It’s winter vacation here which means I have three kids hanging around the house for two weeks. In our family, this means major crafting is taking place. A trip to the library yielded some great books to guide us and I wanted to share our favorites with you. My daughters are 9, 13, and 15…
5 Fantastic Craft Books from 2017
I will always love craft books. No matter how much time I spend online watching YouTube videos and reading blogs, there’s nothing like holding a really beautiful craft book in your hands. Books are a great value. For $15-25 you get over a dozen patterns. Think about that! Plus, a book is a peek into…
Podcast Episode #81: Roost Books
On today’s episode of the While She Naps podcast we’re talking about publishing craft books with my guests, Sara Bercholz and Jennifer Urban-Brown of Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala. Sara is the Executive Vice President of Shambhala and the publisher of Roost Books. She started Roost Books with Jenn in 2012. Shambhala was started…
Podcast Episode #77: Amy Marson, Publisher of C&T
On today’s episode of the While She Naps podcast we’re talking about craft publishing with my guest, Amy Marson. Amy is the publisher at C&T Publishing which includes the Stash Books and FunStitch Studio imprints. She’s worked at the company for 16 years. Modern Patchwork by Elizabeth Hartman is one many modern quilting books published…
Podcast Episode #66: Jennifer Keltner, Publisher and Chief Visionary Officer, Martingale
On today’s episode of the While She Naps podcast we’re talking about craft publishing with my guest, Jennifer Keltner. Jennifer is the publisher and chief visionary officer at Martingale, a leading craft publisher. Many well-known sewing pattern designers have books out with Martingale including Sara Lawson, Pat Sloan, Angela Walters, Christa Watson, Amy Smart, Vanessa…
Book Review: Sew Fun by Deborah Fisher
Making art is all about solving problems. How can I form this shape? Which two colors will look best here? What material should I use to make this part sturdy? If you think about it, you are facing and solving hundreds of tiny problems throughout the process of making something. Every one of us develops…
Gift Guide: Craft Books 2013
I love books, and I especially love a good craft book. This year I've reviewed a number of new releases and any one of them would make a terrific holiday gift for a creative person in your life (or for yourself!). Here's my 2013 craft book holiday gift guide! I Just Like to Make Things,…
Forging a New Path in Craft Book Publishing: Introducing Lucky Spool
Signing the contract to publish a book is one of the most thrilling, and overwhelming, moments in any designer’s professional life. You know it’ll be a lot of work, but you can already imagine the day when you walk into the bookstore and there’s your beautiful book sitting on the shelf. You’ll glow with pride…
How to Review a Craft Book: A Blogger’s Guide
When you have a craft blog you should constantly be thinking of ways to create value for your readers. Writing a project tutorial, showing a special technique or tool, or explaining your design process helps readers know that they can turn to you for expertise. A look at your studio space or a show-and-tell of…
Is Secrecy Necessary to Sell Craft Books?
On Monday evening I spoke on a panel at a bookstore in Boston with two other craft book authors and an editor from a craft publisher. We talked about how to write a book proposal, we discussed what editors are looking for, and we shared our experiences writing and marketing craft books. It was…