For DIYers, the long days of summer are anything but lazy. These ambitious folks put the extra hours of daylight to good use as they indulge in some quality crafting time. Whether you are a fulltime DIYer or just looking to pick up a hobby for the summer months, these craft and cooking ebooks make diving into a new project easy. And at prices as low as $5.99, there’s no excuse not to get in touch with your craftier side.
Weekend Knitting by Melanie Falick
Weekend Knitting was first published in hardcover in 2003, a modern generation of knitters was just starting to discover this “hot new hobby.” Since then, knitting has grown wildly popular and Melanie Falick’s book has gone on to become a knitting classic and a huge bestseller. Weekend Knitting brings together unique, innovative, and still-fresh projects for beginning and more-experienced knitters, many of which can be completed in a weekend or less. Every project is presented with clear instructions and beautiful photographs that celebrate idyllic weekend settings. Quotes from diverse sources about knitting, creativity, and balanced living—along with favorite recipes, lists of books and movies with knitting scenes, and other extras—complete the weekend knitting experience.
Jacques Pépin New Complete Techniques by Jacques Pepin
Jacques Pépin is universally hailed by professional chefs and home cooks as the grand master of cooking skills and methods. Now, his classic seminal work, Jacques Pépin’s Complete Techniques, is completely revised and updated with more than 1,000 color photographs and 30% new techniques.
Knitted Socks East and West: 30 Designs Inspired by Japanese Stitch Patterns by Judy Sumner
In Knitted Socks East and West, author Judy Sumner compares knitting a sock to writing a haiku: Both challenge you to create something beautiful and original within a sparse, strict format. In this, her first book, she recounts how she came to study hundreds of exquisite Japanese stitch patterns and then apply her new knowledge to the sock designs showcased here.