Super Kyuuto!

Is the odd sock phenomenom endemic to my house, or does everybody have a drawer of single socks?  Happily, I came across Sock and glove : creating charming soft friends from cast off socks and gloves.  Now I can piece together a whole zoo from easy to follow instructions.  This is just one in a whole crop of new craft books around that draw heavily on the Japanese cute/weird aesthetic.  Others that have caught my eye lately include –

Softies : 22 friends for you to sew, knit and crochet in which artists from around the world contribute projects for you to make.  Again, the skill level required is not high.  My faves are the Johnny Depp-alike crocheted pirate and the polar fleece cosmonaut (the fleece is crucial for that CGI-like surface). 

Beatnik cats, burgers and cupcakes can all be found in Amigurumi! : Super happy crochet cute.  Starting with advice and instructions, the projects range from beginner to advanced.  If I get started now, I might be finished something by Christmas…..