Crafts Hobbies Books

this is the best thing ive ever bought on the subject in book form and im thrilled that i bought it! i would recommend it to anyone wishing to learn to spin!

I am new to spinning with a top whorl spindle, and got this on a whim. I found it fully digestible, with loads of well-written information. The illustrations are clear and useful, covering types of spindles, preparation of purchased fiber, woolen vs. worsted preparation and spinning, direction of spin, plying, cabling, and finishing. It also covers using a nostepinne as a tool for plying.

Ms. Gibson-Roberts is clear, concise and logical about her preferences, but adds other alternatives so that the reader can choose her methods or alternatives, understanding why each might be useful or problematic. She is thrifty, encouraging a minimalistic approach. A list of suppliers is provided at the end, many of whom can be found on the web.

This is an excellent introduction for the novice "spindler".

Gave a wonderful overview of hand spinning, making a strong case for the top whorl spindle. I had been trying to learn by myself, with a starter spindle a friend gave me, and found myself spinning better within hours of reading! I love the drawings, the connections to tradition, and her helpful sharing of various techniques.

Great Beginner's book. Patricia G-Roberts instructions and history of spinning is engaging and very easy to understand. There are line drawings to help you visualize the drop whorl spinning process. She also explains the differences between High an Low whorl spindles and is an excellent teacher. Very much worth the investment for a Beginner High Whorl hand spinner or a wanna be.

I have several books on hand-spinning and this is THE best. My only complaint is lack of photos but that would jack up the price and isn't really necessary. The illustrations do a good job as is. I learned to spin on a high-whorl spindle by buying one and doing the spinny thing with my fingers - this book shows how you get WAY more spin by spinning it (in the old way!) up or down your thigh. At first this sounded hokey. I thought I had a good spin using my fingers. I was wrong. Now I'm a convert to thigh-spinning! (I know it sounds weird, but this author knows what she is talking about!)

The book also talks about how you can use cheap and inexpensive things as spinning tools. I like the author's idea of keeping it simple and portable. I also like the section on plying - lacking in a lot of books. The author actually tried a bunch of ways and rated them for ease, and then tells how to do it in the easiest way. That's useful.

I love the book and would recommend it to anyone. If you don't have a drop spindle yet, BUY THE BOOK FIRST, then shop for your spindle when you know something about the difference between a good, useful one and a bad one. I had to get rid of my first "beginner" spindle - it wobbled, had a bad hook, and no notch.

This polymer clay book is an updated version of one Donna Kato did several years ago. This book is a wonderfully written and illustrated book about how to use polymer clay to make many things around your house. The steps are clearly explained with photos clearly showing each step. I wish all craft books were as well written and illustrated as this leading founder in the polymer clay industry is. 5 gold stars for Donna Kato!!!!

I love anything Donna Kato does. She is so knowledgeable about Polymer Clay and how to use it. I am amazed at how great this book is as a reference and an inspiration. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who loves Polymer Clay.

The Art of Polymer Clay: Designs and Techniques for Creating Jewelry, Pottery, and Decorative Artwork (Updated Edition)

I have learned so much from this book an I don't want to put it down. There isn't one wasted word and the photos are outstanding. If you have any interest at all in polymer clay, Donna Kato, is, if you don't already know, one of the best!!! Donna, thank you for this book. I can now take myself to another level of polymer clay work.

Madeline Faiella

Without a doubt the meduim I use most and have the most fun with. This book has enabled me to get to a whole new level. Beautiful pictures, easy to follow directions and the finished products are nice enough to give as gifts. WELL worth the purchase.

This book,in my opinion, is one of Donna's best. It has all the basics for beginners without the unnecessary "this is clay" boredom. After what I believe to be HONEST reviews of the top clays on the market today, she has READABLE instructions for many techniques. And if that is not enough, her projects are user /reader friendly. Her projects are nice, not like so many books with their "way out" ideas. If you are a beginner...This is the book to get you started. If you are intermediate, this is the book with new & fun lessons. If you are advanced, this is a good reference book and teaching manual. This is now my #1 reference book.
Life is too short not to have fun!

this was a great book but i bought it new form amazon and there was writing on the sides and cover.

This book is written with a sense of humor. It has lots of ideas, tips, recipes, and facts; it even has poetry. There are no patterns but plenty of ideas and pictures (to copy). This book is a delight!

I love this guy,I've been watching his website for years. Search under
Extreme Pumpkins.Not for the mainsteam friendly smiling pumpkin carver.
The book has great pictures and instructions. You get to use POWER TOOLS!
I recommend it as a great book for yourself and to give to any friends you have with a strange sense of humor! Warning your neighbors may think you've gotten a little too far out there!!!

I love this book! Not only are the pumpkin carving ideas amazing, but the guy has great suggestions with a good sense of humor. My only regret was that I ordered it late in October and I didn't get the book in time to pursue some of the projects for Halloween night. But it sure made for a great table book and conversation piece at my little Halloween get together. Next year we'll be ready to take some of these on! The photos are wonderful and we all cracked up, deciding which pumkin extravaganza was our favorite. So if you're seriously into having some Halloween creativity and fun, get this little book.
FUNNY!

This book is entertaining, hilarious, and is guaranteed to equally disturb your neighbors and make you a legend among the neighborhood kids come Halloween. Easy instructions to make one of the many bizzare pumpkins illustrated or to "take creative wing" and scare the bejeebers out of the neighbors! Put the fun back into Halloween-this book will show you how!!!

I love this series. My son (6) hates to practice writing but this made it fun for him. He loves drawing and the directions are so easy for him to follow. We have a whole "gallery" going down the hallway. We give him drawing paper for the picture and then tape the handwriting paper to the bottom so the description stays with the drawing. I think it will be great to pull them out years from now and see how he's progressed - that's if I can ever take them off the wall!
I would recommend this series to anyone!

As a 1st Grade teacher, I have a wide range of reading and handwriting abilities. Keeping them all motivated can be a challenge. I have yet to meet a child, however, who will not jump at the chance to draw. I have the Draw Write Now series and am anxiously awaiting Book 7. No matter what the child's level, they can experience instant success in this program. The step-by-step directions are clear and easily understood. I find that after the writing and drawing, the students are motivated to extend their lesson with other reading and writing experiences, as well as with a variety of art projects.

I already had Cat's sock book which lead me to purchase this book. I have had NOTHING but fun with it. Very ingenious way of making things with one edge and only one side. This really shows the playful side of knitting.

Some of the patterns were a bit out there, but I LOVE the concept. The main concept was wonderful and her moebus stitch made everything so SIMPLE!!! From a long time knitter, this was refreshing!

I have previously knit socks/sleeves with one long circular needle and wanted to investigate Cat Bordhi's two needle method so ordered four of her books. I have a very extensive knitting book library but this is undoubtedly the sorriest. This one is so bad that I am sending it back. "A Second Treasury of 'Magical' Knitting". The only magic is that Cat is taking our money. This is nothing but a book full of bags, stupid hats, and cat beds. Now, do not get me wrong, I have a cat I dearly love. But $26.95 for one questionable pattern for a cat bed? This one is definitely going back.

Both the First Treasury of Magical Knitting and this Second Book are truly a joy to work from. The author has pictures of exactly what your stitches should look like so you can teach yourself if you don't have a mentor. She show a variety of beautiful examples (with patterns) of scarves, purses, holders for knitting needles and even beds for pussycats that you can make.

I couldn't stop making circular (moebius strip) scarves when I first got the books and now I'm looking for yarns to make a batch in lightweight summer materials. The technique is so clearly explained that anyone with the basics of knitting can do one of these scarves.

These books also make great gifts for anyone you know who knits.

I'm hoping the author (Cat Bordhi) will put out a Third Treasury with even more delightful ideas for the knitters of the world.

I was excited to get this book as I do a lot of different knitting.
The instructions for the mobius scarf are good, however some of the patterns could be used without the mobius technique.
Overall I'm glad I purchased the book.

I bought this on a recommendation and have used the cards to inspire my entire family to be more artistic. We have used some of the suggestions - such as the saran wrap models - and done them as family projects. It has really been a great experience for the kids and I. Highly recommend this product.

I bought this book about six months ago and I still find myself going back to it for inspiration. It is not a step by step "how to" book for people who want to walk away with a specific finished product...It is meant to give the reader a starting place, a catalyst for your own creative process. I am not sure what the previous reviewer was expecting from this book...it was obviously not her style, but this book is never "whiny" or "sappy" and what constitutes a great artist is obviously subjective...As artists and human beings, I think we are all "teetering on an edge" from time to time,and that is why I have an art journal. It is a safe place to explore things that are going on in my life. I am a huge fan of Randi's work and her style is very honest and raw. As an avid art journaler and a collector of many mixed media art books, this is one that has me going back to it again and again. That is the sign of a great book.

This is a great set of inspirational items. I love the stories that come on the cards and the journal is beautiful and inspirational too. Many fun and interesting ideas that I can't wait to try. This set was purchased for our 11-year-old son to use for art projects with homeschooling. I think the cards and journal will provide great starting points for him to do projects with.

Thanks, Randi!!

If what you want is a guide to walk you, step-by-step, through the process of creating an art journal, something which will provide you with in-depth instruction on specific media techniques, this is not going to be your best choice...but if what you're after is something to kick-start you creatively, you may find "Wide Open" exactly wht you've been looking for.

As a mixed media artist, I was curious as to what else could possibly be written or shown about journaling that hasn't already been published. I found the box on the shelf of a Half Price store so I bought it at the bargain price. If anything, I thought the packaging was well designed and I could alter the box myself and use it for my own deck. The enclosed journal is a handy compact booklet that can be used to hold notes and ideas as well. As far as the cards, themselves, some ideas are better than others depending on where you are starting from and if you want to be "edgy". I'm open to all kind of things but I'm not into using my body as a journaling tool ~ something about wrapping yourself in plastic wrap and packing tape. She mentions that journaling is best done in a book instead of loose pages and yet all the cards are reprints of her journal pages and they come as "loose pages". Her words exactly: "Loose pages can be shuffled, tossed, crumbled...it's hard for them to represent some thing substantial." Most of this stuff could have been written about and shared if the artist chose to blog about it but then again there's no profit to be made from that. I don't want to sound totally negative because I am totally in favor of self expression and journaling. So if it gets people to start something and move on with it, fine. Me, I've been journaling all along and nothing in this book will change what I already do. The best book anyone one of us can find about Art Journaling is the one we create ourselves.

I'm sorry, but this book is terrible. I am not a hair whiz, but this book should be called "Ponytails." I am usually not this critical of things, but I am just so upset that I wasted my money on this. This book was just too basic. If you can already do your child's hair and are looking for new/neat ways to fix it, this is not the book you want. Get "Fabulous Hair" instead.

My mom had this book when I was younger and we still purchase it for our friends with daughters (I'm now 23). The illustrations are very clear and I had the best braids in elementary school and can still french braid better than anyone I know!

I love this book, it's wonderful for both little girls and teenagers. The directions are very easy to follow even for someone like me with four thumbs. After a couple of false starts I was able to send my daughter off to school with beautiful French Braids and she was the envy of the other girls in her class.

As a mom, I found this book very useful. It is great for learning how to do just about any kind of braid. It starts with easier stuff, like the garden-variety braid and pony-tail flips, so it works for someone with zero hair experience. It finishes up with fishtail braids, French braids and French ropes. The instructions are very clear, and the best part is that they show you just how to hold your hands. I never got the hang of French braids, but now I've mastered them.

The only reason I give this book 4 stars instead of 5 is that it is slightly outdated in style. The publication date is 1992 and you will spot pictures of girls in floral dresses with white yokes and oversized button-down shirts with turtlenecks. But the hair techniques are still great and easily adaptable to other hairstyles. And most of the hairstyles are timeless, especially for young girls. (I don't know that I would wear a French braid myself.)

The bow instructions are also neat. The book shows how to gather ribbon and wire it to barrettes in different styles such as rosettes and the "worm." It also has ideas for more unusual barrettes. We are going to make the balloon barrette for a birthday party craft.

Overall, a great buy for girls ages 7-13 or for parents of younger girls.

I was quite pleased with this book as I have always had short hair and both my girls prefer their hair long. The photos are a bit dated, but the diagrams showing how to do the work are spot on.

This book is a must for any crazy quilter. I love the size and the fact that it can lie flat open when using. The drawings are large, clear and easy to follow. Even has directions for left handed. The color photos are wonderful "eye candy". This book sparked so many new ideas for me. It is a MUST HAVE.

This is a must have for every stitcher's library. An excellent stitch guide with wonderful diagrams.

Whether you are a new or experienced stitcher this book gives easy to follow instructions for a wide variety of stitches along with ideas to combine different stitches. I have referred to it many, many times on my current project: a crazy quilt. Money well spent!

The instructions were easy to follow and well illustrated. I am a novice at embriodery and this book was very helpful. It gave me ideas on how to proceed in my crazy quilt.

Bought the book as a gift. Recipient was very pleased with the book. It clearly describes the stitches and how to make them. Full of pictures that enable you to visualize the final result and the process of creating those stitches.

This book was recommended to me by an experienced textile artist and as such I just placed my order on this recommendation. I am thrilled with the book and it's illustrations and instructions. This will suit those who have some felting knowledge and also beginners who seek a high standard for this craft. There are many projects to wet your appetite all of which have step by step instructions and illustrations to show the way. Everything is set out beautifully showing what you need and the techniques necessary. This is a 'must have' purchase for all those who love this fibre art. It takes felting beyond the basics and opens up a Pandora's box of ideas.

I'm a new felter and gain heaps of knowledge and ideas from this fantastic book. I recommend it completely for both newbies and advanced felters.

Vogue Sewing is a well made and illustrated book. It contains pretty much all the topics that a beginner would need to guide them trough simple or intermediate sewing projects.

I highly recommend it.

This book is the perfect transition from the beginners sewing book to a more advanced level. The organization is wonderful, the instructions precise, and photos help detail what is featured. I LOVE this book and would recommend it to any seamstress who has been at the beginner level and is ready for a step up.

IF, that is, you're looking for a book that goes into further detail than the standard beginner's sewing book. My mother, who taught Beginner's and Advanced sewing for decades (after earning a full four year scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago for her sewing skills out of high school), told me that this was a book that she recommended to her advanced (high school) sewing classes, so it may not be the easiest book to just flip through and use off the cuff, but it definitely is an extensive book that brings in not just the craft of sewing, but the actual art of it - something that I, as an artist and art teacher, find to be very important. And my mom just couldn't say enough about what an excellent sewing resource this book is.

My first sewing book was The Complete Book of Sewing New Edition, which IS great for visual references on what the tasks you're undertaking should look like throughout the process, but I found it to be very bare bones when it came to answering my "okay, sooo, WHY am I doing this again, instead of doing that???" type questions. "Vogue Sewing" answers all of those questions for me, as well as offering very helpful hints on how to properly tailor a garment to your specific figural requirements, how to remove specific stains, why to use one fabric over another, what the differences are between a variety of fabrics.... and I got all of this from simply skimming through the book! Yes, this book may guide you towards using Vogue patterns, but considering that that company's name figures VERY prominently in the title, it should be pretty obvious that this book isn't necessarily going to steer you towards using Simplicity or Butterick patterns, especially since I doubt that they have easy access to the copyrights that would allow them to reference those companies' patterns. If that doesn't bother you (it sure doesn't bother me), this book isn't just worth a look, it's worth the full cover price, let alone the discounted price you'll find it for here on Amazon!

Again, if you want a book that's going to ease you into the world of sewing by holding your hand and helping you take baby steps (something we ALL can use at the beginning of anything new), you're probably better off with The Complete Book of Sewing New Edition, as a starting point. BUT, if you're looking for a book that will take about as much deciphering as a standard pattern's guide sheet, but offer a great wealth more information about why you're doing what you're doing, and everything you could think of in between, this is DEFINITELY the book you want to buy! Heck, you could just do what I did, and buy 'em both! If, however, you only intend to buy one sewing book in the near future, and you want something that will take a little more investment (of time and thought), and give you a MUCH bigger return in knowledge and experience, buy this one first!

I bought this book when I began sewing and it became quite useful when I ran into little hiccups on technique. Yes, it does push more of a couture apporoach to sewing, but I found the information to be quite informative.

One thing I really didn't like about this book is that it tries to get the reader to buy Vogue patterns, and talks only about how to alter them, but does NOT mention how to make patterns from scratch yourself. Just another marketing trick to increase sales of their patterns. Although it does have some other practical info on sewing.