— Exploring new crafts and hobbies is a favorite pastime for many people, and the Muskogee Public Library has many resources to help with this!

Although we have resources available for a wide range of hobbies, I will be covering just a few in order to give a more in-depth view of them. Sewing, crocheting, and papercrafts will be our crafts of the day. I will also cover our Universal Classes database and our pattern exchange program.

First up on today’s menu is my favorite craft: sewing! The idea of sewing can be daunting to those who know little or nothing about it, but, fear not, we offer many books for the faint at heart.

I am a self-taught seamstress, and “Learn to Sew” by Alison Reid helped ease me into the terminology and provided great first projects. “The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing” by Singer Sewing Co. and “Sewing 101” by Creative Publishing International are two wonderfully detailed books packed with full-page photos, illustrations, and explanations. For those a bit more daring, “Sew Sunny Homestyle” by Tone Finnager gives more of a challenge with her creative projects.

For our second course: the wonderful world of crochet! When most people think of crochet, they often think of doilies and potholders, but the books I will showcase put a new spin on this hobby.

“Learn to Crochet” by Sally Harding is a delightful beginner’s book that covers materials, fundamental stitches, and some traditional projects. “Mr. Funky’s Super Crochet Wonderful” by Narumi Ogawa and “Amigurumi World” by Ana Paula Rimoli introduce us to the super-cute world of Amigurumi: Japanese crocheted animals! Amigurumi are whimsical stuffed dolls that range from saccharin-sweet bunnies and owls to cactus and pears! Although these books may be for a more skilled crafter, they provide some wonderful projects for those who want to create outside the box.

For our third course: Papercrafts! Most of us have had many years of experience with papercraft projects in elementary and middle school, but the books in this section will show you how to use those basic skills to create some beautiful pieces.

“Paper,” edited by Lucy Painter, is a great starter book filled with photos, inspiration, projects, and even templates for decoupage, collage, and papier-mache projects. For those wanting to explore the exciting world of altered books, I highly recommend “Altered Art for the First Time” by Madeline Arendt. This book is formatted in a way that each project is created to answer a particular question one might have while creating their altered book. Finally, “Cut It, Paste It, Sew It,” edited by Chisa Itou, is a sourcebook for inspiration from the works of some stunning mixed-media collage artists.

For dessert I will talk about our last two topics: Universal Classes and our Pattern Exchange Program. Universal Classes is a free, online educational program where you can take more than 500 classes for CEUs. Classes range from sewing and scrapbooking to face painting and soap making. To learn more about the classes or sign-up, simply give us a visit.

We also have a “Take 5, Leave 5” Pattern Exchange Program on the first floor. Simply bring any patterns (up to five at a time) that you wish to share, and trade them out for up to five more patterns! Feel free to bring patterns over any craft you fancy, and we will add them to the program.

Gerran Coppin works for the Muskogee Public Library.