4 comments about Scandinavian Needlecraft: 35 Step-by-step Projects to Create the Scandinavian Home.

1. Interesting projects for Scandinavian inspired stitching. I will probably actually make a few of these.



2. I LOVE this book.
   I LOVE the pictures.
   I LOVE the projects.
   I made the first embroidered bag.
   Modestly challenging but really good directions.
   I had to double my felt because I couldn't find felt thick enough but it worked out well because the second layer covers the back of the embroidery.
   LOVED the finished project.
   I can't wait to work on more!



3. I cannot wait to buy this book. It is beautiful and all the stitches appear to be uncomplicated. Basic embroidery stitches put together in coordinating colors create items that give a look much more complex than they are. I am actually purchasing this for my 9yr old because I think the patterns are something even a child can do, while adults will enjoy the history and the intricacy of the patterns.
   
   The items are fun and pretty--pillows, a bag, even a Dala horse that could be used as an ornament. Most of the items are small to medium size (ie: no wall hangings, etc) as seen in most craft books these days.
   
   If you are a fan of Jan Brett's Christmas books you will like this book even more.



4. I am new at working with felt and recycling felt into new items! I saw this book and new that it would have the inspiration and instructions for me to create an infinite array of items! And it has met every expectation and then some! I love it!

3 comments about Learn to Do Tunisian Stitches: With Interactive DVD (Learn to Do, Annie's Attic).

1. Extremely well written and explained, very good illustrations and the video is well produced and easy to follow even for a novice Tunisian crocheter.



2. This is a beautifully presented book with excellent colour pictures and detail. If you are looking for something new to try then Tunisian Crochet is a great new craft or skill to develop.



3. This is a small project book with 10 items to crochet. The book is clear and easy to follow. The DVD has hesitation glitches and also some focus issues that are distracting. The envelope that contains the DVD is near the middle of the book, making browing through the book difficult...it would have been nice if there would have been a DVD pocket on the front or read page. All the items are made of light worsted or worsted weight yarn...many items would have been prettier made in a lighter weight yarn, giving a more lacy effect. I highly recommend a tunisian crochet hook with a flexible cord in place of the more old fashioned straight, solid hook.

5 comments about The Needlepoint Book: A Complete Update of the Classic Guide.

1. Every stitch ever invented and how to do each one in an all-encompassing volume. Perfect for finding new stitches to try on your own.



2. I purchased the first edition when I was learning to needlepoint. Now many years and moves later, I found the book was missing just when I wanted to start to needlepoint again. All I could remember was the green and yellow cover. No author name. No title. No publisher. What to do? Try Amazon.com. It was the first needlepoint book that came up. I remembered the author's name immediately when I saw it. What joy to find I can purchase an updated version of my lost treasure! This book is everything previous reviewers have stated. It contains a wealth of needlepoint knowledge and it should be the first book needlepoint novices purchase. They may not need to purchase any other.



3. This is a really comprehensive and well put together to help any embroiderer. However, I'm disappointed at the black-and-white photos of the stitches, which makes them harder for me to visualize. I would gladly have paid extra to have the photos of the stithces in color.



4. This was an excellent book on needlework when it first came out. Now it has been revised and updated and it is even better. She has included different and modern techniques as well as many excellent patterns of pictures to follow.



5. This book was advertised as a classic guide for all levels. I can only speak as a beginner, but the material I needed was covered well. Recommend this book without reservation.

5 comments about Subversive Cross Stitch.

1. A great way to spark ideals or just make some gifts straight out of the book. It's not the best tutorial but the author is quick to tell you that from the get go. I can't wait to start on another project.



2. Full of pithy and up-to-date little sayings. Perfect for my daughter and the younger generation. Be warned, there is some foul language.



3. Subversive Cross Stitch lives up to its name!
   This book has examples of the various "sentiments" which can be embroidered for the person who has everything.
   Patterns are included.
   Hilariously funny, yet, succinct samplers, are bordered by bunnies, flowers, and hearts.
   Too funny for words!
   Embroider one for your friends and loved ones, today.



4. I have been doing counted cross stitch my entire adult life. I have also been snarky my entire adult life. Subversive Cross Stitch combines both of those loves. I have made several projects for gifts and they have been very popular. The projects are easy enough for a novice but won't bore an experienced stitcher. Thank you Subversive Cross Stitch!



5. The patterns are difficult enough to be challenging, and entertaining enough to not be boring. My sister made the "This Place Sucks" sampler for our first home, and it's prominently displayed in the hallway. Makes a great story.

5 comments about 101 Needlepoint Stitches and How to Use Them: Fully Illustrated with Photographs and Diagrams (Dover Needlework).

1. This book was exactly what I hope it would be showing clear illustrations of a large number of needlepoint stitches. I would recommend it to others.



2. Good reference book to have for needlepoint stitches. Samples of the completed stitch are OK; they are black and white photo's making it difficult to see the detail; but the explanation of how to do the stitch is great. Good reference book for needlepointers.



3. I ordered several used books from Amazon and was exceptionally pleased at their condition, the swift delivery and the product itself. Would recommend to anyone to order via Amazon



4. My book came in good shape, as described on Amazon. It did take a long time to get it - I imagine that is the vagaries of the US Mail.



5. Good book for beginners. Covers lots of stitches....wish it had more on finishing projects.

5 comments about The Secrets of Needlepoint.

1. I met the author, Dominique Siegler-Lathrop, in her shop, Tappisseries de la Bucherie in Paris and this lady really knows her stuff. This is an excellent reference book with wonderful photos and examples of all the various needlepoint stitches - I wish I had this book when i first started needlepoint.



2. That is the only way I can describe what I have learned from this book. The instructions are excellent, as are the diagrams and photos. The technique she has developed and presented allows the stitcher to create beautiful, completed designs more quickly and with better finished results than I have ever experienced before. As a person who has been practicing needlepoint and canvas embroidery for more than 30 years, I thought I had it all figured out, at least most of it, but then I discovered this book. Last spring , while on an extended visit to Paris, I wandered in to Ms. Siegler-Lathrop's shop, Tapisseries de la Bucherie, and was greeted warmly by the author and given an impromptu lesson. I purchased the English version of this book, and it has become my "stitch bible". Buy this book! You will not be disappointed!



3. The Secrets of NeedlepointThe stitches are very clear and prescise. I can refer to this book without hesitation. Another book to add and keep in any needlework collection!



4. As someone who loves all different types of needleart forms, this book completely changed my way of thinking about needlepoint. Her illustrations are concise and easy to understand. She also has a fantastic website!



5. Dominique Siegler-Lathrop lives in Paris, France where she owns and operates her shop "Tapisseries de la Bucherie". Her speciality is tapestries made with hand-dyed wools and many of her designs are historically accurate. In The Secrets Of Needlepoint, she draws upon her many years of experience to provide the needlecrafter with her own proven method for making beautifully executed needlepoint tapestries on both monofil and penelope canvas. Readers are treated to 99 different stitches that are diagramed and illustrated; basic and advanced principles of design; handy tips and techniques; and sound advice for selecting equipment and supplies. The Secrets Of Needlepoint is an impressive and very highly recommended contribution to any personal or professional needlecraft instructional reference book collection.

4 comments about Needlepoint Stitches: 52 Stitches Explained and Illustrated.

1. As a brand-new needlepoint enthusiast, I found this book extremely helpful. The patters are illustrated in color and, despite my inexperience, super-easy to follow. I never would have been able to start learning how to stitch by following a black-and-white illustration, so this book was invaluable for me. Thanks to this book, I am able to confidently explore stitches and finish great pieces.



2. I love the book, the condition it was in when I got it and how fast it arrived.



3. Though this book is not exhaustive like other similar titles, I really like what is in the book. The pictures are very clear; I think what I like most is that the pictures are in color. It makes it far easier to see the stitches and how the resulting stitches will look once finished. It is a very good reference and addition to my library.



4. 
   
   The book is well done--good examples and good directions to follow.

5 comments about Tiny Yarn Animals: Amigurumi Friends to Make and Enjoy.

1. The critters in this book are really very cute, but the instructions leave something to be desired. At first, things went well - crocheted the pig's head, and it came out looking fine. But the body didn't come out looking much as pictured - it's too small, for one thing, and it's shaped differently than as pictured. And THEN I got to the arms & legs. They're supposed to come out looking like "little sausages" - well, they were more like teeny coasters. Thinking that it was my error, I re-did them time & time again, each time w/the same results. Then I tried crocheting them in the manner in which I THOUGHT the author might have meant - with the result being they did look like sausages, but ones that were way too big. The unfortunate thing is that while most of the animals have very similar-looking limbs, the instructions for each were just cut and pasted, so they all had the exact same poor instructions - I had thought I could use the instructions from another animal to correct it.



2. I've only completed 2 projects so I can't comment on the instructions, but for the 2 that I did they were clear. There are a number of cute animals to crochet. My skills are still beginner lever, and the 2 animals I completed were a bit difficult due to guage - so really a skill issue and not an instruction issue. Overall a good addition to my collection.



3. While the patterns themselves look adorable when completed, the instructions, if followed exactly, will not let you make a what you see in the picture.
   
   I bought this book for my daughter. While not an expert, she is a fairly accomplished crocheter.
   
   Some of the explatives and comments issued by her while following these instructions were, shall we say, colorful. My daughter usually doesn't talk like this. With some analysis on her part, it was fairly easy to "fix" the patterns, but it should not have been neccessary to fix them. When you but patterns or instruction they should be complete. They should work the first time, and everytime when followed exactly.
   
   To the Author: Your directions need serious work. You may wish to have a few friends or associates "test" your instructions. If they fail, find out where and fix it, BEFORE you put it in a book.
   
   To the Publisher/Editor: Epic Fail. When publishing anything with instructions it is your DUTY to your readers to insure the instructions are accurate and complete. Try harder. Maybe even test things like this with a group of whatever {crocheters, knitters, etc} BEFORE you release.
   
   To those who feel I wrongly acuse the author of failure, follow the instructions EXACTLY as written. Do not assume, do not add. See what your results are.



4. I've made 2 amigurumi stuffies now. My first from a book titled Crobots: 20 Amigurumi Robots to Make and the other from this book. The Tiny Yarn Animals book pales in comparison to the Crobots: 20 Amigurumi Robots to Make book. Tiny Yarn Animals had instructions for making each part but didn't not mention how much to stuff the parts or how to even put it all together. The lack of instructions on how to put the parts together has left me hesitant to try another pattern. I also ran into a stitch that I hadn't heard of before sctog, which was defined as 'single crochet two stitches together.' I haven't run into this stitch before and was a bit frazzled that it didn't come with a clearer explanation. In the end I assumed I just had to decrease which worked out just fine. I would not recommend this book to someone who has a hard time figuring things out from photos or is new to crochet. I'm sure if you're an avid amigurumi maker you can probably figure this stuff out pretty easily.



5. The amigurumi animals are very cute. I am looking forward to making quite a few for myself and as gifts. The book was in very good shape.

5 comments about Fashioning Technology: A DIY Intro to Smart Crafting (Craft: Projects).

1. If you took the Reader's Digest Guide to Sewing, mixed it with a Radio Shack parts catalog, and tossed in the early works of William Gibson, you might end up with something like Fashioning Technology by Syuzi Pakhchyan.
   
   Like the Reader's Digest Guide, Fashioning Technology starts out discussing materials, but instead of discussing weaves and knits, warp and weft, the author writes about electroluminescent wire, heat-shrink tubing, and light-emitting diodes. Leaving topics about sewing machines and sergers to other books, Fashioning Technology has tutorials on basic circuits in series and parallel. Were this a different book, the chapter titled "The Art of Soldering" might have been a chapter about embroidery.
   
   The tutorials and materials discussion make up the bulk of the book, but the final third details projects that use the materials and techniques the author described earlier. The projects, which range from clothing, to interior decorations, to toys, are interesting because they show what can be done. Rather than trying to copy the projects, I'm letting them serve as a seed of inspiration for future projects of my own.
   
   This book probably can probably be useful to different types of readers. Stitchers or crafters who are looking for something more than regular sewing might find new possibilities with this book. Likewise, hardware hackers who are looking for other options, might consider some of the info here.
   
   Part of me wants to see more books like this, because I think the book has some shortcomings. The LilyPad Arduino seems like it would have been a natural fit for this book, but it was nowhere to be found. On the other hand, if this book is a bit like dangling your feet in the water of electronics, then a discussion about Arduino would require scuba gear. It's a bit beyond the other topics in the book.



2. Very detailed instuctions, but not enough ilustrations. Fun project even though I wish for more projects and ideas.



3. I'm very happy I bought this book. I came to it as somebody who is interested in multi-media art and crafting, but with little experience of home made electronics. If you're as clueless as I was don't worry, the author starts at the beginning by providing pictures and descriptions of all the parts you will need, she gives a great introduction to electronics, and her directions are very clear. The projects in the book are varied and fun, but I was more interested in learning how they were made than actually making them. I was able to use what I learned from reading about her projects to make my own designs. At the end of the book there's a very useful list of suppliers of materials, without it I would have found it hard to track some of them down.



4. I picked this up at the library to check it out and was immediately impressed with it's accessible and easily understood explanation of how to read and use electronic components like resistors, capacitors, transistors and LEDs. Just about the best I've ever seen. I had to add this to my personal collection for that attribute alone. However, there's a lot of basic and easy to grasp instruction and information on materials and production techniques, too.
   
   There are plenty of projects in this book to get you started and if you're half-way creative and imaginative you should be able to springboard off them to come up with your own ideas.
   
   I wish more instructional manuals and books were written as clear and understandable as this one.
   
   Outstanding!



5. This book is a wealth of information for those looking to start delving into the world of 'soft circuits' and smart materials. It is for the beginner, and includes detailed information on circuits and parts, as well as explanations of the latest smart materials and their usages. In the last section of the book, there are easy-to-follow instructions on making a variety of projects that will inspire anyone on the possibilities for these materials.
   
   Happy crafting!

5 comments about Feltique: Techniques and Projects for Wet Felting, Needle Felting, Fulling, and Working with Commercial Felt.

1. This book has wonderful color photos on every page with close-ups and good directions about how to complete projects. I haven't tried any yet, but the directions look easy to follow and comprehensive. There are a variety of smaller as well as more ambitious projects. Most of the projects involve creating your own felt through using the hot water technique with wool tops, but there is at least one using pre-made, store bought felt.



2. This book has easy to follow instructions and great inspiration projects. A great book for ideas and possibilities of the felting process.



3. FELTIQUE: TECHNIQUES AND PROJECTS FOR WET FELTING, NEEDLE FELTING, FULLING, AND WORKING WITH COMMERCIAL FELT provides detailed how-to information on creating and using felt from leftover yarn, unwanted knitting projects and commercial squares alike, offering nearly fifty projects ranging from hats and necklaces to blankets and baby clothes. An organization by technique allows beginners access to different felting methods and allows advanced felters to move quickly to intermediate processes. Any crafts or needlework library needs this.



4. This is an excellent book to use to review different felting techniques. The project suggestions are well presented and are good for generating your own ideas.



5. I have a few felting books, and this one is my favorite. What's so wonderful about it is this--several fiber artists contributed to the book so the book doesn't follow one person's style. The projects are varied and interesting and unique to each artist. They're also fun and doable and utilitarian (some). Great book--contemporary and relevant and, again, fun!