Reviews (13)

Dissapointed - book too technical
This book was not what I thought it would be. I wanted a book that showed how to make jewelry, and actually this was a book that showed how to make jewelry components. I was looking for design and "how to" techniques on putting together jump rings, and store bought components and and this was more like how to make a jump ring etc . . I didn't like it. If you want to make jewelry components this is the book for you. If you want to make jewelry from store bought components and beads, I suggust you find a different book.

Should have been called metal smithing
As someone who makes a lot of wire/clay jewelry but doesn't work with metal, torches etc...this book will probably just collect dust.Everything in here required special tools I'm not interested in buying.Maybe if you have some knowledge of working with metals you could find this very useful but for me it was a waste of money. I used just one tip in book and the pictures did not inspire me to learn more.

Gotta have
This is probably the best guide to what you need to start and be successful in Jewelry. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Encyclopedias    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Jewelry    6. Jewelry making   

Reviews (3)

G R E A T
First of all the book is beautifully presented. The ideas are chic and easy to make. AWSOME floral design book with lots of explanation and beautiful pictures. I LOVE IT! It is an excellent buy for new designers.

Paula Pryke's Flower School: Mastering the Art of Floral Design
I bought the book as a present for my wife who has an interest and talent in floral arranging, but no formal training.She loves the book.It has numerous wonderful color photos and discusses colors and texture in floral arranging.The book covers design ideas for shape and form; balance; harmony; scale and proportion; texture and contrast; movement; dominance; rhythm; repetition; massing flowers; grouping; bunching and bundling; carpeting; layering; manipulating plant material; structural designing; and season.It also has an excellent and informative section on color concepts.A key feature of the book is the step by step instructions for making decorative arrangements, along with photos of the arrangement as described in the steps.I cannot speak for what professional florists would like, but for my wife it was a perfect book.It would have been worth it just to see the beautiful pictures of floral arrangements, but the lessons really make the book what it is.

Very Informative
The step-by-step instructions in the book are extrememly helpful -- but she still allows for the reader to think creatively in their review of her information.It is a beautiful book with many, many photos, including step-by-step photos for the instructions. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. Cut flowers    3. Flower Arranging    4. Flower arrangement    5. Flowers    6. Flowers - General    7. Gardening    8. Gardening/Plants    9. Gardening / Flower Arranging   

Reviews (11)

A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns
I have owned the Charted Knitting by Barbara Walker for a couple of years and am adding all of the other ones to my collection.I have not found another book that surpasses the collection of stitches in the 4 volumes that she put together.
Most useful knitting book I have ever come across.
I have both the first and second books, picked up at used book stores.In my 30+ years of knitting, these are the most useful knitting books I have ever come across.The sheer number of stitches is astounding, and I have yet to come across a mistake in the instructions (pretty unusual in a knitting book, in my experience).
Best stitch dictionary ever
I've heard great things about the BW Treasuries, and when I saw this second volume on sale, I snatched it.I am so glad I did!There are about 700 stitches in this volume, including: cable stitches; lace stitches; mosaic color stitches; color stitches in a couple of different techniques; dropped stitch designs; knit-and-purl designs.There are all-over lace and cable stitches as well as panels of cables or lace.There are several edging stitches, as well.The lace and yarn-over stitches seem to predominate, so this book is a lace knitter's dream!
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Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Needlework - Knitting   

Reviews (6)

Required reading
This book is required reading for anyone wishing to enter the Oriental carpet business. It is also a fabulous reference source for the home buyer.

Incredible reference!!
This book is definitely worth every penny!It goes into great detail on the different types of rugs, the history of the people (from a rug making perspective).There are beautiful pictures of rugs as examples, maps showing both the old names of areas as well as those in use today.The writing style is fun to read (not overly dry).The first 80 mpgs or so are dedicated to the rug and rumaking tself - construction, dyes, design, the people who make them.The rest of the book is broken down into the different areas where rugs were/are made.These sections provide great details on the specifics of the styles of rugs produced by those people, why they use certain colors etc.Excelent excellent book!I'd buy it again in a heart beat.Its a big book so its not so easy to take on a trip but a great book to have at home to read through and learn from.

Good!
A bit pricy but worth it.I bought it to read on my way to the UAE/Bahrain.I was planning on buying a carpet and this went a long way towards helped me to know what I was looking at and what to look for.A great book for the novice and experienced, alike.Everybody wanted to borrow it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques / Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. Oriental rugs    5. Rugs    6. Rugs, Oriental    7. Antiques & Collectibles / Rugs   

Reviews (12)

in response to a previous review
"The book starts off assuming you know how to read and cut patterns, piece together parts, and construct clothing." I just wanted to say that the book does explain how to read and interpret patterns. In fact there are about 8 really good pages dedicated to reading patterns. I really hated how every pattern I bought wouldn't give an explanation of all the symbols they used. I didn't understand the symbols and some of the steps used in patterns until I got this book.
new complete guide to sewing
excellent book. worth every penny I paid for it.A must have for your sewing library.

This is my bible
I read reviews and did my research before putting money into this book and it was by far the most informative and reasonably priced out there.This is also used as a text book for many sewing classes. I doubt anyone who is passionate about sewing will be disappointed with their purchase. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Dressmaking    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Household linens    6. Sewing    7. Tailoring    8. Fiction / Thrillers    9. Needlework & fabric crafts    10. Reference works   

Reviews (2)

Wonderful!
A wonderful resource for beginners and experienced spinners alike.
Great for a beginner (like me)
Although my mother has been spinning since I was a little kid, I had never really had the urge to try it until recently.I purchased a spindle and some fibre, but have not yet worked up the courage to try it.The instructions in Spin to Knit are very clearly written and accompanied by step-by-step photos--just what I needed to help me really visualize the process!I am already looking forward to learning to use a wheel as well!
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Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Knitting    5. Needlework - Knitting    6. Patterns    7. Spinning    8. Weaving    9. Yarn    10. Crafts & Hobbies / Weaving   

Subjects:  1. Album quilts    2. Appliquâe    3. Baltimore    4. Crafts & Hobbies    5. Crafts / Hobbies    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. Maryland    8. Patchwork    9. Patterns    10. Quilt Making    11. Quilts & Quilting    12. Quiltmaking   

Reviews (12)

Not what I was looking for.
Needed a basics book and this was not it.Very indepth on using floor looms.

If you can only have one book.....
Make it this one.I am an "ok" weaver and I refer to this book over and over again.For me, everything a new weaver needs to know is in here and you can find it easily which makes this a real must have for anyone wanting to learn how to weave or if you are thinking you might want to learn how, please start with this book.

Terrific
This is a terrific book for someone who wants to learn to weave. It starts off with a very brief introduction to looms and ancillary tools needed by the weaver.It then provides a very detailed discussion, complete with many pictures, of how to warp the loom.The book then leads the reader through a home-study course starting off with a simple weave sample, a good explanation of reading drafts, and an interesting as well as comprehensible explanation of various twills.My favorite chapter was that on reading drafts----I had looked at a couple of weaving magazines previously and was completely puzzled by them. The author's explanations were so delightfully clear that after reading the chapter once I was able to understand all the patterns I had looked at in the magazines.
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Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hand weaving    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Weaving    6. Spinning & weaving   

Reviews (16)

Not an origami recipe book
Dr. Lang delves into the hows and whys of origami design exploring origami the way Alton Brown explores food and cooking.
A truly incredible book!
By far and away the most comprehensive book on origami design and theory that I have every seen.There are thousands of books containing origami models, but few, if any, actually take the time to explain how the models were created in the first place.If Robert Lang didn't already hold a Ph.D., this book could serve as a dissertation.In addition to the theory and concepts of origami model design, this book also contains excellent models that demonstrate the principles covered in each chapter.I have always enjoyed folding Robert Lang's models in the past.They are challenging and extremely rewarding.I am a very good techincal folder but I could never really create my own models.This book has started me on my own path towards creating my own origami models to fold.While this book certainly could be useful to beginning origami folders, it best serves intermediate to advanced enthusiasts.

A great origami book
This is one of the best origami books ever written.Robert Lang is known for producing complex origami models and here he teaches the mathematical thought process behind the creation of these pieces.The book contains a number of chapters covering different methods of producing particular types of origami works and then each chapter ends with a series of advanced origami models for you to make with complete diagrammatical instructions.
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Subjects:  1. Applied    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Design    4. General    5. Mathematics    6. Origami    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Paper folding, origami   

Reviews (6)

very original designs
I found this book very helpful in my artwork. I also was very pleasantly surprised to find it enjoyable to read. There are stories of folklore explaining the beginings of the differents dragons and thier formations from one type to the other. The designs themselves are beautiful to look at. I am constantly researching diffrent designs/drawings of dragons and find few that I like. I was very pleased with this book and its one of my favorites among the rest of my collection.

Great Book of Dragon Patterns:the Ultimate Design sourcebook for Artists and craftspeople
I love not only do you get help with drawing and patterns, you get a history lesson on types if dragons.

Dragons galore
Dragons galore, the renditions of the dragons in this book are great as far as they go, there are a lot of dragon heads, there could have been more on the body, having said that I would like to congratulate the writer on the dragon law and types of different dragons, even though short and concise it was very interesting giving the reader a reasonable amount of information on different breeds and sub species of dragon.
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Subjects:  1. Arts And Crafts    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Dragons    5. Dragons in art    6. General    7. Hobbies/Crafts    8. Reference    9. Subjects & Themes - General    10. Techniques - Drawing    11. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    12. Decorative arts & crafts   

Reviews (27)

Boom, Fling, Bang, What fun!
Silly me, I used Ether starting fluid in my first potato cannon. That is downright dangerous. But this was prior to having a nicely written book with several projects that I didn't even think of. I haven't tried any of these projects yet, but they have been carefully thought out with safety in mind. The author also gives interesting backgrounds to the projects. I wouldn't want to be "hoisted with my own petard" as Shakespeare wrote. I'm going to wait till winter with a snow cover before attempting the fire kite. Great stuff! I recommend this.

Backyard Ballistics
Great for dad's to indulge their childhood daydreams whilst spending time with their kids.

good read
very interesting--shows some of the ways we entertained ourselves before computers and play stations. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ballistics    2. Experiments    3. Experiments & Projects    4. Rockets (Aeronautics)    5. Science    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Mechanics of solids    8. Models & model-making    9. Science / Experiments & Projects    10. Science: General Issues   

Reviews (11)

Detailed Information
Very clear and detailed information.All steps are covered.This will be in my shop, close at hand!

Required for all wood workers out there...
Great book.Presents all the tricks of the trade for finishing wood projects.This book helps me to manage all my finishing tasks much easier.No longer do I "hope" for a match when it comes to staining.Through the techniques presented I have been able to take most of the guess work out of the process.I highly recommend this book for those serious about their project finishes.

Jewitt does it again!
There have already been excellent & thorough reviews of Jewitt's newest book on finishing - but I must 'object' to the quite negative 1* rater who was disappointed that the book did not contain enough information on re-finishing - Jewitt's book is entiled '....Finishing' implying on how to prepare & use finishing products on new wood.There are plenty of other books on re-finishing, and if one is looking for a specific need then a review of the contents of the book or a perusal of the book in a store and/or library would seem a first suggestion.Bottom line - if you need a book on how to finish your 'new' projects, then this is an excellent choice; having said this, I am currently reading the new edition of Bob Flexner's book on finishing - another outstanding contribution to this often confusing area (and let me warn those who are interested in 're-finishing' - only one chapter, so don't apply). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Furniture finishing    4. House & Home    5. Woodfinishing    6. Woodwork - Furniture/Cabinetry    7. Woodworking    8. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork   

Reviews (5)

Easy to Use
Great illustrations and pictures.It's taken away a lot of the mystery - no I feel much more confident.

Inspiring
This book is great for the beginning beader.My daughter and I have great fun pulling ideas from this book and creating projects.The instructions are very clear and easy.The jewelery and other projects turn out beautifully.

Great stuff in here!
After someone gave me a bracelet recently, it was my first introduction to beading. I borrowed several beginner-beading books in an attempt to understand how to make beaded jewelry for gifts. Simply Beautiful Beading is the only book that covered everything I was looking for. It explains and illustrates different types of beads, wires, clasps, etc. and how to use them and has everything explained so well for the beginner. But don't let the subtitle of the book, "53 Quick and Easy Projects" let you think you won't find imagination and beauty in the patterns in this book. Many of the projects are ones I will actually use. Too many authors go to extremes to get something different in their books by creating things out of beads that are either just plain ridiculous, or far too expensive to make even if you wanted to do it. Heidi Boyde instead uses her imagination on designing simple projects in jewelry, accessories, and home accents that are different enough to be unique and yet be easy enough for beginners. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Beads & Beading    2. Beadwork    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. Fashion    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. Jewelry   

Reviews (18)

Unleash Yourself
When I first got this book, it was soooooooo busy, I looked and put it down.Over then next week I read, re-read, read, re-read.......and fell into her wonderful world.The next thing you know I was doodling with silver marker on anything I could find.Had the German Shepherd puppy slowed down enough I would have doodled him.Then I doodled flowers over the doodling, then I painted the flowers, then I collaged the canvas....should I go on. I need a 12 step program for this book.
Not for the faint of heart
If you are a beginner or not a serious collager this book is not for you.If you have been collaging for some time and looking for new techinques this book is great.If you are looking to find your true style or adding some fun to an exisiting style this book is for you The color explosion is worth buying the book.

The cure for art inertia is at hand !
This is quite a fantastic book.If you've been a fan of Sabrina Ward Harrison's books, for example, but couldn't figure out how to achieve those kinds of effects, this book will help you.I'm a novice but there were so many projects and ideas I wanted to try.Actually, it became overwhelming, especially at the end with the more advanced techniques using stitching and bookbinding, but there's plenty here to keep everybody going for a long time.Mainly Bautista shows us how to layer, layer, layer, and reminds us not to worry about finished effects.Also, she's a great fan of "leveraging" her art, which means to make numerous photocopies at various stages and keep the copies so that she always has a ton of stuff to work with and can build on previous ideas with new work.
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Subjects:  1. Assemblage Art    2. Collage    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Paper Crafts    7. Paper work    8. Papercrafts    9. Textile crafts   

Reviews (10)

Good Instruction
I practice spinning my sticks all the time, but it was good to see that someone put some organization and structure to it. I learned a lot from this book and dvd. I learned a few moves!

Pleased
I really wanted to see if what I had learned long ago could be easily explained. To my surprise this book was right on target. Easy to follow, excellently demonstrated, and made quite simple. As in anything that looks easy...practice divides the can from the can't.

Spinology for Spinologists
Great book.. even better DVD that comes with it! But be warned, the techniques are deceptively simple but hard to do and harder to master.;. but there's no book around like it so he's got a monopoly on the subject right now... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Music / Exercises    2. Music / Musical Instruments / Percussion    3. Exercises    4. Music    5. Musical Instruments - Percussion   

Reviews (4)

Absolutely Wonderful!!!
Gosh, this was a pleasant book to read.The only negative I recall was the lack of detailed information about all of the photographs scattered throughout the book.I admit I was hoping to read a little more about some of the business failures and reasons why some firearms did not go into production.However, we don't need to focus in on the negative when it comes to Mr. Ruger's wonderful life!Other than my desire to want a little more description about the photographs and business dealings, this was an absolutely wonderful book on Mr. Ruger.

If you like Ruger guns, you will love this book!
From the first Standard Auto, to Flatgate Single Six's, Flattop Blackhawks, Hawkeye's, Bearcat's, Model 77s, Redhawks, you name it, it is all in here.I love this book.It is the best book on Ruger firearms that you can buy.

Ruger Wafers Are The Best!
I've never tasted a better wafer. They're so light it's like eating a piece of heaven. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1916-    2. Antiques & Collectibles    3. Biography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Firearms    6. Firearms & Weapons    7. Firearms And Gunsmithing    8. General    9. Gunsmiths    10. History    11. History - General History    12. Ruger Corporation    13. Ruger, William B.,    14. United States    15. Crafts & Hobbies / General    16. Militaria, arms & armour    17. Ordnance, weapons technology    18. Ruger, William B   

Reviews (8)

The Quilts of Gee's Bend
This book is a testament to the ingenuity, tenacity, and faith of the women of Gee's Bend who, from their lives of deep poverty and hard scrabble living, still found the inner resources to create functional, yet strikingly original art.
A BEAUTIFUL REMINDER
Not only did I purchase this book, I purchased one for a friend of mine who is a quilter. The quilts and the incredible stories behind them are powerful motivators for those who wish to accomplish anything, not just quilting.It is the triumph of the human spirit and proves that deep down, each of us has an indominable core.I am envious of the skill that these women posessed and of the oral history and cultural traditions which have been created and passed down.It's a reminder of the scope of human potential.

great collection of American Art
I am an Alabama native. I have visited Gee's Bend, Alabama many times, but mainly to EAT!! They have more than pretty quilts in Gee's Bend. I have seen the quilts but because I love quilts and even tried unsuccessully to make one but, not being an expert, I guess I did not appreciate how popular the Gee's Bend quilts would become until I saw the story on CBS's Sunday Morning about the quilts being on display at the Whitney Museum in New York. The current quilters visited the opening at the museum and song those old gospel songs to their many fans.Read more

Subjects:  1. American - African-American    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    4. Folk & Outsider Art    5. Multicultural Nonfiction    6. Quilts & Quilting    7. Social Science    8. Alabama    9. Art Forms, Treatments & Subjects    10. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles    11. Quiltmaking   

Reviews (6)

A Reference that Really Works
I have learned so much from this book. Holly Brackmann explains not only the how-to aspect of surface design in incredible detail & easy-to-follow steps, but also the how-it-works aspect of the processes. She begins her book with an all-important chapter on safety and then goes on to explain dyes, fibers & fabrics, followed by a chapter on color. Then she gets into explaining not only dyes (e.g., fiber-reactive, acid, vat, and disperse), but also discharging, screen printing, monoprinting, stamping, stenciling, resists, devore, textile painting, & embellishments. I love the clear instructions of the processes and the amazing photos, but what I love the most is that she empowers the user to explore and become profient in the processes. That empowering of the student is the mark of a great teacher.

TREAT YOURSELF!
Whatever your interest in textiles--weaving, quilting, or surface design--and whatever your level of expertise--beginner to professional--this well-written reference will be your most valuable tool.Many years of teaching experience and lots of research are reflected here.It is easy to read, easy to use and VERY easy on the eyes.Thank you Holly!

Instruction and inspiration all in one volume
Holly Brackmann's beautifully produced new book, The Surface Designer's Handbook: Dyeing, Printing, and Creating Resists on Fabric, is both a "how to" and a "why." Drawing on her many years' experience as a fiber artist and a college-level textile arts instructor, Brackmann covers the topics promised in the title of her book--and then some--in an encyclopedic manner. Chapters on the different topics begin with readable summaries of the historical and technological development of the process. Clear and detailed recipes and instructions for each process enable beginners to proceed step by step to successful and rewarding results as well as remind the more experienced of pitfalls to watch out for and enhancements to experiment with. The attractive arrangement of a hidden spiral binding is a practical element that enables the user to keep the book open to a particular page while working. Safety considerations, helpful hints, and other useful lists are set apart in different type and colored boxes for easy reference. The "why" comes in with the hundreds of excellently reproduced photographs of the work of Brackmann and many other fiber artists. These illustrations make the book an inspiration to artists as well as a delight for all others interested in the scope and range of textile arts today. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Design - Textile & Costume    4. Dye    5. Dyes and dyeing, Domestic    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. Textile Arts    8. Textile Fabric (Applied Arts)    9. Arts & crafts design    10. Crafts & Hobbies / Dye   

Reviews (21)

A Very Disappointing Book
This book is a huge disappointment.The cover is modern and promises a high-quality treatment of an interesting subject but the inside is ridiculously simplistic and leaves an awful lot to the reader to figure out on his own.The extremely abbreviated text is arcane and the "pictures" are no more than primitive line drawings.In many cases, this is woefully inadequate to understand what's going on.This 1868 book belongs in the "Antiques" section.It was a huge disappointment and simply annoying.

Mind Blowing!
I work as a Mechanical Designer/Draftsman and a Home machinist. Both of which I have a degree in, This book is worth every penny. It is interesting, detailed, handy! Although small it is packed with interesting sketches. I must warn anyone interested that this book is intended for the heavily mechanically inclined.

Great Reference Book
This book is fascinating! Originally written in 1868 it briefly presents 507 different mechanisms with a graphic for each. When I first received the book my first impression was that it was too small to be much good. Indeed, I think it would benefit from a total reformat devoting more space and detail to each mechanism. However, as I looked further I saw that there is JUST adequate size to see everything. (The formatting has obviously changed since the original which leaves wide spaces above and below each page. It occurs to me that they should be good places for making notes.) The illustrations are numbered and correspond to the text on the facing page. The drawings are simple and beautifully done in the style of the time (nineteenth century). The text is very short and to the point but again just adequate to the job of describing the mechanism.
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Subjects:  1. Engineering - Mechanical    2. Machinery    3. Mechanical movements    4. Reference    5. Technology    6. Technology & Industrial Arts    7. Antique clocks & watches    8. Clocks & chronometers    9. DIY   

Reviews (29)

Can't say enough great things!!
Search no more!I am in the process of taking a quilting class and this is the required reading.I could actually learn to quilt straight from the book, no instructor necessary (and I am a complete novice).It's so simply written and so thorough.

Very useful
I had always wanted to learn quilting but had never had a chance - no courses in my area, etc. Then I ordered this book and it did magic: it removed my fears and made me feel that, though quilting does involve work, that work can be pleasant and fun. The instructions and ilustrations are very clear. Detail: I am Brazilian and learned English as a foreign language; in spite of that, I could understand the instructions very well. That proves how clear they are. The projects are also interesting - well detailed, with perfect measurings so that you will not be disappointed. For me it was indeed the ideal first book. It made my first experiences in quilting very rewarding and frustration-free.

Great for the beginner
They were right at being the book for the beginner. What a great way to learn with step by step directions. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Patchwork    5. Patterns    6. Quilting    7. Quilts & Quilting    8. Quiltmaking