Well over a thousand years old, the tradition of swordmaking in Japan is one of the most highly regarded metal crafts in the world. When all sword manufacture was prohibited in Japan for seven years after World War II, the age-old techniques were in danger of being lost forever. Today, in the hands of a new generation of practitioners, the craft is making a startling comeback. Connoisseurs say that the swords being produced now are the equal of anything made in Japan in the past few hundred years.
Celebrating Birch: The Lore, Art, and Craft of an Ancient Tree
With its graceful silhouette and distinctive white bark, the birch tree has been important to people wherever it has grown. This book covers all aspects of the North's most versatile tree—from its biology and ecology to its different uses, craft applications, and legends. Some of the lore revealed includes birch's role as a Welsh token of love and its mysterious connection with witches' brooms. In addition to learning about how the wood is used in baskets, shoes, and wood coverings, readers can also make more than 15 craft projects from instructions in the book, including folded bark baskets, carved ornaments, and turned wooden bowls.
Learn to Knit helps readers learn the most popular needle craft in today's market! This centuries-old craft is suddenly popular again with a new generation of crafters. Knitters young and old, new and experienced have found knitting to be a rewarding, creative hobby and a great way to enjoy leisure time. Learn to Knit is the perfect guide for the beginner. Starting with the basics of casting on and simple stitches, readers will quickly move up to shaping garments and creating finished pieces, from charming scarves to fashionable sweaters.
J.L. Borges - This Craft of Verse (The Charles Eliot Norton Lectures)
For Borges (1899-1986), the central fact of life was the existence of words and their potential as building blocks of poetry. In this series of six long-forgotten lectures given at Harvard more than 40 years ago, he insists that reading (in English, primarily) gave him more pleasure than writing.
It’s amazing that objects so beautiful can come from such simple techniques! These French beaded flowers sparkle, shine, and surprise, and yet they’re made just by stringing beads on wire and wrapping them around to form stems and petals. Some of these flowers serve as eye-catching ornaments; others are sublimely practical, such as napkin rings and tiebacks. Follow the well-illustrated instructions to craft wildflowers, roses, daisies, tulips, anemones, and hydrangeas. For each one, there’s a “What You Need to Know” and “What You Will Learn” box as guidance.
