There is a new population of crafters out there: independent, innovative, and fearless, they thrive on making something out of nothing and are far more interested in showing off their style than their money. Their spirit of do-it-yourself iconoclasm is perfectly captured in Hardwear, a fascinating new book by industrial designer Hannah Rogge that presents 24 striking, easy-to-make pieces of jewelry fashioned from nuts and metal washers, S hooks and O rings, rubber sheeting and rubber tubing, and other inexpensive, readily available hardware. Most of the projects for necklaces, bracelets, and earrings featured in this unique and unexpected book can be completed in just a few hours, and all of them can be made on a minimal budget. The book is divided, like the aisles of a hardware store, into chapters according to the particular pieces of hardware employed. And lest readers confuse Hardwear with any other craft book on the shelf, its rectangular shape and metallic cover resemble the geometric structure and hard casing of an actual toolbox. Hardwear is sure to inspire crafters everywhere to view their local hardware store in an entirely new light.

Hardwear: Jewelry from a Toolbox

Arts & Photography

Rogge, Hannah

Fashion

STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books

When former CBS vice president Suzan Mischer decided to open a knitting store on Melrose Avenue, she wanted to create a place where people could gather, slow down, and talk (as well as buy supplies). The result was Knit Cafe, a sleek yet homey crafts store where an increasing number of Hollywood denizens regularly unwind with their needles and yarn. With the publication of Greetings from Knit Café, knitters nationwide can join the famed store's ever-widening circle of devotees. This colorful, cozy, and chic book offers 30 of Knit Cafe's most dazzling patterns for "California style" projects ranging from hiking socks to a bikini to a "red carpet" gown. It also features stories about how the celebrated store came to be, the neighborhood it's in, the daily goings-on, and the improbable mélange of actors, surfers, doctors, and directors that gather there. Even a few favorite recipes from regular customers are included. Greetings from Knit Café is, quite simply, the best way to share the history, spirit, and patterns of this unique yarn store without having to fight the traffic.

Greetings from Knit Café

Mischer, Suzan

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Hardwear: Jewelry from a Toolbox

Greetings from Knit Café