Quarry

Create more than 100 adorable amigurumi animals while learning skills and techniques to stitch any crochet critter you can imagine.

There’s nothing more satisfying than creating something with your hands—especially when it’s your own design and it’s cuddly and adorable. In Amigurumi Friends, popular crochet designer Jade Gauthier-Boutin shares a variety of approaches to stitching, customizing, and designing your own crochet critters.
 
Jade first provides detailed patterns for five basic animal poses—two standing, two sitting, and one lying down. You then choose your own crochet adventure by changing the muzzles, ears, tails, colors, and other details to create more than 100 adorable animals. With an overview of crochet techniques and amigurumi basics, even beginning crocheters will be able to stitch their chosen crochet animals. This comprehensive guide includes:
 

Clear instructions for the basic head and for five body shapes and poses
Twenty animal types with instructions for crocheting all five variations
Ideas for customizing the projects with different expressions, yarns, colors, and more
Inspiration and guidance to design your own amigurumi from scratch
QR codes linked to video tutorials to make creating amigurumi even easier

With so many options, the hardest part will be deciding which crochet cutie to make first. Choose from animals from all around the world . . . and beyond:
 

At the Zoo: Take a walk on the wild side with lions, and pandas, and zebras, oh my!
Woodland Friends: Sweet forest creatures like foxes, moose, and bears
On the Farm: Cows, donkeys, bunnies, and other lovable barnyard pals
Out of This World: Dinosaurs, dragons, and unicorns expand the amigurumi universe
 
Whether you’re new to crochet or amigurumi or looking for fresh ideas to make, gift, and even sell, Amigurumi Friends provides everything you need to know to stitch up your own marvelous menagerie of cuddly critters.

In Stitch and String Lab for Kids, art teacher and winner of the Netflix bake-off show Nailed It! Cassie Stephens presents 40+ inventive projects that explore everything from simple sewing, embroidery, and weaving to string art, needle felting, and yarn crafts.

Stitch and String Lab for Kids leads children, step by step, through a huge range of sewing and fiber art projects. As they go, they will learn a variety of techniques, develop dexterity and coordination, and enjoy making a variety of creative projects. Kids will employ simple embroidery stitches to embellish a sun catcher, wall hangings, and an appliqué animal. Sewing projects include a drawstring bag, a sketchbook jacket, and custom plushies. Children will learn how to make custom looms to weave bookmarks, bracelets, and even a mini rag rug. They will also experiment with string art, needle felting, shibori dyeing, pompom animals, as well as finger knitting, yarn art, and cool wrapping projects.

Each project includes a materials list and illustrated steps, and the book is filled with useful tips, tricks, and shortcuts. Stitch samplers will teach the basics, and templates are included for plushies and stuffies. Kids are encouraged to make variations and personalize the projects to their own style and personality.

These 43 creative projects offer a broad and rich sampling of sewing, fabric, and fiber crafts—Stitch and String Lab for Kids is perfect for keeping kids busy with educational activities at home, learning techniques and experimenting at school, or having a ball at camps and parties. Parents, teachers, homeschoolers, and facilitators will appreciate the easy, illustrated instruction and the curriculum-friendly format, with projects that can be completed in any order.

The popular Lab for Kids series features a growing list of books that share hands-on activities and projects on a wide host of topics, including art, astronomy, clay, geology, math, and even how to create your own circus—all authored by established experts in their fields. Each lab contains a complete materials list, clear step-by-step photographs of the process, as well as finished samples. The labs can be used as singular projects or as part of a yearlong curriculum of experiential learning. The activities are open-ended, designed to be explored over and over, often with different results. Geared toward being taught or guided by adults, they are enriching for a range of ages and skill levels. Gain firsthand knowledge on your favorite topic with Lab for Kids.

Paperback | 143 pages