The Children's Year: Crafts and Clothes for Children and Parents to Make [S0002]

1986 PB in nice clean condition. Encourages children and adults to try all sorts of different handwork, with projects relating to the seasons of the year. From the back cover: "Creative handbook may give joy and satisfaction to adults and children alike. Here is a book relating the making-of-things to the seasons; taking the reader through Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter with appropriate toys and gifts to create, with full, clear instructions and illustrations. Designs and patterns for children's clothing are included, particularly meant to be made of natural fabrics to let the child's body breathe while growing. There are soft items for play and beauty, and there are firm wooden ones; moving toys such as balancing birds or climbing gnomes; horses which move when you add children to them! From wooly hats to play houses, mobiles or dolls, here are over 100 potential treasures to make in seasonal groupings.

You needn't be an experienced craftsperson to create something lovely, and the illustrations make it a joy to page through while choosing what to make first. "The Children's Year" offers handwork for all ages and individualities; it reminds us of the process of creating as opposed to merely consuming, and all this in the context of nature's rhythm through the year."

From Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Wow, easy, fun projects and hand-made toys, made from natural fibers and materials - a whole year's worth!"; "The is a sweet book with a large variety of projects. I would return to this book for the different doll making patterns and instructions."; "It is a wonderful resource for parents who enjoy making toys and crafts either with, or for their children, out of Nature's bounty, using natural materials such as wool felt, roving, paper, shells, yarn and silk. In addition, it has knitting and crochet instructions for making farm animals, easy-to-follow doll patterns, sewing and knitting instructions for clothes for small children and inspirational ideas for Advent and Christmas crafts. A book that you'll turn to again and again for many years."