5 comments about Crazy Lace:an artistic approach to Creative Lace Knitting.

1. This is not your grandmother's lace book. There are no recipes here to follow. Instead you are guided by Artist Myra Wood along an inspiring ride toward improvisational knitting in lace fashion. The basic mechanics are covered and you are the designer deciding to modify existing traditional lace patterns or create new patterning. All areas of lace knitting are covered - increasing, decreasing, directional stitches, creating patterning and lace fabric and charting your own patterns, symmetry vs. random and various shapes as well as top down, inside out, ruching, edging, etc. Not just the how - but why or in this case why not. If you have never knit lace before you can pick up this book and begin to create. Filled with beautiful pictures of hand dyed yarn lace creations. If you are a veteran knitter and are looking to add more of your own design ideas into lace work this is for you. This book view laces in a new lens and would appeal to freeformers, free-ranger knitters and generally anyone who is open to a different approach of creating lace looks.



2. This is the lace book I have been waiting for. I think it is thoughtful, useful, logical, well thought out, and inspirational as well! Sections of all the topics that a newish ( two lace shawls) lace knitter needs. Myra offers the right combination of instructions, with a mix of structured suggestions, plus a touch of "go for it" that can be such a challenge for many of us knitters used to depending on patterns. I say, "Bravo, Myra!"



3. If you are the compulsive-obsessive "must do it perfectly and in order with detailed directions" type of knitter... you will HATE this book. If you already knit lace and LOVE your charted books and patterns, I'd suggest you pass on this one... it probably won't meet your standards. If you are looking for predesigned lace patterns and expect to be told stitch by stitch how to recreate something the author has designed... you'll be disappointed.
   
   However... if you have wanted to learn to knit lace and found yourself completely overwhelmed and paralyzed by the charts in books and patterns, I strongly encourage you to consider this book. If you'd rather have FUN knitting lace than sweating over every stitch... and frogging more than you knit, I strongly encourage you to consider this book. If you are a rebel at heart and really don't like being told what to do and how to do it, I strongly encourage you to consider this book. If you'd like to understand how lace WORKS... why it does what it does when it does it, I strongly encourage you to consider this book. If you'd like to sit down with nothing other than your needles and yarn and knit lace "without a net," I strongly encourage you to consider this book. If you'd like to learn "Lace Logic" so you can chart and graph your OWN lace patterns, you yourself personally, I strongly encourage you to consider this book.
   
   Most other lace books teach you to read lace by sight... literally. You have to learn what all the symbols mean to even begin to knit lace with most of them. You have to memorize the "words" by rote memory without really understanding why that group of "letters" make those "sounds."
   
   "Crazy Lace" teaches you to read lace by "phonics." You learn what "sounds" each letter (stitch) makes and what "sounds" (textures) they create when you combine them in specific ways, (combination of stitches in a given sequence). Better than that, "Crazy Lace" teaches you to "read" your knitting, and this translates into every aspect of your knitting skills. You learn to visually recognize why something looks the way it does... and how to make it look differently if that wasn't what you wanted it to do.
   
   This book is a WORKbook. This book is a foundational COURSE in knitting lace. Do not let its size fool you. It is not designed to "pick out a pattern," get a prescribed set of tools and materials, and follow a pattern. There is not a lot of text, but every sentence is precious and full of purpose. Let them marinate and savor them. Begin reading it, slowly and deliberately, on page one... with some fingering weight yarn and size 6 (4 mm) or 7 (4.5 mm) needles of your choice close at hand to test out things as you go along... and really DIGEST this information. Make the Sampler Scarf. Try your hand with some freeform Crazy Lace. Cast on some stitches and play with the various shapes in the latter part of the book. Play with the edge embellishments. Study the few charts included to get you started with charted lace knitting.
   
   This book's primary purpose is to teach you to trust yourself to create your own lace; but you'll want to follow other's people's paths sometimes, so you are introduced to charting "language" along the way too.
   
   When you get to the end of the book you will know how to knit lace "without a net" with freeform abandon. You will know how to read a basic beginning charted lace pattern... if you choose to. You will understand the logic of lace such that you can design your own lace patterns and chart them for others to follow. You can do some of each, all in the same project.
   
   In other words, this book will set you free to create lacework in any way you please, and please no one but yourself. At the same time, it provides you with a solid foundation to branch out into more traditional lace knitting and patterns with confidence. You can be as free or as obsessive as you choose to be. You'll feel a whole lot less intimidated by those charts and graphs. You'll be able to look at a lace project and "read it"... and be able to figure out how you might recreate something similar, without a pattern, if you'd like to do that.
   
   Will you learn everything you need to know about lace knitting from this book? No. Will you have a firm, broad, foundation upon which to add new lace knitting skills. Oh yeah, baby! You will.
   
   If all you do is glance through this book and look at the drop-dead gorgeous photos, you may not be particularly impressed. You may even be initially disappointed. If that is your initial response, you've not given it a fair chance and you are short-changing yourself on a marvelous experience in knitting that will benefit all your future knitting projects.
   
   I hope you won't do that. Approached from the direction the book is designed to be used, it is worth far more than the price you will pay for it. Unless you USE the book and the information therein, you cannot possibly appreciate the gift Myra Wood has given the knitting world.
   
   NOTE: I didn't buy this book from Amazon. I got an autographed copy from the author. I took a class from her at the TKGA Conference May 2009 in Portland, OR. I paid a lot more for the class than the cost of this book. Her book wasn't released until Nov 2009. I cannot tell you much more valuable this book is, for me, because there simply was not time for her to cover ALL the material that is in the book in class. I can work through every thing she taught me in the class, at my own pace... and still have SO much left to learn from the book! Personally, this book is a HUGE bargain and I simply cannot recommend it to you highly enough if you are really motivated to learn to knit lace... or if you'd like to expand your lace knitting skills by learning to generate your own lace creations led only by the "logic of lace" and the flow of the fiber.



4. This book is not a book of rote patterns, it teaches you how to design your own lace and not traditional lace.
   
   Beautiful thought provoking photos, very inspiring



5. This is a LOVELY book, well put together with many great tips on knitting lace.
   
   Can it be everything to everybody? No, no book can.
   
   Can it help you [re]discover the joy in your knitted lace? YES, YES IT CAN!
   
   I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and as someone who started my knitting life HATING knitting lace, and now love above almost anything, THIS is the kind of book that would have put me on the right path a bit sooner.
   
   Check it out - it may help you get over the lace-hump by rethinking how you put those "holes" in your work!

5 comments about Hemp Masters: Ancient Hippie Secrets for Knotting Hip Hemp Jewelry.

1. I love this book it has so many interesting tidbits of information that you just don't get in regular hemp books and the hippie lore is a fantastic bonus!!!



2. I was looking for new knots to work into my hemp jewelry. And I found them here! I've been making hemp jewelry about 2 years now, and I love this book!
   Especially the Phish Bone knot!!!



3. There were tips that weren't in the other macrame books. Bunk hemp would be an example and how to get stubborn beads onto the lead (think rubber cement). Good descriptions. Ok pictures.



4. If you're beginning then this is a great book for you, and if you're experienced, its a great book for ideas. I love it.



5. Had it, loved it, lost it and now buying it again. This is a great starter book because of its detailed and easy to read drawings & pictures and written instructions.
   
   The book itself is well made and duarble too so while you have one foot and two hands busy with tying you can use the other free foot to hold down pages and not worry about ripping the book apart. Hitch , half-hitch , Phishbone, tips on gluing (get rubber cement), how to measure length, add more cord if you run short...it's all here.
   
   My only advice is to get a sturdy cork board and some T-pins so you can pin your work to the cork board as you're weaving. I'm getting too old to hook the macrame cord around my toes.
   
   Cork boards are cheap at wal-mart and you can take a magic marker and a ruler and mark the board in one inch increments so you can eyeball length as you're working. The boards are only about an inch thick so the trick with the T-pins is to stick them in at a 45 Degree angle for a good solid ground(w/o punching thorugh the back of the board). And when you're not using it you can put it up on the wall and stick memos to it like the manufacturer intended. ;)

4 comments about Out of the Box: Unleash Your Creativity Through Quilts (That Patchwork Place).

1. I have taken several classes with Mary Lou and this book is just like having her sitting by my side encouraging me all the way. I have been a traditional quilter for years, but Mary Lou and this book helped me experience a whole new way of looking at my craft. Mary Lou encourages you to step beyond what you think you can do and just have fun with it. No rules, no quilt police. Her method of teaching is so liberating and this book is quite simply an extension of herself and her approach to liberating one's creativity and believing in one's self and one's talent that we all have. I would highly recommend this book for everyone as it is not only a book to teach you new quilting skills, but new ways of approaching life in general. It is well written and beautifully presented with lots and lots of examples. Treat yourself to a wonderful experience with this book!



2. Here is not just another great quilting book "how to." This author elevates quilt making to a whole new doable level. It's wonderful to create a quilt from scratch, but, let's face it, not everyone can do it. But Mary Lou not only shows you how, step by step, she inspires and makes you FEEL you can do it. This is a "feel good" book for anyone who'd like to be a bit more creative or just needs a push in that direction. It'll help bust your stash and get your creative juices flowing again. Really, it's a life changing must read!



3. I love this book!! The pictures are great, and the commentary is fabulous. Mary Lou walks you through the entire process of making a story quilt. Picking fabric, making borders, where to get your inspiration, color choices, and GETTING OUT OF THE BOX.
   
   The picture on the front cover is enough to inspire anyone.



4. I have read other books by Mary Lou Weidman and this one is another wonderful collection of "story quilts" that will inspire you. Mary Lou started as an artist and moved to quilting, so her quilts are very different from other quilters. There are no repeating blocks or traditional settings. She talks about how to find inspiration all around you and how to use unexpected materials in your quilts. The book is filled with large and small "story quilts" made by Mary Lou and lots of her students and friends. Her story quilts are quilts that celebrate a moment in someone's life. They have people, animals, trees, flowers, etc. appliqued on to them and many have a few words to give you the idea of a little "story" or childhood memory. They range from simple, such as 3 ladies holding pies, to very complex, like a garden filled with plants, flowers, children, birds, etc. The quilts are done in a folk art way, so you don't have to try to make a realistic portrait...this is way more fun. You will learn how to add words using different kinds of letters, learn to embellish using many interesting materials...she evens talks about drilling holes in found objects to hang on your quilt.
   
   There is a whole section on how to make blocks for your border without any measuring. You could make a whole quilt out of those blocks alone!
   
   If you are a quilter looking for a fun, interesting, book that will give you inspiration to try something new and fun in a quilt, this is the book. Even if you never make a quilt like this, there are so many beautiful quilts in this book that you will want to have it in your collection.
   
   If you love this, and you will, then I suggest you also pick up her previous book, "Quilted Memories."

5 comments about The Intentional Spinner: A Holistic Approach to Making Yarn.

1. As a beginner spinner this book was highly suggested by my teacher. I am glad I got it. This will help me learn more about spinning on a wheel and the different fibers I can spin.



2. This is a fantastic book - i read it from cover to cover and savoured all the information about spinning and creating funky yarns. it is a very technically easy book to follow with correct corresponding pictures. a great book, a must for new and intermediate spinners! Thanks...



3. I've been spinning for over 30 years and seldom purchase "how to spin" books anymore. But this one has found an honored place in my bookcase. And I've been recommending it to all my spinning friends, many of whom have taken classes from the author. I don't recommend it to absolute beginners, but to anyone who has been spinning for while and wants to get beyond being a purely intuitive spinner (which is where I am coming from).



4. The information in the book is excellent. You have to understand that the author's opinions on certain terms and techniques will differ from others in the spinning world as there are many ways to look at the art of handspinning. The editing of the book fell short on some of the historical information given and is false. For example, check out the reference to Thomas Jefferson.



5. I love this book. When I got it I read it cover to cover. I did have to get some wool out and play with the techniques in the book. The directions are well writen and the photos are wonderful. Though I would not recomend this as a learn to spin book if you know the basics this book will help you take your skills one step futher. I have enjoyed all the info greatly.

5 comments about Threadwork Unraveled.

1. I just received this book and can't put it down. It is so well written and organized and the pics are fabulous. I am so inspired by it and can't wait to put what I learn to good use. Many congrats to the author on a job well done. I wish she had a whole series, I would buy them all in a flash. As a Janome owner, I am also so excited to see a writer showcasing a machine other than Bernina. If I were Janome, I would snap Ms. Smith up as a spokesperson immediately!



2. Great book! Methodical method to learning how to choose color and type of thread and correct needle for machine quilting and how to set your machine so the thread,needle and machine working together to make the quilt intended. Takes the mystery and frustration out of machine quilting.



3. Sarah Ann Smith's THREAD WORK UNRAVELED packs in all the detailed needed about thread and machine quilting notions. From how thread's made to what threads work for different jobs and how to enhance piecing and quilting projects, THREAD WORK UNRAVELED is for any serious quilter's collection.



4. Sara provides step-by-step instructions for Threadwork including tension settings, needles, threads, combinations, etc. Half the book is on set up and she leaves absolutely nothing to guesswork. It's the "BOMB" (really great!). Highly recommend this book for all types of quilters.



5. This is an excellent book with a good range of sewing machine/thread-related topics. A beginner will greatly benefit from the instruction it offers while a more seasoned stitcher will appreciate having solid guidance in one reference.

5 comments about Wool Pets: Making 20 Figures with Wool Roving and a Barbed Needle.

1. I just love all the projects in this book. The instructions w/photos help make the beginning felter (such as myself) more comfortable on getting started with these projects. I have another felting book, which I also like but this book with the photos gives me more of an idea on how much felt I should be using. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to start making thier own felted critters.



2. The pictures in this book are Great..the best yet ive found on needlefelting..I was quite surprised by how much detail they give for each project....I can jump in and just do any of the animals...they are very nice..with detial..I have 4 of these animal felting books and this one is the BEST.....B.W.



3. Last Christmas I met the author, bought the book and also bought a few of her kits for the holidays. Wow! What a fun and creative way to enjoy being housebound during the winter. It's really fun, easy and gratifying to make these little animals for ornaments or for gifts. Even my normally grumpy teenagers enjoyed making the projects. This is also a great thing to do with sick friends while you visit or old friends who can't needlepoint anymore. A wonderful present for young and old.



4. Beautiful, hardcover book. Excellent for beginners, especially (which I am!) Explains different types of needle felting tools and wools/fibers. This book covers just what it says - pets and small critters with a mermaid or two thrown in for good measure. No purse patterns, here :)! Many projects with very detailed color pictures for each step of each project. Starts with easier projects and builds up to small dolls at the end of the book. This book was an excellent confidence builder for a new needle felter, like me - it's given me confidence and skills to branch out and try my own designs.



5. I have dealt with Laurie before on Etsy and when I stumbled upon this book I just had to have it! It is a really great book all the things you get to make are fabulous! And the price is really reasonable! She comes up with the cutest ideas and her directions on how to make a creature are really simple, easy, and always turns out really cute! I am going to get some more for presents for my friends over the holidays, I will definitely buy more! Keep up the good work!

5 comments about Felting Fashion: Creative and Inspirational Techniques for Feltmakers.

1. Practical ideas for creating lovely clothes from felt provide step-by-step directions for working with nuno felt and offers designer Lizzie Houghton's original creations. FELTING FASHION: CREATIVE AND INSPIRATIONAL TECHNIQUES FOR FELTMAKERS offers Houghton and others' original works and teaches how to make everything from brooches and hats to jackets and coats. Needlework libraries looking at felting guides will find this an appealing pick.



2. This is a most inspirational book. It causes the creative juices to flow at a very fast rate! The pictures are very good, as are the instructions. It leads your imagination to explore just what is possible with felting.



3. This is the book I have been looking for for the past several years. Beautifully written, detailed descriptions of the various processes. Exceptional designs and ideas for things you would actually want to wear. I can't wait to make at least 5 projects to start. Very inspirational.



4. This book is inspirational. A good review for intermediate felters, offering new things to try. I find some details in the "how to" descriptions are missing though, and you just have to trust that what you are doing will work. For beginners it would be a tough slog, as they'd not have prior knowledge to fall back upon.
   Beautiful pictures.



5. This is a wonderful book for advanced felters. It allows for fusion of all techniques of felting and other fabric arts. Great inspiration. Easy to follow instructions and clear photographs.

5 comments about Sweet Needle Felts: 25 Projects to Wear, Give & Hug.

1. A mi me ha parecido un libro interesante, y con muy buenas fotografias, totalmente recomendable, es una pena que no hagan buenos libros de esto en español.



2. It was very vague about how to use the needles and how to complete a project. I took it back to the store for a refund the next day.



3. This book has some really cute projects. The bear, birdie mobile, and the Dog on Wheels are projects I'd like to work on soon. Instructions seem easy to follow too.



4. Cute pictures and colorful book, not what I wanted. Not enough challenging projects, quite elementary, good for starter or kids.



5. Good Book - But I have read better with cuter projects the project on the cover of this book is the best in this book the rest fall short..................I was a bit disappointed. I was hoping the whole book was full of whimsy as the cover suggested.

2 comments about Applique in Reverse.

1. The book is great and pictures are beautiful. I don't think there is enough instructions with pictures.



2. Reverse is my favorite type of applique because I prefer not to deal with many small pieces. With reverse applique, the background is cut away to reveal the color underneath so that all areas of the same color may be part of one larger piece.
   This book contains many very good designs, mostly floral, and tips for good technique. They look especially great with black or navy backgrounds and could also be used with fusible applique.
   The designs call for enlarging by 200% to 12 inches which can be a problem for most printers. I traced the designs onto freezer paper, then cut out and ironed the freezer paper to the background fabric.
   The instructions are very thorough and are helpful for other applique patterns such as Hawaiian quilt blocks.

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.