I have a love of play food: felt, crochet, sewn - whatever its all fun and gorgeous. I was reminded of the flickr play food group while reading green kitchen blog and admiring the spaghetti and crochet meatballs. (images from flickr play food group and green kitchen)

There is a book out called My Favorite Felt Sweets by Joie Staff published by Japan Publications Trading (June 2, 2008).

This book is so sweet and luscious and fun. All the things we love about Japanese craft books - but in English! Excellent images and illustrations. The projects are very life like - from tarts and cupcakes and cookies, doughnuts and pancakes to Japanese treats like rice cakes, sweet bean buns, moon cakes and fortune cookies, as well as sweet place mats and serving mats to go with.

There is also a great holiday section - just in time for all the holidays coming up. Gingerbread and christmas cakes, petit fours and chocolates. And if that wasn’t all enough - some cute little felt boxes and containers for your treats to go into. Perfect for decorations, gifts or just for fun.

Nice ‘n quick. Link.

We are looking for articles and tutorials to fit within the months themes - see monthly themes below - but also timely articles outside of these themes will be considered, such as exhibition and pattern reviews, craft memes, fun, frivolous and extreme ideas, etc that cannot wait and do not fit within the theme.

Submissions now being accepted for September, October & November 2008

September: knitting: experiments with freestyle knitting, knitting clubs, knitting in public, knitting ideas, patterns and stories
October: hand stitching: embroidery, cross stitch, quilting … contemporary and traditional
November: recycled: refashioning, re-using, up-cycling - recycling, paper/cloth/yarn/plastic - tutorials, ideas, stories

Submissions must be new — not previously published in another mag or site or on your own website or blog. Once posted on Whip Up - of course you are welcome to link back to the article with an image. And after a month you are free to do as you wish with the tutorial or article, which includes submitting it elsewhere or self publishing.

Read the guidelines here on how to submit.

John W. Golden rocks the video tutorial with a 3 part how-to for resin jewelry making. Part 1, 2 and 3.

Link.

Yummmmy! Link.

Here’s to my sweet Satan’ from Julia Robinson, soft sculpture, on at Uber Gallery, Melbourne, 1 October to 4 November 2008

In Here’s to my sweet Satan, Robinson’s creatures are reminiscent of those superstitious constructs that seduced and revolted the saints with perverted whispers. The exhibition is replete with darkness, torture and a strong sense of sadism, but thankfully no moralistic overtones. Robinson’s compulsion towards the conflicts and complements that occur when objects or themes of corruption, debasement and nefariousness are met with exquisite beauty, continues in this extraordinary exhibition.

Image caption: Julia Robinson, Untitled, 2008, Variable dimensions, Flywire, fibreglass, felt, fabric, fixings, flocking, thread, resin and paint

Nice one Sister D. Link.

Great pattern. Link

To sign-up for this back-tack there check out the backtack website on the 30th - fill in the form - once they have received 250 sign-ups or get to 4th October - signups will close.

The theme this time round is Gold Frankincense and Myrrh: something that sparkles [the Gold part] - sensory aspect [the Frankincense part] - small gift for your partner [the Myrrh part]. sounds like fun - go and sign up.

Get those scraps of fabric, yarn ends, crafty remnants, found objects and pieces of thread “Off the Floor” and make something creative, useful, functional, beautiful or wearable with it. Challenge yourself to be creative and share your process, keeping our floor’s clean and trash bags empty.

Link and flickr group, link.

Smart idea for working on applique. Link

Whipup has had some excellent stories and tutorials in the last couple of weeks. If you have missed them here is a selection of my faves. Once again thank you to contributors especially Nicole who continues to be fantastic. [don't forget to sign up for BACKTACK tomorrow]

Fabulous hat pattern from brooklyn tweed :: smocking tutorial :: a pattern for a cute little sewn apple :: I loved the fabric bird cage :: and the spoonflower cheater cloth is ripper. Halloween is nearly here and lots of tutorials for halloween crafts are hitting us - theres the bottle brush trees :: and martha’s halloween workshop.

We had a great essay on textured knitting from Zoe :: we featured a pattern by contributor Alexandra for a lacy fancy hat :: and a fabulous essay on about repairing an old family quilt from Courtney.

The Hungry Scientist Handbook: Electric Birthday Cakes, Edible Origami, and Other DIY Projects for Techies, Tinkerers, and Foodies by Patrick Buckley and Lily Binns, published by Collins Living (September 23, 2008).

We are totally into food and science in this house. My 6 year old boys current obsession is science experiments and where else to do it but the kitchen - he performs experiments like the rubber chicken bone and the baking soda and vinegar volcano and the tea bag rocket.

Science and food is not new to us, with a foodie and a tech geek in the house, of course we were bound to make icecream using liquid nitrogen (cryogenic icecream), and I was excited to see this included in this book.

This terrific book is filled with fabulous and fun, kinky and geeky ideas. How about caramel underwear :: LED lollypops :: pumpkin pin hole camera :: modular pecan pie :: making beer, wine and bread (from scratch) :: edible origami :: a beer can stove, a marshmallow catapult and an outdoor roaster.

Obviously these are not children’s projects and safety equipment is advised, in fact the book comes with some serious warnings and disclaimers. The instructions are fun and understandable and clear, all the photos are black and white with diagrams where needed. This is a book about community, experimenting and enjoying life.

Lifehack has put this list together. Checkout the “Sewing and Other ‘Feminine Arts’” list. Link.  Thanks TipNut. Link

Great way to use up some smaller pieces of your fabric stash. Link.

Great gift idea. Link.

Craftzine has posted a couple of links to patterns for knitting for dogs. Chronicle books blog has posted a pattern for the Hearts and Bones Dog Sweater by Catherine Head from the book Picture Perfect Knits.

And goodyarn has a multi-purpose person/dog knitted helmet.

The Art of the Handmade Quilt by Nancy Brenan Daniel, pubished by Sterling (June 3, 2008)

A very good introduction to traditional quilt making, with in depth instructions on traditional common and not so common pattern blocks. The Author is a collector of vintage quilts and takes her inspiration from the old techniques used in these collectables to create modern, simpler versions, or to recreate the original.

Unfortunately I don’t think that her designs are always successful, and I much preferred the original quilt to the new version. However there are some excellent techniques and ideas contained within the projects. Detailed blocks designs and applique templates are provided, as well as thorough instructions and techniques.

My favourite aspect of this book, though, is the way it pays homage to the traditions of quilt making.

Cathedral Window Quilts by Lynne Edwards, published by David & Charles PLC (August 29, 2008)

This is a stunning book, if you were not a fan of the art of the folded square, you will be after you pick up this book. So many gorgeous examples, vintage quilts and new ones, traditional designs and updated versions. I am really incredibly inspired by this book.

Cathedral quilts are ‘greedy of fabric’ and therefore extra heavy (and warm). They showcase special fabrics in small frames and allow wonderful contrasts to take place. When choosing fabrics for this style of quilt, consideration needs to be made for the background and the foreground fabrics. The introduction to this book contains quite a bit of info on the history and choosing fabrics, before moving on to equipment and techniques. It is a really well laid out book, with excellent illustrations throughout.

The projects start out with the classic cathedral window design, with detailed illustrations on folding and sewing the block. The next project enables the reader to practice this block in a very small way by using it as the basis for a pin cushion, before building up to a nine-square block for cushion covers and wall hangings.

Another folding technique is introduced - the secret garden - more stitching is required for this block pattern, and it gives the appearance of petals. Another new block design ‘twisted windows’ gives the impression of an origami crane.

The projects gradually get more difficult with more experimentation at the core of the projects. Using different folding methods (one-square fold, flowering folds - looks like lillies, folded windmill), different shaped squares/rectangles, playing with shape and colour. Altogether I found this to be an interesting and inspirational book.

Porom hat from brooklyn tweed: Porom is a shapely hat worked in Shetland wool. The simple, elegant lace repeat and healthy dose of slouch make it a great Fall accessory.