Books, videos & tools to create fabulous fiber crafts

As the seasons change and the weather gets cooler, I like to switch my crafting focus to fiber because fiber crafts often involve warm fuzziness. Working with wool isn't very appealing on hot summer days, but its coziness is a plus when it's chilly outside. Curling up in your favorite chair and working on an embroidery project is another great way to spend a cool day. So let's dig into fiber crafts from beginning to intermediate.

Getting started with fiber crafts

Fiber crafts are a great place to start your artsy crafty journey. These projects give you the freedom to play with color, variety and design without a big commitment to supplies and tools. A lot of the materials are inexpensive and you can find them easily at local craft stores.

To get started for free check out Arts & Crafts kits from the library. You can check out these kits for 21 days and each comes with enough materials to try out a craft. You'll learn something new without spending money on  supplies you might never use again.

Start with just a few skills

Often, once you learn a few basic techniques or skills, you can apply those to a wide variety of projects. You can use a simple garter stitch in knitting to make scarves, sweaters and hats. Use an easy running stitch to embroider a huge range of designs or to sew napkins or pillows. You can use the over-under simplicity of plain weave to create many different household items like rugs, placemats and towels.

Be kind to yourself while you create

When you're taking up a new hobby, don't get discouraged if your first projects don't turn out exactly as you'd hoped. Think of these experiences as learning opportunities because now you know what not to do.

I wrote this Embrace Imperfection in Your Art article to share some of the wisdom of my co-workers who've made mistakes and learned from them. These stories reinforce what I’ve believed for a long time – creative failure can be constructive. Hang on to your “failures,” they’re a great way to chart your progress and see how far you’ve come.

October is Fiber Month at the library!

Each year the library celebrating all things fiber in October. Whether it's knitting, weaving, macramé, sewing or anything in between, there's a fiber craft that will probably appeal to you.

To help get you started on your creative journey, we'll give out free craft packs every week in October. These packs will include all the materials you'll need to make a small project. You can pick them up at the Customer Service desk or through Curbside Pickup each week while supplies last.

2021 Weekly Craft Packs

• Weaving on a branch: Oct 4-10 - directions in case you can't make it to the library
• Visible mending with sashiko techniques: Oct 11-17 - directions in case you can't make it to the library
• Wet felting a pouch: Oct 18-24 (watch our wet felting instructional video) - directions in case you can't make it to the library
• Embroidery stitching on paper: Oct 25-31 - directions in case you can't make it to the library

Resources for expanding your skills

Sometimes it helps to see a technique demonstrated to get the hang of it. Your library card gives you access to hundreds of videos through Creativebug. Classes range from less than 10 minutes to several hours, depending on the complexity of the project. There is something for every skill level from beginner to expert. Professional artists and designers teach all the video classes.

Of course, we also have books, books and more books! Check out the booklists below for some of our favorite fiber craft titles.