like having books in front of me to follow along, but some people thrive on the creativity that can be had in draping their own patterns from their imagination.

Yep, your best bet would be to buy the cheapest set of crochet hooks you can find, like these, and then some cheapie worsted weight yarn, preferably in a lighter color like this but I bet you could find it cheaper locally.

YouTube has a lot of great tutorials that really nail it down, but there are also good books out there for beginners, like Happy Hooker that not only has patterns, but also instruction on how to do a number of different types of stitches.

Everything I do uses only slip stitch, chain stitch, single crochet and double crochet, so if you can learn those, you're golden. :D

I read The Art of Hand Stitching Leather and this saved me a ton of time. I built the horse mostly to the specifications in the book and it is really helpful. Hand stitching takes about a third of the time for me now. A good awl and good technique in punching the leather made a huge difference in the quality of my stitches as well.

"The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins. Dawkins doesn't really go into anything new or original, but the strength of the book is that is a great, concise summary of all the beginning arguments for atheism.

http://www.amazon.com/God-Delusion-Richard-Dawkins/dp/0618680004

I'd follow it with Daniel Dennett's "Breaking the Spell", also a good recommendation. Same goes for Carl Sagan's "A Demon Haunted World"

http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Spell-Religion-Natural-Phenomenon/dp/0143038338

http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark/dp/0345409469/

Christopher Hitchens is a bit vitriolic for some, but "God is not Great" has some nuggets in it.

http://www.amazon.com/God-Not-Great-Religion-Everything/dp/0446579807/

I personally didn't like Sam Harris' "End of Faith" but I did like his "Letter to a Christian Nation".

http://www.amazon.com/Letter-Christian-Nation-Vintage-Harris/dp/0307278778/

For the topic of evolution, Talk Origins is great (and free) http://toarchive.org/
Dawkin's "The Selfish Gene" is also a good read (and short). Not so short but also good are Dawkins' "Blind Watchmaker", "Climbing Mount Improbable" and "Unweaving the Rainbow"

http://www.amazon.com/Selfish-Gene-Anniversary-Introduction/dp/0199291152/

http://www.amazon.com/Blind-Watchmaker-Evidence-Evolution-Universe/dp/0393315703/

http://www.amazon.com/Climbing-Mount-Improbable-Richard-Dawkins/dp/0393316823/

http://www.amazon.com/Unweaving-Rainbow-Science-Delusion-Appetite/dp/0618056734/

This appears to be the book you are suggesting. That looks good. Lots of good reviews too!

I have been poking around Ravelry. There are a lot of cool free patterns that I think she would like. There are also a couple pay patterns I might grab because they really suit the interests she listed.

Thanks for the suggestions!

I would think you don't need the buttons down the front, they will only make it more complicated/get lost in the gathers. I've never made a skirt like that but I would add enough fabric at the waist to be able to turn under the raw edge then fold it again to be able to encase an elastic. You may also want to research half circle and full circle skirts. Also, you can make a prototype out of cheap fabric or a light muslin to see what happens. I learn a lot through trial and error...Also you could add pockets if you're up for it...everybody loves pockets!
edit: half and full circle skirts won't have as much gathering at the waist so maybe your rectangle will work better
edit 2: sorry for getting long but it looks like the elastic might be stitched down a half inch from the top to give it that look:) I would really recommend this book for sewing: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Sewing-Step---Step/dp/1606522086/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449794192&sr=8-1&keywords=readers+digest+complete+guide+to+sewing (I have the old version)

When I learned to knit way back in the day (before YouTube existed), I used Stitch 'n Bitch and liked it a lot. I didn't go crazy with those included patterns, but I made a few of them. I mostly used the book for a reference.

For me it clicked when I understood how the stitches worked. It wasn't so much pattern acronyms or how to use the needles, it was knowing the construction of knit and purl stitches. Then the more complicated stuff fell into place. I think Stitch 'n Bitch actually goes through that.

I also really love Knitty. I ate that place up, especially before Ravelry existed. The site can be a little annoying to navigate, but they have a good selection of articles explaining different techniques. I love how their patterns are sorted by difficulty.

I'm sure Ravelry and YouTube are also amazing for learning, but I haven't used them!

I've got this book and pretty much love it. It's got some great stuff.

Have you tried searching Ravelry using yardage and project type (household, blanket, etc.) constraints? There's so much there I'm sure you'd find plenty of interesting somethings!

Have you tried making your own? Sewing is not that hard. I'm a guy and am in the process of learning.

There's a lot of youtube videos that show you the basics. It's also good if can take a crash course. I live in Austin and there's about five different places that offer sewing classes for around $60 to $90. All it takes is usually one class to learn how to setup your sewing machine and the basics on how to sew straight, backstitching, etc.

I recommend this book on how to make your own patters. It describes exactly how to custom make petterns for skirts. It shows you how to fit it so that it fits perfectly.

Good luck.

I don’t know what the poster above was talking about. This is a great machine. Go to the vintage sewing machine sub reddit if you’d like to find others with the same machine. It’s nice if you have specific questions.

Next, take a class or get a really good book. This is a great one.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Sewing-Step-Step/dp/1606522086/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=complete+sewing+guide&qid=1570288200&sprefix=complete+sewi&sr=8-1

I'm a crocheter and love to make amigurumi. I love the book Yummi Gurumi and just bought the book Animal Friends of Pica Pau.

I'm making a baby blanket right now too, I got the pattern off Etsy. I also have a long list of things in my Ravelry account to make as well haha.

I'd recommend picking up a sewing book that comes with patterns, like the Colette sewing Handbook or BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook

I have both. The Colette book is laid out kind of like a lesson plan where you sew all the projects in order, and they gradually introduce new techniques. They cover a lot on fitting, but not a ton on modifying the pattern to look different.

The BurdaStyle book is laid out in a more "traditional" way, so all the reference stuff is at the front, then they move onto the patterns. The book has great details and ideas on changing up the patterns to suit your preference.

I also picked up Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing recently, which if you're into vintage style clothing, I'd recommend you pickup later on. (it's a more intermediate-level book, so I would recommend working on other patterns first.)

You seem to have a lot of advice already about machines so I'll just say that a good place to get some basic knowledge is sewing.org. They have some free projects on there but check out their guidelines, there's 1-3 page synopses on how to do just about everything a beginning sewer needs to learn. It's a fantastic resource. I also recommend this book that has very clear diagrams and instructions on tons of techniques.

Both Vogue and Readers Digest have pretty good books that cover a majority of techniques. That will cover the basics, but if you think she would like something a little more fun and less textbook-y, you could try this and this. The authors both have blogs that I follow, and I really like them!

1. This book, so I can learn how to knit. Because I really need a hobby.
   
2. Allegiant is my most wanted e-book right now, I've read the first two in the series, and I would really love to finish the series. :D I wanna know what happens! lol.
   
3. If I were a book, I hope that I'd be a great one.

I don't know my model number by heart either... Hm youtube videos have helped me loads too! And books! I got this one and it's proven quite helpful and fun. Maybe you could get one on quilts if that's what you wish to do?

Ruger

I think This is the most important item on my wish list right now. I'm going through kind of a rough patch in my life, and I'm looking for something to invest some energy and effort into. I think finding a new hobby and getting excited about it will be awesome. So, this is one way to start.

Also, edit to say that I am taller than my aunt, who is (probably) taller than that line. She's fun sized.

I find crocheting very relaxing. It helps calm me down when I'm feeling stressed or anxious. Making toys like these is fun, and one skein wonders mean you don't have to worry about having lots of variety on hand.

No problem, let me know if you have any other questions. Pyrogirl mentioned this book, which I bought for a class. It's quite excellent and has good descriptions of techniques if you're interesting in high-end sewing.

In addition, the same author has a book about working with various types of fabric. You can find the page on lace here.

You may have some difficulty marking the lace as normal home-sewing techniques (wax paper, pencil, chalk, etc) dont like to show up on sheers. If you're up to it, thread-trace everything. This will yield the best results but can be time consuming as hell, especially if you're not used to hand basting. Otherwise, mark with pins or safety pins.

If you're working off of a commercial pattern, you can simply aline edges instead of marking stitch lines, but make sure to take a good look at the seam allowance before hand. Most commercial patterns have 5/8" allowance, more than enough to finish with a 1/4" french seam, but it's always good to check.

1. Older machines have a good reputation, generally, because they tend to be more metal than plastic the older they are. Do you have the manual?
   
   
2. If you don't want to take your machine to a professional, here's a helpful video: https://youtu.be/FmfWu83I0ZI
   
   
3. I always recommend in-person classes. I'm assuming you're in the US? In any case, look around you, fabric stores, community colleges, sewing lounges, all offer beginner sewing classes.
   
   If that is not possible, a good vlog is Colleen G. Lea of FBSTV channel. Unfortunately, her playlists are not the best so look around, she even teaches how to thread a needle!!! https://www.youtube.com/user/FashionSewingBlogTV/videos
   
   Also: https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/collection/learn-sew-fun US sleeve patterns go on sale regularly at chain stores like Joann's and Hobby Lobby. Since it's Thanksgiving, I susptect there is a $2 sale going on right now.
   
   As a rule, you need to a) know how to use your sewing machine b) know how to sew straight seams and c) know how to sew curved seams. The rest is variations on those skills.
   
   If you intend to sew clothing for yourself, see if you can borrow this book from the library, it's supposed to be based on the curriculum of a Fancy Design School: https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Fashion-Sewing-4th/dp/1563674505/ref=nav_signin?crid=ZYH8KIICFOAN&keywords=connie+crawford+books&qid=1574865107&sprefix=connie+crawfor%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-2& (sorry, couldn't get the shorter link to work).
   
   You will also need a good reference book like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1606522086/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_NMO3Db0YYHHR5

I bought myself a machine, some fabric, these two books, scissors, and some other miscellaneous supplies.

The Reader's Digest book is a really good idea since the back has a decent section on tailoring, and is full of useful information on everything else you'll need to know. There are probably also some books specifically on tailoring; check your local library.

Practice making straight lines on a piece of lined paper before you start on cloth. Getting your lines straight is super important.

Everything after that is just practicing.

I'm just beginning myself, but Al Stohlman's The Art of Hand Sewing Leather is pretty much the go-to resource for learning how to hand stitch.

Yeah, it definitely is. Barring a teacher though, I recommend taking a look at knittinghelp.com as they have lots of videos and tutorials on all things knitting. The Stitch n' Bitch book also has very good instructions - it's hell to learn from a book, but I know several people who have learned successfully from this one, lots of cute patterns too.

A frugal lesson tip is to try putting up a craigslist ad to trade something you could teach for knitting lessons. For instance, I've put up a few in my day to trade me teaching knitting lessons for Spanish lessons, and it was fun.

This is when it's helpful to knit with other people - while it's definitely possible to teach yourself how to knit on your own, it's way easier if you have a person that can actually show you what to do! I taught myself to knit using YouTube videos and books. For books, this is one that I know some people like. This book is also a popular option. The website www.knittinghelp.com has a lot of good videos for basics.

Get this book: http://www.amazon.com/Stitch-Bitch-Crochet-Happy-Hooker/dp/0761139850

It is fantastic at explaining everything from the most basic stitches to reading patterns. Don't try to look at patterns online till you get a good explanation about how to read patterns and how to do the basic stitches. YouTube is also pretty good at showing different stitches, but I though it was easier to start with the book.

Also start out out with a medium or large crochet hook and a equally medium or large yarn. Just look around at your local craft or fabric store at the options and you'll see what I mean about sizes. That's about all you need to get started.

Last spend a little extra money on yarn that isn't super cheap and rough. It's more pleasant to work with.

It would make my Christmas if you got me this book:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1612120423/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_13?colid=22KZ2NB4AP9GY&coliid=I3P6P0CE78ZSAY


Here is my Wishlist that includes that book and others that I'm interested in! I like to crochet and hope to learn new skills making projects for others :). Thank you for such a sweet offer!!

Gwyn's Wishlist
Link: http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/22KZ2NB4AP9GY

I am not a huge fan of romance novels but Outlander by Gabaldon has lots of romance and a great story to boot. http://www.amazon.com/Outlander-Diana-Gabaldon/dp/0440212561

Perhaps not specific to your problem, but somewhat related: One of my favorite resource books is the Knitters Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes. If you ever want to learn about the makeup of all fiber types, why some are scratchy or why wool felts, what makes for good durability or why your tightly-spun yarns tend to bias when knitting stockinette, this is for you. It also includes 40 patterns written with certain fibers in mind. It's changed the way I think about choosing yarn for all my knitting projects. I'd highly recommend it!

Construct a full pair of pants for yourself from a pattern as a muslin and then use that to tailor. To size down it's a lot easier once you know how pants are constructed and there's essentially only three places that get trimmed. If the pants have butt pockets like jeans style then you shouldn't go down more than 3 sizes but for dress slacks you can essentially whittle them down as far as you like.

Here's a very good sewing book I recommend https://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Revised-Updated-Knitting-Magazine/dp/1933027002/

• I have not been well. Sickness and death and other bad things. But hey, New Girl started tonight, and it's Sons of Anarchy night, so that's nice.
  
  
• I've been drooling over ILNP's Homecoming.
  
  
• How about some lotion bars?
  
  
• The Dune series is one of my all time favorites, and I've been reading the Outlander series recently.
  
  
• Mani! Here's a better picture.
  
  
• Happy anniversary!! I hope you two have a great day. :)
  
  Thanks for hosting!!

For me there are several ways that knitting is interesting. First, it's something repetitive that I can do to soothe my mind and actually have a useful product at the end (using double-pointed needles provides just the right amount of mental stimulation). Second, it's a fascinating topological exercise how a string can get turned into a complex, 3D object, like a sock. Third, cables and lace and designing custom-fitted objects are interesting engineering projects, especially when you take into account the various personalities of the different kind of fibers you can use. (This type of knitting is very mental and not at all soothing, especially when you lose track of where you are or drop a stitch.)

Scarves and hats are boring. My next project (after I finish the mittens for my daughter) is a torus from this book. The fractal shawl also looks interesting. :)

Historically, at least in some places, knitting was unisex, especially among fishermen, who had their own cable patterns in their sweaters to make identifying their bodies easier if they drowned at sea.

We need more men who knit, as well as young women, to break the stereotypes.

I like them both and have strong points that compliment each other. I would suggest reading both and then moving on to The Greatest Show on Earth, The End Of Faith and Unweaving the Rainbow in no particular order, but all great books in their own right.

What kind of sewing are you interested in? Is there something you want to be able to make? I make quilts, and I am teaching myself how to make clothing so I recently picked up a few books to help me improve my skill and I really enjoy them.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1589235126/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1589234340/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1574327968/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933027002/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The asterisks are just there to tell you what section of the written patter it wants you to repeat.

I found when helping someone learn that having them write out a small cheat sheet that tells them what all the abbreviations in the pattern mean can help them learn to assoicate sc=single crochet, clst= what ever the cluster stitch for the pattern is, and so on.

I always tell the person I am helping, to print their patterns out, and have them go threw and highlight all the sections where the pattern has you repeat (ie the * stuff).


I like A to Z of Crochet: The Ultimate Guide for the Beginner to Advanced Crocheter it is useful for new hookers, and advanced hookers alike. Check your local library to see if they have this book or any other crochet books most will have a section in the front to go over the basics.

I love the Readers Digest Guide and Vogue Sewing. Both books are packed with very useful information, but maybe she would like a more stylish-looking book to start out with. The Burdastyle Sewing Handbook or The Colette Sewing Handbook might be more inspirational.

Yeah, you are most likely not pulling the yarn to the front when purling.

You want to look at the whole row before starting and make sure each stitch is hanging neatly with one loop of thread over the needle. If there is a loose bit of thread hanging over the end, or one of the stitches is pulled half up over the needle so you have both of the stitch "legs" up on the needle, then you need to rearrange your yarn.

Holding the needle with the stitches on it in your left hand, pull the yarn down and to the front before you start purling. That's it!

P.S. Here is a great book for beginning knitters:
http://www.amazon.com/Stitch-Bitch-The-Knitters-Handbook/dp/0761128182

MAKEUP!! I'm a huge fan of it in general, loving NYX and BH Cosmetics at the moment.

Also super cool that you get to learn about lasers and microscopes, I'm a little jealous.

Sewing is tricky! I highly suggest checking out Vouge Sewing it really helped me a lot with understanding how to alter patterns, and determining how to figure out what part of the dress is or isn't fitting right.

I can't believe no one mentioned sewing books yet. There are so many kick-ass introduction to sewing books out there now!
Most of these talk you through setting up your machine all the way to making some pretty nice garments. They are a must have. I'd go for love at first stitch if she's into quirky younger fashion and the collette book if she's a little more conservative. Both include a few patterns to start her off.

http://www.amazon.com/Love-First-Stitch-Demystifying-Dressmaking/dp/1611802342/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418696695&sr=8-1&keywords=love+at+first+stitch

http://www.amazon.com/Colette-Sewing-Handbook-Techniques-Seamstress/dp/1440215456/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418696786&sr=8-2&keywords=colette&pebp=1418696800367

Frank and Beans!

I'd love to read this book, since I hear so many people talking about it and it looks up my alley.

Used books are fine, I just prefer they be in good shape since I am one of those people who babies their books :)

This book is really, really helpful if you're looking into sewing some more stuffed animals later! Tons of tips and even cute plushies to sew. He looks cute just be sure to not use thread that contrasts so much next time.

If your wife has a sense of humor, this was my favorite book when I was starting out. Has great illustrations and straight forward patterns. My first sweater was a pattern out of there, and I managed just fine.

Back on the crafty bit: This book helped me a good bit when I needed to uneff my knitgame some. And it's fairly good for teaching yourself to knit from what I remember. Beeen awhile since I last looked through it. I should go back through and reread it. And I've got an extra copy that's in pretty good shape if you're interested. Thought I did. Should look.

Very good progress!

I'm a lady but my fave knitting book is Knitting With Balls: a hands on guide to knitting for the modern man. You might like it!

I recommend Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. It's now a TV series on Starz. Some bill it as romance, but I think of it more as a time-travel adventure. There are eight books in the series, so if she likes the first, she'll have a lot of reading to do.

http://www.amazon.com/Outlander-Diana-Gabaldon/dp/0440212561

You could get a book like Stitch n Bitch, and maybe pick a pattern from it and get the supplies for it. I learned from this book and it was pretty good for the basics. Some of the patterns seem nicer too.

I would recommend a book or 2 in addition to YouTube. When learning a new knitting technique, I find it really helpful to look at still images or illustrations first, then watch a video to see it in action.

OP, I learned how to knit though a combination of Debbie Stoller's Stitch n Bitch and knittinghelp.com.

It's definitely possible. Just break it down into manageable chunks and do small swatches as you learn. I was knitting simple scarves the first week and moving on to hats and other things within a month. Soon you'll be making cabled sweaters and fancy blankets and all sorts of crazy knits!

Edit to add: Whatever you do, don't knit your first project with Lion Brand Homespun. For some reason, a lot of new knitters (myself included) reach for that yarn for early projects and it just never works properly. Use a simple soft acrylic or wool-blend. Red Heart Soft is a decent choice and quite affordable.

I would really like a used copy of Outlander. My friend recommend it to me earlier this year as I have a soft spot for Historical Fiction and haven't read a good romance story in awhile.

It's listed on my books WL as well.

Thanks for the contest!

buy this book and spend a day or two reading through everything. it teaches you more about sewing than about how to thread the machine (although it does teach you that too!) there's beginner patterns in the back, a guide to reading real patterns, a checklist of supplies you need, a way to fix common hiccups that you will come across, all about different stitches, different needles for what fabric, all about fabric, etc etc it is a great resource and the projects in the back are a great way to get your feet wet and get sewing!!!

Oooh! I highly recommend the book Stitch 'n Bitch for knitting. It taught me how to knit and it's awesome and funny!

I'd recommend some books like Sew Everything Workshop

There's also books by Singer and I believe Readers Digest that quite thoroughly cover the basics of sewing. I have the Singer's Sewing Essentials which I believe was quite inexpensive.

Also, as far as your pattern goes, there is a glossary showing what each symbol or term means, and if you are stuck on one in particular, post it and I'm sure one of us can help =)

I have this book: One yard wonders And it is awesome. Full of simple projects. Clear instructions on sewing basics. A lot of the projects are very cute.

On mobile.

Book about yarn - if you like diving into knowledge!

The Knitter's Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307352161/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_3.aNwb10BQCV

If you want to know about something google it and the word techknitter. Amazing blog - so much knowledge - hard to navigate.

I love the book One Yard Wonders. It has a great variety of projects, from cute plushies to clothes for grown-ups and kids to household items. Plus, it includes all the pattern pieces. It's really good for beginners, but not so simple that your friend would get bored with it.

There are some good books out there! I like the Stitch 'n Bitch ones (the patterns are so dated, though) and the Knitter's Companion (I think the illustrations are pretty clear in this one). I found this one called The Knitting Answer Book in a Sam's Club I don't know how long ago. I'm not sure how great it is because I've been able to find answers in the others and online. These books + Youtube are how I taught myself.

Colette patterns has a neat entry-level book, which comes with 5 clothing patterns! Their patterns are sized a little differently than regular patterns, but they are known for their clear instructions (usually a big frustration for new seamstresses).

My favorite sewing book ever is a little older, from Reader's Digest, if you believe that. Not the sexiest present, maybe, but super-useful. It shows you how to do everything, and the illustrations are plentiful and very clear.

Stohlman's How to Make Leather Cases Vol. 3 has plans for a very nice scabbard, but it's not for a 10/22. Still, it's chock full of useful information for the leatherworker. Very heavily western-inspired, however, if you prefer the European look you might want to get The Leatherworking Handbook for inspiration. No rifle scabbard plans there, however.

Your bag looks like the first bag I made. It has the earmarks of being made by someone who has experience sewing fabric and apparel. Fabric sewing and leather craft have many shared skills, but leather has stand alone skills that you will need to learn. Many crafters here have learned through on-line tutorials. I started with this book, which I would recommend. https://www.amazon.com/Leatherworking-Handbook-Illustrated-Sourcebook-Techniques/dp/1844034747. This book is also a wonderful resource for bag designers https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9887710806/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also, try your local library for knitting books. (Mine is excellent.) Videos normally concentrate on one topic, without much talking around the topic. Books develop stage by stage, and have time to tell you why things are done that way and what alternatives you could use -- making it much easier to learn to do your own thing.

Libraries (or bookshops) let you compare books to see which style you like. These two are often recommended: Teach yourself Visually Knitting and the Stitch 'n Bitch Knitter's Handbook. These two also seem good: Debbie Bliss Knitter's Book of Knowledge and Knitting in Plain English.

• Stitch N' Bitch
  
  
• The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns as well as anything else by Ann Budd!
  
  
• The Knit Stitch Pattern Handbook, should you ever feel like designing.
  
  
• Knitting Without Tears
  
  
• Around the World in Knitted Socks
  
  
• The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques
  
  
• Extreme Double Knitting
  
  I could go on :)

Do yourself a favour and read a book which gives a good overview of what we know from science, before you do more harm to yourself. "Unweaving the Rainbow" would probably be a good choice.

Then come back and see if you could tell people with a straight face that your religion -- or any religion -- contains much which is actually useful (and true) in comparison.

Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker
The title was funny, and I'll just assume you don't have it.

i confess I don't actually know what a single skein is, and etsy didn't seem to have any results. What is it?

Anyway, just focus on the positives of the bad job. Just like you said earlier - you'll get through it. And you do have good coworkers, so that's something. Make a game out of it maybe; how many callers in a row will hang up on me, and is it close to what I guessed ahead of time?

I always recommend the Reader's Digest Guide and Vogue Sewing to anyone looking to start a sewing library. They cover very similar ground, so take a look inside each. I prefer Vogue most of the time, but it all depends on how she learns best.

Outlander first book in the AMAZING series :)

Its hard to really judge since the leather and the thread are the same color, but the thread looks too thick IMO. Keep working at it and if you stitch in a contrasting color you will really be able to see your mistakes, helping you improve.

Sewing just takes practice, keep at it and watch this vid if you haven't already

This is also a really good book

You are not the only guy that knits. Plenty of men knit. I knit and as far as I know I am a guy, have been knitting for over a decade. I would suggest signing up for a Ravelry account, there is a bunch of male knitters there and thousands of very cool free patterns.

To begin: I would suggest getting the Stitch n Bitch book, it begins out very very basic and the patterns gradually get harder. If you don't understand how to do something youtube or knittinghelp to see a person actually do it. If you still cannot understand how to do it drop into a yarn shop or go to a knitting group (you should be able to find a local one close to you on ravelry or yahoo or meetup.org).

Congrats on being manly enough to knit.

The Art of Hand Sewing Leather by Al Stohlman is a superb guide from beginner to expert. Depending on the projects you are looking into starting, you won't need any other reference for a long time.

I have the first edition of Teach Yourself VISUALLY Knitting. It's very good, with lots of great close-up photos.

There's a pretty good breakdown of gussets in [The Leatherworking Handbook by Valerie Michael](The Leatherworking Handbook: A Practical Illustrated Sourcebook of Techniques and Projects https://www.amazon.com/dp/1844034747/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ExzwybMH8RT6S). I remember coming across it in a Google search as well, maybe Andersen leather? (Apologies if that's not it.)

EDIT: I just looked at my copy and the gusset you described is found on page 57-59.

There’s a great illusion scarf pattern in the beginner’s knitting book Stitch and Bitch. It was one of my first successful knits — highly recommend!

https://www.amazon.com/Stitch-n-Bitch-Knitters-Handbook/dp/0761128182

Not to endorse a specific vendor, but I just ordered this:
http://www.amazon.com/Scrap-Leather-Medium-Brown-Cowhide/dp/B006UUHUDO?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
and made a sheath from it today.

Having done this a few times, my best recommendation to you is to get 6-7 oz leather of whatever color floats your boat.

What kind of stitching do you do? I use an awl with two needles, per the instructions in this book: http://www.amazon.com/Art-Hand-Sewing-Leather/dp/1892214911/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464597294&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=hand+stiching+leather

I knit my first scarf with the pattern from this book. (Which happens to be the best name for a guy's knitting book ever).

It's something great to do while watching TV. Just avoid drinking and knitting. I can show you exactly where on my projects where I had a little too much to drink...

I like the book "One Yard Wonders" - http://www.amazon.com/One-Yard-Wonders-Sewing-Fabric-Projects/dp/1603424490/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322711978&sr=8-1

also, check out http://sew4home.com/ - i made a lot of patterns from this site, it's a great source!

I am a big fan of these books:

1. Love at first stitch: http://www.amazon.com/Love-First-Stitch-Demystifying-Dressmaking/dp/1611802342/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459291310&sr=8-1&keywords=tilly+and+the+buttons
   
2. The Colette sewing handbook: http://www.amazon.com/Colette-Sewing-Handbook-Techniques-Seamstress/dp/1440215456/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459291310&sr=8-2&keywords=tilly+and+the+buttons

http://www.amazon.com/Stitch-Bitch-The-Knitters-Handbook/dp/0761128182

That was the beginner book I was given and it was very helpful and fun.

I taught myself knitting from Stitch 'n Bitch. I'm currently knitting a bamboo-silk cabled cardigan. It is so relaxing to feel the fine yarn slipping through my fingers and the smooth bamboo needles warming to my touch. I am a bit of a yarn snob, though. I can't knit with acrylic... The squeak it makes is like nails across a chalkboard. A good reference book for both knitting and crocheting is the Reader's Digest Guide to Knitting and Crochet Stitches. I usually end up crocheting toys for the kids and, strangely, acrylic doesn't bother me during crocheting at all.

On a related note, I have a really excellent book on couture fashion that I'd recommend you know more about this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1600853358/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_2cwaCbDSE1186

Thanks! The bags are out of this book which has some really cute projects in it.

I have an old Vogue Sewing book. It is fantastic for techniques and fabrics and pattern help.

http://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Revised-Updated-Knitting-Magazine/dp/1933027002

This is my go-to book when I need an answer.

The Art of Hand Sewing Leather by Al Stohlman has directions for building a stitching pony. I haven't built one but it seems to be well regarded. If you don't have the $11 to buy the book (also well regarded) you may be able to find the plans out in the webs.

No plans, but there is a walkthrough of a guy building a variation on Stohlman's pony.

Edit: also found these plans in an older book. A little hard to read, and I'm guessing they require some skill as a carpenter.

Made this adorable puffin from Animal Friends of Pica Pau. I have also made the frog from the book, everything from the book is so cute! Only change I made was to crochet the eyes instead of using plastic safety eyes as it is for a baby.

Off the top of my head:

The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon: Outlander

Sarum, by Edward Rutherford: Sarum

Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, by Allen Gurganus: Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All

​

Blessings to you!

​

Came here to post exactly this. They make learning rather interesting and fun, and the patterns are more in style than a lot of the books I've read. Amazon link, if anyone is interested.

Oh, interesting. :) I'm always on the lookout for new reading material. I've not heard of Outlander. I shall have to look into it. GOOGLE!

Dis? http://www.amazon.com/Outlander-Diana-Gabaldon/dp/0440212561

This may be of use to you! Available on Amazon :) A to Z of Crochet: The Ultimate Guide for the Beginner to Advanced Crocheter https://www.amazon.com/dp/156477998X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ce.xDbX2FSG4Z

Edit: however, it's a book. Not an online encyclopedia.

I was recommended this book but have yet to order it. I've heard really good things about it and plan on ordering it soon!

I would recomend This book for trying to create your own pattern! It's more special that way anyway, right??

Thank you!

It's the gazelle pattern from this book:
[Animal Friends of Pica Pau: Gather All 20 Colorful Amigurumi Animal Characters] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/9491643193/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_bpsPDbNM703Y7).

I'm almost positive it was The Leatherworking Handbook by Valerie Michael. Very well done book.

They’re from a book. I got mine from amazon. Worth every penny.
Animal Friends of Pica Pau: Gather All 20 Colorful Amigurumi Animal Characters https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/9491643193/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BxyADb0XAXHCR

That's a good bunch of books! I'd additionally recommend the following two:

• Unweaving the Rainbow by Dawkins.
  
• The Demon-Haunted World by Sagan.

First off, thumbs up on the name. :P Genetics win.

Secondly, if you're okay with book recs (people have covered the knitting websites I know of and have used), try this book:

Teach Yourself VISUALLY Knitting

I have the Stitch & Bitch books and while they're okay I've learned that the B&W pictures can be difficult to follow. TYVK has nice color illustrations and a couple patterns.

I also like the Knitting for Dummies videos on YouTube if you need more visual assistance.

I sincerely recommend the book Unweaving The Rainbow that delves into the subject. Here's a quote from it:
>
> “There is an anaesthetic of familiarity, a sedative of ordinariness which dulls the senses and hides the wonder of existence. For those of us not gifted in poetry, it is at least worth while from time to time making an effort to shake off the anaesthetic. What is the best way of countering the sluggish habitutation brought about by our gradual crawl from babyhood? We can't actually fly to another planet. But we can recapture that sense of having just tumbled out to life on a new world by looking at our own world in unfamiliar ways.”

Me too! I liked cartoony pictures and gifs because they stayed put. That and this book. I'll still gladly look at your source material as I do my researching.

Try youtube. It has endless patience and hundreds of teachers. I also suggest a book with a lot of clear pictures. When I taught my boyfriend, he practiced various patterns by making potholders. (Scarves are more traditional, but less satisfying unless you wear a lot of scarves.)

I have been using How to Make Sewing Patterns by Don McCunn. I have successfully made skinny pants from the pant sloper. I do not think skinny pants were in style as they are now, so it took some additional internet research to achieve the exact fit I wanted.

While I have not used it to make skirts or bodices yet, the instructions are much more thorough in the bodice and skirt sections.

I found it at my local used book store for ~$10 usd. I think it is worth a try, if you are looking for a lower entry pattern book. It is targeting home sewers as opposed to fashion design textbooks on the subject.

I taught myself using this book: https://www.amazon.com/Sew-Everything-Workshop-Step-Step/dp/0761139737

It goes through the basics pretty well and I still use it as a reference.

Oh, definitely aware. This is the first place I saw the pun with regards to crocheting, though. It was amusing.

So should we post recommendations for resources here and now? Because I personally loved The Colette Sewing Handbook and the tutorials at Colette Patterns.

I love this book about drafting stuffed animal patterns. "Stuffed animals" by glassenberg

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1454703644/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486267163&sr=1-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=stuffed+animals&dpPl=1&dpID=51VKR4cCGlL&ref=plSrch

Why not? They make such lovely afghans and doilies.

I think I know how you feel. It took a much longer time until my ex-girlfriend was deconverted or even seriously started to question the very foundations of her faith. But she ended up an atheist, and of course there were tears involved in the process.

If you want to give him something uplifting, show him The most astounding fact or get him The Magic of Reality or Unweaving the Rainbow for Christmas (or winter solstice). It's money well spent.

Consider getting it at your local bookstore instead of Amazon. Amazon is evil. ;)

Bridal Couture by Susan Khalje has a great section about working with lace, as does Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire Schaeffer.

I used the Quinby pattern from Crochet One Skein Wonders. It was super simple to follow.

I started out by sewing potholders and burp-rags -- rectangles and squares are definitely the easiest things to sew. I can send you the tutorials that I use when I get home (they're save to my favorites). I use Pinterest quite a bit to come up with ideas. I also bought [this One Yard Wonders book] (https://www.amazon.com/Publishing-One-Yard-Wonders-Patricia-Hoskins/dp/1603424490/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484607417&sr=8-1&keywords=one+yard+wonders), but I haven't made anything from it yet.

As a no longer novice, straight male who doesn't give a damn for stereotypes, and will from now on only refer to himself as a seamstress within the confines of this subreddit, I salute you for taking the step that seems to be so polarized in your life!

Now to the question at hand, I don't have time to do a full blown search, and you will find that the number of men's patterns available that are not period styled (victorian, civil war, etc.) is very limited. The reason would appear to be that men's clothes in general are limited, but that is a topic for another day. I found a standard jacket with multi-pocket pattern here and it is quite pricey, in my opinion, but I think will serve your purpose. Don't put the extra pockets on it, of course, and for the top right pocket, find a tutorial on how to make various types of pockets and work from there.

As you learn, make sure you follow every step, if it says to sew a 3" seam and then press that seam, get the iron out and press it before you move on. Practice sewing straight lines, and then move to curves, get a feel for the way fabric moves, and never be afraid to rip out a seam if it looks poor and do it again! Finally, I cannot recommend "How to Make Sewing Patterns" enough. I swear by this book, and when I can't find a pattern, or want to try something on my own, this book contains most of the options and method's you will use in creating a pattern to make it happen!

For starters I'd recommend the Knitter's Book of Yarn and the Knitter's Book of Wool, both by Clara Parkes. Both are incredibly informative and have some great patterns to boot. I consider both of these required reading for anyone even remotely serious about knitting.

If you want to get really serious about wool, the Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook goes into crazy detail about the different breeds of sheep and the wool they produce. This book is extreme though, covers a lot of things that you probably would never encounter at your average LYS. It's more geared towards spinners than knitters.

I used youtube to learn since no one else was around to teach me. This book helped a lot. ITs a good reference.

I normally knitted plushies and stuff. I also ended up making Dr. Who scarved til my hands bled X_X. This is probably one of my favorites things I've made though

I got it from the following book:

Durant, Judith, Edie Echman. "Crochet One-Skein Wonders". North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2013. Title of the work: "Lucky Dog" by Deb Richey.
Link to the book on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Crochet-One-Skein-Wonders-Projects-Crocheters/dp/1612120423

Check out the Stitch 'n Bitch book - http://www.amazon.com/Stitch-n-Bitch-Knitters-Handbook/dp/0761128182/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464321120&sr=8-1&keywords=stitch+n+bitch
I basically taught myself a few basic types of stitches with this (and a little bit of guidance from my bff, although this is where Youtube can fill in some gaps!). And really, a cheap pair of plastic needles and yarn from somewhere like Michael's won't set you back more than $20-30 tops. It can be an expensive hobby once you really get into it, but it doesn't have to be.

A to Z of Crochet this book is very helpful to me!

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Honestly, it's often dubbed as romance, which it has, but there is so much more to it.