November 2011

Books: Growing up sew liberated + Sewing for boys

by kath_red on November 30, 2011

in Reviews, Sewing+Fabric

November is book month at whipup.net

Growing Up Sew Liberated: Making Handmade Clothes and Projects for Your Creative Child By Meg McElwee, Published by Interweave Press (June 14, 2011).

Meg McElwee is a teacher and parent, crafter and blogger and she sure knows her stuff. Her latest book is all about sewing for kids – the practical side and fun stuff too. It’s for parents sewing for babies and up to about size 7 – but the bags, toys and dress-ups are more flexible of course. If you know how to size up your own patterns then you can use some of the clothing patterns as a guide to making bigger sizes for your bigger kids. I am going to have to do that with the sleeping johns and crossover tee – I also really love the pants pattern that is included too.

The kids clothing section is minimal because this book is about sewing all the things that your kid will need – there are a few basic clothing items plus other things a cape for dress-ups, a steiner style doll and that fabulous teepee on the front cover! Also there is quite a few baby essentials – including a baby wearing sling, bigs and baby clothes and some sweet toddler alphabet letters. For older kids there is a marvelous nature explorer bag.

For me this book is a big inspiration to throw away (or donate to charity) all those store bought toys and clothes and get back to basics again.

Sewing for Boys: 24 Projects to Create a Handmade Wardrobe By Shelly Figueroa and Karen LePage, Published by Wiley; 1 edition (September 6, 2011).

I want my little boy to go back in time just a couple of years so I can make him some of these cutie pie duds. The clothing sizes range from babies up to age 7 – so if you have little boys in this age group then you are in very good luck – because these duds are super cute and practical too.

Because the patterns are written by the gals at Figgys – you are in good hands – these girls know how to sew and write a readable pattern. The patterns are not all aimed at the beginner sewist – there are some more difficult projects that require collars, pockets, buttons, interfacing, facing etc (The Henry shirt for example) – so there is plenty here to challenge and inspire the experienced sewist – while the beginner is not left out either. The lovely thing about making clothes for your little kids is that they appreciate it and wear it even if it’s not perfect – so the important thing is to give it a try even if you are unsure about whether your skills are up to the job – how else will you improve anyway.

Because I like my kids to have nice things to wear I don’t often indulge in special occasion sewing, but I love that there are some special occasion outfits for boys in here – lovely jackets and shirts with collars, a super cute pair of suspender shorts. But most of my sewing for kids involves quick, easy and practical sewing because I know they will be wearing them in the mud and climbing trees and playing soccer – and luckily this book has some of these sorts of things too – romper suits and raglan t-shirts and drawstring pants.

I did say earlier that the patterns only go up to size 7? You can always size up the patterns yourself – using your child’s current clothing as a guide. I think I might do that with the raglan t-shirt -and the linen shirt.

Project excerpt: Make the cute hat that appears on the cover.

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Linky love: awesome stuff :: things I did this weekend

by kath_red on November 29, 2011

in Link Love

There are a lot of things I love in life – books, crafts, my family – there are things I don’t love so much - exercise, housework, bookkeeping – life is a mix of the good with the bad and getting the mix right is tricky – don’t you think?

Anyway this past weekend I think I got the mix about right – although the weekend is never long enough.

  • I read a book (Black Heels to Tractor Wheels* – A voyeuristic ‘mills and boon’ type real life love story about a blogger!) and made some things (crochet hats – see above) and baked some cookies (cinnamon and white chocolate – yum – just made up the recipe**)
  • We watched some musical theatre (my daughter was in) and went to the school ‘slow sunday’ activity day (like a fete but without the fund raising)
  • I cooked some dinners (chicken soup and bolognaise) and sat on the porch with my man and a beer and some salami
  • I played some iphone games (pocket frogs) and vacuumed the house (and supervised the kids cleaning the bathrooms)
  • We bought some ducklings (Muscovy ducks) and built them a pond and watched them (they are funny)
  • We watched a family movie (Tron legacy) and ate the cookies with milk (yum)
Here are some cool things that other people did this weekend too.
*Black Heels to Tractor Wheels - this book was sent to me for review by Allen and Unwin (Au publisher), it is published in the USA by  William Morrow. Links are Amazon affiliate links
** To make a big batch of cinnamon and white chocolate cookies: with a paddle attachment on your mixer – cream 500g of butter with 1 cup of raw sugar + 1.5 cups of soft brown sugar :: add 2 teaspoons of vanilla essence + 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon :: scrape down sides and beat some more until light and creamy :: add 2 eggs – beat some more :: add a bag (or 2) of white choc chips (about 250grams worth) then add 4-5 cups of flour + 2 teaspoons of baking powder – this is where the recipe gets hazy – the mixture needs to be firm but not stiff – like cookie dough! – so add in the flour a cup at a time to ensure the consistency is not too wet and not too dry :: grab a handful of dough and roll it into a ball then sort of squash it flat and place on a lined baking tray – do this about 20-30 more times – how many you make will depend upon how big your cookies are :: press a pecan in the top if you like :: Bake at medium low heat for about 1–15 minutes. Enjoy!

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Books: The best of Interweave crochet + The best of Knitscene

by kath_red on November 28, 2011

in knitting+crochet+yarn, Reviews

November is book month at Whipup.net

The Best of Knitscene: A Collection of Simple, Stylish, and Spirited Byy Lisa Shroyer. Published by Interweave Press (November 8, 2011).

20 most popular knitting patterns and expert advice from the first five years of Knitscene magazine. Knitscene is an Interweave publication and started out in 2005 with a mission to showcase new designers and unusual yarns. The designs are simple and stylish with this compilation of patterns showcasing designs that have been popular with real knitters – these include some of my favourites: Central Park Hoodie by Heather Lodinsky, Equinox Raglan by Debbie O’Neill, the Geodesic Cardigan and the Riding to Avalon sweater by Connie Chang Chinchio, the Berkshire Dolman Sweater by Melissa Wehrle and the Opulent Raglan by Wendy Bernard. The patterns have been restyled and reknit and re-photographed and tweaked a little to incorporate current yarns and colours.

The Best of Interweave Crochet: A Collection of Our Favorite Designs By Marcy Smith. Interweave Press (September 13, 2011).

A collection of favourites from Interweave crochet including the extremely popular Babette Blanket by Kathy Merrick and my two favourite crochet sweater designs: Northern Dreams pullover and the Big Bow Cardigan both by Julia Vaconsin. As well as patterns you will also find a series of “Beyond the basics” articles including Tunisian Crochet Primer by Kathleen Power Johnson.

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2012 Calendar Profiles: February + November

by kath_red on November 27, 2011

in People

Profiling the work of the lovely featured artists/makers in the 2012 Whipup.net calendar. I asked all the participants a few questions…

Teri Dimalanta is from the USA, her favourite craft is Papier Mache, she blogs at Giddygiddy. She is our February Calendar girl.

1. Main craft/ design influences:

I am inspired by the modern and iconic graphic designs of the 50′s. My favorite designers are Celestino Piatti, Paul Rand and Saul Bass, just to name a few. I am also inspired by two of my most favorite modern artists, Alexander Calder and Joan Miro. Contemporary fashion design is also another area that totally captivates me. At the moment, I am intrigued by the immensely innovative Hussein Chalayan.

Teri's creative space

Projects: Wooden quilt :: Papier mache wall hooks

2. Need to make things:

I have vivid memories of my childhood art classes. Like most children, I saw infinite possibilities in something as simple as an egg carton, or a paper cup. Nothing gave me more satisfaction or bliss as transforming art supplies into objects of my imagination.

Fast forward into adulthood, I settled into a comfortable career in finance; I had nearly forgotten what making things with my hands was like. I think having children reminded me of my inner child and I suddenly wanted my life to be about creativity, play and experimentation. Now I carve out time to fulfill my creative urges and won’t allow myself to shelve ideas for very long. The more creatively I live, the more creative I become which is all the more reason to make as often as possible.

3. Resources:

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we are so fortunate to have “reuse centers” where people/companies can donate unwanted artist and industrial supplies, reusable materials, paper, fabric, and general odds and ends. These items are then sold for a fraction of its original value. This idea is a total win win as it diverts perfectly reusable materials away from landfills and into the hands of artists, schools, crafters, etc. This resource has allowed me to fuel my various creative endeavors on the cheap. Now if you want to pin me down to name just one tool I couldn’t do without… that would be sticky tape.

4. Music: I listen to different types of music – but gravitate toward upbeat old school music. These days, I have Queen classics on a loop.

5. Creative block:

For me, it is no use fighting a creative block. Experience has taught me that when i give in to it, i can consider it necessary and forced downtime. It is no use to fight it. I try to rest, do nothing, or perhaps do something unambitious like doodling. Inevitably i am back to experiencing quite the opposite problem: too many ideas and not enough time to execute them all.

Calendar available:

Chawne is from the USA, she blogs at Completely Cauchy, and she is a Multi-Craftual Quilter, she is our Cover and November Calendar girl.

1. Name your three main craft/design influences?

For color ambition and improvisational patchwork: Malka Dubrawsky

In this same vein, one must also mention Nancy Crow and Anna Williams.

For embroidery irreverence and technical aspiration, I am inspired by all the great artists featured on Mr X Stitch.

2. Why do you feel the need/drive to make things?

I come from a long ancestry of makers of things: farmers, carpenters, cooks, sewists, and hobbyists, so the value of handwork was instilled in me from birth. At a young age I was learned to cross stitch from my godmother. What was unusual was the exacting standards she taught and re-taught me from the beginning and, to this day, my attention to detail in everything that I do is enforced by her gentle encouraging voice in my head. And I guess I keep making things both to practice new skills and to have an outlet for expressing myself in ways that might otherwise be taboo.

Chawne is a Multi-Craftual Quilter

Chawne's work space

3. What is your favourite crafty resource:

By far, Ravelry is the best thing that ever happened for knitters and crocheters. I value the site most because now we get to explore the diverse ways that crafters worldwide interpret similar patterns and how some others are pressing the boundaries of what is possible to do with yarn. I never visit Ravelry without learning something new and/or challenging one of my own long-held notions about colors, textures or techniques.

A close second is Flickr. Because I pursue several different crafts, it can be difficult to visit all the main gathering points for all of them. However, Flickr is a lovely place to share your work—in any visual genre, get advice and encourage the amazing work that others are doing.

4. What music inspires you to create?

Hmm…I wouldn’t consider music to be an inspiration of my work. Currently I am most inspired by other texts like poems, novels, television shows and social media. While I work, I tend to listen to podcasts of public broadcasting shows like This American Life and Selected Shorts and those can spark new ideas from time to time.

5. What do you do when you have a creative block?

Oftentimes I just have to find a way to open up to new-to-me ideas and those are best explored by attending public academic lectures, talking to my friends who themselves are experts in various fields of discourse, and diving into a stack of books on an unexpected topic. Lately mountaineering is on my mind, for example. I’ll likely never do anything practical with all this mountaineering learning, but there is something fascinating about WHY climbers climb and studying that aspect has been transformative.

If that doesn’t work, then it’s always fun to explore what’s new in the world of branding and packaging design as illustrated on The Dieline.

Calendar available:

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Books: Stitch magic + Drawn to stitch

by kath_red on November 25, 2011

in Fibre+Needlework, Reviews

November: Month of books at Whipup.net

Stitch Magic: A Compendium of Sewing Techniques for Sculpting Fabric into Exciting New Forms and Fashions By Alison Reid, published by STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book (April 1, 2011).

Stitch magic is as the title says a compendium of techniques. There are a few projects showing off the techniques, but primarily the techniques are stand alone for you to use as you will.

For example cut fabric shapes, can be used in a variety of ways to enhance and decorate a simple design. Different methods of cutting and attaching are discussed, as well as which fabrics will work best with this technique – then you can make a belt and a place mat using what you have just learned. Next you learn about folded shapes and can decorate a bed throw (pictured above) using this striking yet simple technique. Pleating, pintucking, quilting, cording, and smocking all are designed to take you from simple sewing to more detailed and complex sewing. It’s time to move up to the next level.

Drawn to Stitch: Line, Drawing, and Mark-Making in Textile Art by Gwen Hedley, Interweave Press (USA) (October 12, 2010), Batsford (UK) and distributed in Australia through Capricorn link.

Textile artist Gwen Hedley, takes the most basic of drawing concepts – the line – and explores it with stitching. The first two chapters of Drawn to stitch, discuss materials and techniques (collage, weaving, sewing, printing, and drawing), and this then leads in to Chapter three which Gwen Hadley describes as “the kernel of the book”. This third chapter is visually stunning. Gwen uses examples of textile art and deconstructs the techniques used. This chapter showcases sketches, inspiration images and samples of work when discussing how a certain piece of work came into being. The final chapter – my personal favourite section – takes line drawings and sketches and shows how they can be interpreted in stitch.

This book is not only visually stunning and an essential manual for fibre and textile artists but also for others looking for a different perspective on drawing – it is part instructional manual, part workshop and part inspirational journal.

Examples of Gwen Hedley’s work – from her sketchbooks

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Linky love around the traps

by kath_red on November 24, 2011

in Holidays, Home+Decor, Link Love

So much is always going on – do you find it difficult to keep up?

This last week I launched by book at the local bookstore and the blog tour finished up. Its been a busy week and then some. Personally it has been busy too – we are gearing up for the end of the school year here in Australia, plus holidays and Christmas – plays and concerts – decorations and cooking – no wonder I feel a bit overwhelmed. So its time to slow down – spend time with family, not go crazy with shopping and over indulging – instead remember the important things in life – family and health, love and creativity.

[On that note - happy thanksgiving to my USA readers.] 

Here are some back to basics ideas to keep you grounded leading up to this busy and stressful time of the year. Grab a cuppa and follow along…

In other news:

  • My crafternoon book series blog tour is still on – follow along for a chance to win and to see what’s inside these fabulously creative craft books for kids. Also if you were a fan of the Sewing Crafternoon book – the Limby dolls on the cover – designed by Lizette Greco and family are available for sale.
  • I didn’t have time to properly review a fun new kids book that I had the pleasure of being sent – but I highly recommend this book for little ones – its sweet and fun – the kids will adore it – Parrot Carrot (by Jol and Kate Temple and Jon Foye, published by Allen and Unwin), is a wonderfully illustrated picture book – with its own iphone app (developed by Leo Burnett)- check it out.
  • Another book I wanted to tell you about -  ’Love injections‘ about extraordinary ways to surprise the one you love.
  • I am excited about Dana’s new book
  • Shhh … EcoMilf has 12 days of giveaways coming up (28th of November to the 9th of December) - and you have a chance to win Action pack over there too – amongst lots of other cool things.
  • This Holiday season Loeffler Randall is partnering with creative New York women who inspire them – this week Denise Porcoro, owner of Flower Girl NYC, shows us how to make this beautiful DIY Holiday Wreath.

 

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Book: The rhythm of family

by kath_red on November 23, 2011

in Green Crafting, Reviews

November is book month at Whipup.net

The Rhythm of Family: Discovering a Sense of Wonder through the Seasons By Amanda Blake Soule and Stephen Soule. Published by Roost Books (August 9, 2011).

Because I am such a big fan of Amanda Soule’s blog and have ‘known’ her online since we both started up our blogs many years ago – it’s a bit difficult for me to give an unbiased review – so I am not going to bother with that – instead I will just tell you that Amanda writes, parents, crafts and lives a beautiful, meaningful and inspiring life. I am sure it’s not easy – all those kids, homeschooling, self sufficiency, a farm and a business – but she does it with style and without complaint. Her husband Steve, who co-authored this book, has a different style of writing – almost poetic, it is so obvious that this is a family living their dream and loving each other.

Each month of the year is prefaced with an essay from both Amanda and Steve, they talk about what is happening on the farm and in the family, the seasons are very important as is the routine and rhythm of a homeschooling family with five children, lots of animals and a very crafty and creative and nature based environment. Each month is accompanied by a couple of seasonal crafts, activities or recipes. These are simple, thoughtful and nurturing, not fancy, difficult or even particularly original – it’s the way they are presented – as part of the whole picture that makes each project important.

January begins with Amanda’s thoughts on the push and pull of inside and outside on a wintry day, she discusses the heart of the family and the projects they will do, while Steve reminisces about his childhood and the role of the father in the day’s rhythm. They make potato soup, knit a simple cowl and make icy sun catchers. In other months they watch the birds, tend the animals, make nature bags and press flowers. Later in the year they go on picnics, plant seedlings, make jam and go on walks.

Inspiring and beautiful and simple.

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Little bits quilting bee: Blog tour round up

by kath_red on November 23, 2011

in Little Bits Quilting Bee

The blog tour for my book Little Bits Quilting Bee (published by Chronicle books) is now over – there were lots of giveaways, peaks at the books, reviews, interviews, some block sewing too and even a tour of my home – hope you had a fun time.

This week I also launched my book locally [at the very lovely Paperchain independent bookstore] – thanks everyone for coming along – here are some pics of the night.

Thank you to all the bloggers and readers who participated in the tour, commented and congratulations if you won a book – thanks so much to my publisher for giving away all those books too!

Here is the blog tour round up.

  • The colorful photographs, vibrant fabrics, and charming vintage-modern styling give this book a warm and inviting feel:  - The Long Thread (Ellen makes a quilt block)
  • Before starting this blog I wrote for Whipup for about a year and a half. I became a huge fan of Kathreen’s and admire both her eye and her heart: - Craft Nectar (interview)
  • The is a sublime dessert of a book, beautifully written and charmingly hand illustrated…. What I really like about the quilts in this book is that they don’t have that obvious ‘precut look’. … Instead, they are fresh, fun, modern and inspiring.  Put together but not too put together if you know what I mean. - Comfort Stitching  (book review)
  • I adore that [Kathreen] designed quilts around “small sparks” of ideas like lollipop tress and her children’s drawings.  All of the quilts in the books are lovingly designed and quilted and have that fantastic aesthetic of kathreen’s that we all enjoy. -  luvinthemommyhood (book review)
  • The book is beautiful, the designs are young and graphic, and the directions are thorough.  Elsie Marley (discussion on fabric choices)
  • Little Bits Quilting Bee is fresh on the shelves, and several of its patterns are going straight onto my wish list. – True Up (My five fave fabrics)
  • I especially love how [Kathreen] uses solids, together with prints and shining on their own. She also doesn’t stick to the simple square and rectangle shapes that pre-cuts come in. There are patterns with curves and appliques, projects that are easy for beginners and some that offer a little more challenge.  – House on Hill Road (Review)
  • I think the assembly directions for each quilt design are well-illustrated, covering block assembly where needed, and showing a full-quilt diagram. The foundational techniques that are part of any quilt project, like backing, sandwiching, quilting and binding, are covered in an earlier “Anatomy of a Quilt” chapter. Each project refers you to the pages you’ll need for those steps, so the whole thing is easy and logical to follow. Craftypod (review)
  • Along with being super informative, if I had to use one adjective for the book, it would be cozy. There’s just something about the photography and the great hand drawn illustrations that make reading the book a comfy way to spend some time! – Handmade by Alissa (Review)
  • My favorites of Kathreen’s designs involve circles. She has a play quilt that looks like a scrappy, colorful sun and another that reminds me of the Spirograph I received for my 6th birthday, with interlacing swooshes and circles. The photography is fresh and clean– and there’s a pattern pack included! That’s the best. Hello My Name Is Heather 
  • I love craft books that offer more than great projects – that tell a story or share history or resources we can all enjoy. Kathreen includes an engaging section at the front on the history and culture of community quilting, from traditional bees to online swaps and groups – I loved reading this part. – West Coast Crafty (Review)
  • I only dabble at quilting and don’t really consider myself a quilter but her book about using pre-cut fabric packs–which is also good for your pocket book—is full of ideas and step-by-step instructions making it a great book for crafters like me. Foxy Art Studio (Review)
  • When I buy a quilty type book, I usually just peruse the pictures for inspiration rather than reading the ‘how-to’ bits … so I really LOVE a book with fabulous photographs. And this book doesn’t disappoint in the photography department. – Patch Andi 
  • What I usually don’t like about pre-cut books is that they all use the same size squares, rectangles and triangles – but Kathreen manages to avoid that and has produced a book full of original, interesting and diverse designs that don’t look like pre-cuts at all. -  The Last Piece (Interview)
  • Let me tell you, compared to my last attempt at curves, this went 1000 times better. No gathers, no puckers, I only lost a a few points on the edges to the binding. And let me tell you, every seam in this block has curves! And I did it! :) … The directions were really easy to follow and the templates were great. The little notched corners made it super simple to match up the edges, even for a curves dummy like me! – In Color Order (Jeni makes a quilt block)
  • Little Bits Quilting Bee is a lovely book with colorful images and great ideas for using pre-cuts that many of us have in our stash or could easily create from our scrap bins. It’s sure to inspire your use of these small bits of fabrics in new and creative ways. - Pink Chalk Studio (Review)
  • [The Crimson Cross] is a quilt I would love to make. I could see it being used by everyone in my household. I love the simplicity of the design and it would be a fabulous beginner or just really quick quilt. – Camp Follower Bags & Quilts (Review)
  • From the moment I opened the envelope, I knew this book was special. … The quilt I am most likely to make — and soon! — is Squadron. The main block of this quilt — an improvised strip-pieced block — is designed to resemble an airplane, but I was struck by the secondary patterns that emerge when many of these blocks are sewn together. I’m a big fan. – Quilt Dad (Review)
  • First let me tell you that Kathreen and I have one Giant thing in common.. big shapes .. holey moley look at those adorable big popcicles! And I love the tabs on the border too! – Pat Sloan (peak inside my house and interview)
  • If the quilts, patterns, and colorful photos hadn’t already sold me on the book, her dedication at the back cinched the deal. The book is dedicated to her female ancestors… - Pleasant Home 
  • The book is rich with color and detail for using pre-cut fabric to make modern, vibrant quilts. … If you’re inspired to orgainze a quilting bee with your local or online friends, the book has information on different ways to share the work, as well as so many beautiful projects to choose from. - Duofiberworks (discussion on quilting bees)

So many folks had a different favourite from the book (from Crimson Cross, Squadron, Constructivist, Cloud Song …) did you follow along on the tour – did you win a book? which is your favourite quilt that you spied?

 

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Book: Sew Wild {Plus giveaway}

by kath_red on November 22, 2011

in Paper+Mixed Media, Reviews

It’s book month at Whipup.net

Sew Wild: Creating With Stitch and Mixed Media By Alissa Burke, Published by Interweave Press; Pap/DVD edition (September 27, 2011).

Alissa Burke has done an outstanding job with this book. I am in love! Sewing, printing, painting, glueing – to create different effects and gorgeous accessories. The main part of the book is the techniques – detailed instructions on various surface design techniques, along with using and understanding colour and pattern make this book very different from your usual project based books. Along with the techniques are examples – yes! fabulous gorgeous samples of colour, pattern, materials and design.

There are projects too – simple and fun – and made to put your new found skills to work – love the obi belt and graffiti pencil case – pictured above.

Plus a bonus project - make a fish mobile – super cute!

Giveaway now closed

Now because I know you want one of these books – Interweave is generously giving TWO whipup readers a chance to win a book – you also will get an eBook to go along with the print addition. So leave a comment here – letting us know your fave mixed media format – you have 48 hours to enter and winners will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Thanks so much! Winners have been chosen via random number generator – they are: #84 Gravy, and #18 Jinty – you have been contacted via email.

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Books: Handmade books + Repurposed library

by kath_red on November 21, 2011

in Paper+Mixed Media, Reviews

November: Month of books at Whipup.net

At Home with Handmade Books: 28 Extraordinary Bookbinding Projects Made from Ordinary and Repurposed Materials (Make Good: Crafts + Life) By Erin Zamrzla, Published by Roost Books (April 12, 2011). Browse inside.

Erin Zamrzla is a bookbinder and paper artist – her love for her craft is obvious – and her skills and style are showcased in her first book – published through Shambhala in their Roost range of books under the Make Good series – which is ful to the brim of fabulous books – not a dud amongst them: This whole series is simply designed and stylishly photographed – with very easy to follow instructions.

From flutter books and idea files to various methods of Japanese binding and using lots of interesting and unusual materials along the way – including sponges, socks, fabric as well as old books, papers and cards. I love the sweetly themed books – like the secret journal which has a lavender sachet cover so you can keep your journal tucked away with your linens. I love the peek-a-book made for a child and filled with small doors revealing cut out images. A recipe book features an easy wipe cover, and a cleaning book cleverly uses a sponge as the cover. With images at the front and instructions as the back – this book serves as part inspiration and part practical manual.

The Repurposed Library: 33 Craft Projects That Give Old Books New Life By Lisa Occhipinti, Published by STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book (May 1, 2011).

A very clever book by artist Lisa Occhipinti, beautifully photographed and presented by Melanie Falick Books – they always have stunning photography – this book could easily double as a coffee table / conversation book.

The three images above are some of my favourite projects from the book – but all the projects are clever – with a neat play on words and very creative uses for old books – both the covers and the pages are recycled in various and interesting ways. A sewing book cover is turned into a sewing box, a book with a title “five minute biographies” becomes a mirror, “and tell of time” becomes a clock. Books are turned into book shelves and birdhouses and ornaments. While the pages from old books are folded and collaged in different ways – they become a wreath, a “Novel firescreen”, and a “Literary Lampshade”. The “Pagework quilt” (pictured above) might be my favourite project from the book – I love the faded colours, the use of imagery – and they are actually sewn together. Lots to discover and delight within the pages of this book.

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