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Kitschy Crafts: A Celebration of Overlooked 20th-Century Crafts
It's fun, it's retro—and it's back in style. Take a fond look back at the kitschy crafts of the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, from crocheted doilies to shell-art nightlights. All these nostalgic creations appear in appropriately fashioned period settings that will captivate browsers, and come with instructions for those who just can’t resist creating their own string-art pictures, pink flamingo items, far-out tie dyes, kooky candles, macramé plant hangers, and the one-time must-have on every coffee table: a resin-cast grape cluster. And, of course, who can live without the hottest toy of all? The Sock Monkey Doll. Everyone will have a blast poring over these—even those who have never made a craft in their lives.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published March 28, 2006
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 30, 2011
A fun trip down memory lane, rather than a how-to book. Packed with pictures of items that probably still decorate your granny's house -
doilies, paint-by-numbers, string art, crocheted toilet paper covers, macrame plant hangers and latch-hooked wall hangings. I can't tell you how much of this stuff I've cranked out over the years. The only thing missing was those bizarre Christmas trees my mother's church friends used to make by folding copies of the Reader's Digest and spray painting them gold.
doilies, paint-by-numbers, string art, crocheted toilet paper covers, macrame plant hangers and latch-hooked wall hangings. I can't tell you how much of this stuff I've cranked out over the years. The only thing missing was those bizarre Christmas trees my mother's church friends used to make by folding copies of the Reader's Digest and spray painting them gold.
April 18, 2012
This book reminds me of all those lost projects that used to be in vogue way back when. Some things are really awesome, others you wouldn't want them within 10 miles of your house. But however you feel about them, it is a wonderful reminder of those long ago crafts people used to make and enjoy.
The graphics are just wonderful, reminiscent of all those 50s/60s advertisements. And it is a short book which can be browsed through in an hour or two.
This being said, I wish the author had included more instructions for various projects. For instance, there is a whole chapter of the different things people embroidered but no instructions for any projects. While there are some, I think the book would have benefited by having more. For this omission I am deducting one star.
The graphics are just wonderful, reminiscent of all those 50s/60s advertisements. And it is a short book which can be browsed through in an hour or two.
This being said, I wish the author had included more instructions for various projects. For instance, there is a whole chapter of the different things people embroidered but no instructions for any projects. While there are some, I think the book would have benefited by having more. For this omission I am deducting one star.
February 22, 2018
The pictures were interesting and the timeline of popular crafts and the directions was fun to look through. I love pics of women in their kitchens and this had a lot of them!
February 7, 2019
So funny!
February 20, 2010
Hahahahahaha!!! I loved this book and not justbecause I got it for $3 at Half-Price books. It is just sooo funny to not only read about the funky crafts that I remember seeing in various relatives' homes, but the tongue-in-cheek writing, the awesome vintage illustrations, and the hilarious captions all serve to make me smile. If I ever feel down, I will know exactly where to go to get a lift. I need to pick up another one of these for my sister-in-law who will love it as much as I do.
September 4, 2009
So you know all of those patterns and projects that everyone has been into lately? The Vintage Retro cute stuff? These are all of the OTHER ones. The vintage retro ones that were so ugly during their day that people have been trying to forget them for decades...
Except the sock monkey. There is a sock monkey, and he is great, as all sock monkeys are.
Except the sock monkey. There is a sock monkey, and he is great, as all sock monkeys are.
March 4, 2010
What a fun book. This is a celebration of "retro" crafts from latch-hook to macramé. The illustrations, gleaned from Jet Age-era advertisements, were what really caught my eye. They'll delight any retro fan, even if you don't plan on making crafts. I've decided to make two of the easier crafts: a plant hanger and a candleholder.
March 29, 2008
Well I don't really have projects in here but I recently discovered my living room and bathroom were pictured.
http://naughtysecretaryclub.blogspot....
http://naughtysecretaryclub.blogspot....
October 16, 2009
If you're looking for a book full of crafts and clear instructions on how to do them, this book is not it. However, if you want an amusing walk down memory lane, with a few crafts thrown in, then this book is it. I LOVE the old photos and ads - it was great fun to look at.
August 9, 2008
Some fun projects in here. Most I could do without. I love kitsch but some of those things had to go. Great instructions on everything.
July 22, 2011
Entertaining, but thought that it would be more of an instructional book. Disappointed that the best crafts had no instructions.
February 20, 2014
Cute aesthetics with lots of period artwork, advertising and lists, but ultimately very little actual crafting I was interested in.
September 18, 2015
LOVED it very nastalgic
September 8, 2009
A blast from the past, crafts I've forgotten about.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews