Crafts Hobbies Books

I was searching for a book to improve my basic sewing skills. I enjoy heirloom items but have never done any sewing projects. I am looking forward to applying the techniques shared in this book. The pictures and the instructions are very helpful. I would recommend purchasing this item.

I dearly love this book. It gives great directions and photos of how to do things and is well written. It will be in my sewing room right next to my machine for future reference. I highly reccomend it is anyone interested in learning to do fine machine sewing.

I learned more in the first 15 pages of this book than I've learned about fine sewing in the last 35 years of experience! I highly recommend this book to those interested in learning and fine tuning their heirloom sewing skills.

Fine Machine Sewing turned out to be a lovely book. I expected it to cover a wider range of fabrics and finishings, but it realy only covers linen and cotton. If that is what you are looking for, it is hand's down a great book for finishing lightweight clothing. It revealed the mysteries of twin needle stiching, and points out many ways to put realy nice finishes on delicate items. There are lots of close up photos to guide you along.

My wife kept borrowiing the book from the libarary so I finally just bought it for her. it'a an excelent book she tells me

I ordered this book almost as an afterthought - thinking that I had pretty much seen every idea for making stylish gifts. Boy, was I wrong! This is a great book that even beginner sewers could use. Great ideas including making your own decorative wrapping paper. If you don't sew or craft - this is a perfect book to give as a gift.

I'm havinga really good time with this book, and tha ideas are really great!

I consider myself an intermediate sewer. I find the instructions poorly written. This book is okay, a few good projects. I 'Bend the Rules Sewing' by Amy Karol is a much better book with a better variety of projects.

I was really disappointed with this book. Some of the gifts are simple and easy but most of the patterns are the same old patterns just rehashed a bit. New sewers may like it since some patterns really are simple and good for beginners. I do like the fact that there are patterns in the back of the book. So often we have to 'wing it' on the patterns in sewing books. Good book for someone but not me.

I loved the tote on front and had heard good things about the book. It is a good read, and beautifully photographed. I was, however, a bit disappointed in the projects. They really just weren't very practical or my taste, but by ordering online, that's my fault. I do plan to make the tote, but probably little else.

I have just started to knit prayer shawls and a friend of mine told me about this book. It gives the history of prayer shawls plus so much more. I have a much deeper understanding when I am knitting one of these shawls.

This is an excellent resource. I recently started up a Prayer Shawl Ministry at my church. I've shared this book with the members. It's highly informative and full of more information than I anticipated.

This is a must have and must read for anyone who is interesting in being Blessed to be a Blessing. It is just the best.

I find that prayer is powerful no matter what. I have been knitting for years but I have never encountered this ministry before. I read the history behind this ministry and I was, needless to say, impressed and blessed. To think that all the craft items I have given away before this; I could have prayed for these people through these projects. Prayer does work in mysterious ways. A friend of mine borrowed this book before I had a chance to read it and she said that it was a humbling experience. Our church will be starting a similar ministry. A must read for anyone and everyone!

Because the title of this book says "Knitting", I had wondered how helpful it would be for a crocheter interested in shawl ministry. Based on other Amazon reviews, I took a chance and am glad I did so. While the authors are clearly knitters and write from that perspective, I could easily relate to the stories they told and to the ideas they shared on shawl ministry. This is not a pattern book (although it includes a basic knitted shawl pattern and a basic crocheted shawl pattern), but rather it is more of a spiritual book filled with stories, prayers and quotes from various faith traditions, as well as suggestions on how to do shawl ministry. Just reading the book gave me such a spiritual lift and provided me with inspiration for my shawl ministry.

What a great book. Highly detailed yet to the point. Great photos and descriptions. Glad I bought it.

This is a great little (small in size) reference book for nearly every type of joint you will ever need (and some you never will). No fluff, just reference, instruction and pictures. It should hold up to years of shop abuse as it is spiral bound with a durable cover.

A very nice book. Shows you all kinds of joinery and when to use them and how to make them.
I am very pleased with this book.

The book is small but easy to read and has clear diagrams. Since the book is ring bound it will lay flat making it easy to consult while wood working.

I agree with the other reviews that this is a five star book.

Many good illustrations and photos. Reinforced spiral binding allows book to lie flat for easy reference on workbench, etc.

Joint Selector section at back of book shows thumbnail illustrations of all joints in the book, with corresponding page numbers to the detailed instructions. This section makes it easy to visually identify a particular joinery type and then get more info on how to create it, etc.

Also has nice sections on common joinery tools (squares, clamps, etc.), how to select the proper joinery for a particular project, how to properly glue and clamp a joint -- including a comparison chart explaining the different types of wood glues, a discussion of various hardware used in some joinery types, a glossary of terms, and a thorough index. A great little reference book for any woodworker.

This little book is a big surprise. It's small, about the size of a largish Daytimer, almost 7"x8". Every page is filled with diagrams and color drawings illustrating every joint that's used in American woodworking. There are plenty of color photos also.

I'd worried it might be too small to be useful but it's the opposite. Because it's small (feels like a little binder), it doesn't take up much space in the work area and you can also carry it around easily in your glove compartment or tool box. It will be there when you need it. The shiny cover means sawdust slips right off and it stays clean.

The most helpful part is that Noll shows exactly how to set up various tools. Where to put the wood, set up the jigs or cutting guides, even how to proceed safely with your hands. This is a significant aid if you've never done a certain joint with a power tool before.

Highly recommended.

I now have three of Kaffe Fassett's books and they are all impressive. The presentation in each book is unique, interesting and shows the quilts to their best advantage. His use of color and design is breathtaking!!

The photography is beautiful as are the fabrics. The use of fabric to achieve such intricate looking quilts from such simple patterns is wonderful. I look forward to sewing my own beautiful quilts.

I just love this book. I have read it from cover to cover and it makes me want to make each one of his gorgeous quilts. Definitely a must have book! It is my new coffee table book.

I loved this book from the first page to the last. I have all of Kaffe Fassett's books and this one is by far my favorite. The pictures of the antique quilts are beautiful and Kaffe's quilts give a modern remake without losing the integrity of the antique ones. This book will be added to my library of quilting books for always.

I have little ambition to create quilts and actually bought this book as a gift for a friend who is addicted to quilting. But, I was absolutely in love with the book from cover to cover. The photographer should be commended on the expertise shown in photographing these gorgeous quilts in such inspiring backdrops. Now, I am thinking perhaps I should take up this craft again - such beautiful inspiration.

The entire Fox Fire colledtion should be required reading for all people of this country. You would get a feel for where we came from and our heritage. The books show a deep respect for each other, God and country. Very good.

I bought the book because it has one of the best sections on fire pit firing of homemade pottery that I have seen, complete with excellent photos, as well as step by step info and historical info. The section on Quilting - The Joy Of My Life - Auntie Arie Carpenter is extensive and even has templates you can copy and use for making your own quilts. There is also a wonderful section on the country store, which as I read it seemed to be a combination of pay with cash or goods, like eggs, crops etc. Very worth the expense and a book I will treasure.

I was looking for a book to learn a little more about sewing and something to inspire me. I came across this book and thought it looked pretty cool. My girlfriend thinks it's funny that I sew and she doesn't but when she sees the stuff I have been making from this book, she's been straight up impressed. I have been sewing Tshirts on my Juki overlock machine with the pattern from this book. I've made them for me and my GF. She's totally into them. The warp dress isn't her style but I made it anywase for the practice and experience. It was really easy and came out great. It was also the first time making a button hole for me. It's crazy the little things that you end up learning with such a simple project. I've also learned to sew with leather and i've been making leather wallets and clutches that have been selling on etsy. I recommend this book for anyone wanting to be inspired and up their sewing and serging skills.

I took a beginner sewing class at Sew Fast Sew Easy and my instructor was Kenley Collins from this season's Project Runway. I didn't know it at the time that she was a contestant so to my utter shock and awe! I saw her on the Season premiere of the show. It was really cool to see her on TV. She was a great instructor. I totally trust this company in everything they stand behind and teach. I ordered their new book Sew On and once again am really impressed with their products. The book is easy to follow and has great information on sergers and overlock machines. The patterns are easy to follow and the final garments fit great. It doesn't surprise me that Kenley Collins would teach with such a great company.

I was really impressed with the Sew Fast Sew Easy book so when I received an email from Amazon about this new book I was excited to see what it had to offer. It goes over basics to sewing, which is good for beginners, then it moves onto serging and overlocking tips, which is great for anyone wanting to sew more knits and have a professional look to their finishings. Beginners and more advanced sewers can appreciate thit. The patterns that are included are excellent. The dress pattern is my favorite from the book. It's so simple and so cute on. It's a wrap dress so it's easy to fit. Thanks Amazon for the heads up on this book!

I recieved my sew on book a couple weeks ago and have being sewing like a maniac! These projects are simple to follow but don't be fooled, the ottoman project is challenging. My daughter wants to learn to sew and I've been so impressed with this book that I ordered the Sew Fast Sew Easy book for her. This book is a good beginner book but has more developed projects that a true beginner could find a little difficult. The patterns that come with this book are great. Finding a basic TShirt pattern is rather difficult. The wrap dress can fit any size and shape. The illustrations are helpfull and the instructions are clear and easy to follow. I definitely recommend this book to any level of sewer but if your a true beginner, be ambitious. This book will move you through sewing fast.

I bought this book on a whim. I was browsing amazon, bored of the normal sewing books and this "Sew On" book caught my eye. I have a serger that I use only for finishing edges. I never really used it to construct garments until I recieved this book. The patterns are well thought out and easy to use. The TShirt is so simple, especially when using an overlock machine. My kids love them, I now no longer waste money on clothes for my boys to destroy, I make them. I'm not fond of the color scheme of the book, it seems a little dark but the illustraions are easy to follow and understand. The cover of the book I love! Other sewing books are so boring! This is a little more edgy which caught my eye in the first place. The instructions are clear to follow. There are good tips in the book, such as, how to encase elastic for a waistband, working with leather and faux furs (which can be really messy) and serger / overlock machine info. I mainly use this book for the simple patterns that are includeed. I've been sewing for years, so I use this book more as a reference guide. It's great for beginner and moderate sewers. Not all the projects are supper easy, the box cushion is a little more difficult. 4 stars because it's a fabulous book and the patetrns are terrific!

This book is full of quilts made from alternate materials - I was looking for some more modern patterns in *cottons* so they would be washable and more usable. I'm not going to shell out a few hundred bucks for drycleaning these special materials. They are pretty but not as functional as I was looking for. I sent it back.

I wasn't that impressed by this book. As far as the more contemporary styles, I prefer The Modern Quilt Workshop by Bill Kerr and I also like Denise Schmidt's work.

I like this book but I'm glad I borrowed it before purchasing. After looking at it, there are only two quilt patterns that I found interesting and I'm only going to make one. So I saved some money. But if you're just starting out with quilting and want a less traditional path, this book might be for you. The instructions are good, the measurements are in metric and American, the photos are decent and the author has a great color sense.

I have been quilting for over 30 years and have tried the traditional quilts that have blocks and sashings and so on. I have done Amish inspired quilts. I have quilted up landscape quilts and watercolor quilts. I have done custom quilting for clients, and three-dimentional quilts. Basically, there hasn't been much I haven't quilted. Yet, in spite of saying that, I LOVE this book. The author takes a fresh approach to fabric selection---yes---she deviates from cotton--HORRORS! and allows you as a quilter to explore a creativity within yourself you didn't know existed. I wish I had had this book many years ago. Now I want to go clean out my personal library and donate many of my quilting books to the public library. This book has satisfied that niche I had needed for so long. A definite 5-star.

I was looking for something that offered a different approach from appliqued flowers and standard flowery blocks and I wasnt disappointed. I also wanted to be able to make quilts that used "preloved fabrics" couragously and in particular embroidered doilies that had seen better days. Instructions are easy to follow and the patterns are simple but inspiring -I'm happy!

Lots of great ideas for denim that inspire other creative ideas as well. I used it for my students for their "design project" for a high school course along with the other corresponding book about T-shirts. It was amazing what they came up with!

Basic sewing knowledge is helpful as the directions are rather general.

What a fun book! I like that there are so many ideas. I may never use any of the ideas as written, but I feel truly inspired.

The big drawback: the 1st day I recieved it, I dropped the book and the spiral binding tore out of the paper binding, so now they are separated. I would suggest that the publisher figure out some more sturdy way to bind this book and still make it user friendly.

I love this book, and honestly wish that i had more pairs of jeans in my closet to devote to the many wonderfully bright ideas in this book.

it took some time to understand the directions, and honestly there are a few designs that I wouldn't even give as gifts.

All in all it was well worth the money, and now I feel I HAVE to get the tee shirt book.

This book is absolutely fabulous if you have basic sewing skills, some old clothes, and a yen for a look of your own.

For example, you can take one pair of old jeans, a 16" x 16" piece of fabric and turn out a one-of-a-kind top to die for! There's also a fun A-line skirt using two pairs of jeans in contrasting colors.

The projects are endless when you think of adding your own touches. Slippers, vests, banana bag, Victorian top, bracelet, etc. are only some of the great projects, and if you use your imagination -- the combinations are endless!

This book is winner for anyone who adores having a boutique wardrobe.

This book was interesting but not my cup of tea. Most of the patterns were a bit silly and rudimentary. I think there are some people would enjoy this book, but I think most of the patterns were too young for me. Try the library.

The most striking and alluring thing about this book is the photography, which is absolutely stunning. Each of the glossy pages has its own swatch, which is carefully knitted from Aurora worsted yarn (already in itself a beautiful yarn) and photographed so that the patterns on them are clear and easy to see. It's the clear photographs that made me choose this book over Barbara Walker's books, where you frequently don't really know how a swatch is going to turn out because there are little or no pictures.

However, it does have some problems. First of all, there are no charts for the lace patterns, and the notation for them isn't at all standardized.

My other problem with the book is that it's just too small. There aren't as many different patterns as there are in Barbara Walker's books. For someone looking for a wider variety of patterns, I'd recommend Barbara Walker, and looking up the Barbara Walker project on the web for photographs.

But this book is perfect for someone who is looking for something beautiful that will inspire them. It's also perfect for anyone looking for something that makes its patterns more accessible and easy to see in their finished form.

Stitch dictionaries are useful to inspire original knitting patterns, as well as to check the accuracy of printed knitting directions. So I was excited to find Volume 1 of Vogue's 3-volume Knitting Stitchionary series. However, I must say that I am quite disappointed in this book. Having grown used to almost all knitting instructions (however simple) being accompanied by a chart to quickly show the knitter the pattern, I found the lack of charts in this book to hamper its usefulness. Also, I found the lack of an index to be seriously annoying. For example, I wanted to refer to directions for the "Harris Tweed" stitch, and I ended up having to thumb through 40 pages of the book, only to discover that this quite common and beautiful pattern is not included!

The book does include 265 stitches made using only the knit and purl stitch,including a fairly extensive collection of lace patterns.

If your knitting library has room for only one stitch dictionary, I think there are better ones available. For the money, I recommend "The Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns" which is much more user friendly and available in paperback.

The series of Vogue Stitch Libraries are by no means intended to be as complete as Barbara Walkers or probably even the ORIGINAL Harmony guides. However, their production values are SOOOOOOO much better that I find myself going to these in order to get a better view and more inspiration than the Walker or the original Harmony guides. However, they are more extensive and more beautiful than the new guides (better colors, better format etc) If you can only afford one set of stitch dictionaries, these probably wouldn't be it. However, if you are a stitch pattern junky like me, these are definitely a good set to add to your collection.

I'm delighted! This will replace several dog-eared pamphlets and one that has indelible tea stains. There are many, many stitches, and I'm using three in the sweater I'm knitting now.

The patterns in this book are beautiful, but they're useless to me because they don't have charts. I've never seen a book of this type without charts.

They should have used bigger needles for the lace patterns - many of the patterns were hard to see.