The Kinfolk Table: Recipes for Small Gatherings
By Nathan Williams
Artisan, $35

Founded in 2012, Kinfolk magazine promotes the art of gathering, providing ideas and ample inspiration for what – in all of its echoes of slow food – might be thought of as “slow community.” For this handsome cookbook, Kinfolk co-founder Nathan Williams visited the homes of creative and craft-oriented people, from bakers to ceramists, fashion designers to holistic nutritionists, gleaning their perspectives on the well-made life – and a cherished recipe or two.

This is unfussy food, but not unsophisticated. Recipes such as Perfect Roast Chicken sit comfortably alongside entries such as Roasted Butternut Squash, Urfa Chile, and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad. And while the regional organization (five sections: Brooklyn; Portland, Oregon; the English countryside; Copenhagen; and a catch-all “Wandering Table” for everyone else) might appear restrictive, the range of ingredients and preparations argues otherwise.

The book itself is lovely: Soft, thick paper emphasizes the inviting light in the many photographs, both portraits and still lives. And there are many: Eighty-eight recipes have 354 pages over which to stretch out, luxuriously linger – making The Kinfolk Table as immersive as the social moments it seeks to inspire.  ~Julie K. Hanus

Textile Visionaries: Innovation and Sustainability in Textile Design
By Bradley Quinn
Laurence King Publishing, $40

Fabric meets science in this survey of 36 designers around the world who are revolutionizing the creation and use of textiles. In concise profiles and plentiful photographs, Textile Visionaries celebrates innovators of three kinds. Part I presents designers who have developed electronic textiles, such as garments for performers (think U2) with pulsating lights that mimic their movements. Part II features people behind new eco-fabrics that are less toxic to produce and more durable to wear. Part III introduces innovators who are harnessing natural forces such as light and heat to allow fabrics to change color, silhouette, and function. One such “smart textile” garment is a protective jacket that emits an electrical charge when touched. “Textiles are being transformed from passive substrates into active technological tools,” writes Bradley Quinn. Best of all? No ironing.  ~Monica Moses

Lena Corwin’s Made by Hand: A Collection of Projects to Print, Sew, Weave, Dye, Knit, or Otherwise Create
By Lena Corwin
Stewart, Tabori, & Chang, $30

One of the great things about learning at a craft school is the communal setting: You’re among peers, who can inspire you as much as the instructor does. As the proprietor of a DIY studio, Lena Corwin clearly understands this. And when she takes instruction onto the printed page, it feels like being led into new territory by a dear friend, not some misbegotten gas station road map. Made by Hand features darling throwback crafts including rotary-stamped napkins, embroidery samplers, and coiled bowls, refashioned by Corwin and friends. In addition to its intelligible supply lists and instructions, the book is chock-full of process photos. This sociable guide is perspicuous enough for even the most phobic “how-to” reader.  ~Jessica Shaykett