Call it maker, handcrafted, or handmade, a new DIY movement has taken off big time. The common thread that ties makers to DIYers and handcrafters is the desire to build something rather than buy it.

Handmade: A Hands-On Guide has a broad focus, encompassing makers who work with wood, metal, leather, concrete, and vinyl. Both inspiring and informative, the book features 25 doable projects for would-be makers, representing the gamut of materials and media. The main focus is on the analog side of the movement.

Thanks to the DIY nature of the Maker movement, many of the projects in book are designed to be created independently, with the simplest tools, though a few will also take advantage of a local Maker space and the digital tools available there.

• Author Asa Christiana is the former chief editor of Fine Woodworking, the most respected woodworking magazine in the world.
• 25 accessible projects...accessible yet doable with a modest collection of simple tools.