Penguin Books Australia

Over 300 full-colour images that lavishly illustrate the varous styles of Ikebana  

The Paper Garden is unlike anything else you have ever read. At once a biography of an extraordinary 18th century gentlewoman and a meditation on late-life creativity, it is a beautifully written tour de force from an acclaimed poet. Mary Granville Pendarves Delany (1700-1788) was the witty, beautiful and talented daughter of a minor branch of a powerful family. Married off at 16 to a 61-year-old drunken...

Well, the good news is anyone can.  With the  clearest instructions and pictures, and  with Jenny Lord as your knitting tutor, you will learn to knit in a series of  simple steps.

Sew your own heirloom, block by block.

Quilting is an art form that's been passed down through generations.  But even if you don't have a quilter grandmother to teach you how to design, cut, piece, and stitch your own quilts, you're not out of luck.

Loaded with easy-to-follow instructions, helpful illustrations and photos, and tips for making your quilted pieces uniquely your own, this enjoyable...

Create your own beaded masterpieces!

You've admired colourful beaded jewelry and delicate wirework items in trendy mall boutiques, but thought you could never replicate those beautiful pieces.  You're in for a surprise: now you, too, can create those lovely works of beaded art!

Packed with clear instructions, helpful photos, and tips for getting creative, this enjoyable guide gives you everything...

Unleash your inner seamstress!

There's so much to love about sewing, from the excitement of creating your own fashions to the savings from DIY home décor.  But there's also lots to learn.  After all, you don't want projects to look DIY.  And that's where new seamstresses sometimes get tangled up.

Packed with tons of stitch-by-stitch instructions, clear illustrations, tips and techniques...

You see them everywhere-on rains, in coffee shops, on television, online . . . They're knitters, and they craft some pretty amazing pieces using a couple of knitting needles and a ball of yarn.

You, too, can become a part of the knitting nation!  Whether you have a little knitting experience or none at all, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knitting gives you everything you need to know to 'knit...

Join the fold and discover this timeless art form. - World's Best Origami is an amazing collection of more than 100 of the most unusual and best-loved origami patterns ever created. Expert origami artist Nick Robinson has collected traditional origami patterns as well as his own pieces and those from some of the greatest origami artists in the world- many in print here for the first time ever.

Soapmaking has always been a popular craft with a dedicated group of followers, but with the explosion of urban homesteading and people looking to go green, noncrafters are now joining in on the fun. Whether it's making natural soap to live greener, give as gifts, save money, or make money, The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to Making Natural Soaps has everything the new soap maker will need to create organic...

Amigurumi is the traditional Japanese art of knitted or crocheted stuffed figures. In The Complete Idiots Guide to Amigurumi crafters will learn the basic stitches of crochet, how to make basic shapes (heads, arms, legs, torsos), stuffing techniques, and embellishments such as hair, eyes and tassels. They will also learn how to make flowers and vegetables, and will acquire the tools to be able...

Writers and illustrators alike will find in this Complete Idiot's Guide® the best overall introduction to the world of graphic novels.

From the creator of RoxyCraft.com, a collection of adorable crocheted creatures.

This colorful guide presents twenty-one sweet and simple-to-make yarn creatures for crafters young and old. Each animal is assembled using several basic crochet stitches-stitches even beginners can easily master-and the results, from a winsome little lamb to a wide-eyed lemur, make for delightful yarn friends.

From the creator of Sock and Glove , colourful gloves become adorable friends

All the know-how you need to create your own wardrobe

Dressmaking gives you all the tools you need to make, alter and customise your own clothes, from choosing the right fabrics to key techniques such as hemming and hand stitching.

Create a complete wardrobe with 12 basic scaleable patterns and step-by-step instructions for classic items such as pencil skirts, dresses and jackets plus how to customise...

Get yourself in the perfect knot with this ultimate guide to knots for every occasion

Knots Step by Step is the essential guide to knowing and tying knots for every purpose. From figure-of-eights to reef knots and highwayman's hitches to monkey's fists, it includes every knot you ever thought you needed to tie, and more.

The ultimate craft bible

From textile crafts to beadwork and soap making to glass work, Craft is the most comprehensive compendium on the market crammed with more than 50 contemporary projects and over 300 techniques for crafters of all abilities.