A good book is always a great gift, and we have a publishing house specializing in books that cater to the crafty crowd right here in our own backyard.
Martingale &Company of Woodinville, founded in 1976 as That Patchwork Place, began by offering sewing classes and kits but quickly branched into the publishing business with a focus on quilting books.
During the past 30 years, the company has published many award-winning bestsellers and has expanded its scope to include books on knitting, crochet and other fiber arts, as well as such diverse crafts as papermaking and painting techniques.
The company also offers tours of the Woodinville facility at 1 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, ending in a visit to the Hurt Book Room, where slightly damaged books are available for purchase at a discount. Tours are limited to 15 members and reservations are required, preferably one month in advance.
Martingale &Company is at 20205 144th Ave. NE, Woodinville; phone 800-426-3126 (425-483-3313 to schedule tour reservations).
Their Web site – which is very user-friendly – is at www.martingale-pub.com, and provides a complete catalog of publications, information about the company and its operation, driving directions and online shopping capability.
We have a number of Martingale books in our personal library, and will highlight a few of them in this column in case you want to do some early shopping for those crafters on your holiday gift list.
“The Little Box of…”
One group of publications we can highly recommend is “The Little Box of …” series, boxed project cards focusing on a specific technique and fashion item. The card idea is very attractive because it makes instructions far more portable than heavy books and more concise than magazine how-tos, which often are spread over multiple pages.
We’ve made several items using the cards, including a crocheted poncho and a couple of knitted scarves.
Categories in the series include crocheted bags, hats and scarves, and ponchos and wraps; knits for baby and knitted ponchos and wraps; two scarf collections; and sweaters. Each box is $19.95.
Quilting, knitting and crochet
One book that we like a lot is “Eye-Catching Crochet: Fashion Accessories You Can Make” by Janet Rehfeldt (soft cover, $22.95), which features 24 projects ranging from ponchos and scarves to jewelry to belts and gloves.
Though we haven’t made them yet, we are intrigued by several crocheted chokers and a frilly collar featured in the book.
“Blankets, Hats &Booties” by Kristin Spurkland (soft cover, $24.95), is a collection of clothing and receiving sets for babies.
Most of the patterns are for knits, but there are a few crochet sets included as well, and since the skill level for each project varies, it’s a good book for beginners and more experienced individuals alike.
On the quilting shelf, check out “Cat’s Meow: Purr-fect Quilts for Cat Lovers” (soft cover, $22.95) and “Dutch Treat: 196 Applique Blocks Inspired by Delft Designs” by Judy Garden (soft cover $27.95).
The selection of publications in these categories is far too wide to cover in detail here, so we suggest that if you have a particular interest in one or all of them, just browse through the titles and see what you find.
Perpetual calendars
“365 Knitting Stitches a Year” ($19.95) and “365 Quilt Blocks a Year” ($18.95) feature one stitch or block a day. The calendars are perpetual, so you can use them over again from year to year. The knitting calendar also is a good way for beginners to hone their skills with daily practice.
Other crafts
“300 Papermaking Recipes” by Heidi Reimer-Epp and Mary Reimer (soft cover, $21.95) contains recipes for such exotic handmade papers as “Fibrous Iris and Fall Leaves,” “Rosemary and Cinnamon” and “Rose Petal Pulp Samplers,” and covers techniques from “Cotton and Abaca Pulps” to “Textured Papers” to “Recycled Paper Pulps.”
“Simply Primitive” by Pat Cross (soft cover, $24.95) features rug hooking, punch needle and needle felting projects in the primitive folk art style, and includes basic instruction in each technique.
The author dedicated the book to her cat, Scout, and her designs reflect a fondness for felines, as well as autumn-themed motifs.
Sherrill Kahn’s “Creating With Paint: New Ways, New Materials” (soft cover, $27.95) contains easy-to-follow instructions for working with paint in innovative ways.
Stamps, sponges and even credit cards take the place of traditional brushes to create works of art on surfaces ranging from fabric and paper to wood, glass and metal.
And finally, “It’s a Wrap” by Susan Breier (soft cover, $19.95) features instruction on how to make purses, baskets and bowls using fabric strips wrapped around cotton clothesline and coiled into a variety of shapes and sizes.
Whether your taste runs toward muted earth tones or flamboyant rainbow shades, there is a project for you in Breier’s collection.
Contact Jonetta Coffin at jrocoffin@aol.com.
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