Top 15 in Crafts, Hobbies & Home
Week of August 17, 2026

by Mac Ragan
Marvelous, extreme close-up photography provides a child's-eye view of 33 years of Hot Wheels. Features a foreword by Jay Leno.
by Syne Mitchell
Rigid-heddle weaving is simple to learn, is easy to master, and offers a lifetime of possibilities to discover! Inventive Weaving on a Little Loom covers everything rigid-heddle weavers need to know about the craft, from the basics — how to select a loom, set it up, and get started — to a wide variety of fun techniques that yield beautiful results. Begin by exploring a variety of weave structures, including finger-manipulated laces, tapestry, and color play with stripes, plaids, and multicolor yarns. Then move on to more complex designs and irresistible projects, from pillows and curtains to bags, shawls, and even jewelry. Explore warp-face patterning, weft-pile weaving, weaving with fine threads, woven shibori, shadow weave, and the textural effects you can create with different yarns and with wire and conductive thread. Everything you need to know is here, with fully illustrated step-by-step instructions to ensure success.

by Howard Coutts
The great age of European ceramic design began around 1500 and ended in the early 19th century with the introduction of large-scale production of ceramics. In this illustrated history, with nearly 300 color and black and white photos and reproductions, curator Howard Coutts considers the main stylistic trends�Renaissance, Mannerism, Oriental, Rococo, and Neoclassicism�as they were represented in such products as Italian Majolica, Dutch Delftware, Meissen and S�vres porcelain, Staffordshire, and Wedgwood pottery. He pays close attention to changes in eating habits over the period, particularly the layout of a formal dinner, and discusses the development of ceramics as room decoration, the transmission of images via prints, marketing of ceramics and other luxury goods, and the intellectual background to Neoclassicism.
by Leon Pray
This early work on taxidermy is a fascinating read for the amateur or professional taxidermist and also contains much information that is still useful today. Extensively illustrated with full page diagrams and drawings. Contents Include: Tools and Materials; Preparing and Mounting a Deer Head; Preparing and Mounting a Fish; Preparing and Mounting a Bird; Preparing and Mounting a Wildcat; Preparing and Mounting a Small Mammal; Preparing and Mounting a Tortoise, A Horned Toad, and a Crayfish; Papier-Mâchés, Pasties, Mothproofing Solution, Etc. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

by Helen Sheumaker
Using a wide array of evidence drawn from poetry, fiction, diaries, letters, and examples of hairwork, Love Entwined traces the widespread popularity of the craft from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century.
by Will Roya
Learn when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em with Card Night, a collection of 52 classic card games, including rules and strategies. Featuring step-by-step, illustrated instructions, and two indexes that organize each game by difficulty and number of players needed, Card Night includes directions for playing all the most popular card games, including Hearts and Bridge, Rummy and Go Fish. In addition to providing the rules of standard game play, Card Night also details the fascinating stories and peculiarities behind some of the world's most famous card decks, some of which were used as currency, tools for propaganda, and even as a means for sending coded messages. Offering one game for each week of the year, Card Night is the go-to companion for weekly game nights, long car rides, and rainy days spent at home. Wow your friends and family with your game playing prowess and keep them entertained with fascinating details from playing card history.

by Yumiko Higuchi
Stitch simple and striking embroidery designs with wool, cotton, pearl cotton, and metallic threads. Japanese artist Yumiko Higuchi is celebrated for her embroidery designs with a Scandinavian flair. The motifs and patterns she offers here are true to her trademark zakka style: simple and graphic yet softened with organic shapes and imagery drawn from nature. The result is embroidery that feels modern and nostalgic all at once. In Embroidered Botanicals, Higuchi offers 39 embroidery projects highlighting the distinctive quality of different threads. With motifs created specifically for different types of thread-wool, cotton, pearl cotton, and metallic-makers will become better versed in the materials available to them. With beautiful photographs, clear step-by-step instructions, and detailed diagrams, this book will be an inspiring guide for those new to embroidery and a fresh and unique offering for those experienced with needle and thread.

by Giovanni Pietro Bellori
This is the first complete translation of the biographies of fifteen artists, including Annibale Carracci, Carvaggio, Rubens, Van Dyck, and Poussin, written by the seventeenth-century antiquarian Giovan Pietro Bellori. Originally conceived as a continuation of Vasari's famous Lives, it is a fundamental source for seventeenth-century Italian art and artistic theory, providing detailed descriptions of extant and lost works of art, while casting light on the cultural politics of contemporary Rome and the relations between Rome and France. The importance of Bellori's Lives lies in the scrupulous documentation of artists, many of whom he knew personally; the author's detailed descriptions of their works; and his exposition of the classicist theory of art in the introductory lecture, the Idea. This volume contains the twelve Lives published in the original edition of 1672 and three Lives (Guido Reni, Andrea Sacchi, and Carlo Maratti) that survive in manuscript form and that were published for the first time in 1942.
by Amanda Murphy
Creative free-motion ideas for traditional quilt blocks, borders, and more Take the guesswork out of free-motion quilting with 155 fresh ideas, each handpicked for a specific space on a quilt. Popular author Amanda Murphy pairs unique free-motion designs with 30 well-loved quilt blocks, such as the Sawtooth Star and Drunkard's Path. Pick and choose elements from each chapter (borders, sashing, motifs, and more) for an artful finish! This must-have reference includes an inspiring gallery of quilts, expert advice on domestic and longarm quilting, and complete instructions for a table runner project to hone your skills. • 155 quilting patterns to complement specific areas on your quilt • Free-motion pairings for 30 traditional quilt blocks, plus borders, sashing, freestanding motifs, and allover designs • Expert advice from author and BERNINA spokesperson Amanda Murphy

by Jay Calderin
Creative ideas are elevated by experience and expertise. This book sets forth a challenge to fashion designers: continue to expand your horizons, exercise your skills and experiment with strategies. Filled with inspiring fashion design details from around the world, Fashion Design Essentials supplies a selection of starting points for fashion designers of all levels, as well as a wide variety of useful examples for each stage of the design process. Inside, you'll find insight on: - How to define concepts and render them - Understanding textiles and the process of selecting fabrics - Developing sewing skills and constructing garments - How to build a reputation and find an audience for your work All 100 insights are beautifully illustrated with real-world fashion designs. If your creativity has staggered or stalled, the variety of subjects in this book will provide new ways to jumpstart it and refocus. Learn to employ alternative ways of thinking and actively pursue experiences that stimulate artistry with Fashion Design Essentials.

by Katrina Rodabaugh
This guide explores visible mending techniques in both hands-on projects and thoughtful insight about how mending relates to mindful well-being. Mending Matters explores sewing on two levels: First, it includes more than twenty projects that showcase visible mending—styles that are edgy, modern, and bold, yet draw on traditional stitching. It does all this with just four simple mending techniques: exterior patches, interior patches, slow stitches, darning, and weaving. In addition, the book addresses the way mending leads to a more mindful relationship to fashion and to overall well-being. In essays that accompany each how-to chapter, Katrina Rodabaugh explores mending as a metaphor for appreciating our own naturally flawed selves. She also examines the ways in which mending teaches us new skills, self-reliance, and confidence, all gained from making things with our own hands.

by Eric S. Trautmann
A lavish, full-colour collection of the artwork prepared in the course of creating the award-winning and massively successful Xbox video game, Halo. Included are behind-the-scenes secrets, stories and anecdotes recounting the making of the game, concept sketches, characters and environments. The text focuses on the techniques used in the illustrations and the stories of the team that made the game. This is a must for any fan of the Halo world.
by Azby Brown
The Genius of Japanese Carpentry tells the story of the 1200-year-old Yakushiji monastery in Nara and the dedicated modern-day craftsmen who are working to restore what has been lost to the depredations of time, fire and warfare. Although the full monastery reconstruction will not be completed until 2030, one of the main temples, the Picture Hall, has been completely restored employing the same woodworking technology used to create the original building. This new edition of an architectural classic is by Azby Brown--one of the world's leading experts on Japanese architecture. It contains a new preface and many new text materials and photographs--most of them now available in color for the first time. Azby Brown chronicles the painstaking restoration of the temple through extensive interviews with the carpenters and woodworkers along with original drawings based on the plans of master carpenter Tsunekazu Nishioka. An inspiring testament to the dedication of these craftsmen and their philosophy of carpentry work as a form of personal fulfillment, The Genius of Japanese Carpentry offers detailed documentation of this singular project and a moving reminder of the unique cultural continuity found in Japan.
by Diane Morgan
Discover how to raise, train, and enjoy your Siberian Husky with this fantastic resource The Second Edition of Siberian Huskies For Dummies offers the most up-to-date information about welcoming a Siberian Husky into your home and loving your new family member. Author and Husky owner Diane Morgan walks you through how to care for these beautiful, curious, and engaging dogs, as she: Suggests ideal methods for adopting and selecting a Husky right for you Examines ways to socialize your new Husky Shares details about Siberian Husky grooming and veterinary care Provides additional information about behavior correction and training Siberian Huskies For Dummies is packed full of practical tips about how to raise and have fun with your young or old Siberian Husky. The author shares her advice in plain English for people looking for accessible and approachable information. Perfect for new and experienced husky owners, Siberian Huskies For Dummies also belongs on the bookshelves of anyone who's ever considered adopting one of these magnificent animals.

by Diana Sammataro
Since 1973, tens of thousands of first-time and experienced beekeepers alike have relied on The Beekeeper's Handbook as the best single-volume guide to the hobby and profession of beekeeping. Featuring clear descriptions and authoritative content, this handbook provides step-by-step directions accompanied by more than 100 illustrations for setting up an apiary, handling bees, and working throughout the season to maintain a healthy colony of bees and a generous supply of honey. This book explains the various colony care options and techniques, noting advantages and disadvantages, so that beekeepers can make the best choices for their own hives. This fourth edition has been thoroughly redesigned, expanded, updated, and revised to incorporate the latest information on Colony Collapse Disorder, green IPM methods, regional overwintering protocols, and procedures for handling bees and managing diseases and pests such as African honey bees and bee mites. The book explains not only how but also why each step is part of the transformative process that results in the magnificent creation of honey. This essential guide is a beekeeper's most valuable resource. Colony Collapse Disorder has renewed our recognition of the importance of small-scale beekeeping and the critical role of bees in the production of our food supply. For the growing number of beekeepers looking to set up hives for either a rewarding hobby or a profitable commercial enterprise, this updated and revised essential how-