Pick up a cute new book to read with crafts, recipes and creative ideas to buy now or add to your wish list. Some are are out now and others are available to pre-order. I’ve included Amazon links below but you can also order through other sites, like Bookshop (UK/US) which supports independent bookshops near you.
Let’s start with some pop culture themes and there are two new craft books for Star Wars fans: The Official Crochet Pattern Book (UK/US) and Star Wars: Knitting the Galaxy (UK/US). Both look to be full of fun and useful patterns so you’re not just making endless toys but also clothing, costumes, and home goods. I mean, what sort of fan doesn’t want R2-D2 mittens or a BB-8 tea cosy? You’ve also got plenty time to make things for holiday gifts. Out July/August.
More of a Whovian? AmiguWHOmi: Crochet Adventures in Time and Space (UK) gives Doctor Who fans something different to make than scarves (though there is of course a scarf pattern!). As well as dolls of 15 & Ruby Sunday, the TARDIS and a Dalek, there’s other stuff to make like blankets and cushions. Out August.
I’m so impressed with the quality and range of Pokemon craft books being released and Pokémon Crochet Squares (UK/US) looks like another winner. You’ll learn how to make 30 cute granny squares plus there’s tutorials for how to turn them into a blanket, pillow, wall hanging, mug rug and more. There’s images of the contents page and a few of the projects so go have a look. Out September.
We often share the cute origami tutorials of Kamikey so it’s great to see Tuttle are publishing a book in English. Kawaii Origami Animals (UK/US) includes 75 Easy-to-Fold Projects with all kinds of animals, birds and bugs, plus seasonal designs and a few useful objects too. That should keep you going for a long time! Out now.
If life is getting you down, maybe some words of encouragement from Japan’s positive penguin would help? Koupen-chan & You (UK/US) has 300 cute illustrations with uplifting phrases so perfect for dipping into on a bad day or sending to a friend that’s going through tough times. Out now.
Weirdest book of the year award has a strong contender in Crochet Your Own Cat (UK/US), which would be unremarkable if they weren’t life size! I can’t imagine how confused your cat would be by this but it’s also great for cosplay, or even a way to memorialise a beloved pet. There’s 12 patterns for different breeds that you can customise further, and apparently “have fun trimming and styling the fur until you achieve your desired look”. Please let us know if you try this! Out July.
Dog lovers get something a bit more normal with Stitch 50 Dogs (UK/US), which includes felt sewing patterns for a huge range of breeds. These are suitable for beginners and ideal for making your favourite pup as a brooch or keychain, or for gifts. You can even scale them up for huggable pillows. The same author already has cat and bird books too. Out August/September.
Making Happy Things (UK/US) caught my eye as it has such a colourful cover and a fun list of sewing projects that look sure to inspire anyone creative. Author Sue-Ching Lascelles has an amazingly colourful Instagram and this book is full of sustainable fashion projects showing you how to turn tea towels, pillowcases, tablecloths and cushion covers into clothing & accessories. There’s even a prawn plush to make with the scraps. Out August/September.
There’s a new addition to the the Ghibli’s Dining Table recipe book collection, this time featuring Spirited Away. It shows you how to make some of the iconic food from the movie, including Kamaji’s tempura bowl and Haku’s onigiri, as well as recipes inspired by it, like Blackened Newt Cookies. The text is in Japanese but the books are aimed at kids so should be easy enough with help from Google Translate. Both Amazon Japan and CDJapan ship worldwide and have all the other books in the series too. Out Now.
I also spotted quite a few spooky cute craft books that will out in time for Halloween so I’ll have another roundup after the summer. Check my previous book posts too as the preorder books should all be in shops now. What’s going on your wish list?
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