Arts and Crafts Books

With its stunning photographs, reproduced in exceptional color, William Morris: Décor & Design is a fine interior design book that belongs on every coffee table. This book will surely win more appreciation for the diverse talents of the great designer, especially when newcomers to Morris see the breadth of his talents presented so beautifully. As a long-time admirer, I have many books about the 19th century designer, poet, fantasist, etc., but this is one of my favorites, as well as one of the most complete books on his design that I have seen. Photographs range from the colorful interiors of houses and public buildings decorated by Morris for clients, to the homes he actually lived in. Insets show details of his striking patterns, from wallpaper to tapestry to upholstery fabric to curtains, as well as pages from his illuminated books and the Morris & Co. catalog. Non-Morris interiors are shown for comparison. A pictorial glossary of his most common patterns completes the book. Further, the biography chapter is a good, comprehensive introduction to Morris, describing his forays into politics and literature, as well as his many efforts in all aspects of design. I recommend this beautifully designed book, a fitting tribute to Morris's own delight in design, to any lover of beauty in art and design.

Elizabeth Wilhide's superb "William Morris: Decor and Design" will be a real treat for William Morris fans. Wilhide combines dozens of sumptuous color photographs of Morris interiors with an overview of his life, his influences, and his artistic goals. I learned a number of interesting things about his personal background, such as:

- His beautiful wife Jane had a long affair with fellow artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti;
- In addition to his design work, he was such a respected poet that he was offered the poet laureateship of England once Tennyson had died;
- Many of his designs are still in active production today, more than a century after his death.

Morris shunned the effect the Industrial Revolution had had on the arts in England (and elsewhere) and proposed that hand-crafted art, furniture, wallpaper, and so on be the goal of an artists' cooperative he helped to found. He felt that art should be in every home and that it should be useful, beautiful to look at, and durable. This success of the cooperative produced the uncomfortable situation, for Morris, of having art be so beautifully and painstakingly produced by hand that, in the end, only the wealthy could afford it.

The photographs of Morris interiors, wallpaper designs, furniture, and more, are absolutely sumptuous, and Wilhide's well-informed and well-written text helps to expand our understanding of the whole of Morris' life. Highly recommended!

With its stunning photographs, reproduced in exceptional color, William Morris: Décor & Design is a fine interior design book that belongs on every coffee table. This book will surely win more appreciation for the diverse talents of the great designer when newcomers to Morris see the breadth of his talents presented so beautifully. As a long-time admirer, I have many books about the 19th century designer, poet, fantasist, etc., but this is one of my favorites, as well as one of the most complete books on his design that I have seen. Photographs range from the interiors of houses and public buildings decorated by Morris for clients, to the homes he actually lived in. Insets show details of patterns, from wallpaper to tapestry to upholstery fabric to curtains, as well as pages from his illuminated books and the Morris & Co. catalog. Non-Morris interiors are shown for comparison. A pictorial glossary of his most common patterns completes the book. Further, the biography chapter is a good, comprehensive introduction to Morris, describing his forays into politics and literature, as well as his many efforts in all aspects of design. I recommend this beautifully designed book, a fitting tribute to Morris's own delight in design, to any lover of beauty in art and design.

With its stunning photographs, reproduced in exceptional color, William Morris: Décor & Design is a fine interior design book that belongs on every coffee table. This book will surely win more appreciation for the diverse talents of the great designer, especially when newcomers to Morris see the breadth of his talents presented so beautifully. As a long-time admirer, I have many books about the 19th century designer, poet, fantasist, etc., but this is one of my favorites, as well as one of the most complete books on his design that I have seen. Photographs range from the colorful interiors of houses and public buildings decorated by Morris for clients, to the homes he actually lived in. Insets show details of his striking patterns, from wallpaper to tapestry to upholstery fabric to curtains, as well as pages from his illuminated books and the Morris & Co. catalog. Non-Morris interiors are shown for comparison. A pictorial glossary of his most common patterns completes the book. Further, the biography chapter is a good, comprehensive introduction to Morris, describing his forays into politics and literature, as well as his many efforts in all aspects of design. I recommend this beautifully designed book, a fitting tribute to Morris's own delight in design, to any lover of beauty in art and design.

With the loss of Colonial Homes magazine, Christmas ideas with a American colonial theme are becoming rare. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation along with Libby Hodges Oliver and Mary Miley Theobald have created not only a historical account of early American celebrations, but a beautifully designed and photographed book. Decorating starts outside with simple wreaths and pine roping to more elaborate fruited creations. Inside the greenery continues along with ideas on table decorations,the Christmas feast and best way to spoil Christmas guests. Chapters cover candles to Christmas trees along with colonial revival and twenty first century interpretations. This book will be a welcome inspiration for anyone looking for Christmas ideas and traditions.

With its lively, readable text and beautiful photography, Williamsburg Christmas is a must have book for anyone who enjoys Colonial history and Williamsburg. It makes you want to make that visit to Williamsburg during the Christmas holidays.

Informative (and occasionally surprising!) text accompanied by exquisite photographs of the holiday decorating style known as Colonial Williamsburg.

The text is coordinated effectively with the photographs to which it refers, making this a helpful guide for those interested in recreating or adapting the patterns for their own decorations. Lists of fruits and greenery that are or are not historically valid as well as diagrams for constructing bases for fan-style and pyramid decorations are both practical and helpful. For those preferring merely to look rather than do, it's still a lovely holiday visit to Williamsburg.

You don't have to like Williamsburg to like this book. Decorations can be used in contemporary homes, colonial or traditional homes. Good thoughts on how traditions such as the first Christmas tree began. I am giving the book to family and friends. It makes a great Christmas present.

When I ordered this book, I was looking for something that would have lots of pictures of various kinds of beaded jewelry. I definately found what I was looking for in this book! It's got wonderful photos of designs the author has created, along with how-to instructions (nothing too difficult). Nearly every picture has helped get the creative ideas flowing! It also has a bit on the history of beads, plus a section on making your own beads. Good book for beginners and those wanting pictures for ideas!

The dust jacket on this book is covered with luscious, rhythmical beaded jewelry that invites a look inside. The photography inside the book is just as exciting. There is no history of beads here, just a straight plunge into creating beautiful accessories.

Barbara starts by defining equipment needed, then quickly instructs on two basic techniques: necklace threading and earring making. It takes her only three pages to do it, demonstrating her absolute clarity of instructions.

Now the projects begin with a myriad of design options from which to choose. She winds up by introducing you to do-it-yourself beads, such as polymer clay, air-dry clay and papier-mache', using them effectively in some elegant designs. A helpful glossary and index are at the end.

This is the first book I have come across which explains beading chains and making earrings so clearly. The instructions and diagrams are very simple and easy to follow. The book is filled with BEAUTIFUL designs created by the author. This book is great for beginners and for people wanting to know more about beads before they take it up as a hobby.

Of my several bead books, this is one of my favorites. The instructions are very clear, and the same techniques are used repeatedly for most of the jewelry pieces, for example, stringing the beads on thread, and using calottes to finish the ends. There are a few other techniques also, and I did pick up a few new ones for my own use, for example, how to work with leather thong in jewelry -- braiding it and finishing the ends with findings I hadn't used before.

But what makes me keep this book constantly on hand is its many pictures of jewelry, featuring mostly necklaces with a broad range of bead types. There are a lot of beautiful pieces for giving me ideas for bead combinations, color arrangements, and patterns. The earring section also has some very attractive and easy to make earring styles. Though published several years ago, these designs do not look outdated at all. I see that this book is not currently published and the sellers who have it are selling it at quite a high price, but it could very well be worth it for someone wanting to have a source of ideas.

This is a wonderful book of crochet pattern stitches that would work for a variety of projects. I refer to it again and again.

I have lots of crochet books. It wasn't like I needed a new one. But when I saw this one, I HAD to have it. Something about the way the patterns looked on the pages just called to me. The really lovely compilation of so many lacy looking patterns. So many beautiful......well, you get the idea.

Once home with my treasure, I was not dissapointed one bit! I have only had this book a few weeks and already I have made several shawls based on patterns within it's wonderful covers.

With summer coming, it is an extra bonus to have a large choice of open patterns styles to work with in those lucsious summer yarns I have in my ever expanding stash.

Any crochet addict will want this book. Anyone just starting out with crochet will love this book. Need I say more!!?

Each full-colored page contains two shell patterns in close detail, using white/cream yarn and a pastel background, so you can easily see how the pattern will look. I found many new shell patterns I've never seen before, plus old favorites. I highly recommend this book.

Women in our park meet weekly to make the beautiful afghans that are in the book, Avery Hill's 33 Contemporary Swedish Weave Patterns for Monk's Cloth written by: Jeanne Tams and Nan Duffin. Once a year we display the afghans that have been done that season. It never fails to amaze me how many there are. This book has such a wonderful variety of patterns, all with very descriptive directions, diagrams and color grafts that are so helpful in reading the patterns. The hardest part about making these afghans is choosing which pattern to make.33 Contemporary Swedish Weaving Patterns for Monk's Cloth

This book is diverse within types of patterns from Southwestern to tummbling teddybears to a gentle lilac, one can imangine the softness and feel of these through the pictures. Ideas on color and finishing are very clear and opportuninites for different projects just make laundy, grocery shopping, cleaning and those special cleaning projects just seem less important in the long run. With results of lovely peices to grace that favorite easy chair, or over the back of sofa along with matching pillows. Such a quiet lovely hobby, not difficult, and I am convinced could help to woman keep her sanity in todays instant paced world. A good take along project while waiting for summer trains, planes and endless swimming lessons, baseball practices and the constant parade of "things" that keep us on the run. Now I can take my own piece of mind around with me these projects, a walkman and a diet coke! Let's here it for woman's survival!

This book is diverse within types of patterns from Southwestern to tummbling teddybears to a gentle lilac, one can imangine the softness and feel of these through the pictures. Ideas on color and finishing are very clear and opportuninites for different projects just make laundy, grocery shopping, cleaning and those special cleaning projects just seem less important in the long run. With results of lovely peices to grace that favorite easy chair, or over the back of sofa along with matching pillows. Such a quiet lovely hobby, not difficult, and I am convinced could help to woman keep her sanity in todays instant paced world. A good take along project while waiting for summer trains, planes and endless swimming lessons, baseball practices and the constant parade of "things" that keep us on the run. Now I can take my own piece of mind around with me these projects, a walkman and a diet coke! Let's here it for woman's survival!

This work is the long awaited third installment in the series on the Japanese prints in the Art Institute of Chicago, the first 2 of which were limited to 500 and 1000 copies each and are now quite rare. This, more available, volume is a masterpiece and much worth the price--both cheaper and more informed than the earlier volumes. The Actor's Image was literally years in the making, and represents a vast amount of research and a lifetime of study by Timothy Clark, a true expert on Japanese prints. Don't let the price stop you--this work is worth a dozen of the common books on ukiyo-e.

Kabuki, the dance drama created by the Japanese in the 1600s has long fascinated the western world. Taking many movements and gestures from an earlier dramatic form patronized primarily by the nobility, the No plays, Kabuki is livelier, easier to understand, and marked by stylistically performed singing and dancing.

Today, Ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating or passing world) paintings and prints, which are perceptive depictions of life in the entertainment and pleasure quarters of Japan in the 18th and 19th centuries are highly prized.

Also to be highly prized is The Actor's Image, a stunningly beautiful volume presenting a collection of woodblock prints of Kabuki actor portraits and theater scenes culled from the Art Institute of Chicago's excellent Buckingham Collection of Japanese Prints.

The full-color prints are visually arresting and enchanting, capturing richly costumed Kabuki actors often carefully posed to reveal the majestic materials they are wearing. The strong textile patterns and black outlines of the figures typify the style frequently used by these print makers.

As if the magnificent illustrations were not feast enough, Donald Jenkins' cogent essay defines printmaking and offers biographical notes re the lives of the Katsukawa school of print makers. The essay by Timothy Clark brings Kabuki theater to vivid life.

These lavish prints are emotional as well as decorative. The Actor's Image is a splendid volume in every way.

- Gail Cooke

Few books can match the quality of this production. The paper is first rate, and the color reproduction is as close to perfect as possible. There are no muddy images or inaccurate colors in this book.

The commentary is scholarly, as you would expect in a book from the Art Institute of Chicago. Other books, such as "100 Views of Edo" have more engaging and accessible descriptions. However, the lack of immediate appeal is more than made up for by the clarity, consistency and scholarship inherent in this entire book.

The prints reproduced in the book are especially rare, and the book is even more attractive because it contains so many of these rare prints. The Katsukawa School of print makers worked during a relatively early stage of the wood block era, and many of the prints shown in the book exist nowhere else. To top it all off, most of the prints are in excellent condition.

This is a book to be savored slowly. Page by page, line by line, each image adding to the impact of the last and the next.

It's worth the money.

Asante Sane - Danke Schon - Merci Beaucoup - Muchos Gracias: A world of THANKS for a book that meets the inspirational needs of the contemporary multiculturalist who loves stylish fashion wear, unique interior design and simple creative construction. The beautiful illustrations were quite fascinating and they served as great enhancement to the book's well written information and neat instruction. From the front cover to the back cover and all of the pages in between, author Ronke Luke-Boone takes the reader on an exciting journey that is richly infused with lessons in history, geography, fabric preservation, nifty sewing techniques, super shopping resources and much, much more. Most valuable for me is the instruction she provides for working with the popular mud cloth, Kubba cloth and Kente. Unfortunately, these hand crafted textiles defy the sewing logic that is normally associated with that of the symmetrically printed machine woven fabrics. One must be taught how to reinforce these ethnic textiles correctly and how to lay the patterns properly to prevent the completed garment from taking on a life of its own while it is being worn. Ms. Luke-Boone provided a corrective experience for me in this regard. Previously, I had not had the desired success in working with these fabrics, so I had set them aside. Reading through the book several times was the much needed source of motivation that guided me to complete two Kubba cloth pillows and a beautiful mosaic swing coat, pieced with mud cloth, denim, Korhogo, calvary twill and tea-dyed linen burlap,just as she instructed. At last, no more quality control issues with these fabrics. I recommend this publication to any one from any culture who has basic sewing skills and a great flair for exotic styling.

This is a wonderful book for the garment sewer who wants to work with African fabrics. You learn about the characteristics of a variety of African fabrics, how to recognize true mudcloth, fancy prints vs. wax prints etc. and how and where to buy them in and outside Africa. -Plus you learn technical tips on how to sew these fabrics, and the book is full of pictures of clothing that incorporates them. The book has staying power. It even includes patterns in the back.

African Fabrics provides crafts people with fourteen original projects which use African fabrics to create tunics, place mats, pillows, shawls and other items. Discussions of mudcloth, fancy prints, Kuba cloth and Kente cloth, among others, provide a unique and excellent introduction to African fabrics as a whole, making this more than just a crafts guide. A wide audience will find it important for both its historical overview of African fabrics and its artistic/crafts attractions.

I've had this book for about six years and I still consult it at least monthly. Fabric vendors love to use hundred-year-old cryptic terms to describe fabric, most terms referring to the manufacturing method. Having never made my own fabric, I am not familiar with these terms. This book closes the gap and explains how the fabric is made, where it originated from, the predominant use of the fabric and its sewing characteristics. If you have a fabric stash, you need this book.

I also have the Silk and Wool books which are equally good (though I don't sew on wool or silk nearly as much as cotton).

The only fabric book comes with real fabric swatches. A great reference for fabric artists. You know how sometimes you want to achieve certain quality but don't know what material to use. The description of each fabric helps me to choose the right material for the right projects and make sure it stays that way forever. I also learn more materials for my fabric sculpture. I finally found this ideal book after so many years.

I love fabric and love to sew, but don't really know much about the fabrics I use. These books are so well-designed and well-written that it is a joy to learn from them. Be sure to buy the versions with the fabric samples included - that's what makes these books so special!

I have been sewing for thirty-five years and have a library of books on embroidery, applique, sewing with fleece, etc. This is one of the best I have found. It covers everything from Applique to Zigzag with full color illustrations and excellent advice. I read it cover to cover and then bought a second copy to give to my sister (I wasn't about to part with mine!)

This book is perfect for anyone who has bought an embroidery machine for the first time. The steps and descriptions in this book are clear an concise and extremely user friendly. This book is useful for any type of machine.

This is a must-have book for any sewer, quilter, or embroiderer. Every single page is packed with innovative ideas and techniques, each accompanied by a multitude of photos that thoroughly illustrate the processes. I've been a quilter for 15 years, and just started machine embroidering; there were quilting techniques I'd never seen before, and I'm a quilting instructor! They thought of everything and every technique in this book. After just a brief thumb-through of the book my head was spinning with ideas and inspiration! I have well over 400 books in my needlecrafts library, and I can tell already that this is going to be one of my most-referred-to volumes. It's worth 100 times what they're charging for it! I guarantee you'll love it!

The collaborative work of Paul Duchscherer (a design historian and interior designer specializing in history preservation work) and Linda Svendsen (a graduate of New York' Parsons School of Design and an expert photographer), Along Bungalow Lines: Creating An Arts & Crafts Home is a guide especially for homeowners interested in renovating and upgrading their vintage homes without sacrificing their unique Arts & Crafts styles. Chapters discuss American Historicism, Prairie Evolution and progressive period-style influence, the inspiration of "Greene Style", and much more, all embracing a closeness to nature and a high regard for elegance and creativity. Full-color photographs on every page allow for a breathtaking tour of beautiful homes, and the brief text debates conundrums affecting projects ranging from enlarging a period home to constructing a new building designed to echo a historic one. A visually stunning collection, filled with equal measures of practical and aesthetic advice.

Whether building a craftsman home or remodeling your bungalow, this book is full of ideas for you. Colorful pictures too!

This is a great book if your looking for idea's for inside and outside of your craftman home. Or if your looking to build one. I loved how it told all about how craftman homes came about and the pictures are wonderful.