Arts and Crafts Books

I am very happy with the speed of delivery, price and condition of the book.Thanks!!!

Great book. It is a must for any sewer of garments. Great tips and good directions.

This book is GREAT! I use it for my sewing class in college, and it comes in very handy! It's a good reference to fall on even for the expert of sewers! It's a must have for sewers of all levels!

I bought this sewing guide looking for the advanced time-saving construction techniques used in the garment industry. Sadly, I didn't find them in this book, despite the glowing reviews. It is a good textbook and reference manual on basic sewing. The information is clearly presented with excellent and plentiful illustrations. However, the skills depicted are ones I mastered quite a while ago. I will keep this book in place of others in my library, but this was an expensive experiment. I would not recommend this book to anyone over an intermediate skill level.

While many of the techniques are covered in some of the other sewing textbooks you might have read one techique in particular stands out to me as I have never seen this elsewhere is how to sew a all in one facing professionally. Normally the intructions tell you to leave the shoulder seams open and then "hand sew" them. Not this one it shows you how to do the factory way. If you don't own any other sewing books then this is the one to get

This is exaclty what you would expect frm a klutz book. Easy to follow concise instructions. Easy instructions and easy to do are not the same thing, this is a very time consuming activity. It takes a bit to get the hang of it and then a good little bit of time to do the entire wrap. Granted my girls have very, very long hair. If the idea looks fun to you then you will like the book.

This was a present for 10 year old grandchild and she loved it.

I have read this book and although I have not done a hair wrap yet, I am a hairdresser and can tell that the directions are very easy to follow and the pictures are great of the finished product. I am very happy that I ordered this book, I would recommend this book.

Excellent book very clear instructions, I was able to make all hair wraps styles with no problem. I really recomend this book
it is excellent and if you have some creativity the sky is the limit! Great Book to learn and have fun.

I am a girl (...), and this book is great! I learned how to do many designs! I now have my own hair wrap business and do hair wraps at craft fairs! I also have the Quick Wrap from Conair. I make over 20$ a day doing hair wraps! it is great!

I purchased this book when it first came out and boy, I was in for a real treat. This book is written with the inexperienced dyer in mind. I teach from this book beginning dying at my local quilt shop. I'm sorry it's no longer in print. I would recomend this book to anyone that wants to learn to hand-dye! Also, using the freezer bags makes it a snap!

I had originally purchased this book in a kit I bought from Dharma Trading. I somehow misplaced the book, and just recently purchased another copy. I have several books on dyeing/painting on fabric and go to this one time and time again. I'm teaching a class in July on dyeing fabric and everyone is going to have to purchase a copy of this book. It is a great book to learn how to dye fabric. It is well written and easy to follow. Need to purchase if you are interested in learning the art of dyeing fabric.

This book is great for beginners, but as a 'non-beginner' I still refer back to it all the time. It is great, as the recipes don't call for urea, which I never seem to have around. It is easier, and safer, for children to use for dyeing as it doesn't use the harsh chemicals some formulas call for.

An all around great book that should be reprinted - I have to say, as good as it is, I certainly wouldn't pay the 'used book' prices that it is going for now. It's only 55 pages, no matter HOW good it is!

This book was descriptive enough as far as actually dyeing the fabrics, but I felt that it lacked a basic tool - which is a color wheel. Just by adding a section pertaining to mixing and creating new colors, it might have made for better reading.

I have MANY books on hand-dyeing fabrics for quilters, but this is the one I take out when it's time to dye. The instructions are simple and clear. The equipment is minimal and easy to use (zip-lock bags, not jars or buckets), and the worksheets are invaluable. The other books are pretty to look at and get ideas from, but this book will actually get you dyeing. Thanks, Adrienne...I should send you pictures of the many quilts I've made with my own hand-dyed fabrics thanks to you.

Marie Browning has the Midas Touch when it comes to crafting. On my most cerebrbally challenged "daze" (I have a huge family, toddlers under three!) I can go to any of her books and choose a project that is both challenging and creative, add my own panache and have soemthing that is uniquely "Alouette." Look at her basic pocket accordion book! She has two different examples (business card and stamps) that give way to more inspiration. She is elegant, she is whimsical. Some of her ideas are very masculine, others are delicate and lady-like. (Crafters often get stumped when coming up with ideas for guys-- she has no shortage of masculine ideas!)

I have not yet started my project, but am confident that this book provides good instruction. The pictures are great, and helpful for sparking new ideas. The instruction is detailed, and there a variety of different techniques displayed. I would have liked a list of sources, instead of just "available fine art stores", but overall this was a good purchase.

I had bought another book in Amazon about scrapbooks and journals and even if it had good pictures of the final projects it lacked photos of the different passages. I have Browning's book now and really you can't go wrong. DIfferent techniques, plenty of explanations, great ideas from the simple "messages" note pad to the more complicated seeds book! I can't wait to try her ideas that I consider as a starting point for my own creativity!

I think this book is an excellent start for beginners. I have never made anything before (book, album, etc.) and once I read through the book one time I was able to make an open spine book in one day. Instructions and photos are great.

Of all the manuals that I have seen on handcrafted books, Marie Browning's is the absolute best! Her instructions are precise and easy to follow. She sets out a basic formula for making a book and goes individually through each material necessary. She illustrates the spectrum of materials that can be used for different parts of the process. A must-have for book artists!

This book is great. It is easy to read. This is one to keep for reference. It was extremely helpful for me regarding finding a niche for my work. I highly recommend this book!

This book is wonderful!!! I don't even usually read but I've gotten halfway through in about 2 weeks. It's so great! I thought I couldn't really learn anything, but I was amazed at the helpful info in here. Now I am totally in love the Barbara Brabec!! I'm about to order 2 more books now! and I already got Creative Cash too. She is wonderful! The book is so well written and informative!! More then worth the money it cost. It should be on artist/crafters bookself.

Barbara's new book is awesome! Lots of new information and quotes from "real" folks. Reading the first edition encouraged me to change direction in my business and has introduced my handmade glass beads to an entire new buying public on the internet!
Lots of side bar information to explain concepts and thoughts in detail, and lots of humor. It's a book that will go everywhere with you... to be browsed, read and re-read as you grow your home-based business! Every tool you ever need is in this new, 2002 edition!

This book has been a wealth of knowledge for me. I have just started selling my craft and had very little experience with a business of my own. While some of the information is less technical or web savvy the general ideas and business structure information is well presented in a human and positive way.
This book is easy to read cover to cover (minus a few typos) or to jump into a specific section. Barbara Brabec seems to have done some really useful research with this book.

I didn't hear about this book since long, but beleived at once it was the book of an experienced author.IT JUST WAS WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT : very clear,logically constructed,giving a lot of links and the best last observed trends about selling crafts.
It has to be read in the order offered at first,then it's going to help really accuratly following needs : I didn't see more complete a book about its subject .A book we can be confident with, truly !

I waited for this book to be published for months and I wasn't disappointed! Barb gives detailed, clear instructions and drawings. Gorgeous pictures that are close-up to see the stitching. The book is of exceptional quality and very inspirational. A must have book for both the novice and the experienced temari stitcher.

I've been stitching temari, as well as other needle crafts for years. This is by far one of the loveliest instructional books I've ever read. The instructions are clear and concise, good for beginners and well as experienced stitchers. It is also lovely as a coffee table book...great photos and water color art.

I saw this book on display at my local library and checked it out on a whim. I wanted to renew it, but someone had a "hold" on it, so here I am at Amazon because I had to have my own copy! I had never seen or heard of Temari and now I am hooked. This book is beautiful and the intructions are clear enough for a complete beginner like me. The pages are durable and the book lays flat for easy access. I just finished my 7th ball and my sister and daughter made their own balls when they saw mine. I enthousiastically recommend this book, but prepare to be addicted.

This is a BEAUTIFUL temari book! For folks new to the art of temari this book is a complete introduction. For temari artists it is great inspiration! The temari shown are beautifully stitched. The photos are excellent. The directions are easy to follow. Give it a try and be prepared to be addicted to Temari.

This is a great book for the novice stitcher as well as the experienced one. Barb's directions are clear and easy to follow. Her sidebar comments about Temari are what set this book apart from the rest. Her passion for this art comes through with every word.

I have been accumulating ceramic tile books for some time, and this one is very good as a beginner volume showing several differing techniques on how to make your own tiles, as well as paint and fire existing tiles. It shows how to make differing shapes, how to glaze & carve, as well as how to properly install what you've created. There is a little bit of everything in this volume, as well as very clear instructions and photographs. I enjoyed reading this very much, and will refer to it more in the future as I work in tiles.

Anyone wanting to learn about making clay tiles and tile moulds would enjoy this book. A wealth of information. It gets the big tick.

Very good info, and enough of it was unique enough to make it well worth purchasing over some of the other Tile How-to books. Good source for anyone, such as myself, who is interested in delving into a new avocation.

This is a well written book full of good advice and sound techniques. It provides good step by step photographs of each technique that shows each process clearly. The book also provides a great range of images for inspiration and ideas. An excellent book for beginners through to the experienced.

I have been an collector of pottery and tiles for many years. After signing up for a class to make tiles, I purchased this book. It has wonderful detailed explanations and illustrations of many tile making and decorating techniques. I refer to it often and enjoy looking at the many beautiful handmade tiles in this book. If you love working with and collecting pottery like I do . . . GET THIS BOOK!!

As a weaver, this text is helping me understand both the "what" & "why" of such things as warping & designing, as well as the total weaving process.What were before a series of steps to be mechanically followed,as in warping, now make sense in a grand way. This text has allowed me to begin "taking control" of the overall weaving process. It is giveing me the confidence to venture beyond previous limits & repititions of "The Known". The knowledge within the covers of this book is converting "MYSTERIES" into "Aha! So THAT is how it's done!" This new KNOWLEDGE has opened the door to NEW ADVENTURES in weaving for me!
And finally,Amazon's bargain price & free shipping made my purcahase possible.

Outstanding study & discussion of weave structure and it's affect such as drape, rigidity, uses. Not only includes study of weave structure but also includes her extensive study of color & fiber and their affects. Highly recommended for even the advanced weaver who weaves complex patterns. Nice reminder of some concepts I've forgotten. Not a pattern book. Sharon has stimulated me to reach beyond the known to the unknown.

I was very impressed by this book. I just picked it up a few days ago, and already have a much better understanding of what in a weave structure makes stable cloth, what to expect from different weaves in terms of draping and breathe-ability, working with Z and S-spun yarns, and even a bit about what to expect from different fibers (although this is not the focus of the book.) The construction of this book is also excellent--it's a heavy, hardbound book with coated paper and clear, well-shot photography. I'm excited to have this in my weaving library and highly recommend it.

Alderman is one of those rare combinations of artist AND teacher. The photographs grab you first. The charts are clear. The explanations are detailed enough for beginners. The various weave structures are charted for 2-, 3-, 4- 6-, 8-, and more-harnesses, as each structure may allow. Those new to weaving might find the directions less intimidating if they read the first two chapters before skimming the later chapters; the explanations will make more sense. This is a good boost to your creativity as well as a source to better understand weave structures.

I bought this book at the same time I purchased Twill Thrills, and couldn't tell you which one I like better. Mastering Weave Structures is a must have for every weaver, especially new weavers, or anyone wanting a better understanding of why things look the way they do, and how to make something look the way you want it to. Loads of beautiful pictures are inspiring. A great book for weavers of all levels.

Widely covered mid-century master pieces by famous designers. If you are interested in vintage furnitures, this would be your great guide.

Excellent text as well as photos. It has been a collector's reference for me for years now.
Highly recommended.

My sister has just bought a 1950's ranch home with some original features. I was hoping this book would help celebrate the house and give some ideas as to decor. Instead, it is a good overview of the furniture designers who influenced the furniture of the time. It's nice, but not what I was looking for, which was the physical living space/furnishings of the middle class of the 50's.

Not that it ever really went away, but it appears that the GEN-X crowd is interesting in filling their lofts, condos, etc. with a touch of class and history. Those in the design know have always favored the elements of design that existed in the 50's and 60's, like they say good design is truly timeless. It would have been nice to see more coverage on DUNBAR and Edward Wormley.

This is a great book - buy it!

This is a wonderful coffee table book, a joy to browse through. It is profusely illustrated and contains a wealth of information.
If you like modern design I also suggest to visit the wonderful online archive about George Nelson at WWW.GEORGENELSON.ORG and also the museum archive from Verner Panton at WWW.VERNERPANTON.COM

This excellent book teaches you accurate anatomy at the same time as providing quality instruction on figure sculpting.

I am an artist who love to make detailed art work in my drawing and sculpture. I love art, but it cannot become my life career. While unable to attend any art class but despreately want to learn I look in to books for answers. And I found this book. I find my answers to the detail I'm looking for in this book. The book shows you how the artist create a female body sculpture starting from bone to muscle, and from muscle to skin. This book is a good resource to me. As my own Christmas presents I bought it.

This book is more helpful than Lucchesi's other guides. There is a lot of practicle info here which will help you get familiar with figure sculpting. I would say that this book as actually about as helpful as taking a beginning figure sculpture class, and the techniques are very solid. I am actually a pretty tough critic, and a 4 star review for an art instruction book coming from me is pretty rare (check out my other reviews for art books if you don't believe me).

So appreciate that Bruno took the time to produce this book so that those of us who arent able to attend his workshops, have the opportunity to learn.A master of anatonomy who presents the process in pictorial stages we can clearly follow.A must have figure form book.

both this and 'Modeling the Head in Clay' are the best books I've seen on the subject.

Highly recommended