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If you wish your yarn store had a 24-hour hotline, help is here! From needle sizes and yarn weights to dropped stitches, tight ribbing, chart reading and curling edges, veteran knitter Margaret Radcliffe is here to help you solve any knitting mystery you may encounter. Hundreds of detailed illustrations make this the one reference you'll want to keep tucked inside your knitting bag. Twenty-four hours a day, 7 days a week, this book is at your service.

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Discover the pleasures of knitting in the round! Margaret Radcliffe teaches you everything you need to know to master the art of circular knitting, presenting Fair Isle, twined, helix, tubular, double knitting and other classic techniques in detailed step-by-step photographic sequences. She includes 35 demonstration projects so you can practice each technique on a mini-version of a sock, hat, bag, mitten, sweater or vest before applying it to a larger project. She also shows you how to convert any straight-needle pattern for use with circular needles. This is a complete course in one book, suitable even for beginners.

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Soft, shapely knitting meets pretty, crocheted edgings and flowers in a collection of designs guaranteed to convert the knitting-only crowd to the pleasures of crochet. A little crochet can add a lot of fun to knitted sweaters, scarves, hats, placemats - the possibilities are endless. Simple crocheting instructions get every knitter quickly up to speed with projects that will inspire them to enter the world of crocheted embellishments and trims.

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A crochet border is the perfect finishing touch on the edges of any fiber project, but creating one often means turning a corner and shaping the edging around a 90-degree angle. This isn't simple, and most edging patterns don't include specific instructions for turning the corner. Edie Eckman comes to the rescue with this collection of 150 colorful crochet frames that do supply these instructions. Color photographs by John Polak let you see the details up close. Easy, marvelous crochet borders are just around the corner!

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Discover the fun and satisfaction of spinning your own yarn! This step-by-step guide shows you how to create 80 distinctive yarns, from classics such as mohair boucle to novelty features like supercoils. Lush photographs illustrate the process of turning fleece into yarn, reveal the unique architecture of each yarn, and show exactly how to manipulate and combine fibers to get the results you want. With this must-have reference, you can create any yarn you desire.

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Beds, organizers, Adirondack chairs, a play table, and more! It's easy to build inexpensive, quality furnishings with this indispensible collection of woodworking projects from Ana White, the popular blogger who has inspired millions of homemakers with her stylish furniture plans and DIY spirit. As a young mom on a tight budget, White learned to make her own well-designed pieces inspired by the styles in her favorite stores ... saving thousands of dollars in the process. Now, in this reference for woodworkers of all skill levels, Ana shares everything she has learned along the way. Inside The Handbuilt Home you'll find:

• Plans for 34 versatile furniture projects for every room in your house ... from beginner-friendly home accessories to sturdy tables, a media center, kids' items and storage solutions
• Comprehensive information on using off-the-shelf lumber and basic equipment ... almost every project can be made with a drill, a saw and some hand tools
• Easy-to-follow instructions, costs and time estimates to guide even the most amateur of carpenters through any project

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Cob (an old English word for lump) is old-fashioned concrete, made out of a mixture of clay, sand, and straw. Becky Bee's manual is a friendly guide to making your own earth structure, with chapters on design, foundations, floors, windows and doors, finishes, and of course, making glorious cob.

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If you've ever dreamed of building a rustic log cabin to use as a weekend hideaway, hunting lodge or even an emergency retreat, this book tells you how to make it a reality. This step-by-step guide is chock-full of tips and advice culled from author Michael Mulligan's decades of experience. Specializing in do-it-yourself projects that use improvised materials and avoid bureaucratic hassles, Mulligan first shares invaluable insight on finding your land and negotiating the shark-filled waters of real estate deals. Then, in straightforward terms that even a novice can follow easily, he walks you through the construction process, from selecting and preparing the logs to erecting and chinking the walls to building the roof and finishing the interior. He also includes a chapter on dispensing with public utilities in meeting your water, sewage, heating, cooking, lighting, power and refrigeration needs. Finally, for those who wish to tackle a scaled-up version of Mulligan's basic design, he presents the formulas necessary for calculating the parameters and selecting the proper material.

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Author Steve Hughes includes building plans and step-by-step instructions for more than 30 winemaking essentials, including a crusher, a de-stemmer, presses, pumps, and a bottle filler. He even offers a range of options for cellar racking. Along the way, Hughes leads readers through the entire process of winemaking--how to use the equipment, how to set up a winery, the best ways to store and analyze wine, and the best ways to filter, bottle, cork, and label. With this guide, you'll have everything you need to affordably enjoy delicious, high-quality, homemade wine.

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The first canning manual and cookbook authored by a Michelin-starred chef and restaurant owner, The Preservation Kitchen reveals a world of endless flavor combinations using revolutionary ideas that bring homemade preserves deliciously to life. Pairing science with art, Paul Virant presents expert preserving techniques, sophisticated recipes, and seasonal menus inspired by the award-winning fare at his restaurant, Vie, in Western Springs, Illinois.

Imaginative tangy jams, brandied fruits, zesty relishes, cured meats, and sweet and savory conserves are the focus of the first half of this book, while seasonal menus pairing these preserves with everything from salads and cocktails to poached fish and braised meat compose the second. Brandied Cherries used in Cherry Clafoutis, or as a garnish for the Beer-Jam Manhattan, are a sweet reminder of the summer harvest. And the Chicken Fried Steak with Smoked Spring Onion Relish anticipates warmer days when you’re still deep in winter. Alongside recipes and menus, Virant draws on his extensive technical knowledge and experience to provide detailed and comprehensive guidelines for safe canning practices, testing pH, pressure canning, water bath processing, and storing. But no matter how precise the science, Virant never forgets the art in each handcrafted preserve and thoughtfully developed recipe. His unique approach re-imagines seasonal eating by harmonizing opposite or unusual partnerships: the brightness of summer fruit may be tempered with the earthiness of meats and winter produce, or the delicacy of spring vegetables might be enriched by the robust herbs and spices more typical of fall. The Preservation Kitchen not only demonstrates and instructs, it encourages and explores the limitless possibilities of capturing the seasons in a jar.