Crafts Hobbies Books

I love this book. I have designed and knit four sweaters for myself using the basic patterns here. I have a 'nonstandard' figure, and the charts of sizes let me modify a pattern so that the sleeves are long enough, the bust is big enough and the shoulder seams don't drip down my upper arms!
I also love the flexibility of gauges so that I'm not tied to one type of yarn. I seem to never like the type of yarn featured in a commercial pattern. So the pattern I like is written for worsted and I want to knit it in aran weight - no problem- determine your gauge and follow the chart.
Great book for a serious sweater knitter, beginner or experienced.

If you want to make your own sweater design, this book provides great charts and references on how to go beyond the stockinette stitch. Pictures of the sweaters also complement the instructions. You can make sweaters for everyone - babies, children, men, and women. Instructions are included on how to measure gauge, calculating yarn, sweater measurements, etc. Six different types of sweaters are included - drop shoulder, modified drop shoulder, set-in sleeve, saddle shoulder, raglan and seamless yoke. Personal touches are also included such as different neck finishes. I am a beginning knitter but I know this is one book that I can use as I expand my skills. Also, adjusting body or sleeve length, adding stitch or color patterns, and adjusting for different gauges are included. A great basic reference!

I agree with the other reviewers that the actual patterns in the book are unattractive. I have a wonderful, very old book of knitting stitch designs for added interest to a garment, which I use frequently. This book gives me the missing piece, which is how to calculate the amount of yarn I'll need for a project--not easy information to get hold of. Since it provides information for a basic knit sweater with standard neckline, shoulder style, and overall length information, it's easy to calculate yarn requirements for whatever changes you want to make to the basic design. The lie-flat book design and included marker are extremely helpful.

I have been taking beyond the basic knitting classes and was advised to buy this book....I am ready to start and the instructions are clear and I am very happy that I purchased this book.

This book is for advanced knitters. I have knitted lots of items, but I found this book much too confusing for me. Too much referring back, to the print, while making the sweater. I probably will never use this book

This book creates instant inspiration the moment you open it. When I need the "Juices" to get going, I take 20 minutes to browse through this wonderful book and I'm ready to start a new project!

I had the good fortune to take a class with Sonia King. She is very talented and has a wealth of informaton which she shares very effectively in her book. Not quite like taking the class - but the next best thing if you can't meet her in person. The book is very inspirational and informative.

Para una autodidacta como yo, ha sido fantástico poder contar con este libro, en el cual la autora entrega todos sus conocimientos, tanto de historia, materiales y técnicas. Es un libro completo y didáctico.

Great book with wonderful pictures. While techniques and methods are shown, the projects are a bit advanced, so I wouldn't recommend it for complete beginners. Other than that, a very good book.

This is a very complete book about mosaics. Contains historic and up to date information about the world of mosaics. Contains advices, projects and recommendations. If you are interested in this art you shouldn't missed it.

I purchased this book based on recommendations from Amazon reviews, and because I have the interest to learn more about furniture design and building techniques, basically focused in frameless type of cabinets, and this book covers both face-frame & frameless.
It provides a lot of pictures and drawings of how to layout, design, build, finish, and install face-frame or frameless cabinets.
Bob Lang made this book very easy to understand and I think is a great resource to beginners because of the structure of the book.
The book includes techniques and jigs that are great for cabinet construction. Several aspects of cabinet construction are covered with multiple options for joints, fasteners, materials, attaching doors (hinges), building drawers, etc.

I used this book along with _The Complete Cabinet Maker's Reference_ by Jeffrey Piontkowski to build a set of nice garage cabinets. The two books are very different, and, I think, compliment each other well. This book contained information that allowed me to refine the basic cabinets in the other book. I was very pleased with the results! The project would have been much more trouble for me if I hadn't read this book first.

I'm researching the possibility of making the cabinets for our new home and have found this book to be an excellent resource of information and tips by someone who has "been there and done that". Mr. Lang uses easy to understand language and examples on drawer construction, door construction, case construction and installation. Lots of time-saving tips, too!

A very practical guide that will help anyone with just a little experience making cabinets.

I have years of experience in residential carpentry and furnituremaking, and I've installed dozens of kitchens, but I had never actually made a set of kitchen cabinets. We are renovating our house, and replacing our cheap cabinets is one of the items on the list. I spent hours at my local Barnes and Noble and Borders stores looking for a comprehensive book that focuses exclusively on kitchen cabinetmaking, and couldn't find one out of the dozens of books on cabinemaking that thoroughly covered both the cabinet design and production processes. Then I took a chance and ordered The Complete Kitchen Cabinetmaker, and found exactly what I was looking for.
Lang writes well and, just as important, is a good teacher and explainer. The book is well organized, and the abundant illustrations, both photographs and drawings, are clear and detailed. Measured drawings abound. He describes both general types of cabinet, frameless and face-framed, and lays out efficient production processes for both, indicating where potential problems lurk and the consequences of inaccuracies at crucial points.
This is head and shoulders the best book I have seen on the subject. If you are even considering building your own kitchen cabinets, or starting a small cabinet shop, this book should be your first purchase. It will be the best money you spend on the project.

This book offered even more info than I'd bargained for and was well worth every penny I spent for it! The author methodically takes you through each step with words AND photos and in my opinion, a one-on-one lesson couldn't be any better! Everyone who sees this book wants to borrow it, so be prepared to tell them they need to order their own copy if you want to enjoy it yourself!

I was lucky enough to have taken a coiling workshop with Catherine, and thought I didn't need the book...but then I thumbed through it at a friend's house and realized that I NEEDED this book. Coiling seems easy enough (at first), but just when you think you can be more creative with your design you realize that there is a trick to getting a professional appearance. This book is like having Catherine right there with you, mentoring you along the way. She gives clear direction and the close-up photos make a huge difference when you are wanting to put the needle (and thread) in the right place between rows. The gallery of coiled art is breath-taking and inspirational. This is a marvelous book and a must have for basket-weavers and gourd artists alike. Thank you Catherine, for making this book for us.

This is a great addition to my knitting library. I learn something new from it every time I pick it up!

I'm very disappointed in this book. The specific patterns I wanted are here if you can unravel poor drawings and the percentage system of Meg's mother. If you prefer specific directions, you find them but for one adult size only ( e.g. spiral yoke sweater).

I think it is too precious to expect the world to have knowledge of EZ's kntting system in order to use the daughter's book. The chatty text is fine but removal of that from the patterns would make following them easier.

This is the second book I have purchased authored by Meg Swansen , the daughter of Elizabeth Zimmerman.
I took it out of the library,,,, and upon viewing it,,,I then decided it was necessary to add this book to my knitting library,, because I loved just about everything in it!
I love the challenge and I find it less boring than the normal " pattern books".

I think that Meg has designed patterns as cleverly as her mother ~but she very much has her own sense of style.
I love most of the basic EZ patterns, and find them very applicable for today ~ those garments were, and still are ,,classics.

The big difference between Meg and EZ is the fact that Meg is much more clear as she teaches knitting.

Her designs are well thought out and well taught to the knitter.
Small details are taken into consideration and explained clearly.
I realize that this is a small book~ but ~I do not own one book that I am interested in making EVERY single pattern out of the book except this one( There is one sock book that I have that I can say that about also)

I would have never thought of taking the time to make gloves, (it seemed like an unreasonable amount of work,) but in this case,,,the use of I -cord is sheer genius!
Now my husband's wish will be fulfilled , he will have his hand knit gloves for Christmas this year!
I love everything in this book from the shawl collared vest to the Around the Bend Jacket `~ which could look quite chic with some of today's yarns.
The basic concepts are in line with what EZ taught,,, but the designs , inspirtation and teaching ~are truly Meg.

This is one book that I will give as gift to knitting friends!

If you are a serious knitter, you will love this book. Meg Swansen is the daughter of Elizabeth Zimmerman, a truly gifted person with knitting needles. Meg is also like her Mother and gives you lots of great hints, neat ideas and techniques. This is a must have to complete your knitting library!

I heard that Meg Swansen had a pattern for knitting gloves using I-cords.
That is the original reason I bought the book. When I opened the book and saw the first project: "Puzzle Pillow blanket" I thought wow, that is so cool. It is a blanket throw, made of diagonals, and folds up into a convenient pocket and becomes a pillow. How charming, yet functional. The book is paperback with black and white photos, but the photos are actually so instructional, and the way Meg writes, you can tell she is a great knitting teacher. I must have been living under a rock, but I soon learned that Elizabeth Zimmerman was her mother. I don't yet own a Zimmerman book. I am anxious to try the I-cord gloves, and plan to use this book also as a knitting reference book, because of Megs excellent instruction skills.

The book looks like fun and I will probably get it for a gift for someone else, as well as one for myself. It was a gift.

Great folds for all occasions. We used this over the holidays and it had great ideas to make every meal extra special.

I got this book as a Christmas gift last year and I love it. I've made many of the folds in the book, the directions are easy to follow and each fold includes some information about the history of napkin folding that is actually fun to read.

Helpful book has many ideas for those who still like to set a nice table and actually use cloth napkins.

I like this book. It has a lot of cute folds, it is easy to follow and the book is laid out well. It even has a section on some folds for children. The only thing that could possibly make this book better would be if it was in color.

This book was unusual as an artbook. It takes me beyond the "hobby" status many art book seems to have. Proffessional and inspiring!

If you want information as an artist intending to try encaustic painting
then this is a good book--it covers everything to get started painting with
encaustic. Also some information on the ancient Fayum encaustic portraits,
Jasper Johns use of encaustic (an interview with him) and examples of the encaustic
work of certain other contemporary artists using encaustic techniques and some
using other wax techniques not strictly encasutic

I am new this this medium. When I ordered this book I could not put it down. I read it in one night. It is packed with a lot of information. I keep refering back it.

I found this to be a clear and well presented book overall, enough so I found I didn't want to start this technique until I did some major re-arrangement of my studio space. Given that I haven't tried working through the tutorials, so really can't comment about them.

Some seem annoyed at the art and artists presented - get over it. Art is about process, not product, learn about and experience what others have done then do your own thing. If you live somewhere with good art museums then seek out work by others that is in the genre that suits your tastes.

I'll keep this book as reference when I do start my experiments with wax - so far it's the best I've seen in print.

WOW! This is a book that must be the encaustic paint maker's bible.
Joanne Mattera has produced a book of reference for those artists wanting to explore the ancient art of encaustic painting. Her use of easy to relate reference material like the formulae of encaustic medium to the day to day collection of tools used to produced the art work, makes a newbie to this technique feel secure.
She covers the important issues of studio safety to the equipment. The questions and answers found on the working reference pages are very helpful and guide the reader towards the subject matter covered chapter by chapter.
She shares encaustic paintings from a huge range of contributing artists and this allows the reader to see the wide range of applications that encaustic painting adds to the visual arts. Joanne's vast painting experience shows through as she shares both her experiments along the encaustic journey to her leaving the door open for the new artist to "try new things for themselves."
For the artist trying encaustic painting for the very first time to the experienced encaustic painter, this book offers information for all.

I love looking at Kaffe Fassett books; his quilts are the best! Someday I want to try to make one of his designs, but using fabrics of my choosing. The designer fabrics are spendy.

I hav eevery single one of his book and I like this one the best. ALl his books are fantastic. They are artworks and so European. Glad Kaffe got into the quilting market.

Few designers have the eye for the daring color and riotous pattern combinations found in Fassett's work, and the sun-splashed glory in these photographs makes for a delicious visual feast. For the more conservative...and even beginning quilter, the patterns are doable in other fabric choices. This is a book to set the creative juices bubbling.

This one is the nicest of Kaffe's quilting books yet so far. There are 20 quilt designs for all levels of technical ability and they all use Kaffe's fabrics in spectacular ways.

The photography and printing quality of the book allow this to be one of the most functionally usable quilt books I own. I am again inspired to take up my rotary cutting wheel and start piecing.

The graphics and instructions are clear and well diagrammed. I wouldn't have changed a thing.

I have most of Kaffe Fassett's other books and I have to say this one was just ok. His Glorious Patchwork and Passionate Patchwork had much nicer quilts.

The approach of this text is aimed at the beginner, but if you've played around with resin, I'm sure you'll still find plenty to learn between its pages because she covers so much in this 128 page book. Read the rest of my review here: http://jewelrymaking.about.com/od/mixedmediabookreviews/a/071107.htm

I am new to resins, but have always wanted to learn. I had taken classes from people who were experts in their field, but found it was difficult to create the resin pieces based on their techniques. I love how Sherri has created techniques that allow me to do them in my small studio space and without much expense. (e.g. in the class I took, the instructor had us use aluminum sheeting to cut and put together to pour the silicone into, Sherri just has you use old sour cream tubs, butter tubs, etc. with the bottoms cut off. That is so much easier and cheaper!) The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that she didn't go into why she (or the artist making the project) chose a particular resin over another based on the project (e.g. polyurethane vs. polyester, etc.). I don't think she covers safety enough, but I teach classes and am a safety freak with my students. Overall though, I am very happy with my purchase and definitely would recommend to anyone wanting to get into resins.

I like this book a lot more than another book I got on resin jewelry. This book was easier for a novice like me to understand. It was full of good ideas, explanations about the different types of resin and helpful hints. Best of all, the author mentioned where she got her craft supplies for certain projects.

This book takes the mystery out of working with resin. It explains mold-making in good detail and provides useful info for choosing the right raw materials. Not every artist can also teach, but Ms. Haab is skilled at both. The book is well laid out, not repetitive, and provides sample projects along with a list of necessary materials. Many of the projects are not my style preference, but written descriptions and pictures are clear and can be used for inspiration. Published in 2006, it is recent enough that the raw materials are still relevant and available.

Ever since I saw my first superchunky, gorgeous colored resin bangle, available for sale at an online store back in the early 2000's, I have been intrigued by the mystique of always different resin jewelry. Yes I kick myself to this day that I never bought that bangle!

Now I spot brilliant fabulous clear resin jewlery, with pretty silver embellishments, and inlaid semiprecious stones, for sale online. I see resin as well on etsy with yummy looking real candy pieces or sprinkles and glitter floating cheerily in the molded colorful bangles or pendants.

Well, I have finally broken down and bought my own how to book, from the best teacher around, and I am thrilled! Now that I own this award winning book, The Art of Resin Jewelry, by Sherri Haab, I can stop looking and start doing! Having already "devoured" this great book, I plan to get to work (or to play!) as soon as possible! I am hoping to stretch my imagination to the fullest, and to see what I can do as well, with resin as my launching pad!

Sherri Haab is the perfect guide for a neophyte like me! I need HER clear writing style. I need the fun of seeing the variety of her projects, such as her high art "Pod Bead" bracelet, shown in two colors, and her ultra hip Techno Polymer Clay Bezels (which obviously use more than just resin as the medium you work with). That second project I just mention comes from a whole section in the book she offers which is called "Combining Resin With Polymer Clay". Everthing is so fascinating!

The author is straightforward in her writing style and her book is great, in the manner in which she assists the reader to take the intial steps toward learning how to create coated resin, casted, molded or combined medium resin jewelry.

Not only did she produce this super cool book, she has a website where you can pick up the things you will need to create you own jewelry (molds, resin, colors, powders, bracelet blanks, ring blanks and more) without going through the sometimes confusing process of wandering around in a local craft store or even two, looking here and there and checking and rechecking your list of required resin needs you have to obtain to get started. This book and her site will get you started. Who knows were you will end up!

I love this book! I am please with the saftey precautions she is careful to explain, I love the projects, and I feel that this is a terrific all around crafting book!