With massive debt, a communist mother-in-law, a Shakespeare-quoting parrot, and a photojournalist boyfriend who may or may not be a spy, crafts editor Anastasia Pollack already juggles too much in her life. So she's not thrilled when her magazine volunteers her to present workshops and judge a needlework contest at the inaugural conference of the New Jersey chapter of the Stitch and Bake Society, a national organization of retired professional women. At least her best friend and cooking editor Cloris McWerther has also been roped into similar duties for the culinary side of the 3-day event taking place on the grounds of the exclusive Beckwith Chateau Country Club. The sweet little old ladies Anastasia is expecting to meet are definitely old, and some of them are little, but all are anything but sweet. She's stepped into a vipers' den that starts with bribery and ends with murder. When an ice storm forces Anastasia and Cloris to spend the night at the Chateau, Anastasia discovers evidence of insurance scams, medical fraud, an opioid ring, long-buried family secrets, and a bevy of suspects. Can she piece together the various clues before she becomes the killer's next target? Crafting tips included.

This illustrated crochet stitch dictionary features 125 stitches plus handy shaping techniques and endless inspiration for creative crocheters. In Crochet Every Way Stitch Dictionary, designer Dora Ohrenstein offers detailed instructions for 125 beautiful stitch patterns. Plus, she explains how to increase and decrease each stitch pattern in three different ways—without shaping, with shaping at the edges, and with internal shaping. This hefty collection, ranging from lace and filigree to shells and textured stitches, is loaded with beautifully photographed swatches of each pattern, plus charted and text instructions. Ohrenstein’s focus on shaping techniques makes it possible to explore an array of variations without a pattern.

Witty, sharp, and confident, Emma McChesney is a fierce heroine. Following a bitter divorce, she sets out against all odds as a travelling saleswoman so she can support herself and her son. Roast Beef, Medium - The Business Adventures of Emma McChesney is the first book in Edna Ferber’s trilogy. It’s 1911, and our 36-year-old heroine has just struggled through an awful divorce. Now alone with her 17-year-old son, Jock, Emma McChesney becomes the only travelling saleswoman for a New York skirts and petticoats company, T. A. Buck’s Featherbloom Petticoats. Her life suddenly revolves around train journeys and dirty hotel stays. She must ward off her male colleagues’ unwanted advances while they persistently tell her that her career isn’t suitable for a woman. Strong-willed and sharp-tongued, Emma McChesney represents many hardworking single mothers in early twentieth-century America. First published in 1913, Edna Ferber’s comedic novel highlights her famous wit and is not to be missed by fans of her work.

Pretty. Petite. Playful. Pinnies! Inspired by a 30-day sewing challenge on Instagram, these patchwork pincushions stitch up pronto and are perpetually addicting--no quilter can make just one. And why would you when they're so easy to create? Simply sew, quilt, turn, and stuff! Best-selling author Carrie Nelson packs these pinnies with personality and shares adorable ways to use and display them as singles or in pleasing piles. You'll want to put a pin in the philosophy behind making Carrie's delightful pincushions: to sew just for the joy of it.