Crafts Hobbies Books

I recently bought a serger. I have have never used one before and donot have technical backup from the dealer (I bought online). Anyway this book is one of three I bought on serging and it is the best and indepensible to anyone who owns a serger. The photographs and information are clear and easy to use. This book and your manual are all you need to get the best out of your serger in my opinion.

I had borrowed this book from the local library and knew I had to have one on hand as a reference guide. It's primarily a trouble-shooting book, (you won't find creative techniques or project ideas) so if you know that up-front, you can't find a better book of its type. It covers everything from understanding and making adjustments to tensions to telling you where to look for typical causes of malfunctions. (I could have saved a trip to the repair shop a few months ago if I had this book and known my breaking needle was caused by improper threading -- who'd have guessed!?) It also has a wonderful section of photos showing the use of unexpected threads in the loopers to create decorative finishes and giving tips and difficulty ratings for those finishes. For me, this was a must-have reference book.

I am looking to buy a serger, and this book is helping me decide what features I should look for. I find this book to be very informative and is layed out well for easy skimming. This book came to me highly recommended, and I now can highly recommend it.

If you are new to serging or even experienced, you will find this book a valuable asset in your sewing library. I am new to serging and have found it to be a very helpful. Most owner/instruction manuals tell you how to thread and use your machine but don't get into a lot of detail about the actual how-to of serging or problem-solving. This book covers everything from needles to sewing with various types of threads to troubleshooting with lots of illustrations and photographs.

There is a reason why people buy sergers and never use them. Unlike sewing machines, sergers are a little more complicated and can be down right intimidating, so good reference books are a MUST! This book, along with "The New Singer Sewing With A Serger", have been very helpful to me. Sergers are great machines and reference books such as this will give you the confidence and ability to get through problems and master your serger.

My wife was a first time user of a serger that I bought her for Christmas (I know - great Christmas gift - but it was what she wanted!) - anyways, she tells me that this book is very helpful for providing a lot of useful hints past the basic instructions you get with a new serger - she would recommend it for anyone who usually needs just a little more hints tht a basic instruction guide provides

This book is very interesting, we took it on our last vacation and will probably take it with us again. Playing in the sand is fun for everyone. We learned a lot, but a weeks vacation is not enough to learn everything, so we'll be using it for years to come :)

I finded this book very usefull to persons (like me) who really want to start in a seriously way the construction of sandcastles: ggod and usefull tips, instructions that take you step by step in to this hobby.

Try "Beach Lover's Guide to the Perfect Sandwich" This book would go great with Sandcastles Made Simple. After all you'll be working up quite an appetite making all those sandcastles.

This is a great book if you are a budding sand castle enthusiast. It tells you what kind of sands are best, even for a backyard sand box. Detailed and well photographed so you really grasp what they are telling you. Even includes sand creations you can make with children.

This book is so fun I can't stop reading it. The descriptions of techniques are excellent, and the illustrative photos are even better. I'd say it's the next best thing to taking a live lesson in sand sculpture! It's really going to enrich my weekends this summer. I recommend this book to anyone who is going to be spending any amount of time on any beach in the near future.

An excellent publication. I've used this book over the years and always get the latest update for the information it contains.

Very happy with the quick delivery, I paid for that! But disappointed in the binding of the guide. The first 57 pages were cut that you could not read the entire page. Prices were cut or model numbers.

The item was a gift and the receiver found it very useful for his train collection.

Greenberg's Guides Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 2008 (Greenberg's Pocket Price Guide Lionel Trains)

This is the ultimate guide for pricing Lionel trains.

When it comes to concise and easy to use price guides to Lionel Trains I have always found Greenberg's Guides to be invaluable. It breaks the catalogue numbers down into eras or distinct ranges of years of production and lists price ranges based on condition in a very orderly fashion. If you sell or buy on eBay this is a valuable tool. Greenberg's Lionel Trains Guides and publications are all first rate and come highly recommended.

This delightful book leads the reader into the seldom-explored world of doll quilts. Better still, it helps us imagine the makers of the quilts, as well as the children for whom they were made, and who sometimes learned to make the quilts themselves, however awkwardly. Best of all, the knowledgeable collector and the author, with their historical expertise and their trained eyes, teach us that what speaks to us most clearly is the concept of the quilt, rather than the skill of its construction.--Dorothy Schneider (Mrs. Carl J. Schneider)

This book showcases a collection of quilts made for and by children for doll beds. Some of them are quite old, whereas others are fairly recent. The photos are well done and the book's layout is easy to read.

I picked this one up on a whim, and while I enjoyed this book, I don't see it having much re-read value for me. I was hoping for some ideas for projects I would want to make in the future, and while it was interesting I wasn't inspired to duplicate any of the children's work.

I'm giving this book 3 stars, mostly because, while interesting, it didn't leave a lasting impression.

Very detailed, Easy to read, very helpfull in setting up shop.

The book is ok, but I wish he would spend more time on running a DC system in a small home shop. Also, a topic I was interested in (grounding a pvc based system) was brushed over in less than a page.

Basically what I found is just when the book was getting into enough detail to be useful the section would end.

The book is fine if you haven't ever read an article on dust control. But a two page section on dust control from sanders right at the end of the book??? Come on give us a little meat here. Little detail is given on how to control dust with jigs or with equipment that doesn't have dust control.

I gave it 2 stars because I found it wasn't technically detailed enough to be useful and very vague in areas that really needed attention. Took me 3 hours to read it..I'll put it on the book shelve where ironically enough it will probably gather dust.

A very good starting point for anyone interested in woodshop dust control. Does a good job covering the hazards and methods of control of sawdust. It then goes on to describe methods for designing and installing a central dust collection system.

This book provides a complete and detailed writing on the methods for woodshop dust control methods. It covers different strategies for controlling dust from simple respiratory protection devices(masks), shop ventillation and air filtration and dust collecting machines (portable and central units).
It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each method for different situations and how to optimize each strategy for a given situation. Great and interesting book. Written in practical and easy to understand manner.

If you need an overview of woodcarving and were not very picky about the need for step by step assistance, this book would work for you. It does go over the basic cuts and offers text on a variety of topics in wood carving, i.e. types of woodcarving, tools, materials, painting, etc. It provides a number of patterns, many of them fairly cheesy and probably would not appeal to most starting out. There is a nice selection of bird patterns, but not much pictoral instructions on how to carve them. You would probably be better off with a different beginner's book with more appealing projects and then find books on specific woodcarving interests from there.

Like many beginning woodcarving books this book describes the basic cuts you need to practice and it gives some information on wood types. Beyond that, the only reason to purchase this book is if you need the patterns in them.

Being new to wood carving I like the price of the book and I thought I would give it a try. Once I saw the patterns though, I changed my mind and bought another book. This is just a matter of taste but the cutesy mouse and the fisherman weren't what I wanted to carve and I feel that you really need to find carvings that interest you (especially while you are learning) to prevent boredom. Once again, if the patterns on the cover look interesting to you, then by all means get this book (if you are a complete beginner).

A terrific beginner book with lots of variety in types of carving. I've added it to my collection of references.

After reviewing the book, I returned it. I would guess that there is an audience out there that want to carve cutsey figurines but, ugh! Who would want them around the house? I have several carving books from which I have gleaned useful information but, frankly, this is subject matter deserving of a video demonstration. Until you see how a carver twists, turns, and taps the chisel to accommodate the grain of the wood, I just don't think you are going to get it. Not at least without chewing up a lot of valuable wood as the masters do doubt have.

That said I have to take responsibility for my bad judgement in selecting this book as the author/publisher provided ample glimpses to the interior pages. So, my bad.

I am a carver -- mantle pieces and such -- and bought the book for a young man who wanted to try his hand at carving. It covers all the basics and even has some great patterns.

Page after page of ideas, and the cultural history of these wonderful designs. One negative: The charts are packed in pretty tightly, so they can be hard to read.

When I first received my copy of this book, I was amazed at the amount of mittens in it, and the fact that there are patterns for each and every one of them. Then I actually started to read it and got a bit confused because of the way the book is put together, but since I got used to it, I've only loved it. Amazing book, countless possibilities!

Not only is this an incredibly interesting history of Latvian mittens, it gives you all the information you need to make up your own or use one of the complete patterns. The differing color combos are inspiring--if you have any interest in these, this book is a great value!

This is an excellent book which I'd been coveting for some time. Its well written and the instructions are clear although I don't really see the point of the book being written half in english and half in Lativian. The charts are also excellent and let you make up your own combination of patterns. If you've got vision problems, or like to be able to knit without having the chart pressed to your nose then it would be better to enlarge the charts. Its a very inspiring book and everyone I know will be getting mittens for their Christmas this year.

A great book , but not the best. I find it a bit difficult to see the patterns since they are like copies of copies and to black - and to figure out where to set the thumb. Really nice patterns and some words from the different designs.

This book is not for beginning sewers! It's not an easy book to get through. If you are really ready to make a suit jacket that will be comparable to $1,000 designer jackets, I'd recommend you also have on hand Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket. The pictures in that book are much clearer and easier to follow. And that book shows methods of tailoring with fusible interfacing.

Also, the Zapp Method of Couture Sewing has a great chapter on sewing a tailored jacket. Still, I do believe that a really fine jacket needs to use sew-in hymo hair canvas just as Roberto Cabrera (the author) recommends. It makes a tremendous difference.

If you must use fusibles, then Anna Zapp's method using Fusible Acro is best. I think, however, you will find it eventually separates after many dry cleanings.

You'll most likely need the internet to find these interfacings because places like Jo-Anne's certainly don't carry them!

This book is for persons who are just starting out, not tailors. It is good to have reference books in your library but this book has the same construction directions that a vogue men's pattern has in it. If this book costed 5 or 10 dollars it would be worth it but not for this price. Thank you

This book gives a lot of advice. The only thing that's keeping this book from being rated 5 star is it's picture. It's black and white!!!!

Overview:
This book is a valuable resource for anyone wanting to learn about tailoring a men's suit jacket & pants. It provides detailed instructions on every step of the process, from selecting the threads, materials, and fabrics, to laying out patterns, to sewing in the canvas, etc. It also provides very useful instructions on modifying store bought jacket patterns to fit varying body types (e.g. sloped / broad shoulders, wide /thin body, erect posture, bow legs etc.).

This book completely eliminates the need for the instructions which come with the pattern. And it also gives instructions on how to modify the pattern style (e.g. changing vents, lined or unlined jackets, changing pants pocket styles etc.). As the book states: "all you will use from a pattern envelope are the basic pattern pieces: the jacket front, side panel and back, the sleeve and the undercollar. You will be able to create the rest of the jacket on your own."

A few drawbacks:
The book contains both line drawings and photographs. The luckily, most of the illustrations are the line drawings which are simple and very useful. However, in the paperback version which I purchased brand-new from Amazon (perhaps the only version still in print) the photographs are extremely dark, and hard to see. They look and feel almost as though they were photocopied (poorly) from the original B&W pics in the hardcover book. This was, in my view, the biggest disappointment of this book.

As well, though not necessarily a drawback, it should be noted that the book focuses only on the "Classic" tailoring techniques (i.e. custom / hand stitching method). Those seeking information on the quicker (though inferior) machine and fusible methods of jacket construction will find no help.

Conclusion:
This is perhaps the most in-depth book you will find on men's jacket construction still in print today. It is used (I believe) in college courses on tailoring and fashion, and it is not difficult to see why. The smallest details are covered, and innumerable options are provided for customizing a jacket to your exact style and taste. If it wasn't for the terrible picture quality I would probably have rated it a 5.

As a side note,I found that it was useful to supplement the low resolution photographs in this book with the full colour photographs in Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket(though the latter focuses mainly on women's clothing, many of the techniques overlap). With the two of these books one will be well armed to construct a very nice men's suit.

Excellent resource for those desiring to know how to create really beautiful jackets for men or women. Completely replaces pattern instructions purchased with the envelope.

I bought this book because I was going to a class give by Alex Anderson and I wanted her to sign something for me. Then I gave this book to an Aunt as a gift. My Aunt loved it and it has been good for her as a beginner quilter.

I love this book. As a beginner quilter you must have this. It is clear, easy, and has wonderful instructions. I still grab this book when my mind goes blank....I give it 5 stars.

I used this book in a small group who met and got together to quilt. Since we are of all levels of quilting and sewing, we used this as our beginners project and are all glad we did. Turned out to be wonderful for all of us. Great instructions and photo's making it easy for those of us with all levels of experience. We all had a ball doing it too. Bravo to our group. We keep pushing ourselves on to do more and more and love it all the time.

I purchased Start Quilting with Alex Anderson: Six Projects for First-Time Quilters, 2nd Edition, and have made the first two projects. As a very beginner quilter, I found her instructions to be very clear and understandable. I look foward to working on the next projects in the book.

I thought I knew a lot about home sewing since I've been doing that for over 35 years but I was always afraid to try quilting. I found this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to try quilting, but unsure quite where to start. The instructions are great and easy to follow. The text is well-written and easy to understand and the photos/drawings used for examples are great. The book gives you a great variety of starter projects to choose from, along with fabric and design suggestions . I'm proud to say I'm nearly finished with my first project from the book and I can't wait to try my next one.

This is a excellent book for adding beads to just about ANYTHING! All the directions for these patterns are in the book - plus all the examples of the stitches. The entire alphabet, lots of flowers, a wedding section and even Christmas! Also, it has an extensive section on how to add beads to clothes. I love this book!
Karen from:
Made With Love By Karen in Oregon

THE BOOK IS GOOD AND VERY PROFESIONAL! MR. KING WAS SO VERY KIND TO ANSWER ME HIMSELF ON MY QUESTION ABOUT THE BOOK!!

BUT THIS IS A BOOK THAT DOES NOT HEAVE A GALLERY OF MASTER PICES!!! EVRY BOOK DOES USUALY HAS A GALLERY!! PITTY?!

LOUISA

I was impressed with the level of class and style this was able to inspire as well as being clearly written.

I looked forward to the publication of this book, because I had seen and been impressed by the author's clothing. However, it turned out to be a disappointment in many ways. There are some very good instructions, especially on using sequins, but most of the book is given over to a number of designs which I guess are for use on clothing. I found most of them completely uninspiring and I wish more space had been given to techniques.

I was really disappointed in this book. I have heard to much about the author but never seen any of his work. This almost seemed it was meant for high end evening gowns. Also for me there was maybe one or two patterns out of the 150 I would have maybe made. I sent this back.