Maker March with DK Canada

Well, it's officially March Break - plus a couple of extra weeks for some. If you're looking for something to keep everyone busy, DK Canada has some great books for Maker March - check out the selections here.

Which one caught my eye? Bake It - 150 favourite recipes from best-loved DK cookbooks. The book is recommended for 10-14 year olds, but honestly - who doesn't like to create in the kitchen? Fun for all ages I say - and a treat to eat!

Now, that cover doesn't lie - inside are some recipes for sweet treats and breads and rolls (my downfall!)  The first section deals with some good basic knowledge - kitchen equipment, terms, methods and techniques used. The layout is wonderful - info boxes, clear, easy to understand information - and what I love about DK books - full colour, detailed pictures to illustrate all the above. A glossary at the back also details terms used.

The subject headings are Creative cakes, cupcakes and muffins, Celebration Cakes, Pastries, pies and tarts, Creative cookies and tasty treats, Classic crusts and No-bakes. Something for everyone's tastes -sweet and savory. A handy index at the back is another way to search.

Each recipe has a difficulty rating of 1-4 cupcakes, time needed, ingredients, servings and equipment needed. I loved this bit - each step of the recipe is numbered - and accompanied by colour photos detailing the step. I'm in awe of some of the ideas for cakes - the pinata cake was a neat idea.

At Gramma's house? Well, so far my kitchen has turned out a gluten free zingy lemon cake, an apple crumble and some variations on a basic cookie recipe using chips, dried cranberries and blueberries. The soda bread requires no yeast or kneading and is made and baked in an hour. At Christmas I'll have to remember that there's a gingerbread house recipe - the templates for the house are also at the back of the book and just need to be traced. There are many more just waiting to be made.

I really thought this was a great collection of recipes, wonderfully laid out, with ideas that will appeal to everyone. There is no nutritional info listed for the recipes.As well, some recipes are British based and call for self rising flour, but it is easy to make your own at home. Check out the sneak peek below.

Maker March with DK Canada!

It's Maker March time at DK Canada! They've got some great suggestions in their Maker March Boutique..."whether you've got a budding chef on your hands or a budding scientist who wants to build something awesome, we've got the perfect books to keep kids busy and creating during Maker March!"

And not just kids - they're some great ideas for adults as well! The new edition of The Sewing Book by Alison Smith caught my eye......

I'm a self taught sewist, always looking to improve on my skills and discover new ideas and techniques. I was quite excited to explore the 400 pages of The Sewing Book - "more than 300 step by step techniques. Tools. Fabric. How to Use Patterns. Projects for the Home and to Wear." I happily turned the first page....
DK books excel at presenting information and ideas. The Sewing Bible was no exception. The images presented  are full colour photographs. They are crisp, clean images that let you see easily see the details, such as the thickness of different threads and the different types of fabrics. The accompanying information is clear and concise. The layout makes it easy to read.

I sewed a lot of my children's clothes when they were young using commercial patterns. I've never attempted to create or alter patterns for myself, which is something I'd like to try. The section covering this was excellent.

The actual sewing process is detailed as well - stitches. There was a great little pattern for a simple tote bag at the end of this chapter to practice (I have lots of scraps I could use up here!) Subsequent chapters deal with the different techniques of sewing clothes. Again, excellent directions and accompanying photographs. (I preferred these over drawn illustrations.) There are more small projects to practice more skills such as zippers, linings, buttons and more. A small unit on mending was also included. Patterns and an index complete the book.

The Sewing Book is an excellent resource for both novice and experienced sewists. And it's the quality of information and product that I've come to expect and appreciate from DK. Here's an excerpt of The Sewing Bible. See the sample page below.