Pretty little patchwork

Patchwork - the piecing together of many different fabrics - is back!

It's making a splash on fashion runways, in the hottest magazines and on the coolest indie craft blogs.

No wonder, because patchwork gives stitchers an exciting way to make use of their old fabric scraps; in effect, they're designing new material by creating original combinations of patterns.

Thanks to a pool of talented designers and this new entry in the popular "Pretty Little" series, anyone can pick out some fabrics and get started.

Thirty projects showcase a variety of creative ideas, including funky ornaments, a silk scarf, star pincushions, a yoga-mat carrier and much more.

There is an introduction that teaches the basic techniques and all the projects appear in full-colour, close-up photos.