Crafts Recent Picks
October 2007
The underlined title links will take you directly to our catalogue.
Some featured items are linked via a book cover to enable you to read more reviews.
The fine art of kimono embroidery, by Shizuka Kusano.
"A book that showcases the art of the talented embroidery artist Shizuka Kusano. Canvases are kimono, obi (the kimono sash), and tapestries, on which Kusano creates extraordinary compositions. Her themes are drawn from Japanese poetry, literature and art as well as traditional trees, flowers, birds and streams. Explanatory captions & primary techniques." (Amazon UK)
Folk style: innovative designs to knit including sweaters, hats, scarves, gloves, and more, by Mags Kandis.
"The unique cultural patterns contained in this lively collection will inspire knitters looking for such bright, new projects as Mexican floor pillows, Shibori neck wraps, Asian cropped vests, and Peruvian tunics. Featuring fashionable items for women, children, babies, and the home, this guide shares technique on colours, motifs, details, and styles. The vibrant photos and step-by-step directions give beginning and advanced knitters alike the keys to creating colourful, ethnically diverse crafts." (Library Catalogue)
The surface designer's handbook: dyeing, printing, painting, and creating resists on fabric, by Holly Brackmann.
"This comprehensive guide brings together dyeing techniques and surface design in one book. Beginning with studio practices and safety rules, this information-packed handbook: covers all aspects of dyes favoured by textile studios - fibre reactive, acid, vat, and disperse; explains step-by-step how to use these dyes to alter and change surfaces by discharging, screen printing, mono-printing, stamping, stencilling, resist dyeing, devore, and painting; teaches embellishing your fabric with foiling, embroidery, beadwork, or collage; offers hands-on resources, including dye worksheets, recipes, and instructions for all techniques plus tips and tricks; inspires with color photographs showcasing work from today's top fiber artists." (Book jacket)
Felted jewellery: 20 stylish designs, by Candie Cooper.
"Everyone knows that felting is great for making fashionable garments but with its bright colours, textures, and versatility, felt is the ideal medium for jewellery, too! Aimed at an audience of both general crafters and jewellery artists, this rich collection of 20 projects offers an enlightening introduction to all the important techniques, including forming a flat sheet of felt; rolling and shaping the felt ball into various forms; adding surface embellishments; and stringing and wirework. Plus, it's packed with trendy beading and needlework ideas. The jewellery box of gorgeous projects features boldly coloured stickpins to wear on a hat or jacket lapel, a bracelet comprised of cylindrical felt beads, and sassy cherry and berry dangling earrings." (Library Catalogue)
Knitting classic style: 35 modern designs inspired by fashion's archives, by Veronik Avery.
"In fashion. One day you're in, the next day you're out... and the day after that, you're back in again. Designers are always referring to fashion's rich history as they imagine its present and future, and retro looks remain ever-fresh as they are renewed - and restyled - for the next generation of wearers. That's precisely what top knitting designer Veronik Avery is up to in "Knitting Classic Style". Mining fashion's endless archive, Avery has created 35 smashingly contemporary knitwear designs that take their cues from decades and designers past. The collection of garments and accessories Avery presents is organized into four thematic chapters that highlight women's wear, men's wear (and its influence on women's and children's clothing), traditional ethnic garb and sportswear. Aimed at both beginning and more advanced knitters, the book's projects range in difficulty from a simple drawstring purse, French beret and Afghan-inspired slipper-socks to a shawl-collared cardigan, a geometric ski sweater based on a popular 1950s Native American design, and Avery's own reinterpretation of the trimly elegant Chanel jacket." (Amazon UK)
Creative recycling in embroidery by Val Holmes.
"Recycling is one of the hottest new trends in embroidery, and this is the first book on the subject. Covering the techniques of both hand and machine embroidery, it's packed with ideas for using different types of salvaged material - from fabric, paper, dried flowers, and tree bark, to metal waste, plastic, broken jewellery, and personal souvenirs. Along with the practical instruction, there's inspiring advice on how recycling can be used to give special creative meaning to a piece of embroidery. The exciting possibilities are illustrated throughout with stunning colour photographs of work by some of today's leading embroiderers." (Library Catalogue)
Loop-d-loop crochet: more than 25 novel designs for crocheters by Teva Durham.
"Durham presents more than 25 designs that are as up-to-the-minute as they are thoroughly steeped in crochet stitch work tradition. This collection provides the perfect introduction to what Durham terms the flip side of needlecraft's heritage." (Library Catalogue)
Knitting in plain English, by Maggie Righetti.
"In this revised edition, Righetti gives readers expert advice on making different types of garments as well as working with new patterns and different kinds of yarn. Her easy-to-understand instructions offer basic principles that make any project rewarding." (Library Catalogue)
Knit and crochet for small dolls, by Marjory Fainges.
Family knits: 25 handknits for all seasons, by Debbie Bliss.
Making connections: around the world with log cabin, by Janet Rae and Dinah Travis.
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