Vintage Craft Books

I used to go to library sales all the time and as a result have books I don't even remember buying (which is why I don't go to the sales that often anymore). Here are some of my favorite craft books:

Dollmaker's Workshop by Vera P. Guild, c. 1981 ISBN 0878510494

This one has a very late 1970's/early 1980's feel to it, if I were going to make any of the toys I would probably modify them. Although I am betting if this book were written in Japanese I would find them adorable as is, ahaha.



Modern Soft Toy Making by Margaret Hutchinson, c. 1939, 1961

I love this one, but I have never made anything out of it because the patterns have so many pieces for each toy. It does include full size patterns in the back, but you have to trace them because they are on the front and back of each page. Due to its age it has some toys that might be seen as a bit objectionable, such as a Golliwog.



International Doll House Book by S.F. King c. 1977 ISBN 0517529462
I loved this book when I was a kid, I was so glad to find a copy in the thrift shop a few years ago. It has instructions to make six houses out of wood--Swiss Chalet, Modern Bungalow, Spanish Hacienda, Victorian Mansion, Japanese House and Gypsy Caravan.

I actually made the caravan when I was about 20, my dad had a workbench area down in the basement he let me use. It turned out okay, but it wasn't really that well made and after I moved a few times, it broke and instead of trying to fix it I stupidly just threw it out. Some day if I ever have the space for woodworking I'd love to make another one.

I also love this Japanese one. This shows the house without its roof


One of my favorite books as a kid was Miss Happiness and Miss Flower(man, that new cover is awful by Rumer Godden. The back of the book included plans for the Japanese house Nona's cousin built for her, but there were no actual pictures of what the finished house would look like, just the drawings in the book so it's a bit hard to get a feel for what it would actually look like. I wanted one so bad. I have a feeling if I ever do get around to actually building one of these houses it will really be more for me.