Weekend Review: Making Things

Making Things / Erin Boyle & Rose Pearlman
Berkeley: Hardie Grant, c2024.
320 p.

This brand new library book had to come home with me right away. Of course I'd be interested in a book about making! It's an interesting collection, but right from that cover I was put in mind of a 70s aesthetic. 

And this book reminds me of the crafty miscellany of a book from the 70s, the kind I grew up on. It's organized in 6 sections, with a variety of small projects in each aimed at different purposes, for a total of 100 projects. It ranges from finger cording and macrame to simple sewing, paper folding, cardboard looms, and children's toys. Even these ideas feel 70s! I remember having an "encyclopedia of craft" that had a bunch of potholder projects that you'd make on a homemade cardboard loom, and here it is again. Also the macrame!

The difference is that this book is quite lovely, with lots of clear colour photos of projects and steps, no clutter or ugly colours. But the use-what-you-have, basic and homemade nature of the projects feels so originally DIY.

I feel like there are a lot of ideas I wouldn't use here; the children's chapter in particular. I don't have a sense that these projects would be a hit these days, but maybe in Brooklyn where both the authors live there is more interest in these kind of things. There is also a chapter on gifts, which I would also not go for, I don't have anyone I'd give these kind of things to. The part that most intrigued me was right at the beginning, the section on cording. This was fairly new to me and I can think of some uses for it. 

I can imagine an audience for this who will love it. It's homey, with quick projects to use in small ways, and anyone with that kind of hipster admiration of handwork will likely really enjoy this. If you grew up in the 70s however, you might be having a bit of flashback ;) Check it out at your library to see if this is one you'd want on your shelves.