Smithsonian Makers Workshop by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Smithsonian Makers Workshop by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt ISBN-13: 9780358008644 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Released: September 8th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
The Smithsonian Institution presents a uniquely curated collection of lively how-to projects and historical narratives of four realms of American domestic arts: cooking, crafts, decorating, and gardening. Perfect for hobbyists interested in the historical context of what they create for their homes, this beautifully illustrated book contains fifty DIY projects—from a uniquely American quilt pattern to on-trend crafts like terrarium making and pickling—that all offer satisfying ways to bring history and culture to life. For those craving more, features provide rare insights from Smithsonian experts on prominent figures, events, and trends. Readers can learn about influential Americans who've had an impact on each realm; look at visual timelines of significant events that pushed development forward; or stay in the present and see how American arts in contemporary life is being redefined, all while enjoying satisfying and unique projects.


My Review:
Smithsonian Makers Workshop provides an overview of the Smithsonian collection in several areas: crafts, cooking, interior decoration throughout history, and gardening. Each section talked about different types of crafts, for example, providing an overall history of that craft, profiles of notable people who promoted the craft, how some old craft is now popular again, a closer look a technological development that has changed how the craft is done, etc. They also provided several step-by-step projects related to the things under discussion, like how to cook a poundcake or directions on how to decoratively mend some jeans. This book was not very in-depth on any specific topic, but it was an informative overview. There were many pictures showing different quilt styles throughout American history, for example, or a style of furniture popular in a certain time period. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those interested in a brief overview of these topics.


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Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.