SMP Craft

Sunflowers from 50 Sunflowers to Knit, Crochet & Felt by Kristin Nicholas

It’s springtime in New York and I couldn’t help but be inspired by the budding flowers outside, so I created a Pinterest page featuring some the beautiful blooms from our books. Oh, you didn’t know that we have a treasure trove of gorgeous floral craft books? Well, now you do. Ever since we published 100 Flowers to Knit & Crochet back in March 2009, which was a smash success, we couldn’t stop giving crafters what they were looking for: flowers and flowers and some cute critters galore! Check out the Pinterest to page to see all the different varieties of flowers, blossoms, vines, leaves, and fruits that you can make from our books.

And speaking of making flowers, Creativebug is currently hosting a giveaway for the book 50 Sunflowers to Knit, Crochet & Felt by Kristin Nicholas on their website. Click on the link to enter to win a copy of the book, 3 skeins of Kristin’s Classic Elite Color by Kristin yarn, and a 3-month subscription to Creativebug. Bonus: You can check out a lovely video of Kristin’s farm and animals, plus her beautifully colorful home. Good luck! And keep checking back on our blog for some free floral knitting patterns in the coming weeks to celebrate the season!

Do you love Cath Kidston as much as we do? We’re such big fans of her that we’ve published two of her books, Make! and Sew!, both of which showcase a fabulous collection of projects and Cath’s cheerful, vintage-inspired fabric prints.

Check out the video above to get a behind-the-scenes look at Cath’s upcoming Spring-Summer 2013 line. And, if the video inspires you to take matters in to your own hands, check out Cath’s books below to re-create some of the looks featured in the video on your own. Projects include a range of easy-to-sew totes and bags, embroidered and appliqued cardigans, tops, and dresses, and a range of colorful homewares like pillows and blankets.

Sew! (click on cover to buy)
Exclusive Cath Kidston Designs for over 40 Simple Sewing Projects
$24.99/$29.99 Can.
160 pages, trade paperback with French flaps

Make! (click on cover to buy)
Over 40 Fantastic Projects with 16 Exclusive Designs
$24.99/$31.99 Can.
176 pages, trade paperback with French flaps

Handmade Fabric Flowers (click on cover to buy)
32 Beautiful Blooms to Make
by You-Zhen Lu
$24.99/$28.99 Can.
160 pages, trade paperback

Handmade Fabric Flowers is the latest book in our Spring-Summer 2013 craft book list. This unique book shows you how to create gorgeous flowers using a range of fabric, and flower irons to manipulate and shape the fabric. The techniques are clearly explained using step-by-step, close-up photographs and clear diagrams and illustrations, so even newbies will never get lost.

A complete overview of flower irons is given, showing you how to use your iron correctly and safely. And as sizing is a big component of these fabric flowers, different sizing options are covered as well. Applying sizing to the fabric before you use your flower iron will not only make the fabric easier to form, but it will also help your finished flowers keep their shape.

Summer Wine Rose using cotton and voile

The range of fabrics you can use and the flowers you can create is truly stunning. Variation suggestions are given throughout the book, so you can make bouquets of all kinds using endless combinations of unique and interesting textures. For example, check out the Carnations below. The first one uses a pale purple cotton, while the second Carnation was made using delicate white eyelet fabric for a completely different look.

A Carnation made using cotton and chiffon ribbon

A Carnation made of white eyelet fabric

And the lush Peony below uses a mixture of satin and basketweave fabric for an interesting visual impact.

Peonies using satin and basketweave fabric

The gorgeous photography in the book gives you tons of ideas for how to use your beautiful, new floral creations. Personally, I’d love to attach the Peony above to a headband for an eye-catching fascinator. Also, with a wedding coming up, I think that the Orchids below look  like the perfect understated centerpiece, with a tasteful bit of bling: a gorgeous rhinestone chaton acting as the Orchid’s stigma.

Satin Orchids with a rhinestone chaton “stigma” are attached to a branch to make up an elegant decoration

What will your first fabric flower creation be?

A Gerber Daisy made of faux leather, cotton, cotton slub fabric, and pearl trim makes the perfect brooch

An adorable, little nosegay of Forget Me Nots made of cotton slub fabric with beaded stamens