Crafts Hobbies Books

This book is amazing. I got it with a set of equipment to brew my first batch. The book answers many, many questions for beginners, theoretical and practical. Not only is there information for the brewer just about to brew their first batch, but there is also rich information for people just starting to brew mash-extract and all-grain beers. Because of this book, I went from brewing my first batch from a pre-set kit (malt extract, hops and dried yeast) to my fourth batch, where I formulated and brewed my own ALL-GRAIN recipe!! The book also contains many useful tables for reference, and is a fun read, with Papazian's witty style. I highly recommend this book if you're just starting out!

My wife bought this and a True Brew kit for my birthday (I know, you're thinking, "she rocks!"). Anyway, I've just started reading the book and I love it. There is a ton of GREAT information in the book and I would encourage anyone interested in brewing to buy this book.

This book is THE ONE to have for home brewers. The information will take you from brewing in the simplest of forms to all grain and everything in beteween. It was written in an easy to understand style that skips throught the nonsense and gets you to the point. Full of recipes, anecdotes, suggestions and resources, it should be required reading for all homebrewers.

I bought this book as a gift. I have the same book, only the third edition. If its like the third edition its got all the answers, and is easy to read.

If you've ever even THOUGHT about brewing your own ales, lagers, stouts or porters, this is the book for you. Papazian is extremely knowledgable and has a writing style that makes the process fun and easy to follow. It is essentially the "bible" for home brewers.

My 3 cents (wasn't it worth more then 2?)

What a perfect book! It's for all types, even the pros for when you just draw a blank and can't think of how to put a page together. I do wish it would have been layed out by page size but it's easy to see how a 12x12 can be made into 8 1/2x11 and vice versa. Additionally, what they don't tell you is at the back of the book are punch out cards that have the sketch on one side and an example on the back. That alone is worth the money! Awesome book. Highly recommend.

This is a wonderful book for scrapbookers who have "Scrapbooker Block". It gives you inspiration and creative ideas to help you make fanastic and unique pages. It is a must have for any craft library.

I LOVE this book. It has so many ideas for a few pictures on your page all the way to over 6. The ideas are stimulating.

I was so excited that when I got it, I looked at some sketches and came up with 4 pages that are very simular. They are sketches I have not seen before.

I can't wait to share it with my friends. I will take the cards (that are portable) with me when we meet for scrapping this month. I know they will all be jealous.

This book makes a great gift for scrappers. I am giving another one to my friend next week. I hope she will provide the mojo to get started on her new album I got her.

If you don't have this book, you need to go on and order it! I don't want to sound like a commercial but this book has enhanced my scrapbooking. I have suffered with a scrapper's block for months and had purchased several scrapbook magazines but I didn't find anything fresh and exciting. This book kicked my scrapbooking back into high gear! I'm scrapping like I've never scrapped before!
I'm about to go on a scrapbooking retreat and the cards are going with me! What a wonderful addition to the book! Becky Fleck is awesome!!!

If you are into scrapbooking, this is a book that will enable you to
expand your creativity....she(Becky Fleck) is extremely talented not
only in scrapbooking - but making it easier from beginner to advanced
to widen their horizons of ways to express yourself not only in
pictures but also using different patterns....this book has given me
to confidence to step out of my box and try new things.......

This book had many pieces of jewelry to make with good directions. Very informative. Jeanne, NJ

Really like this book! Has great instructions on wire work. I've only attempted a few things in the book and it didn't turn out as well as theirs. But I think all craft work improves with more practice. A nice book if you want to expand your wire work.

Bead on a Wire has tons of great information for a beginning wire jewelry maker as well as detailed projects for the advanced designer. The photographs are clear and the text is easy to understand. I would highly recommend this book.

This book is just what I was looking for... almost half is about wire techniques that really take beaded jewelry well beyond the basics. The instructions are very clear and the photos let you see every step of the process. The projects that comprise the balance of the book are interesting and really sparked my own imagination to create unique jewelry items.

I am so glad I purchased this book. It was very informative on tools, materials and the how to's for designs and projects. It is a great book for me, a beginner.

My son is 3 years old and he just recently started to show interest in tracing. So, I started him out with Kumon maze book and this book. He absolutely loves it!! The pages in the book are easy to understand and very simple. Simple enough for a child of the indicated age on the front cover of the book. The quality of the paper is very sturdy, it doesn't rip easily and you can erase over and over, there would be no wear and tear on the sheets. The colors of the pages are not super bright (like alot of books I've used before) but nice light colors that are gentle and not overwhelming to the eyes. The only thing that I don't like about the book is that they can't tear out and as you get further into the book, it gets a bit annoying to have to hold the previous pages down. But, over all it's an excellent book and I would continue to use and purchase their products.

I thought it would be actual tracing, but it was basically just drawing a line from point A to point B, kind of like a maze that's super-easy. My daughter is turning 4 in a month and is not excited about the book. It was fun for a night, but now it just sits there.

This book has a very fun way to practice cutting, my daughter just love it because there are some projects that she can do by herself and then she decors her room with them. Very good book.

I guess I waited to long to get these books. My son who just turned four found this one rather easy but he enjoyed it very much. He finished over half of it in one day. He kept asking for more! He is doing the cutting book now and is doing well at it. He really likes all the pictures. The cutting and pasting book is a lot of fun as well. The only thing I would like is if they made these books "wipeable" so I don't have to toss them after they are used. I'm thinking of putting laminating sheets over them and using washable markers.

I have a preschooler with fine motor delays and he HATES to do anything which requires use of his hands. I was told by his teachers that this will lead to issues in school when he is expected to write and participate in art projects. If he can't write, it will affect his academic future.

Therapy provided only so much help, as he was frustrated with the tasks. But then I learned about Kumon's excellent reputation for learning through their local tutoring center - I purchased all of the workbooks.

My child just LOVED this book, and he dislikes anything to do with writing. He loved the book simply because of the cute pictures. He asked what they meant, what was he supposed to do, and why? I would say that we were going to draw lines to "help the bunny get to the other side" etc. I'd make up little stories about each character and pretty soon, he was doing the tasks without any hesitation at all!

I kept it to 3 pages a day or less. At first one might wonder, so what, straight horizontal/vertical lines? But his teachers said a child can't write his letters until he can draw straight and curved lines. Makes sense!

If you want to help your child develop fine motor skills while keeping them happy - this is the book for THEM!

I am just learning how to make crystal jewelry. This is the fourth book I purchased and it is the best. To actually see the illustrations is invaluable. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to make jewelry.

I am learning about jewelry making and this book is the most helpfull that I have found.

This is an awesome book for the novice, it show's pictures of the many different jewelry making tools and provides explanations as to what they are used for.

This book is fantastic. It goes into great detail. It has clear instructions with great pictures. This is a good resource for the beginner and the more experienced beading fanatic.

If you want to get into beading & jewelry-making, Chris Franchetti Michaels's Teach Yourself VISUALLY Jewelry Making & Beading is a fantastic place to start. It's a thick book loaded with photographs, and it tackles a comprehensive spread of topics.

Thorough charts detail everything from the common lengths for various styles and sizes of necklaces (both men's and women's), bracelets, and anklets to common finishing methods used for different stringing materials. Photos clearly display techniques for knotting strings, creating eyepins and headpins (not to mention clasps), and making your own Byzantine chain from jump rings. Wire gauge is demonstrated visually, with an image of each gauge's thickness, and with examples of what each gauge is used for.

The book goes through bead-stringing techniques; wire-work; bead-weaving (by hand and on a loom) and even macrame. If you truly want to delve into beaded jewelry as more than just a way to make a few pieces for yourself, then I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Michaels's book. It's extremely valuable and highly instructional. The use of brief, clear instructions combined with a ton of tables and photographs make it a quick read that teaches you an incredible amount of material. It's also a fantastic quick-reference book for use while making your creations.

The Knitting Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask I love this book. I am a long time knitter who needs good directions and don't always get them. Hopefully, this book will fill the need to help me interpret some of the questionable directions I have found in pattens and make knitting a more enjoyable and productive hobby for me.

I've been knitting forever, and have lots of books and magazines on the subject. This book is now my ultimate resource for clear instructions and tips for nearly every step of a project. There is no wasted space; every single topic is concise and logical. The question-and-answer format was a little annoying at first, but there's a good index in the back. BUY THIS BOOK before stocking up on more expensive, larger books that may not have the clear answers that this one does.

As I am teaching myself to knit and crochet, many questions keep popping up during my projects. Though I have purchased a multitude of books, I find that only this book has the answers to the perhaps "offbeat" or unusual questions that I generate.

Have yarn but am not great at remembering all of the different special stitches. This will be my reference as I start small projects. Need to get back in the groove. Great, clear reading and good illustrations.

I admit that I carry this book in my knitting bag, and use it often, but I find it very frustrating to do so. I'm surprised at how highly it is rated by so many knitters. I bought it to be a reference quide that would be informative and thorough--more than a glossary, but still small enough to be carried in my knitting bag. It is thorough, informative, and compact, but as a reference guide it is lacking. For me, as a reference guide, the question and answer format is clumsy and gets in the way of finding information. That's not a big deal and I would overlook that if the index was robust and enabled me to look things up quickly, but that's the frustrating thing about this book. I'm not a novice, but I'm not always sure exactly what an abbreviation means or maybe I need to brush up on a technique I haven't used in 6 months or I wonder if there is a better way to do something. So I go to the index with a keyword in mind, but too often, it's not there; I have to think about what broader topic would include the information I'm looking for and work backwards. Given the way the information is organized, that isn't always easy and I've found myself skimming chapter after chapter to find something that should be an easy thing to look up.

As I said, I wanted more than just a glossary and when I do find what I am looking for I appreciate the detailed instructions and clear illustrations. I'm impressed with the amount of info in such a small book and there are lots of answers here. The problem is that most of the answers will only be found if you sit down and read the book chapter by chapter. If you have a specific question in mind, it will be hit or miss trying to find the answer. I realize that this book can't be all things to all people, but I have to think that because it is small, at least one of the intentions is that it be a portable reference guide. If that's true, then the content needs to be a lot more accessible. If the index was beefed up, I would recommend this book with 4 stars and feel that it's worthy of taking up space in my crammed knitting bag.

Second sock syndrome (SSS) is a terrible affliction upon the knitting community -- by the time you finish one beautifully shaped and fitted sock, you're tired of the pattern, the yarn, or just making socks (though how could you?). Anyway, knitters have been looking for a way to avoid SSS, and the easiest way is to knit both socks at the same time.

As you can imagine there are various ways around this and Melissa Morgan-Oakes shows us one method using a 40" circular needle to knit two socks at the same time. This books is spiral bound and lays neatly open to the page you're working with. There are lots of pictures of the steps to cast on, divide the cast on stitches for the sock, and start kntting in the round so that the two socks are separate but on the same needle and can be knit equally so you finish the both at the same time. It may look tricky but there are lots of photos and helpful hints -- it really does work.

The book also contains knitting patters for 17 socks. Most some have patterns, some strips (lots of stripes), and lots with cables. These are nice standard socks in various yarns and basic styles. Nothing truly fancy but all of the pattern will knit up into solid socks for cold feet from women, men, to younglings. The pattern stitches all are on charts--at least I didn't see any written out line-by-line and I went through the book 4 times. There's also a informative section on the parts of a sock, which the author (and I) believe make it easier to figure out what you're doing and how it all fits together. There are also helpful tips and hints throughout in the patterns.

This is a great beginner sock book. For the experienced sock knitter just looking to learn this technique, it great especially if you learn well from photo with some description. The how-to will show you what you need to know to continue to develop your own patterns.

I LOVE IT! This book first of all lays FLAT because it is spiral bound. I have knit socks with double point needles and tried 2 circular needle sock knitting but this is hands down the best way! I suggest you make sure to buy at least a 40" circular needle and the best one would be the bamboo ones because the tubing is VERY soft & bendable. This book is great, easy to follow, and has some really nice patterns. I would suggest that you be a fairly good knitter and if you have knitted socks it would be a very big plus!

I have been wanting to get this book for a while (unfortunately paid more for it at a chain store) and it has lived up to my expectations. I have started a pair and the directions are very clear. The first trial pair are very step-by-step with clear pictures. Then at the beginning of every pattern in the book there are very clear lists of what stitches are used so you know ahead of time what you are getting into. I love the way she layed out each pattern subdividing each 'part' of the sock ie: "knitting the leg", "working the heel", "turning the heel", etc. It is a great book for beginners, but don't let that 'put off' experienced sock knitters as there are a lot of really nice patterns in this book for both types of knitters. There are basic 'Ragg-type', to colorwork, to fancy cables and lace. I started with "Berry Season". It's a short ankle sock with an easy 4 row stitch. I have made a pair of socks (one) on circs (one sock on one circ---couldn't bare to hold 4 DPN's--I'm a crocheter at heart) but this is my first attempt at two on one and while it is a tiny bit tricky at first, once you get past the first couple of rows it is easy (get rid of your starting tail as soon as you know you are going to make the pair as it gets in the way). There is a good glossary in the back with the assumption that you know how to basically knit. And there are good pattern stitch keys and a really nice sizing chart. The book is on a wire spine so it lies flat when open--a nice plus. Thanks Ms Morgan-Oakes for a really nice book.

I'm just learning to knit socks. Since I can't use the dp needles, the 2 circular needle method and teh 1 circular needle method are a blessing for me. The pictures are very good and helpful.

This is a pretty good book for intermediate knitters who want to get in with the magic loop crowd. Morgan-Oakes spends a good 17 pages explaining the magic loop technique. Her instructions aren't overly illuminating (it took me a few solid hours to understand precisely what she was saying each step of the way), but they aren't horrid either. A few more pictures would have helped, but I got by alright.

The patterns, on the other hand, are disappointing. I found 4 out of the 17 patterns worth making. The rest are quite boring, dowdy, and "crafty" looking. I think Morgan-Oakes was trying to offer a variety of patterns (one for the fashionista, one for baby, one for the rugged hiker etc.), but in doing so, she loses any kind of continuity. If your tastes in socks are wide and all encompassing then you will enjoy the patterns in this book. If you are a discriminating knitter, like me, then you will be disappointed and, perhaps, even a little horrified at the "Ragg Hiker" socks, which are nothing if not a throwback to the 90's.

Initially, I was attracted to the book by the socks on the cover (the color, the texture--it just works), but the pattern is actually for a child's foot. That was a bummer. But either way, with Morgan-Oake's book, I achieved what I set out to do--knit two socks on one circular needle. The technique is indispensible for anyone who is a periodic sock or sweater knitter. It gets rid of the second sock/sleeve syndrome nicely.

Final verdict: get it at the library.

I wanted to knit myself a winter coat, but was having trouble finding just the right pattern. One day in my local yarn store I saw this book and flipped through it. When I saw the Winter Wonderland Coat I knew I had found my pattern and it was worth the price of the book just to have it. Once I got the book home I was delighted to discover that in this book I had so much more. All of the patterns are so beautiful and the design ideas are truly inspiring. Before buying this book, I never would have considered designing something of my own, but now I am sure that I will. I am making good progress on my coat and it has been a delight to knit. Sometimes with a larger project boredom sets in and I find a need to work on something different to give myself a break. This coat has so much variety that I never get bored...rather I am always anxious to get back to it. And now I won't mind when the weather turns cooler!

I have lately found myself disappointed with designer knitting books. There just seems to be a single statement in each book, and there hasn't been a real effort to involve the knitter in adding their own style. This book overcomes those concerns, and I find myself building on the design ideas already. Some really wonderful new techniques, like dropping stitches in cabling that are really gutsy (I bet I'll feel as good about doing that the first time I try it, as I did about cutting my first steeks! Yeeks!)
I am not usually a fan of large gauge knitting and especially large gauge color work, but here that opinion has had to be revised. i see it working perfectly in the intarsia jackets, and am eager to get going. There is something in here for everyone, and I like the teaching without lecturing. that is true inspiration, and this book is one of the golden ones on my shelf

This is such a wonderful book.
I bought it to knit myself a little sweater to keep me warm in the air conditioning.
This book has several patterns that are beautiful and perfect for just that need!

This is a wonder book for knitters of all levels: thinking about moods you want to create for various seasons and then giving actual patterns that illustrate those moods. First you create a mood board. This is brilliant! For years I have kept notebooks of ideas but those have covers; this is making panels of various colors and shapes and then putting them up on a wall and LIVING with them. Over and over again you look at the board and new ideas emerge.(I do this with quilt design.) Your mind expands and you see new possibilties for the cardigan or the jacket. Orne's ideas are invigorating. Knitting has gone beyond technique to art.

I was looking for a such a book for a long time but than I gave up and the book "found "me by itself, when I did not expected it. I read the reviews of this book and they were not convincing me very much but I saw somewhere the picture of the wonderland long jacket from this book and I decided to buy it just for this project. What a surprise! The book is wonderful, the projects are so nice and exclusive I have marked three of them already to prepare the yarn and begin to knit... I love the design workshop, it is so inspiring and helpful. I can just sit with this book and enjoy every page of it without the knitting part, and it also is a pleasure. Should be in every knitter's library, no doubt.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Elizabeth Zimmerman has such a distinctive way of writing - you feel like you are listening in to one of her workshops. An absolute bonus were the many tit-bits of insightful and clever ways of dealing with many day-to-day knitting issues. I especially liked her way of shaping shoulders - why had I not thought of this before? If you have been knitting for a while so you know which aspects of knitted garments don't seem "quite right", then you will gleam many practical gems from this book.

I am an EZ fan big time and own ALL her books! Your knitting skills will take off after learning her techniques. This book is awesome if you're mostly into sweaters or are just starting to knit. If you like to knit a wide range of items (including shawls, blankets, etc.) I highly recommend starting your collection with both "Knitters Workshop" and "Knitters Almanac". I started with "Knitters Workshop" and made her Baby Surprise Jacket and a baby afghan. I'm now doing her famous Pi Shawl from the Knitters Almanac - lots of fun!

What a great little book. The patterns are written in prose rather than the standard format so that they are very clear and easy to understand for the beginner. Although photographs of the finished pieces are not included it's quick and easy to find the projects made by other knitters with a simple internet search.

This is a great book- for a beginner. I unfortunately bought it well after I'd been knitting for a while, and found it very simple and not what I needed. I have, however, used it to teach others, and have found it a great reference book for the beginner. It is very much a literature book, though, with a few patterns at the end of the book, one of which I've personally used and found quite wonderful and precise.

This is a book every knitter, beginner or advanced, should have in her/his knitting library. I'm sorry I didn't have it years ago, but even as an advanced knitter, when I bought this book I sat down, read it cover to cover, and penciled in my own notes in the nice wide margins put in the book for that purpose. This allows the knitter to increase the use of this book with one's own additions or even comments on things that don't work for you.

One of the great hints she gives is on doing the brioche stitch. She simplifies it beyond anything I have seen elsewhere. I immediately did a child's cap following her advice and was very pleased with the outcome.

This book has very clear instructions on how to do various techniques and is something a knitter can return to over and over.
Priscilla Bouic