The Complete Book of Retro Crafts: Collecting, Displaying & Making Crafts from the Past

by Susan Wille

Baby boomers feeling nostalgic, hipsters longing for the handmade, and anyone interested in going retro can stop right here! This is the definitive guide to the fun and quirky world of retro crafts, written by a diva of the style. It's jam-packed with history and wonderful images from vintage pamphlets, collections, and flea market hunts. Everything memorable is included, from the ridiculous to the sublime, along with the lowdown on collecting, Junking 101, and creating a crafting group. Forty retro-inspired projects run the gamut from glitter frames and matchbox purses to bottlecap men and teacup ladies, plus lovable Plastic Flower Pixies; the Sparkling Sputnik and its desk-top compadre, the Beauty Orb; and the unforgettable Reinbeer. Variations and creative suggestions will keep readers inspired.

Genres: Crafts, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure if it was the layout or the projects, but this one failed to grab me. It is, however, the first craft book I've seen with instructions for making those fab bottle-cap men.



Must . . . drink . . . more.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would never make any crafts from this book, but it was fun to read and look through the crap, I mean crafts.

[Krista · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would love to see this author's house. I enjoyed the pre and post craft sections of the book, the crafts themselves, meh. I would have liked to see both retro and modern interpretations.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is was quick read, and had a lot of good information. Some of it was kind of over the top on the organize your supplies front “a no longer road worthy trailer can make a great craft room”. However if you want to be the most organized crafter on the block you could totally follow her detailed craft room set up instructions. Otherwise skip to the neat crafts. Most of the crafts can be made with alternative materials and almost all can be made from recycled objects. I look forward to making some of them as gifts this year.

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great photos but couldn't reside if written tongue in cheek, as most suggestions/instructions were quite simple or seemed common sense to me. Perhaps my last of girl scouts and summer camp made me an expert reading a book for beginners. Again a beautiful book to look at.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun

[Marcie Lovett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun projects, lots of photo inspiration and some history, too.

[Marian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having made crafts since I was a little girl in the late 1960's I remember some of these "tacky old things" with fondness. And the beloved tattered pages of Pack o' Fun the kid's craft magazine and bible of cub scout den mom's. My only complaint was how long it took to get to the projects, all these pages first about collecting and displaying, then I noticed that was in the title! I had just naturally skipped to the Making, The Best part. She had missed many of my retro favorites, but I had made many of the things in this book, Most noteworthy, The macaroni shoebox and masking tape/shoe polish bottles. I thought that the mini shrines made from pill bottles/bead tubes were darling.

[Ligaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love a good craft book but this one had me perplexed. I actually remember a couple of these finished projects in my own home growing up, but why would one want to make these projects now? To me, most of these retro crafts were just plain ugly. Only half the book is about making, the rest is about displaying and collecting. And when I saw photos of a home (presumably, the author's?) displaying said pieces, showing a cluttered work space, and photos of a group of four crafting ladies, I realized that this very white bread craft book does not at all speak to my minimal, multi-ethnic aesthetic.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of 60s and 70s nostalgia in this, as well as nifty how-to's. If you're pining for those jamaican black man nut holders of yore, you know, the ones with the aluminum bowl hats and the bottle-cap sleeves? then this is the book for you.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the project on making a Christmas Village. It looks like it might be a fun project to tackle in December for a teen program. Cut out paper, glue the walls together, apply glitter and snow, voila! Miniature village made out of Christmas cards. Charming.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, cute craft. A lot more kitchy and messy than other craft books. Someday, I would love to make the "Reinbeer" ornaments out of beer cans for Christmas ornaments. I probably don't have time for it this year though.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I jus got this today - this thing is damn cool

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

So freaking fun!!!

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what I was expecting when I picked up this book. But I was expecting it to be better, not the kitschy things it entails.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't into actually making anything in this book, but I still loved the author's zeal for the wacky, unexpected folk art/craft.

[Mary Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suzie your fabulous book is now my grandson's and my favorite book. What a treasure!

[Mzfitz]

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