One thing that defines the steampunk movement is the artistic nature of its followers. From the creation of eye-catching costumes to the aesthetic update of already existing technology, few movements encourage being handy as much as the steampunk movement does. The creations in this book will speak to the inventive soul of steampunk enthusiasts who frequent an array of blogs, online magazines, fan sites, and fantasy/role-playing conventions. Steampunk Softies contains patterns, photos, and illustrated instructions for eight cleverly designed plush dolls. While the instructions are easy enough for a new crafter to follow, they contain enough steps to keep even a steampunk craft-master interested. The book even contains tips for how to distress fabrics and materials to give the dolls an extra aged appeal.

What is steampunk? Fashion craze, literary genre, lifestyle - or all of the above? Playing with the scientific innovations and aesthetics of the Victorian era, steampunk creatively warps history and presents an alternative future, imagined from a nineteenth-century perspective. In her interdisciplinary book, Claire Nally delves into this contemporary subculture, explaining how the fashion, music, visual culture, literature and politics of steampunk intersect with theories of gender and sexuality. Exploring and occasionally critiquing the ways in which gender functions in the movement, she addresses a range of different issues, including the controversial trope of the Victorian asylum; gender and the graphic novel; the legacies of colonialism; science and the role of Ada Lovelace as a feminist steampunk icon. Drawing upon interviews, theoretical readings and textual analysis, Nally asks: why are steampunks fascinated by our Victorian heritage, and what strategies do they use to reinvent history in the present?

Nicola Tedman and Sarah Skeate awaken their inner George A. Romero and focus their creative attention on the malleable, fuzzy softness of felt inside Zombie Felties: How to Raise 16 Gruesome Felt Creatures from the Undead. Inside, crafters will find instructions for more than 15 zombie creatures, including a Romero-esque Day of the Dead Zombie. Additional Zombie Feltie projects include: * Zombie Bride * Zombie Puppy * Vampire Zombie * Zombie Bunny * Folklore Zombie * Zombie Surfer, and more! With only the most basic of sewing skills, crafters can raise their own macabre multitude of Zombie Feltie creations from the undead with an average construction time of less than one hour per pattern. Each design includes a full-color photograph of the finished project, as well as an illustrated, instructional overview, pattern diagrams, and a convenient list of everything needed to complete the project. Zombie Feltie friends can be customized with limitless embellishments and they make great Halloween decorations, party favors, finger puppets, key rings, and even mobile phone mascots. Get ready to shudder as you stitch!

Got fur balls? Are your favorite sweaters covered with cat hair? Do you love to make quirky and one-of-a-kind crafting projects? If so, then it’s time to throw away your lint roller and curl up with your kitty! Crafting with Cat Hair shows readers how to transform stray clumps of fur into soft and adorable handicrafts. From kitty tote bags and finger puppets to fluffy cat toys, picture frames, and more, these projects are cat-friendly, eco-friendly, and require no special equipment or training. You can make most of these projects in under an hour—with a little help, of course, from your feline friends!

From the authors of the sensational Zombie Felties and Steampunk Softies comes Zodiac Felties a craft book for creating felties representing each of the twelve astrological signs plus four planetary figures--Mars, Venus, the sun, and the moon. These cute and creative felties make perfect gifts for friends and loved ones, so the book also includes a template you can copy and fold into a beautiful card to present to someone along with your creation.

This is no ordinary coloring book—each relaxing scene contains a hidden image of an animal that emerges only after you’ve colored it in! Hidden in each of the 20 lovely color-by-number puzzles is an image of an animal, creatively illustrated out of abstract patterns, flowers, leaves, and other nature-inspired shapes. As you take your time coloring each section of the puzzle, the animal will slowly emerge on the page, delighting colorists of all ages. Each puzzle page is perforated, so you can remove it from the book and hang your creation on the wall when you’re done.

This is a book of bright and funky designs that shows how stitching has become seriously stylish. The unique projects bridge the gap between craft & interior design and progress in difficulty throughout. These UK authors have produced a stunning book that will appeal to both beginning and experienced stitchers.