Margaret McGuire - Microcrafts: Tiny Treasures to Make and Share

Copyright 2011 by Quirk Productions, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

All artwork courtesy and copyright of individual designers or design studios.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Number: 2011922693

eBook ISBN: 978-1-59474-703-8
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-59474-521-8

Designed by Katie Hatz
Photographs by Steve Belkowitz except submitted by authors.
Production management by John J. McGurk

Quirk Books
215 Church Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
quirkbooks.com

v3.1

To our photographer Steve Belkowitz, without whose care and patience we never would have gotten the perfect shot of Rory the rabbits hindquarters.

If youre reading this book, chances are you already have a minor obsession with adorably tiny trinkets and treasures. But microcrafting isnt just about a love of all things small. Its really all about putting odds and ends to good use.

In this book, youll find twenty-five miniature craft projects that use a variety of different methods and materials. Most of these projects are meant to be fairly quick and easy, whether youve got two left thumbs or years of experience. It doesnt take much to get started microcrafting. All you need is a few odds and ends and some everyday . Oh, and maybe a good pair of glasses.

Each craft is tagged with its real-life size and its designers name, followed by easy illustrated instructions, traceable patterns, and tips and tricks for working in a wee format. And all of the projects leave room for your own interpretations and modifications. Once you learn the basics, there are endless ways to adapt these instructions. for extra downloadables and advice, and to share your miniature creations with us.

Look at the world through a magnifying glass.

Row, row, row your peanut? Petite boats that truly float can be made from the shells of walnuts, almonds, peanuts, or pistachios. Equip them with a simple mast and youre ready to set sail.

SUPPLIES

assorted shelled nuts

nutcracker or pliers

toothpicks

scissors

leaves

craft glue

Gently crack open a nutshell using a nutcracker or pliers. Place half of the empty shell on a flat surface, open side up.

To make the mast, trim a toothpick to about 1 inch. (Any taller, and your little ship will likely capsize.) Insert the toothpicks pointy end at the bottom of a leaf, from front to back. Then poke the toothpick back through at the top, curving the leaf like a sail.

Place a small amount of glue in the bottom of the shell and put the cut end of the toothpick in the glue. Hold the toothpick in place or prop it against something while the glue dries. Make as many little boats as you like and then set off to sea.

Any leafdried or freshwill do; just be gentle if the foliage is brittle or delicate.

Trim ends off 2 toothpicks or matchsticks to make oars for peanut rowboats. Attached with a dab of glue, they help little boats stay afloat.

With paper odds and ends, you can make miniature books to display on your bookshelves or give to your friends.

SUPPLIES

1 8-by-5-in sheet of office paper

craft knife and cutting mat

ruler

2 1-by-1-in sheets of decorative paper

1 1-by-1-in sheet of scrap paper

foam or cardboard scrap

awl or sturdy pushpin

nylon thread and embroidery needle

1 2-by-1-in (at least) piece of thick card stock or thin board

craft glue

1 2-by-1-in sheet of decorative paper (for the cover)

wax paper scraps (optional)

Make the books interior by folding the 8-by-5-inch office paper 3 times. Trim the unfolded edge to inch wide. Cut the remaining piece widthwise into 5 sections that are each by 1 inches; these will be the signatures, or groups of pages in the book. When folded, each signature will have 16 pages, or 8 leaves.