Quick and Easy Christmas: 100 Gifts & Decorations to Make for the Festive Season

Description

Christmas is a wonderful time of year for crafting! From imaginative handmade gifts to stunning, reusable decorations, this book contains 100 fabulous quick and easy makes for the festive season. All the projects have been carefully selected from Search Press's best-selling 20 to Make series and are simple enough for beginners as well as seasoned crafters. There's something for everyone in this book, including knitting, crochet, papercraft, sewing, sugarcraft, felt, jewellery making, cross stitch, mosaic making, decoupage, polymer clay and needlepoint. Each craft has a handy techniques section to get you started, followed by a range of quick projects that include a knitted star, a pompom Santa Claus, a polymer clay teddy bear, a felt winter owl, a crocheted Christmas tree heart and a pretty bangle. All the projects are made using tools and materials that are easy to source, and provide all the inspiration you need to make Christmas extra special.

Best-selling authors and designers from Search Press: Kate Haxell, Susanna Wallis, Alistair Macdonald, Corinne Lapierre, Michael Powell, Carolyn Forster, Alex McQuade, Myra Hutton, Ann Cox, Jayne Schofield, Michelle Powell, Sara Naumann, Diane Boden, Louise Crosbie, Paper Panda, Susan Penny, Val Pierce, Susie Johns, Sue Stratford, Monica Russel, Susan A Cordes, Lee Ann Garrett, Amanda Walker, Stephanie Burnham, Michelle Bungay, Helen Birmingham, Marrianne Mercer, Sandy Griffiths, Pam Leach, Carolyn Schulz, Natalia Colman, Val Pierce, Jan Ollis, May Corfield, Anna Nikipirowicz, Frances McNaughton, Lisa Slatter, Georgie Godbold, Charlotte Stowell, Birdy Heywood and Karen Walker.

There's a fine line between the gifting of tchotchkes and genuinely thoughtful little holiday presents. The latest from U.K.-based Search Press straddles that line, providing both "what do you do with this?" and "gee, I'm glad I got this" items to fashion. A few examples (from the two sides): pompom card pegs, flying pigs, bobble scarf, teddy bear, and a sugary little cat. Color photographs are plentiful along with the instructions and tips geared to helping crafters produce reasonable facsimiles. The how-tos showcased for the seven types of crafts-sewing, paper crafting, knitting, jewelry making, crocheting, sugar crafting, and polymer clay molding-are profiled at the beginning of each chapter, including summaries of tools, materials, abbreviations, and techniques, when appropriate. The first few pages feature color snapshots of the 100 projects, ideal for anyone who wants to select and craft a quick gift. Unfortunately, there's no indication of level of difficulty, but this should still have wide appeal to those interested in Christmas crafts. -- Barbara Jacobs * Booklist * This is a really great book full of creative ideas to suit everyone. The gift ideas include a variety of ideas, some of which are Christmas or winter themed, and some are not. For each gift there is a break down of materials and tools required, followed by precise and easy to follow instructions. Some of the gift ideas also include templates, making them really easy to follow. The instructions are suited to all experience levels, as they include boxes that explain different techniques for beginners.There are also in depth sections on different techniques, which is really helpful if you've never done them before. I found the pages on decoupage and quilling really useful. This would make a great present for someone crafty, and is also fantastic inspiration for making presents for others. I would highly recommend it and look forward to using this each year. * Megan Rachael * This is a wonderful book and absolutely jam packed with inspiration whatever your craft repertoire may be and also a perfect excuse to try new Christmas crafts! Everything from stitching, knitting (some lovely designs, especially the penguin boot cuffs!) to crochet, paper cutting, sugar craft, felt (love the felt duck!), polymer clay, jewellery making...the list goes on, but I'll stop there so as not to spoil the surprises! You might want to order this book way in advance of Christmas, as there's such a vast array of ideas and original designs that would make fabulous gifts, that you'll be crafting your heart out for months ahead! Detailed instructions, great templates and clear step by step tutorials. An absolute must have and highly recommended! * Lana George * What a lovely book with plenty of quick projects. Variety of crafts. Where to start? I feel it will be my go to book. Love the contents pages with photos of projects. Christmas crochet star first I think! * Carol Caldwell * I was shocked at how cram packed full of projects there was in this one book. This isn't just Christmas themed there's plenty of gift projects for any time of year which I thought made this an ideal crafters present . I love how the index at the front shows a picture of the craft which makes finding exactly what you want to make much faster. It's divided into different crafting areas by colour and this again makes finding what you need fast. I loved the ideas in this book and it's far better than any other I've seen out there at the moment. 5 stars from me. * Clare Ollif * This is a big beautifully presented book with craft ideas for everyone. It is a lovely glossy book with lots of pictures and each section has some basic instructions for those unfamiliar with the required skills. A great resource for anyone wanting to try something new. * K Thomas * This book is entitled "100 Little Christmas Gifts to Make" g as there are ideas within this large (240 pages) volume to keep the family occupied throughout the whole year. There are plenty of opportunities to try out new skills and what I particularly like is the clear way each project is described with concise lists of materials and details of tools required so that everything necessary can be gathered together beforehand. It can be so frustrating if you've planned to make something, especially with children, only to find that it can't be completed without a visit to the shops! My 12 year old grand-daughter and I are in the process of making the colourful bunting (pages 20-21) - lots of skills to be learnt there (reading, careful measuring, cutting, ironing, and machining to name but a few and, with the help of a patient assistant at the fabric shop who happily cut lots of quarter metre lengths from a number of rolls of pretty materiel, we are enjoying working our way through this project. Quite a change from time spent playing video games! The Butterfly Friendship Bracelet (P141) is next on my grand-daughter's list and I might have a go at the Feltie Mice (P39) something new to me, or the Glittery Beanie(P161) as I haven't done any crocheting for years and would like to try it again! There are numerous skills to try and we are also enthusiastic about attempting some of the Sugarcraft ideas -hopefully the little Choirboy model (page 205) will grace our Christmas cake this year and by Christmas 2017 we may even have lots of items ready for little gifts. * R tily * Issue 36 Homemade gifts are always a winner, and this compendium of craft idea for little christmas presents is a must have if you're stuck for inspiration. Choose from ideas involving, stitching, papercraft, knitting, jewellery making, crochet, sugarcraft and polymer clay modellinh to create 100 simple festive gifts. Each one is prefaced with clear and straightforward instructions, a list of materials and helpful photographic illustrations. Upcycling projects includ transforming old tin cans into pretty matching desk tidies using decoupaged paper napkins; machine sewing festive christmas bunting from green and red fabric, buttons and bias binding, or knitting a gorgeous little striped tea cosy with those leftover balls of coloured wool. What better way to enjoy a new craft, anf give a homemade gift that shows you care. * Reloved * This amazing book is packed with delightful ideas for Christmas and is sure to please anyone looking for seasonal inspiration. The projects have been selected from the excellent Search Press series 'Twenty to Make' and cover all the needlecraft techniques, paper crafting, jewellery making, sugarcraft and polymer clay modelling - something for everyone and suitable for all levels of expertise. It is set to become a firm favourite year after year, especially when looking for ideas for gifts, decorations and fund-raising projects. Outstanding value for money and highly recommended. * East Kent Embroiderers Guild * Wow what an amazing array of things to make for Christmas. This book can keep you busy for many Christmas's to come. This book is packed full of so many crafts: Sewing, Papercraft, Cross Stitch, Knitting, Pompom Making, Sugarcraft, Decoupage. There are things for experienced crafters and beginners. You have projects to make for gifts, things to make to decorate and things to keep you warm. If you love to craft and you love Christmas then you have to buy this book. There is so much packed in. There is a useful Know-how section so that you can learn any of the techniques you need to know. The projects are designed by different people so you get so many different looks and styles. This really is a must have book. There are just so many projects to make that you are bound to find numerous things you want to make. I know I did. There is an amazing amount to make. * Crochet Addict UK * September 2016 For those who love crafting for Christmas it's never too early to start! This book from Search Press is packed full of quick and easy projects you cna make for the whole family and all of your friends! Choose from stitching, papercraft, knitting, jewellery crochet and modelling to make fabulous presents. All the projects have been carefully selected and bound togther in one fabulous volume. So have fun crafting! * Love to Make * All manner of crafts are included in this hefty volume of one hundred things to make for Christmas. If you buy it now, you'll have plenty of time to get cracking. I have an idea that this book will stand you in good stead for a few christmases to come. There are projects where you could involve the kids and have fun making days. The book is split into the following chapters: stitching, papercraft, knitting, jewellery, crochet, sugarcraft and polymer clay; each with know-how and projects. You can see all the projects from cross stitch to felt, cake toppings to pillows, earrings to crocheted snowflakes at a glance at the beginning of the book. Each project then has a full colour page photo and easy to follow instructions. Although there is a Xmas theme running through the book - snowflakes, Santa, reindeer and trees and so on, there are plenty of projects that could be used any time of the year such as the legwarmers, cuffs, jewellery and mug hugs. My favourite projects are the felt owl, pompom Santa, felt duck (looks more like a goose), needlepoint hen, Santa gift box (superb), fair isle wrist warmers and steampunk butterfly. With 240 pages this will keep avid crafters busy and also makes a great gift for crafting friends. * YarnsandFabrics.co.uk * Decorate your home and make gifts for family and friends this Christmas with this bumper book of projects. Choose your craft from sewing, knitting, crochet, jewellery making, sugarcraft, polymer clay and papercraft and make something special. All of the projects in this large format (a bit taller than A4) book have been previously featured in a large number of Twenty To Make books. Having a selection of them in this new series allows not only for a larger page size but brings several different crafts together for a more varied choice. This is not the best place to learn to knit or crochet but this is obviously a book of projects rather than a book on how to begin doing the type of craft that requires plenty of instructions. You can indeed make a start in some crafts with this book however, as no prior knowledge is needed to do paper cutting, make figures from polymer clay or sugar paste, tackle some of the simpler stitching projects or many other things. The book is arranged in sections for each of the seven crafts and has a double page spread (or more) of technique know-how, including lists of what you need, tips and diagrams, lists of abbreviations and helpful information for beginners and improvers. Each project contains a page-sized photograph of the finished item plus a well spaced page of instructions, diagrams and materials list. Sometimes the item is shown in use as well as on a white background for ease of viewing, and at the front is a thumbnail gallery of all the projects in lieu of an index. The page edges are color coded so you can see the sections and at the back is a list of all the Twenty To Make books the projects have been previously featured in. Projects include decorations for tree, table, cake and home, pretty things to dress up outfits such as jewellery, corsages and accessories, there are Christmas themed items and those suitable for other times of the year which would make great gifts, cards, tags, boxes and more. As it says on the reverse of the cover both "experienced beginners and more seasoned crafters" can spend the long winter evenings happily creating many special things. * Myshelf.com * Quick and Easy Christmas, a new Search Press Studio book, is incredible! It is an amalgamation of projects, taken from the Search Press '20 to Make' series, which is a sure-fire winner of a Christmas book for multi-crafters! There are 7 crafting themes within the book (stitching, papercraft, knitting, jewellery, crochet, sugarcraft and polymer clay) and each theme is colour-coded so you can easily identify the craft groupings by sight. I also absolutely LOVE their contents page as they give you the photo of the project as well as the project title and corresponding page number. To me, this is an absolute genius move by Search Press as it makes it much more reader-friendly! It is easier to navigate, be inspired by, and browse the projects all by sight and in one place! I also love how each craft grouping starts with the corresponding 'know-how' pages to introduce you to the techniques you'll use during the following projects. Again, this really helps in making the book accessible, effortless to navigate and easy to find the basics for the craft alongside the projects associated with it. I had a go at knitting the 'Snowflakes Mug Hug' project as it looked so fantastically festive! The instructions are clear, easy to follow and result in a fabulous make! I can't wait to sew lots of Christmas buttons onto the mug hug! With 100 projects and an RRP. of GBP9.99 (which means that it works out at less than 10p per project), this is an absolutely fabulous Christmas craft book which will inspire you for years to come! -- Naomi Clarke * naomialice.com * For many crafters Christmas starts early in the year. This book is designed for crafters of all kinds with 100 projects to make and create. There are six sections for each craft: Stitching, Papercraft, Knitting, Jewellery making, Crochet, Sugarcraft and Polymer clay. So there is something for everyone and also maybe something new to try. Some designs are small and others demand a little more time but each one has been carefully chosen to make the Season of Cheer bright and beautiful. Each project has a numbered step-by-step guide and a list of tools that you will need. Grids, charts and templates are also included. Quick and Easy Christmas is a wonderful book and will give you an abundance of ideas. -- Tracy Shephard * Postcard Reviews * This jam-packed collection is your ultimate guide to a handmade Christmas, from knitting and crochet to sewing and sugarcraft, plus everything in between. It's full of fast simple projects to help you get ready for the big day, plus genius gift ideas for the whole family. With bonus know-how sections for each craft, why not try your hand at something new this year? * Sew Christmas *