This is a fun all-round craft book, not just for this time of year but for general easy-peasy family crafting. You don't need any particular experience to make any of the 50 projects here - a bit of glue and paper will make you a Scandinavian garland; and with clay, a paintbrush and a rolling pin you can emboss a ceramic folk heart to hang from your Christmas tree. From rubber-stamped cards to your own fabric advent calendar, from twig reindeer to homemade Christmas crackers, this is the ultimate guide to festive crafting.

Buy Christmas Crafting in No Time by Clare Youngs (£11.99, Cico) from our online book shop.

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If you love crafts and haven't discovered Mollie Makes magazine yet, we can highly recommend it. Published monthly, it's full of gorgeous makes and 'granny chic' inspiration. This book features 20 new projects from the magazine's favourite designers to deck your halls this Christmas. Make your own heirloom Christmas stockings, fashion festive stationery and papercut ornaments, or sew a funky felted door wreath - whether you want to crochet, felt or papercraft, there's something for everyone.

Buy Mollie Makes Christmas (£9.99, Collins & Brown) from our online bookshop.

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Making your own ornaments to hang from the Christmas tree couldn't be easier with this simple felt craft kit in a book. There are 12 miniature Cath Kidston designs to make here, from a Christmas angel to a frosty snowman  to a reindeer. The felt and thread you need is all included, plus a selection of tiny pompoms. A lovely gift for a girl who likes to make things.

Buy Make Your Own Christmas Decorations by Cath Kidston (£10.50, Quadrille) from Amazon.

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In this woolly winter wonderland you'll learn to make the popular knitted characters from the Knit and Purl greetings cards all dressed up for Christmas - from a pea skiing in his Santa hat to smiley little snowballs to a 'Mistle-toad and wine'. These sublimely silly gifts and decorations are quick and easy to make - guaranteed to spread good cheer.

Buy We Knit You a Merry Christmas by Debbie Harrold (£5.99, Collins & Brown) from our online bookshop.

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Subtitled 'the modern craft bible', this is a chic all-round guide for anyone who wants to understand a wide range of traditional crafts in a modern, fashion-forward way. It demystifies découpage, printing, encrusting, quilling, millinery, papercutting, leathercraft and jewellery-making as well as textile crafts, and as well as expert advice and beginner projects you'll find in-depth interviews with leading designer-makers in each field.

Buy Material World by Perri Lewis (£16.99, Virgin) from our online bookshop.

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This is a fantastic book both for absolute beginner knitters and more experienced ones. It's beautifully illustrated and designed with lovely clear photographs, and best of all, young designer Anna Wilkinson's patterns are an absolute find. Where she really excels are several patterns for simple-to-make but really exquisite sweaters and cardigans using cables and colourwork. This book is a keeper.

Buy Learn to Knit, Love to Knit by Anna Wilkinson (£14.99, Quadrille) from our online bookshop.

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Accompanying a new Channel 4 series (click here to watch on Channel 4 OD), this book is a treasure trove of DIY makes for your home, all drawing on time-honoured crafts, thrifty upcycling and vintage style. You'll learn how to reupholster, decorate woodwork, screen-print, gild, dip-dye and tile, not to mention weave willow placemats, crochet jellyfish, mould plates and even solder wedding bands! As always, Kirstie makes it all look so easy. We love the print dresses she wears in this book, too.

Buy Kirstie's Vintage Home by Kirstie Allsopp (£15.99, Hodder & Stoughton) from our online bookshop.

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If you love the fashions of the 1970s, you'll enjoy this quirky (and sometimes a bit random) homage to vintage-inspired crochet. There are some fantastic stand-outs that make this a good buy. Our favourites are the striped neckerchief, the peter pan collar cardi, the wool dress, and the tassel cushion.

Buy Geek Chic Crochet by Nicki Trench (£12.99, Cico) from our online bookshop.

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For those sewers left cold by the current fashion for all things twee, this is a refreshing, grown-up change. All about sophisticated, minimalistic style, here you'll find inspiration for modern-looking, neutral-coloured garments and home furnishings, as well as a proper, no-nonsense introduction to machine sewing. Two paper patterns are included.

Buy Merchant & Mills Sewing Book by Carolyn N.K. Denham (£20, Collins & Brown) from our online bookshop.

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So you have made your first scarf; maybe a pair of baby booties - what now? This brilliant new book from our favourite writer for newbie knitters holds your hand as you take your next hesitant steps. This is such a clearly written and well-photographed guide - it really does turn what can be a daunting craft into an achievable one. What's more, this is a superb collection of easy patterns if you want to knit your first gloves, cardigan, jumper and socks. We can't resist the adult booties, too!

Buy Knitty Gritty: The Next Steps by Aneeta Patel (£16.99, Bloomsbury) from our online bookshop.

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