1 comments about Redwork from The WORKBASKET: 100 Designs for Machine and Hand Embroidery.

1. I love this book. Received it this week. I love the designs. It includes a CD so that you can choose hand/machine embroidery. There are a variety of patterns with an updated vintage look if that makes sense.

2 comments about The Encyclopedia of Monograms: Over 11,000 Motifs for Designers, Artists, and Crafters.

1. The only reason I don't give this book 5 stars is that because I am not a graphic designer I don't know how much practicul use it is; however, that observation aside, as a collector I love, love this book. For monogram/initial nuts it is page after page of eye candy. My artistic talents are limited to rubber stamping since it doesn't involve drawing and I can use markers or pencils to enhance my "creations." Who knows? I may even tackle the task of actually trying to recreate my monogram with pen and ink.



2. Fantastic collection of monograms & ciphers. You can't ask for a greater number collected here (11,000). The issue is, they look photocopied rather than scanned at high resolution.

5 comments about Japanese Kimekomi: Fast, Fun, and Fabulous Fabric Handballs!.

1. This book is wonderful! With clear directions and patterns you can create a masterpiece in one evening on your first try. It's fun and easy. I am very pleased with my first project and will be doing many more. It's a great opportunity to use my left over fabric scraps to make something beautiful. Being an experienced crafter, I already had most of the supplies and tools on hand. But this book is good for a beginner, too. It is a non-sewing project for those who do not sew and the results are elegant decorations for your home at a low cost. These fabric balls will make good gifts for the holidays.



2. Japanese Kimekomi: Fast, Fun, and Fabulous Fabric Handballs!
   Service Excellent, like wise product. I am most satisfied. Thank you. The dear lady I bought it for is delighted and has already started on a product.



3. I'm a crafter and was so anxious to get this book. Unfortunately, I found the directions inadequate and confusing and I couldn't even get past the first steps to making these beautiful balls. Maybe I'll try later on but for now it's just another book in my crafting library.



4. I'm very pleased with the condition of my Kemikome book. Also pleased with how quick it was sent to me



5. I have read the book thoroughly. The directions seem quite clear with good pictures. Any day now I am going to attempt to make one!

5 comments about Knit with Beads: Stunning Shawls and Wraps: Easy Techniques, 15 Beautiful Designs.

1. Beautiful pictures. Great instructions. I love this book. Cannot wait to get started. These make great Christmas gifts! Thanks



2. this book has some lovely gift ideas and several items I would wear myself. I was looking for more specific instruction on how to incorporate the beads into the knitting; although there was some explanation I could have used more details on all the specific techniques. Overall I'm glad I bought it. Can't wait to try some of these patterns out!



3. I ordered this book about a week ago, and I love it. I think the shawls, wraps, etc are lovely. My daughters would love several of the patterns to wear. There are a couple of modern designs like a beaded shrug and a top that is just a wrap around the bust line perfect to fit over a tight fitting tee. Then there are some more formal designs that would be great for Sunday such as a lace shawl with beaded edge and a little pearl edged capelet. Then there are some older "mother in law" type designs like a pull over cabled and beaded poncho, and a large shawl wrap, and a double breasted capelet. Anyway, I have several projects I want to try out of this book and I now know how to bead and knit thanks to this book.



4. Scarlet Taylor's KNIT WITH BEADS: STUNNING SHAWLS & WRAPS is for knitters who want to embellish a knitted product with something different. The author's a knitwear designer who was inspired to adorn her own knitting from the offerings of a local bead shop: her creative shawls and wraps offer up something quite different from the usual knitter's guide, making KNIT WITH BEADS a fine addition to any knitting library.



5. This book is great for learning the various ways of adding beads to a knitted item. Each technique is explained and its applications discussed briefly.
   
   The projects are so so, mostly poncho type circular things that look like sausage casings, but you can really learn beaded knitting here and make some lovely things.
   
   If you want fashionable projects, this is not the book. If you want a technique book for your own ideas, get this book.

5 comments about 101 Log Cabin Blocks (4181).

1. I'm very happy with the book "101 Log Cabin Blocks." It came quickly and in very good shape.



2. This is a wonderful book with fantastic Log Cabin Foundation Paper Piecing Blocks. Great addition to my collection!



3. Love this book. Patterns range from very simple to complex. Most work up really fast



4. I just keep using new patterns all the time. Easy instructions and lots of good illustrations. Suggestions help you get your imagination working for your own unique quilt pattern. I love my book.



5. interesting different ways to sew the old log cabin. Makes patchwork a lot of fun and gives quilts the 'wow' factor

No comments about Naughty but Nice Cross Stitch.

5 comments about Pretty Little Potholders (Pretty Little Series).

1. I love this book! I love to sew aprons and potholders. I've been making aprons now for seven years and was looking for a great potholder pattern book and I found it with this book. So far I have made 4 potholders as gifts. I made the one with yo-yo flowers and rick rack trim. I was told it's too pretty to use. There are some really great retro ideas and patterns in this book. And I would use them!



2. This book has a lot of ideas to use for making potholders. I plan to combine some of the ideas together also for making table mats or hot pads.



3. While not every potholder in this book belongs in my kitchen, it gave me lots of ideas, and very solid informaton on how to realize them. I bought the book to learn a few sewing techniques (binding tape, quilting) with a small manageable project. Good how-to information. It won't end war or cure cancer, but it's a useful little book if you need potholders.



4. I am a fan of the "Pretty Little" series, and this is probably my favorite. So many cute ideas to "snaz up" the humble potholder. Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas this year?



5. I first got this book from the library & bookmarked most of the pages. Then I remembered to look it up on Amazon and there it was, at a great price, too! Although it arrived just when they promised, it wasn't fast enough because I was painfully anxious to get it in my hot little hands. No reflection on the seller, just my impatience. The seller is great!
   This book is so EXCELLENT, with well-written instructions, marvelous ideas that are original and fresh. I LOVE THIS BOOK, so it MUST be illegal-- how could anything this good be otherwise?!? My sewing machine is going to be smokin' from all the goodies I'll be making now!

5 comments about Needle-Felting Magic: Easy Machine Techniques and Projects (That Patchwork Place).

1. Clear instructions, great photos - can't wait to get started on the projects in this book!



2. The book is very instructiv with several projects. It's a very good book to start with if you want to learn machine needle-felting. A lot of beautiful pictures, too.



3. A friend and I worked through the pages and discussed the various techniques listed. We attempted to make the purse and are ready to make the lining and sew them together. Backs and fronts are completed and were lots of fun. We used various fabrics from cottons, sheers, nylon backed, synthetics and various fibers which were natural to synthetic. It was a test to see what would work and what wouldn't. Since we were working together, we discussed the good and bad results with various trims and embellishments.
   
   We're ready to add felting embellishments to further projects and recommend the book for those who don't know where to begin.



4. After seeing Margo's website & having her first book I was expecting a lot more from this book. This one is far more basic then the first book.
   
   Most of the techniques would be better accomplished with a sewing machine rather than a needle felt machine. Many of the items are going to break the expensive needles on one of these machines.
   
   These techniques are all covered in other better books and far more comprehensively, don't waste your money.



5. This book really gets the creative juices flowing. Even if I don't make any projects that are just like what are in the book, it gives me the desire to stretch my imagination! Her projects are a delight for the eye, and the colors she chooses are so luscious. Yes, the creations are for those people who "think outside the box" and who want to do something out of the ordinary. Just wish that there were many more pages to enjoy!
   I hope that there will be another book to follow this one from the author.

No comments about The Felted Bag Book: 21 Simple Projects for Every Occasion.

5 comments about Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Needlework (Leisure Arts #15861)(Donna Kooler's Series).

1. I've been needlepointing for a couple of years, and my mother has been doing all kinds of needlework for decades, and we both love this book. It's beautiful to look at, clearly organized and laid out, and full of useful and inspiring information. My favorite parts are the stitch guides, which are really well done -- each stitch is illustrated with a how-to line diagram as well as a color photo of the stitch itself, along with a written description of the pros and cons of the stitch, directions for stitching, suggested uses, etc. (You can see examples of these pages in the "Click to Look Inside" link on the Amazon page.) I looked at a lot of stitch guides (trying to find some new ideas to add to my continental/basketweave habit), and the ones in this book were really the best I've seen, by far. Besides the stitch guides, the sections about supplies and the history of the crafts are fun to read, too. I would highly recommend it to anyone who needlepoints, cross-stitches, or does any kind of embroidery (or wants to learn how!)



2. The price was so right. I was interested in content only
   and didn't mind that the cover was not perfect because that
   issue had already been covered in the description.



3. I am the proud owner of a very extensive craft library, of which probably one quarter is devoted to embroidery reference books from authors of the calibre of Mary Thomas, Jacqueline Enthoven, Moyra McNeil and Mary Gostelow and the like. The problem with that is these books are stand alone units and one can spend a large amount of time scanning through these various publications for the answer to a query.
   
   That's where this new publication comes into play. Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Needlework is a fantastic reference for all crafters. It is THE book to have in your craft library that will answer just about any query you may have for many many genres of needlework. Not only does this publication offer extensive information on history and materials, but a very fine stitch gallery in each of the genres of needlepoint, embroidery and counted thread.
   
   I am in awe of the research that has gone into putting such a ultimate publication together. There must have been many man hours spent finding the information and then many hours spent in getting that information into such easy to understand form. And the photography and diagrams are second to none.
   
   I would thoughly recommend this book as a great reference book to find a home in any crafters library. It is exceptional.



4. It seems to me that an encyclopedia of needlework is one of those things which sounds like a great idea, but ends up being not very useful in reality -- sort of like a home repair manual when your drain is clogged. But Donna Kooler's brand new book (just appearing on-line and in shops now) is certainly the exception which proves this rule.
   
   I am so excited by this book I hardly know where to begin. Donna and the staff at her design studio are wizards of design and stitching and they have brought their love of needlework and their depth of knowledge onto every page of the book.
   
   Instead of being comprehensive, the book deals with only the three major groupings of needlework: needlepoint, embroidery, and counted thread. Each section is identified by a color and small tabs on the side of every page let you know the major section you are in.
   
   Each of the major sections is dived up into three parts. The first part provides introductory information, history, a breakdown of materials and basic information on the technique. Even if you are an experienced stitcher, don't skip these sections, they are full of great information, wonderful tips and the best and biggest material pictures I've ever seen.
   
   The bulk of each section is given over to a Stitch Gallery, which is wonderful. Each stitch is pictured and has a large chart (two stitches per page). The name and alternate names are given along with a description,stitching instructions and suggested uses. In places where seeing the back is important (for example in the three types of tent stitches) the back is shown. On every diagram a red dot indicates where to being stitching. In addition the stitches are broken up into families so related stitches are found together.
   
   The final part of each section has a small selection of lovely projects to introduce you to the technique. For needlepoint there is a traditional floral, a charming Bargello kimono, and a textured stitch sampler in white.
   
   You have probably heard that many embroidery and counted thread stitches also work for needlepoint, but you may have felt uncertain about stitching them. With this book, especially with the counted thread section you will find lots of exciting ideas you can apply to your needlepoint. The stitches for pulled work, is particularly good.
   
   Not only is this book full of great information, it is beautiful as well. The entire book is designed to be visually appealing as well as very useful. Each page has the section name along the edge of the page as well as the printed tab. Throughout the stitch galleries, a heading at the top of the page tells you the particular technique (bargello, hardanger, edgings, etc.). All the stitched examples are done in a single range of pastel shades and in the pictures the threads are color-coordinated and the accessories are artfully arranged. This makes it a book which will draw new stitchers into our art, largely because it is beautiful and makes needlework look easy and fun.
   
   I am so happy with this book that I'm going to recommend it to everyone in my beginning needlepoint class I'm teaching soon. It may be required reading for the class after that!



5. I love this book. It is a great book to learn by. Very easy to follow!
   I've learned a lot of new stitches with this book!