5 comments about How We Felt: Designs and Techniques from Contemporary Felt Artists.

1. It's an English artist and different approaches are introduced and i felt interesting.
   Good for a self studying person though some samples are advanced level.



2. How We Felt, Designs and techniques From Contemporary Felt Artists by Carol Huber Cypher, softback published by Interweave. Available in the UK, ISBN 978-1-59668-031-9, price 17.99 from [...]
   There are some wonderful projects and ideas in this book. It would have been better if the instructions incorporated more how-to photos. I love the boots and slippers, the bags and the African trade beads in the gallery are superb. The book includes some exciting techniques. However, like most, I am still wondering, having read the instructions, how to make these things.



3. A beautiful book ,with lots of inspiration and ideas, but not such clear instructions, quite difficult in fact ,this book requires a more experienced artist in order to use it to its full potential.



4. This is one the most beautiful of the books on my felting shelf. The projects all share their contemporary nature, which I love, but from there the techniques and the types of projects spin out into so many different directions. Both home decore and wearables are represented here. A group of floating felted poppies suspended from a ceiling evoke Chihuly's wild use of color and organic shape; while a pair of Scandinavian books wth Hungarian flair has me looking for shoe soles. A butterfly cape takes my breath away and a primitive patterned tote has me checking my roving supply. I highly recommend this book for anyone with a love of contemporary styled projects and a desire to examine felt in many different techniques and projects.



5. Great book Carol a must reference for the serious felter and aspiring beginner. Looking forward to more

5 comments about Miniature Iron-on Transfer Patterns for Dollhouses, Dolls, and Small Projects.

1. I bought this thinking it would be pictures of blankets, rugs and various other things that you can iron on to cloth and then put directly into your house. Wrong!
   
   This is for needle workers. Cross stitch and/or embroidery. But after looking through the book, I will try my hand at this because the designs are just that neat. I think when I actually get one made it will be well worth the tiny price of the book.



2. This book is exactly what it says it is. It is full of iron on transfers for minature projects. So there is no surprise there.
   It is full of transfers and is worth the money. If you are good with the computer you could enlarge these patterns and use them for larger doll houses. I have transfer pencils from hobbytex I can use to make these larger patterns into iron-on transfers.
   If you are into making items for miniatures I recommend this book and if you do have a transfer pencil you can make even more than what is recommended by this book.



3. The transfer patterns included are surpisingly detailed. They say that you can use them several times. It appears they could be used for embroidery, crewel work or needle punch. The instructions are only for iron transfer to cloth but not for the embroidery. You could look at the front and back cover for ideas but the actual book doesn't give any hints. I had ordered a punch needle "how to" book so I can use that to complete the little rugs.



4. This is a wonderful, affordable book full of iron-on patterns for rugs, bedspreads, quilts, and other mini applications. If you use just ONE pattern, it is worth the price of this book!



5. I was really surprised with this book, it's loaded with all kinds of patterns to be used for making dollhouse items. I think this is a must have for any one making dollhouse items.

5 comments about Pattern Making for Fashion Design.

1. This book is helpful in guiding first time commercial pattern making. It gives suppliers and necessary equipment. I will definately keep it as a reference book. It is written at a very high level of instructions. Sometimes it takes me several readings to understand with the instructions. I have sewn for 40 years, and have a good knowledge basis, and this book is teaching me quite a bit. Very helpful!



2. I love this book, I only wish that it was spiral bound, I thought that is what I ordered, I will get used to this though and use the book often.



3. This books has excellent diagrams and step by step instructions. It was pretty expensive. BUT the negative is that the instructions do not get the end result for most patterns. There is a lot of inaccuracies. But that is what the instructor at my school uses this book so i had to buy it. But some of these patterns are clearly not tested eg. raglan sleeve, exaggerated sleeve , to name a few.



4. Great book! Exactly what I was expecting in perfect condition as promised. I was disappointed with the arrival time though. It took almost a week longer than expected.



5. This is a good basic text for patternmaking, but I like the spiral bound edition better.

5 comments about Big Book of Indian Beadwork Designs (Dover Needlework Series).

1. This is not what I expected or what I wanted. It is all black and white and very difficult to work the patterns from.



2. There's an enormous variety of seed bead patterns in this book, but they are all for loom or square stitch, no peyote/comanche stitch or brick stitch. I like the book enough to keep for if/when I ever venture into loomwork, but there's nothing I can use now.



3. Not at all happy with this product. Does not show what it says it does.



4. Big Book of Indian Beadwork Designs (Dover Needlework Series)I have worked a few of the designs and liked them. I found two mistakes on the fourth design on page 5. I guess it wasn't tested before publication. I found this annoying, and will not buy any more books by this author.



5. I haven't gotten into bead weaving yet but the designs have given me a lot of inspiration for other beading projects that I have in mind.

5 comments about Hats On! 31 Warm and Winsome Caps for Knitters.

1. I own this book and have made three hats from it so far. The patterns are easy to follow for an intermediate knitter. Ms. Schurch does not provide a lot of technical explanations regarding two-color technique. If you are not familiar with this type of knitting you will need to rely on other sources for tips and explanations. I am a moderately experienced knitter and really like this book. The patterns are wonderful, varied, and interesting. I really enjoy looking at, wearing, and knitting multi-colored items and this book is perfect for that. So far I have not found any mistakes and the patterns can be knit relatively quickly and inexpensively. Usually one ball of good quality yarn per hat. I anticipate knitting many more hats from the book as they make great gifts and this book's patterns are a pleasure to make.



2. I love all the different hats and want to knit all of them. The great plus is no two hats have exactly the same shape, some patterns are from exotic places like Turkey or Siberia so different techniques are used which is a great way to learn.
   
   The book can be used as a reference and motifs from other sources can be adapted to the basic shapes. It's a great reference book with instructions for 4 different sizes throughout. Hats off!



3. This is one of my favorite knitting books of all time. I've knitted three of the hats in this book and they've all turned out beautifully. I've got a waiting list from friends who want one, too! Charlotte Schurch does a great job rounding up traditional hats from around the world, but her Nordic ones are my favorites. You can see my Hats On! creations on Ravelry at julieandcompany.



4. This one book includes patterns for many hat styles. My favorite, and I have many.



5. The patterns are classic, and in Norway we all have hats like this. So the book is very useful. I have observed that the Norwegian sweaters and patterns are coming into fashion again, so this book can get a new life. My fifth star would have been shining if the author had used thicker yarn, 23-26 st per 10 cm is more "normal" for this kind of garments. It makes them warmer and the pattern easier to knit.
   Tips: Some patterns show a section of a hat to repeat: Easily you can knit mittens using one section of a hat -- with my gauge!

5 comments about Creative Cloth Doll Couture: New Approaches to Making Beautiful Clothing and Accessories.

1. I think this is a great book , very informative and great pictures. I like it very much good addition to my library



2. i was hoping that this book would help me with costuming my dolls by creating clothes that were draped on the doll body..a wonderful book for making structured doll clothes and a must have doll makers book! i gave it 4 stars because i still have no clue on how to "drape a fantasy" costume



3. I love all of Patti's books, but this one is probably my favorite. They're not just instructional, they're fun to read or just admire. As another reviewer mentioned below, you learn a lot about doll and clothing construction. I've never actually used one of the patterns, but use them as inspiration to make my own. That's the best part of Patti's books. They inspire creativity and individuality in your doll-making. Highly recommend this book if you love dolls!



4. Although Patti Culea's books on doll making tend to be reptitious in some respects, it's nice to know that you don't have to buy all of them - or if you do, you don't have to pull all of them off your shelf at once in order to make your own art doll. All are excellent, including this one. Have fun!



5. I love all her books, very well illustrated and Amazon is fast at getting my orders to me. Thank you. Great information on clothing for doll making!

5 comments about Patterns for Guernseys, Jerseys, and Arans: Fishermen's Sweaters from the British Isles.

1. I was hungry to get started on an Aran sweater before I got this book. Now that I have this book, I can't finish my current sweater fast enough so that I can start one of the Aran's in here! Excellent historical notes. The patterns themselves are old and some of the needle sizing isn't what we use today. No big deal if you are an experienced knitter though--which you need to be if you are going to be knitting these type of sweaters.



2. The patterns themselves in this book are quite useless for me as they are knitted on extremely small needles- but the stitches and the ideas behind the patterns are more than useful. I love just thumbing through the book and looking at the pictures!
   
   In addition to the pictures and stitches, the author does a great job of writing about the history of the patterns as well as her own travels to collect them.
   
   I love this book and would recommend it for anyone who would like to learn more stitches and get additional designing ideas.



3. This is a remake from a book written years ago. It has history of the sweater designs which is very interesting. The women didn't have set patterns written down, but are designs that have been carried down from generation to generation for a particular region. I would consider this book one for more intermediate knitters or those interested in history.



4. I have knit sweaters for years but never tried a guernsey until now. This book has oodles of great patterns to place into your sweater but if you haven't a clue how to get started, it would be difficult without experienced help. There are a few patterns which take you from the beginning through to finish but the remainder assumes you are designing the sweater and inserting patterns of your own design. I loved the stories of gathering the special designs of the individual villages and following the men around to determine what design was used and how it was done! That takes guts! Great book for my library and knit bag!



5. My aunt had given me this book a long time ago and it was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina. I bought it to replace it and now remember what a great book it is! This was the first time Aran sweater patterns were recorded in writing. I find this fascinating.

5 comments about A Is for Apron: 25 Fresh & Flirty Designs.

1. I just received my book after researching several apron books on the market. This is the best one I have found. The aprons are posh, fun and versatile. The directions and instructions really clear (if you have a little sewing experience), and the pictures are worthy of framing and hanging on the wall! There area lot of apron books on the market, and in my opinion, this one tops them all!



2. First off the positive-CUTE CUTE CUTE aprons. I could make anyone of them and keep or give as a gift. BUT beware that you have to enlarge ALL PATTERN PIECES by 400%. One of my favorites-the Josephine- cost $9 to enlarge the apron front because it had to be printed on drafting paper. Then come the instructions. DO NOT GET THIS IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER unless you have an experienced person to help you through the project to read ahead and make notes for you in the book. Be aware that pattern pieces will change names throughout instructions-ie "Neck Straps" become "Ties" which is confusing with "Ties" for waist ties, and the drawstring which is also become "Ties". The aprons can be made, it just takes more time deciphering the instructions than actually making the apron. For the author: I would suggest having the patterns tested by a few people next time-and I do hope there is another book-before having it printed, and it would be nice to have patterns included with the book. I would much rather pay $24-$28 for a book with patterns-like Amy Butler, or Anna Maria Horner, or French General than pay $18 for a great book, but then have to pay another $20-$30 to have all the pattern pieces-no to mention the extra time alloted to make it down to the copy store.



3. UG this book is just awful the aprons are all so cute I wanted to get started on them right away. I quickly scanned the patterns and then printed them out and pieced them. Then i took my lovely 9 dollar a yard amy bulter and free spirit fabric trying to make the summertime blues apron. Even though i have over 20 years sewing expierence all the kings horses and all the kings men could not make this pattern go together again. I have never had such a time with any pattern, i even often design my own patterns...so i thought i might be able to fix this one. Nope my husband the math major was also at a lose on how to fix it so i picked out my stitches.... thinking i would turn my now mess of scraps into a half apron i tried that next...kaleidoscope.....also didn't turn out correctly either nothing lined up, following the directions you will have the wrong sides showing... I ended up losing the pleated waist band and making a very basic apron with what scraps remained from my 56 dollars in supplies!
   I could have made that half apron that i ended up making without the book using just my cutting board and cutting wheel and a design in my head.
   Don't waste the money on this book, unless you just check it out for the cute fabric combos that is about all it is good for, i can so see something who is just beginning to sew crying over the incrediable waste of fabric and thinking they can't do anything right. I do not understand why all these patterns/directions were not tested by someone before printing.



4. For anyone that's taken a sewing book to the printer for enlarging, and been refused based on copyright laws...point out the following notice on the copyright page:
   
   "The written instructions, photographs, designs, patterns, and projects in this volume are intended for the personal use of the reader and may be reproduced for that purpose only. Any other use, especially commercial use, is forbidden under law without written permission of the copyright holder."
   
   Since mine is a library copy, I was pleased to notice the term 'reader' and not 'owner'...
   COPY AWAY, it's legal and you have the blessing of the publisher and author!!!



5. I loved the artistry the author put into these aprons; however, I just made the Provence Smock and the directions were so bad - I gave up and did it myself (and I'm a beginner). Also, cutting the pieces of fabric, once the patterns are enlarged are also a big problem. There is no cutting directions. So, I cut based on the instructions and had to recut a few times on the straps to get the lining correct. Plus, now one of the straps is backward (but no big deal) because of the lack of directions. Finally, I didn't make a muslin and am a RTW 12 blouse (8 RTW hip) and it's really too small by about an inch or two. It's wearable but not that comfortable (Darn it!) . I could recut the straps. Crazy. It does look like the picture.
   
   Wonderful designs but poor poor instructions! I don't know if I'll make the Lorelei - if I do I am going to figure out the cuts myself before cutting into the fabric. I'd rather have patterns that actually work.

No comments about Pat Sloan's Fast-Forward Quilts (Leisure Arts #5044).

5 comments about Mary Thomas's Knitting Book.

1. This is a very interesting historical knitting book published in the 1930's, I believe. It would be of more interest to the serious student of knitting than to the general knitter. Modern readers will find the B&W photography not up to their accustomed standard. The drawn diagrams are excellently done, though.
   That said, for the interested reader, this is a truly fascinating book that is densely packed with information.
   You will be happiest if you can borrow it from a library before buying it to be sure it is your cup of tea.



2. A classic become a classic for a good reason.
   
   If you want to understand knitting, buy this book.



3. I purchased this book for a fellow knitter sight unseen. She was lucky to get it. I will be acquiring multiple copies of this book for my knitting friends. The instructions are clear and the writing style is charming. The illustrations are fun vintage images. A necessary book for every knitter.



4. The Mary Thomas knitting books (As far as I know there are two, one on knitting per se and the other on knitting patterns.)are the only knitting books one would ever need to learn knitting and enjoy knitting for a lifetime. Granted, there are many wonderful modern books with better pictures, great diagrams, fine patterns and neater print, but contained in these two paperback Dover reprints of very old books are instructions for beginning through advanced knitters, simple explanations to all the knitting problems I have ever encountered and instructions for any knitting pattern you'd ever want to knit. There are even little funny bits in the margins for folks who like a good pun. I am a life-long knitter and have frequent use for these books. These books make great gifts for a knitting friend who does not own them



5. This is such a fun book. I have read a little more than half of it now, and skimmed through the rest, and there is so much here. The history of knitting that she gives at the beginning as well as sprinkled throughout the text is very interesting. She shows ways to do things that I have never heard of, and explains some things so that I finally understand them! I don't know if this would be good for the complete beginner. But then, I think that knitting is easier learned from a person than a book. But, once you have a few basics down, this book will teach you a lot.
   
   The writing style makes you feel as if she is sitting there talking to you. And the words "hip", "funky", and "not your grandmother's...", are never used. That is a real plus to me, as I find that whole trend rather irritating. (But that's a whole 'nother topic.)
   
   Here are the chapter titles to give you an idea of what is in the book:
   History
   Knitting Implements, Ancient and Modern
   Knitting Yarns
   Gauge and Tension
   Knit Movements, Stitch and Fabric
   Selvedges. Casting on. Casting off. Edges
   Shape: Increasing and Decreasing
   Colour Knitting
   Frame or Rake knitting
   Looped Knitting
   Beaded and Bead knitting
   Embroidered Knitting
   Garments
   Details of Garments
   Shetland Shawls
   Gloves
   Socks and Stockings
   Knitting Hints
   
   I found it very interesting that there was a chapter about rake and loom knitting, as that has become so popular again. I do knit on knitting boards too, and the directions and illustrations were the same that you would see in a more "modern" book. There really is nothing new under the sun! The spiral sock pattern looks fun too. I want to give that a try soon.
   
   Overall, this book is full of interesting information, and while not as glitzy as the newer books, it would make a great addition to your knitting library.