Learn just one helpful knot, use it often, and the cost of this book will be amply repaid. Bends, Loops, Hitches, Lashings, Coils, Stoppers and Whipings, here is a book to make getting to grips with knots a cinch. Whether you are camping, climbing, sailing, fishing or fixing things in the home, this collection of 120 knots will serve you well in countless situations, from the Hangman's Noose to the Halter's Hitch. Entries reveal the history and development of each knot plus its uses and special features and there are clear illustrated step-by-step instructions explaining how to tie every knot. There are some great names here like the Ossel Hitch, Turtle Knot, Slipped Cleat Hitch, and Munter Mule (which looks pretty complicated and is rather beautiful!) Some have names that evoke how and by whom they were once tied - the Highwayman's Hitch, Surgeon's Knot, Fisherman's Knot, and all manner of knots for bellringers, shopkeepers, linesmen and lumberjacks, trappers and tree surgeons who all used a knot or two peculiar to their trades or callings. Brought up to date now that knotting flourishes on the Internet. With index and glossary, 176pp, colour.

With its long black forked tongue, bright red mouth, beady eyes and multicoloured 'scales', the 27½" or 70cm long Snake is made with extra-fine Merino kettle-dyed yarn. All lengths and weights and shade numbers of skein and wool, double needles and double-pointed needles, stitch holder, tapestry needle, polyester toy fillings and pairs of sew-on googly eyes are some of the materials and tips given as you make your tortoise in bright green, parrot in bright red sitting on a perch, a speckly-winged budgie, black and rusty red tarantula, super soft white mouse with pink ears and pink eyes and toenails, a striped hammy hamster, guinea pig, cute bunny with long floppy ears and his own bright orange carrot, a white and tan Spaniel puppy, a sausage dog Dachshund, a white kitten and a striped kitten to keep each other company, a black and white cat, bright orange fish and a big green iguana - knit yourself a whole zoo menagerie of squidgy friends or adorable gifts. Choose from 15 individual pets to bring a smile to everyone's face whether it's kids craving a pet of their own or your own cuddly friend to take to bed. A Guild of Master Craftsmen large square softback, 128pp, colour photos and instructions and fun layout and design.

Socks are just about perfect for trying out new stitch patterns or techniques. If you long to knit an Aran sweater but have never worked cables, a pair of socks gives you the chance to practice the technique without a huge investment in time or money. See the Annelise Knee Socks. If your heart is set on knitting a lace shawl, but you aren't so sure about the prospect of working yarn overs, try out an eyelet or lace pattern sock like the lace edged baby socks or lacy leg warmers. Slip stitch patterns offer a great introduction to colour work because you never have to carry around more than one yarn in a round, but colour stranded work aka Fair Isle is not as difficult as you may think. Then there is the joy of wearing your own hand-knitted socks or creating them for loved ones, a very special gift. The Elizabeth Socks are an easy pattern to start with and the inserted heel eliminates the need to work shaping in pattern. Chunkier, fluffier, with cuffs and turn ups and turn downs, most have a good deal of stretch, particularly the lace patterns and smaller socks can be produced by knitting at a tighter gauge. For Christmas there is a Nordic Stocking Sock to hang and a Tree Stocking in red, green and white with snowflake and Christmas tree design at the top and a hanging loop. Super detailed instructions throughout, diagrams and full page colour photos of the 16 finished designs. 96 page very large softback, colour.

Making your own jewellery is an absorbing and cost-effective craft, and four different themes emerge in this do-it-yourself guide: flirty, spicy, romantic and charmed. A detailed section covers jewellery making basics, for instance choice of beads, whether wooden, acrylic, pearl or crystal, and helps you to identify the findings you will need - different kinds of wire, cord, and spacers, for instance. Recommended tools include beading needles and the all-important chain-nose pliers. Armed with these necessities you are now ready to begin any of the 68 exciting projects. A tri-colour necklace uses assorted red, orange and brown beads, some of them patterned and others with visual interest added by using a silver bead cap. Stretch bracelets require a surgeon's knot to fix the cord, explained at the end of the book, and another useful technique is how to attach a bead construction to the ear wire for dangly earrings, with a lovely example here made with translucent amber beads. A glass leaf pendant is suspended on a three-strand pearlised necklace, using a beaded pendant bail. Pinks and whites dominate the romance theme, where stunning pale pink twisted beads are combined with a key pendant and suspended on a ribbon. A simple pearl necklace is embellished with a large acrylic gemstone, and sparkly earrings are created using rhinestone chains. Flirty jewellery has a blue, yellow and turquoise colour theme, while the "charmed" section features luxury beading in all colours. 96pp,m softback, fully illustrated in colour.

In delicate silk and organza ribbon with printed panels for embroidery, integrate crafts such as card making, jewellery making, knitting, crazy quilting, fibre art and dress design into an easy, enjoyable and rewarding hobby. Learn to make flat Nuno felting and felt surfaces using wool, silk and silk paper and adorn these with exquisite silk ribbon designs. The book has four sections covering felted backgrounds explained with step-by-step instructions, making the different flowers like tiny roses or dreamy creatures, adding shadows. Fuchsias on felted wool and silk are 3D and appear to float, wild roses in pale lilac, pansy with silk and organza ribbons and the English rose in small, medium or large petals and how to make the stems trail and look realistic. There is a beautiful sparrow design with little feet, legs and beak, red corn poppies on a small purse bag which fastens with a button, a wild Michaelmas daisy in a floral scene, buttercup, meadow grass and a butterfly, cosmos and a little sunbird and a Nasturtium circle on silk paper for wool art or a hat box cover. There are hot water bottle covers, samplers, handbags, purses, spectacle case, clutch bag, holdall, beaded scarf, bracelets and needle cases and a small throw or blanket, all eye catching, colourful and delicately beautiful. 15 complete projects, gorgeous colour photos, lists of requirements, stitch gallery and patterns to scan or trace. 160 very large glossy pages, colour photos, softback.

Based on fairy tales and nursery rhymes, these finger puppets are designed to help children to enjoy the stories by acting them out. A CD telling all seven stories helps the enjoyment along, especially if adults have difficulty remembering the finer details. The characters are knitted with wool yarn on double-pointed needles, with embellishments added after felting in the washing machine to add a furry texture. An introduction includes basic construction hints for working with the double-pointed needles, accompanied by helpful step by step photos. After felting, the puppets are stuffed with fibrefill and embroidered with details such as facial features, and again the process is described with full photographic details. You are now ready to begin puppet-making, and first off is Goldilocks with the Three Bears. Full knitting instructions are provided for creating a lovely golden-haired Goldilocks with a blue dress, white apron and pink cheeks. The bears are sturdy dark brown creatures in different sizes to fit the story of the different sized bowls of porridge, with Daddy Bear having a red waistcoat incorporated into the knitting. Humpty Dumpty follows, then the story of the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf, who seems rather a genial fellow with his big smile, though the two white fangs give the game away. A Gingerbread Man, Hansel and Gretel, Red Riding Hood and Mary with her Little Lamb complete the collection. Easy to follow instructions, softback, fully illustrated in colour, CD.

Learn tips and techniques from the oldest, wisest and best, grandma and the older generation. Let the fun begin with 20 patterns like the cable beanie, bow headband, beret, fingerless gloves in a beautiful merino wool with satin ties, slouch socks and a reusable flexible shopping bag among them. The Grannies and author Katie Mowat dispense plenty of advice on the art of hand knitting and share techniques to give you confidence to customise their patterns, aimed at inspiring all levels of knitter. They talk you through every step of creating your one-off pieces, from choosing the type of wool to different stitch options to edging and finishing techniques, so pick up those needles and get flexing your creative muscles. Begins with buying and how to read a yarn label, purls of wisdom and care advice, recommended needle size and tension, straight, double-pointed and circular needles and other bits and bobbins like needle gauges, row counters and stitch holders. Beginning with holding your needles correctly, casting on, knit one, purl one, and casting off, here are the stitches everyone should know - garter, stocking, rib, moss or seed, and cable stitch. They help with dealing with accidents and decorating your knitting with pompoms etc. Big colourful pattern charts, colour photos, 192pp.

Here is a practical guide to drawing and painting surfaces on canvas and paper to textiles and woods because every surface you draw on impacts everything in your artwork, from its texture and brightness to its colour and durability. Learn the basics of working on canvas, paper, panels, textiles, wood, metal, glass, stone and silk plus useful tips and techniques for preparing your supports and protecting your finished artwork. Paper comes in a variety of formats - pads and books, rolls and loose sheets and in types such as newsprint which is thin and inexpensive for creating loose sketches, kraft paper made of wood pulp and very strong, drawing paper varying in weight and colour, handmade paper, mould-made paper, Bristol board of multiple layers up to 4-ply and illustration board mounted to a hard core surface, marker paper or watercolour paper for fluid washes and available in three textures - hot-pressed, cold-pressed and rough - for you to choose depending on your painting style and the visual effects you want to achieve. Packed with visual examples, step-by-step tutorials and demonstrations to maximise your results in a variety of media. Vibrant colour illustrations and photographs, 112 page large softback.

Lots of fun with templates to scan or copy and perfect for beginners and those looking to broaden their jewellery making skills, working with leather by its malleable nature means you can easily shape, stamp, cut, dye, paint and sew it into anything. 21 stylish projects that make a statement, here is an array of necklaces, bracelets and earrings showing how truly modern leather jewellery can be. Christina Anton loves to create bold and unique designs with emphasis on form, pattern and colour and these chic projects include layered fringe earrings, a triangle leather necklace, geometric cuff bracelet, dangling chains, beads and feathers, tassels and crescent shapes, and multiple layers of hand cut fringing of leathers in different colours to liven up any outfit. Begins with information on the tools, materials and techniques you need. 118 page large softback.

Trompe l'oeil gives that realistic 'wow' effect. Murals can brighten any room in your home, yet tackling a whole wall can be an intimidating prospect. For a quick and easy solution, start small with one of these ten down-to-size projects. Paint a quaint one-room schoolhouse on a notebook cover, dress up a plain window shade with summer garden blossoms complete with fake handle at the bottom, surprise your friends with a beautiful Siamese cat perched above a window frame, paint an artistic scene on top of a box, or choose a hat box with heavy cardboard construction to produce a Tuscan scene complete with lilies, ionic columns, Italian stucco by mixing glaze and sand, a decorative frieze and sculpture against a green Tuscan landscape. For each stage there is very careful painting instructions, templates and patterns that may be hand-traced or copied with details of whether enlarging to 200% or in the case of a stunning bottle green grandfather clock with decorative face and a tiny mouse on top, enlarge a further 200% and a third time at 128% to bring them up to full size. One of our favourites is the trompe l'oeil wall shelf, a decorative blue and white plate, clear glass vase with yellow flowers and two lemons all atop a realistic looking green bookshelf. Bunnies and kingfishers, a goldfinch photograph frame and a shaker clock are among the other projects with everything about materials and techniques covered. 144pp in extra large softback, colour illus., tips and mini demos.