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Between Friends: Craft Projects to Share
Between Friends offers ideas for 40 handmade projects--all of which are fun and easy to make. Readers can indulge in a range of activities, including papier-mch, decoupage, knitting, needlework, painting, sewing, rug-hooking, quilting, scrapbooking, doll-making, and collage. 100+ color photos.
- GenresCrafts
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 20, 2017
Some years ago, when my oldest two were in school but my third had not yet been born, a friend mentioned a group she got together with to work on craft projects and invited me to join them. I’m not sure how all the ladies knew each other or how the group started, but at the time I attended, it was maybe 5-8 or so ladies at a time. They took turns meeting at each other’s homes and bringing snacks, everyone would bring whatever craft project they were currently working on, and we had quite an enjoyable time talking while making progress on our projects. It always reminded me a bit of the old quilting bees or the sisters from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women who, in later books when they were grown and had their own families, would meet together periodically to visit while doing their mending. The only other experience similar to this I’ve had since was when ladies’ groups at church would gather to work on something to send our missionaries, our college students, or for an upcoming event. I always enjoyed the fellowship with hearts and mouths while our hands were working and the inspiration gleaned from each other’s ideas.
I recently rediscovered a book on my shelf called Between Friends: Craft Projects to Share by Charlotte Lyons. She begins with a story of her family having moved to Chicago and, during a walk, her children spotted a group of other children playing and ran up to them. Her daughter noticed one of the moms nearby, sewing, and said, “My mom does that too. Will you talk to her so we can play with your little kids?” And that, says Charlotte, is how she met “one of [her] best and dearest friends” (p. 10). That led to a group of women meeting like those I described in my first paragraph, and Charlotte goes on to tell how sometimes something handmade would spark a conversation with new friends or lead to new endeavors together.
Charlotte has grouped the craft projects and instructions in the book into categories based on how long they take – an hour, half a day or so, all day, a weekend, or “as long as it takes.” Every chapter also contains a vignette about a particular real-life friendship as well as activities and suggestions for forming a club around a particular type of craft. Sprinkled at the bottom of several pages are a variety of quotes, like “Happiness is a by-product of an effort to make someone else happy. – Gretta Brooker Palmer” and “Happiness walks on busy feet. – Kittie Turmell” and “Little house, you are so small, Just big enough for love, that’s all. – Anonymous.” There are even a few recipes here and there.
This is a delightful book, both for the craft ideas and the exploration of friendship.
I recently rediscovered a book on my shelf called Between Friends: Craft Projects to Share by Charlotte Lyons. She begins with a story of her family having moved to Chicago and, during a walk, her children spotted a group of other children playing and ran up to them. Her daughter noticed one of the moms nearby, sewing, and said, “My mom does that too. Will you talk to her so we can play with your little kids?” And that, says Charlotte, is how she met “one of [her] best and dearest friends” (p. 10). That led to a group of women meeting like those I described in my first paragraph, and Charlotte goes on to tell how sometimes something handmade would spark a conversation with new friends or lead to new endeavors together.
Between Friends explores the bond that exists between women as friends–a bond that is richly intensified by creative endeavors. Whether a project is made for a friend or with a friend, the joy in doing so gives resonance and inspiration to an ordinary hour, day, or weekend (p. 11).
Charlotte has grouped the craft projects and instructions in the book into categories based on how long they take – an hour, half a day or so, all day, a weekend, or “as long as it takes.” Every chapter also contains a vignette about a particular real-life friendship as well as activities and suggestions for forming a club around a particular type of craft. Sprinkled at the bottom of several pages are a variety of quotes, like “Happiness is a by-product of an effort to make someone else happy. – Gretta Brooker Palmer” and “Happiness walks on busy feet. – Kittie Turmell” and “Little house, you are so small, Just big enough for love, that’s all. – Anonymous.” There are even a few recipes here and there.
This is a delightful book, both for the craft ideas and the exploration of friendship.
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November 25, 2018I enjoyed reading how the author got motivated to make crafts with other women. This book has templates included for the projects.
When I read a craft book, if I am inspired by only one project from it, reading the book is worth it to me.
I found one idea in this book that I am going to make for Christmas gifts and I am so excited! It is the glass paperweight. I bought small glass dishes at the dollar store to use. You get about 4 or 5 for $1.
When I described my new project to my husband, he showed me something he had found that morning when he was going through things stored in our garage. It was a glass paperweight he had made in art class in 4th grade! It had an adorable black and white photo of him under the glass. That was confirmation for me that I was to make the paperweights. Whoa!
When I read a craft book, if I am inspired by only one project from it, reading the book is worth it to me.
I found one idea in this book that I am going to make for Christmas gifts and I am so excited! It is the glass paperweight. I bought small glass dishes at the dollar store to use. You get about 4 or 5 for $1.
When I described my new project to my husband, he showed me something he had found that morning when he was going through things stored in our garage. It was a glass paperweight he had made in art class in 4th grade! It had an adorable black and white photo of him under the glass. That was confirmation for me that I was to make the paperweights. Whoa!
April 6, 2025
Lots of simple craft ideas. Not terribly innovative for experienced crafters, but still a few good ideas for anyone and suggestions conducive to sparking your own imagination. There are several appealing recipes and I like the thought of hosting crafting get-togethers. Great idea.
March 16, 2022
Decided to read after charlotte was our featured speaker in February. Great book. Unique projects.
March 10, 2014
The book is a hardcover, and has an artistic, scrapbook-style layout. The presentation of the crafts is interesting and chatty, and the author weaves her own personal narrative with the project instructions; however, while it was an enjoyable skim-read, the projects themselves were not ones I felt any particular inclination to attempt. I was not invested enough in the book to be able to offer any helpful criticism regarding either the narrative or the crafts catalogued in it.
January 16, 2017
I have owned this book for years and I love to pore over it again and again. I enjoyed making the heart on this cover as valentines one year. It has also caught my daughter's eye!
Between Friends
Between Friends
March 13, 2007
I just love reading her books - I never do any of her projects but I love reading her books. Her approach to craft is very much about relationships.
January 5, 2008
I really like the projects (quick, cutesy), essays and photographs and the recipes look really yummy too.
August 16, 2012
A very sweet book about crafts and friends.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews