Arts and Crafts Books

This book was a gift, but it was well received therefore I think that it was beneficial to the recipient.

I think I now have all of Townswick's books. Her design and hand applique work is stunning, and her directions are excellent. A great choice for anyone who wants to take applique to the next level

Have you ever said: "I will never do that!" That is just what I said about appliqué. "Oh, it is so beautiful but I will never do that! It is just too involved". OK, so now I have to take back what I said. I have been gathering different instruction books on appliqué techniques and APPLIQUÉ TAKES WING provides new techniques for me to learn.

The book is about some of my favorite subjects: birds, moths, butterflies and dragonflies. It contains six pages of basic hand-appliqué techniques, six pages of special techniques such as those for making flower stems and a page on color blending. There is a 20 page gallery of quilts and wall hangings to peruse over before you choose which one you will start. (Of course, you will make all of them but you have to start somewhere!). The final pages are the how-to's of making the twelve different patterns.--- six birds and six butterflies and moths (the dragonfly falls into this category).

The fabrics used in this book will make me stretch as I have only used 100% cotton up to now. The moths and dragonfly uses metallic sheer and metallic mesh fabric for wings. Each set of instructions for each block has a fabric and supply list followed by the instructions for putting it all together. There are plenty of graphics and photos so you won't get lost. Each block also lists the techniques that are used to create that particular block. The final page contains a resource list as no craft book is complete without this page.

An excellent book, exquisite designs indeed, easy directions, am excited to start. For those who want to express their artistic side.

Great book many many great ideas in it am glad i got it

I've read a lot of instructional books over the years, and this ranks as one of the best. My greatest concern was that it be worth the price, and it certainly is. Explanations are clear, photos and diagrams are excellent and the first chapters on historic and contemporary makers make good reading. The book is ever so slightly thin in the area of plate tuning and violin varnish -- but one might argue that both of these topics are so broad as to justify a separate investment in instructional material. I am confidant, however, that one can make a very good instrument using this book alone as a guide -- with the exception of plans and patterns for a specific model, which are not included. The English generally do a very good job at books addressing traditional arts/crafts, and this publication is no exception. I consider my copy an excellent investment.

I found this to be a fantastic book. It is very well written and beautifully illustrated. The text covers every detail of the art of making a violin. It does lack in a few areas however. I would have been thrilled with the addition of some information on original design and or mechanical drawing of a violin. Also, the book is a bit thin in the areas of plate graduation, tap toning, wood selection, tools and varnish. Overall though, I highly recommend this book; it is more than enough to get anyone started on building their first violin. I'm sure it is the best text currently being published.

This book has the best drawings and photographs of the process of violin making that I have ever seen. Large format, good camera angle, good shadowing and lighting. I have been an amateur violin maker for a long time and I learned about a half a dozen new procedures or tool modifications right away. I highly recommend this book for aspiring violin makers.

I have purchased a few books on Violin making and this is by the far the most impressive of all. This book is full of clever techniques and lead you through the complete process from beginning to end, including the delicate area of varishing. Alternative methods are also give for some key areas, such as hollowing out the back and front of the voilin. The thing that makes this book stand out from the others is the artwork and the photographs that accompany each step of the process and the superb presentation. The tip I liked the best, was how to solve the problem of forming the rib joint at the bottom of the voilin. Being a novice, I struggled with this initially.

If there had to be a criticism it would be that it does not have typical template for the main mould, however this is only minor as templates are available from a various other sources.

This book is worth every penny..

This is not a type of beautifully decorated book usually found on coffee table to amuse guests even though it is of superb quality. It belongs in the workshop. It is written for both inspired and motivated beginners as well as serious luthiers. The chapter on tuning plates is revealing but can confuse a beginner. Since I am a beginner myself, I wished for complete measurements of the violin. I overcame the shortcomings by contacting a supplier of woods, tools and plans. Rest assured, the author included the list of suppliers at the end of the book.

Very cute book with adorable ideas. Many ideas can be translated into non baby projects. Most ideas I had seen before, however it is nice to have them all in one book.

This book is so beautifully done -- the photographs, the how-tos -- that even if you don't intend to do the full blown projects, you can channel your creativity and your baby mementos into something amazing with the author's help. Great baby shower gift!

I enjoy making baby shower gifts for my friends and family. This book gave me more great ideas for unique gifts to give.

This book is a gorgeous collection of decorating projects and ideas for babies' rooms -- perfect for a shower or holiday gift, or as motivation for your own adventures with a glue stick. Suzonne's How-To's are fun and easy to understand ( as opposed to some designer project guides that leave you with a tortured mess of twigs and dough, and glitter in unmentionable places. Or . . . maybe that's just me ). Whatever your skill level, rest assured that 'B is for Baby' will inspire an artistic confidence you didn't know you had, and fulfill a creative outlet you didn't know you were missing. Have fun !

I received this book as a gift and really was excited!!! I always want to do craft projects, but sometimes feel like things are going to be too complicated. This book makes it seem easy and doable, and has inspired me to start making some craft projects right away. The step by step instructions are easy to follow. Doing small craft projects is really satisfying and I find it better for relaxing than meditating or a martini!!!

This is a terrific book, full of well illustrated original ideas for producing individual quilts making use of your existing stash (and avoiding the mass-produced look of so many similar books). I have been quilting for many years, but found a number of new ideas in this volume and will certainly be making more than a few of the designs. Interesting for the experienced quilter, the instructions, diagrams and photographs are of such high quality that beginners should also have no problems here - also the small sizes are very attractive to those wanting a quick project or not yet confident enough to face a big quilt. Another plus is that the book is honest about how many fabrics you need to get the desired effect - so often in books the instructions say '5 assorted fat quarters' but when you look at the photo you can count 14 different fabrics. Not so here - what you see is what you get the instructions for. A recent addition to my extensive quilting library, this is already one of may favourite books. A winner from cover to cover.

I love it when I can find 2 or even 3 projects from a book that make it on my 'to do' list - but out of the 18 I would say that at least 12 have made it! Great quilts - great color combinations - and quick to finish. A+

What to do with the scraps from other quilts! That is always a question in a quilter's mind. BITS AND PIECES helps solve that problem. While the book is about making small quilts in the size range of 20" square, there is no reason you couldn't make several of the small quilts, put them together and make a bed sized one! A bit of sashing between each "quilt" and you have a large quilt instead. For example, in One Patch Garden, there are lots of colorful square with a border. So just make more squares from your leftovers and you have the bed quilt

Each pattern, of which there are 17, begins with a bit of information about the quilt. Then the size of the finished project is listed and a materials list is given. Cutting instructions come next followed by how to assemble the top and finishing directions. There are plenty of graphics to help you visualize what the instructions are telling you to do. And lots of tips are found in special boxes through out.

Your quilts will most likely not match the ones in the photos as your scraps are sure to be different than the author's. The quilts are divided into four types, those using squares and rectangles, those using triangles, those using diamonds and those using curves and circles with easy appliqué. This makes the book one in which everyone will find a project to their liking.

I had bought a bunch of fat quarters and no idea what to do with them. A friend said she had the perfect book/quilt/wallhanging for them. She brought her book and I was off and running to find the book. It will be perfect. The book arrived very quickly and in perfect condition. Thanks for having such fun quilt patterns and easy to understand and follow directions.

The instructions in this book allowed me to make beautiful small quilts from my "stash" without buying more fabric. However, one could certainly buy fat quarters to make small quilts with a more organized palate. The directions were clear, with lots of pictures. I loved the book and highly recommend it.

I've wanted to know how to carve these beautiful animals since I was a teenager. This is the book. The techniques and "how tos" are very useful: from making patterns, to proper technique and tools, this is one of THE TWO books on the topic that will get you started.

Also, the author runs a "school" for carving. Horsin' Around. I think it runs for two weeks and is in the 1K plus range, but if you're serious about carving one of these magical creatures, then Bud Ellis is the man to see.

This book is a real insiders look at a contemporary top of the line carving school. Worth the price for the photographs alone, it's a nice plus that the information inspires dreams. I can not speak to its usefulness as a carving project guide as I bought it primarily because it is about carousels and I collect carousel books. Carousel Animal Carving is an excellent new edition to a carousel book library.

This is the best book to date on the subject of carving carousel animals. I recommend the purchase of this book even if you have Bud's first great book on the subject, as I do. This new book contains additional valuable tips and detailed instructions.

This book guided me through one of the greatest challenges in my woodcarving experience. After a couple of readings to become familiar with the process and sequence of operations, I began a project which has brought me more pride, and sense of accomplishment than anything I've ever undertaken. From the design stage through materials and tool selection, technique of workmanship, to the final painting and displaying of the project, instructions are clear and include many tips and tricks of the trade. Professional results are assured. For the first time carver, no clearer and concise guide is now available in my opinion. My interest in Carousel Carving encouraged me to gather many books on the subject. After reading them all, I return to this book for its store of relevant information and instructions on carving an Animal. My daughter is the proud owner of an authentic hand-carved Carousel Horse thanks to Bud Ellis and Rhonda Hoeckley's efforts in creating this fine instruction manual. An excellent companion to this book is the "Atlas of Animal Anatomy" by W. Ellenberger et al.

If you cannot get to the Horsin' Around Carousel Carving School yourself, this is the next best thing! Bud is a retired art teacher with a gift for helping you understand what needs to be done! The book has every element and every step needed to complete a carousel animal from start to finish. Lots of pictures. A must for the aspiring carver and excellent for the experienced carver as well. There are traditional patterns included, and information to customize your own animal. Whether you want to carve a horse, goat, zebra, rabbit, or something of your own design, this book is a great resource!

This book is a must have for anyone interested in Celtic Art. I can't wait to get started on the designs. This book has clear detailed instructions that can be altered with little to no problem it seems. The designs range from simple quick projects to more advanced longer projects which would make it an excellent purchase for those just getting into cross stitching.

The designs included are a little simplistic, with little or no shading and relatively little detail. NEVERTHELESS they are well charted, well organized, and treated as "motifs" rather than projects (though some project ideas are included) so that you can use them for a variety of purposes. The nice thing, however, about not using 50 colors for one design is that you can easily adapt the color scheme to suit your needs.

I'm not entirely familiar with traditional Celtic art, mostly just modern interpretations. This book is pretty much what I expected to see, so I don't know if it's historically accurate or any of that. All I know is that I'm satisfied with the design and contents, and I suppose that's all I can say!

Much better than the other Celtic cross-stitch I've looked through. Good library of designs - all the clasic knots and animals - and perhaps most important for beginners (and the lazier among us): No half-stitches!

This book is worth the cover price for the lettering patterns alone!

I anxiously awaited delivery of this book. So many books are full of designs you'll never use. This book is a wonderful exception. The beginning of the book has a short section on how to instructions that could help the novice cross-stitcher. Then the remainder of the book is devoted to classic Celtic designs and a wonderful array of projects that range from the simple Celtic cross book mark (a nice quick project) to a Celtic designed rug.

Best features of all -- 6 different alphabet designs and a pattern library in the back to fuel your stitching creativity even further. This is a great addition to any stitcher's library and especially those who love Celtic design!

I own far too many of these books. Each one I buy gives me new projects to explore, new possibilities for colour combinations and wonderful gift ideas.

This book is no exception. The basics are all here: an innovative stitcher might want to experiment a little with the use of metallics or beads while a new stitcher can learn to master his or her technique.

The projects are keyed to both Anchor and DMC - which is great for those of us who use either.

Recommended for those who, like me, think that there is always room for one more stitching book on the shelf.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

I'm new to gourd art and was looking for ideas and techniques to try. This book provides both. The artwork is fantastic and the pieces portrayed are inspirational. A dozen different techniques are showcased with photos of several completed pieces created with each technique and with various tools. Some of the artists tell how they created their pieces in a general way, while others explain in great detail. I love the mix of styles and methods. I would recommend this book to any gourd enthusiast. The Complete Book of Gourd Craft, by the same authors, is also a great book for beginning gourd artists.

My husband does the carving on the gourds - and he says the book
is very good!

One of the best books of Gourd designs I have seen in a long time. The designs caputure your imagination and put it to work in seeing gouds in a more sophisticated and modern genre.Congratulations to Jim Widess and Ginger Summit. Mary Schisler, Paradise CA.

Having worked with gourds for quite a number of years now, I have of course collected quite a number of books on the subject. This work is certainly at the top of the list as to being useful. Most aspect of the art of carving gourds can be found in this wonderfully illustrated volume. Some of the subjects covered are fretwork, engraving, linear carving, chip carving, using gouges, relief carving, inlay techniques, deep relief or sculptural carving, supply sources and the use of high-speed grinder burrs and tips. There are hundreds of high quality color photographs. This work if of great value if for no other reason that it is a great sorce for new ideas. The text is well done and where applicable, step by step instructions are quite easy to follow. Recommend this one highly.

Great how to carving book. Great photos. Not just for the beginner.

What a fun read! How interesting it was to learn that there is a history of those wacky things we all made and that someone has been paying attention to the fact that there is a history! Thanks for enlighting us! And thanks for the inspiration to make them again.

This is an enjoyable read, with many photos that will take you back to the campfires, scout meetings and home-ec classes of your youth. Even if you consider retro crafts to be more junk than antique, you'll still find projects that will tempt you to break out the glue gun. I gave the book four stars because I do wish that a few more projects had been included. (As an example, she referenced the Reader's Digest Angels, but didn't include instructions for making them.) But overall, I think novice and expert alike will find something here that will inspire and entertain.

I love this book. I was not a crafter before I got his book. It inspired me to start crafting and even form my own crafting group with other moms.

Our foremothers had the same helpless inability to throw things away that we have today, only they didn't have recycling bins. This book shows what they made with tin cans, matchsticks and the like: craft items, some beautiful and some really, really ugly. Suzie Millions has been collecting these thingies for a lifetime -- she has an artist's eye for the good stuff and the really good bad stuff. This book shows you things you never knew existed, and what's worse, how to make them. As an added bonus we get photos of her amazing house, which gives new meaning to the word clutter.

My highest recommendation! A funny, soothing, yet oddly practical book.

I was truly impressed with the Retro book. It read well, loved the illustrations and pictures, and it rekindled enthusiasm for me to go be creative!
I may even look up my Mom's old apron!

The book is about one of the most well-known peices in Feminist art, Judy Chicago's "The Dinner Party". It not only features photos and accounts of Chicago and her hard-working team of volenteers (both men and women) as they worked for almost eight years on the project and fought to have it exhibited, but it also features detailed sections on each of the place settings and kind of symbolism used in them, and biographies of all the other women whose names around them. A very interesting and exciting book to flip through.

What could be more thrilling than a genius like Judy Chicago as she challenges assumptions and traditions with her own brilliant and harrowingly moving depiction of Womyn's struggles. Truly enthralling, and, as another reviewer noted, a threat to the white male agendas of patriarchy. Give this book to all your friends!

"Dinner Party" is one of the all-time great works of feminist art, and although it proved too threatening to males, especially the white males of congress, it is art which MUST be witnessed by all young women. I applaud the other reviewers who have distributed this great book to other women.

Even though I have rated this book, I have never read it. Why? Well its for the simple fact that I can't find it anywhere. I know that it is out of print but I need it for a class and also for the fact that I want it . Iv heard so many interesting things about The dinner Party. I hope to share this not just with my classmates but with my mom and in the far, far future when I decide to have kids, I would like to share it with my little girl. so hopefuly whom ever reads my review (so to speak) it will be listened to and the people who need the book will have it as well and the people who want it.

A triumph! A long-awaited celebration of truth about all womankind! A must-have for all women. and for men who truly appreciate their worth! Every female in the world should read this book cover-to cover and rejoice. A rare and beautiful work of art--second only to The Dinner Party exhibit itself. I am going to give this book to my daughter, friends of varying ethnic backgrounds, and several lesbian friends. How often do you find a book that speaks to the entire human race about the valuable contributions of the so-called "weaker sex"? Now we must all work to get The Dinner Party exhibit traveling, as it was originally intended to do, so that we can all personally stand in awe at this altar to all Eve's daughters!

I am so happy with this selection. The designs stitch out very nicely. I am glad I saw someone with this and ordered it for myself.

As expected the Donna Dewberry designs embroidered as well as your painted designs - I am very pleased with this first set of designs and look forward to more from her in the future.

I love this book and have truly enjoyed using the embroidery designs. They sew up beautifully and will be a wonderful addition to my embroidery library.

This is a lovely book both for the beginner as well as the experienced machine embroiderer. It is not a large book, but nevertheless is chock full of information. There are great ideas for using the embroideries on the enclosed cd, as well as providing inspiration for substituting one's own favorite designs. I used the "Pansies" design in creating an envelope pillow for a friend, coordinating the thread colors with the pansy tapestry fabric used in the pillow body. It turned out absolutely beautiful - the design stitched out gorgeous - much nicer even than the illustration in the book. I would recommend this book to anyone.

I was well pleased with not only the content of the book, the shape the book was in when received. I see great potential for utilization of these designs. Would recommend to any machine embroiderer that this type design appeals too.