Wrap anything from a wine bottle to a yoga mat with this practical Japanese fabric-wrapping book. Long before today's eco-friendly philosophy of "reduce, reuse, recycle" entered America's collective consciousness, furoshiki--the Japanese method of wrapping things with fabric--flourished as a time-honored and practical art form. In Wrapping With Fabric, Etsuko Yamada--born into a long-line of furoshiki makers in Kyoto--explains the "one cloth, many uses" ideology behind the craft, the etiquette of color and the craft's fascinating history. From there, she shares the myriad ways in which a few basic techniques can transform a simple square of cloth into an elegant wrapper. Use your folded fabrics to: Gift-wrap anything from books to flowers Bundle up a picnic Tote items around Use as a handbag or backpack Make into a pillow covering Create decorative coverings for vases, tissue boxes, and more A quiet reminder that opportunities for artistry are everywhere around you, Wrapping With Fabric is the craft book that makes it easy to bring a touch of grace and ingenuity to everyday life--and help preserve the environment, too.

Learn how to spend less, be kinder to the environment and go in the direction of your dreams! Back in 2011 I became a parent for the second time and wanted to quit my job and be a stay at home mum. We had just moved house and increased our mortgage, now had two children to look after and I preferred to buy costly eco-friendly and organic products. How was I going to be able cut my spending by enough money to quit my job and stick to my eco-friendly principles? The challenge was set and a year later I did quit my job to become a stay at home mum and blogger. I saved far more money than I ever could have imagined by being eco-friendly! In this book I share with you what I have learned over the years of saving money and the environment. There are lots of practical hints and tips, which overall will help you to: 1. Make the most of what you have2. Reduce your rubbish3. Save you money4. Unleash your creative side. Topics covered in the book include:1.Kitchen waste2.Stuff3.Sustainable fashion4.Cleaning5.Bathroom6.Entertainment7.Celebrations and special occasions8.Energy9.Getting fit10.Kids11.GardeningIf you think freeing up some cash could help improve your life, you care about the environment and you are ready to do things differently, then this is the book for you! Zoe Morrison is the author of award winning blog www.ecothriftyliving.com. She is regularly interviewed on BBC Radio and she has been featured in newspapers around the world.

“和”の暮らしだけでなく、“洋”の暮らしでも役立てることができるのがふろしき。布ならではの美しさ、おしゃれ感、楽しさ、そして温もりと味わい。日常で使うものをじょうずに包む方法のほかに、現代のライフスタイルやファッションにも合うバッグとしての活用方法やラッピングのアイデアなども紹介。

Wrapping Culture examines problems of intercultural communication and the possibilities for misinterpretation of the familiar in an unfamiliar context. Starting with an examination of Japanese gift-wrapping, Joy Hendry demonstrates how our expectations are often influenced by cultural factors which may blind us to an appreciation of underlying intent. She extends this approach to the study of polite language as the wrapping of thoughts and intentions, garments as body wrappings, constructions and gardens as wrapping of space. Hendry shows how this extends even to the ways in which people may be wrapped in seating arrangements, or meetings and drinking customs may be constrained by temporal versions of wrapping. Throughout the book, Hendry considers ways in which groups of people use such symbolic forms to impress and manipulate one another, and points out a Western tendency to underestimate such nonverbal communication, or reject it as mere decoration. She presents ideas that should be valid in any intercultural encounter and demonstrates that Japanese culture, so often thought of as a special case, can supply a model through which we can formulate general theories about human behavior.

Furoshiki is the ancient Japanese custom of wrapping objects in a piece of cloth, and as we all become more eco-aware, the tradition has had a rather deservedly modern revival. Rather than using unnecessary plastic bags for shopping or wrapping gifts in throw-away paper, furoshiki allows us to wrap and carry clothes, gifts, food and much more in a variety of beautiful cloths that can be reused time after time. The book starts with the four basic knots and then explains the various folding methods that can be used according to the shape and size of the object. For when you are out and about, there are various options to try for making a chic handbag, backpack or shopping bag. Or for when you have a gift to give to a loved one there are so many styles to try, no matter how awkward the shape is to wrap. Stencils for traditional embroidery designs are also provided to allow you to customize your furoshiki to add a personal touch.

Embrace zero waste living with this collection of sustainable gift wrap solutions including furoshiki, the traditional Japanese technique of fabric knotting. What could be nicer than receiving a present AND the beautiful scarf it's wrapped in! Whether you use a vintage silk scarf or create your own fabric with patchwork, piecing and dyeing techniques, or reuse unwanted items to make quirky gift wraps - this collection is packed full of ideas for reducing waste. Other ideas include how to make present toppers made from unwanted fabric and yarn scraps to finish off your gift wrapping with a flourish.

Fold decorative origami objects out of cloth with this easy-to-use origami book. Fabrigami is the Asian art of folding fabrics to create three-dimensional objects ranging from the practical to the whimsical. Like paper, there are countless beautiful fabric designs to choose from, but only fabric has the virtue of being extremely durable. Fabrigami began as origami legend Florence Temko's final project. Everyone knows that origami is the art of paper folding, but Temko had begun experimenting with folding fabric to make objects that are just as beautiful but more lasting than paper. Sadly, Temko passed away before the book was completed, but her collaborator, Jill Stovall, continued their work. Now, Stovall--with the help of Scott Stern, a rising young star of origami--brings Fabrigami to print for everyone to use and enjoy. This origami book begins by presenting instructions on how to treat fabric, so it holds a shape when folded. Then Stovall shares a series of fun craft projects with simple origami-style diagrams that you can use to make a range of lovely objects. Stiffening the fabric requires some practice, but the folds are all easy enough to be considered origami-for-kids projects and are a great way to learn origami. Cloth origami projects include: Fan-tastic Fold Earrings Evening Wine Coat Florence's Hexagon Box Cloth Kimono Card Pleated Peacock

In the follow-up to the immensely successful "Last-Minute Knitted Gifts" by Joelle Hoverson, Treen shows how to complete 30 easy projects for such gifts as fabric-covered notepads, a tea-dyed sequined scarf, or a baby quilt.

Clear written instructions, easy-to-follow diagrams, and beautiful photos of the finished wraps make it easy to wrap expertly the first time. Shows the basic techniques for every shape, and presents twenty-five stunning wraps, complete with decorative embellishments for every occasion, from weddings to birthdays. Also included are innovative ideas for using wrapagami every day (carry your lunch, and then use the wrap as a picnic blanket) and reusing the wraps (to wrap again, or repurpose in a multitude of ways).

Gift Wrapping is a Kodansha International publication.