Embroidered Effects: Projects and Patterns to Inspire Your Stitching (Sublime Stitching) by Jenny Hart. Chronicle Books; Spi edition (September 9, 2009).

This is not just a book with groovy embroidery designs and lots of transfers to help you re-create the groovy designs, it is in fact an extremely comprehensive book on embroidery for beginners.

Jenny really goes into such incredible detail with her explanations of techniques and tools and materials, it is obvious she loves her craft and has thought deeply about how to explain it those who may be not quite sure how to get started. Along with chapters on the basics (fabrics to use, threads to use, tools to use) there is a fantastic stitch dictionary with excellent clear illustrations and instructions – showing where the needle goes in and comes out, where you are supposed to hold the thread and which direction you should be heading. Often a second technique for doing the one stitch is described – I love that Jenny is not precious about how you get it done and she allows for different styles of stitching in her instructions.

There is a whole section on the different patterns/designs – with transfers in the back to help you get just the right look – the designs are shown stitched onto outfits, aprons, shirts or as framed pieces, pillows, tablecloths, even shower curtains, but alas no doilies.

With Jenny’s usual fun and slightly subversive designs you will find tattoo embroidery for you sleeve shirt, colourful day of the dead skulls for your summer skirt, cute little bluebirds for the fronts of your jeans, adorable framed child’s art, embroidered text and more.

For more of a taster – check out these free online tutes from the book

Mahjong embroidery tablecloth
Floss blending tutorial

totally save your books from folded over corners – love this neat and super cool idea – with tute from kootoyoo

Twinkle Sews: 25 Handmade Fashions from the Runway to Your Wardrobe by Wenlan Chia. Potter Craft (September 29, 2009).

Unique fashionable clothing for you to make at home, with designs ranging from a-line style pleated skirts (one with yoke – very flattering), to jazzy woolen skirts (with ruffle), and one extraordinary full length snug fitted skirt cut on the bias. There are some very cute sweaters and shirts, sweatshirts, lacy beach overshirts, and an origami inspired tunic.

Each pattern has very good instructions with the pattern piece illustrations shown laid out on the fabric and there are occasional illustrations of how the pieces fit together. I do think there could be more illustrations and diagrams – I have a weakness for needing pictures to help explain [and I am sure I am not the only one]. However the written steps are very clear. The patterns (in a range of sizes) are all provided on a CD with instructions on how to print them out and join them together.

The designs incorporate some lovely detailing such as pintucks, asymmetry, folded fabric, gathers and wide necklines. Along with sewing basics at the front, there are some unique and innovative designs, ranging from simple to more advanced. With the lack of illustrations throughout, I think you need some sewing experience to get any value from this book.

Altered Shoes: A Step-By-Step Guide To Making Your Footwear Fabulous by Marty Stevens-Heebner. Krause Publications (March 4, 2009)

I have always thought that altering shoes to be a crazy idea and this book has not changed my mind. While there are some fun and cool projects in here – many of the projects sort of look a bit bodgy/dodgy to me and I am not sure the shoes were really improved much along the way. However some of the ideas are intriguing – such as decoupaged shoes – I have seen this done really well with stamps and the shoes in this book have been decoupaged with pages from an old passport and old maps – quite interesting and successful. Not sure about crazy quilted boots or glitter beaded shoes, but maybe for a special occasion?

Pretty Little Felts: Mixed-Media Crafts To Tickle Your Fancy by Julie Collings. North Light Books (October 3, 2008)

This book has a country vintage appeal and is not only sweet and lovely but incredibly useful – with some great tips and ideas and techniques explained carefully and thoroughly.

Beginning with deconstructing wool clothing for felting later, dyeing wool and getting a lovely range of shades, making wet felted beads for use in a range of projects and a lovely clear stitch guide with some basic embroidery stitches.

Not all the projects were to my taste, but even so they have some real charm and the ideas can be adapted to your own personal tastes very easily. I enjoyed the simple crochet edged felt flower brooch, I also really liked the idea of the ‘quiet book’ made from a cut metal screen and filled with felt pages with collaged and stitched memories, text and imagery. Sweet felt zipper purse with embroidery and some darling pincushions, mini art satchel and a funny stuffed cat, however what made this book so special for me were the detailed felt beads and baubles with such tiny attention to detail.

Bend the Rules with Fabric: Fun Sewing Projects with Stencils, Stamps, Dye, Photo Transfers, Silk Screening, and More By Amy Karol. Potter Craft (August 25, 2009).

Amy’s second book – continuing along the ‘Bend-the-Rules Sewing‘ theme – I love it. Testing the boundaries of traditional crafts – making use of all the very cool tools and products that are available now. Not just a sewing book – it also includes fabric printing, collage and mixed media. How to alter and design your own fabric and mix it up with heaps of cool ideas.

I love the techniques section which includes a section on color and design theory, a heap of tools and materials and products with really good explanations of what they all do. Amy has used photographs in this book rather than illustrations and it works.

The projects section starts off with ainting on fabric, which includes instructions on fabric stamping and carving your own stamps, drawing with paint and freezer paper stencils, projects in this section include a cute stamped fabric belt and a painted framed toile. Technology and transferring images by way of a printer and computer have their own section, with explanation on how to iron on transfers, ink jet print fabric and screen print (specific products are required for some of these techniques). Make your own stuffed fabric dolls and printed lunch bag (see project link).

The dyeing fabric section explains all sorts of different design ideas including painting with dye and using bleach pens, I love Amy’s whole cloth dye painted quilt. This book would not be complete without embellishing with fibers, such as drawing with thread and applique – projects include a stitched drawing book cover (using a cute kids drawing as inspiration) and custom baby patches.

The back section includes a whole bunch of templates and patterns to help you make the projects in this book. Congratulations Amy on a lovely second book. [ps check the lunch bag project from this book offered on the storque]

Clay So Cute!: 21 Polymer Clay Projects for Cool Charms, Itty-Bitty Animals, and Tiny Treasures by sherri Haab. Watson-Guptill (July 21, 2009).

I don’t see many polymer clay books around – so was delighted to find this one so friendly. With a really good tools and techniques section for beginners, and taking you through the basics with projects ranging from super sweet and simple to more complex fiddly projects.

Sweet projects include candy cane inspired bracelets, cookie cutter pendants and rings, making your own buttons for jewelry, pressing shells for faux shell pendant jewelry and making your own wishing stones. Then there is whole miniature faux food jewelry thing which is so totally fun – tiny mini cupcakes and licorice allsorts charms, and the little robotic dolls are cute too.

I found the instructions and directions to be very clear and concise – I would have liked more miniature food charm projects – but maybe that is for a more advanced book. Lots of fun – perfect for teenage girls.

The Handy Book of Artistic Printing: Collection of Letterpress Examples with Specimens of Type, Ornament, Corner Fills, Borders, Twisters, Wrinklers, and other Freaks of Fancy by Doug Clouse and Angela Voulangas. Princeton Architectural Press; 1 edition (May 20, 2009). More gorgeous sneak previews at the website.

A beautiful reference book of the history of ‘artistic’ printing. Artistic printing was an ornate, decorate style popular in the late nineteenth century and used by printers and engravers for posters, books, etc. This book celebrates this style with more than 150 examples of ephemera from this era.

Examples of beautifully ornate and decorative typefaces, posters, pamphlets, tickets, invitation and business cards … a wonderful collection and amazing source of inspiration. These ephemera are accompanied by in depth essays and historical background on the history of this style, why it became so popular and then fell out of favour so thoroughly. Interesting and inspiring for those interested in design.

This is the almost the last stop on the fabulous blog tour ofCrochet Adorned: Reinvent Your Wardrobe with Crocheted Accents, Embellishments, and Trims by Linda Permann. And a chance to win a copy of this gorgeous book too.

First up congratulations Linda on a gorgeous and original crochet book. There are some truly innovative designs and super cute uses for crochet in this book – I am loving it!

Crochet Adorned ticks all points on my crochet must have list. Charts, instructions, detailed how-to and cool projects.

With super cute edging on clothing (perfect to give new life to loved outfits), brooches and earrings and even lovely edging on shoes – how adorable is that! I love the edged coat in the picture below and there is a lovely apron (with a pattern on how to sew it as well) with a crochet butterfly just to make you feel like a domestic goddess! As well as adorning your clothing and self with crochet you can also adorn your home with crochet cuteness – crochet bowls, table runners and pillows.

Just on my first flick through I was struck by how perfect Linda’s colour choices and style are throughout. Like most craft books there is always going to be something where you say ‘what the’ and this book is no exception – however with 99% fabulousness I am willing to forgive that 1%.

I particularly love the stitch dictionary at the back – showing swatches with charts, stitch key and detailed instructions. The stitch dictionary goes through different trims (there are 25) useful for not only trimming clothing and linens but also for making ribbon and fringing and jewelry. Next there are a variety of motifs, such as flowers and granny squares, hexagons and triangles. Then the stitch patterns – starting with single crochet, and moving on through double, treble and faux rib stitch and onto textured stitches – love the bobble stitch, and waffle stitch and puff stitch. Then on to mesh and netting stitches, and lace stitches – love the shells and scallops, strawberry stitch and daisy lace. The last of the stitch dictionary is on colour work – ripple stitch, cross stitch over single crochet, catherine wheel and more.

This book is a wonderful crochet resource for newbies and more advanced crocheters. It has to be one of the best crochet books I have seen in a long time – with fabulous instructions and projects that I will actually make.

Chance to win
Now after saying all that I have a book to give away – so leave a comment here telling us your favourite way to use crochet to adorn yourself, your clothing or your home. [open for 48 hours] Now closed – winner will be contacted this week.

Start Spinning: The Video is a companion to Maggie Casey’s book Start Spinning: Everything You Need to Know to Make Great Yarn by Maggie Casey. Interweave Press (April 1, 2008). (reviewed on Whipup 28th October 2008).

Reviewed by: Kate is a busy mother of four with many craft projects on the go, including, but not limited to, crochet, knitting, sewing, dyeing, paper making, spinning, felting and bookbinding. Kate has challenges in the areas of finishing things, saying no and craft supplies storage. She also has a very very patient and tolerant husband.

Start Spinning: The Video features Maggie Casey herself, teaching beginner spinner (Eunny Jang of Interweave Knits fame), how to handle fibre, and to start to spin singles and plied yarns.

When I first read the book, I thought that Maggie Casey was probably a pretty good teacher, due to her ability to explain and instruct in text. But in person she is even better. At all times, Maggie’s soft, reassuring voice makes me feel as if everything is fine, it is all ok. When I first watched this DVD, I set my wheel up in front of the tv, and followed Maggie’s lesson on spinning woolen style (I was brought up in a worsted style family of spinners). In the past I had tried to figure out the knack of woolen style spinning using books (including Maggie Casey’s Start Spinning), but since I am a visual learner with a short attention span and a need for pretty quick gratification, I had had not much success and lots of frustration. Watching Maggie patiently explain and demonstrate this style of spinning, I found my mojo! It was a happy moment indeed.

While there are an increasing collection of spinning demonstrations available online, it is wonderful to have this resource as a DVD, that I can put on to my TV in the lounge room (can’t do that with YouTube!), with the remote beside me, and replay the bits that I need over and over and over.

The first disc of Start Spinning: The Video has chapters on fibres to start with, about your wheel, getting started, making yarn, more about wheels, plying and finishing. The second disc has chapters on looking at wool, basic carding, long draw, spinning worsted, commercial top, over the fold, and exploring other fibres.

Most of the views of Maggie and Eunny on this dvd are from the front which is fine if you like the look of Schacht wheels. (Schacht were the sponsor of this DVD and their wheels are the only ones shown). There are some views of Maggie’s and Eunny’s hands from the side and from the top, and for my money these are the best bits of the DVD. I really wish there were far more shots of what is actually going on in their hands, it would have really improved the quality of the instructions. I also wish that there were some titles and caption within the chapters. It is more of a sit-and-watch-the-whole-thing-through DVD than a dip-in-and-find-what-you-need DVD. For these reasons, the book and DVD are a great set, the DVD shows so many things that are hard to grasp from text alone, and the book fills in the gaps, for example spindle spinning, and has an index so is easy to refer to quickly.

The book and DVD together make an excellent resource for a beginning spinner.