The Useful Book: 201 Life Skills They Used to Teach in Home Ec and Shop

A modern and energetically designed encyclopedia of DIY with everything you need to know to roll up your sleeves and cook it, build it, sew it, clean it, or repair it yourself. In other words, everything you would have learned from your shop and home ec teachers, if you'd had them.

The Useful Book features 138 practical projects and how-tos, with step-by-step instructions and illustrations, relevant charts, sidebars, lists, and handy toolboxes. There’s a kitchen crash course, including the must-haves for a well-stocked pantry; how to boil an egg (and peel it frustration-free); how to grill, steam, sauté, and roast vegetables. There’s Sewing 101, plus how to fold a fitted sheet, tie a tie, mop a floor, make a bed, and set the table for a formal dinner.

Next up: a 21st-century shop class. The tools that everyone should have, and dozens of cool projects that teach fundamental techniques. Practice measuring, cutting, and nailing by building a birdhouse. Make a bookshelf or a riveted metal picture frame. Plus: do-it-yourself plumbing; car repair basics; and home maintenance, from priming and painting to refinishing wood floors. 

• How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew
• DIY Home Repairs: 100 Fix-It-Yourself Projects
• How to Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew
• Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living - Cook it, Clean it, Fix it, Wash it
• The Tool Book: A Tool Lover's Guide to Over 200 Hand Tools
• Life Skills 101: A Practical Guide to Leaving Home and Living on Your Own
• 1001 Things Every Teen Should Know Before They Leave Home: Or Else They'll Come Back
• Mindful Crafts as Therapy: Engaging More Than Hands
• Life Skills for Kids: Equipping Your Child for the Real World
• Quick Reference to Occupational Therapy