I received all three of these craft books, Craftivity, The Crafter’s Companion, and Lotta Jansdotter Simple Sewing, from my parents for Christmas. Thank you, Mom & Dad! I haven’t read them all cover to cover, but I have given them each a good browsing. Lotta Jansdotter’s book is my favorite so far. I want to try out just about every sewing project contained in it. They are all so simple and elegant, just like everything Lotta designs. She is a Scandinavian-born designer who creates all sorts of things, like fabric, stationery, bags, clothing, and home goods.
The Crafter’s Companion , by Anna Torborg, is my second favorite because it is just about the exact book that I wish I had put together after I did my master’s project on indie crafters. The book profiles indie crafters, shows photos of their studios and work, and gives a project created by each one. The photos are all lovely and the projects are sweet.
Craftivity is a book dedicated to the DIY lifestyle and I would say that it is the most unisex of the three. It has more hard core projects like dining tables, beds, and screen doors, as well as your usual knit scarf and felted wool sweater pillows. Unfortunately, I have already seen many of the projects in Craftivity elsewhere, but there are still a bunch of technique tips that will come in handy.
I can’t wait to get started on many of the projects contained in my new craft books! However… this weekend’s crafting project is called Swap-bot site maintenance…
Craftivity sounds like one I need. I can be plenty crafty when it comes to smaller things, but then when it comes to home repairs and such I tend to prefer to just pay to have someone get it done. I’ll have to check this book out.
Thanks for posting your thoughts on these books!