5 comments about Needle Felting: Simple Techniques, Beautiful Projects (That Patchwork Place).

1. I've been looking at doing a crazy quilt and thought that learning Needle Felting would help. I learned that it's fun, you can be creative, but it takes lots of time.
   
   The book was very helpful in showing steps and giving ideas. Would recommend this book.



2. This is the book I used for my first needle felting project. WOW! I was so happy with the results! Clear easy instructions and the photos were extremely nice since I rely on photos to help me understand directions. I consider myself a wool artist, thanks to this book of Simple Techniques I've discovered a new love of needle felting to combine with my wool projects.



3. This book is very, very simplistic. It covers two dimensional needle felting only (no sculptural or 3D work). It is also not very clear on materials and references only the authors' (VERY expensive) supply store. This type of needle felting is basically an imitation of embroidery, which in my opinion doesn't warrant an entire book of instructions. There are patterns included and are very similar to the one on the cover - feminine, floral, simplistic, and a little boring. I didn't like this book because it covers only a tiny facet of what needlefelting can be. The book never states that, and if this was your first introduction to this art, then you might not ever know.



4. I purchased this book after receiving (and loving!) the other book by the same authors. The first book helped me get a handle on the skill of needle felting and now I'm seeking out new projects. This book has some of the cutest, hippest ideas! I've been using it to make gifts for friends, and no one can believe I made them myself. I would say this book has inspired creativity in me, as I've even made some changes to things after mastering them. If you knew me you'd understand, that's really something! Great for anyone interested in needle felting.



5. This book helped me when I was just starting out -I had never needle felted before and I picked up this book and one other one. Since then, I've really picked up the craft. This book really appealed to me in part because of the look of it, and the insides are just as cute. The authors have made an excellent book to introduce novices to needle felting, and in a way that makes you feel like you could come up with your own ideas and implement them, at least to play around and improve your skills.
   
   As the last reviewer said, this book does exactly what it says it will - offers simple techniques and beautiful projects. If that's what you're looking for, this does the trick. Loved it!

5 comments about Weaving Without a Loom.

1. What a fun book. Easy to understand. Good pictures to explain. Would recommend.



2. Interesting book, full of projects I'm likely to try. This one is a keeper and that comes from a weaver who has been at it for awhile



3. This book is a geat How-To-Book for beginners. Great projects that can be used; such as a shawl, hats, belts, several purses, decorative and household items. It provides really nice photographic and text instructions for paper samples, small size yarn practice samples in various weave styles and more. Very practical for the beginner and for teaching others.



4. It's a fun book. I bought it to find out whether I like weaving, without buying an expensive loom (I do.) I've only made 2 of the several projects, and they're definitely doable. What I have found is that the instructions are not quite as complete as one might wish; maybe she's relying on a person's common sense (!). Also, the weaving on a card is fun - but only after you make the card with the itty-bitty cuts - very tedious and sort of annoying. And one more thing: this is NOT weaving without a loom (except for the weaving sticks). It must be the marketing division who named the book without actually reading it. It's mostly weaving on several different homemade looms, one for each project.
   
   I don't care - it's still fun!



5. My mother was a remarkable artist and craftswoman, who taught herself how to spin and weave. I often wish I'd taken the time to sit with her and watch so that I might have learned, too, but as usual with adult children, I was too busy with my own life to do that. Since inheriting my mother's spinning wheel and table loom, however, I'm inspired to learn more. I decided to start with a survey of weaving techniques, and this book, Weaving without a Loom, by Veronica Burningham, seemed like a good place to start.
   
   I have to admit, it covers a little of everything and does so in a logical, practical style. Right from the beginning, the author has the reader working with paper weaving to familiarize with terms, procedures and end products. As many of you may recall from kindergarten and early grade school, paper weaving produced those placemats and baskets one made for Mother's Day and other similar holidays in "art" class. Beyond this, the reader also learns about "tabby" and "twill" weaving patterns and what happens with colors. In examining the book a little further, one also learns that the paper with the slots in it is a "warp," while the strips of paper (or ribbon) woven through it is a "weft." Technical terminology can't get much simpler.
   
   After this initial exposure to weaving on its most basic level, the author introduces a variety of techniques, requiring nothing more expensive than sticks, paper forms, embroidery hoops, dinner forks, and picture frames. At each stage, the reader gets closer to weaving on a formal loom and the principles of "sheds" "heddles" and beaters. The products that the beginner is able to complete are remarkable for their individuality and beauty. The tam made on a piece of cardstock, and the carrying bag made on similar material are truly lovely and should lend themselves to individual experiments, even at the beginner level. While little hands may need some help with making weaving equipment, most of the woven work should be very easy for them to manage and should produce pleasing results. Although at times the instructions are a little confusing, the color photos show clearly what the author is trying to teach, so that anyone can enjoy the craft. Learning some of the terminology and techniques at this basic level should help the more adventurous move to more complicated forms of weaving like inkle and table or floor loom work.
   
   I'd recommend this book to any school system, school or public library or children's room. The museum in the city where I live has a family room where children can work with some of the media that artists do. This would be a wonderful addition for such a room in any museum. It also minimizes the need for expensive equipment to teach the art. The author and publisher give express permission to reproduce designs for individual use and for charity purposes, so copyright is not an issue.

5 comments about Crafting Christmas Gifts.

1. Love it! I love all of Tone Finnanger's books. I plan on making the snowmen and Christmas mice for gifts this coming Christmas. I just got the book a week ago, and I am going through my material stash to make some snowmen. I love all the different ways she uses the same patterns/themes - from applique to stuffed decorative dolls. Plus, the patterns are very basic, but the end project result is quite charming. I highly recommend this book for any sewer.



2. I love this book. The projects are cute and the instructions are easy to follow. Some of the projects are a little too cute to be given to everyone. However, this book is a great addition to my other Tilda books. There are hearts and angels of course which seem to be a constant through the Tilda books but it's worth it.



3. I have not purchased this book yet but, I have it on loan from my local library. I have fallen in love with the adorable little projects inside of cute dolls, angels, and snowpeople... OH and the mouse family too. The gingerbread people, hearts, totes, and more are simply great ideas for gifts during these economic times. Thanks to the Author for such simple and great instructions. I plan on purchasing my own copy from Amazon.



4. I love this book, everything in it is cute. These are the type of projects that I love. I bought every book I could find by this author, she is wonderful. I am more into the cottage look than the primitives so this book was perfect for me!



5. This is the first Christmas craft book that I ever got that did not specify it was a single subject project book. If you buy a "woodcarver's Christmas" you know what to expect. This book's "25 adorable projects" are all just variations on the same doll pattern. And its a particular type of pattern-small heads, long limbs, dots for eyes, no mouths. If I wanted to reproduce a specific style, like Mary Engelbreit (a favorite), I would look for that type of book. I'm very disappointed. Maybe it's my fault, maybe I should have known something about the author, but I am not familiar with this particular style, and it doesn't 'wow' me.

4 comments about Braiding Rugs: A Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-03.

1. I ordered this publication because I was interested in making my own area floor rug using my own materials and colors, etc. This publication tells you how to braid your material, and then how to join into a shape to make a rug. It was a surprise to me that you can actually use the rug as your are making the rug....an idea that never occurred to me, but one that makes sense, especially when it gets very large. I enjoyed the book. Glad I purchased. Denise in Montana



2. I am very happy with the information in this book. I had done a little rug braiding on my own but just couldn't get it quite right. This book gave me the fine tuning I needed.



3. Braiding Rug: A Storey Country Wisdom is full of expertise and just basic needed knowledge for rug braiding.
   
   The book was in excellent condition and came sooner than the estimated time.



4. Short, simple, to the point and informative. I can't imagine you need much more information. Not full of fluff like most craft books.

5 comments about Donna Kooler's Ultimate Stocking Collection(Leisure Arts #4082).

1. This cross stitch book is very nice and has easy to understand color instructions. My only disappointment is that since I could not see inside at all the available patterns to make, this book did not have what I personally was looking for. There are mostly snowy winter scenes; not quite appropriate for a child's Christmas stocking in sunny CA where the winter is only about 50 degrees, and snow an extreme rarity! This in no way should deter you from a purchase, as the designs are very beautiful, and the print is large enough to use during your project. Some very nice teen or adult patterns in here also.



2. I love the variety that this book has to offer both with respect to designs, skill levels, and time required.
   
   To know what you're fully getting, you can see images of all 15 designs on the 123stitch website.
   
   I stitched the Folk Art Santa Stocking and the Sledding Animals Stockings in full. I also turned part of the Gardening Santa design into an ornament and will be doing the same for the Fishing Santa.
   
   I am very excited to see what is in the second edition due out soon.



3. The Stocking Collection of Donna Kooler's is a fantastic book, recommending to everyone who likes cross stitching.



4. This book is great. Many good ideas for making Cross Stitch Christmas Stockings. Excellent pictures and directions. Could use more books like this one. Thank You.



5. One of my hobbies is cross-stitching Christmas stockings. This book of Donna Kooler's offers superb patterns. Victoria from MA

5 comments about Block Magic, Too: Over 50 New Blocks from Squares and Rectangles.

1. i just love this book-ir has been shared and used a lot in my quilt class--just love it.



2. I have used both of the Block Magic books on several row quilts. The directions are clear and you can choose the block size you want from 4" through 12". The quilt layouts she suggests make lovely gifts or a wall hanging for yourself. Enjoy



3. This book gives you so many options, good instructions, well worth the money.



4. directions are easy to follow. Makes interesting shapes and especially good for children's projects.



5. I decided to purchase this book since I liked the first Block Magic. I thought it may be too much of a duplication to the first, so I planned to give this book to my sister. Well, I just ordered another book to keep. The blocks are different and I am very pleased with color choices in the pictures. I have a hard time selecting colors for quilts and then putting the blocks into a pleasing quilt presentation. This book has more good ideas. Another wonderfull addition to my quilt book library. My sister and I are planning to trade finished blocks thru the mail, so much fun!

4 comments about BabyKnits Hats & Booties: 15 Matching Sets for Noggins and Tootsies.

1. I borrowed this book from the library, and after making a couple hats from it, I have decided to buy it for myself. I love the argyle pattern, and the instructions were easy to follow. I recommend this book for someone who wants to make cute gifts for the babies in thier life.



2. This book has some interesting stitches and some nice patterns. There is nothing in particular *wrong* with it. However, buy "Itty-Bitty Hats: cute and cuddly caps to knit for babies and toddlers" by Susan B. Anderson instead. The babies are cuter, the colours are much nicer and the patterns far more appealing. While I have made a couple of the hats in this book, and the patterns are okay, but not brilliantly written, I have made almost all of the hats in Itty-bitty hats and found the patterns very easy to follow.



3. this book has some really cute patterns in it. The instuctions seem very easy to follow, even for a beginner.



4. The only book I like better than this one, for kids hats is Itty Bitty Hats. Really you need to own both! These 2 books have the cutest hats for babies and children and they are a blast to make. With simple personalizations, you can make these styles into 100's more!
   Highly Recommend!

5 comments about The Big Book of Cross-Stitch Designs: Over 900 Simple-to-Sew Decorative Motifs.

1. Most of the time when I open a cross stitch book I find some basic instructions, occassional additional stitch instructions, supplies, materials and then a selection of motifs or samplers etc. Usually the chapters cover the types of motifs used in the book or specific pieces of work. Sometimes they go by themes. Many times I find a piece here and there, perhaps several pieces, that I want to make. This book is different. It is exceptional in almost every area. I found myself lingering over most of the pages and wondering which design to do first. The focus is on presentation. Sometimes you see the motifs on pillows, bags, clothing, samplers, table linens etc. Always, the piece is showcased to bring out the best in the design. I found the directions and the charts easy to follow although I would take the book to Kinkos and have the charts enlarged. They are color coded but also symbol coded and that can be hard to read in the smaller print size required to fit the book. This is a beautiful book and very interesting. The choices are novel, not "Ha Ha." The selection is extrordinary. It is a collection of the best of the best and the pieces are simple. The motifs have pizzazz. You don't see these everday. Some are designed with the option of embellishment but you can always leave this out. If you can only afford one cross stitch book and want to do more contemporary work, or use bright and beautiful color get this book. If on the other hand you are looking for a muted book or a single themed book, this is not the one for you. But for most of us this would make a welcome addition to our collections. There is a bit of everything here. It features lots of variety in many categorys. The floral section and the Samplers alone are well worth the price of the book and you get so very much more. It's like openning a package on Christmas morning and finding exactly the right gift inside. However, it is a bit shy on the alphabet choices. Oh well, I guess you can't have everything in one book or we wouldn't buy any others. I'm drawn to the unique Samplers. The are lovely and you can lift the unusual motifs and use them very successfully on their own. So, I like this book very much and I think it will get a great deal of use.



2. This book is filled with a variety of patterns and designs. The patterns range from simple and sweet to complex and detailed. The designs range from country to modern. With so many designs, it should be easy to find the exact pattern you're looking for. I'm very happy that I purchased this book.



3. I was hesitant to get this book because of the negative review, so I went to the bookstore to check it out in person, and I loved it so much I purchased it right then and there! I am fairly to new to cross stitch, and I have not found this book to be hard to follow at all. I have this book as well as the other book that the other reviewer mentioned, the Better Homes and Gardens Book, and I have to say that there really is no comparison. To compare the 2 books is not really comparing apples to apples---the Better HOmes and Gardens book is mini motifs, and it is an excellent book, but so is this book, and it is not filled with mini motifs but larger designs that could go on pillows, etc. This book has truely beautiful patterns with everything from flowers to alphabets and everything in between. Each project has a full color photograph with a project idea, as well as suggestions for other project ideas. A lot of cross stitch books can be quite kitschy, but I have not found this book to be kitschy at all---many of the patterns are very elegant and modern. Sure there are some cutesy patterns, but those are the patterns that are meant to be cutesy --- like baby and children stuff. I love the variety, the photos, the clear diagrams, everything about this book. Another wonderful feature of this book is that for every project there is a list with DMC and Anchor floss#'s, and also a table that tells you what size your project will be stitched on different size fabrics. That is so awesome! LOVE THIS BOOK!



4. This book is worth getting only if you are an intermediate/advanced stitcher who is interested in the pattern library in the back of the book. There are some nice patterns in there, especially floral, but nothing you can't find some other place. HOWEVER: they don't give you stitch count for any of the designs, only 'design size' on different fabric counts (like 25!@!), so you'd first have to convert it or count it yourself if using any regular sized fabric. I recommend getting it from a library, or just skipping it altogether.
   
   A *much* better reference book/pattern library is "2001 Cross Stitch Designs: The Essential Reference Book" (Better Homes & Gardens Crafts) by Better Homes and Gardens (Paperback - Sep 7, 2004)
   
   My biggest problem with this book is the first half - all the text. Obviously written in the UK, this book pretends to be instructive and comprehensive but leaves a ton of stuff out! Seems to be a tie-in with the materials of only a certain chosen few manufacturers, everything else is apparently not 'worth mentioning'. If this was a David & Charles publication I'd understand, but this is Readers Digest people! Not worth spending your money on if you are looking for a real survey of what is out there today, especially in the U.S. - which is all also available world-wide through online shops.
   
   The sections lacking the most?
   --Threads: limited types listed - no mention of the variety of silks, overdyeds and other specialty fibers (bamboo, etc.) out there.
   --Fabrics: limited types listed - no mention of the various evenweaves (everything is either aida or linen - no lugana, jobelin, etc. Tells readers that aida is only available in 2 counts (it comes in five.) Absolutely no mention of the overdyed fabricss available from established firms like Silkweavers, PictureThisPlus, etc.
   --Needles: doesn't tell you all the sizes or types (petites, gold-plated, etc.) available
   --Frames: doesn't mention Qsnaps or a bunch of the different kinds/sizes of scroll frames
   --Tools: No mention of tools like magnetic needleminders, Star DeTailor, tacky bob, seam ripper, thread snips, tweezers, needle puller, FrayCheck, etc. All the little things that can make stitching even easier.
   
   Besides the lack of information about products not being sold by their 'sponsors' (listed in the back of the book), I didn't like some of the instructions either.
   
   My biggest beef was with the fact that they instruct you to measure and select fabric only 2 inches larger in each direction than the design. That is terrible! Leaves you with only 1 INCH on any side of the design. Generally accepted is a MINIMUM of 2 inches on each side (so 4 inches larger), while most stitchers go with a 3 inch per side increase (6 inches larger than the design.) I would hate to be a beginning stitcher following these directions! You have no room to put the design in the frame to work it (even in-hand would have a problem), and absolutely no room for error and very little for framing allowance.
   
   Argh!
   As you can see, I pretty much detest this book.
   Definitely don't reward the publisher by buying it, there are much better ones out there - for both beginners and pattern libraries!
   
   For the most comprehensive online source of 'how to' for beginners, go to: http://home.comcast.net/~kathydyer/



5. Just beautiful. Im making projects already. Big and little, huge color charts color coded. Huge book, lots to do. I've been cross stitching for 25 years and I can tell you this is a winner.

No comments about Mother & Baby Animals Cross Stitch.

5 comments about Creative Crochet Lace: A Freeform Look at Classic Crochet.

1. I would recommend this book to the crocheter looking for some fresh and pretty designs. I want to emphasize the prettiness of the patterns. This is not your grandmother's pattern book as the designs are unique. I find too often crochet design books feature patterns that are stale or in some cases bordering on ugly and not something you'd want to actually wear. Some of these patterns may present a challenge, but the results will be worth the effort.



2. Very disappointing. I never would have bought this had I seen it first in a store. Not practical, messy looking designs. I'll never make a thing inspird by this book...and I love crochet lace.



3. I have been crocheting for many years and love to experiment with my work so when Myra Wood released this book, I was very curious about it. Myra's work in freeform crochet and her bead work are legendary so I had a feeling that her book would be very inspiring as well. I couldn't have been more right!
   
   Let me start by saying that this book is not a line by line pattern book, nor is is a stitch guide or any other traditional crochet format that you may be used to. It IS, however, a wonderful guide teaching the reader easy to follow techniques for creating totally freeform garments using your own creative ideas. She has outlined several styles of freeform crochet lace, given ways in which to shape and style the work, how to lay it out properly, techniques to join the smaller pieces you may have into a larger item, and things to consider about fit and drape as you work.
   
   This book is a beautifully laid out, easy read with gorgeous photography and lots of very good, sound advice for anyone wanting to get into the field of freeform crochet.
   
   Thank you Myra, for such a wonderful book!!!



4. I just got my copy of Creative Crochet Lace and I am in love. I have seen some lovely freeform crochet in the past and was intrigued by its beauty, but never wanted to try it myself because I thought its end use was limited, and how many wallhangings does one really need? This book not only shows a variety of freeform techniques, but also shows how to make items in freeform that are practical as well as beautiful. I'm hooked - pun intended!



5. A great resource for those of us who are bored with the same old patterns. Myra explains how to develop your own crochet lace and free yourself from the "doily" look. Just what I have been waiting for!