Crafts Hobbies Books

This book I liked. I am an accompliced dressmaker with tailoring experience. I like this as a reference book and also found some handy tips in it.
Lucie Zandstra

The introduction is interesting and basically explains why Shaffer is qualified to give you this information. The rest reads like a text book, which, for me, is much easier. When I reach a road block with sewing, I simply refer to the applicable section and determine what stitch, seam, technique would best solve the issue. There are decent diagrams/pictures to walk you through each step. It discusses each type of seam, tools and their purpose, threads, needles, etc. It's a sewing dictionary.

Chapters include:
PART I
1. Inside the world of haute couture
2. The art of hand sewing
3. Shaping the garment: seams, darts, and pressing techniques
4. Edge finishes: hems, facings, and bindings
5. Closures
PART II
6. Skirts and pants
7. Blouses and dresses
8. Sleeves
9. Pockes
10. Jackets and coats
11. Evening wear

Draping was mentioned briefly, and in the little that was there, I was able to apply the information and successfully created/altered patterns.

Hope that helps, and good luck on your future projects!

Excellent book. Recommended by my couture sewing instructor at the London School of Fashion. It provides an excellent overview of couture sewing technique.

I found this book to be of the utmost interest to people who sew. It offers valuable fashion history and methods used in couture sewing. It catlogs important dates that changed fashion and it offers random pictures of various sewing styles. My only disappointment was that the pictures are limited in number. I would like to have seen more visuals of the methods described and up close details of the ballgowns, in particular. This book makes you realize what an art form sewing can be.It gave me a sense of aestic beauty and appreciation for the talent that brings the fabric to life.

actually this book is a complete...
the flaw is the illustration is not much...and the words are like written all in sub-chapter...it's not like a handbook...

i think for sewing books, illustration is important...

Hi!
I even doesn't know what it's possible to do with the fabric!!!!!Very interesting book about making 3 dimensional things with simple muslin tissue(exemple).I love it!
It's like open my mind really!!!Very good purchase! Thanks!!:-)))

First let me say that I am a simple quiltmaker. But I am a fantastic dreamer! This author has taken all of my dreams and made them come true. I cannot believe the things she does with the most common of fabrics. She sews designs and stuffs them with batting, then creates a wonderful picture with them. She pleats and ruches, too. Welting, cording, smocking, and tucking, are only a few of the lessons in her repertoire. The best way I know to describe her work is to say it's extremely varied in all areas of manipulation and is unlimited in its use. Clothing and quilts become things of great beauty when created using her methods. I recommend this book for all those who are the least bit interested in working with fabric. There are no brightly colored pictures, however. They are just not necessary here.

This is a wonderful reference book for all those interested in sewing and embellishing fabric. It's pure pleasure just looking at the pictures! I have given the book 4 stars though because, although I understand that the use of unbleached white muslin for all samples is clearly useful, I would have liked to see the pictures in color anyway, and not just in black and white. A snow-white cotton fabric over a mahogany background or something similar would have been perfect. It would have given the book the final touch of elegance and luxury which all these fabric embellishments are about anyway. A better picture resolution would have been ideal too, but maybe it's just my bad eyesight! In any case, I wholeheartedly congratulate Colette Wolff and thank her for this fantastic addition to the sewing libraries of passionate fabric/sewing lovers like myself, and I will wait for a second edition with more fabric manipulating ideas! The sky is the limit!

The Art of Manipulating Fabric is a wonderful book. There are excellent pictures or diagrams on every page. The instruction for creating the details covered in the book are excellent as well. Easy to follow. I would recommend this book to any seamstress who wants to improve their sewing by adding these special deatails that make a garment truely special.

Very unique and creatively artistic quilt art. Will take time to learn, but is beautiful and gets your attention right now.

I first read the Foxfire books about 25-30 years ago, picked this one up again and found that I enjoyed it even more as an adult. Reading about the skills that were a daily part of life, things that are lost in today's hectic modern day lifestyle in the city. It may not have seemed simpler to the folks that lived it, but sure seems like a simpler life to me.

I am from the Appalachian mountains. I am collecting these books to hand down to my kids. This is definately the perfect way to preserve your roots. I HIGHLY reccomend the whole series. Don't let the old ways die!

Nostalgia in its purest form....knowing how my Grandma and Grandpa handled life. Foxfire books are great.

This is a book invaluable information and stories from America past. Part folklore part instruction, this book is one of many in the series that enlightens us about the basics of subsistence we might all do well to know.
All the Foxfire books should be used as texts in a school setting.

Eliot Wigginton made his students immortal when he sent them into the southern mountains to interview and record the skills and crafts of the region.
This is the first one of a fantastic series that serves as a standard reference for mountain culture. If you are a writer that has any intention of either historical--frontier descriptions or including characters from the region this entire series should be on your shelf or in the local library. Reading them will give flavor to your work.
As a reader you can check to see if the hog killing scene from COLD MOUNTAIN is authentic. This is just one example, there are thousands of others.
Writing as a Small BusinessUnder the Liberty OakSins of the Fathers: A Brewster County NovelThe Bluegrass Dream: A Wilderness Adventure of Early SettlersGuns Across the Rio: A Texas Ranger in Old Mexico

The page layouts in this book are easy to use, and can be simple or complex depending on which embellishments, papers, etc you use. The cards are handy to keep with your scrapbooking stuff for some on-the-spot inspiration.

I have alot of ideas books, but this one is the best!!! Becky Fleck is amazing. She not only had all original sketches in this book but comes up with news ones month after month. The icing on the cake-the cards. You don't have to carry the book with you everywhere you go. I slip the cards in my page planner and take it from there.

And the small "to go" cards are brilliant. I can carry them in my purse, and they help me take better, smarter photos, too. Love this whole package!

I love this book. It is full of great ideas and maps of layouts that are really creative.

This book really helped me get out of a slump, you know, when three or four scrapbook pages start looking the same???

The punch out cards in the back make this book a portable, inspirational goldmine

This book is wonderful. If you are planning a party for Halloween or just a fun time for your family this book will give you great and simple ideas.

I found this book at my local library a few years ago. I loved it so much, I kept it until finding it on Amazon. The book has fantastic colorful pictures that get you in the spirit of Halloween no matter what time of year it is. It has fun craft ideas, spooky recipes and costume ideas for all ages.

Most of the crafts in this book are fairly easy for anyone to attempt,however you may find a few that require tools that you might not have unless you an avid Craftster.
She has a large chapter on Pumpkin carving/decorating that has ideas for children and adults. The book has a great deal of very unique Halloween crafts that are sure to impress and spook your friends and family.

As for the recipes,they aren't too difficult. I recommend "The Hot Spiced Concord - Grape Juice"(A new twist on spiced cider) "The Great Pumpkin Cake", "Ancient Eggs" and of course The Lady Finger's and Man toes. These recipes will be a hit at any Halloween gathering.

I haven't tired out any of the makeup/costume ideas yet,however they look fantastic and not very difficult. She has included the best Mummy makeup I have ever seen, and only requires everyday kitchen ingredients.
Even Martha appears as a few frightful characters with complete how to instructions (I had no idea she was the model in a few of the photos!)

You don't have to be a fan of Martha Stewart to enjoy this book. Its filled with tons of ideas for all ages. I seriously recommend this book to anyone that enjoys DIY holiday decorating and of course the Halloween food is ...to die for! This book is worth every cent, It has been my go to Halloween craft book since 2004 and I have no intention of finding another (unless it's an update)

Happy Haunting!

I ordered a lot of craft and cookbooks for halloween and this is one of my fave for sure!

Excellent ideas for Halloween decorating and parties....if you have the time. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time on my hands so I wasn't able to use the book for this past Halloween (2006). Hopefully, I'll have more time next year, or I'll start preparing ahead of time. The ideas are clever and original and I'd like to use them. The book is of great quality, thick paper. The photos and instructions are clear and not at all confusing.

I was hoping for sophisticated and stylish ideas for a halloween party. This was more like construction paper grade school crafts. I was very disapointed.

I really liked this book as I am kind of a "do my own thing my own way" type of person. So if that is you, I think this book may appeal to you. The only thing I would change in her text is that I would add more room to the hip measurement, from 6 to 8 maybe. It just gives a lot of possibilities to work off of and I liked that. I can't buy just all the books I would like but I considered this a good purchase. It may not be that great for a person with no sewing experience at all though but you would have to judge that for yourself. Maybe just think ten times about what and why you are doing something and then cut once.

Lovely ideas, clear instructions. Spiral bound is awesome so you can leave it open as you sew. Loved this book because it helped me work out how to draft a pattern JUST RIGHT for my body. If you want to be able to make yourself a variety of skirts - this book is perfect for you!!

I read the reviews for this book before I purchased it. I was a little taken aback by the negative reviews, but with all the positive ones, I bought it. The book arrived and I was making skirts within the week. My two daughters and I wear loads of skirts. I am a professional quilter, so I know how to sew, but making clothes is different. The book is great in giving me clear directions and great tips. The first two skirts I made were not exactly ones in the book, but slight alterations based on existing skirts. In one afternoon I made two beautiful skirts. When I wore one to the quilt shop, everyone wanted to see the book. I highly recommend it. I am already on to my third skirt. Enjoy, as I do!

I was a little skeptical when I ordered this book but I just completed my first project from this book and I am thrilled. I wish I had this book many years ago. I have always been frustrated with patterns and that whole messy process of getting them ready for use etc(not to mention the price). For the first time I have been 100% satisfied with my finished garment. I loved the easy directions and the method of marking directly to the fabric. The result was gorgeous, trendy, and the process was FUN. I cannot wait to make my next skirt. This book should breath new life into the art of creating one of a kind garments!

There is something wrong when one has to do the proofreading before following a pattern. Does anybody proofread before publishing, especially when math is so crucial to pattern writing. Much to my major disappointment, when I finally pull the book out to sew a skirt with much anticipation and expectation after buying a pretty piece of fabric at a very pretty price and proceed in following the directions to make a semi-circular wrap-skirt, and having cut accordingly, I discover that the math is completely off. N.B. Do not divide the final waistline measurement by 6. This is incorrect information. Yeah, I didn't end up with the skirt I had in mind... and I don't give praises for books that give the wrong information and can cause one much grief and an emptier wallet than initially planned.

I learned to sew with this book and have had great sucess. I just bought the new book "Sew On" to progress my sewing and the patterns and projects are amazing! I have learned even more techniques with the new book and I still use my Sew Fast Sew Easy book for reference. I'm really happy with these books from Amazon.

This is a great learn how to sew book for first time sewers, very easy to understand.

This is a classic beginner sewing book. I think people will learn to sew from this book generations to come. The patterns are very simple with easy to follow instructions. The illustrations are clear and helpful. I bought the new "Sew On" book to learn additional sewing skills with more advanced patterns.

I ordered the "Sew On" book and was really impressed with the written instructions and included patterns. My daughter wants to learn to sew and I ordered her this book. When she gets a little comfortable, I'll pass along the Sew On book. This Sew Fast Sew Easy book has simple, easy to use patterns and projects that will get true beginners sewing. I highly recommend this book for true beginners. If your looking for a more intermediate book, find the "Sew On" book.

The book is probably best for true novices. I was never much of a sewer and it has been 30 years since I've sewn anything more than a button or hem. I thought I'd need to review the basics, but this book was too basic for me. i was hoping that it would refresh the basics, but lead me a few steps beyond. I can see where it would be helpful for those who are just starting out, so I can't find much fault with the book itself. It was just not what I need.

An extremely useful book - has given me a lot of useful background information and been absolutely invaluable helping us out with customer questions.

She likes this book enough to buy it, which is unusual, so her opinion speaks for itself. Especially since she crochets, not knits.

This book is gorgeous. It's well-bound, full-color, and printed on thick paper. Now, I know that how a book looks doesn't really matter, but in this case, the quality of the craftmanship is a definite bonus, as I can see myself using this book for years.

Parkes has written a wonderful book on everything you could ever want to know about yarn. The first part of the book has focuses on natural(both plant and animal) and synthetic fibers, including info such as where it's from, how it's made, what characteristics the fiber has, what it's good for, what its weaknesses are, and so on. After reading this book, you'll be completely prepared to make the appropriate fiber choices for the project at hand. Want to know which fiber would be best for a light but warm scarf? How about a yarn for a sweater that's both easy to care for but knits up without stretching and sagging too much? This book answers these questions and more.

In the second part of the book, Parkes has included a number of patterns that emphasize a particular yarn's highlights. All of these designs are beautiful, classic pieces that will stand the test of time...there's nothing in here that would look dated, so you can be assured that the sweater your worked on for months will, with care, last you many years.

I can't say enough good things about this book. It's chock full of useful information for anyone that works with yarn, it's organized beautifully, the quality of the book is high, and Parkes writes in a conversational tone that makes you feel as if you're being guided by a close friend. It's definitely something that should be on every fiber crafter's bookshelf.

This book is the equivalent to a college course on fibers and their characteristics. NOW I know why some of my projects were not what I had hoped they would be; I substituted yarns that were the same gauge, but that wasn't enough. The patterns in this book are examples of each type of yarn (not just the fiber, but the number of plies, etc.) and are very user-friendly. I've already completed a small project, and this time my yarn substitution worked extremely well. I've knitted for many years, but feel that I've graduated to a new level because of this book.

This is a good, well-written book.

My beef is with the description, which led me to expect 256 pages of in-depth information about fiber properties, fiber blending, the effects of bleaching, dye and other processing on the fibers, and the benefits and drawbacks of various yarn constructions. I was very excited about getting such a book.

Which is why I was so disappointed when I got the book to find so much of the space was actually devoted to patterns. The patterns are certainly good, but there are pattern books by the hundreds---that wasn't what I was shopping for here, and space given over to patterns was taken away from the information I had expected and wanted.

The shame of it is that Clara Parkes is a fine writer with wide exposure to yarns and yarn types, and access to the people who create them and the people who use them. As someone who neither creates nor sells fibers or yarns, she is in perhaps an ideal position to synthesize yarn and fiber information in a readable, unbiased way - precisely the book I expected and wanted.

What appears in the book is more of a survey of fibers and yarns for the advanced beginner or intermediate knitter, while I was expecting more of a true fiber-whisperer master class. I would have bought this book anyway had it been more accurately described, but I would have been a much happier owner had my expectations not been raised so high by the description. In Sheep's Clothing: A Handspinner's Guide to Wool by Nola and Jane Fournier is closer to what I expected this to be as far as reviewing specific fibers, although it deals only in wool and does not discuss the issues of chemistry or yarn structure.

I do like this book, but I'm also still waiting for someone (maybe Clara?) to write the book I thought it was going to be.

This is very detailed and written well for most crafters! I enjoyed it and have let my daughter use it for some of her decorations, too
Highly recommend it for anyone who needs more halloween (like I do!)

This book is full of such COOL ideas and recipes, etc. Matthew is the best and this book proves it. It's up-to-date and you will not regret purchasing it.

I received this book today and what fun it was to look through! Gorgeous full-color illustrations and patterns. As the title suggests, there are a wide variety of activities in the book. Simple things that even kids can do (that are still stylish) and more complicated crafts/cooking for adults. I am very pleased with this purchase and I think the price is excellent considering the amount of information contained in the book. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for ideas for things to do with their kids or anyone looking to jazz up their Halloween decor.

This is a beautiful book, with great crafting, decorating & treat ideas that vary from simple to elaborate.

The photos will make you think of Martha Stewart, but the ideas are actually less restrained and more whimsical and doable than the ever elegant Martha.

My favorite for home decorating is the Witches coat rack. A fun entryway decoration complete with a cloak, broom, 'pointy hat' and a large key marked "Dungeon", that looks as though the owner came home to "park it for the night".

I love this book and can't wait to get busy with several of the projects in here.