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

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.

Urban Paper: 26 Designer Toys to Cut Out and Build by Matt Hawkins. Published by How; Pap/DVD edition (April 21, 2009).

What a fantastic book – chock full of paper toy designs to cut out and make (with a DVD to print out more once the ones in the book are all used up.)

Along with the instructions and templates to make the toys in this book, there is a wonderful insight into the makers behind these ingenious folded paper toy designs. As well as the templates to make the designs featured in this book, there is also a section on how to design your own paper toys, and some background from the designers on their design process – as well as a fascinating pictorial process on the designs – from the initial drawing to the 3D mock up to making the flat design in illustrator.

With this book I discovered a new craft but also a whole slew of new designers and makers – as well as the ‘online paper toy phenomenon’ that I had only really glimpsed before. (check out moytoy, nice paper toys and custom paper toys – Matt Hawkins the authors own website has heap of freebie paper toy printable templates – rocket toy , Princess kitty, and this blank toy design are just a few.

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.

Pints and Purls: Portable Projects for the Social Knitter by Karida Collins and Libby Bruce. North Light Books (April 8, 2009).

A bit of groovy knitting book for the social young things. A fun premise – portable projects for the social knitter – not just to take to your ’stitch + bitch’ knitting club, but to take along to any social gathering – the pub for instance!

If knitting at the pub is not quite your scene – there are projects in here that you can use before, during or after your social event – ‘hangover lap blanket’ has a very nice ‘red cross’ motif, dancing socks have a lovely lacy design, the ‘drunken’ sweater is really quite fun – an unusual asymmetrical design and the ‘barfly’ pullover has a very flattering neckline.

If you can get past the alcohol / drunken pub references in the project titles then this is a great little knitting book with some really attractive, fun and practical designs to knit on the go.

Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures by Amanda Blake Soule. Published by Trumpeter (August 11, 2009).

I feel like Amanda Soule should be my best friend or wonderful neighbor or my long lost sister, because her words make me feel like I know her. I love her style, her lifestyle and her parenting style and I appreciate her creativity and her imagery – what she chooses to share of her life with the world on her daily blog and through her books is a very generous and special thing.

I have watched and followed and communicated with Amanda over the years, our blogs both starting up at around the same time – on opposite sides of the world – both with children but very different lifestyles, I all the time wondering if I would ever have the courage to follow her path of homeschooling and as she has added a couple more children to the family I grow ever more proud and in awe of her ability to continue on her amazing creative path while at the same time inspiring families around the world to be a little more creative in their lives. Thank you Amanda.

Amanda’s latest book, the handmade home, is just as special as her first book, the creative family. Such a fantastic journey of creative endeavor, learning to recycle, to use what you have, to let the children’s energy and talents shine through, to appreciate the little things, to observe and and to listen and to get making.

Along with Amanda’s philosophy on family and togetherness, comes some cute and thoughtful projects for the whole family to get into. From the family art table runner, rag rug, papier mache bowls to nappies, sanitary napkins, and baby slings to books, to wall panel organisers and treasure bags. Most of these projects are suitable for beginners and for children to make. So grab this book and get creating with your whole family.

Trumpeter are generously giving Whipup readers the opportunity to win a signed copy of Handmade home. We have two copies to give away – so please leave a comment here to be in the running to win [open for 48 hours]. Answer this question: What have your made for the home from recycled materials that has proved invaluable in your life?

Comments are now closed and winners will be contacted in the next couple of days – thank you all so much for entering – stay tuned for another fantastic giveaway in the next few days.

Congratulations to Katie and Amelia – winners have been contacted. thank you all for entering.

Reviewed by: Kate is a busy mother of four and has far too many craft projects on the go at any one time. These could include, but are not limited to, crochet, sewing, dyeing, paper making, spinning, felting and bookbinding. Kate has challenges in the areas of finishing things, saying no and craft supplies storage. She makes baby slings in her free time – find them here.

Weekend Knitting: 50 Unique Projects and Ideas by Melanie Falick. STC Craft (October 3, 2003) STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book (March 1, 2009).

This book has been re released as a softcover, and I am really glad. There are eleventy billion knitting books on the crafting book market at the moment, and not all are created equal. Knitting Weekend has stood the test of time, and is as current and useful as it was when first published in 2003.

The feel of this book is of a nice cosy weekend, at home with family or visiting with friends. Dipping into the pages is like finding a charming little town on an autumn drive, or like discovering a quiet and delicious café, or like wearing comfy handknit slippers on a cold winters day.

There are 50 projects in Knitting Weekend. Some of the highlights for me are curly toed elf slippers for children, a seriously cute hat called the Luggy Beannie, some gorgeously lacy Petticoat Socks, the trio of the Brioche Hat, Neckwarmer and Scarf (which uses Brioche stitch in the round and I can’t wait to give these a go!), a knitted backgammon board and a cute bag to keep it in, and flower shaped washcloths. Lots of the projects are perfect for starting and finishing in a weekend, while many others provide a perfect excuse (if an excuse is ever required) to link together a few perfect weekends of sitting and knitting. And just to help you to achieve the perfect serene weekend with sticks and string in hand, there are recipes for tea, hot chocolate and butter cookies, and some ideas for running the perfect bath to soothe tired knitting muscles.

And if, like me, you can’t sit and knit all day long, but yarny thoughts fill your head between your times with the needles, then Knitting Weekend can provide some more yarny thoughts, with lists of books and films where knitting features. The film list even includes Wallace and Gromit, fantastic!

The knitting patterns are contributed by a Who’s Who of knitting designers, and are accompanied by anecdotes, special notes and schematic diagrams for the garments. It is a shame that there isn’t any help for yarn substitution, but I suppose one can’t have everything.

Normally I am not a fan of knitting books that try to be more than how-tos or pattern books, but Knitting Weekend is a very comfy fit for me.

It Girl Knits: 30 Fresh Styles for the Young and Fabulous by Phoenix Bess, Potter Craft (October 14, 2008).

Knitting designs all designed by a 16 year old knitting designer, Phoenix Bess, for her peers. The designs are fresh and sweet without being cloying or suggestive.

The designs are perfect for beginner knitters, many are knitted in the round with minimal purling and seaming. The designs are clean and unfussy and comfortable – and suitable to most ages – flirty knee length skirts and lounge pants, while other designs are aimed specifically at the younger age group such as fitted empire dresses and lacy camisole.

While this talented young designer has designed for her peers, there is nothing in this book that would not be suitable for my peers!

Amy Butler’s Little Stitches by Amy Butler published by Chronicle Books (September 1, 2008).

Like all Amy Butler’s patterns, this book is full of gorgeous designs, with detailed instructions. Not for the absolute beginner sewer, although some projects might fall under that category. There are some challenging projects to stretch your sewing skills.

Amy has included hand drawn illustrations this time around – which is lovely, I do find the designy patterns underneath the photos and illustrations and text a little busy and distracting though. The photos and styling as usual is outstanding, however the projects are very text heavy with project instructions often running on from each other without clear definition between one and the next.

The projects themselves are for the most part pretty cool. Some gorgeous practical stuff, I think this is Amy’s strength – household practical designs. A crib set with pockets, a wrap blanket with hood, a baby kimono and slippers. I love the everything bag – a tool kit for mums – really all women need one of these. And I wish I had had the change tabletop with pockets when my babies were babies.

Some of the more whimsical projects are more successful than others, I really love the cuddle kitty toy and the imagination book and the cheeky monkey laundry bag – very very cute. I thought the sleepy snail with the spiral ruffle, and the baby butterfly hat just a bit too fussy though.

Overall though a terrific book with a range of patterns to suit most new mothers who like to sew.