We’ve always believed that perhaps our greatest contribution is to families. Fads come and go, but underneath all the external pressures, most parents want nothing more than to give their children the best experiences they possibly can. Childhood is the time to absorb, and learning can come from a variety of activities. Our belief is that no matter what path a child takes toward adulthood, working with his or her hands will add tremendously to their ability to make good choices, to think logically and to be creative. Project building opens up channels of communication between family members that might otherwise be closed, and the photo album of the summer spent building a boat or a go-kart together will be treasured by all for years to come.
For over 40 years, Stevenson Projects has been providing individuals and families with the opportunity to add fun and excitement to their lives through project building. Working with magazines such as Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, Family Circle, Better Homes and Gardens and Woman’s Day our unique building guides have made it possible for people to create fairly ambitious projects like boats and swimming pools and pedal cars, even if they have little or no tool use knowledge or building skills. All of our projects are designed to go together quickly and for very reasonable cost. And with over a third of a million plans sold, we think we’ve learned a bit about how to help our customers enjoy many happy hours, first building the project, and then having fun using it.
Wising you hours of happy building,
The Stevenson Family Peter, Michael, Susanne and Shannon
We’ve always believed that perhaps our greatest contribution is to families. Fads come and go, but underneath all the external pressures, most parents want nothing more than to give their children the best experiences they possibly can. Childhood is the time to absorb, and learning can come from a variety of activities. Our belief is that no matter what path a child takes toward adulthood, working with his or her hands will add tremendously to their ability to make good choices, to think logically and to be creative. Project building opens up channels of communication between family members that might otherwise be closed, and the photo album of the summer spent building a boat or a go-kart together will be treasured by all for years to come.
Peter Stevenson was born a Navy Brat and spent his first three years in New Zealand learning how to walk on the lawns of the Japanese ambassador’s house (the Ambassador had taken a quick trip for the duration), and learning how to speak with a Mayfair accent that everybody was using at the time. Back in the States, he and his generation discovered that no toys had been built during the War so they had to make their own, building what they couldn’t afford or find on the shelves at any price. Some time later, with his own kids to raise, he found the same situation, and built the toys that appeared in the book “The Art Of Making Wooden Toys”. Stevenson worked closely with the American Plywood Association to develop a whole new way to present building steps that beginner builders find easy to have success with. Since then he’s created well over fifty D.I.Y. projects for the nation’s largest magazines, published nine books mostly on D.I.Y. as well as some successful electric race cars, hybrid solar-electric catamarans and a popular line of sailing pocket yachts. He’s now based in Texas and California, creating more new projects for people to build.
Susanne Stevenson, co-founder of Stevenson Projects, comes from a long line of entrepreneurs. Both grandfathers and her father worked for themselves, so after trying a very brief career as a flight attendant with American Airlines, she quickly decided that working for herself was in her genes. In 1971 she and Peter Stevenson began Stevenson Projects, and at first, her main focus was on running the business. However, being in close contact with a creator had its effect, and, beginning with The Art of Making Houses Liveable, which she co-wrote, she also collaborated on the concept and design of many of the company’s projects such as the sewing center, the storage wall, the greenhouses, swimming pools, and many of the toys. She has also designed prototypes for furniture and decorative household items. She has written several magazine features for publications such as Family Circle and Popular Science, and a novel. The manuscript sits in the bottom of her drawer, along with several rejection letters, but she believes it was well worth the effort. She has tried to retire once or twice, but finds that the lure of designing and helping to promote Stevenson Projects is far more exciting than playing tennis or bridge, so she continues to be active in PR, as well as future projects. She is always on the lookout for a new idea. Her passions include gardening, fishing, travel and volunteer work, which she indulges in as time permits.
Michael Stevenson was born in La Jolla California in 1965, and from a very early age, his interest and skills in design and engineering were apparent. The son of Peter and Susanne Stevenson, co-founders of Stevenson Projects, Michael was involved almost from the time he was born in the building of toys, boats, pedal cars and more. In 1971 he became one of America’s youngest authors listed with the Library of Congress for his book, The Buffy Porson – A Car You Can Build and Drive, written with his father, Peter. Since that time he has been instrumental in the design and engineering of many of the Stevenson Projects efforts, among them the Woody Wagon, which appeared in Popular Mechanics in 1983, and a 36’ experimental solar catamaran built in 1988. He attended both the University of California at San Diego and the University of California at Santa Cruz, where he majored in Environmental Studies. In the early 1990s, collaborating with Peter Stevenson, he designed and built prototypes for electric cars, electric race cars, large and small solar electric boats and electric bikes. Along with his design and engineering skills, he is an accomplished photographer. His photos have appeared in Road & Track magazine, along with other publications in the U.S. and Switzerland. He is currently involved in the redesign of Stevenson Projects, as the second generation takes the organization in new directions.
