Crafts Hobbies Books

Beautifully illustrated, Wonderful pictures, Great ideas, and detailed instructions. A must for any beader who wants to expand their hobby.

This book is right up my alley. I just love the ideas and colored pictures showing so many examples. It just causes the creative juices to flow. I am so thankful that I purchased this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves creating art quilts with embroidery stitches and bead work.

I just received this book and each page is better than the one before. I can barely wait to begin a project that was inspired by this book. Good diagrams and excellent examples. Would suggest this book to any one that enjoys beading or wants to begin. Is helpfull to all levels of beaders.

Lately a few people have been asking me which book I would recommend for learning bead embroidery. This is it folks.
Interweave Press has a history of fantastic books, and this one lives up to that history.

It's spiral bound in a hard cover so it will lie flat while you're working,and it's laid out logically for the absolute beginner in bead embroidery. The first chapter covers tools, the second is about beads, the third chapter explains the different types of bead embroidery, it goes on to stitches and projects. There are gorgeous and inspiring examples throughout the book, and the illustrations of technique are easily understandable.

Bead embroidery doesn't have to be scary, it's a fun technique that's able to do things woven beads won't do. This book will take a lot of the mystery out of it for you.

And yes, when my friends ask "Can you recommend a good book for learning bead embroidery?" I tell them about this one. It's really that good.

I have been TRYING to bead on fabric for several months now. When I received this book I sat and read it from cover to cover. I can say that I will now be able to bead on fabric without any problems. This is the best book I have ever come across on beading on fabric. It gives you instructions for beading on all types of fabric. The pictures are great and the instructions are easy to understand. If you have money for only one book and you want to make your beading on fabric more professional looking, this is the book to buy!

Outstanding color photos and diagrams. Easy to see how to adapt for other crafts than jewellery.

Very nice, original designs. Even better? Besides making them for personal use, the author will let you reproduce them for charity purposes! Can't wait to get started on some of these projects!

This is one of the book about the subject that have captivated my imagination. The graphic explanation and the differents examples make this book one of the best product of this type on the market. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Suzen Millodot's books on knotting intrigued me first because of the gorgeous knots on her website promoting the Chinese Knots for Bead Jewellry.
The books, both of them, more then lived up to my expectations, the illustrations are gorgeous, and the knots are both illustrated and photographed well to show how they go together.
The intricacy of the knots makes them seem a lot more difficult then they are following the instructions.
I loaned the books to my eldest child who hasn't really ever tied knots before and within a few minutes he was tying himself a Turk's Head knot bracelet.
Gorgeous books, I highly recommend both of them.

An entirely usable book, with enough projects to get you started in knotting but not so many as to be overwhelming. The illustrations are clear and, as far as I can tell, complete. I tried a couple of button knots to get the hang of it and then made a Celtic cross necklace with button knots and slider knots as my first project. (It wasn't quick, but it all worked!)

I recommend starting with nylon (not rayon) rattail. (I have found satincord.com to be a reliable supplier.) Nylon is prettier than it sounds, and it's easier to handle. If you prefer rayon rattail or silk cord, you can move on to using them after your fingers are adept at holding the loops.

A previous reviewer mentions using a large pin to move button knots to a desired position; I agree with this method. Just tie a few for practice and to understand the structure, and then you can learn to position them.

Knotted jewelry is perfect for large beads, pendants, and odd jewelry findings you may not find another good use for. I am going to make knotted keepsakes for my family from the beads in my late aunt's costume jewelry box.

This is a lovely book and the small number of projects is not a limitation; it's easy to see how to combine the techniques to make many more styles. I am ordering the same author's "Chinese Knots" today.

I love making hats so I was very excited when I received this book. However, I'm a beginner and have not yet learned how to make a hat from the top down, only from the bottom up. This book is very detailed, has great pics and many nice patters. I'm just waiting for my next knitting class to start so I can learn the technique then I'll be on my way to knitting everything in this book! Also- there is a large section on felting hats for anyone interested in learning about that!

This book has great basic hat design and a nice array of hats that you actually want to make. Instructions are clear and colorful illustration is inspiring. Nice to have so many patterns and ideas in one place!

Bought this for my wife, an ardent knitter, for Christmas. She says it is the finest book of hat patterns she has encountered. Recommended.

I agree this may not be a book for absolute beginning knitters, although I thought the designs were fairly simple. Knitting in the round can be tricky, and the cast-on technique recommended for most of the hats is difficult even for me. Re: the errors in the instructions, fortunately, the edition I bought had all the corrections, so the hats worked up accurately.

But as an experienced knitter who still has problems following patterns (just what KIND of "make one" did the designer mean??), I found the directions for the two hats I've knitted (VALERY, the one on the cover and DUNCAN) simple and easy to follow. I've made both hats several times. They knit up quickly, they look just as good as the photos in the book, and they fit beautifully. In fact, the first time I tried on my finished "Valery" hat, my daughter exclaimed, "It looks just like the hat in the book!" With these two hats, I found I could almost follow the pattern by looking at the photograph, they were so intuitive.

After a long hiatus from knitting, I needed to make a hat for a friend. I searched high and low for weeks for hat patterns that were simple, quick and beautiful. I was surprised at the dearth of easy-to-follow yet attractive patterns.

This book was the only one that had several simple yet lovely hats, with no silly "things" on them. It features designs that don't rely on a bunch of faddish novelty yarns, yet offers enough variations and color choices to keep me knitting and knitting and knitting. I've already made and given away four of the hats in the book, and every recipient has LOVED them.

I love the simple guide that showed me how to combine various weight yarns to get the gauges noted in the patterns.

I love the variations suggested, in yarns, colors, patterns. I love that the gauge was provided for each yarn, so I didn't have to track down a specific yarn to make a substitution.

I love that the book itself is beautifully photographed, with lots of good images of the finished hat, and images of hats in alternative yarns and colors.

The "Duncan" hat is so simple, and I can't wait to try the designer's suggestion to experiment with different patterns and textures on the brim.

I admit I didn't like how the start of the hat looked with my usual two-strand cast-on--a bit too bulky to lie flat on top. I might still be doing it wrong! I ended up unraveling that first row when I finished, and simply sewing it up with the yarn end. It looks fine this way.

Again, perhaps not a beginner book, with the difficult cast-on and 4-needle technique. But a breath of fresh air for knitters with moderate skills who want something simple yet different AND attractive.

I realize that a 5 would only work if I went by the ONE pattern I've actually knit, which happened to be one of the error-free patterns. Due to the numerous errors seen on the page described here, I would give a 1 or 2 for the patterns themselves.

But I totally give a 5 for the variety of patterns, the multiple pics she gives for each hat (one hat in two different colors can look sooo different!) and for the instructions on how to combine yarns to get the weight you need, felting instructions, face shape info, etc.

So, a 3 will be it for me. It must be VERY frustrating for those who have made her hats and had serious errors to see so many ratings of 5. I'm glad I got this one at my local library. :)

I am a fan of the "Pretty Little" series, and this is probably my favorite. So many cute ideas to "snaz up" the humble potholder. Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas this year?

I first got this book from the library & bookmarked most of the pages. Then I remembered to look it up on Amazon and there it was, at a great price, too! Although it arrived just when they promised, it wasn't fast enough because I was painfully anxious to get it in my hot little hands. No reflection on the seller, just my impatience. The seller is great!
This book is so EXCELLENT, with well-written instructions, marvelous ideas that are original and fresh. I LOVE THIS BOOK, so it MUST be illegal-- how could anything this good be otherwise?!? My sewing machine is going to be smokin' from all the goodies I'll be making now!

For the most part this book should have been called 'Pretty Little *DECORATIVE* Potholders.' Too many of them have items on them that are fairly incompatible with a hot pan. The aforementioned metal hanger on the sweater potholder, beading on another, and plastic buttons on several.

Still, despite that (you can always leave those bits off or substitute some appliqué or lace) there are some very clever and cute potholders featured. The butterfly is adorable (minus the buttons), and the recipe card one is very clever (minus the button). The instructions took a second reading and a good hard look at the picture to decipher on a few of them (admittedly, the butterfly is one of the more complicated ones) but the slight frustration is worth it. And, yes, some of them are a little finicky, but I think the end result would definitely be worth it.

Perfect for a person with a lot of scraps who's in need of some nice, but quick, presents.

First of all the designs are too cute in this book. I especially liked the Butterfly Flutter, Girly Garden, Pompoms and Pearls, Handle with Flair, and my daughter liked Little Bunny Foo Foo. You will need a copier for this book, and I would suggest at 200% to 400% enlargement. The directions are very simple. My 12 year old daughter is just learning to sew, and she can understand these simple steps. I also bought A Is For Apron book, and they make a wonderful pair together. We plan on combining designs from each book to make Christmas presents for the ladies in our family.

If you are ready to get really creative by thinking of potholders as mineature works of art, then you will adore this book. The photographs are clear, colorful and inspirational. The directions will take you step by step through each project, but you will certainly find tons of inspiration here to come up with designs of your own!

The major plus of working on potholders is their small size, which will afford you a small canvas on which to lavish the most luxurious details. There is something here for the beginner and the most advanced sewer, although you are certain to learn as you go!

You'll soon have an awe-inspiring collection of these useful but beautiful household items that need never languish in a drawer again!

Not much here that I was looking for. Good for quick and easy patterns for beginners.

This book was very explanatory in patterns that were included and the stitches to complete easy patterns to more difficult patterns. This is an instruction manual as well as full of good patterns for different items to crochet. There are illustrations to help with explaining the directions and the stitches. I found this book very easy to read and to follow all the directions.

This product is very helpful for beginners and experienced crocheters alike. I enjoyed the step by step instructions, very easy to follow.

This book takes you from beginner to expert as you follow all the well-explained and illustrated details of 50 projects. You are bound to find tips in here that will change your crochet abilities immediately. By following all the tips and examples, you develop new abilities as you actually create projects you'll be proud of.

Crochet Patterns For Dummies is a book that you will use over and over again, and it makes a great gift for anyone who wants to learn a great skill.

Great book! The first night I got it I corrected a problem I was having with a stitch, I completed 2 hats (for Christmas gifts) and started an afgan. Excellent book!!

Excellent book for casting small rubber parts useful in auto restoration
worth the money!!!

a good book well put together with a lot of good information witch i enjoyed reading

I felt the information was rather old. I'm still looking for a reference I can actually use.

An amateur can quickly learn casting techniques to make small and simple metal and rubber parts by following examples and illustrations in this book. The Make it yourself foundry equipments chapter is helpful for beginner to start with this hobby without spending too much money. However, the main technique presented is sand casting, there is not enough examples or info on other casting techniques.

This is the only source I have ever found for non-commercial molding of rubberlike compounds. While this 1986 edition does not address possible new developments in this area (Loctite now sells material which appears to be the same as the Devcon product highlighted in the book), it is the only information I have ever seen on creating rubber parts for the home hobbyist and restorer. The chapter on weights and volumes is valuable, as these materials are rather expensive. The metal casting section is similar to others on the market, and is primarily focused on sand casting of aluminum. This limited focus, skimming over most other methods and materials, limits it to a four star rating. If you want to mold rubber parts though, this is IT.

The book is very helpful for a beginning knitter with pictures and simple steps to learn the stitches. The seller packaged the book very well and it arrived promptly with Book 1.

Both books, "The Knitting Experience: The Knit Stitch and the next one with the same title, except it is for The Purl Stitch, are the quintessential books for anyone who wants to learn either or both stitches. This is to get the knitting of the ground with the right attitude and the right tips, at the right time! I have been knitting for many years, both with a machine and by hand (which is still my favorite way of doing it!!) but both books had some tips for me that I never knew or thought of! If any book can do that to an somewhat experienced knitter, do you know what it will do for a novice? Even the patterns that both books contain are such that you can sit down and DO them as soon as you open the books!!

Although The Purl Stitch, by Sally Melville, is a straightforward knitting book giving, clear concise instructions, throughout the book there is a spirit of fun and playfulness. The teaching method is to present several basic techniques in a chapter and provide knitted items (usually sweaters) that use these techniques. Each pattern is introduced with a short description of how or why the author came upon the pattern and a photo of the garment. And unlike many of the current "coffee table" type knitting books filled with beautiful though sometimes deceptive photography, the lion's share of the pictures here are devoted to demonstrating technique and displaying finished garments. In either the left or right hand border of the page the author lists the pattern "Vitals" which include: size and type of needle; swatch requirements; yarn amounts; sizing; level of pattern difficulty; type of fit and; knitting notions required for garment completion. This simple device allows you to see at a glance what you'll need to complete a garment. In addition to photos of the item, you'll also see a schematic of the garment with its final measurements. At the end of each chapter the specific techniques which are the chapter's focus are demonstrated via photography and text. All in all this seems like a very smart way to teach knitting.

Much has been said in these reviews about the patterns and, I agree that many of them are pretty standard classics. I must admit, however, that they are the type of casual sweaters I enjoy knitting, wearing and giving as gifts. Also I feel pretty comfortable making yarn substitutions with such basic patterns and like many knitters, I have a considerably yarn stash to play with.

I learned to knit many years ago and have been knitting seriously for the past 12 years. Through this book I've discovered many new techniques and have gotten a better understanding of ones I've been using for a long time. Through her patterns and instructions Ms. Melville introduces you to the adventure of knitting and it's easy to understand why she's named this series The Knitting Experience. This is a knitting book to have in your library, no question.

When The Purl Stitch came out I bought it right away. I was eager to try something new.Reading the book is as important to me as trying the patterns. The examples are challenging and fun to wear.

A good book for beginners to intermediate. Lots of good directions.

Some nice patterns. The patterns are very spelled out. Easy to follow.

I am a certified P-12 art educator. I got this book because for the first time ever I was going to be teaching preschoolers. To me, most the ideas were.....more complex than my 3-4 year olds could handle, a little bit old school and too crafty. I whole heartedly believe in process art instead of product art (crafts), I just haven't found this book to be all I was hoping for to aid me with my class.

That being said, if you are a preschool teacher, or someone not "trained" in art, I do think this book would be helpful to you. Additionally, this book would be a good resource for a homeschool mom, or a mom wishing to do more indepth things than coloring with young children. There are several things that require hot water, or melted crayons. These are things I would do with my own kids, but not so much with my class of 16.

So, depending on your needs, this book may or may not be for you.

Yes, this book has many art ideas suitable for littles. Many, however, are pretty simple and obvious, so there isn't as much really helpful information as you'd think. Lots of them are the same as what you'd find in any other craft book geared to this age. That's ok, because you might not have all the other craft books, but it's something to keep in mind. Since I already have a fairly extensive collection of craft books, I didn't find a lot of new ideas in this one.

I own an art store and take projects right out of this book and other books by MaryAnn Kohl. Her instructions and pictures are easy to follow and if you have even an ounce of creativity, you can adjust the ideas to suit your tastes, the situation, the available materials or the ages of your students. I teach somewhere between 5 to 8 pre-schoolers every saturday morning. I can say from experience that the Process really is more important to the child than the outcome. They don't come in to art class thinking like adults "Oh, what kind of masterpiece can I create for my portfolio today?" They just want to have fun, get messy and live in the moment. But while they are processing, they are learning quite a bit. The parents of my students really love the projects and I come up with new ideas almost every week because I have a huge library of books. The simplest looking projects that may seem dull to an adult, delight the children. So you really need to try them! Some people laugh when I tell them I teach art to 2-year-olds. They think that children so young cannot benefit from art education. But my little artists are so creative and fun. They really do make art! Get a few good books with projects like this and get involved with your children making art. You won't be sorry!

This is a wonderful book! Well organized and easy to use. I love the illustrations which really help with the projects and my 2 and 3 1/2 year olds love the ideas. The author's enthusiasm for art and creativity really show! I highly recommend this book for all who want to see thier children develop a love for creativity and art!

While I see how this book may be helpful for those with no art teaching experience, as an art teacher looking for some ideas for preschool projects I found this book useless. I am only writing this review because if someone had written one like I would not have purchased the book!