a vibrant collection of inspiring and instructional books specializing in knitting, sewing, quilting, drawing, and other “maker” genres.
Once a week, we share some of our favorite inspiration to get creative juices flowing for a weekend of creating. Today's offering comes from our own publishing director, Melanie Falick, from the foreword to KnitLit, edited by Molly Wolf & Linda Roghaar.
Have a happy, crafty weekend!
From Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson
Whether your warm-weather plans consist of lounging in the sun or cozying up to your air conditioner, summer is a perfect time to load up your e-reader or smartphone with new reads for the season. And with the launch of Open Road Integrated Media's 150 Summer Steals promotion, it's easier than ever to while away your extra few hours of sunlight with your favorite patterns from STC Craft!
Don't miss up to 75% off on an assortment of e-book editions of STC Craft favorites, including: AlterKnits Felt, Kata Golda's Hand-Stitched Felt, Knit 2 Together, Knits Men Want, Knitspeak, Knitted Socks East and West, Knitting 24/7, Knitting for Baby, Knitting New Mittens and Gloves, Viva Poncho, and Weekend Knitting. This sale will be running from July 9 to July 22, so download now and get to crafting!
All of the covers we design at STC Craft have their own particular challenges. Which image is the best representation of the book? Will one beautiful image suffice, or do we need more? Should we include a burst calling out a special feature, or find a way to incorporate it into the subtitle? The answers to these questions can sometimes take months to answer, and the cover for Knit to Flatter was no exception.
Before we arrived at the cheerful pink polka-dot cover shown above, designer Meg Mateo Ilasco patiently tried many options, including single images, creative detail shots, and small groupings, but nothing was quite right. Then, one night when I was at the office far too late, inspiration hit: we need to show all of the models on the cover! That is, after all, the spirit of the book: to show nine women with totally unique styles and shapes wearing hand-knit sweaters that make them look good and feel great. To put them all together on the cover was proof that there were no smoke and mirrors at play—this system of choosing sweater patterns and knitting to fit your shape works!
Unfortunately (or fortunately), editors at STC Craft headquarters don't have access to design software, so to express my vision to Meg, I dragged photos into Microsoft Word (I know, it doesn't get more low-tech than that) and created a grid. Melanie provided the inspiration for the polka dots—don't polka dots make everything fun? And that's really what we were going for. The book is a celebration of not just our bodies, but of our sweaters and our pride in what we make.
What Meg sent back was definitely getting there! But the raspberry palette just wasn't feeling right. So Meg refined her idea and presented us with four options, all of which we loved: a black option, a black-and-pink option, a white option, and the white-and-pink option we ultimately chose (see top of post). I absolutely love our finished cover, though I must admit there are a few options here that I am still fond of. What do you think, readers? Would you have picked a different cover?
Once a week, we'll be sharing inspiring words from the pages of our books to get your creative juices flowing for a weekend of creating. Today's offering comes from Knit to Flatter by Amy Herzog.
Have a happy, crafty weekend!
One of the best things about working at STC Craft is that there's always an abundance of creative inspiration at our fingertips, whether with luscious photos, beautiful project ideas, or sage words from some of the greatest crafters out there. Once a week, we'll be sharing some of our favorites to get your creative juices flowing for a weekend of creating. Today's offering comes from Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook by Simon Leach with Bruce Dehnert.
Have a happy, crafty weekend!
Renowned illustrator, crafter, and blogger Heather Ross is beloved for her whimsical illustrations and quick and easy sewing patterns. With two STC Craft books under her belt: Weekend Sewing (now also in paperback!) and Heather Ross Prints, and a third on the way, it's obvious that we just can't get enough of her sweet and covetable designs either.
So we were delighted to hear that her new seasonal fabric collection, Briar Rose, is being celebrated this week at Purl Soho! A collaboration with Windham Fabrics, the lightweight quilting cottons were inspired by Heather's love of summer, the buzzing of bees and chirping of crickets, muddy puddles, and snuggly handmade quilts on chilly June nights.
Featuring fabric packs of different sizes and signed limited editions of her wild strawberry prints, the event will be chock-full of inspiration for your summertime projects. So if you're in the area, we hope you'll stop by on Thursday, June 20th at 6:30pm for a fun evening at Purl Soho with Windham Fabrics and Heather Ross!
Almost exactly one year ago, I got into a car wtih Jared Flood and Karen Schaupeter, both of whom I had brought on board to photograph and style Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook. We were headed to Simon Leach's house in rural Pennsylvania, and I must admit, we didn't have much of a plan. Many people know Jared Flood as the creator of the yarn line Brooklyn Tweed, but what many don't know is that he is also an amazing painter and a fantastic photographer--a true lover of art and master of light. And for the styling, Karen Schaupeter is our go-to girl, always adaptable, versatile, and loads of fun to have on set. Basically, I had my pottery photoshoot dream team, and we were headed to the countryside to shoot on the fly. We had a one-page shoot list that broke down the book by chapter, and we had a pretty good idea of what we hoped to photograph when we arrived, though we had no idea what would actually be waiting for us when we got there.
When we pulled up to Simon's house and saw the amazing stonework of the building, the lush green of the hillsides, the decked out studio in his garage, the throwing-wheel set-up on his front porch, and the rows upon rows of ceramics in various stages of completion, we knew it was going to be a fun time.
One of the first things to catch my eye when I entered Simon's studio was this set of teaching tools meant to illustrate the eight steps of creating a cylinder. He had them casually set up on a shelf near the wheels, and in just a matter of minutes, Karen had scooped them up and artfully arranged them on a ware board on the floor of the garage to create this stunning chapter opener.
Throughout the day, as Karen consulted with the authors, Simon Leach and Bruce Dehnert, about the objects for the still lifes, Jared roamed around shooting the myriad beautiful items in their organic settings, like this table full of bisque-fired pottery that was sitting by the kiln.
In this photo, Karen works with Simon to set up a still life of tools used to decorate and glaze pots.
And once they were happy with the arrangement, they called Jared over to weigh in on the framing and snap the shot.
And of course, a trip to a pottery studio wouldn't be complete without a little fire and smoke (or a lot, in this case). At the end of the second day, as Simon removed the scorching hot pots from the raku kiln and dropped them into hay-filled buckets to cool, Jared donned a respirator so he could get in for the tight shots without bursting into a coughing fit.
And I would say the resulting dramatic photos were worth it!
One year later, with the book completed, printed, and on sale, it's funny to look back on our process. At the time, it felt like a dizzying amount of planning and organizing, mixed with a big dose of improvisation. But now, when I look at the finished book, it all seems so neat and orderly, so pretty and calm. It reminds me of something Simon said to me when he first saw the designed pages of his book after working on the manuscript for such a long time:
"It reminds me of the analogy of a Persian carpet in the process of being woven. On the top side you see a harmony of patterns being woven, very orderly, very neat, beautifully crafted...on the underside you see a whole load of tangled, knotted loose ends!! In fact what appears to be total chaos. Clearly you guys have been busy weaving!"
To see more of Jared's fabulous photography from Simon's book, be sure to check out the gallery here.
Tea Towel Apron from Weekend Handmade by Kelly Wilkinson
As the days grow warmer and the trees and bushes begin to fill out, it's hard to think of a more promising season than Spring. Admittedly, I've always had a bit of a black thumb when it comes to nurturing my plants, but the excitement of watching tiny green knobs emerge from my own pots this year has inspired me to turn over a new leaf (pun intended). Whether you have a great expanse in which to plant or are working from a few little pots on a windowsill like I am, here are some of our favorite gardening essentials sure to get you in the mood to grow:
Decorated Markers from Weekend Handmade by Kelly Wilkinson
Gardening Gloves from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross (Get the free tutorial here!)
Cafe Apron from Printing by Hand by Lena Corwin
An assortment of terrariums from Tiny World Terrariums by Michelle Inciarrano and Katy Maslow of Twig Terrariums
And if you're really serious about DIY for your garden, our upcoming book, Handmade for the Garden by Susan Guagliumi has the perfect collection of projects to add one-of-a-kind tools, pots, structures, and decorations to your gardening process. Although it's set to come out next Spring, we're thrilled to offer you a little sneak peek!:
Stenciled Pots
Diagonally Woven Willow Fencing
What are some of your favorite DIYs for the garden?
Choosing a cover from all of the lovely photographs taken for each book is often one of the hardest parts of the bookmaking process, and creating something to define Lynne Barr's third groundbreaking book, The Shape of Knitting, was no exception. With Thayer Allyson Gowdy's beautiful photography as a starting point, designer Mary Jane Callister got to work.
Featuring the My Tie Cardigan, the first cover she created was certainly pretty. But, although we were excited by the bright, eye-catching pop of pink, we didn't like that we couldn't see the front of the sweater.
The Big Button Cowl project is a definite crowd-pleaser, but we weren't as immediately drawn to the colors and overall look of this cover as much as the others.
Grid covers are a great option for when we can't pin down a single image that works. But grids are almost always less visually striking, so we prefer to go with a single image when we can (even when they're this pretty).
This cover was finally getting there. From the start, Melanie liked this image the most because it was so dramatic and the delicate shaping on the Tilda Hat is very prominent (this is The Shape of Knitting, after all!). But we wanted to make sure the text was clear, and the grey box around the title felt distracting.
And voila! Although it took a long time to put the pieces of this puzzle in place, we felt the final cover ultimately conveyed the the spirit of the book at a glance: creating knitwear that is glamourous, timeless, iconic, and memorable.
Which cover would you have chosen? Check out these and other photos from the book here.
Story Time Clock designed by Jim Rosenau for The Repurposed Library by Lisa Occhipinti
Although spring's arrival in New York has been hesitant at best, there's just something about this time of year that incites a need for a refresh, especially at home. There's no quicker or more personal way to liven things up than with handmade decor, and STC Craft books are chock-full of luscious inspiration for making some changes around your place. Here are some of my favorite ways to perk things up for the new season:
Getting organized is an essential part of the process, but it doesn't have to be boring. These monogrammed plates and colorful hook organizer from Past & Present by Amy Azzarito are a great way to put some order to all of the little bits that clutter up an entryway:
From L to R: Empire-Inspired Plates designed by Julia Rothman; Hollywood Hang-It-All designed by Ashley Meaders
Sometimes, all you need to transform an uninspiring piece of furniture is a quick coat of fresh paint! Printing by Hand by Lena Corwin has so many inspiring projects to choose from:
From L to R: Linen Lampshade and Dressed-Up Dresser
New textiles instantly update a room, and even just one bright, graphic pillow or throw makes a big impact. I love these options from Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes by Kaffe Fassett and Liza Prior Lucy and More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.
From L to R: Zigzag Cushions from Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes ; Bright Stripes Blanket from More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts
Everything feels so much more homey with greenery around, and a small terrarium, like this one from Twig Terrarium's Tiny World Terrariums , and a handmade vase filled with fresh flowers, like this one from Crafting a Meaningful Home by Meg Mateo Ilasco, are a great way to bring the outside in:
From L to R: Adventurers Terrarium designed from Tiny World Terrariums; Rockite Bottle Vases designed by Anna Corpron & Sean Auyeung from Crafting a Meaningful Home
Make sure to follow us on Pinterest for more inspiration! What are your favorite ways to spruce up your home come spring? We'd love to hear in the comments!
I’m so excited by the response Knit to Flatter has gotten, it’s hard to put into words. So many who have reviewed the book truly understood its core message: That your body is perfect just the way it is and nothing about you needs to be “fixed”, and that your clothing can make you feel phenomenal. This message is bigger than just knitting. Hand-knit garments are treasures, to be sure…
…but we can and should love all of our clothes, regardless of whether or not we made them. To explore this implementation of my “Fit to Flatter” ideas in a broader context, I started a series on my own blog called “Fashion Fridays”. I thought you might like to share in an excerpt!
In this post, I wear the same clothes in two different ways, and briefly step through why they look so different. (For more, please see the original post.)
Let’s start with the basics. The clothing, lighting, makeup, and conditions are the same. I’m smiling in both pictures. My underlying body shape is a proportional one, with a very straight waist and a long torso/short legs for my height.
I’m totally uncomfortable on the right, though, and it shows. Fashion point #1:
If you’re not comfortable in it, you won’t look good in it.
Your happy spot, clothing wise, is a very personal one. I’m not out to give you some crazy, restrictive rules you need follow slavishly. I’m here to help you figure out how clothing can make you happy. If something doesn’t feel good? Don’t wear it!
Clothing changes the way your inherent body shape looks in four main ways:
So what’s going on with these outfits?
On the right, there aren’t really any strong horizontal or vertical lines present in the way I’m wearing my outfit. So the eye travels elsewhere: You can see lots of details of my figure under this very plain clothing, and the eye is drawn to my hands and thighs, visually widening them. My torso looks quite long due to the solid block of gray, and my legs look very short thanks to the many different vertical sections
Contrast that with the visual impressions I’m giving in the left-hand picture: My contrast-colored tank, now visible in curvy strips and at my hips, shortens my torso and paints a curvier waist. My legs are lengthened by my long, plain pants. My deep V-neckline brings my bust visually up close to my head.
There are lots of reasons I’m more comfortable in the clothing on the left, and other people perceive me differently as a result. Again–I’m not saying one way is “right” and the other “wrong” for everyone–far from it!
But for me personally, one outfit makes me feel beautiful, and the other dumpy. And that shows!
Amy Herzog is the author of Knit to Flatter: The only instructions you’ll ever need to knit sweaters that make you look good and feel great!
"Just Let Go" by Dawn DeVries Sokol
Creativity isn’t 24/7.
It doesn’t occur 9 to 5. It doesn’t have a schedule.
Creativity rarely sticks around when I need it the most.
Creativity loves to play games with my head. It keeps me awake at night when I would love to be sleeping. It lies dormant for days on end when I’m trying desperately to work on a project.
Creativity likes to elude me. It hides and laughs at me from dark corners, it taunts me when I’m missing it so, it tells me I don’t deserve it in my life.
But Creativity is also the best friend I have. Creativity whispers great ideas in my ear and gives me a tingly feeling when it wants to tell me I’m going in the right direction. Creativity can make me feel on top of the world at times.
But then it will suddenly disappear and make me feel like a slug.
What do I do when Creativity vanishes from my life?
I leave my studio. I watch a movie. I read a book. I go for a walk. I meet someone for lunch. I chat with a friend over coffee. I look at magazines. I take a workshop.
When I’m ready to coax Creativity to come out of its cave, I doodle. I turn on some music and open my art journal to any page and just start doodling. I begin with my favorite shapes and build on those. Line after line, circle after circle, heart after heart, Creativity envelops me once again and whispers in my ear: ideas, dreams, thoughts, and sparks of light.
And I am whole again.
Dawn DeVries Sokol is the author of Art Doodle Love: A Journal of Self-Discovery and several other books on art journaling and doodling. She teaches online doodling and art journaling workshops at www.dawndsokol.com.
In Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes, quilt master Kaffe Fassett and coauthor Liza Prior Lucy present 24 projects—small and large, beginner and advanced—made with iridescent solid-colored cotton fabrics (called shot cottons) and woven striped cotton fabrics. Inspired by worldwide travels and a plethora of ethnic textiles, including Amish quilts in America, Japanese indigo patched work clothes, and African weavings, the projects featured include full-size bed quilts as well as smaller pieces that can be completed more quickly, such as throws, wall hangings, table runners, and pillows.
To celebrate this thrilling new installment from the celebrated quilter (and the launch of their new quilting workshops), our friends over at Creativebug are giving three lucky winners fabulous prizes inspired by the book!
Two prize bundles include a copy of Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes: 24 New Projects Made with Shot Cottons and Striped Fabrics and a three-month subscription to Creativebug, and one lucky grand prize winner will receive all of the above PLUS a Kaffe Fassett fabric bundle courtesy of Westminster Fibers!
To enter the sweepstakes, click here and enter your email address. Entering also gives you access to a free video workshop taught by Kaffe Fassett himself. The sweepstakes ends April 25th with winners announced soon after, so hurry on over to Creativebug and enter today!
What better way to celebrate a love of decorative arts history and DIY than with a retro-inpired soiree? Amid the din of excited revelers and vintage recordings, we joined Amy Azzarito at West Elm to celebrate her new book, Past & Present: 24 Favorite Moments in Decorative Arts History and 24 Modern DIY Projects Inspired by Them.
With projects from the book sprinkled throughout the store, guests were encouraged to follow the map created by West Elm and visit them.
While Amy signed copies of her book beneath the gleaming Art Deco Mobile designed by CONFETTISYSTEM, Marketing Manager Ellie Levine and I started exploring. Doesn't the Gustavian Clock designed by Kate Pruitt make quite a statement?
Clockwise from top left: Art Deco Mobile by CONFETTISYSTEM, Wallflower Hangings by EmersonMade, Gustavian Clock by Kate Pruitt, and Grotto Jewelry Box by Erica Domesek
Some of the other projects were harder to spot. The Arts & Crafts Woodblock Lamp designed by Meg Mateo Ilasco looked so at home on the terrarium table that we walked by it a few times before we realized what it was!
Clockwise from top left: Arts & Crafts Woodblock Lamp by Meg Mateo Ilasco, Branch & Crystal Chandelier by The Wild Unknown, Tassel Blanket by Randi Brookman Harris, and Gothic Heraldry Pillowcase by Linea Carta
During our wandering, we also found some familiar faces, like Past & Present illustrator Julia Rothman, STC Craft Publishing Director Melanie Falick with Sun Young Park (illustrator of Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing, Alabama Stitch Book, and Knitting from the Center Out), and Grace Bonney from Design*Sponge.
And at one point or another, it seemed like everyone took a trip to the Smilebooth, ourselves included.
Congratulations to Amy on her lovely, albeit snowy, reception! See what some of these fantastic projects look like in your own homes by picking up a copy of Past & Present today.
It's been a big week for Design*Sponge managing editor Amy Azzarito. Her first book, Past & Present: 24 Favorite Moments in Decorative Arts History and 24 Modern DIY Projects Inspired by Them, has hit stores, and we couldn't be more excited!
Today is especially thrilling—Amy is on on Grace Bonney's After The Jump podcast this morning, and her book launch party kicks off tonight at West Elm Broadway! If you're in the New York area, make sure to stop by from 6-8 PM EST for food and cocktails, and to see 10 DIY craft projects from designers who contributed to the book, including Grace Bonney, Erica Domesek, and Confettisystem (RSVP on Facebook here).
We hope to see you there!
Here at STC Craft, we're excited about the modern quilting movement as it's attracting all sorts of different crafters to the quilting world. When we heard that the Modern Quilt Guild was organizing a conference for quilters, we were immediately on board.
QuiltCon, which was held in Austin, Texas last weekend, brought together some of the biggest stars in contemporary stitching. Fittingly, the keynote speaker was designer, STC Craft author, and "mother of modern quilting" Denyse Schmidt, whose stunning quilts were featured in a special exhibit that we were proud to sponsor.
STC Craft was also represented by Heather Ross, who captivated crowds with her demo; Joelle Hoverson, who judged the show's quilt competition; and our own Melanie Falick, who offered her unique insight during a panel on craft book publishing.
You can check out more of our photos on Facebook, and for a full recap of the show, we recommend Meg Cox's excellent newsletter feature. Our final thought on QuiltCon? We hear there will be another one in 2015. Count us in!
Created by Dawn "The Doodle Queen" Sokol, Art Doodle Love is an interactive fill-in book full of prompts that will motivate you to discover yourself while developing your artistic skills. The pages provide fun, colorful backdrops that are sure to jumpstart your creativity.
Eager to put markers to paper, we picked a prompt from the book (shown above) and challenged some people around the office to let their creative juices flow, doodling what they saw within the splotches and drips. We were amazed by the different ways each person interpreted and altered the page.
For instance, as in real life, I'll try to make cake out of anything:
STC Craft Senior Editor Liana Allday's cute partygoers search for their missing friend:
Ellie Levine, our STC Craft Marketing Manager, channeled Palm Springs:
And Lindley Boegehold, our Director of Calendars and Licensing, took some inspiration from the farm:
And now it's your turn...what do you see in the splotches and drips? Click here to download the sample page we used and get creative! We'll be putting together a photo gallery of creations from Art Doodle Love, so be sure to take photos of this or any of your doodled pages from the book and upload them to Twitter or Instagram with the tag #artdoodlelove.
And if our "professional" doodles above aren't enough of a draw (pun intended), watch artist Mindy Lacefield doodle her way through the book in this amazing video:
We can't wait to see where your pen takes you!
Kaffe Fassett: Dreaming in Color
It's that time of year again where seemingly everything is saturated in shades of red punctuated with hearts and flowers. While I do love the vibrant decor, I have to admit that Valentine's Day has never been particularly appealing to me in the traditional sense. Instead, I choose to celebrate the more inclusive Mexican iteration, El día del amor y la amistad ("the day of love and friendship"), a day where you show your affection for everyone you like best! Naturally, my version also involves crafting (bonus points if it takes place in a blanket fort, like this one courtesy of Comfort Knitting and Crochet: Afghans).
Comfort Knitting and Crochet: Afghans
Crafting with your friends is a great way to get together and catch up on each others' lives, as well as some projects that have been languishing in a basket. Whether you want to keep it easy like this quick and festive hat from Weekend Knitting...
Weekend Knitting
...or let your togetherness inspire you to take on something more challenging, like vintage dresses from Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing, nothing promotes closeness like creating something side-by-side.
Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing
So whatever you end up doing, we hope your day is filled with fun (and maybe a hand-crafted item or two). Happy Valentine's Day!
Past & Present by Amy Azzarito
Although it still feels like winter out there, we’re so excited to present photo galleries for our spring book list! Get ready to:
Learn new shaping techniques with Lynne Barr:
The Shape of Knitting by Lynne Barr
Flatter your body shape with Amy Herzog:
Knit to Flatter by Amy Herzog
Create a fresh, new quilt project with color wizard Kaffe Fassett:
Kaffe Fassett Quilts Shots and Stripes by Kaffe Fassett and Liza Prior Lucy
Get creative with pen and paper with Dawn Sokol:
Art Doodle Love by Dawn Sokol
Feed your inner history buff with decorative arts-inspired DIY from Amy Azzarito:
Past & Present by Amy Azzarito
And fire up a kiln with our first ceramics title from the inimitable Simon Leach:
Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook by Simon Leach with Bruce Dehnert
Click-through above to enjoy more inspiring photos, and make sure to keep an eye out for these titles, coming soon to bookstores near you!
Readers, we're going to Mood!
STC Craft is thrilled to be publishing the first book from Mood Designer Fabrics, The Mood Guide to Fashion and Fabrics. Mood is one of the world's pre-eminent fabric emporiums, revered among DIYers and fashion designers for its expert staff and breathtakingly broad range of high-quality fabrics. Mood's flagship NYC store has also become famous as the fabric home of Project Runway (fans of the show will recognize Tim Gunn's catchphrase "Thank you, Mood!").
You can imagine our excitement when first meeting with Mood's team—we even got to pet Swatch, the adorable store mascot! We're honored that they've chosen to publish with STC Craft and we're eager to dig in. Imagine: it is now our job to immerse ourselves in beautiful silks, cottons, wools, and more as we learn everything we can about the fabrics that make fashion happen.
The Mood Guide to Fashion and Fabrics will be the next best thing to visiting the store in person. We're working with Mood's incredible team to combine their vast amount of fabric and fashion know-how with practical sewing tips and a gold-mine of insider design advice. The book will be written by Meg McDonald, popular sewing blogger and Mood's resident fabric-holic and sewing fanatic, and will include a foreword by Tim Gunn.
The Mood Guide to Fashion and Fabrics will hit stores in Spring 2015, and while that date seems a long way off, we know it'll be worth the wait. In the meantime, you can follow Mood and STC Craft on social media for updates and the occasional sneak peek. Excited about our new project? Tell us in the comments section what you'd like to see in the book. We'd love to hear from you.