Pick up a cute new book with crafts, recipes and creative ideas, including some spooky cute books for Halloween. Some are are out now and others are available to pre-order or add to your wish list. I’ve included Amazon links below but you can also order through other sites, like Bookshop (UK/US) which supports independent bookshops near you.
My top pick this time is Trinkets: Felt foods to sew and love (UK/US) by Cat Rabbit, an Australian textile artist who makes the most adorable animals as well. This book is full of felt food friends of all kinds and includes templates, step by step instructions and a whole spread of different cute faces. Out now
There are a lot of sewing books to make animals and dolls but Luna Lapin Stitched With Kindness (UK/US) really stood out for the unusual choice of cover animals. Luna Lapin is the rabbit and these new friends are a frog, polar bear, mole and beach donkeys. It’s partly a storybook but you can make all the animals and their adorable clothes with instructions, diagrams and full-size templates. This is book 5 so you can also check the author’s page for more friends. Out November
I was also happy to see a new drawing book from Olive Yong aka Bichi Mao and Kawaii Underwater World: Learn How to Draw 80 Adorable Sea Creatures (UK/US) is a must for fans of marine life. As well as step by step tutorials for every animal, there’s guides for facial expressions, moods and habitats, tips on colouring in and a few colouring pages. Out this week
If you prefer to stay at home, try Sweet Spaces: Learn to Doodle the Coziest Corners (UK/US) by Erin Siney aka eggsdoodz. She has a very charming and approachable art style and, while it’s pitched as a doodle book, it’s really much more than that. It’s themed around various spaces – like a trinket-filled workspace, cozy bedroom and cat cafe – with tutorials for various objects and guides and tips for drawing a room and filling it with your objects. Out October
Cosplay is getting bigger and it’s great to see a whole book that looks ideal for beginners. No-Sew Cosplay Made Easy (UK/US) is by the creators of DinoBunny Cosplay and is full of advice, tips and tutorials for clothing, props, makeup, wigs and loads more that you can apply to any character including OCs. Out October/November
The rest of the books are for spooky season, starting with Cute ‘N’ Creepy Crochet (UK/US). There’s amigurumi patterns and step-by-step instructions for 20 “hauntingly delightful patterns” that can be made in four sizes for extra value. While the cover dolls look very cute, there are some pretty scary designs in here too, though always very cuddly too. Out September
If you prefer bad guys to princesses, Disney Villains Amigurumi (UK/US) is the book for you! There’s 20 official patterns split into Villainous Royalty, Plotters & Schemers and Magical Mischief-Makers, so you can make everyone from the Queen of Hearts and Cruella de Vil to Scar and Oogie Boogie. Out October
For stitchers, Monsters and Mayhem in Cross-Stitch (UK/US) has patterns and instructions for 25 creatures and cryptids. There’s both legendary beasts like dragons, goblins and gnomes, cryptids like Big Foot, Cthulhu and even Nessie, plus you get a a brief history of each creature to make it fun to browse through. Out now (October in the UK)
Witchy Stitching: 25 Patterns to Haunt Your Home (UK/US) is perfect for anyone who decorates for Halloween all year round as there’s also designs for other seasons like a gingerdead house at Creepmas and skeleton bunnies for Easterween. Some of the patterns are very cute and it’s suitable for all skill levels. Out now
Spooky bakers will love The Little Gothic Bakeshop (UK/US) from Great British Bake Off contestant Helena. There’s 50 sweet and savoury recipes to try, all with a “a wicked, whimsigoth twist”. Everything looks incredible with amazing detail (click through to zoom in on the cover) but there’s some simpler recipes too. Out September/October
I’ll have another roundup in time for Christmas crafting and gifting. Check my previous book posts too as the preorder books should all be in shops now. What’s going on your wish list?
Leave a Reply