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Review: Craftcycle by Heidi Boyd

by

craftcycle cover meting toy soldier project

Craftcycle: 100+ Earth-Friendly Projects and Ideas for Everyday Living
by
Heidi Boyd

Let me just say I love this book for it’s comprehensiveness.

It covers all sorts of crafts (and for us hobby surfers this is a big plus!)

It includes excellent illustrations, photographs, patterns and directions so that even the most beginner crafter is sure to have all the guidance needed to complete a recycle craft project either exactly as the directions state or to veer off the path and truly make their own creation. To see a variation I made and an inside peek into Craftcycle pop on over here.

Also included are recipes, because we all have to keep our strength up for tons of up-cycling.

From the Publisher (North Light Books):

“Inside Craftcycle, you will find a mix of over 100 ideas for crafts, recipes, sustainable living ideas and construction projects – all organized by season to offer year-round green living. Within each chapter, there are larger projects to build, quick crafts to complete using basic materials or recycled items, seasonally appropriate tips, and recipes using seasonal ingredients. Detailed diagrams accompany the larger-scale projects, while the basic crafts feature step-by-step photographs and illustrations, making them accessible for the entire family.
Heidi Boyd is the author of seven North Light craft books. She brings her simple and pretty approach to green crafting in this book. Her husband Jon Boyd, an architect, is certified in sustainable building practices, and he brings his expertise to this book. He provides the larger-scale simple wood construction projects, all of which are be accompanied by clear diagrams.”

To see tons more of Heidi’s creativity pop on over to mycraftivity.com.

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I’m always tempted by the pretty velvets at the fabric store.  So much texture!  And the way the fibers catch the light!  But sewing on velvet is trickier than you’d think.  That nap that lends beautiful texture also likes to slip and crawl.  That nap can also spell disaster if you cut a piece the wrong direction.  That isn’t to say you shouldn’t use buy that velvet and sew it into something gorgeous, you just need to go into your velvet sewing project prepared.  And Melissa at Melly Sews has a post that takes you step by step through sewing on velvet. 

Velvet is such a luscious fabric, especially for winter sewing projects.  Of course there are velvet Christmas sewing projects – stockings, tree skirts, santa hats – but velvet is beautiful for all winter.  Think of all the gorgeous velvet dresses, evening bags, hair accessories, even pillows and other home décor that you see all winter long. 

Melly Sews’ post gives you the tips and tricks you need to know in order for your velvet sewing project to end up a success.  There are types of projects better suited for velvets, and kinds of projects to avoid.  She describes the different types of velvet available.  And she also tells the best way to lay out and cut your pattern pieces from velvet fabric.  Her tutorial also covers marking, pressing, and of course sewing that beautiful fabric.  There’s also a video included in case that’s your preferred method for learning.

Head over to Melly Sews to learn how to sew on velvet fabric. 

And if you want to learn more about that lovely blue velvet dress shown, she has a post that tells more about it including 2 ways to style it depending on if you want to be more dressy or more casual.

[photo credit: Melly Sews]